Change of Heart

Since my family has taken to excluding me from pretty much everything, I think I'm going to have to change my approach to living here.

Tonight is the 4th night in a row (and there were other instances before that) my family has left or not come home without telling me anything about what they're doing. I suppose I could ask them, but there is never any warning. Suddenly the house is empty.

So I have been eating dinner by myself, with one of the maids nearby. This has been somewhat awkward, and it makes it difficult to keep my distance from her. This is the maid that has a history of trespassing on foreign property in the house. I think I'm going to have to take my chances, because if I don't talk to her, I'm not talking to anyone, and that's no fun.

Just a side note, I absolutely loathe having maids here. I don't know how it is the Western world, but here there is such an implied inferior-superior relationship, and I hate it. I hate being served like that, and the language barrier makes it even worse. I feel like such a spoiled, stuck-up white girl, and it is very difficult to show them that I'm not.

Anyway, my new plan is to gradually get to know Lek. I also told her that I want to learn to cook Thai food. This is true, but my main motivation is to remove that last area where the server-served relationship is overwhelming.

Love,

Alex