Transportation

Even though the locals believe we are completely crazy for walking in the heat and on the busy roads; it is necessary at many times. We I am teaching at the old campus, there are no song theaws that pass when we are headed in this direction. A song theaw is Thai for “two rows.” It is a truck with a tall covering the bed with two rows of seats. It is like Mahsarakham’s bus route. It costs 8 baht (about $0.09) to travel on one of these per route and you just push a bell button when you want to stop and get off. The best part of a song theaw is that they pick you up anywhere on the road that is within their route; there is no need for waiting at a bus stop. We only have to walk a short distance to a road near our apartment to catch a song theaw to the new campus. We can also take a large bus to near large cities. Most all of our students have motorcycles and carry us when they can but sometimes this is difficult when they want all six of us to come along. Two of our good student friends have cars and have asked us to go traveling on the weekends with them to their hometowns. This weekend get the honor of going to Roiet to a student’s hometown and I know it will be an experience I never forget.

English Camp

This past weekend we had our overnight English camp. Due to limited camp space, we could only allow fifty-five students to sign up. To our surprise, the spots were quickly filled. My team created the theme of “Under the Sea” and planned for two days of fun and God centered lessons and games. We separated everyone into four groups each having at least one of our team members as well as a translator. The sharks, fish, whales, and the best team of all, the dolphins ;), challenged each other in many contests and relay games. The students seemed to really enjoy our hard work and we were able to have many great discussions in our small groups. Our separate rooms created a great forum for one-on-one discussion as well. One of our Thai friends shared his testimony and played the guitar and sang with his wife. It was beautiful and we were very appreciative of him for sharing.

On Sunday afternoon, the students did a surprise for us. They arranged themselves on the stage and perform a song with motions for us. After that they surrounded us in a circle and performed another routine which was so much fun. This display of love furthered showed their friendship and gratitude to us. God is truly blessing me in Thailand and I ask that you continue to pray for my team and the people of Isaan.

Preparation

Preparing for English Camp for Saturday and Sunday! Please be praying for my team and the 50+ students that will be hearing about the love of Christ!

Thai Massage Time

Saturdays are our days off. We use this time to get together with students and explore Mahasarakham or go to one of the nearby cities with our new friends. As we try to split into smaller pairs to stretch our time and impact with the students, often we do not all get to do the same things but this increases our impact on individual lives. This past Saturday, me and Josh had a few hour break before plans with students so we went to get our first Thai massage; hopefully followed with a few more before we leave. One of our students recommended her favorite spot and we could see why. I could not even tell from the outside it was a massage shop but the inside was beautiful and very nice. There were many massage therapists and everyone got there massage beside one another. It was just what we needed to loosen us up and the best part was we got a full body, one hour, authentic Thai massage for about $8 USD. Ginny and Kristen went and did aerobics in the park so I think we will start to do that when have that time free!

Life Groups

Last week was our first attempt at beginning our life groups. These are small groups outside of English class to have English conversation and study the bible. We have now set up five of these and are starting to have interest with the locals. Please continue to pray for these awesome people as we light the darkness.

Language Barrier

English is prevalent through Thailand; however, many do not know any. I am in a largely university students area so many of them have a basis of English. Many of the signs here are written in English or have a few words here and there that I can make out the meaning. I am learning spoken Thai the best I can but because of the limited time and the absence of any background of the language, it is very difficult. There are 5 different tones in the language so the way you say a word gives it multiple meanings. This can get very confusing but often it causes very funny situations. The people are so kind and are excited to help teach me new words and phrases.

Culture

Diversity being the main thing I miss about America, I cannot help to admire the Thai culture. Besides the things you could read on the internet about it, I have found these American habits the hardest to break. Thais do not point as we do. I had to learn to point out things at far distances (only if necessary) with my whole hand. I also had to learn to not use my feet as much as I do at home. Ever notice how many times you move an object on the floor with your foot? Come to Thailand and you will! Americans are much looser with their bodies and I had to learn to sit with my feet hidden and be careful not to nudge someone with my foot; which is more difficult than it seems when you sit on the floor right beside others and all shoes stay outside the building. Lastly, our palm down wave to get away from me is actually how you ask someone to come with you here. Our index finger only turns up to beckon a dog here. I have messed this up a pretty good amount. The way in which respect runs through the culture is beautiful. Even though some people are poor, there are very few homeless people… like maybe we have seen one. Thais help each other out.

Food

First experiences with real Asian food were quite different than what I was expecting. Possibly extremely different than what any of us expected. I figured lots of rice and hoped every restaurant served mandarin chicken. The reality is LOTS of rice and egg? There is definitely no mandarin chicken hah. Egg seems to be a staple item served in, fried on top of, or boiled beside most meals. There is even a pink egg that is sold that translates to “black preserved egg” that is served with some meals that looks quite different from the basic boiled egg. They are dark green, red, and black and are said to be more salty. My favorite meals are ki jeow (omelet with sausage), Pat Thai (noodle mix with small chopped shrimp), and cow pat gui (chicken fried rice)… real adventurous I know. I have tried most everything else with the exception of dog; yes, dog or cat. They eat pretty much any meat here. My favorite meat here is squid because it is the only meat that tastes the same as the other times I have had it. I also get these chicken strips at the small market that I wish I could eat for every meal. Spicy food is everywhere which is fine with me as long as I can determine what I am eating. I was surprised to learn that so many of their foods are deep fried. Almost every vendor has a deep fryer but things are drained so well that nothing seems to be “greasy.”

As for desserts, life is different this side of the world. Carnation canned milk is everywhere and put on or in everything thought to be desert. Many of the desserts contain shredded pork and even more of them, corn, odd at first but honestly very delicious. The best parts about Thai culture are the milk stands (or smoothies haha). They are frequent and delicious. Many flavors and mostly fresh fruit make this heat difficult to complain about.

Weather Update

Closing toward the end of the rainy season, we have been enjoying a heavy rain almost every night as we get into bed. Fortunately, we have only been caught in the rain twice during the day. The heat, however, is a constant. Consistently humid and thick heat engulfs our apartment all day long and we dread going up to bed at nights. The strange thing is, the hottest part of the day, seems to be morning. Josh says it’s probably because the water in the air has not yet been evaporated. I think it’s because Satan knew we would have to walk mainly in the mornings (just kidding). I always take a shower right before bed and my wet hair cools me off through the night. As we walk everywhere, the Thais tell us we are crazy. They say it is too hot and dangerous. The heat I can agree with but the danger is limited to whether attention is paid while walking down the street. Motorbikes are everywhere and seem to own the right of way and other vehicles have to be much more cautious. My only concern will be driving on the right side of the road when I get back to America.

Time Difference

We are 11 hours ahead of Georgia so it took a bit of getting use to for our group. Fortunately, I am nocturnal in America and I fit in perfect in Asia. The three days before I left I slept a collective 4 hours and zero the night before. Our flights consisted of me sleeping here and there what would be during the day for the U.S. and opposite when my teammates slept. When we spent the first night in Bangkok was when I knew what real sleep felt like. I am not sure I have ever felt this good during the day in America haha. The time difference is sad to me though because it becomes very difficult for me to contact any of you back home! I miss you all and will hopefully get to call you more since I cannot Skype with you when you are awake.

Jogging

Running is not very popular in Thailand. I have seen one or two boys running at the university and one of them was wearing his university uniform while doing so. I am unsure of the cultural acceptance of a girl running in public and have only attempted it once with my group at the Rachi Pat (one of the three universities we work with). I am extremely fortunate to have an unoccupied attic space at our apartment that is just big enough to get a full workout. It’s a room about 15’ x 20’ that is just big enough to run circles if you change directions often.

Khon Kaen Trip

On June 12th we got to experience the fourth largest city in Thailand, Khan Kaen. It has a new mall that was the most incredible shopping experience I have ever seen. It had floors and floors of restaurants, stores, businesses, and attractions. Two of our students and one’s sister came as our tour guide and did a great job of showing us around. We even got to eat pizza and see The Prince of Persia in English with Thai subtitles. We are very blessed to be making such good relationships with the students as they share their culture with us and explore ours.

First Glance at Teaching

Today was the second day of teaching English. So far, I have met with three separate classes and over one hundred Thai students. The names are so very similar but I am learning them. The class today took us out to lunch and ordered the best meal I have had yet as well as paid for everything. It was so kind and generous. We are planning a trip to Khon Kaen this weekend to shop and hopefully catch a movie as we build relationships with the awesome students!

Night Market

My favorite experience I have encountered thus far has been the night market. It is open on Friday and Saturday nights and is filled with dozens of vendors’ set-up with lights and selling all sorts of odds and ends. You go with the directional flow of the hundreds of people and sort of veer off to the places you are interested in. I have seen the most variety of the Thai foods, fruits, and other staple items here. There are many clothes and shoe vendors as well. Most of the Thais who were attending were younger and seemed to be hanging out with friends. My best American comparison would be a flea market/mall. Except of course it is at night and much more fun to me. I was able to get a charm bracelet and some local type souvenirs for you guys!

Mani/Pedi

After a much needed polish change, I received the best manicure and pedicure I have ever had. I got French nail tips and designs on all of my toes. They used seaweed scrub and completely massaged my jetlag limbs. The best thing was; it was only 300 baht (about $10 USD). Josh came with me and received his first pedicure ever; minus the designs. I think after the initial freaking out that he the only guy there that he enjoyed the experience. I know I did!


Also.. Check out my sweet new Thai watch. It does crazy things Hah

Our View in Udon Thani

Address to send me letters... you better!

Stephanie Smith
P.O. Box 33
Mahasarakham, Thailand 44000

Thai People

I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of the Thai people. Smiles are frequent wherever we go. Sometimes the younger children giggle as we pass and the parent will stop them. I have even spotted a few school girls taking pictures of us on their phone. Thais are so clean and they take 2 showers a day. Everywhere I go they encourage me to try something I have not tried before and I know I have never experienced food like this before. My landlord who owns a dress/material shop hand made me a pillow to take back to the U.S. with. Everywhere we go the Thais are encouraging to help learn their language and are very patient with me. Driving on the opposite side of the road of America is different and many if not most Thais have motorcycles. I cannot wait to share the different things I have tried with the locals this summer.

Apartment Living

Our four story apartment is located in Mahasarakham, about a 15 minute song tau (sort of like a Thai taxi but cheap) ride away from the university. It is among shops and restaurants and we must raise our garage door to get to our front door (it’s sooo safe here). The first floor is a lobby type area with a ping pong table and fortunately an air conditioner. The kitchen is and one bathroom with a squatty potty is also on this level. The next floor has a small library room with a table and the top two are the living quarters. The girls share two rooms on the fourth floor with one restroom with a western style toilet. These toilets do not flush, you throw the toilet paper (if you use paper and not the badeau :) ) into the trash and scoop water from the surrounding water bin into the toilet until clarity desired hahaha this makes me laugh every time but people here are very open about bodily functions. The showers are a mere shower head in the bathroom with a drain in the center. Josh has the top floor to himself, consequently, it is the hottest. No air conditioner for us, only a few floor fans. So far I have been okay with the heat but even the Thais complain of it often.

We have various markets surrounding us. An internet café, my only resource to internet at the moment, is only a hop and skip down from us. One thing that really stood out to me is the necessity for convenience here. At any given time you could see up to 4 Seven Eleven stations in eye range. To wash our clothes, a kind lady two apartments down will wash our outerwear for a minimal fee. We also have the Big C about a ten minute song tau ride away, which is basically a Wal-Mart to buy our necessary items if the local markets cannot provide.

The Flight

My team of six Americans left the Atlanta Airport at 8:40am on Sunday, May 30th to Portland, Oregon. 4 hours, 36 minutes later, I had analyzed at least the geographic organization of the U.S. as we had started our flight to the other side of the world. Chaos to order as I saw it, strategic planning to land increased as we headed west. The Rockies were especially amazing to fly over. Portland to Tokoyo, Japan was only a little over 10 hours and arrived On May 31st at around 3am America time but 4pm Asia time because we had crossed the International Date Line. The airport was prized as being the world’s safest airport. Here we decided to eat at the McDonald’s because we could honestly not figure out any other restaurant that accepted USD. I paid $9 for a big mac (the only menu item I recognized) that I could not finish half of haha. FrMy team of six Americans left the Atlanta Airport at 8:40am on Sunday, May 30th to Portland, Oregon. 4 hours, 36 minutes later, I had analyzed at least the geographic organization of the U.S. as we had started our flight to the other side of the world. Chaos to order as I saw it, strategic planning to land increased as we headed west. The Rockies were especially amazing to fly over. Portland to Tokoyo, Japan was only a little over 10 hours and arrived On May 31st at around 3am America time but 4pm Asia time because we had crossed the International Date Line. The airport was prized as being the world’s safest airport. Here we decided to eat at the McDonald’s because we could honestly not figure out any other restaurant that accepted USD. I paid $9 for a big mac (the only menu item I recognized) that I could not finish half of haha. From Tokoyo to Bangkok was another 6 plus hours plane ride with our first real layover. We met up with our Tennessee team, Stephanie Sellers and Jessi McLean, and stayed in the Convenient Resort near the airport with our host, Scott Payne. He showed us some of the areas that were involved in the recent “riots” in an overly modest manner showing the honest safety we have here in Thailand. The following morning we ate the continental breakfast like one I had never seen before. A beautiful outside pavilion with buffet style breakfast including hot dogs in water (no buns), spiky fruit, fried rice of course, pineapple juice, and other things all including lots of peppers. Then we were off for a mere one hour flight to Udon Thani to begin our training. Jesse and Stephanie would remain in Udon Thani for the Summer and we hopefully get to meet up from time to time. Tuesday night we stayed at a local hotel and I got to have my own room. This meant only me and the lizards of course. The next day after experiencing more culture and language training, we left for a three hour drive to Mahasarakham to our apartment.

My Team

My [AMAZING] Georgia team is comprised of six Americans from different universities in Georgia. Joshua Harrison and I are from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. Josh is studying geography and I am working on a second undergrad in art education. Ginner Miller, who is studying early childhood education, and Kristen Stephens, who has recently graduated with a music degree, are from the University of Georgia in Athens. Becca Williams is from Valdosta State University studying early childhood education. Hannah Shivar is from Truett McConnell in Cleveland studying early childhood education. Hannah has been to Thailand twice before this summer and on this exact trip the previous summer. We know that she will help guide us through the Thai culture more easily through experience.