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February 8th 2009
Published: February 8th 2009
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Sawadee kha sabaaydeemia kha puen korp kun Sorry for the Thai but I must practice at every turn. My objective is to learn several new words a day. No, it's not been happening so I think I'll just change my objective and not worry about it!!!!!
This week we moved in with our host famlilies. My family name is Samchai, which is the first name of the father. We don't, nor do the Thais for that matter, consider the last name because they are sooooooo
long. Everyone in my village knows my father. It seems strange to refer to him as my father because he is 42 and everyone (!!) now knows how old I am. Samchai's home is very typical in the countryside villages...the house is made of cement block and contains 2 bedrooms, a large main room, kitchen and bathroom. I share a bedroom with 15yr old twin girls. The girls share a bed and aside from my thin, little 2inch mattress, which lies on the tile floor, there is no other furniture other then a small cupboard I put some of my things in. The main room is large and does have a small couch and wooden sitting area, but no one sits on it. We take our meal in the center of the main room, sitting on the tile floor cross legged. A bowl of rice is placed in front of each of us and then several small bowls of food in the center. They are communal which means we all put our used utensils and fingers in the same food. For the most part the food is very, let me repeat very, very, very, spicy HOT. My family knows that I can't eat that and they make fun of me all the time but do make me things that are not. Then when I'm finished eating, add hot peppers and other 'stuff' to the bowls.
Moving on to the most important room in the bahn (house) is the huang nam (you guessed it, bathroom). All Peace Corps volunteers talk about the huang nam and their bowel movements. Sorry, it's just a fact of life! Let me explain that squart toilets are the norm. I will not go into detail about the mechanics of using one and the hygiene involved right now. The bathroom does not contain a sink or shower...they simply do not exist. There is a very large bucket filled with water with a small bowl inside. It is expected that everyone take atleast two showers a day. Shower is an oxyzmoran (sp)because there aren't any....one just pours water from the small bowl over their body and when brushing teeth just spit on the floor. After cleansing you take the bowl and wash down the bathroom floor. They are built to be wet all the time. Many Thais cook out side so the kitchen is very mimimal usually with a small one burner propane stove and of course the imfamous rice cooker.
That will be all for today. Hopefully I will be able to upload some pictures tomorrow. Until then...sawatee kha korp kun kroup krua kha

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9th February 2009

It was good to get the invite to your blog and I look forward to each and every entry. I will live through your experiences because from the sounds of things already, I don't think I could rough it like you are. You will certainly return with a new appreciation of the USA among other things. It's almost embarassing what we are blessed with and take for granted. I spent 5 years in Saudi Arabia with my husband and wanted to kiss the ground on my return to the US and we lived on a compound and in housing built to US standards. I will be most interested to hear what you will be doing in the village. Have the Peace Corp leaders given you any idea? Talk about immersion learning...you will be speaking like a native in no time. Take care. The Thai people are fortunate to have you there and you are lucky to fill a most important need to serve others.

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