Weird things part 2

I'm approaching the end of my fourth full month living in Thailand and life seems pretty normal for me. I wake up and the day is already soaring into the 80s (high 20s in celsius), I coat myself in bug spray and get ready for my day which consists of very little English and a lot of rice. Recently I've felt that I don't have much to blog about, and then I realize that even my morning routine is something completely different than life in America. And so, the list continues: weird things I've gotten used to, part 2.

- As mentioned above, weather in Thailand is always hot. My travels up north to Chiang Mai have given me a glimpse of cooler weather, but daily life in Pattaya has consistently presented me with hot and humid weather since day one. It's common chatter among expats that people move here for the weather, I however am on the opposite end of that spectrum; I moved here despite the weather. I am a lover of all things Autumn: scarves, hats, jackets and tights. After deciding to come to Thailand the one concern that continuously crept into my head was if I would be able to handle such warm temperatures on a daily basis. I still don't know if I have an answer to that concern. Obviously I'm living through it, but the heat is still something that gets to me. I drink at least a gallon of water each day at school and am always the first to notice if the fans aren't on. Although my school doesn't have AC they are pretty well equipped to handle the heat. Each classroom has ceiling fans and rotating fans on the walls, and all classrooms have an entire wall of windows which are kept open throughout the day, so although it's hot, it's still breezy. I think I'm still sweating as much as I was in the beginning, but at least now I'm more accepting of it. It's no longer startling to be hit by a wall of heat when stepping outside and it's common practice to shower 2x a day. At this point I think that my body isn't used to the heat, but my mind is. I guess I'll take what I can get.

- I would bet good money on the fact that I've gotten more mosquito bites in these last four months than I have in the rest of my life combined. I've established a decent schedule of bug spray application 2-3x a day but I still get bitten. The kids at school remind me of little kids with chicken pox; they show very little self-restraint when it comes to itching, and they've got the scars to prove it. And now, so do I. For some reason the mosquitos love my feet and ankles and I find myself scratching at them without any forethought. Needless to say, bug spray has become part of my daily routine and I never leave home without a small bottle in my purse.

- One thing that I think I've previously mentioned is that Thais mainly function on cash, not cards. In the states I use my credit card for any purchase I can and I rarely carry more than $50 on me. Because things in Thailand are cheap I don't usually have much cash on me unless I'm traveling, but that's something I had to get used to quickly. Whenever leaving town I have to make sure I have enough cash on me to cover buses, hotels and food during my time away. However, the currency here is pretty crazy and I get a small thrill from withdrawing money on pay day, pretending that 1000 baht is a lot of money (it's about 28 USD). I find it interesting that their highest bill is only 1000 baht; buying a motorcycle would only be about $2,000 USD, but that turns into 71,000 baht! That's a whole lot of cash.

- Anyone who has spent a lot of time with me has definitely seen my cry and sweat over spicy food, because for some reason I just can't say no the torturous yet delicious taste. If there's one thing I can say I'm proud of from my time in Thailand, it's my new ability to eat spicy food. No joke. Each day at school the teachers used to poke fun at Emiliya and I as we got warmer and redder while trying to eat lunch, and many times we were straight up denied food because it would be too spicy for us. Well, those days are over my friends! After painfully eating my way through endless Thai dishes I am finally adjusting to spicy foods, and even willingly add chili sauce when I'm served bland foods. It's a weird accomplishment, but I'm excited about it nonetheless.

Our pad thai lady! 

- While on the subject of food, I'm realizing that most Thai people I've talked with really only enjoy Thai food. In the US basically anyone you meet will tell you they love italian, mexican, chinese and various other foods. I can't think of a single person I know that strictly eats burgers and fries (my idea of American food). However, Thailand seems to be the opposite of that. It appears that Thais really only cook and eat Thai food and don't care to expand their food options. Even those who have traveled or lived outside of Asia have said that they haven't loved any of the food that they've tasted while abroad. Whenever we're traveling with our friend Pupae we make sure to find a restaurant that offers both western and Thai food so she can get her rice and we can have some fresh veggies and carbs that aren't rice.

A normal dinner: pad thai and fruit

- One thing that I quickly got used to is not having a kitchen. All of our food comes from the local market, already warm and ready to eat. At times it can be convenient, but sometimes I wake up hungry and tired, just wanting to have a quick bowl of cereal or some toast, but instead I have to get dressed and head to the market. At this point I'm definitely used to it, but I'm pretty excited to come home to a fridge and kitchen.

- I'm a really big fan of planning and organizing; before a trip I have everything researched, tickets purchased and hotel rooms booked. Asia knocked that lifestyle right out of me, reluctantly at first, but now I kind of enjoy it. Never have I found it so easy to book things last minute, or not even book things at all! As long as it's not a holiday or special occasion it's completely possible to show up at your hotel/hostel of choice without any notice and get a room. This past weekend I went to Bangkok with practically no plans. I showed up at the bus station and was able to buy a ticket for a bus leaving in 15 minutes. Once in Bangkok I walked towards a hostel in mind and was able to get a room there without any problem.
Once summer starts (mid to late March) I'll be taking about 8 weeks to travel Thailand and surrounding countries. Although I have a general idea of where I want to go I'm not too concerned with booking things or figuring out a set plan. In Asia it's a lot easier to go with the flow and plan your travels on a day to day basis.

- I figured that the Thais might have some problems pronouncing "Michelle" and I was curious how my name would sound in their language. It turns out I didn't need to think about that because everywhere I go I'm known as "teacher." There are a handful of students that have learned my name throughout the last few months, but beyond a small group everyone else simply calls me teacher, including the Thai teachers. That also includes random people in town and the people working at the markets. Wherever I go I am followed by shouts of "Teacher! Hello!"

- As a neat freak I struggled at first with living in Thailand, because no matter where you are in this country there is dirt everywhere. Our apartment bathroom has a small window that doesn't close and as a result our bathroom counter is coated in a thin layer of dirt and dust on a daily basis. Each Monday morning at school I take a wet rag to my desk, because it always collects a layer of dirt while I'm away for the weekend. I have gotten used to scrubbing surfaces far more often than I ever have in the past. On top of that, Thais don't really seem to be a huge fan of soap. The kids at school wash their hands at a large sink that's outside, but there is no soap to be found. In our teacher's lounge we have a small container near the sink but it's been there since day one, so I'm pretty sure I'm one of the few that use it. There is also no heating system in Thailand. No heat in houses and no hot water coming through the pipes, so everyone is washing their hands with cold water and no soap. I just keep reminding myself that hopefully Thailand is making my immune system nice and strong! 

A motorbike with a 'car seat' attached to the front!
(Also note the monk in the background)
Photo props to Yavette 

- As I mentioned in the previous post, Thais love their motorcycles and can squeeze an absurd amount of people on one bike. I have adjusted to seeing children driving these bikes alone and seeing newborn babies strapped into their "car seat." Life in Asia is faster if you have a bike. They weave in and out of traffic and are always ahead of the cars.

A herd of motorbikes at the front
of stopped traffic 

Construction workers at our apartment wearing
crocs and protective hats from the sun 

- There are many construction workers out on the streets in my town and they usually wear similar reflective vest like workers in America, however one thing that is startlingly different is their shoe choice. Almost every construction worker I've seen wears sandals or a knock off version of crocs. It doesn't matter if they're driving machines, digging, jackhammering or mixing cement; they're almost all in sandals. I can't figure out if this is just a comfort thing or if they can't afford the proper footwear. Outdoor workers are often wearing protective clothing to prevent themselves from getting tanner. Tan skin basically implies that you spend your day outside, which would make people presume you're working class. As a result, Thais don't like tan skin and find it to be ugly. Most workers wear hats that have fabric that comes around the back of their necks as well. They also often wear long sleeved shirts and pants. The parking lot of our apartment building is currently being cemented and we have a collection of workers outside each day (including weekends).

- Asian cultures usually stick to a heirarchy, which is something I've gotten used to but something I'm not very fond of. In our school there's an order of superiority: the director is the highest role, followed by his office staff, Thai teachers, student teachers, English teachers and ending with students at the bottom. Each person knows their role and essentially bows down to those above them and acts superior to those below them. The traditional Thai greeting of a "wai" is usually initiated by the lower social status person, so it's always my job to wai the director and his staff first, they would never initiate it. Students are expected to wai all of the teachers but because they are so low below us we aren't supposed to wai them in return. 

Our director comes first for anything, which was weird to observe at first. When we first arrived he never introduced himself to us and for the first few weeks we just saw this man being treated like royalty, and we had no idea who he was. I think because he's so high above us, we were expected to introduce ourselves to him out of respect, but with 60+ staff we basically stuck to the ones who made an effort to speak to us, and the director wasn't one of those. 

He gets the highest treatment and always gets served by others during lunch. We recently had a student teacher who finished her stint at the school, so we had a big lunch for her on the last day. I thought the head of the table would be reserved for her, but that's where the director sat instead. When it came to meal time he was served first, followed by the student teacher. The weirdest part for me is that the student teacher did all of the dishes. Because she's so low on the totem pole (below the director and other teachers) she's usually doing a weird amount of favors and chores for the other teachers, and her last day lunch was no exception to that. She cleaned up the bulk of the meal on her own, while others sat around munching on the leftovers. 

At this point I'm used to this treatment. I realize that my social status is very low at school but it's disheartening to think that no matter how hard I try I will barely be given any more respect. I'm learning that in general, Thais stick to their social classes. Men are almost always more powerful and people always obey and respect their father, no matter the circumstances. I'm more of a fan of respecting people for who they are and how they treat others, but it's been interesting to observe this lifestyle as well.  

- Thai kids love high fives. Any time I'm walking through the halls of school I have kids running up to me asking for one. On a daily basis I probably get over 100 high fives. 

- There are many days where I'll be sitting at my desk in the teacher lounge and a random person will come in with a briefcase full of items they're selling. I've seen everything from eye glasses to massagers. Who knew I would be able to shop from my desk?!          

                                                                                                                     

- Because I'm teaching younger kids (kindergarten through third grade) I've gotten extremely used to pretending to understand Thai. Many of the kids can't grasp the concept that I don't speak the same language of them, so they've taken to rambling in Thai at me, explaining who knows what. I originally tried using Thai phrases such as "I don't understand" or "I don't speak Thai" but that just left them even more confused. So now I just nod and smile and hope I'm not approving something I shouldn't be. (There was one time I allowed my entire class to leave early without meaning to) 

Our hallways at school. Part tile and part cement

- The kids at school are usually without shoes, and I can't quite figure out why. Instead they spend the majority of their day in just socks, which includes going to the bathroom and walking across the gravel parking lot. It seems that the more conscious kids put their shoes on when walking outside the tile halls of the school (to prevent holes), but there are still plenty that only wear socks all day, even when walking through puddles. The kids always have their shoes off in the classroom, so I figure it has something to do with cleanliness, but the teachers usually wear shoes, so it seems to defeat the purpose. I've noticed that the majority of my kindergarten teachers switch to slippers in their room, so I've taken to being barefoot in those classes because their floors are usually very clean and I don't want to go in with shoes. 

A songtaew in Pattaya 

- I've gotten used to public transportation and all of it's flaws. Although Thailand has a decent system set up of buses and songtaews, you are at the mercy of their schedule and wishes. Around town Emiliya and I hop on a Songtaew to go wherever we need, such as downtown Pattaya or the mall. We just walk to the main road (a minute away from our apartment) and wait for a songtaew to drive past, sometimes one will already be waiting, other times you have to stand there for 20 minutes until one shows up. When leaving the mall there's usually a herd of songtaews parked out front, but in order to get their money's worth they won't leave until they're full, often resulting in a 10-30 minute wait in the mall parking lot. It drove me crazy in the beginning but Thailand has taught me how to wait and be patient. I've been on numerous buses that will randomly pull off the highway so the driver can take a cigarette break or use the restroom, and it's always the foreigners who complain about these unnecessary stops. The Thais take it in stride and have the patience to wait it out. 

A fancier songtaew in Chiang Mai, it has real walls and everything! 

I've also noticed that many Thais are often content just sitting with nothing but their thoughts. If I'm alone on long bus rides, songtaew trips into the city or waiting in line I almost always have my kindle or phone out, doing something to keep myself entertained during the journey or wait. But Thais almost always just sit. They are known as a culture that doesn't read, so I don't expect them to pull out a book (I often get weird looks when reading in public spaces) and many of them don't have smart phones, so they are content with their thoughts. Growing up in the States during a digital age I have gotten so used to smart phones. Wherever you go people are checking facebook or listening to music and it's refreshing to see that that culture hasn't hit Thailand. 

One of my most energetic classes! They've taught me a lot of Thai
 and are really great at handling the language barrier between us 

Each day in Thailand is something new. I learn some new Thai vocab, try a new food or discover another city or attraction of this huge country. Thailand is much more than just Bangkok and beaches and I'm grateful for the time I have here because it's allowing me to see a side of this country I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Being at school each day has given me a huge insight into Thai culture and even though I spend my days speaking broken English sentences I've still learned so much from my students. 

Weird things I've gotten used to and other random tidbits

After living in Thailand for over three months now I've found that there is very little that startles or shocks me on a daily basis, which is amazing, because in the beginning I had never-ending lists forming in my head of all of the weird things I experienced throughout the day.
Below is a sneak peek into the odd yet average things I experience throughout my daily life in Thailand.

A class roster phonetically translated into the latin alphabet

- All Thai children are born with startling long names which are nearly impossible for me to pronounce, let alone remember. Fortunately, at birth most Thai kids are given nicknames by their parents which they use interchangeably with their formal Thai name. Some easy nicknames include: Pink, New, Beer, and Asia. Others include: boom, om, pang, mod, and nom.
Their names have caused me constant frustration when it comes to grading papers. They'll write their nickname in Thai, which I then have to match to their formal Thai name and then translate it phonetically into English to match the grading rubric I've been given. I've taken to grabbing random students during recess asking them to "phud" (speak) as I point to a Thai name on a sheet I'm grading, just so I can hear them speak it, making it easy for me to match it to the English version on my rubric.

- The Thai alphabet has 44 consonant letters and then 15 symbols to represent vowels which are added on/around the consonants to turn them into a vowel. On top of a different alphabet, there are also symbols that indicate each of the five tones present in the Thai language. For example if you say "dow" in a slow flat tone it means star, but then if you say "dow" in a slow and falling tone it means turtle. I learned this the hard way when the kids wanted me to draw stars on their papers and I thought they were asking for turtles. They were not pleased with my carefully crafted smiling turtles. Woops. It also turns out I've been saying "bad luck" whenever I'm trying to tell someone their drawing is beautiful. I can't help but say it in an excited tone, "oh that's beautiful!" with my voice going up at the end, but of course that completely changes the meaning of the word. Instead you have to say it in a completely flat tone, making it far less exciting. I feel that tonal languages take away some of the animation and character prevalent in toneless languages.
As a native English speaker I'm very used to the fact that you can say a word in any tone and it'll still mean the same thing. Although I studied tonal languages in my linguistic classes it was no lesson in how to actually understand the tones. For now I am basically a tone-deaf person in a tonal world; leading me to wish bad luck on people and give them turtles when they want stars, I guess there are worse things in the world?
Of course the most obvious question following this discussion is why the heck am I speaking so much terrible Thai when I'm here to be speaking English? That could result in a rant a mile long, so instead I'll sum it up with this: no matter how many times you try to teach directions and instructions to four year old children, they will not retain or respond to that information. For best results, learn some Thai.

- One thing I was mentally prepared for was the possibility of squat toilets, and I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't stumble upon as many as anticipated. They are definitely around at gas stations/rest stops and seem to be the common public restroom of choice on the islands. However, my school, apartment, nice restaurants, and hotels all have western toilets. Plumbing in Thailand doesn't seem to have caught up to the 21st century, so the squat toilets don't have a flushing system, and neither do many of the western toilets either. Instead you'll find a container of clean water next to the toilet which you have to throw into the toilet to mime the act of flushing.
One thing that I should be used to but am not is throwing away toilet paper (don't tell the Thais!) The plumbing and septic systems throughout Thailand can't handle having any foreign objects being flushed, so instead each bathroom comes equipped with a garbage can for your used toilet paper. This usually emits a smell into the air that is best left to your imagination. I do my best to throw out TP when I remember, but apparently the motion of throwing it into the toilet is engrained in my body and isn't easily swayed.
Squat toilets are often looked down upon (literally hahah) and are avoided at all costs by some travelers I know, but honestly I've seen cleaner squat toilets than I've seen public restrooms in the states and other countries. It took one or two experiences, but now I don't blink twice at the face of a squat toilet.

Kids getting their hair cut during school

- The hair on students, both male and female, is kept to very strict rules while school is in session; and in order to maintain those strict standards the school brings in a team of hair cutters almost biweekly. They show up in a big bus, donned in their purple ponchos and armed with surgical masks (so they don't get sick?) The girls must not have hair longer than their earlobes and boys follow standards that would give the military a run for it's money. Students are excused from class when the hair cutting team is at school and they can go wait their turn to get their hair trimmed.

- I also recently learned that there are traveling dentists who visit the schools on the government's dime. Today there were about 10 dentists who came and checked each of the kid's mouths during class. I'm unsure how they would proceed if they found something wrong with the kids, but it was nice to see that there is a somewhat decent healthcare system put in place here, especially because many of these kid's wouldn't have the money to get health checks otherwise.


















- At my school all of the kindergarten kids wear little vests in various shades of pink (one of the school's colors). I'm not sure why the kids wear them, but it does help pick them out in a crowd, especially when there's just one little guy gone rogue. Most of the kids have snacks, toys or money in the front pocket of their vest which they break out in the middle of class.

- I'm finding that the kids are trusted and given much more freedom than American kids would ever have. Half the time I see something and can't help but think "if this were happening in the states the parents would sue the school." The most obvious examples are with the kindergarteners, because it often feels that they have free reign to do whatever pleases them. There's so many times I'll be teaching in a different classroom and a little kindergartener will come wandering into my class. I'll quickly shuffle them back in the direction of their classroom and the teacher doesn't even bat an eye. There are also many times when I'll walk past a classroom and the kids are in there completely alone, just doing whatever they want. There's no such thing as a bathroom pass and there's definitely no buddy system. The kids leave when they want and wander at their own free will. Although they'll go wherever they please in the surrounding area, they never leave the school gates. As cool as it is that the kindergarteners are going to the bathroom on their own and trusted to hold onto their own money to buy after school snacks, it seems rather negligent to me. I can't tell if this is the Thai way or lack of awareness by the teachers, but either way I often question what would happen if there was an accident with one of the kids.

- Living less than a block away from a temple I've gotten used to monks extremely quickly. I still honestly don't understand their lives but I know enough to stay clear of them because they can't touch women, and many don't talk to women either. Before coming to Thailand I pictured them living in exotic temples and never interacting with the outside world, but it turns out they shop at the markets, ride taxis and catch the bus to Bangkok. Monks, they're just like us! (except not).

- Thai coffee is some of the best coffee I've ever tasted, but unfortunately I can only seem to find it in large/popular cities. Around my apartment I have to settle for coffee stands that use instant NesCafé. My love for Switzerland is ardent and endless, but I really think they could've come up with something better than

                               these packets of powder. I am constantly day dreaming 

of my coffee maker back home. 

- I take my shoes on and off more times in a day than I do in a week in the states (that might be an exaggeration, but you get my point.) Going into a classroom? Take your shoes off. Going into a clinic? Take your shoes off. Going into a temple? You better take your shoes off!! Basically any established company or building requires bare feet, including but not limited to a post office, clothing store, hostel, and doctor's office. I have learned to love easy slip on shoes and quickly ditched anything with straps and laces.

Food: A Love Story

A good meal served at school
Noodles with peanut sauce and about five other things

Thailand has an endless reputation of positive feedback when it comes to delicious and cheap meals, so my foodie self was abnormally excited to hit the streets and start trying all of the new meals that would be available to me. I pictured myself eating my body weight in curry and glass noodles (with a side of pad thai), so I was terribly shocked when my food dreams didn't come true. Although I'm a vegetarian that is really my only limitation to what I won't eat, and even then I've never considered myself to be a picky eater; until I came to Thailand. If there's one thing I can't stand the taste of, it's fish, and what do Thais love to cook with? Fish sauce! Oh joy. All of my favorite meals are continuously ruined by the taste of fish. Pad thai, omelettes, tofu, harmless veggie stir fry, you name it. And on top of that it turns out that all of the Thai restaurants in the US serving curry are frauds, because that's not a common Thai dish. It's been a constant struggle trying to find meals that I'll actually enjoy, but I think I finally have a system now: If it tastes okay, don't ask questions. 

jackfruit: my new favorite fruit

Don't get me wrong though! For every disappoint I've endured with food I've found something amazing as well. Each day at lunch we're served a free meal and the teachers have been really great in finding me good combos of food that don't involve fish or meat. Our school has been much more successful in serving delicious meals compared to what I find at the local market each evening for dinner. 

The best part is definitely the fruit. Each day at school we're served a generous variety of fresh fruit and that's also where the majority of my money goes each evening. The fruit lady at the local market has taught me the bulk of my fruit vocabulary and she's also painstakingly endured the process of me learning Thai numbers, not getting frustrated when she tells me I owe 50 baht and I obliviously hand over 20 with a smile. We see each other almost every day and in my head we're friends, but in reality all of our "conversations" revolve around fruit. 

I think i'll be fine if I never eat another grain of rice in my life, but I've also stopped sweating and crying when eating spicy foods, so you win some and lose some. 

Typical dinner from the market: some crazy rice dish
that includes eggs, chilis, mystery meat (which
I pick out) and some sort of pickled cabbage situation.
Purchased on the side is some sort of wrapped egg
and a  tofu kebab which I no longer  can eat because
I can't deny the taste of fish. 

Thai breakfast 

The one place where Thailand really can't win is the breakfast category. We recently stayed at a hotel with a free breakfast buffet and in a classic Joey Tribbiani moment I approached the morning with the concept of "this is where I'll win back my money" (not hard to do when the hotel is $5/night) Anyways, we stumble downstairs to an array of Thai breakfast food that immediately stopped us in our tracks. Fried noodles, rice, meatball soup and fried chicken. Definitely not what I was craving at 7am. Although I'm not usually one to bypass free food, we happily left that place and found a café down the street offering fresh coffee, toast and eggs. 

Outside of school each morning there are food carts set up offering similar foods to grab on the way to school. Kids will walk through the gates each morning slurping on some ramen soup or picking at a chicken kebab. I usually settle on a prepackaged muffin each morning from 7-Eleven. Did I mention that I think I'm terribly malnourished? 95% of my diet is carbs, followed by a few fruits, but I barely get any veggies, dairy products or protein. 

One thing that I have yet to capture a picture of is the absurd amount of people Thais will have on a motorbike, usually including a baby in the arms of a passenger and a toddler standing on the footrest looking out over the handle bars. That's definitely another thing I've gotten used to, and I promise I'll snap a picture at the next opportunity I have!

Despite the initial culture shock I experienced when I first arrived, things have settled down into the most normal they can be while living a life in Thailand. I'm grateful for my time here because many of these crazy and obscure observations never would have been found if I only stuck to the touristy parts of the country. I'm sure there are plenty more crazy things I experience on a daily basis, but life just seems so normal now! More to come when I think of it.

Travel Gear

I've been very fortunate in my past travels to know people abroad, allowing me a free place to stay internationally. Through the kindness of others I've often received airport pickups as opposed to trekking through public transportation, which has resulted in little thought to my luggage. For my first trip to Europe I bought the biggest wheeled suitcase possible and filled it to the brim, and have since used that suitcase for the majority of my travels. However, recently I've become a little more adventurous in my travels. I've been staying in many more hostels and instead of having a home base abroad, I instead am always on the move, starting in one place and ending in another. That being said it has become far less sensible to be wheeling around a huge suitcase and it was time to upgrade to something more practical. 

Last year I walked into REI and tried on half of the backpacks in the store and very happily landed on the Osprey Porter 46. It's large enough to carry everything that I need for a 3-4 week trip abroad, and the best part is that it can be broken down into a bag that fits as a carry on, saving me a lot of money in checked baggage fees. The bag has should straps, a hip belt and a strap across your chest, so if you're walking far distances it still fits comfortably. It also has the support straps on the shoulders, taking the weight off of your back which I've never felt the need to use in a city, but have used while backpacking with heavy gear. The back of the bag has small pockets for all straps to tuck into, leaving just the top and side handles, perfect for a carryon bag or to check without worry of the straps getting caught in anything. 

The thing that I like most about this bag is that it loads like a normal suitcase, as opposed to the top loading format of most other backpacks. It makes it much easier to pack and find everything that's inside without having to completely unload it each time I want to get something out. 

So far this bag has been through a five country trip to Europe, a weeklong trip to Iceland, a six week adventure through Asia and an overnight backpacking trip in Pennsylvania. Knowing the quality of Osprey and REI, I know this bag will be with me for years. 

Compression cubes from Eagle Creek

To complete my trips with my trusty backpack I've been using packing cubes, my preferred brand is Eagle Creek and I'm especially a fan of their compression bags. These pack like a normal packing cube but include an extra set of zippers along the side to flatten the bag as much as possible so it fits nicely into the suitcase. The one down side to compression cubes and packing cubes is that they can often be a little pricy, especially for a budget traveler. On my most recent journey I moved to Thailand but stopped off in Europe for a few weeks. I wanted to pack as much as needed in my backpack, so I wouldn't have to touch my other suitcase and I was in desperate need of more packing cubes but was lacking the money to purchase more. That's when I was hit with the awesome idea of using gallon sized ziplock bags! They're definitely not as durable as packing cubes, but besides that they work great for a fraction of the price. There's a chance I might actually like them a little more than packing cubes because they're clear, making it so much easier to see what's inside each bag while keeping everything super organized. 

** Update: After backpacking through Asia throughout the last month I have almost exclusively switched to using gallon sized ziplock bags. Although they're not as durable as packing cubes I love the convenience of seeing what is inside each bag without having to open it and ruin all of my organization. 

A weekend in Chiang Mai

This past weekend we got Thursday and Friday off because our teachers had some sort of conference/field trip situation happening. So Emiliya and I took this four day weekend as an opportunity to finally volunteer with elephants!! It's something we had been planning on doing since day one, we just haven't had the time to do so yet. The best elephant sanctuaries are located in the hills of Chiang Mai which is about 12 hours away by car, or 1 hour by plane. Chiang Mai is thailand's second biggest city (Bangkok being the largest) and is known to be a little more eclectic and popular among expats and tourists. We planned our trip to Chiang Mai for the sole purpose of volunteering with elephants and didn't have many expectations for the city itself, so we were pretty blown away when we landed. 

We took an hour long flight from Bangkok and got into Chiang Mai just past 11pm and were greated by the lively and crisp evening of a Wednesday night. Although Pattaya (where we live) has a nightlife, it's rather rambunctious and a little seedy at times, appealing more to the party crowd than anything else. There's also an absurdly large population of middle-aged men roaming the clubs, so overall it's not always the best of times. Right away it was obvious that Chiang Mai was different than Pattaya and we were amazed to see that the city was alive with more than just bars. Our taxi took us through the streets which were littered with Thais and foreigners, all out and about just enjoying their time. It was more than just bars and night clubs, there were cafes lit up with fairy lights, pubs performing live music and people just relaxing near the canals that surround old town. We were blown away with how nice Chiang Mai is, even at 11 at night. Within that first hour I think we both realized how run down Pattaya and surrounding areas are. Sure, we have an expat community and there are places to find western food, but the whole area of Pattaya can often be dirty and the only places open late are night clubs. There's one main street that has a decent amount to offer when it comes to restaurants and shops, but beyond that there isn't really much worth exploring. Chiang Mai was composed, clean and alive. There's more to it than just one or two main streets, instead any small alley or turn takes you to a colorful neighborhood that offers markets, cute cafes or small restaurants. 

an awesome breakfast of coffee and fresh fruit with granola and homemade 
yogurt. Not something we would normally find near us! 

When we weren't off exploring, Emiliya and I spent the majority of our time just relaxing and trying all the drinks and food we could find. Chiang Mai offers a much larger selection of fruits and the restaurants do a really great job of mixing Thai food and western food, to provide a meal that's more than just rice and vegetables. We were especially excited to find sandwiches made with French bread! That's almost impossible to find anywhere south. 

Old town, the most popular area of Chiang Mai is only about a mile across, but there's so much to enjoy within such a small area. In reality, Chiang Mai isn't much different from any other touristy city. There are bars, cafes, cute shops and sites to see, but coming from Pattaya it was a breath of fresh air. The city is so much more composed and maintained than Pattaya and it felt like there was a relaxed aura throughout the city, giving off "hippy vibes" as some people say. This area is extremely popular with expats, and almost everyone I know who's chosen their location in Thailand (as opposed to being placed like me) has chosen Chiang Mai. I definitely advise this city for anyone who needs a few relaxing days during their Asian adventures.

Playing with elephants at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary 

Although it would've been easy to spend our days in Chiang Mai in a food coma, we did our best to adventure outside of the restaurants and bars. Day one obviously consisted of elephants galore. We spent a 9 hour day romping in the hills of Chiang Mai volunteering at an elephant sanctuary, which I would definitely advise to anyone who has any interest in seeing elephants or participating in ethical animal treatment. There's a whole post here about our experience at the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary.

Our second full day in Chiang Mai we wanted to get out of the city walls and find some sites further away. We calculated how much it would be to take taxis everywhere, and although that option was still cheap, we quickly realized renting a motorbike would be the easiest and cheapest method of transportation. We found a place that rented out bikes for 200฿ for the entire day, that's right, we threw down a whopping $5.60 for an entire day with a motorbike. Fortunately Emiliya has her motorcycle license (although that's definitely not a requirement, they'll hand out bikes to anyone with money) and is comfortable driving the both of us, while I ride in the back and stay in charge of all the important things: directions, snacks and reminding her to stay on the left side of the road. 

Grand Canyon 

Our first stop was the "Grand Canyon" of Chiang Mai, also known as Hang Dong Quarry. This area used to be a mining quarry but was eventually left to the mercy of the adventurous tourists who now use it as a swimming place. The biggest draw to the quarry is the cliff jumping, which is available from varying heights depending on how crazy you're feeling. We spent the afternoon meeting other travelers and taking turns jumping off the canyon walls into the chilly water below. There are also bamboo rafts anchored in the water which are a great place to lay and watch others brave the jump.
Without GPS we never would have found this place. It's on a random side street off the side of the highway with no signs leading the way. Even on a hot day there were very few people there, sometimes only 5-10 people in the water, but the ones who were there were all tourists and expats. It seems that this area is still undiscovered by mainstream tourism and is a good way to escape the crowded streets of Chiang Mai. If you've got a hot day in Chiang Mai then I suggest you visit the canyon for an afternoon.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep 

The 300+ stairs leading up to the temple 

Next we headed north and took a 10 mile uphill windy road to the top of Doi Suthep mountain. At the top is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple, which is popular among Thais but attracts tourists for a different reason. Although the temple itself is beautiful, most people flock to the top of this mountain to see the amazing views of Chiang Mai. It was a foggy and humid day so the visibility wasn't super clear, but we could still see the canals and walls of Chiang Mai and the airport which is located just a few miles away from the heart of the city. We got there in hopes of seeing the sunset, without taking into account which way the mountain faced, which turns out is the opposite direction of the sunset. woops! Either way, we still got awesome views and managed to descend the mountain before it turned pitch black outside.

Inside Wat Doi Suthep

View from the top 

Day 3: Temple Hopping

On our last full day in Chiang Mai we stayed close to the heart of the city to take advantage of some of the nearby temples. There are endless adventure tours available from Chiang Mai which we considered doing, but because we were taking a night bus on our last evening we didn't want to do anything that would make us sit in our own filth for a 12 hour overnight journey. Instead we used the morning as a rare occasion to sleep in, and then took off on a walking adventure of Chiang Mai.
First we visited Wat Chedi Luang, which was originally built in the 14th century but was later destroyed by an earthquake. Although the earthquake was over 400 years ago the temple isn't rebuilt yet and is still considered to be a work in progress. On the grounds of the temple they had a little area set up with piles of tiles and bricks, which we learned were going to be used for the new roof of the temple. Visitors could write wishes or sign the tiles which would later go into the temple roof, hopefully providing a little good luck!

Wishes to be built into the new temple roof

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Sri Suphan

Next we walked about a half mile away to the infamous Wat Sri Suphan, the only silver temple in Thailand. Unfortunately there are some temples in Thailand that don't allow women to enter, and this is one of them. Instead we happily marveled from the outside and explored the grounds of the temple. It wasn't until after we left Chiang Mai that I researched Wat Sri Suphan a little more and found that the temple was built in the early 1500s but it wasn't built with silver. That addition didn't come until the 21st century and was only recently finished. The temple sits in the silver district of Chiang Mai, so it was redone to fit in with it's neighbors. 

Night bus from Chiang Mai to Pattaya

It was a hot day with plenty of sunshine, so we happily retreated into the shade for the rest of the day, spending our evening lounging at coffee shops and relishing the last bites of western food. At 7:30pm we hopped on our night bus to Pattaya and did our best to sleep through the 12 hour journey south. We rode a "gold status" bus, which gave us reclining seats, a blanket, a tv (with english movies!) and dinner. Not too shabby for $20.

Our time in Chiang Mai was much more exciting than anticipated and it's a city that I would really love to visit again some day in the future. It's also a good place to keep in mind for backpackers who need a break from the constant moving. Chiang Mai is cheaper than other parts of Asia and would serve as a good location to wind down a little.

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Logistical Info

- One way flight on Air Asia from Don Muang (Bangkok) --> Chiang Mai was about $45

- Stayed at Nature's Way House in a 6 bed dorm for 150฿/night

- Hang Dong Quarry has an entrance fee of 50฿. The location has a decent bathroom and a nice cafe with traditional Thai food and a few western foods

- Wat Doi Suthep had signs pointing the way to buy entrance tickets (30฿) but after purchasing them we realized no one was around to actually check our tickets. 

- Neither Wat Chedi Luang nor Wat Sri Suphan have entrance fees, they also don't provide robes to cover knees and shoulders, it's best to bring along a sarong or sweater to be respectful when visiting these temples. 

- We purchased our bus tickets two days in advance from Arcade Bus Terminal. We got 2/4 of the last open seats on this journey. Tickets were 683฿ (just under $20).