Journey to Thailand: My first "business" trip

I don't know the names of the places where I went, or where they are located in Thailand, but overall it was a wonderfully weird trip. To the left is everyone who went with us. We're at a recycling plant. Because very few people spoke English, and even fewer people spoke to me at all, I don't know why a recycling plant was our very first destination. I guess it's the biggest one in Thailand.

We stayed in a different hotel each night, and both were 5-star. So far, if I went strictly off my experiences here (which are not an accurate representation of Thai living), I'd have to say that the living standard in Thailand is much higher than in the States. As soon as I put pictures of my house, everyone will know what I mean.

The other people who went (various workers from Ban Rachawadee) were nice, but for the most part I got the feeling that they didn't care that I was there. They seemed to assume that I either understood what was going on, or it didn't matter that I didn't. I also get the feeling that I annoy my advisor, but that is probably just a feeling. When she does talk to me, she's always nice, but she doesn't talk to me often.

The places we went more than made up for it though. My favorite was a hike to the top of a mountain. The hike itself was amazing, and it felt great to really exert myself, and the view was absolutely beautiful. This is the only place that I don't have pictures of, due to a dead camera battery...

I also went to many, many temples. The first was for a past Thai king, who apparently really enjoyed cockfighting. I lit incense there, and had to kneel and pray (I think it was praying...I just copied what I saw other people doing). Temples in Thailand are beautiful, but there are some really unusual practices.

First, always take your shoes off. This applies to many public places, including offices. It's nice; it kind of gives the places a home-y feeling.

Here you are supposed to shake the cup of sticks until one (only one) falls out. This is much harder to do than they make it look. I was afraid of shaking it too much and throwing all the sticks in the air, so I was being extra careful. I shook for a good minute and a half before anything happened at all. The sticks each have a number on them, and the number corresponds to a certain fortune that they give you. The fortunes are in Thai, so I don't know what mine is.

I did various other things at the temples. Walking with a candle in a circle two times (I was later told that it was probably supposed to be three times and I messed up), putting money on a stick and giving it to a Buddha statue, hitting bells with sticks, a lot of kneeling and praying and touching my forehead to the floor. It was all very interesting, but I don't understand why we did these things.

Dinner at the first hotel (to the left of me is my advisor; to the right is a nurse that I talked to quite a bit):

After this dinner, there was a karaoke party and dancing. (Parents: avert your eyes or consider yourselves warned.) After a few too many wine coolers (meaning I had 2), they pulled me up to Thai dance with them, and it didn't seem like a terrible idea. It was a fun night.

Our tour guides:

When I showed these pictures to Pee Noi, she informed me that these are actually men who have become women. I don't know how she's so sure, but she is.

The director of Ban Rachawadee and her daughter and me: