Hello everyone, of course, I’m in Thailand (I had some flight problems in Indy but…).  It’s a beautiful country, but currently very rainy.  It’s monsoon season a.k.a.  “hotter” (one of their 3 “seasons” which consists of hot, hotter, and hottest).  Since I’m not on the coast, I just get lots of rain, humidity, and winds.  Unfortunately for me, there usually isn’t enough wind to actually cool off the weather from the humidity…

 

 My family here is wonderful and they’re taking very good care of me.  They have five children, four of which are either currently on exchange or have already been on exchange.  Their daughter, who is 18, just got back from a year’s exchange in Canada last week.  Her English is superb which is awesome because my parents, cousin, aunt, maid, driver, etc.  do NOT speak English (obviously, it’s very difficult to communicate).  The two youngest, twin brothers, are on exchange: one in Australia and one in Michigan (actually the one going to Michigan leaves August 20th).  My host family is so kind and generous and loving.  They are truly taking very good care of me.  I live on the fourth floor of our 6 or 7 story house (Thai houses go up, not out).  My sister and I have the floor to ourselves and we each have our own bathroom.

 

 Now I know you must all be asking yourself the most important question about Thai  culture right now: “do you have to wash your own socks and underwear??!!”  I am pleased… or maybe not so pleased to report to you that I used the phrase “Sak ghang gang nai u ti nai ka?” my very first night at my family’s house (for those of you who didn’t know or figure it out, it means: “where do I wash my underwear”).  And I do in fact have to wash them myself in my bathroom and hang them in a special place in my bathroom…anyways…

 

 My family is wealthy because they own a travel agency that does a lot of traveling to Laos and Indonesia (and also other places).  Also, my host dad works for the government; he’s kind of like the mayor of Ubon Ratchathani/Warin Chamrab.  

 

Thailand is sooooooooooooooooo different from America, even in ways that I didn’t imagine or consider.  For instance, because it’s so hot, they don’t have an oven/stove in their kitchen, instead the maid cooks the meals outside.  They drink water here ALL THE TIME… everyone knows how much I hate water, and even I’m drinking easily 5 glasses of water a day!  When you eat in Thailand, everybody sits down and eats “family style” to the extreme.  You use your own spoon to dish things out with, even if you’ve already eaten off of it!  EVERYBODY uses a spoon to eat in Thailand.  It doesn’t matter if you're eating steak or soup, you eat with a spoon, and if you’re lucky, you get a fork too.  The food here is definitely as spicy as everybody says it is, if not more. 

 

 I’m literally a super-star at my school (which is only open TUESDAY thru FRIDAY… that’s right, so when you’re all sitting in class,  think of me, sleeping in my king-sized bed in my air-conditioned room).  Everybody knew my name after the first day (I’ve been there three days).   I’m literally the first Caucasion many of my classmates have EVER seen in real life- weird, huh?  Everybody stares at me ALL THE TIME, whether I’m walking down the street, or sitting in school—and they never try to hide that they’re staring at you; they just blatantly stare!  Sometimes it’s kind of creepy… Seriously I can’t go anywhere without somebody saying “su-wai!”(beautiful)-- it just goes to show that everybody’s exotic somewhere in the world!  My school schedule is different everyday… Mr. Conner would be pleased to know that I have Chemistry three days a week because the science teacher really likes “fulongs” (foreigners)… that’s right, just because I’m white I have to endure another year of Chemistry (figures!- lol)!!  I’m taking a Thai dance class, and it’s really difficult but I absolutely love it!  It’s somewhat difficult to get to class because their high schools are  set up more like universities as they have several buildings.  My school has at least 7.  Some of the classes are outside with nothing more than a roof on stilts, dirt floor and desks; on the flip side, there’s a computer lab.  Their school lunch food is literally 100 times better than ours,  not to mention WAY cheaper. 

 

Actually, everything in Thailand is inexpensive.  A bunch of foreign exchangers (including myself) went to the market the other day and my friend Alwyne bought 5 nice, new shirts for $11.00 (which is about 450 baht)!!!!!  As you noticed, I didn’t mention buying MYSELF any clothes, well that would be due to the fact that Thailand sells up to a size 7 and then stops.  … I’m going to have to get my clothes tailor-made, unless of course I suddenly lose a million pounds, which I AM working hard on, but hey, it’s not gonna happen over the next week, so tailor-made it is.

 

I bought a new cell phone this week cuz EVERYONE in Thailand has a cell phone as it’s actually cheaper and easier to use than a regular phone. 

 

I guess  the Kimmers are a very royal family because my little sister (Hannah) has  the same birthday as the Queen (Aug.  12th- which is also Mother’s day in  Thailand) and I have the same birthday as the King (Dec.  5th)!!

 

 The  language is SO HARD here it’s ridiculous!  Although, I will admit that I’m  beginning to understand a lot more of it which is SUPER EXCITING!!  Writing  and reading?  Haven’t got the slightest clue as the letters are so difficult  to make, if you’re not artistic you might as well not even try.  You all know about my artistic abilities (or lack there of…)-- but I am trying. 

 

 Well, I’ll let you all go now!  Thanks for listening.

 

 Kesare a.k.a.  Kati Kimmer