Thai Copperfield and other short stories...

The Story of Thai Copperfield:

  I'd like to begin with a story about Thai Copperfield.  Never heard of him?!?  What a shame, let me enlighten you.  Thai Copperfield is a Thai man that dresses like a cowboy and does magic tricks.  Most of the students at QSI know him, besides being a hot commodity at birthday parties, Thai Copperfield can be randomly seen all over the island.  My first time meeting Thai Copperfield was at a student's birthday party.  This past Saturday I went to the Marriott in Kamala for said party.  Thai Copperfield was a pretty good magician, but an even better performer, his jokes kept most of the students laughing, even if they had seen his tricks before.  Half-way through the show, Thai Copperfield put his red hankerchief into his hands and lost it.  Where did it go?  Well I guess I must have had it, because I was called forward.  Even though I stand in front of the students five days a week, it still felt awkward to go up front (but they cheered for me, so that was encouraging).  Thai Copperfield checked my shirt pocket, but his hankerchief was not there.  Then he checked my left and right sleeve, but still no hankerdhief.  Where was it?  Well, he bent down, unzipped my fly, reached in and pulled out a hankerchief.  (I didn't have the heart to tell the students that it was not the same hankerchief, but he in fact stole my red one that I keep in my pants.)  An awkward trick and an awkward moment in my life later, I walked away as my students continued to cheer for me.  (Asians don't share the same feelings of physical boundaries that Westerners like myself have.)

(PS. This is the third photo I own where you can see that the hair on the back of my head is thinning...)

The Story of Skyping with Meridel:

  My sister Julie and I have been planning a time for me to Skype with my niece Meridel.  Today, I received an email agreeing on a time and giving my her skype name.  I signed on 8 hours early to make sure that I had her screen name added, and by chance they were on.  So I skyped with them early.  It was my first time seeing my niece in a non-picture form.  I enjoyed it.  (We skype again tonight, at our originally planned time.)

The Story of the Thai Postal System:

  Yes, my stories are getting lamer and lamer.  I mailed four postcards on Monday.  Impressive because it is my first time mailing anything from here, home.  Four people will be receiving postcards in the next two or three weeks.  Don't feel bad if this isn't you, I only mailed things to people who put specifically requested it because I felt obligated to.  Don't feel bad if it is you and you now think that I only sent you a postcard out of obligation, I was really going to send you one anyways.  Really.

The Story of Celebrating Chinese New Year:

  Ok, I didn't actually celebrate the Chinese New Year at all, but I watched as some people lit fireworks that were hanging from a powerline.  Why they did this?  I don't know.

The Story of Me Telling Stories:

  This is what happens when I am allowed to ramble...

Good News, Bad News

I apologize for the lack of updates, nothing unusual has happened recently...until last night.  My mom taught me to begin such stories with "everything is ok" so the good news is: "everything is ok."

The bad news?   As I was riding my motorbike home last night I was hit by what I assume was a drunk driver.  No injuries to my self, a small injury to my bike.  I was going 60 km/h on the side of a straight road with no one else around when a speeding car came from behind and side-swiped me.  I didn't realize what had happened until afterwards.  I looked to the side where he hit me and saw a couple pieces of his car fly to the side, and as I slowed down to make sure that I was alright, I watched him (or her) speed off.  I need to get a new back peg for my bike, but otherwise everything is ok.  And I repeat: there were no injuries to my self (including emotional ones, I think I am going to make it through this one).

In other news, the next month with be a busy one, three separate connections from Bethel will be in the Phuket area over the next two weeks and then I will see my mom who is coming to visit me in a month.  All in all, I am very excited for the near future.

I miss most of you.  -Gary.

Hello from the future.

Sawat dee bee mai krap. (I think this means "Happy New Years")

  Tonight was a good night.  I spent the night with a few friends (including Mark from England, who thinks my name is Chris) at a BarBQ.  I spent the hour of midnight at Kata beach watching the fireworks display.  One km to the South is Kata-Noi beack, two km to the North is Karon beach, and all three beaches had firework displays visible from where I was (there were also a few displays inland that I could see).  All in all, a very good night.

  You would think that nearing the end of my of my three week holiday, I would have more to write, but I have little to add.  I have a new Thai nickname; it is "Moo Noi" meaning "Baby Pig."  I am not sure if this is a sign of acceptance or rejection.

  So, with nothing else to add, I wish you all a happy new years.  Bye bye.

Christmas Break Lists

My former roommate Mark taught me the importance of lists.  In his honor, I am going to tell about my break so far using them.

New Thai phrases I've learned:

- "Pom mai ben katoy krab" ("I am not a ladyboy")

- "Nam sapbarot" ("pineapple juice", literally "water pineapple")

- "Mai me arai krab" (meaning "nothing," in response to "what?")

- "Geow pan" ("talk pretty to the ladies" - I think this means I am a flirt, or maybe just polite, I'm not sure.)

Random experiences:

- Spending a few nights at a resort on the beach and falling asleep and waking up to the sound of waves.

- Hearing the song "popcorn" (the one that they used to make us dance to in elementary school) and having the strong urge to dance to it, luckily I resisted.

- Reading too much science fiction and waking up in the middle of the night honestly believing that Earth was under attack by aliens.

- Beginning to see the faces of friends from America in everyone I look at here (this is really weird, I am always double-taking and then realizing that it was not them).

- Being grateful that the baby gecko living in my room does his part to kill the baby ants slowly taking over my room, but wondering why he had to poop on my desk.

- Doing 4 loads of laundry in less than 1 week (as opposed to doing 1 load of laundry in less than 4 weeks).

Places I plan on eating:

- Kata Mama's (Check, I had cow pad moo sapbarot kei (pork fried rice with pineapple and eggs) and a shark steak.)

- Linda's

- The Yellow Room

- Anchor Inn (Check, I had a ham and cheese sandwich, a hawaiian burger with fries and a chocolate shake.)

- The market (Check, I have had plently of market foods, including sticky rice, spring rolls, beef jerky, banana pancakes and roast pork.

- AJ's Bar and Bistro (Check, the Canadian breakfast includes french toast, pineapple, American-style bacon, eggs and orange juice.)

- Blue Roof

- Meeting Place Number 5

- (Other possible restaurants to include a good steak diner, a Hawaiian pizza and something Mexican.)

Two small things.

I went to a new market today.  I saw moniter lizard (meat) for sale.  It was right next to the skinned frogs and fried rats.  I've seen the frogs and rats before, so that wasn't that weird, but the moniter lizard threw me off a little.

Also, while I was riding home, I tree frog jumped on my sandle and then climbed up on my bike for a while as I rode.  It was interesting.

Anyways, things here are a lot of work but Christmas break is approaching.  Soon I will be able to sleep and relax.

Just another stag on his back...

As I was coming in on my motorbike tonight, I saw three stag beetles.  One was on his (or her?) back.  I see them all of the time but I still slow down and look at them.  They are fascinating.

Yesterday as I was leaving, I saw a frog jumping across the road and I had to turn around and take a closer look.  I can't tell you how many hundreds of frogs I have seen since I got here, but I still stop and look at them.

And the lizards...there is nothing else so distracting.  I see dozens of these each day.  This is no exageration.  But, I will be in a conversation with someone and drift out of it because I am watching lizards scurry up walls or across ceilings.

The point is, I still love it here, things are going pretty cool.  And I was able to legitimately make a post titled "Just another stag on his back..." which will most likely get a good reaction from many people who read it.  So I am happy about that too.

Quick thoughts.

Ok, I was in China a week and a half ago and I never wrote about it.  It was a good trip, but the details will come later.  Things are going good here.  I was late home from school due to setting up a few labs for tomorrow and some loose cows on the road creating traffic.  Right now I am drinking a Nescafe and trying to get some lesson planning done.  Both good things.  I continue to to feel very busy but also continue to keep up with what needs to be done.  Thanksgiving is coming and Christmas a short time after that, it feels weird because it is still so very hot here.  Today, at the teacher meeting, it was decided (without any input from me whatsoever) that I will need to dress as Santa for the students.  So my next task is to put together a Santa costume in Thailand.  Can it be done?  Time will tell.  I hope everything is already with all of you who read this.  I miss you but am surviving here.  Lots of love.

  -Gary