Living in rural Thailand is indescribable. There are these looming tropical trees all around, at least four cows live in front of my house, crazy roosters cry every morning around 6 am, about a thousand dragonflies swarm around at night, and little geckos sit on my ceiling. In the evening, we sit outside and eat spicy som tam with sticky rice. I am getting good at eating the Thai way--spoon in my right hand and fork in my left. I am also pretty good at taking showers with buckets of cold water but I can't seem to get used to the squatter toilets. I am learning to speak a bit of the Laotian language because Issan is so close to Laos. And Alice is planning our weekend trip to Laos right now!

My room is so quiet and peaceful. I don't remember having this kind of space and time to think and relax. Last year feels like a blur. I read my diary entries and realized how secretly turbulent last year was for me. I just wanted to escape. So I bought my plane ticket to Bangkok without leaving much time to finish up the semester properly or really prepare for my trip. And I arrived just like that. Over a month and three countries later, I am here in rural Thailand. Finally peaceful, tan, and resolute (resolute that I must continue to be peaceful and not overload myself again).

The funny thing is that I also scheduled my return flight so that there would be no time to kick back and relax after my trip, pack to move into a brand new house, or make it to the beginning of my summer classes (I would miss the first few days of classes). I am way too crazy sometimes! But I am trying to calm down for a change...I'm changing my flight so that I can be home a lot earlier so I actually have time to run errands and see all the people I miss. So watch out America! I'll be back so so soon (not THAT soon)!

Last night I talked to my family for the first time in over a month. It was so good to hear voices from home. Tomorrow I'm going to my host teacher's hometown! I can't wait!

Also, so many people take photos of me here (5-20 photographs everyday)! It leaves me bewildered. Someone explained that they take photos because I look like a celebrity! Which is very nice of them and flattering but to be quite honest, I think I look pretty bad these days. My hair is growing out all crazy and it desperately needs to be dyed again. I don't have a lot of nice clothes (backpacking 4lyfe) or jewelry. Plus, everyone thinks I am really fat! This is place is confusing for my self-esteem.

Well, I'm done with teaching for the day so I'm just hanging out at the school office using free wireless that is FINALLY working. Students stop by sometimes to say hello and practice English with me. Otherwise they wave and run away giggling. It's so cute.

Yesterday I went to the Dinosaur museum with the Tourism Club and it was a lot of fun to get to know some of the students more individually. There are these two ladyboys in the Tourism club who are very good at English and very enthusiastic about speaking English with me. They also have perfect eyebrows and love using words like "hot chick" to describe themselves! I have English Club this afternoon and I'm so excited to meet more students.

The challenge lately has been trying to convince the Thai teachers that I am not too tired to teach, etc. They keep canceling my classes if I seem exhausted. And give me a ton of medicine and honey tea. Even today they suggested that I go home today and skip English club because I seem tired. I don't need to sleep all the time! Blah!!