Aerobics in the Park

There have been several days when I have had the chance to go to the local park in the mornings and run and it has been so fun but always very few people there, if any. Last Thursday I had the opportunity to go with two students in the evening to do aerobics. I thought I had entered I new world. The park was packed with Thai people doing so many different physical activities. People were running, dancing, playing Thai games, other sports or working out on the available facilities. This was one of the coolest cultural differences I have yet to see. In America, it always seems like the parks that are crowed have lots of people sitting around but not here! It was more fun than any other work-out I have ever been to. Aerobics is held with a trainer everyday in the park at 6pm. I am not sure who pays for this because it is free but it definitely gives a good example of how healthy this country’s people are. As I began the warm-up I thought, “Okay, there is a sixty year old woman in front of me, I can do this.” The truth is, she kicked my butt in the aerobics rating scale. Given, all direction was in Thai but I still don’t think I would ever be able to do some of the moves they did. The hardest part was probably following the Thai direction when the Thai jams transitioned into the Cha Cha Slide remix. I have to admit me, Kristen, and Ginny did clap our hands though.

The hour work-out turned a bit to the dramatic side when, to my surprise, a large green snake fell from the over-head tree right beside me. I looked down and said, “a snake. A SNAKE!!!!!!” I large bird had tried to capture it in the tree and continued the failed attempts to catch it as it slithered past me. The long, green snake hurried to the gazebo next to me and entered a woman’s purse; fortunately, the group of break dancing boys inside worked together with their badminton rackets to remove the snake from its sanctuary and saved the day. Even through all this commotion, most of the Thais continued their routine without batting an eye hah. I think this gives proof to my extreme workouts here in Thailand.