Seven Days of Firsts

Several things have changed. Most centrally, I am now working in Thailand. Work? Yes, real live work. I was told yesterday that not only are they covering my living costs but that I will get be getting a small salary 2,000 - 3,000 bhat (Thai currency) a month; Not much in American standards, but I am not in America.

What I'll be doing is actually a grab bag of activities, and as this is the end of my first week I'll not have a clear cut job description until another American arrives in 2 weeks to help write and edit the stream of articles, reports, and briefs that come out of the two (actually three - also a woman's and children's rights group) offices.

I willingly admit that I'm surprised to be here. So far, its been every day. And its not just big things - like I can't speak the language (which I hope to slowly overcome), but rather the small ones. Like, for example, that my walk home takes me over a lengthy bridge made entirely of bamboo, or that geckos chirp, or how I am now the proud owner of a pink rose pattern pillow that says 'love you' to sleep on, or learning that white people smell like cheese (apparently).

Any initial panic or concern that I AM here for 6 months has faded. Of course the following 2 weeks will be just me - Matt left for Burma for Burmese lessons - so it will be interesting being the only native English speaker here. But its just 2 weeks, and I would like to learn Burmese or Thai. So there's no better way then immersion.

My bed. And my neon blue mosquito net.

A view from the back of a moped on my way to work. The bridge in the background is the bamboo one I mentioned.

Matt's houseboat.