Classes: Day 1

Like you read, Ive been sleeping and skyping all night long. I wake up about every hour during the night... probably because Ive been sleeping for almost 12 hours by this point. Got up super early, skyped, and headed off to class. Yes, this is only day 2... but Ive decided to try to figure out how to walk to school. I mean, I paid attention to the taxi and his turns while riding home yesterday, and I am Jennifer Gowen-- no problem.

EPIC FAILURE

I went downstairs from my room and couldnt even get out of the mansion (we all know its a hotel, or apartment building, but I shall refer to it as the mansion from now on). Great security guys! I should have taken this to be a sign as to how my morning would go, but whatever. I went out the main road and figured out how to get on the sidewalk to the bridge (I was getting some strange looks already). I realized why people were looking at me strange when the sidewalk ended halfway across the bridge. It ended! WHAT?!? Why have half a sidewalk? How am I supposed to get to the other side? But unphased by this minor setback, I simply crossed the street (which is harder than one might think). They drive on the left side of the road in Thailand and follow very few road laws. Then I took a quick minute to take pictures of the river (I probably could have used this minute to take a look around for my University, but no). I cross the bridge, make it the bottom of the stairs, and walked along some back streets (in the direction I thought Thammasat was located).

Now people are really looking at me weird. My thoughts: These people think I am lost, they think I am this little American tourist who has no idea where she is walking, or they think Im a photographer, cause Im snapping left and right. But I know that Im not a tourist, I am a student who knows the general direction that Im heading, sure to run into Thammasat any second now. any second now. just around the corner. just around the next corner. ANY SECOND NOW.

wrong.

I spend the next twenty minutes asking people about Thammasat. confused looks. I follow the pointing (class in 20) and it takes me opposite of the direction I thought I should be going. More pointing (class in 15 minutes). Oh yeah, people completely understand English here. I find my way into a fabulous food market. Oh the smells, I wanted to eat everything! Things I had never seen before looked and smelled delicious! But, Im on a mission, and I only had seven minutes to get to class.

I give up and get in a taxi. Firstly, it was a pink taxi (and ive been dying to ride in one), secondly, class started five minutes ago, thirdly, it started to rain. Im convinced that Im going to pay attention to where he drives, so I can correctly walk this tomorrow. but then he goes back over the river! What happened? Did I cross the wrong river? He teaches me that Thammasat is muh-hai-lai which means university during our broken conversation. Then he points out Wat Pho (the reclining buddha), the Grand Palace (the Kings residence), and a policeman. Im careful to make sure he knows I LOVE the King (if you dont understand, read up on some Thai laws concerning opinion of the King... Im not trying to get thrown in jail!). Then we see some other students dressed in uniform. Yes! Ive made it! but I dont recognize this... oh yeah, because its not Thammasat, its another university. My taxi ride was 65 baht. Thats more than the ride straight from the mansion. I have no idea what happened, but either I went the complete opposite direction, or he just drove me around to get me to pay more.

I make it to class 20 minutes late. My teacher is SUPER cute and doesnt seem to mind that Im late at all. A Thai boy gives me his copy of the powerpoint slides and offers to look on with a friend, and I get a copy of the syllabus. Check plus. Quiz 10%, Midterm 30%, Final 60%. Ah crap, Im used to 25-30% final exams at NCSU. Ajarn Nessara (Ajarn means teacher or professor, and Nessara is her first name... they dont call teachers by their last name here) makes me introduce myself to the class, and tells the Thai students that I better not be excluded from the group activities. There is another student in the class from America, but Im the only one who looks American, so she chooses to ask me questions about America for comparison to Thailand. Questions about taxes and GWB. I dont know the answers to all these questions! And all of her examples in class have the same first names of people in Harry Potter. Coincidence? Not when we discussed the level of water in Dumbledore's house. She also refers to students as Batch. Batch. Batch? I figured out later that she was shortening Bachelors. Not something I would have done, but I like her abbrevs.

Then (and I know this is long... but stick with me cause this is the best part!), a couple of Thai students ask me to be in their group! and go to lunch with them! I feel soo welcomed by being invited to eat lunch with these 8 Thai students at a restaurant on the river. They read the menu to me, and helped me pick out a shrimp soup dish. Then we went through the different ingredients in the soup, and I learned which ones are just for show and not for eating. They explain some things to me about Thailand. Like that the King doesn't force any policy, and that Thailand isnt a dictatorship. Good to know. They let me know that he is in failing health, and actually just across the river in the hospital. and lots of other things. Lion, Winnie, and Bomb are my new Thai groupmates from macro... and they just bought me lunch! how sweet :]

I spend the rest of the day going to another class, going on a housing tour, spending more time touring apartments, and skyping my night away. I dont know what I would do without the unwavering support of my family and friends. The emails, messages, posts, comments, e-hugs, guitar playing, prayers, thoughts, time spent reading my excruciating posts... I love and miss you all!