10. motorbike taxis. at first i was terrified of them. but as time went on, i grew to love them. its exciting riding through the city, especially at night, with the wind blowing and flying passed otherwise stopped traffic. not to mention the thais get a kick out of seeing a farang on a motorbike as opposed to in a normal cab. i still wont try driving, but i will miss these rides greatly.
9. thai massages. its like going to a chiropractor and a masseuse at once. gets all the knots out and relaxes you (generally) at the same time. add in oil or beach setting for extra relaxation. all for between 100 and 300 baht (~$3-9).
8. buckets. its a bucket-o-liquor, i dont think this needs an explanation.
7. cheap cost of living. cheaper to go out to eat than make it at home, bargaining to pay $4 instead of $6 for a dress, getting angry when i have to pay 180 baht for my taxi ride because he went the wrong way and it should have been 140, even though the 180 is about what it would cost to get INTO a cab back home, beachfront bungalows for under $8. i dont know how im going to be able to live back in the states where they actually want me to pay more for a meal out than my budget here would give me for a week.
6. 7-elevens. i had no idea how big of a role this chain would play in my life over here. whether its because i am craving something a little more western, need some more credit for my phone, want a cheap drink for the road, need to break a big bill for the taxis, or just crave the aircon they blast and need an escape from the deathly heat of the streets, it would not be uncommon to go into one of these a few times a day...sometimes even the exact same store 4 or more times.
5. the beaches. the waves may not compare to the monsters of the atlantic, but the beauty and serenity they bring is just unbeatable.
4. the laid-back lifestyle. im accustomed to the fast-passed city life, and occasionally that meant that i was quite irritated with the way things go around here. their 'mai phen rai' attitude and thai time means that theres generally not a routine or schedule. it took some getting used to, but its actually been nice. i suppose this ties into the beaches as well though. who can be stressed when looking at a scene like that?
3. the kids. specifically, the twins, and a few select students. of course the infamous fifa, but also ploy and best for how their faces light up when they finally understand the difference between using 'it' and 'they.' may and even noon, though now she isnt even my student anymore, for how they run up to me in the halls whenever they see me to give me a hug or throw me a smile and wave if they are standing in line for assembly. peam and khamin for not only being so freaking cute, but for also being my saving graces in my 3/3 and offering answers when im sure everyone is sleeping. oo, bam, cd, max and pretty much all of my 3/1 class for just being so awesome and for the progress i have seen them make to the point where they can now start to joke around with me. and even tonson, the first student i had a one-on-one encounter with on my first day last semester, and consequently the first name i learned, even though now it is usually being screamed because he cant sit still or focused for more than 5 minutes.
2. thai food. ku teaow, ALL kinds of curries, som tam, tom yum, ka prao gai, fish cakes, pad thai and spring rolls from khaosan. however amazing you think it is back home, its 100 times better here. and its so.freaking.good. i thought that by now i would be sick of it, but just the thought of going home and being away from these things is making me miss them already.
1. the people i have met here. its cliche as anything, and ive said it so many times before, but this amazing experience i have had is in great part to the people i have been lucky enough to share it with. many of them have already left this part of the world, and have been missed dearly. and now, i must leave our already shrunken group, earlier than originally anticipated. but its not just the remainders from our group who i will miss, its all the new people i have met since may as well. not doing the course again i thought that my social circle would be limited and i would only have to say goodbye to a select few whenever the time came to leave, but that has been anything but what happened, so now im also missing out on time to let these new friendships grow. everyone here has made such a great impact on my life and im beyond sad to be having to say goodbye too soon.
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