Water, New Friends & A Bright Green Poncho

Sawadee kha from the BKK!  It's a rosy 5:52 am and jet-lag makes me an early bird.

Twenty hours of flying and two days later, I finally made it into Bangkok! I got to meet up with six other Fulbrighters on the last leg from Tokyo to BKK and it was nice to entire a new country with a group of new friends.

We are staying at the lovely Chulalongkorn University, one of the most prestigious schools in BKK I am told, in the International House.  I share air-conditioned and room-serviced room with another Fulbrighter and I have to admit, Fulbright treats its employees well.

It is true that a barrage of moisture, heat and smell hits you when you step out of the climate-controlled housing, but I think I am already getting accustomed to these elements.  It's crazy how one can adapt. Fortunately this time of year also is the rainy season, which tends to be cooler, so we are getting eased into Thai weather with baby steps.

Now about water.

For a water-spoiled Portlander, even thinking about water is a new concept.  I woke up my first morning here and my first thought was that I was thirsty.  Airplanes, humidity and losing my water bottle do not mix apparently.  It took me until literally turning the faucet at the sink to remember that this was a terrible no-no! I have this weird notion about myself that I have a very hardy stomach, so it was a stab to the ego to concede and try to find water in the lobby downstairs.  As of now, I have semi-figured out the drinking water station that runs on baht and this is what the process looks like:
1)  Insert an assortment of coins until the machine decides it likes one
2) Proceed to put my water jug/bottle under the pouring faucet until it spills over, pours over the machine and myself and sprays everywhere
3) Smile foolishly and nod as the ever kind and patient security guard once again tries to explain the machine to me.

My roommate Stephanie and I at sushi

Hey, at least I got some water.

On another note, my roommate Stephanie has family friends here in Bangkok and so last night the lovely Chinese couple, Masy and Michael, took us out for a delightful Japanese sushi dinner, followed by grocery shopping at the giant TESCO Lotus store down the street.  Although BKK is very westernized, it's still exciting to the senses to walk through a chain grocery store and see exotic fruits and foods I've never heard of.  My favorite purchases so far are dragon fruit, mango (yellow and pointed) and a bright green plastic poncho for 19 baht, equivalent to about 50 cents.

Tomorrow our new friends are taking us to church, first a Cantonese-speaking service and then one in English.  It's amazing how fast I feel connected and supported here.

After dinner I had a very Romantic (capitalization intended) evening.  Britt and I are reading Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment together and so I sat downstairs in the courtyard and started reading it in the night heat, accompanied by whirring fans and two enemy cats having a stare-down. Then I watched from the balcony my first Thai lightening storm streak across the skyline.

I have to admit that anything I do here feels cooler because...well...I'm here!

Goodbye home, Portland and America!

I am currently sitting on the slick black chairs in PDX airport, waiting for the first leg of three flights to Bangkok, Thailand and wondering how I got here!

It seems like just a day ago that I spontaneously decided to apply to the Fulbright Program. I had no idea what the next step in my life was going to look like and I didn't feel peace about jumping straight into a career. No, no...not quite yet!  I have much adventuring and traveling to get out of my system before then :)

As I scanned the list of countries that you could apply to be an English Teaching Assistant in about one year ago, my eye caught on Thailand.  Why, you ask? I seriously couldn't tell you, other than the fact that my family has sponsored two children there for years and I have had countless friends go and come back with amazing stories about beautiful people with smiles that will melt anyone's heart.

But as I sit here, looking out to a year---365 days full of the unknown, different, scary, challenging, and hopefully fulfilling---I know this is where I am supposed to be going with my life.  I can't quite tell you why, but I hope that God gives me direction and continues to guide me through this new turn my life has taken.  I pray and hope for new understanding about who I am supposed to be and how I fit into this thing called the world.

I would also covet everyone's prayers or good thoughts as I fight jet-lag (due to my recent return from a month of backpacking through Europe with two college girlfriends...I know, I know, I'm crazy!) and transition to a new culture, life and job.  Please stay in touch with me the best you can, if only to send little updates about your life via Facebook or Email...a little bit of home always makes life better :)

Until then, sawadee kha!