As I was saying…

Pohnpei is a Micronesian paradise.  It has a barrier reef encircling the island that, in calm weather, keeps the lagoon as flat as glass.

The island doesn’t have long, sandy beaches. Mangroves own this piece of land.  It is a mountainous island, covered in green, with the prominent Sokehs Rock and Sokehs Ridge dominating the northwestern landscape.

Sokehs Rock and Sokehs Ridge

Over a 100-year period, the island saw Spanish, German, Japanese, and American occupation, only regaining its independence in 1986.  Remnants of these foreign invaders can still be seen on the island, from the Spanish wall to the bell tower of the old German church to the Japanese guns on the ridge (and the rusty tank in Kolonia). And, of course, the fact that they use the US dollar).  Continue reading →

Pohnpei is a Micronesian paradise.  It has a barrier reef encircling the island that, in calm weather, keeps the lagoon as flat as glass.

I know what you are thinking.  I’m skipping a few parts.  How did I all of a sudden go from Kwajalein to Pohnpei?  Well, that’s easy.  By airplane. (rim shot) Continue reading →

12.25.12

I know that I never finished regaling you with the excitement of my holiday in the Marshalls and Micronesia, but as it is now the end of my first Christmas away from the hearth and home, I figured I would go out of order for a change and talk about Christmas in Thailand.

I have had a difficult time wrapping my mind around the reality that it is, in fact, late December and Christmastime.  It could be because I am not with family for the first time in 32 years.  It could be because it’s not treated as particularly special here in Thailand. It could be because it’s still 85 degrees most days.  Most likely it is all these factors and more that have conspired together to make this the “Christmas That Wasn’t”. Continue reading →

I was terribly remiss about writing in the month of October. Vacation. Flying. Returning. Re-settling. I will try to make up for it…

10.6.12-10.8.12

I know it may seem strange to some when I say “I’m leaving Thailand to go on vacation!” 

Keep in mind, I live here. Which means I have a routine. I go to work, I ride mini-vans, I eat, I sleep. Just like home. I can leave the area of Hat Yai and Songkhla to go on mini vacations, but it would be the same as leaving Fort Collins and going to Denver or Grand Junction for a holiday. It just doesn’t quite do the trick. Continue reading →

9.27.12

Although I don’t have any experience teaching in the States, I was a student there at one point (won’t say how long ago). The educational system is entirely different in Thailand.

Now, I have my beef with America’s emphasis on athletics over academics, however, at least there is still a desire that the students learn and you CAN actually fail out of school.

Unfortunately, in Thailand, there is no such standard. There is no fail. Which means there is little to no motivation for them to learn or care or do their homework or participate in class or even show up. There are students who truly do want to learn. They have a desire to be something and do something with their lives. I have future lawyers and pilots and doctors. They do buckle down and really learn the material. And then there are the students who show up to one class the entire term and then still get to take the final (although we were told that anyone with less than 80% attendance wouldn’t be eligible to write the final). The things the students get away with here would get them expelled or, at the very least, suspended from an American school. Continue reading →

Phuket is beautiful, like all my students say.

During our trip there, they almost left my bag at a way-station. After moving it just inside the sliding door (for some reason it no longer fit in the back where it had been most of the trip), it had to be taken out along with some large box when we stopped, so that people could get on and off the bus. We had gotten back on the bus and driven just a little ways when we realized that we were back at the same way-station. After speculating that perhaps we had accidentally left a passenger, I noticed my backpack and the large box still sitting near the food vendor. I had actually been thinking earlier that everything important was in my shoulder bag that I had with me, so the only thing I would be out is clothing if, for some reason, my backpack was lost or left somewhere. I need to not speculate about things like that in the future… Continue reading →

Thais can sleep anywhere, anytime. And they do. I have an inkling that a good portion of the population may, in fact, have a mild form of narcolepsy.

It makes me laugh sometimes. They can get on a bus and pass out in seconds. And not just a light doze. Dead-to-the-world sleep. I have had to physically shake people before in order to get them to pay their fare or open the door to the bus. The other day, a woman was trying to wake her sleeping child. She was squeezing and patting her cheeks for at least a couple of minutes before she finally woke up. I have seen men sleeping on their motorbikes. Boys in songtaews completely bent over in (what looks like) the most uncomfortable sleeping position imaginable.

The hot, muggy afternoons do lend themselves to a person wanting to retreat to a nice, cool area and just sleep through the most oppressive part of the day.

And I think it might be catching. I have found myself taking naps in the middle of the day or able to doze off sitting upright in a wen. I haven’t mastered sleeping on a motorbike and I haven’t fallen in to a true sleep anywhere but my own bed. However, I have only been here three months. Give it time…

And this is where I went.

I had actually decided to take this trip at the beginning of July when we found out that there would be a three-day weekend for Mother’s Day (Queen’s birthday). There was also a four-day weekend in August, however, due to me not thinking things through, I made the plans for the shorter weekend instead of the longer. Oh well. It worked out anyhow.

My birthday was the previous weekend and I didn’t do much of anything for it. Better late than never.

Since the wen to Satun would be leaving at 9am on the 11^th, decided to spend the night in Hat Yai instead of going back to Songkhla. Would have had to get up really early on the Saturday and that is not how I wanted to start my vacation. Besides, I wanted to see what Hat Yai was like at night. Continue reading →

8.4.12

For the first time in my life, I celebrated a birthday outside of the States. Away from family and friends. Away from any of my familiar birthday haunts. No throwing myself a prom (age 29). No 1930s speak-easy party (age 30). No group sushi (every year). On my own this time around. Not that 32 is a milestone or anything. And I don’t ever get bummed about getting older. But it would have been nice to have at least one friend to spend the day with.

I did, however, get a record number (for me) of Facebook birthday wishes. Warmed my heart.

Spencer told me I had to go out and do something. He also told me that I had to find myself a birthday present, under 2,000 baht. Something that I don’t need. Something fun. He said I couldn’t get a microwave. He knows me too well. Continue reading →

Acquired: one pair of red Converse All Stars. Strictly out of necessity, of course. I have pretty much spent my money only on food, lodging and transportation since I got to Thailand. Sports day gave me the perfect excuse to buy new shoes. You know, so I can cheer for the red team next week.

My student, Mike, took me to Diana Mall to get them. Bam accompanied us and we all went to the 4^th floor to buy the shoes. They had great variety and I wasn’t even thinking about buying red ones until I saw them. Only ever had black ones, so I figured I would live a little. One thousand fifty baht ($33). Sold. The socks at the sports shoes store all looked really thick so I thought that I would just buy some socks somewhere else some other time. Note: socks are not easy to come by in Thailand. Buy them when you can. Continue reading →