I love yellow flags

Yellow flags. Good things. Amazing things. You'll never guess what they mean. They're everywhere. In the supermarket, on the street... unfortunatley only for a limited time, but.... they mean.... that the vegetarian festival is on in Banngkok - in all of Thailand in fact. So... you want some foood, you see a yellow flag, you can eat it without asking what's in it. It's beautiful.
There's a stand right outside of my school. Haven't seen anything close to home, but I can deal with that. So instead of my typical lunch of milk, or yogurt or something similar, I can have vegetarian food from the cross for less than $1. I realise that I could eat the lunches at the school... there is a vegetarian option.... but I'm protesting for whatever reason. I'm sure there was a good reason at some point and now I just stick with it.

Not much else to share. I've discovered that I have paid a bill late... well, I still haven't paid it. I don't know how to pay it now but they wouldn't let me pay it at the normal location. The last thing I want is for my electricity to be cut off. No A/C.... that would be treacherous.

That's a day in my life. Just a normal Monday.

Time flies

It was recently pointed out to me... thanks Paul... that I have not updated my blog in awhile. And it's true. I've definitely been lacking in the posting bussiness. So... I'm trying to start doing it again. Keep everyone updated about life in the BKK.

So... I have moved, I have started a new job, I haven't been anywhere, but life is good. Teaching year 4 is great. The kids are lovely and I'm settling into the profile of classroom teacher. I'm also teaching music throughout the school at a more intense level than last year. So... everyday is a challenge. Good challenge, but a challenge all the same.

It's rainy season in the lovely country of Thailand. One day I actually walked home in knee deep water. That's when you don't even let your mind think about what could be floating in the flooding waters of Bangkok. I won't even talk about the rat I saw floating by.

My thai is getting better and better and I do try a lot harder than I ever have before. It does make life so difficult, but I try to ask questions just for the sake of asking them, and hope that I can understand the responses.

There was a state of emergency declared in Bangkok a few weeks ago. Stupidly I assumed that mom and dad would have heard about it on the evening news. So, when I called them saying I was okay and nothing to worry about... I naturally started something. It was calm cool and collected. I saw no evidence of this state of emergency, but I also stayed clear of any area that could be problematic. Politics politics politics.

So... there you go.... a mini update and I promise to do a much better job in the future.

What's in a name?

I have been sleeping in my new flat for what will be my fourth night tonight, and I can't help but wonder... are the people who live on floor 12A really convinced that they live on 12A? I mean seriously between 12 and 14 comes 13 no matter which way you look at it. But in my new building, 13 does not exist, but 12A does. Luckily, I do not live on 12A. I live on the 15th floor. No superstitions to be worried about.

So, I have a new flat - all to myself. No flatmates. It's good though. I like it. It feels like home. Moving was a pain, but I am basically done. I will make one final stop tomorrow to pick up the last few things. Photos are to come including the semi-view that the 15th floor provides.

I have been back at school in this past week preparing for children on Monday. The thought sends shivers up my spine. Not ready... but I have to be. Seven children are in my future, plus a school filled with music students and a handful of students with English as an additional language. I'm in for a busy year.

Summer has come to an end all to quickly. 9 weeks of teaching before we get a break. I think we will create a weekend away. Or two... or.. many. Sanity is needed.

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.