Amazing Thailand

Last weekend Mr. Udom, an overly nice teacher, and his lovely family took me away for the night to the city of Buriram where I visited nearby Phanom Rung temple. It's apparently the most beautiful and intact Angkor temple in Thailand. They shouted me a night in a motel with a/c, television, a shower and (drum roll) a bed!!!! I spent the whole night lying under crisp white sheets watching hilarious Thai soapies with 1960s-type special effects, enjoying the break from the comparitively rustic conditions of my Sisaket house. Mr. Udom also took me to Thailand's elephant village. According the the 'Amazing Thailand' advertising campaign, hundreds of elephants are meant to roam the village streets, however after driving the two hours to see for ourselves we found a village of many many cows but no elephants haha. Mr. Udom, who speaks little English, kept saying "Amazing Thailand, Amazing Thailand!" and "Cow must be son of elephant" and laughing hysterically at himself. I was in stitches... I guess you had to be there.

During the week I visited two primary schools that are even more remote than my school. The students have never seen a farang (Westerner) before and were sooooo excited to see me. At both schools I had over a dozen little Thai kids attached to my arms as I strolled around the school grounds. The kids of one class even drew pictures for me and wrote 'I LOVE LISA' beneath their drawings. Awwwww. I also attended the local rocket festival during the week. I was told that the people of northeast Thailand believe that building rockets and setting them off into the sky ushers in the rainy season. The festival was little more than a group of Thai farmers getting pissed on Chang Beer and lighting a few firecrackers but it was fun nonetheless, at least until I was forced into embarassing myself by dancing to a Thai pipe instrument with a drunk old toothless farmer haha.

By the way, it looks like I will be heading to Laos on Monday or Tuesday. School has been cancelled this coming week to allow the students to participate in a week-long scouting course. I had intended to go to Cambodia, yet I have decided to visit Laos first as I am closer to the border-crossing and because my sister wants to visit Cambodia with me in December. Can't wait! Everybody seems to rave about Laos. I will miss Nonpoon school though, if not my accommodation.