Sawati Ka (Hello From Thailand)

After all of the preparation, goodbyes, and anticipation I am finally here in Thailand. It was an eleven hour flight to Tokyo (I didn't sleep for a single second) and then an eight hour flight to Bangkok (I slept through dinner). Once we landed we were greeted by the Thailand Peace Corps Staff who hung beautiful lays of purple and white flowers around our necks. We then headed out into the night and were loaded on to two double Decker buses. There was a three hour ride awaiting us and once we were finally to Chai Badan in the Lopburi Province here we were ushered to our rooms and allowed to sleep for a whole three hours before this whole thing began. We have spent every minute of each day in meetings, language lessons, bike training classes, and eating. It is exhausting and yet nice - the business keep the homesickness at bay.

I am amazed at the speed with which they have been able to teach us the language and am loving my bike. It is grey and new and beautiful - I love her!!!! I have already made a few good friends and am enjoying the time they are giving us here at the hotel, where we get to spend our days and night among other American volunteers. On Feb. 3rd we will be leaving the comfort of this place and heading to our homestays. It will be ten weeks of living in a village away from the other volunteers and with a Thai family. We bike each morning to what they call the Hub sight. I have a feeling that this is when the whole thing becomes truly "real." I have only been here four days and already it feels like months. They keep us busy and well fed - it's sort of a dream right now.

The weather is unreal. It has been between 85 and 90 degrees each day and "dry" - this is the dry and cool season. I can only imagine what the hot and wet seasons are like - I'm a little afraid; it feel really humid and hot here already to me. But I guess that's life in Thailand.

We were give time to go the an open air market today and shop a bit. I rode my bike there with a few of the other volunteers and found it interesting to see the Thai people's reaction to a blond haired, blue eyed, little American. Little kids were following me through the rows of exotic fruit, fired bugs, and piles of fish and meat wanting to have their picture taken with me and touch my golden locks. Vendors were pointing and smiling and everyone would stop and take me in. I was quite the anomaly. One of the children lead me to a vendor who made Pan Thai and I had my first experience with this Thai staple of a meal. It was supposed to be mild and still I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I guess my taste buds have some adjusting to do still . . . I think I'll make it work. So far it truly has been the land of smiles and I have to say Thai people are kind and generous. I think this will be a semi easy place to make home for a while . . . I guess we'll have to see.