The Amazing Race: Chanthaburi Edition

I’ve been known for doing crazy things while being away from home. Bungee jumping, skydiving and paragliding are just a few of the adventures I signed up for while studying abroad. Even with all of that under my belt, there are still things I never thought I would do, such as travel 9 hours, bribe a taxi driver and run 2 kilometers to spend 1 afternoon in a luscious jungle. Yet, when in Thailand, I am learning I gotta do what I gotta do to make the most of my time here. And so my adventure commenced…

I woke up bright and early Saturday morning to catch one of the first busses out of my province to nearby Chanthaburi. In the spirit of planning ahead, my roommate and I tried to figure out the bus schedule Friday night. Lesson learned: transport times are never a guarantee. There was supposedly a bus departing at 8:30 am, but after an epic game of charades we finally learned the bus actually leaves at 10 am.

Plot twist: it didn’t actually leave at 10 am. As soon as the bus is filled it leaves, meaning we really hit the road around 9:45 am. SCORE! Now, I thought I was in store for a quick 2-hour trip.

Plot twist again: it was not 2 hours. The ride actually ended up being over double. That being said, it was the most scenic drive I’ve ever been on in this country! I saw mountains, forests and temples along the way. The drive passed quickly, even though we had to stop at 3 police checkpoints. The guards really got a kick out of seeing foreigners (farangs in Thai) and let us continue on our way without any problems.

Finally, my roommate and I arrived in Chanthaburi at 2:15 pm with the hope of traveling to a local national park. The only problem? I knew it was supposed to close by 4:30 pm. As soon as I hopped out of the bus, I was immediately bombarded with taxi drivers wanting to know, “Where you go?!” After telling one of the drivers, Namtok Philu (namtok meaning “waterfall”) he agreed to drive and wait outside of the park for us.

                                                     

Cue: The Amazing Race theme song. I wasn’t planning to stay overnight in the province, so I wanted to find out what time the last minivan departed for my home, Chachoengsao. At first I was told 4 pm, then 5 pm, then finally, with the help of a man who spoke basic English, they settled on 4:30 pm. From the bus terminal I ran back to the taxi driver and asked if we could make it back by 4:30 pm. He explained it was about a 20 km drive that would take 30 minutes. In theory, we should make it.

I wanted to make sure the last bus wouldn’t leave without me, so I ran back to the bus terminal before cruising off. I did my best to tell them I would be back at 4:30 pm no matter what, all the while praying they understood and hoping time and the good karma Travel Gods would be on my side. After (hopefully) solidifying my seat on the last bus out of town, I ran to the taxi (more of a makeshift pick up truck taxi service) and we were on our way! On the cab ride over, I frantically applied mosquito repellent and sunscreen so that I could get moving as soon as I hit the ground.

I almost fell out of the truck trying to take this picture... but don't worry! I made it to the park in one piece. Click photo to enlarge.

By the time we arrived outside of the national park, it was almost 2:45 pm. The clock was ticking! I jumped out of the cab and told the driver we would be back in one hour and reminded him not to leave. He seemed to understand and said he would wait one hour. Shortly after agreeing, we both realized he wasn’t wearing a watch. I then showed him mine read 2:43 pm and my roommate and I would be back at 3:43 pm. After repeating this a few times, we sprinted away hoping he would still be there upon our return.

From the base of the road, I had to jog about half a mile uphill to get to the ticket office of the national park. I haphazardly bought my ticket into the park (about $8) and continued running… only to be road blocked by a Disney World-style photographer who wanted to snap a pic of my roommate and me before we continued into the park. Out of breath and sweating off a disgusting concoction of bug spray and SPF 70, we paused for surely the least glamorous picture that guy has even seen. We kept running and were greeted by some park rangers who saw the determination on our faces and pointed us in the right direction.

Good news: the running portion of this obstacle course was over. Bad news: the slippery stair segment was about to begin. For the next kilometer, I hiked up and down staircase after staircase while trying not to face plant.

And then, finally, we stumbled upon Namtok Philu, a cascading waterfall surrounded by luscious greens, highlighted by the sun shining through the tree canopies.

This view made all of the running worth it! Click photo to enlarge.

The Philu waterfall is known for the hundreds of fish that swim along the shore. Though I haven’t had too much luck with fish in this country thus far, I wasn’t going to let them stand (or…swim) in between my hard earned waterfall and me.

So. Many. Fish! But as with most wildlife, if you leave them alone then they will leave you alone, too. Click photo to enlarge.

Without any more hesitation, I jumped right in! The water was cold, yet refreshing and luckily the fish were more preoccupied with eating the leaves than attacking me.

As always, Hook 'Em! (And those little black lines in the water are fish!) Click photo to enlarge.

After a quick dip in the falls and taking a moment to admire the tranquil scene, I knew it was time to trek back to the taxi driver. After running into our photographer friend again (he had attached our quick pic onto a souvenir frame) my roommate and I made it back to the taxi at 3:43 pm on the dot. I ran up to the driver’s side window only to realize our driver wasn’t in the car. I flagged him down from a nearby convenience store and we sped off to the bus station where the minivan was miraculously still waiting. I made it back home a few hours later feeling exhausted, proud of myself and confident I had won my very own version of The Amazing Race.

Getting in the Groove

After one month of living and working in Thailand, it is finally sinking in that this is my reality now! There are a lot of “new normals” in my life, such as eating with a spoon in my right hand and a fork in my left, carrying an umbrella wherever I go (just in case!) and remembering to always apply bug spray. I’m definitely still adjusting, but I think each day I am making progress. I am doing my best to not only learn about Thai culture, but also to learn to appreciate Thai culture.

I recently visited the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (also known as Wat Phra Kaew, Wat meaning “temple” in Thai). I didn’t do my research before visiting (…oops) so I was surprised to learn the Grand Palace actually isn’t just one building. Instead, it is a complex made up of various buildings and temples. Though the Grand Palace has been the official residence of the Royal Family for over 200 years, they don’t spend much of their time there anymore. The grounds are now mainly used for various events such as coronations and official ceremonies. This is a historically significant time to visit the Grand Palace because the renowned King of Thailand passed away last month. Since his passing, Thais from across the country have been traveling to the Grand Palace to mourn King Rama IX. While I walked around the grounds, there were hundreds of people in line waiting to pay their respects to the Royal Family. It was incredible to see how much King Rama IX touched the lives of the people of Thailand.

The Grand Palace is filled with gilded gold everywhere you look! Click photo to enlarge.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most notable sights at the Grand Palace. The name is a bit misleading; since monks do not live there, it is technically a chapel, not a temple. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is unbelievably ornate, designed with intricate patterns and filled with gold and gems from floor to ceiling. As I was walking around, I felt like I had stepped inside of a jewelry box! It was quite the juxtaposition to witness this attraction during the mourning period in Thailand.

Seated at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha - one of the most beautiful sights I've seen so far! Click photo to enlarge.

From the Grand Palace, I walked to Khao San Road, a lively street in Bangkok (part of the Banana Pancake Trail) known for its shopping and other tourist attractions that are popular with Westerners. I took part in one of these attractions – a fish pedicure! I paid less than $5 to put my feet in a pool of live fish for 15 minutes in the hope that they would eat the dead skin off of my feet. Admittedly, it was just about as gross as it sounds and I basically paid to have a 15-minute anxiety attack. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (and maybe fishier?) so now I can check this off of my to-do list!

In case my distressed look doesn't give it away, I really wasn't a fan of the fish pedicure. Click photo to enlarge.

After taking 6 modes of transportation, I finally made it back home from Bangkok! I continued teaching throughout the week before visiting the Ban Mai Riverside market. “Riverside” is in reference to the Bang Pakong River, which winds through my home province, Chachoengsao.

The view from Ban Mai did not disappoint! Click photo to enlarge. 

This market serves many traditional delicacies, most of which I tasted. My palette definitely approved!

Lunch at Ban Mai: Kuay Tien Pak Mor - a broth based noodle dish served with flour-wrapped vegetables on the side. Click photo to enlarge.

From the market, I traveled to a local farm where I had the unique opportunity to plant rice in a marsh. Keep in mind, the target age group of this farm is about 3-5 years old, but I had a blast getting in the mud and planting my crops. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for rice – it’s a backbreaking job!

Finally got my hands clean after farming... my feet were next! Click photo to enlarge.

There are markets everywhere in Thailand and one even opened on the street I live on for a few days. The neighborhood completely transformed from empty sidewalks and streets filled with motorcycles to vendors selling kebabs, popcorn, and smoothies among hundreds of other food items. Least appetizing of them all (for me, at least) was the table with fried bugs. Still working on getting past my fear of all things creepy crawly!

Last week I celebrated the festival Loy Krathong, which means, “to float a basket.” This festival is significant because it is a time to pay respect to rivers, as well as make wishes for the upcoming year. Loy Krathong is observed during the full moon of the 12^th lunar month, which just so happened to be a super moon this year! In preparation for the festival I handcrafted a krathong, a small buoyant basket. I decorated my krathong with banana leaves and a variety of flowers, finally topping it off with a candle.

My handmade Krathong! Click photo to enlarge.

After decorating my krathong, I traveled to the Bang Pakong River. In my free time I visit an English class for young children (which is beyond cute) and the families from class were so kind as to invite me to join them at the river. It was such an honor to celebrate Loy Krathong with all of my new Thai friends!

My Thai family (pictured above) and moments before I placed my Krathong in the river to float away (below). Click photos to enlarge.

Even though I will be 13 time zones away from my family this Thanksgiving, I am still thinking of how much I have to be grateful for – specifically, my mom’s voice of reason. I’m going through a huge transition in my life right now and I am faced with challenges I never could have anticipated. She is a great sounding board and I feel so fortunate to have a strong support system, both at home and abroad. With the help of my family in America and my adopted family in Thailand, I am confident I will get in the groove of things soon.

Teachin' & Beachin'

Imagine this: it’s my first day of school as “Teacher Bryna.” I find the room I’m supposed to be in for the class period… or so I think. The instant I walk in, 50 middle-school aged students walk out. They avoid eye contact with me, duck their heads and make a quick exit. At first I was stunned because I thought I was the victim of a practical joke they were playing on me. Then I was confused because I wasn’t sure if I was even in the right building. I begged them to stay and tried to herd them back into the classroom. No luck.

Finally, one sweet girl came up to me and did her best to explain that they were in the wrong classroom and the correct class would be arriving shortly. Miraculously, I was in the right place. The only thing I was a victim of was the concept of “Thai time,” meaning the timing of the day was running slightly off schedule.

 Achieving my middle school dreams by being an official member of the teachers lounge! I love that the entrance reads "You're always welcome here." Click photo to enlarge.

Sure enough, a few minutes later 50 tenth-graders (referred to as Mathayom 4 in Thailand) filed into the classroom. I thought it would be smooth sailing now that I corralled in the correct group of kids. Once again, I had no such luck. Every class I met on my first day of school was full of energy. Though it was exciting to have students so eager to meet me, I quickly noticed they were far more intrigued by if I had a boyfriend or if they could take a selfie with me than they were interested in learning about synonyms and antonyms. 

Thankfully, each day I am adjusting more to my Thai school. The difference between the American and Thai education systems has definitely caused me some culture shock. In Thailand the classes have less structure, larger class sizes and a noise level that cannot be rivaled by American schools. Yet, there is an enthusiasm I see in my classrooms that I’ve never experienced in the U.S. (You haven't seen pure joy until you've witnessed 50 Thai students realize the answer during a game of hangman is "Justin Bieber.") Though teaching in Chachoengsao is challenging, I already feel myself making progress. At this point, I am taking it day by day, class by class and hoping that I can build a rapport with each student.

First day at Benchama as Teacher Bryna! Click photo to enlarge.

While I am trying to get Thai students to trust me, I am also learning to trust Thai people. Throughout my first few weeks in Thailand, I have faced many challenges that have made me feel vulnerable at times. Instead of approaching these situations with frustration and angst, I focus on gratitude. Countless locals have guided me while I learned about public transportation, policies at my school and what to expect at local markets. It was nerve-wracking to put my trust in these people I barely knew. Although at first I thought people were trying to lead me astray, I soon realized they legitimately want to see me succeed. I hope that I am expanding my intercultural knowledge and communication skills by suspending my judgment and listening to what people tell me before I make decisions. I believe this process will help subside my culture shock and ease my transition into daily life in Thailand.

The beautiful temple of Wat Sothon located in my province. I wouldn't have made it without the help of many locals! Click photo to enlarge.

After a tiresome first week of school, the only solution was a trip to Ko Samet for a day at the beach. Ko Samet (Ko means island in Thai) is located in the eastern region of Thailand, near the hub city of Rayong. Getting to the island was a challenge in it of itself because it required a 4-hour drive in a jam-packed mini bus, a trip on a songthaew (a combination between a taxi and a pickup truck) and a ferry ride. An overnight stay near the ferry pier allowed my roommate and me to head from the port city of Ban Phe to Ko Samet first thing Saturday morning.

Sunbathing on Sai Kaew beach! Click photo to enlarge.

Once we secured a hostel (another challenge/learning experience/personal win), we walked through the Mu Ko Samet National Park entrance and eventually stumbled upon Sai Kaew beach. From then on, our day included lounging in the sand, swimming in the Gulf of Thailand and eating mango sticky rice with coconut milk. The only unfortunate thing about spending the entire day at the beach is that I now resemble some combination of Elmo and Rudolph. Lesson learned: reapply sunscreen!

Pina colada + mango sticky rice = perfect beachside snack! Click photo to enlarge.

I am still learning new things everyday to better understand this country. (For instance, Thailand is BYOTP: bring your own toilet paper. I learned to adapt to this cultural difference quickly!) This week, I have a day off from school so I plan to go into Bangkok and see more of the city. There are so many things to do in this country and I am trying to make the most of every moment! I am eager to explore this nation that I now call home. I just hope my sunburn heals first!

This post is also featured on the official CIEE Teach in Thailand blog.