Thailand Will Make Me Fat, Patient and a Blessing.

So living in Thailand is going to be nothing like living in the Western world.  I can already see the widening gap between my experience with studying abroad in Northern Ireland and my life here in the jungle (currently the urban jungle that is Bangkok).  When I went to the good 'ol NI, I could make a nice and tidy bullet point list of cultural differences for my blog.  HA! There is no possible way to even BEGIN a list of different things here.  Every morning I wake up to a new world, different scents (lots of poop), different tastes (somtam and exotic fruit smoothies are my favorites so far), different creatures (cockroaches, no me gusta), different colors (ok maybe I'm getting carried away here...).  But seriously, by the fifth time my treadmill at the gym made me break into a dead sprint for my life and I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, I realized couple things about myself in this current stage:

First, I have become a child again.  By that I mean that I literally feel like a baby here---no ability to communicate (besides dramatic gesturing) and I have no idea what is happening around me most of the time.  I can tell that I am going to learn humility here.  I barely have the ability to say 'yes' or 'no' and have only just memorized how to explain what my name is.  Oh and side note: Siri means 'blessing' here and is a common first name. So henceforth, I will only answer to being called 'blessing'...ok? :)

Secondly, my independence and general self-reliance is simply not going to cut it here.  Asian cultures tend to be more communal, so I am told, and there is an interdependence that we just don't have in the U.S.. The community is vital to survival here and I know that I am going to have to rely a TON on others for help, communication, support etc.  Similarly, the new friends I have made so far have shown me how 'hanging out' is done in typical communal Thai fashion.  You meet up, probably an hour later than expected, wander the streets, eat, teach Siri dirty Thai words, see the gorgeous temples/parks/monuments/museums, eat, meet up with more friends that have just been called to join, eat, laugh, make fun of Siri butchering Thai words, and lastly, eat.  A beautiful, sweaty, meandering experience that I am sure will soon make me very, very fat indeed.

Thirdly, I have rediscovered my lack of the virtue of patience!  Another one of my many flaws that have been exposed to me here.  Even walking the twenty hot minutes to Fulbright lectures every morning, I have to coach myself to walk slower.  I keep finding myself zigzagging around the Thais on the sidewalk, awkwardly sneaking through gaps in people or resorting to the striding my long American legs down the street and putting myself at the risk of death by tuk-tuk (mini open motorcar...provides a genuine thrill when I need a little more adrenaline in my day).  The pace is different here; sun and culture combine to set a new, flowing rhythm of life.

On a lighter note, I have gotten to see, hear and do some sweeet things here already!  Some of my favorite include doing Jazzercise with hundreds of really legit people and my new Thai-biochemistry-student-friends in huge Lumpini Park (a Central Park-esque feel), wandering into a hilarious relay race competition in Chula University's stadium (sorry Thai peeps...but you need to get into shape!), karaoke and dancing with the past year's Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (one girl dislocated her knee cap and tore tendons while dancing....NEED I SAY MORE?) and honestly the daily ritual experience of obtaining non-lethal sustenance from street vendors.

Well family and friends, I have learned so much already in the past nine days (I have also figured out I love to use parentheses when I write) and I cannot wait to continue to share them with you!  Please keep me updated on your life, seriously feel free to just stream-of-consciousness email me, and keep me in your happy thoughts and/or prayers.

Miss and love you all.

Love,
Blessing (Please only call me this from now on)