New Friends

Besides hanging around our little apartment area (minus the pool, it has a rip in the lining! BOOOOOOO!) I haven't gotten much past the outskirts of our neighborhood in the last little while. That was until last weekend.

Plans were made to go to the biggest market in the world Chattachuk (sp?) but we realized that it would be closed by the time we got there... but a Thai teacher from school was going to take us and had invited us out to a graduation party after. Long story short I ended up going to the party despite not going to the market- She said it was close. Well, after waiting a half hour in an airconditioned mini-van, travelling 45 minutes, getting out and taking a bus for another 20 minutes, getting off the bus and taking Motorcy's and then walkingn for 15 minutes, I figured something must have been lost in translation.. this was not ''Close'' to anywhere I had been, ever. When we arrived we got to a small apartment and I was wondering how we were all going to sit, never mind have a party- but soon we moved on and I realized we were only just picking up her friends. When getting to the complex we which was our destination we took the elevator up to fl 21. The doors opened to a dusty VERY dark construction site.. opps wrong floor.. fl 20 instead? The doors opened and it was more like a horror movie.. a dark gloomy vacant floor.

After much ado we got to the pub on floor 12... it turns out it was actually a roof top restaurant (not sure how as we got out on the 12th floor)..anyway.. it was a BEAUTIFUL view of the city.. it was a very fun night. We ate a whole fish... as well as mussels and shrimp, and squid and many SPICY dishes. (Since then I have experimented and figured out 1 of 2 things aggravates my mouth and creates small sores, either the spicy food or fish....) I will reintroduce spice this week and see what happens!

Anyway we had a lovely dinner before literally RUNNING indoors when it started POURING- like nothing I have ever seen before and before we left the restaurant our feet were in an inch and a half of water. It was a fun experience, not to mention the hilarity of me hanging out with a bunch of Thai's trying to learn Thai... and doing pretty miserable.

This weekend was nearly as eventful- after taking a taxi and numerous dead end stops.. and changing taxis once because ours ran out of gas, we got to a BEAUTIFUL dance club.. which didn't even charge cover- it was a very fun night of dancing.. though I didn't realize dancing with heels would result in some posterior soreness today-- guess I better get back exercising!

Besides that highlights this week included....
--> NOT seeing giant spiders.
--> Finding a new market
--> going for a LONG run.
--> Finding out about a day long bike trek I will take on my next free weekend.
--> booking a long weekend trip
--> Getting started writing my first set of exams (where I"m the teacher).. and being almost done.
--> walking in the sunshine.
--> eating delicious icecream.
--> eating sushi and a delicious meal for under 10$.
--> Cleaning my room.
--> There were a bunch more things that I was going to write but can't remember now.. like the pleasure of walking up 78 steps to get to my classes every day in the NON airconditioned hallways.
--> Getting our ''lovely'' new uniforms.. they fit wonderfully (except a little big).. but I don't understand why they'd make such uniforms out of THICK material!


Anyway- Let me know how you are :) ANy Questions?