Life in Thailand: Week 1 of Chiang Mai

One week feels much longer when you look back and realize how much you’ve already done.

The first couple of days were just about getting used to the new environment. We spent a lot of time exploring the city, collecting exotic fruits at the markets, trying to avoid food poisoning yet still buying the sushi and fried pork balls from the local street vendors, and befriending the stray dogs that reside along the streets from our apartments.

The days are pretty hot here, compared to the snow covered sidewalks of Pleasantville. I feel like I stand out like a glow-in-the dark sticker around the people on campus. Maybe that’s a good thing to them, considering all of the convenient shops sell “whitening lotions” (Jergens is UNHEARD of). But it is not a good thing to me, nor the rest of the American population who would rather purchase skin cancer from tanning salons. So Christine, Emily and I decided to lay out one day. Unfortunately, a bikini is also unheard of here, so we avoided the pool and ventured to a 4ft patch of sun secluded behind the buildings.

Behind Uniloft are a bunch of backroads lined with jungle-esque trees and windy roads up the mountain. The nature of the trails inspired us to go for a run. However, what began as a scenic jog, quickly ended with a wrong turn into a monastery and a pack of rabid dogs chasing us back to Uniloft. Not all of the strays here are as cute as “Kafea,” the orange and white pup who comes into 711 and follows us down to Suthep every night. I’ve come to develop an infatuation. Clearly I already miss my dog back home.. Sammy :`(

On Wednesday we began classes. As you already know I missed Buddhist Philosophy, but I did make it to International Business Management. On Thursday I had Thai Language for Daily Communication and Hill Tribe Peoples and Culture. On Fridays I have off for traveling, and on Mondays and Tuesdays I have Sustainable Development and Thai Cuisine. I never thought I would be so disappointed that there was a maximum on the credits you could register for. The classes are all so interesting and unique. And they are taught by English-speaking Thai professors, or “Ajarns,” who are all so funny. My Hill Tribe teacher asked if we knew what a map of Southeast Asia looked like. He said his first priority was to make sure we had access to maps, and then proceeded to play this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww. Good times in Hill Tribe Peoples and Culture.

On Saturday we had our Chiang Mai City tour. We visited our first temple, Doi Suthep, at the top of the highest mountain in Chiang Mai. It was beautiful. Everything was coated in gold and there were Buddhas and Elephant statues all around. A little overwhelmed with tourists - but still cool to see Thai children kneeling and praying in front of Buddhist statues.

After that we went to the Winter Palace, a place the King and Queen visit once every 7-15 years. It has gardens of rare species of roses and a view of the entire city. Another place my camera enjoyed. Then we went to a buffet-style lunch, and finished the day at a museum to learn more about the history of Chiang Mai - one king had 72 wives and 87 children - go King.

It is now Tuesday morning and I am waking up to anxious dreams about plane flights to the southern islands. Last night we booked our first trip out to Phuket!! And I could not be more excited =) So more next week! Oh, and I got my first Thai massage - 3 hour back, shoulder, feet & hands ~$20. Can’t complain :)