You wouldn't hang out with the carnies, would you?

Sometimes, I think expats feel special living in a different country. I admit - occasionally, I feel that way. We're the adventurers, the ones who can leave behind those comforting feelings of normalcy, the bonds of long friendships, and the ties to the familiar, to explore, create, begin anew, reveling in our ability to move constantly.* During a recent club meeting (a mixed group of expats from different countries with different backgrounds and nationals), we were talking about this feeling being both beneficial (all those change the world types) and damaging (can you say sexpat?). For some people, their experiences are eye-opening, leading them to delve deeper into their new culture, realizing that something can be learned from everyone encountered, regardless of their station in their culture. For others, this experiences seems to solidify prejudices they already have.

I had an unsettling experience with the latter this week.

As a quasi-member of the US Embassy in Bangkok, I was quasi-required to go to a security training seminar. You're supposed to go within the first two weeks of arriving - I was a little late. But, I trudged down to the seminar (after a lovely overnight bus back to Bangkok from Mu Koh Surin... more on that later), thinking "it can't be that bad."

But it was! I was told to constantly watch my bag, because "people here in Bangkok will grab anything they can... keep it close to your body because they'll cut the bottom with a razor." Thank you, sir, for giving me basic, living in a city advice. Then, we were told not to use ATM or credit cards because "someone's always watching and there have been cases of stolen cards from Villla Market [a grocery store] and hair salons." The piece de resistance was when he told us not to ride motorbikes 1) because they are unsafe and if there is a helmet, do you really want to put it on your head after 10,000 other people have, and 2) because motorbike drivers are the "carnies of Bangkok. You wouldn't want to hang out with the carnies, would you? They sleep on the street and their breakfast is a Red Bull and dinner is vodka." Not five minutes later, he was talking about purse-snatchers who ride motorbikes. "But, you know, the motorbike drivers won't let them [the purse-snatchers] wear their uniform.** They won't let them hang out in the same area either."

Now, I don't know about you, but some of the nicest people I've met while traveling (and the most helpful) are the people you wouldn't expect. The drug-dealing next-door neighbor who makes sure you can safely walk home or the somewhat crazy-looking woman who drags you out of a crowd to point out that your bag is open. Yes, sometimes there are people who you don't want to hang out with, but judging them based on their job just isn't fair. And, the bike drivers I know (yes, I do take motorbikes frequently, so often, in fact, that most of the drivers on the corner of my street know me) are generally kind and very helpful. They laugh at my Thai, then teach me to say something else. They make sure I don't get ripped off by other drivers. They give me directions. They generally drive safely (more carefully then some crazy, fancy-car drivers I've seen).

So, yes, I would hang out with the carnies.

* Please note that I don't always feel this way, or for some of the characteristics, ever feel this way. Living in another country is sometimes as great as it is idealized to be and sometimes it stinks (like not being able to find the only cough medicine that makes you feel better or getting utterly frustrated at not understanding [everything, shampoo products, signs, people who are supposed to be speaking English] or the constant rotation of friends and colleagues).
** Drivers must pay to buy a vest that is usually bright orange, yellow or purple.

Holiday Time

Sawatdee ka! Happy New Year!

As some of you may not realize, February is a pretty holiday-full month. So to start off, some February holiday trivia for you (answers at the bottom of the email):

1. How many holidays are there in February?

2. What should you give your romantic partner on February 14th?

3. Which color should you wear on February 14, 2010?

4. How many New Years are there in Thailand?

I begin with Happy New Year! This weekend was the Chinese New Year celebration and there were plenty of festivities, especially in Chinatown (or Yaowarat). Over the weekend, the price of oranges skyrocketed (bring wealth and good luck, depending on the type), many people wore red (which is unusual), and the main road in Chinatown was closed for pedestrians to explore the food, displays, and shows (pictures attached). If it were not so hot during the day, I would have spent most of the day exploring. I realized in my last email, I boasted about being able to wear flip-flops and t-shirts... probably not the best idea considering the temperature will only rise in the coming months. April is apparently the warmest month of the year, with temperatures rising over 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). But for now, while most of the US is covered with snow (I heard the other day that 49 of 50 states had measurable snow on the ground!), I am still basking in the warmth that, for now, I adore.



This month, I was able to explore a different side of Thailand, traveling southeast of Bangkok to Koh Samet, an island in the Gulf of Thailand. It's a popular destination with Bangkokians, because it's fairly close to the city but a peaceful respite from it. There are frequent buses to Ban Phe, the launching point for boats to the island, and it's easy to take the ferry or smaller chartered boats directly to the island. The beaches were beautiful, especially those that were slightly secluded from the larger resorts.

In late January I had some unexpected but welcome friends come stay in Bangkok. In a strange, this-really-IS-a-small-world series of events, I met up with my family friend's family friend's daughter and her friend. Don't worry about figuring out the connections! Her friend was brought to Bangkok because of a health condition, before being sent back home. Without knowing the friend's full name and just having a basic description of the daughter, I made my way to a local hospital to try to find them. As luck would have it, I did (to their surprise and mine!). While meeting them under such conditions was not the best, it was very nice to meet both of them and share some quality time in a Bangkok hospital.

I also had some visitors from Phnom Penh come over the holiday weekend (i.e., President's Day, because I work for the USG). I exhausted them with the grand Bangkok tour and frequent trips to American fast food restaurants. There are not many American chains in Phnom Penh, so they were craving some trans fats and cholesterol ;) Luckily, Bangkok can supply that, as well as an absurd number of malls, ranging from outdoor markets that just happen to be inside to the most luxurious malls I've ever seen.

I think that may be all of my updates and world trivia for today. There are lots of pictures  posted on Facebook and Flickr. I head to Koh Sarin this weekend for some snorkeling, then to Vietnam sometime in March or early April. In related news, my work (the reason I'm in Thailand) is going well. I submitted an abstract for the International AIDS conference in Vienna and hope to hear a positive response sometime in early April. I also almost definitely will be staying in Bangkok for another year (until October 2011). So, more time to plan visits and explore Southeast Asia with me!

Sawatdee ka,

Katie

1. Well, let's see... if you're in New Orleans, there's pretty much a holiday every day up until Mardi Gras, but most places are only closed on Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras, so we'll say two. If you're in Thailand, there's Chinese New Year, which goes on for about two weeks, but really the first three days are important, so we'll say three. If you're in the US, there's Washington's birthday and Lincoln's birthday, which used to be celebrated separately (see Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby for highlights) but are now celebrated as President's Day (=1). And if you're in any country where Hallmark or the maker's of bird's nest beverage sell their wares, there's Valentine's Day (=1). And, let's not forget about Punxsutawney Phil, whose shadow predicts the next 6 weeks of weather in Pennsylvania for Groundhog Day. Who knew February was such a jolly month with 8 holidays?!

2. Bird's nest beverage, of course (you were thinking chocolate?). No, the delightful taste of a swallow spit will make him/her swoon.

3. Red! Not a trick question here... Red, the color of love; Red, the lucky color of the Chinese New Year. Just make sure not to wear it another day in Thailand, as it's also a political color.

4. Three - there's New Year according to the Gregorian calendar (so we are in 2010); there's the Chinese or Lunar New Year (Year of the Tiger); and there's the Thai New Year, or Songkran (in mid-April). If you are Vietnamese, you also celebrate Tet (which occurs around Chinese New Year).

Geaux Saints!

Just a quick post because I'm so excited the Saints won the Superbowl! And, I got to watch the whole game live, starting at 6:30 this morning (being Monday). Although there were no commercials (thank goodness for YouTube) and The Who's half time show was a little off (the audio was about 10 seconds ahead of the visual), it was tons of fun watching the game.

Oh yeah, and there's a live camera at Jackson Square... when I last checked (5pm Thai time = 4am Nola time), there were still people out and about :)

(me and my Saints' colored Zulu coconut last Mardi Gras...

this was also my expression when the Saints won today)