Q-Tips

Things I miss about Canada... (note the word 'things'....allow me to be vain and selfish. All you people out there know that I miss you too.)

• John Frieda Shampoo and Conditioner
• Aveda hair straightening serum
• Aveda hair serum for curly hair (don't ask)
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Peanut Butter M&Ms (thanks mom for helping me with this one)
• Fuzzy Peaches (thank you Amy for your contribution)
• Swedish Berries
• Not having to check labels for chemicals that help whiten your skin
• The Body Shop (they have it here... it's just not very big)
• Vancouver
• Montreal
• Toronto
• Terrace *note... these cities are not necessarily listed in order*
• Chocolate
• Sheet sets that come with a sheet to fit over your mattress and a top sheet
• Clothes Dryers
• The walk left, stand right rule on escalators
• Q-Tips

Now, I'm sure there are many things I have left off this list, but let me tell you about Q-Tips. First of all, nobody knows what Q-Tips are. Apparently they are called "Cotton Buds." I came to Thailand almost exacly one year ago... August 30th I think) and I came with a full box of Q-Tips... and I ran out last week. So I went hunting. What I found will not suffice. I am in mourning over my loss of Q-Tips.

Which city do I live in again?

It's really strange how cities, regardless of the province, country, or even continent... can have pieces that make you feel right at home. You feel like you are going to walk around the corner and see a certain building. Or get on the bus at the end of the day and go for pizza with your friends.

Today I went to Suan Siam. Yes... that probably meansy nothing to anybody reading this, and I failed to take any pictures even though I had my camera. To clarify... I am in Bangkok, but there were moments today where I thought I was in Toronto, or then Vancouver, then even Montreal. (Terrace didn't really make the list) Suan Siam is like Canada's Wonderland, or La Ronde, or Playland. (the travelling carnival that comes to Terrace doesn't hold the same memories) It's amazing though... some of the roller coasters are even the same. And the set up is so familiar. Now... what should have been a cotton candy stand, was selling som tam (papaya salad) and instead of mini donoughts, you had phad thai. But that's to be expected in Thailand.

This evening I went out to the cinema. Only the second time I have been since being in Thailand. I saw the new Batman movie. Really enjoyed it, by the way. That too, was like being anywhere else. No, I take that back. The cinemas here are really clean. And really comfortable. And really cheap. And before the film starts everyone stands to watch a tribute to the King. It's really quite beautiful.

I have never really understood the power the King has in this country. I know that everyone loves the King and everyone from children, to the elderly wear bracelets saying "Long live the King." It was explained to me in some way today. Thai people as a whole believe in past lives - and what you do in your past life leads to what and who you will be in your next life. So being born a King is pretty amazing. He must have been an amazing person to come back as a King. He has been this country's King for 60 years. The King was born on a Monday. Yellow is the colour of Monday. So the streets are flooded with people wearing yellow on Mondays. I think next Monday I'll wear yellow too.

From Another Angle

So... my last couple of posts have had a certain quality to them. Some might call it a negative quality, to others a frustrated quality, and to some perhaps a quality of absolute hate. But, that's completely unfair.

I took a taxi yesterday... even though I vowed that I wouldn't do so. And the taxi driver took me exactly where I wanted to go. We had a lovely conversations in Thai. He dropped me off exactly where I wanted to be dropped off and even offered to wait for me. I declined, but it's the thought that counts.

I also have become addicted to fruit and fruit juice. The fruit is amazing. Dragon Fruit...fresh pineapple, mango, mangosteen, rambutan, chom poo, the list goes on and on. And in my quest to find my favourite juice I have discovered guava juice, white grape juice with aloe vera, pomegranate juice... that list goes on too.

Going to the hairdresser's here is incredible. They wash and blowdry your hair for you, for maybe $5 or less - depending on the place.. and you have two people, each with a blowdryer, working on your hair.

And you meet amazing people. My Thai teacher runs an amazing overseas volunteer program to help orphanages, or to run schools in places that were devastated by the tsunami.

They love me at Starbucks... two Starbucks stores in fact and they know my drink. I woke up at 4:30am today... don't know why, but I made a trip to Starbucks to get started. My barista's name was Cartoon. How can a day go wrong when the first person you talk to is called Cartoon?

More Bangkok Madness!!!

Simple plan... take package to post office... not very far away. Mail it to England. Come home. Sounds easy, right? Apparently not.

First.... Bangkok traffic lights like to stay on red for ages. 5 minutes... sometimes more... and then when it finally hits green it stays green for maybe 10 seconds. My taxi driver today actually reclined his seat and closed his eyes at a traffic light.

Then... he had this brilliant plan to get me to where I wanted to go. We went through an alley way... a two way street barely wide enough to fit one car down, then add the street vendors, the motorcycles, the stray dogs, the children running around.... I'm surprised we made it through.

On the way home... I gave lovely directions to the taxi driver. In Thai... he understood. It's an easy place to find. But... of course, he missed my street and while I was shouting at him in Thai to turn he ignored me. So... scenic route it was. Then... traffic light problem again. I should have gotten out and walked. Then when we arrived at my place... I gave him ample warning to turn and he ignored me until I shouted STOP! (in English for added effect)

I'm staying away from taxis for awhile.

Get me out of here!!!!

Whistles blowing. Cars honking. Motorcycles zooming. Pedestrians pushing. People begging. Darting in and out of traffic. Opening your window to not so fresh air. Sweating everytime you leave the house. Parts of animals being cooked on the street. Buildings. Skytrains. Subways. Foreign languages. Near death experiences just to get to the 7-11. All I want is water. Thieves. Trust not a soul. Smiles everywhere, but are they sincere? Pay rent here. Pay some more rent here. Pay for someone else to live in your flat. Elephants... seen them... been there, done that.

I need out of Bangkok! There are things to love and things to hate... and right now I'm about to burst. A beach stretching for miles with the sea a few steps away. No noise. Just peace. Just quiet. Just relaxation.

Singer? Teacher? Both?

I know I want to sing. I want to be a performer on the stage. I can see myself doing it. It is what I want more than anything. It's what I want to be when I grow up. Music, unlike anything else I have encountered, has the ability to touch your soul. Music is the same in any language, in any country, in any continent. Musicians are the same too. Musicians are all in it for the love of it.

I saw a fantastic performance of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra the other night. Huge orchestra, predominantly Thai, but some farangs. They played, I listened, and it made me smile. It touched a part of me that has been sleeping for a long time. It was incredible.

Yesterday, I had the absolute pleasure of seeing "We Will Rock You" live in Bangkok. It was a touring group - I believe from Australia or New Zealand. But it was a fantastic show. By the end I was in tears. I couldn't cheer for the amazing performances, because I was crying. It was so amazing... but those people are who I want to be.

Sooooo... back to the real world. Two weeks of summer holidays - GONE!! I'm starting to look at planning for the start of a new school year; I'm about to sign a new contract for a new apartment; I'm taking on a voice student (which I hope will lead to more voice students); I'm giving up another year's worth of performance opportunities.

But not all is lost. I am in the crowd with Bangkok Opera. Bangkok Community Theatre is doing a G&S production after Christmas. I will find the opportunites wherever they may be. I will hunt them out.

Music is where it is at. That's where I want to be. I am masquerading as a teacher. But this won't be forever. This won't be all. There will be so much more to add to my resume. I will find a way.

Life begins again

So.... school is over... for 6 weeks anyway... and I am free - at last. The last week flew by... I was $given some lovely gifts including a lovely bottle of red wine and the kids put on a terrific show. Parents were happy, the children were happy, and the director of our school was happy.... so.. it went off without a hitch. I have had to include some images. The kids were adorable. The first picture has the Year Two Class in the background dressed up as dalmations - singing Cruella De Vil. In front of them are the Reception Class. They sang the Bare Necessities. The second pictures features the kindgergarten class (3 year olds) dressed as bugs, and fairies etc... dream like creatures singing "A dream is a wish your heart makes." In the background is the year 3/4 class, singing a song from Grease. It was all fun and games... but it had to end - and then the parties began.

There was a goodbye party that night for one of the teachers who was leaving. The following night we had a goodbye party for the same person, but it included our staff as well as other friends in the city. The next day was a leaving/goodbye brunch for another girl at a posh hotel... where if you don't drink wine - it's not worth it. Last week was basically just a fun week at school which culminated with a lunch for the staff which included a farewell to three teachers. Two of them we weren't allowed to say farewell to before hand for political reasons but they have left as well. They were both good friends.... as was the third who is my best friend in Bangkok. It will be different next year, that's for sure.

I had an incredibly busy day on Saturday which forced me to ride around on a motorcycle. Weaving in and out of traffic... cars surrounding me... grazing side view mirrors as we drove along. (sorry dad, I should have warned you not to read this). I got everywhere safely though. That's the most imporant part. Saturday night, as a leaving present to my flatmate, and very good friend we went for dinner at a restaurant on the 61st floor of a hotel. It has an amazing view and despite some intense wind, which came with complimentary hair ties, we had a lovely time. The first photo is a view of one side of Bangkok... and the second is of a "complimentary" fireworks show in the distance.

So... today was my first day of not getting up on a Monday morning for school. What a lovely feeling. I started the day off with a swim in our pool and relaxed reading books, watching movies... I plan on being more active in the days to come.

I must say that I see pictures of places like Hawaii (thanks Dawn) and Vancouver (thanks Louis) and I do get jeaouls. Even though I am in a beautiful country with beautiful people with amazing things to do, I still miss what seems ordinary. Okay, maybe Hawaii isn't ordinary, but...

I do miss home - and if all goes according to plan, I should be in Vancouver on December 14th or thereabouts. Not sure exactly.

I'll keep you all updated over the summer. Enjoy your summer wherever you may be.