Ban Phe Week 1

I am trying to download some pictures right now ... so check the picture link to the right, there might be something new!

Where to start!?!

Let's see ... Last Sunday was orientation, and while I was quite nervous before, I left feeling really exhilarated about taking the class. Come Monday, I was ready for a full day of school. They space things out quite nicely, so the days seem to go by pretty fast, but there has been a ton of homework every day. It hasn't been too bad, but there is a lot of work. We met with kids on Thursday and Friday which proved to be far more difficult than I was expecting, but I guess that's why I'm in school for it :)

Besides school, I have spent a lot of time at the bars on the beach to do homework, because they're actually quite quiet and it's nice to get out of the school since we live there and spend our entire days there (plus we can have a beer to cool off). The bars are really cool ... The waves come so far up you think you'll have to move your feet so that the waves won't get them, but that hasn't been a problem yet. There are quite a few pictures (if they're not up now, they'll be up soon ... I promise).

The weather has been crazy. There was a great thunder storm on Monday, and a short rain every day, except for Friday when it rained all day, and this weekend when it was beautiful.

I suppose I should dedicate some space to the lovely bugs of Ban Phe. The second night we were in our rooms, a girl found a 3" cockroach in her bed ... on the same night, another girl found a giant spider in her bedroom. We were all creeped out to say the least. Later in the week, the same girl who found the spider, found a cockroach in her bed. I have a pet lizard in my room. He is super small, but I have named him Leo and I like to believe that he eats all those creepy crawlies that I want out of my room (I have also invested in mosquito/flying insect killing spray and raid plug ins ... not to mention the scent of 25% DEET that I have sprayed all over me at all times). So we can all thank Leo for keeping me sane :) and the bugs away.

Let's see ... What else? The FOOD! I love Thai food. And I love Thai restaurants. The restaurant across from the school is the best. It is run by two related families , they have three daughters who are at school all day, and a 3 month old boy who they carry around all day while they work. It's awesome. I had to explain to them that I like watching them cook, because they thought I was being impatient waiting for my food, and now when they see me look, they tell me what they're making.

Ban Phe may be small, but I love that I've been here for only a week, and I feel like I'm part of a community already. Ok, so maybe I'm just part of the community on my street, but it's a community nonetheless. I'm also enjoying being alone more here than in Bangkok. Bangkok was just too much on my own (I know I keep saying that, but it's true!) I also think being alone here feels better, because I know I can always go back to the school and hang out with someone who wants to procrastinate doing his/her homework and visit with me.

I think I've only left out our trip to the Rayong Night Market, which was cut short due to rain, and yesterday's trip to Koh Samet ... which was beautiful. White sand beaches, and complete serenity. The pictures say it better than I can.

I apologize for the mumble jumble ... I'm in an internet cafe with five people playing five different computer games all at full volume (talk about a headache!)

Thank you for all the emails. Despite loving it here, I really miss everyone, and the comfort of being surrounded by people who know me. It's hard keeping your guard up all the time.

Bean, Kyle and Shannon ... get here quick! I miss you!