Who Needs a Big Toenail Anyways?

Those of you who know me, know that I am somewhat of a klutz--accident prone if you will. So today while helping my friend Megan out, we left our bikes parked at a side street and went and did what we needed.

When we came back, someone had put the underneath kickstand thing down on my scooter, which lifts it up and keeps it from moving too. In order to get this down you have to roll it forward. Well my bike had one wheel on a lower ledge off the cement and the back wheel on the cement. As I rolled it forward, my pigeon toes on my left foot were underneath somehow.

This may not have caused such a problem, if it had not been for my actual accident that had messaged my toe up already. I was waiting on my toenail to grow out and off, as it had a new nail growing in underneath. Well my bike ripped up my old nail and the new nail, which was stuck on my dried blood from the original accident. All that was left was the nails hanging on by the side. And blood pouring out. I was in shock at first. Said 'ow'. Then told Megab blood was pouring. I dropped to the ground and began to bawl like a baby.

Thankfully a couple Thai people from the shop right beside saw and brought me something to clean up some blood. Thankfully Megan hauled a songthaew and people helped me into it. I dripped blood everywhere I am sure. The hospital wasn't far. The drivers even got out and helped me out. The security got me a wheel chair and they wheeled me in.

After having just about everyone come look at my bloody toe, Megan filled out my info and the guy tried to lift the hanging toenail. It hurt like hell. So they eventually took me in and paired some stuff on my toe that numbed it. He then cut the hanging nail off my toe. Then he poured other stuff on to disinfect and clean it up. Asked me when my last tetanus shot was, gave me one anyways. Then bandaged my toe up.

After it was all good, they gave me antibiotics and some pain meds. Told me to come to hospital everyday to clean and rebandage the wound (I will probably just go to the school nurse). And not to get it wet until it heals. This is the worst part, as I go to the islands, the beach, in 9 days. Heal quick!

They sent me on my way and now I an at home, in bed. Feeling bad that I have made my family and friends worry about me once again. Thankfully I will be fine. Someone needs to wrap me in bubble wrap though for real.

My bandaged toe and my blood on the ground. That is only a bit of it. 

And Then I See Things Like This...

Just when I felt down and missing home, I have a great weekend that picks me up a little from my melancholic state of mind. Friday night I went with friends to see Hunger Games (after eating some delicious pizza, which I can't help but eat even when I should be trying new things in a foreign country). I won't go on about it, I did not like the movie. I will probably never read the book. Battle Royale is way better. The end of that.

Saturday afternoon was spent laying by a pool, and then dinner, drinks, karaoke and then dancing, with a bunch of people. It was a great night. Sometimes all you need is a night out dancing your crazies out, to perk up again. Even if you have two American guys insulting you most of the night. "Girls should not have bangs".... why would anyone say that to a girl with bangs? I will never know. But they redeemed themselves eventually. But I was none too impressed. At one point I had to just walk away and decide to have a good night anyways, and just dance. Best decision ever. Dance I did.

Sunday I woke up exhausted and achey. Not hungover, as I was done drinking after my 2 for 1 margaritas at Loco Elvis. But I definitely woke up at 7 and then was in and out of sleep until about 1 or 2. Eventually watched some Arrested Development until it was time to meet up with Megan at Thapae Gate for Sunday night walking street market. We took one of the American boys and this awesome American girl Tarra, that Megan had met on a day trip to Chiang Rai. Megan took us to this amazing temple that, honestly, just made me realize why I wanted to come here so bad. It was unreal. I wish I had taken better pictures of it, but I will definitely go back. Wandering that market and seeing that temple, put things into perspective for me. I am here for a reason and my life is pretty amazing. It has its ups and downs, but I am doing the two things I love, teaching and traveling. What more could a girl ask for? Well that will come in May :)

As for now, here are some pictures to see that I took on Sunday to see what I mean by how amazing things can be here.

Amazing things all around me. Plus, Sunday Nicole and Nick get here :)

Halfway

I have been in Thailand for almost 3 months, meaning I have 3 months left until I am heading home. Right now, in this moment, I am feeling like I want to be home. I miss it. Well the people anyways. I miss seeing my best friends. I miss going out and knowing people wherever I go (usually Firkin). I miss a certain boy more than I ever thought I would. I miss having friends you can count on for anything. If I didn't have an amazing next few months planned, I think I would be ready to leave. That is how I feel right now anyways. Thankfully, I have an amazing April planned, with two of my favourite people coming to visit me from Australia. I get 16 days in the Thai islands with Megan (and with Nicole and Nick for some of it). Then May and June will be even more amazing with that boy here with me, and traveling to Singapore, Malaysia, Bali, Brunei and Philippines. This month of feeling alone and homesick is well worth the amazing 3 months I have ahead of me. One more week and life gets better :)

Adventures & School Over-Night Field Trip

I just typed a whole post and it randomly disappeared, and even with my computer savvy skills, I was not able to find it. Sometimes I hate technology. At least I hadn't spent time putting the pictures in I guess.

So last week, we got a new roommate! Leah moved into our spare room, as she was looking for a new place to live. It is fairly exciting and it was definitely a great idea. It is nice to have another person in the house with us. Plus it makes rent cheaper, can't complain about that!

So last Sunday after Leah and I went to breakfast with Megan, Leah said she wanted to go on an adventure and instead of going home that we should just drive down the 118 into Doi Saket. I agreed, though I suggested we go back out in a couple hours, as it was boiling hot at that time. So we set out on the adventure, turning off the 118 on some road, riding through a village. We ended up going up a little ways on a mountain, the road ending at an abandoned house. We parked and headed up the rest of the mountain on foot. Eventually we found ourselves at the top of the mountain looking out at other mountains and some kind of body of water. Our new mission was to find this water. When we got back on our bikes, set out to find it, we failed. The elusive lake must be further than anticipated. We decided to save our quest to find the lake for another day, and head home. At home, we tried to order a pizza, to no avail, as they had no idea where our house was when we gave them the English version of our address. So we ate whatever we had in the house and relaxed.

Leah on our adventure

Our bikes parked as far as they could take us up the mouton

View from the top

The next three days after our adventure were spent at the Maekok River Village Outdoor Education Centre with our students. Grades 4, 5 and 6, got to go on a 3 day-2 night field trip, and as their teachers we got to go too. The place we stayed was like a resort, mostly cause half is a resort, the other half is the outdoor education centre. The students stayed in dorms with 6 in a room, while teachers got their own rooms. The three days were filled with lots of fun things for the students to do. Our first day, my students participated in team challenges and at night they did the 'confidence course'. Many students were scared to do it, as it was an obstacle course over top dirty frog-infested water. They had to hold a rope while walking along a chain to get to a barrel. Once on the barrel they had to jump/fall into a rope to swing across to another barrel. Then they had to walk across a balance beam, stopping halfway to do a 360 turn and walk to the end. The last part was either a set of rings or monkeys bars to get to the end. The other Grade 6 teacher and I each promised difference students if they did it, we would too. When it came to our turn it was pouring rain and lightening and thunder. He still did it, but they closed it down before I did. He fell in, but he was already soaked so it wasn't too bad. I promised I would do it the next day.

That night the power went out for two hours, so the students were confined to their rooms, which were hot due to the air conditioning not working. The teachers all hung out under some shelter, keeping an eye on the place. Eventually we all turned in.

Team Challenge

Team Challenge

Resort Pool (students had their own pool, but we got to use this one)

Where the students and teachers stayed.

Confidence Course

Some were not so lucky

The next day my students got to go to the market to buy a list of ingredients in groups, and then they were taught how to make green curry chicken and a veggie stir fry. I tested out each just to make sure it tasted good enough. Delicious! After lunch, Grade 6s got to go over to a Thai school and in groups were able to teach Thai students English. It was a lot of fun watching my students give lessons to Grade 1s who spoke little English. I wandered around and watched, and took lots of pictures. After they were done, they played a game of soccer against some older Thai students. Then we headed back. When we got back, I got my chance to do the confidence course. And I got across it without falling in, I have video proof! My students were disappointed they didn't get to see me fall in. But I was super proud of myself. I don't have much coordination, and can barely walk without hurting myself, so this was an accompaniment for me.

That night after dinner it started to rain again. They still took the Grade 6s to the forest area where they were playing a game where they had to get from one gazebo to another through a dark forest, with no flashlights, without the counsellors seeing them and shining their light on them. One of my students was terrified of thunder, and it started to really storm. So I took her back to the buildings and we played Jenga until the other students came back. After the kids were in bed, a few of us went across the street to a random 'bar' that was really just a house that pulls its wall up and puts out table and sells stuff. When we walked up a girl was lying on a mattress watching a movie. Random. I had a mango juice and left shortly after I finished it, as I was tired.

Buying ingredients at the market

Cooking together

Finished Green Curry Dishes

Thai student listening intently to my students

Thai student

They kept giving me the thumbs up

The last morning on the trip, I woke up feeling awful. I barely made it out of my room. But I didn't want to miss watching the next activity. My students got taken to the riverside and split in three groups. Each group was given 4 inner tubes, 10 bamboo poles and lots of rope. They were told to create a raft that they were then going to use to get down the river. It was fun watching them come up with ideas, even though they all ended up looking fairly similar in the end. A few of us teachers chose to take the 'safe boat' down the river and watch as they paddled down the river, with a counsellor helping each group. After that, it was time to have lunch and head home. I slept a bit on the (mini)bus ride home. And fell asleep fairly early that night.

Our ride to the riverside

On the river

Safe boat

Me watching the kids make their rafts

Raft making

The river the kids paddled down

Police Station beside the river

This weekend I haven't been feeling well so I have spent a lot of it in bed. Feeling better this morning and getting exciting cause in two weeks my Australian friends Nick and Nicole will be here! Which means it's almost time for island hopping for 16 days from April 5th to April 21st. I cannot wait!

Observation #3: Cheaper to Eat Out Then Eat In

I have noticed this previous to today, in fact I noticed it pretty much off the bat; it is much cheaper to eat out for dinner than it is to buy groceries and eat in. If you do it right. Now I know if you go to restaurants that cost you over 200 baht ($6.50 CAD) a meal, this may not be that true. But for someone like me, who does not eat much anymore, I do not usually spend over 200 baht a meal.

On average the meals I have had here cost anywhere from 20 to 200 baht ($0.65 to $6.50 CAD). This depends on the restaurant I go to, and whether or not I choose to partake in a smoothie/shake as a drink, which I usually do. Once a week I may indulge in a more expensive meal, but usually it is not much more than 200 baht. For 59 baht ($1.92 CAD) I can get a green tea salad, which is one of my favourite things to eat here from the Burmese restaurant called The Swan. This fills me up just fine. Add another 35 baht ($1.14 CAD) if I get a watermelon/lime shake, which I usually do. Last night I went to a place called The Salad Concept, where I got a massive bowl of caesar salad and a berry smoothie. The price for these all together was 145 baht ($4.71 CAD). Now that is all pretty cheap for going out to a sit down restaurant. Now if I were to just go to a food stall, or the market, I could get a container of pad thai for 20 to 35 baht ($0.65 to $1.14 CAD) that would easily fill me up, and occasion I have even brought home to eat the next day. Hell a plate of pad thai at The Swan is only 69 baht ($2.25 CAD).

I just stopped at the grocery store, Rimping, to pick up a few items to eat. Since I am not much of cook when it comes to Thai foods, and pretty much never cook anything here at all, I chose to get some crackers and cheese. Then I had to buy a small thing of toilet paper. And may have got a small thing of hummus and pita for tomorrow or the weekend. A few cheaper snacks of Tim Tams and chips, and my total was 700 baht ($22.80 CAD). This will feed me for a few days yes. But hardly even considered a full meal when you think about it. If I were to legit find foods to make up a meal or two with these items in mind, it would have been even more money. For 700 baht, someone like me could eat out at least 5 times a week, if not more.

These things in mind, it's hard for me to feel the need to buy groceries. Why buy groceries to make food when I can pay less and have someone make it for me? Save money and be lazy? Yes please. The people making the food do a far better job than I ever do of creating my meals, hell I have found the cheaper the restaurant food, most times the better. I love street pad thai. I would eat it every day if I could. Hmmm, maybe I should. Also when you think of all the ingredients that go into a really good meal, such as the spices, sauces, and so on, and add that to your grocery list, well the money just keeps increasing.

Now the only down side is, when I get hungry at home and I have no food. I usually have fruit, as I buy cheap fruit from the market (10 baht for a tray of already cut up grapefruit, mango, pineapple, etc) for my breakfast. But those times when I really want something else, I usually don't have it. This has saved me from mindless snacking though, which is great. But I enjoy a good mindless snack once in awhile. Hence why I decided to go to the grocery store today, needed some food for tonight and snacks!

So that being said, point to my story. Cheaper to eat out than it is to buy food. At least for someone with a smaller appetite such as myself.

Hot Climate Brings Out the Worst in My Skin

So at home I have pretty average to normal skin. It gets dry in the winter, but it is fairly manageable, considering I am not consistent with the way I take care of my skin. I am usually a 'wash my face in the shower' kinda girl, not the type to have a night time regimen for taking off make-up (since I wear very little) and washing my face and putting lotion on and such. I should be better with it, but I just tend to put lotion on when it gets dry and I need it, instead of as a preventive measure to avoid it getting dry in the first place. And that is about all I do.

But being in a hot climate country, as when I was in Australia, my lack of attention to my skin needs to change. Instead of my skin being dry though, I am starting to get pimples on my chest and back. Now it is not crazy bad, but a cluster on my back behind on shoulder and a few popping up on my chest here or there. I had the same problem in Australia, so I am assuming it is due to the hot climate, aka sweating and pollution in the air, and not just detergent being used on my clothes and sheets. This means I am going to have to go buy some cleansing body wash and possibly stuff to wipe my back and chest down after a shower too. This annoys me, as I tend to try to spend very little on these types of things. Hopefully it won't cost too much. But it will be worth it for sure.

The problem is, I try to look up what the best way to get rid of them are, and all sites say different things, because everybody's skin reacts differently. What I got out of most of them though is: drink lots of water, wash skin (body) in the morning when you wake up and at night before bed, and to use benzoyl peroxide acne treatments on the skin. This all sounds like far too much effort for someone who is quite low maintenance when it comes to beauty, skin care and so on. But I have no choice at the moment. Anyone with tips on how to make this go away, please feel free to let me know. I never had to deal with acne in my life, other than minor stuff in Australia, and I have no idea what works best and what not to do.

Doi Pui & Doi Suthep

I haven't updated due to a lack of motivation to type anything this week. It's been a busy week of marking and writing up comments for the student's mid-term reports. But this will be a short post to quickly update on what's been going on, mostly pictures though.

So last weekend, on the Saturday, I went with Megan and her two friends on a day trip to Doi Pui and Doi Suthep, not too far from here. We met at a central meeting point and decided to catch a songthaew (share-taxi) to take us 4 up to both places. We bargained with the first guy, he didn't budge much on price, wanting 1000 baht to take all of us up. We wanted to pay 600. Eventually after walking along the street and talking to a couple more we found one to take us for 700 baht altogether (approx. $22 CAD).

Once we got into the songthaew, there was another woman in there. Turned out she was from Ukraine, and Megan's friends both previously lived there and spoke Ukrainian. She was planning on meeting her friend and going to the zoo (which was on the way to where we were going) but decided to convince her friend and come along with us once we got there. Her friend agreed, and we made a deal with the driver to now take the 6 of us for 900 baht ($29CAD).

We first went to Doi Pui Mong Village, which was a little market village that had some stalls with the typical things you see at Thai markets, but for a little cheaper. I bought my niece the cutest little Thai outfit (could've bought a lot more for her) and my sister and her girlfriend something too. We wandered through the village and ended up in the garden area. It was beautiful. Megan and I had a small photoshoot then made our way back to start. We stopped off for an iced mocha near the entrance and waited for everyone else.

Wanted to buy this guy from the market

Sipping on my iced mocha by the village sign

In the garden in Doi Pui

Where we bought our iced mochas. This sign made me laugh.

Doi Pui

Garden Photoshoot

After Doi Pui, the driver took us to Doi Suthep. There we had to walk up a bunch of steps of a mountain to get to a pretty sweet temple. We wandered around the temple, taking in all the amazing things. A monk even talked to me, asked me where I was from. I wish I spoke to him longer. I later saw him on the steps while we were walking back down and took a picture with him. He was very friendly. For some reason, monks make me smile. I know that sounds weird. But every time I see one here (which is like every day), I just smile. Maybe it's a reminder of how lucky I am to be in such a wonderful Buddhist country, or maybe I am just crazy. Alas, after the temple adventure, we headed back and had some lunch once we were back at our bikes. Salad concept is a delicious fresh salad restaurant, with terrible service. They always take forever to get the check, but the food and smoothies are delicious.

Me at the temple

Monks all walking up the steps

Me and my new monk friend

Monks hanging out, taking pictures

Me behind a big bell at the temple

Love these lil monks everywhere

Cute kids on the steps up to the temple

They were everywhere

Me at the temple

Lady at the temple

Monks and their umbrellas at the bottom of the steps

Little girls dancing at the temple

Inside the centre of the temple

My monk friend after he talked to me

Other than that day trip, things have been fairly low key. But some exciting news, my two friends from Australia, Nick and Nicole, are coming to visit me here, it is official. They booked their flights. They arrive in Chiang Mai on April 1st. I am off for Songkran (Thai New Year) on April 5th at noon. So we are going to fly to Phuket that evening, along with my friend Megan. From there we will take a ferry to Koh Phi Phi the next day, spend a few days there. Then take a ferry to Koh Lanta and spend a few days there. Then Nicole and Nick will have to take a ferry to Phuket and fly back to Australia from there. Meanwhile, Megan and I will continue our island hopping and take a bus/ferry combination to get over to Koh Samui. We will spend 3 nights there, and take a ferry to Koh Tao. After 3 nights there, we will take a ferry to Koh Phangan. From there we will take a ferry to the mainland in Surat Thani, and catch a plane back up to Chiang Mai. I am pretty excited. April is looking to be an exciting month! Cannot wait!