Sawatdee-ka!

First off, I apologize! Three months have passed already and yet I have still not posted. I will try to post consistently during my remaining time in Thailand. My perspective is bound to change once I come back, so I should make an effort to talk about what's going on as I experience it.

The center of my experience so far has been attending Wiangjedee Wittaya School. Even outside of normal school days, there are frequent activities that keep me involved in what's going on and give me more opportunities to see my friends. At school I study subjects like Thai dance, Muay Thai (boxing), computer, home economics, Thai handicrafts, Thai language, Biology, Math, and Chinese; each class with a different mattayom (grade), so I study with everyone from the seventh graders to the seniors. I really enjoy learning the Thai language and going to classes about Thai culture. The Thai language has been very difficult for me to learn! In the writing system, there are 44 consonants and 28 vowels, all of which took me over a month to learn, and is hard to read. Just being able to successfully read signs is a big accomplishment for me still. Also, Thai is tonal, so one word, such as maie, said in the different rising, falling, middle, high, and low tones, has 5 different meanings (burn, new, no, leaf, indicator of yes/no question). After three months of studying and speaking Thai both at school and with my host family, My Thai is beginning to improve, though it would take years to become totally fluent. I do what I can though, and people are sure to correct me when I use incorrect grammar or speak impolitely (oops). At school, both students and teachers have been very kind to me and very eager to share their culture and way of life.

Thai culture is very different from anything I've ever known. It emphasizes respect and politeness, and this is evident everywhere from greetings, relationships, and the manner of speech. In Thailand, when greeting someone older than you, it is polite to wai, placing your hands before you and bowing your head. of course, there are different kinds of wai, depending on if you are greeting a monk, and elder, or are returning a wai. when speaking, after each sentence, one says kha (khrap for men), a polite article that keeps your speech from being abrupt. Even in friendships, it is about politely relating to others and giving, always giving.

October is a month-long break in between semesters. Many students make plans to attend special cram classes, work, or prepare for university exams. I will be volunteering at the local hospital, attending a meditation course, and visiting the big city Chiang Mai on the weekends. Chiang Mai is the cultural center of Northern Thailand, and only a few hours away from the rural district where I live. I couldn't believe how rural Li was when I first came to live here! the town Wangdin, is centered around shops along the main road for only a kilometer or two. Then it goes back to farms and orchards. The relaxed, small town attitude of the people though is one I have come to love, and Li is absolutely gorgeous.

The last three months have been full of new experiences, and I have learned a lot. However, I have a lot left to learn, as my host mother reminds me, and It's hard to believe my experience is already have over.