Laura's Year in Asia = Fun Stories

So I don't have much more to update on. Been cooped up in the Asia hotel for 4 days doing my teaching course. Its quite funny actually, some other english teachers just come in and tell us fun games to play with the kids, and how to teach without ANY resources. Nights are spent roaming the town in a tuk-tuk looking for random places to eat. We found this one gem where its just a ton of thai people eating on the sidewalk and the waiters brign you a shabu-style pot to cook on. We didn't really get the hang of it, but ended up with soem funky green noodles and random meats that tasted pretty good. Everynight I go for an hour thai massage ($5). The best description I've heard of Thai massages are "they're just forced yoga" Basically true. these women stand on you, under you, throw you, push their elbows into crazy places, but you always walk away with a smile on your face. Its especially funny cuz they make you wear these fab pjamas that are always too short for me and too tight on my thighs, i'm pretty sure the woman are laughing AT me. Today we had a day off, but thanks to going out last night on Th Kho San, and the wonderful chiang beers I didn't make it up by 8 am to go to the Grand Temple, Wat Po and those other things. Although I did find the best hotdog vendor outside of North America.




Its so true that here in Thailand you're most likely to get scammed by someone being friendly to you rather than someone attacking you. If i go to one more silk suit shop in a tuk tuk when I clearly stated "100 BAHT NO STOPS!" at the begining I might just steal the tuk tuk for myself. Even random old ladies seem so nice and tell you about their favourite places to eat or shop, and its all just for them to get commission of us bloody farangs. Its all a part of the fun I guess. But argh. We found a way to avoid the tuk-tuk scams, and discovered the canals of Bangkok. Apparently it was supposed to turn into the venice of asia...but a few still remain, and for 20 cents you can go on these rusted boats anywhere you want, as long as you can correctly guess when to jump the 2ft. gap between the boat and the dock. The driver actually yells something in Thai that means 'have a calm heart!' Speaking of Thai my language learning is going great. I can count to ten, say hello, goodbye and thankyou. Not to mention the key terms of TOO MUCH! YOU'RE CRAZY! I PROMISE I WILL WALK AWAY!




I fly out to Nan on Tuesday, and before that I have to go back to the fab MBK mall and buy some more stunning short sleved blouses. I keep going there to get them, but spend my money on the abercrombie/hollister/LV/billabong/polo/Lacoste clothes they have for sooo cheap. I also accidently bought a bunch of $0.25 DVD's....to use as teaching resources of course ;)




I'm getting along SO well with all the other gapper teachers. They are tons of different ages and backgrounds. Paradie is sitting beside me and says hi to everyone that we both know. Oh! I added a few pics up top. My favourite ATM in Bangkok so far was at the elephant zoo. Some pics of Th Kho San. THE GLORIOUS MALL! Our teaching classroom. The beautiful view of B'kok from our hotelroom. And some action shots of tuk-tuk-ing