Blogs from Chonburi, Central Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 3

I got an interesting assortment of gifts at school this year. Most interesting of all was the gift from the director. She was handing out these sort of fancy health tonics and she gave me a little box containing two. There was a picture of something tan on the label and just as I was about to conclude that it was ginger, the director said that I didn't think I could have that one since I am a vegetarian. She traded me for two prune-flavored tonics. I was really perplexed by this exchange until I figured out that the tonics she had traded me for were actually made from birds' nests!!! Yikes! I'll take prune, thanks very much. I actually have no idea what you are supposed to do with these tonics, but I guess I ... read more

For the majority of December, Christmas didn’t really enter into my consciousness. There were a few Christmas decorations here and there at department stores and at school, but nothing like the full-blown holiday bonanza, from pre-Thanksgiving onward, that it would be at home. The weather also didn’t help give me the holiday feeling, since it is continuously warm and balmy, a constant August feeling that makes it more difficult for me to mark the passage of time. In the mornings before school they play children’s music over the P.A. system, which is a nice touch, I think, and in the last few weeks they have switched to angelic voices singing all the Christmas hits. That made it seem a little more present, but still not a reality. Even when they started decorating the classrooms for Christmas, ... read more

Why does whiter skin usually equate to more beauty (in the eyes of the majority) and more privileges, in every country on earth, no matter what the official anti-discrimination policy? There is a nation-wide obsession here with having light skin. Whitening creams, powders, and soaps line the shelves of every store. In fact, at the cosmetics chain, Oriental Princess, I had a hard time finding a cleanser that didn’t have whitening agent it. Actually I gave up and went elsewhere to get it. People also use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun on sunny days. Curiously enough, however, sunscreen is not as prevalent as you would think, given the obsession with staying as white as possible. A bit counter-intuitive, I think! It took me a while to realize what was going on. I noticed a ... read more

I'm not kidding. I was walking down my street, headed toward the internet place to post this blog, when a lady pulled over on her bike and INSISTED I ride on the back (side-saddle!) while she peddled me down the street to where the moto-taxis are. Caused quite a stir (and lots of laughs) in the neighborhood. I was as scared as I was the first time on the motorbike taxi, because our balance was definitely precarious. Oh the irony . . . The first time people saw me they probably thought I was some short-lived neighborhood anomaly, but now that they KEEP seeing me, I am still an oddity, but more of a permanent one, one that can perhaps be approached and talked to. Walked to cute tea stand and the motorbike taxi drivers, ever-helpful ... read more

I arrived home the other day to find the bill for rent and utilities under my door. I thought that it would go directly to the school since they are supposed to cover my rent (and I am supposed to cover my utilities). Of course I was very curious about the price of this palace, but was still SHOCKED at how low the price was. The rent by itself, without utilities, is 2300 baht/month, which is about $72.00! Add on another $8.00 for utilities and you get the grand total of $80.00. Of course I realize that I am not using a lot of appliances in here and that A/C would probably jack up the electricity bill, but WOW. I took the bill in to school, fully expecting confusion on the part of the school, but ... read more