Sorry, I’m way behind…but here’s an update!!  For the 2^nd weekend we went on a retreat with ISDSI.  On that Friday, we left ISDSI in really awesome commuter vans.  Then, we went to a reservoir to do a swim test.  We had to swim 300 m, then immediately tread water for 15 minutes.  After everyone finished their swim tests, we had lunch (which included live jumping shrimp!!), then after lunch, we got back in the vans to go to Mok Fah National Park.  After we arrived and picked out cabins, we had free time.  So, I swam in the waterfall, which was really fun and intense!  Later that night, we played “birdie on the perch!” around the campfire, which was really fun.  Basically, in this game, everyone runs around in a circle, while music plays, and when the music stops, you have to jump onto someone.  The last pair set is out.  This game is so much fun, and I want to teach friends how to play when I go back to the US.  On Saturday, we had rescue scenarios.  We were broken into groups and sent into the woods to find our victim.  When we found our victim, one leg and one arm were unusable, so we had to carry our victim down a really steep trail and across a river.  It was hard, but really fun.  Later, I went exploring to a bat cave.  Sunday, we went on a hike with the park guides, packed up, and then headed back to our host families.  The next week was a normal school week.  But then on Friday, instead of school, I went to a fish hatchery.  There, we got to climb down into a pond, pull up a net and catch fish!  To catch the fish, we used a net to scoop them up from an area of approximately 150 fish.  Then, we grabbed each one with our hands, looked in its mouth, and if there were eggs, we flushed them out into a catch net.  The fish with no eggs, and the fish that had their mouths flushed out, were thrown back into the water.  At the hatchery, we were told what the purpose of this NGO was and we got to see a walking catfish and a snakehead fish.  Then, Saturday, I got sick .  Then, that night, I went to a funeral with my host family, and to my surprise, I did not need to wear black.  Plus, it was outside.  It was more of a social event then for mourning.  So, I played with the kids for about an hour.  Sunday, my host dad took my host sisters and me to the Chiang Mai Zoo, and to a waterfall.  Despite being sick, this was still really fun.  The following week of class was a normal week of class.  Then, Friday, we climbed Doi Suthep with Pi Ben and Pi Aaron.  This was very fun, but exhausting, although the rain actually felt nice.  After reaching the top of the trail, we took Rot Dangs to Wat Doi Suthep, and climbed 300 more steps to reach the temple.  I was asleep by 8:30pm that night, haha.  Nothing happened for the rest of the weekend, as my host family just stayed home.  School this past week was pretty easy.  On Monday, we were told about the Urban Sustainability surveys we would be conducting this week.  We were broken into groups of 4, and my group was assigned Traffic Composition.  So, on Tuesday and Wednesday, instead of seminar, my group went into Chiang Mai to conduct research.  At 2 large intersections, we counted cars, trucks, motorcycles, and Rot Dangs for 10 consecutive red lights.  At the smaller intersections, we sat at a restaurant and a Café, and ate food while counting vehicles driving by.  Tuesday, we had milkshakes, fries, and a burger : ) !!!  Then, on Wednesday, I had ice cream!!  (Yes, time to indulge in American food) On Thursday, my group wrote our summary paper and made our poster.  Friday, all the students presented their research, then went shopping, haha.  On the way back to ISDSI from the mall, a few of us were riding in a Rot Dang when a guy driving behind us in a motorcycle, wearing green sunglasses, waved to us and said, “Welcome to Chiang Mai!!”  then immediately covered his mouth, probably because he couldn’t believe that he had said that.  It was one of the cutest things I had ever seen, all of us busted out laughing.  It made our day : ). Last night with the host family.

I have survived my first week in Thailand.  Thai class is going well and is not as hard as I thought it was going to be. School here is actually really fun.  I get the relief of using english, and we have fun fridays.  For example, this past Friday I went rock climbing on natural rock, and also rappelled for the first time.  This friday we will go swimming and go on a retreat over the weekend.  However, life with the family is still confusing.  Just yesterday, all I was told was to wake up at 4am and we would go to Chiang Rai to see family.  Well, later that day we stopped the car at the border liason office and I was told that we were going to Burma, although, not in direct english.  Then later, we took a boat to an island of Laos.  (I apparently did not need a passport for any of that) haha.  It was the most confusing day of my life. I liked Laos a lot more than Burma.  Burma made me kind of nervous, and I got to see a baby black bear in Laos.  it was cute.  Well, lunch break is almost over, so I will post more later.

So, after a total 22 hours of flight, I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  When we arrived, 2 people from ISDSI met us at the airport and we took red trucks (taxis) to get to the school.  Riding in the truck was interesting, I got to experience for the first time riding on the left side of the road, and here in Thailand, the lines on the road don’t really matter.  After arriving at the school, we were soon picked up by our host families.  In my family, I have a dad (paw), mom (mae), and 3 younger sisters, Nung Nan, Nung Nook, and Nung Ning.  Living with them is fun but confusing as their english is limited.  Another thing that’s hard is that there is too much food.  The family eats constantly, and I’m not used to it, so I am never hungry.  I just say “eem lau” when I can’t finish.  That means, “I’m full”.  I’ve eaten at several roadside stands.  School is pretty interesting, we have Thai class for 4 hours a day.  I’m slowly learning.  The only time I have that internet is available is from 7-8am, 12:30-1pm, and 5-5:30pm on monday-friday.  Hopefully, once I’m living on my own, I will have more access to the internet. So, I will try to post more later.

Hello all!!  So, in a few days, I will be leaving the US to spend 6 months in Thailand for study abroad!!  I will be packing over the next few days, and I will probably post again once I get settled on the opposite side of the world:)  So, check in once in a while to hear about my adventures!