Thanksgiving and Other Stuff

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote. I've been pretty busy, but that's really no excuse.

So, last week was Thanksgiving, and Fulbright paid to fly us all from our various provinces to Bangkok for dinner. Paige, the other ETA in Chiang Rai, and I made it to Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok just a few hours before the protestors ended up taking the place over. The other major airport, Suvarnabhumi, had already been shut down. I want everyone to know that I was never in any danger. The protestors that took over were giving the other foreigners stranded in the airports sandwiches and stuff. The worst thing that could have happened is I would have to stay in Bangkok and eat a sandwich - nothing near as bad as what the US news stations are surely reporting. Thais are extremely peaceful people and most people are appalled that the situation has gotten this bad. I read on Tuesday that the Prime Minister, with whom the protestors are so unhappy, stepped down. While I'm not totally sure what happens in the government now, I'm sure that things will cool down a bit.

We were treated like kings in Bangkok by the Fulbright program and all of our hosts throughout the weekend. Thanksgiving dinner was hosted by a Fulbright board member, Anne Casper, and her husband. While it doesn't compare with my normal home-cooked meal, the food was great! The spread included turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pie. I ate a healthy amount of everything but the pie. People managed to finish that off before I even got a chance at it.

Our weekend also included a trip to a Thai cultural center in Bangkok. I learned a little there about traditional Thai arts and recreational practices, which culminated in a show with dancing, fight choreography, and a rousing chorus of "It's a small world."

It was fun getting to hang out with everyone again in Bangkok! I spent a good bit of money over the weekend at the awesome bookstore in Paragon and at various restaurants in the city. Upon arriving back in Chiang Rai (after an 11 hour bus ride through the night) Khun Yai (grandma) handed me the bill for my food so far and it was only 1,300 Baht!! Basically, that's $37 for 5 weeks of dinners, weekend meals, and dress pant washings. In an attempt to be polite and hide my excitement, I told Khun Yai that she must have made a mistake and charged me too little. She explained that she was like my grandma, and I like her child, and that she was taking good care of me. So that made me feel good - in an emotional and financial way...

I feel really taken care of here. It's nice to know that people at home are thinking of me, though all of the worrying isn't necessary. I have great faith in the Fulbright program, that they'd get us shipped out of here quickly if anything crazy went down, but also I have faith in the Thai people in general, that there's little chance of me being in any trouble here.