Floods

Another weekend is quickly coming to an end. I can't believe how fast they go. If only the school days went so fast.

I had been told that I was coming to Thailand in time for rainy season leading into Winter (hah - winter, yeah right). There really hasn't been much rain - and mostly at night... except for this past week. Thunder and lightning storms all day and all night. I have never seen so many children terrified of thunder... but the children at my school are terrified. I hate screaming. Really HATE screaming - and was thankful when the thunder had stopped for the day. My entire street has been flooded...calf deep with water. The street in front of my school was flooded as well, making it near impossible to walk to school. (well, I suppose it would be possible..but really) So, I have had more lovely experiences on the back of a motorcycle, riding to school in the rain with water from the roads splashing me the entire way. Last night the water was even deeper, there was thunder and lightning through the night, but oddly enough, I woke up to a dry street. Hot summer day. Now, maybe I imagined the flooding, but that is highly unlikely. I'm just wondering where all the water went so quickly... and why it didn't go somewhere sooner.

Yesterday I sang in a concert... sort of a pre-show to the big concert in November. It was a lot of fun. We sang, and played instruments, and taught all of the conert-goers about meditation. It was a beautiful location - called Garden City. I did take pictures. I just have to learn how to transfer my pictures from my camera onto the computer. I will get to it. For a completely impromptu concert - it went very well and was well received. Hopefully we will sell a lot of tickets for the big show.

Bangkok streets are crowded with street vendors. Tons of food everywhere you go. Only problem is you never really know what it is... and as I mentioned previously... I have seen cockroaches and maggots at some of these vendors. But, luckily for me, October is the Vegetarian Food Festival. If there is a yellow flag - it's vegetarian. Many things still look like meat, but are all made from tofu... or other things. I just don't ask. My friend was eating vegetarian pork rinds yesterday. I chose not to partake in that delicacy... but he seemed to enjoy it. So... if nothing else, I will eat for the month of October and hope that another vegetarian food festival comes up before too long. My cook, the lovely lady downstairs at my building makes lovely food... and knows never to serve me meat. Sometimes I don't know what I want, so she just makes me something. Our conversations are entirely in Thai... I don't speak Thai to save my life... but somehow I end up with a full stomach by the end of the day.

I am taking Thai lessons... trying like mad to learn. I have to do parent/teacher interviews next week and many of the parents don't speak english. I've opted for a translator as I highly doubt I will be struck with the ability to speak Thai in the next few days.

6 more sleeps until vacation... can't wait. I'll try to post picurues soon