LONG week!

Only a week and I'm already not posting too often! Sorry! This week has been CRAZY busy. Every day, I've been getting up around 6:30, breakfast at 7:30, and then class starts between 8 & 8:30 (Thai professors are not know for their punctuality ;) ). Class goes until about 11:30 when lunchtime rolls around and then class again from 1 to 2. At 2, we've been travelling to the different internship possibilities to scope them out and see what interests us. Monday was the Buddhist University, which is one of my top choices. While there, we would be discussion leaders with 3rd and 4th year English majors, all of whom are Buddhist monks. In past years, students have loved this internship because it gives more insight into the mainly Buddhist culture here in Thailand and allows for you to get new insights from someone with a completely different cultural background and perspective. My other top choice is to teach English at an elementary school. Usually people can team teach in pairs... it's crazy that they would let untrained students teach. They are so appreciative of us and our help though, and it would be a chance to interact with students that are from poor social situations. Most of the kids live at Baan Phonsawaan which is similar to an orphanage; they take in tribal children who end up in slums, along with other children, such as those abused or whose parents travel a lot for work and therefore the children wouldn't go to school at all. So those are my top 2 and they are completely different! I don't know how I will pick but I have to decide this weekend-prayers for guidance appreciated!

So, in addition to class and scouting out internships, we attended a traditional Thai dinner on Wednesday night. The setting was beautiful: the venue was open and had no roof, and we sat on the floor with pillows as 'chairs,' we were all dressed up in beautiful outfits and the food was delicious! There was a stage in the middle where there was a presentation of awesome dances and shows. Our Thai buddies also attended so it was a great opportunity to get to know them better-they are so kind and patient!



Some of the girls got the 'princess' outfit-- beautiful!




AH! Knives




Cool decorations!




Diana and me in our Thai outfits ready to eat!!


Other evenings this week have been spent exploring and trying more delicious food! I've come to love the real pad thai and I've also had a lot of other dishes I've enjoyed: pot sua (noodles with chicken and veggies), som tam (papaya salad), and tons of stuff with rice and some with sticky rice. The fruit is always tasty and amazingly fresh! I can't wait for mango season which starts in February sometime.... yum!

Tomorrow we are hiking to the top of a mountain near our hotel and visiting a temple at the top. It is tradition for all first year Chiang Mai University students to hike it so we are glad to join the initiation! We will also have a 2 hour Thai massage which will be MUCH appreciated after the exhaustion of the week. Learning another language really takes a lot out of ya! We'll end the night with a celebration of our director's birthday- Ajaan Mike. Sunday we meet our host families!! Prayers for all of our nerves for that also appreciated.

I hope everything is well your way-- let me know how life's going for you!

Thanks again for your support my friends! Have a peaceful and joyous day =)