Settling in.

I'm stealing someone's Internet right now... it works on one little corner of my bed. YAY.

Anyway, things are getting better. I had orientation at school yesterday and we signed up for classes. I'm taking Thai Civilization, Art Appreciation (whatever that means!), Thai Language for Beginners, and Buddhist Philosophy. I have my first class, the one about art, later this afternoon. I'm really excited to see what classes are like... they're all 3.5 hours long!

I've also gotten to know a few people more, people that seem like someone I'd be friends with back home. So that's been nice.

I've only learned two phrases so far. "Sawadee Ka" is the traditional Thai greeting (women end sentences with Ka, men with Krup). It's pronounced exactly how it looks. Then to say 'thank you', it's "Kop khun Ka", pronounced cop-coon-ka. The Thai people really appreciate when you greet or thank them in their language, they respond with big smiles and then give you a "wai". "Wai" is what they call the slight bow of the head with your hands in front of your face like you're praying.

Last night, I went to a bar that's right around the corner from our apartment. There were two men playing guitars and singing for everyone... I was hoping I'd hear some Thai music, but don't worry, they decided to play Nirvana. So weird.

Oh, I also found out that they play the Thai National Anthem twice a day on loud speakers all over the country in public places, once at 8am and once at 6pm. When you hear it, you're supposed to stop whatever you're doing, stand very still, and when the song is over, you bow slightly and continue with whatever you were doing. It's considered VERY rude not to stop, and if you're foreign, they really appreciate it when you DO stop.

The money is really pretty. It's all colorful with pictures of the King when he was young. He was actually kind of good looking. They LOVE the King... he's the longest reigning king in monarchy history (or something cool like that), and I think he's over 80yrs old and has been king since around the age of 30. He isn't just a King that sits there and looks pretty like in the UK, but he actually get things done, spends time with the impoverished, and solves problems. It's against the law to say anything negative about him, and when you do, to prison you go.

Beth, to answer your questions:
- Haven't been to Bangkok yet, it's about 40 mins away. Others have gone a few times, but I'm spending the week getting settled before I 'travel'.
- The guy I traveled with, Tyson, lives in my building. Everyone who lives in my apartment is American, but the apartment next door has people from America, Sweden, Holland, Germany, and Finland. They have really funny names like Femke and Bjorn.
- Everybody is nice so far except this one girl who is just... mean. So I avoid her 'cause she sucks.

Speaking of names, a lot of Thai people have American first names, then some really long last name that you can't pronounce. There's one Thai girl who's been hanging around with us with a really long, impossible-to-pronounce first name, so she told us to call her "Rabbit". I also met a girl named "Rainbow". And some twins named Jul (Jewel) and Jom (pronounced how it looks).

My friends also met the Prince of Bhutan a few nights ago. He goes to my university. Weird.