The Thai New year, also known as Songkran is celebrated between the 13th and 15th of April. Traditionally, Songkran is time to pay respects to your elders. However, in recent times it is more commonly associated with giant water fights. It is the hottest time of the year in Thailand so getting buckets of water dumped on you is usually a welcome gesture. I was often targeted by drive-by's with pick-up trucks full of teenagers throwing water at me. Fortunately, I armed myself with a super soaker so I was not completely helpless. I also tried to make sure to fill it with water from a cooler full of ice water (this got way better reactions, since people were usually unfazed by the lukewarm water from the tap). On the first day I went to Silom road, which is a major thoroughfare that was closed to car traffic during the festival. I'd estimate that there were several hundred thousand people on the road, which is four lanes wide and about a mile and half long. There were so many people packed into this space that once you got into the crowd there was pressure on you from all sides. It took my friend Austin and I about a half an hour just to move one block. We were two Farangs in a sea of Thai people. Since both Austin and I are taller than your average Thai we stuck out like sore thumbs. Also along for the ride was Allister, a short British fellow who seemed to be quite claustrophobic in the crowd. Fortunately for him he was not as easy to spot as Austin or I. On one occasion I was held back by four Thai guys while two of their friends dumped a cooler of ice water down my back. This last encounter was all in good fun, but later on in the day I experienced a more disturbing encounter in which a lady boy attempted to grope me below the belt. Fortunately, I was able to make a swim move to escape in the crowd before I was fully violated. Overall, Songkran was probably the craziest festival I've ever been to. Although, I was often pointed out as the Farang who needed to be soaked I never felt it was negatively discriminated against. Maybe that's because Thais tend to do everything with a smile. Nevertheless, it was a pretty kick-ass festival with the one exception of being semi-violated by a lady boy. Anyway, it's about time to get back to work. Hopefully, I'll have time to post more soon...
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Work
After a long week of training and then a four day weekend I taught my first class this morning. I'm happy to say that the students enjoyed it and I'm glad to have gotten over the nerves of the first day at work. So much has happened since my last post that it is hard to know where to start... The Songkran Festival is probably not a bad place to begin.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Vacation
On Wednesday it was finally time to meet the people with whom I will be working . All of the staff at our center were rewarded for having the best sales record this quarter by getting a two day vacation at a resort in Hua Hin. Hua Hin is a beach town about two and half hours south of Bangkok. Fortunately for me, I was able to reap the benefits of everyone else's hard work. There are about thirty-five staff members at our center, most of whom are Thai. I found myself to be in the minority as a straight white guy. About half of the staff are male and 90% of them are gay. I'm not sure why this is, but I'm sure it will be a jovial and very fashionable work environment.
During the trip we had a variety of activities that were set up to help the staff get to know each other better. One of the first activities was putting on a skit. For our skit Sam (one of the other two straight white guys) and I were told that we must take off our shirts and dance on stage. This idea was immediately vetoed, not entirely due to the fact that the center director and operations manager for all of Thailand would be present. Fortunately, when it finally came time to do our skit, everyone was too drunk to remember anything we had planned or to even make it on stage. For the prior to acts all of the guys were dressed in drag and they lip synced Thai pop music that was playing through the loudspeakers behind them. I had imagined a slightly more rigid and professional environment prior to the trip, but once we finished dinner everyone really began to loosen up. This may be because we partook in drinking relay races as part of the team building exercises. The first team to finish a bottle of SangSom was awarded another bottle of SangSom as their prize. A vicious cycle indeed. SangSom is the most popular liquor in Thailand. Most Thais will tell you that it is Thai whiskey, but it is actually rum. Apparently any drink that is not clear and has a high alcohol content is referred to as whiskey here.
After a long night of eating and drinking, and fending off advances from a few gay members of the staff it was time for bed. The next day I woke up to a mean SangSom hangover (apparently one must acclimate themselves to this beverage) and I had also completely lost my voice. Everyone found this rather amusing, but did everything they could to help me in my ailing state. I have had sore throat the past few days and drinking copious amounts of SangSom did not manage to kill all of the bacteria. I went to the pharmacy last night and they prescribed me a hefty dose of amoxicillin. After twelve hours of sleep last night and a big bowl of ramen this morning I feel considerably better.
During the trip we had a variety of activities that were set up to help the staff get to know each other better. One of the first activities was putting on a skit. For our skit Sam (one of the other two straight white guys) and I were told that we must take off our shirts and dance on stage. This idea was immediately vetoed, not entirely due to the fact that the center director and operations manager for all of Thailand would be present. Fortunately, when it finally came time to do our skit, everyone was too drunk to remember anything we had planned or to even make it on stage. For the prior to acts all of the guys were dressed in drag and they lip synced Thai pop music that was playing through the loudspeakers behind them. I had imagined a slightly more rigid and professional environment prior to the trip, but once we finished dinner everyone really began to loosen up. This may be because we partook in drinking relay races as part of the team building exercises. The first team to finish a bottle of SangSom was awarded another bottle of SangSom as their prize. A vicious cycle indeed. SangSom is the most popular liquor in Thailand. Most Thais will tell you that it is Thai whiskey, but it is actually rum. Apparently any drink that is not clear and has a high alcohol content is referred to as whiskey here.
After a long night of eating and drinking, and fending off advances from a few gay members of the staff it was time for bed. The next day I woke up to a mean SangSom hangover (apparently one must acclimate themselves to this beverage) and I had also completely lost my voice. Everyone found this rather amusing, but did everything they could to help me in my ailing state. I have had sore throat the past few days and drinking copious amounts of SangSom did not manage to kill all of the bacteria. I went to the pharmacy last night and they prescribed me a hefty dose of amoxicillin. After twelve hours of sleep last night and a big bowl of ramen this morning I feel considerably better.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Bizarre Encounters
Over the past couple of days I feel I have soaked in a lot. I met a couple people in my building who have been able to give me some insight into Thai culture and everyday living as a Farang. Alexander was the first person to give me the rundown on basic things like setting up a monthly laundry service where you pay a small fee to have your clothing washed, dried, and pressed before they deliver it to your doorstep a few hours after you drop it off. He also pointed out that you can have just about any kind of food you want delivered to your door 24/7 including McDonalds and KFC. They love KFC here. I also found out that you can pay your bills, and even purchase a plane ticket at 7-11. How convenient is that?! Alexander works at the Finnish embassy here in Bangkok and is fluent in Thai, English, and of course Finnish. He hires a private tutor who lives a block away from our apartment to stay up on his Thai. I'm hoping to start taking some lessons at some point as well.
The second person I met from my building was Bryan. Although he has an English name, bryan is from France. He played for the Paris Saint Germain youth team growing up, and is currently studying English and Finance at a university here. Bryan was the first to introduce me to the bar scene. The other night he took me out to a bar with a small stage a few feet off the ground and a rotation of cover bands that played all night. Some of the bands were surprisingly good. One band was able to successfully execute renditions of songs by The Kings of Leon, Eminem, and Ritchie Valens. All of the words to the songs were clearly enunciated and pitch perfect, but as soon as the lead singer stepped off stage, and I tried to congratulate him on his performance, we could barely understand one another.
Before we went out, Bryan and I watched PSG play Lorient live (on public TV!). The game ended at around 12:30 am Indochina Time, and when we arrived at the bar at 1:00 people were just beginning to file in. Sometime between 2 and 3 am I noticed the number of girls in the bar had doubled. It seemed like half of the girls in the bar were smiling at me and trying to make eye contact. For a moment I thought I must be the most handsome man on the planet. Then I became surprised and a little off-put at how friendly some of them were. Soon enough I realized that this was my first encounter with the "ladies of the night". Bryan explained to me that most of the girls were dancers who had just gotten off work and were now beginning another shift as freelance prostitutes. Even though this bar is outside the red light district the owners are okay with the girls hanging out at the bar even if they don't buy anything. Having these girls around is good for business, and no one seems to care that they are outside the designated prostitution zone. I ended up taking a taxi home at around 4:30, but apparently most clubs and bars will stay open well into daylight hours.
Today I went into The Wall Street Institute's head office to sort out my work permit. I took the sky train to get there, and it was faster and cleaner than most public transportation in the U.S. Once I got there I had to go across the street to the Bangkok Christian Hospital for a medical examination to make sure that I am not "mentally sick" and to check if I have leprosy, syphilis, elephantiasis, or tuberculosis all of which would apparently disqualify me from working in Thailand. An odd list of diseases to screen for, but fortunately it turns out that I don't have any of them. The whole process took about fifteen minutes. The doctor even apologized for the two minute wait between the blood test and the other diagnostics.
After a long day and a restless sleep last night I need to get some rest. When going to bed I am stuck with the choice of Sauna-like conditions or sub-zero temperatures. Being from a cooler climate I usually opt for the latter. However, the combination of the dryness of the A/C and the Bangkok smog are beginning to take a toll on my lungs. Also, I probably need to quit smoking. Okay, enough complaining. Life here is way easier than I had imagined.
The second person I met from my building was Bryan. Although he has an English name, bryan is from France. He played for the Paris Saint Germain youth team growing up, and is currently studying English and Finance at a university here. Bryan was the first to introduce me to the bar scene. The other night he took me out to a bar with a small stage a few feet off the ground and a rotation of cover bands that played all night. Some of the bands were surprisingly good. One band was able to successfully execute renditions of songs by The Kings of Leon, Eminem, and Ritchie Valens. All of the words to the songs were clearly enunciated and pitch perfect, but as soon as the lead singer stepped off stage, and I tried to congratulate him on his performance, we could barely understand one another.
Before we went out, Bryan and I watched PSG play Lorient live (on public TV!). The game ended at around 12:30 am Indochina Time, and when we arrived at the bar at 1:00 people were just beginning to file in. Sometime between 2 and 3 am I noticed the number of girls in the bar had doubled. It seemed like half of the girls in the bar were smiling at me and trying to make eye contact. For a moment I thought I must be the most handsome man on the planet. Then I became surprised and a little off-put at how friendly some of them were. Soon enough I realized that this was my first encounter with the "ladies of the night". Bryan explained to me that most of the girls were dancers who had just gotten off work and were now beginning another shift as freelance prostitutes. Even though this bar is outside the red light district the owners are okay with the girls hanging out at the bar even if they don't buy anything. Having these girls around is good for business, and no one seems to care that they are outside the designated prostitution zone. I ended up taking a taxi home at around 4:30, but apparently most clubs and bars will stay open well into daylight hours.
Today I went into The Wall Street Institute's head office to sort out my work permit. I took the sky train to get there, and it was faster and cleaner than most public transportation in the U.S. Once I got there I had to go across the street to the Bangkok Christian Hospital for a medical examination to make sure that I am not "mentally sick" and to check if I have leprosy, syphilis, elephantiasis, or tuberculosis all of which would apparently disqualify me from working in Thailand. An odd list of diseases to screen for, but fortunately it turns out that I don't have any of them. The whole process took about fifteen minutes. The doctor even apologized for the two minute wait between the blood test and the other diagnostics.
After a long day and a restless sleep last night I need to get some rest. When going to bed I am stuck with the choice of Sauna-like conditions or sub-zero temperatures. Being from a cooler climate I usually opt for the latter. However, the combination of the dryness of the A/C and the Bangkok smog are beginning to take a toll on my lungs. Also, I probably need to quit smoking. Okay, enough complaining. Life here is way easier than I had imagined.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Arrival
After 24 hours of travel I've finally made it to Bangkok. The locals more commonly refer to it as Krung Thep, meaning "the city of angels". I think there is some irony in this name, but I haven't seen the more nefarious side of the city. My boss picked me up from the airport this morning around 1 am and took me to my apartment by Victory Monument. My room is on the 15th floor and I have a great view of the city from where I'm at. I woke up around 8 and hit the streets to find a cell phone and grab some breakfast. An iced coffee and pineapple filled pastry is not a bad way to start the day in this stiflingly hot climate.
Walking the streets can be confusing to the senses. One moment you're ambling by food carts where you can smell marinated pork and whole fish skewers cooking on the grill, then you come around the corner and BAM! You're hit by the odor of exhaust mixed with hot garbage. Overall, the city isn't as dirty as I expected, the smog is not nearly as bad as you will find in some Latin American metropolises, but perhaps that's because I don't live in the heart of downtown. I have a park about two blocks away and the sky train is only about a 5 minute walk.
The only people I've been introduced to so far are my boss, the Thai receptionists downstairs who speak impeccable English, and one of my neighbors, Steve. Steve is originally from London, but he has been living here for 35 years, so he was able to recommend some good places to eat and get me hooked up with internet.
Next on the agenda is unpacking and stocking the fridge . After I'm all settled I think I might go check out the central business district where most of the expats live. The people I work with are busy the next couple of days so I'm hoping to link up with some other westerners or English speaking Thais who can show me around. Wish me luck!
2:10 pm
I just got back from some exploration of the neighborhood. I decided against venturing any further at this point, mostly because there is so much to see around here. I am now back at my apartment and have stocked my refrigerator, "The Mitsubishi Crystal Fresh Lady", with a variety of beers from around here and some fresh mango and papaya. I'm drinking some Leo as I write, the can has a picture of a leopard on it which is pretty bad-ass and they claim it has won a handful of awards at German and American beer festivals, but after tasting it I can't really see that being legit. It tastes like PBR, but not as complex. Next on the agenda for today is going for a swim. I just discovered on the 4th floor there is a terrace with a pool. After that I might go for a Thai massage, at $10 an hr I think I can get used to this...
Walking the streets can be confusing to the senses. One moment you're ambling by food carts where you can smell marinated pork and whole fish skewers cooking on the grill, then you come around the corner and BAM! You're hit by the odor of exhaust mixed with hot garbage. Overall, the city isn't as dirty as I expected, the smog is not nearly as bad as you will find in some Latin American metropolises, but perhaps that's because I don't live in the heart of downtown. I have a park about two blocks away and the sky train is only about a 5 minute walk.
The only people I've been introduced to so far are my boss, the Thai receptionists downstairs who speak impeccable English, and one of my neighbors, Steve. Steve is originally from London, but he has been living here for 35 years, so he was able to recommend some good places to eat and get me hooked up with internet.
Next on the agenda is unpacking and stocking the fridge . After I'm all settled I think I might go check out the central business district where most of the expats live. The people I work with are busy the next couple of days so I'm hoping to link up with some other westerners or English speaking Thais who can show me around. Wish me luck!
2:10 pm
I just got back from some exploration of the neighborhood. I decided against venturing any further at this point, mostly because there is so much to see around here. I am now back at my apartment and have stocked my refrigerator, "The Mitsubishi Crystal Fresh Lady", with a variety of beers from around here and some fresh mango and papaya. I'm drinking some Leo as I write, the can has a picture of a leopard on it which is pretty bad-ass and they claim it has won a handful of awards at German and American beer festivals, but after tasting it I can't really see that being legit. It tastes like PBR, but not as complex. Next on the agenda for today is going for a swim. I just discovered on the 4th floor there is a terrace with a pool. After that I might go for a Thai massage, at $10 an hr I think I can get used to this...
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