Farang Festive Cheer

I feel like someone going to confession; forgive me for I have sinned. It has been 13 days since my last blog. I have had numerous people asking for another update, and unfortunately the sad fact is that up until now nothing of any major interest has happened. But, finally, I have something worth writing about. Christmas.

Now, being a Buddhist country, Thailand does not actually celebrate Christmas, and that can leave farangs like myself feeling a little down hearted. Its the only time of the year in my family when we make a big celebration out of anything, and its such a family time. To be so far from home, with merely the odd Christmas light and 'jingle bells' on repeat in Tesco, is not really enough to bring about any festive feelings. So, I made my own Christmas. For the past three weeks I have been listening to Irish radio, and putting Christmas songs on YouTube, and my Mom even sent over Christmas decorations for the house! I have a miniature Christmas tree on top of the fridge, and light up snowmen, along with a few wreaths with little santas in them around the kitchen. But, as everyone else headed on an 8 hour bus drive to Bangkok in search of a Christmas dinner last weekend, I decided to take advantage of the gas hob and microwave, and attempt to make a Christmas-like dinner.

Now, without access to an oven, a turkey was out of the question. I managed to get cooked chicken in the local market, and I got it all chopped up so it would be easy to reheat. I had my Mom send over 'Paxo' microwavable stuffing (which tastes exactly like real stuffing!!), I stir fried a number of different vegetables al bought at the market two hours before dinner, and I made potatoes in the microwave. I also had gravy, pepper sauce and white sauce sent over. For desert we had ice cream, and I had a glass (or two) of wine. All this food was accompanied by a Christmas table cloth, Christmas candles, and Christmas crackers. Now, it was tough enough that I was cooking in an extremely limited space, and with such limited cooking facilities, not to mention that I had never cooked a Christmas dinner before, but I decided to make it that little bit difficult by inviting 4 other people to join me! I have to say, I am incredibly proud that I fed that many people a decent Christmas dinner, and with only one mishap (my Muslim housemate's halal chicken breast got a slight bit chargrilled).

Heading back to work this morning was a killer though. Just knowing that your family is at home relaxing and enjoying that Christmas feeling, ad you are losing the head at 12 year olds that wont sit down and do their class test, is pretty horrible. I was just about at the point where I was going to throw something or go on a massive rant (to who I don't know, the kids can't understand a word I say) when I entered a class and was suddenly bombarded with the most amazing hand made Christmas cards to 'Teacher Amy'. Some had such lovely messages, from 'I hope you find a nice man' to 'I wish you are not lonely without your family'. I was nearly in tears.

So, although this Christmas is different to any other, I guess its your attitude towards it that makes it a success or a failure. When coming to Thailand, or any other country, you have to accept that things wont be the same as at home, and you will feel like you are missing out at times. But, if you make a bit of an effort, make new traditions for yourself, and keep your head up, you can find that it feels just as good as at home, because its your own, grown up, independent type of Christmas.

Happy Christmas,
Nollaig shona gach duine,

Sawatdiikha.

The Ultimate Ubon Weekend

Oh, where to start! This is what happens when I go away for a weekend and don't bring my laptop. I end up having a ridiculous amount of info in my head and not enough 'interesting writing space' time to put it down. I run the risk of entering the 'long and boring' genre of blogs. I will try to keep it short and to the point ... for most of it anyway.

So, with the long weekend here in Thailand we decided to make the best of the Monday off, and on Saturday morning myself and 7 other girls made our way from our different towns to the large city of Ubon Ratchatani (or just Ubon to us westerners who have a slight fit trying to pronounce it correctly). We spent our Saturday bumming on rickety buses and trains, followed by looking at a few local temples, the odd shrine to the King, and finding food. My night was made by the stand in the market across from our hotel which served sandwiches. I am talking about bread rolls, egg, chicken, beansprouts and sauce. If I believed in a heaven, I would have been convinced I had died and gone to it.

Sunday came and we spent the day doing the cultural sightseeing thing, feeling like the typical tourist. We hired a minibus between us (6 euro per person for the whole day. Cannot go wrong) and we headed into Ubon' national park, which is massive! I was extremely proud of myself, as I am someone who does not dispute the fact that I am incredibly unfit, and yet I found myself climbing up and down hundreds of steps, metres of mountainsides and up and over rocks in 38 degrees. I will admit, I was slightly put off my how easy the Thai people found it all, but I am a Farang and therefore can partly blame the heat ....

Within this park we took in the sights of 180 million year old rock formations, incredible cliff and mountain-top views of Laos, a beautiful waterfall, and most importantly, cave paintings.

Personally I was interested in the waterfall originally, but when I saw these paintings I was literally stunned. These date 3000-4000 years before history was first recorded, and consist of cliff walls of red paintings of what look like whales, mammoths, and strange human-like figures. The most amazing thing for me was the hands. These people, who we would consider prehistoric cave men who were primitive in thinking and are only interested in food, territory and procreation, had printed their own hands onto this wall so that they left a bit of themselves on the world. Even at that early stage of life, before art was for going against the government or to express deep feelings, it was used to do what each person in the world wants to do; make a mark that can be seen after you leave. Whether its 'Claire woz ere' on the back of a toilet door or even something as common as having children, the paintings just showed that people have always had the desire to leave something behind, something to say they were on the world and did something with their lives. I thought it was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen.

Overall, although so tiring, going to Ubon was one of the best things I have done so far in Thailand. I rediscovered my love of history, I got a bit of exercise, and ate the first sandwich I have had in nearly 10 weeks. Not a bad way to spend a long weekend.

A Bit of Mai Pen Rai

The Thai people live their daily lives by one simple way of thinking; 'Mai Pen Rai'. This loosely translates (Irish style) to 'ah sure 'tis fine'. This means that stress in everyday life doesn't exist at all. People do not run around, they do not worry, and they definitely do not do organisation. This may, or most definitely, result in stress and panic on the part of the 'Farang' (ie. me, the local western white person). 

On Saturday of last weekend, I spent the day having a lovely girly day in Surin with a few girls who are also teaching with TTT in other schools in the province. After getting my nails done, having a gossip, and enjoying a very difficult to find cheese burger with coleslaw and chips, I headed home, only to discover when I arrived home that the internet was down. With my housemates off galavanting, I was looking at a very boring and lonely Saturday night in, with only my ghekko to keep me company. About half an hour into re-reading 'Wuthering Heights', I received a phone call from my friend Dangmo who is a young Thai English teacher in my school.

Dangmo; Amy, Where are you?

Me; At home bored, why?

Dangmo; There is a wedding reception in the school hall. I am here. One of the English teachers got married today. She has asked me to tell you to come now to the party. She forgot to ask you.

Me; Dangmo, I have no dress! I have no present!  

Dangmo (evidently having problems understanding me); Great great, see you in a few minutes. *hangs up phone*

Fuuuucccckkkkk. 

Here I was, sitting in my pjs, eating jelly tots (thanks mother), and I was expected at a wedding in 5 minutes. I have never moved so fast. I rooted out a dress that was too tight around the arms, and after 2 minutes getting a knife at the stitches (I need to stop eating so much rice), and 5 minutes slapping on the little bit of make up I brought to Thailand with me, I was clip clopping down the road in the only heels I own here (the versatility of black heels never fails) in the pitch black Thai night to join the party .... an hour and a half later than everyone else. In Ireland, to be an hour and a half late for a wedding is disgraceful, but here, no. I got stared at when I walked in the door, but I was told later this is because I was the only white person in the room. I am a novelty it seems.The lack of gift didn't seem to matter at all, and I was fed and included with such warmth and relaxation, I simply couldn't feel out of place. I was even dragged by a number of teachers (who I hardly know) to be included in their pictures and join them in the fight for the brides bouquet (the wedding was a western style one, not a traditional Thai one, dont ask me why).

The idea of 'all is fine, why worry', hakuna matata only with Thai noodles, is an attitude which makes so much sense. Why panic about the little things, just calmly go along with them. So, the next time someone calls you and plonks you in a shocker of a situation, just calmly get the kitchen knife to the dress, clip a bow in your hair, and smile. The problem is most likely nothing that a bit of Mai Pen Rai cannot fix. 

Sawatdiikha.