updateage

The rainy season has really kicked into high gear now. It’s raining at least once or twice a day, and it seems I get caught in a downpour without my raincoat every time I leave my house. I suppose one might argue that I should just learn to bring my raincoat everywhere to avoid this, and I’d be inclined to agree I’m just very forgetful.

Things are going well at work, though we haven’t been doing any teach at the farm yet, for a combination of reasons. Firstly, the farm is very wet and very muddy at the moment thanks to all the rain and really isn’t conducive to teaching agriculture techniques. Also, we’re in the process of finalizing construction plans for the new building but nothing’s been built yet so transport of the students to the farm for teaching sessions is both expensive and complicated. I’ve been working on lesson plans generally for a set of seminars on waste management that I will run once we start having sessions at the farm, but for now that’s about it.

Fundingwise we’re looking a lot better (at the farm, at least) than we were. My friends Graeme and Hridi have both been kind enough to donate some money to the farm (money which will go much farther here than it would back home). Just for the record you guys are awesome. A friend of Greg’s and Sam’s Aunt have agreed to donate as well, so we’re planning a farm related shopping trip sometime in the very near future.

Last week I went to Burma for an hour or so to get my visa stamped at the border. It was pretty neat. I took the bus to the border with a friend I met at Frisbee whose visa was also expiring. We didn’t have time to do much more than check out one of the local markets and buy some Burmese food before heading back but it was cool nonetheless. There was this bridge you walk across, and on the other side all the signs are in Burmese and people drive on the other side of the road. Cars driving over the bridge actually had to switch lanes to drive on the opposite side as they crossed the border. And there was a 30 minute time difference, which was kind of strange as well. Greg and Janeen had to go to Laos because they had different visas than I did, and due to complications ended up having to stay a week (instead of the 3 or 4 days they’d originally planned). I keep thinking how lucky I am to have been able to get the 1 year visa without any hassle. It save so much trouble. In the end, Greg and Janeen were only able to get 2 month tourist visas in Laos so they’ll have to go back to get a new one in two months.

I fell off my bike two days ago while riding home from the office in the rain. We’d had a Monday morning meeting which had stretched for 6 hours (although during that time I was able to complete a funding application, so it’s not like nothing got done…and lunch was fantastic as usual) so I really REALLY just wanted to get home and lie down. Just as I was going to leave, it started pouring rain (and I do mean pouring. It’s difficult to describe to anyone who has only ever experienced the piddling dribbles Canadian’s call rain showers, but imagine it raining so hard you inhale water when you breathe). Of course I’d forgotten my raincoat that morning. I looked at the grey sheets of clouds covering the city and figured the cloud cover was indicative of a fairly lengthy shower so I might as well get the ride home in the rain over with. All went well most of the way home. The streets were flooded in some areas and I was soaked to the bone, but it wasn’t overly cold, and I didn’t have anything electronic in my pockets (I have taken to keeping plastic bags in my backpack for just this reason). It was when I rounded the corner onto Huay Kaew that I ran into trouble. For some reason whoever paved our street decided it would be a fun to make the sidewalk along the street near our condo using tiles instead of using cement which would have obviously been the logical option. The tiles become slippery as well-greased ice as soon as they get the least bit wet (a fact I’m well aware of, having ridden home in the rain before). Partway along the sidewalk I had to turn to avoid a tree (there’s a line of trees planted down the middle of the sidewalk leaving a narrow pathway on either side). It was a no-win situation. I turned the front tire to the right with conviction but my bicycle was having none of it. It skidded forward a ways before losing my balance and falling hard (I didn’t so much fall OFF the bike as fell while still on it). Fortunately, my knee and my butt were there to cushion my fall. I don’t know why but I always get embarrassed when I fall in public. The first thing you do is look around to see who saw you fall. I heard a girl shout something in Thai from across the street as I was falling, but at that point I really just wanted to get home. Nothing was broken and after a cursory glance over the bike I hopped back on and pedaled the 45 seconds it took to get home. Once I got there I was able to give the bike a more thorough look over, and I realized I’d bent my tire when I fell so it was rubbing against the break. I was able to fix that without much difficulty and aside from a few bruises and a sore wrist I’m fine as well. I’m glad it happened on the sidewalk and not on the road.
I know my bike wasn’t meant to be ridden in the rain (the treadles tires are great for speed but not so hot for traction) but that’s essentially unavoidable at this time of year (the alternative would be getting a motorbike).

I’ve been spending a lot of time planning for the family to come visit over Christmas break, I’ve never been away from home this long before (three months and counting, the time truly flies) and I’m really excited. I do miss home a lot, even though I’m having a fantastic time here.

I need a haircut.

I’ve resolved to do more practice between my Thai lessons because I think that’s the only way I’m going to continue to improve. We’ve reached the point where I can’t continue to build my ability because I will forget things that we went over a few weeks ago, which is really frustrating. Also, with one on one lessons it’s impossible to sit quietly at the back of the class and try to look invisible while hoping the teacher doesn’t make you answer any questions.

Money-wise I’m doing much better at saving. I’ve made friends with this Australian girl who goes to Chiang Mai University and through her I’ve been introduced to the world of on-campus food. The servings aren’t massive but the prices are incredibly cheap and aimed at students without much cash. It’s perfect for me. I ate at a university cafeteria for the first time today and I will definitely be back. It’s depressing to think that what I save in a year over here I could probably make in a month or less back home, but I do still need to pay my school fees for this year ( I was only able to scrape together the minimum payment and I’m afriad the UofT goons will be at my door with bats ready to bust some kneecaps and harm my loved ones if I don’t make with the rest of the dough).

I’m ashamed to report I still haven’t started my research with any sort of vigor and I’m all too aware that my time here is quietly slipping by at breakneck speed. I NEED TO START. In fact, right here right now I’m going to set a goal for myself. I’m putting it up here because the potential shame of failing in front of other people will be motivation for me to actually get it done. I, Leslie Campbell will have chosen a research topic by one week from today (Wednesday, August 27, 2008) (or as they say here, ‘wantee yee sib jet, deuan singha kom, bpee song pan haa roi haa sib et (Aug 27, 2551 (Thailand uses the Buddhist calendar))).

And you can take that to the bank