Experience

Hey all,
Sooooo, I am trying to think about all that has happened since I last wrote. So that was a Sunday. That next day (Monday I believe!) I had an interesting cultural experience here. To get a work permit here I had to get a physical. I don’t know about you, but this was the first physical I ever got where the whole cost was under 7 American dollars. It was a small street-side clinic with a total staff of one receptionist, one nurse, and one doctor. It had 4 examination rooms and a large back area but one of the exam rooms and the entire back area were cluttered up with “stuff.” Old medical equipment, random things… stuff! Also, the rooms were not true rooms, they were more like tall cubicles but with drywall instead of an upholstered metal frame. The doors into each “room” all had a large glass window taking up most of the door’s surface area… which would have mattered more if they closed the door when they did exams… which when I was there they did with maybe 30% of patients. So its fair to say that the first thing I noticed was a structural lack of privacy. Not a biggie for me but I imagine for some, maybe the Muslim gal that was there for a pre-natal visit. I’d say that the next thing I noticed was that it was a wee bit dingy. Really not bad, just a bit of rust on the metal, a bit mold on the walls and a general sense of organization based around the idea of clutter. It definitely made me feel spoiled by what is the standard of cleanliness in the states… buuuut, it also made me think that some rust on a tin here and there is not that big a deal and, in looking at the real cost of both the US system and the Thai system, the Thai system is much much more accessible to the average uninsured person. Also, in talking to people here, there appears to be a pretty good system to provide some kind of healthcare to those who can’t afford it. So, the physical itself was pretty basic. Look, listen, feel, the exact same steps if you are in a burning house haha. They took a small amount of blood using a syringe (not a butterfly needle and vacutubes and all that other hooplah). There was no tape and the nurse did not wear gloves. Interestingly, these last two things reminded me of a blood draw I had from a prominent scientist/MD, except this nurse did not whip the needle around in my arm (sorry, this is getting gratuitous). The blood draw was for syphilis and the rest of the exam was just as basic. The doc spoke English and the nurse and receptionist enjoyed laughing at the tiny amount of Thai I can now butcher. Before I leave the topic of the physical I want to send a little reminder to all travelers. When any needle is going to be put into you, be sure that you watch them open a NEW NEEDLE! Not just a cleaned one, NEW! If they don’t have a new needle you prob don’t need a blood draw that bad. I really want to emphasize this because I forgot to haha! I know, classy. So in the days following all I could think about was the three old needles that were sitting out in my exam room on a dirty towel. I have talked to the people I work with several times about this and they assured me that this clinic uses fresh needles every time. Still, not worth the stress.
Before I forget, it is worth noting that I talked to the people I worked with multiple times about it and was persistent each time. I want to make sure this doesn’t come across as denigrating to the Thai people but I have noticed a cultural phenomenon. If you ask a person a yes or no question and they either do not fully understand you OR don’t know, they will say “yes.” Furthermore, if you ask them an open ended question and there is some confusion, the answer will invariably come back with whatever sounds the nicest. Maybe not all people, maybe not 100% of the time... I have noticed a trend. (to quote Dave Chappelle, I do not believe in generalizations, but I DO believe in statistics…). I never get the sense that it is a malevolent thing, and for that matter I don’t think anyone is trying to be nice in a misguided way. I think it is just a thing, probably related to the “not loosing face” thing! Whatever it is, it has wasted more of my time here than I care to really keep track of. For example, find a friend and act out this fun little skit:

Me: “Excuse me, ka-toe-KAP, does this bus (me pointing), number 55, haa-sip-haa, does it go to Rattinatibet?” (that is the street I live on)
Very nice Thai person: “Yes, yes, Rattinatibet. This bus will take you there!!! (emphatically and very assuring-sounding)”
Me: “oh, thank you, thank you, Kap-coom-KAAP (with much bowing and wei-ing)”
----one hour later-----
Me: “Where the hell am I??????” (answer: nowhere near Rattinatibet.)

And after re-reading the skit I feel like I should make sure that I am clear in re-iterating that I am not shit-talking. I came here, both to Thailand and to Bangkok, knowing next to nothing about anything. The huge amount about both Thailand and Bangkok that I have learned has come almost completely from Thai people and I am forever in their debt for taking the time to help me and for letting me live in their home. And, if any of you see someone today that looks lost, go ask if they need help. If there is a language barrier, practice your pictionary skillz. If they aren’t lost they will look at you funny, but if they are, you will really really help them… and its easy!! (note: might as well say it, go with your guy on this, safety first!!!)

So, I am almost two pages into this post and I’ve covered one day! Haha but in my defense, I have included a whole mess of exclamation points!!!!!!!! You’re welcome!!!!!!!!

Tuesday through Thursday passed with the comfort and speed of routine. I have some great classes and some terrible classes. A class that is great one week could be a clan meeting the next. I have def noticed that if I am tired or not feeling well, my classes stand a much better chance of being disasters. It is amazing how much the subtle things on my end really affect the students. Also, I have to teach some really really lame and boring business topics!!! How do I make that fun you ask?? I invented a game called Monsters vs. Aliens (yes, Marisa, Dev and Larry, you can all take partial credit for this). Essentially, I divvy the students into small groups and give each group a very small writing assignment. Then I further divvy the groups up into two teams (monsters and aliens) and I call out one group from both teams and have them race to write their sentences on the board. Before the game, I draw a monster and an alien on the board. The character of the team that looses each round looses a limb. I draw lots of gore and the team that finally looses their head is the loosing team. I totally thought that high school aged students would be bored of this game by now… but no. Thai students are very competitive and get very loud. What’s good is that this game gets even the worst “too-cool-for-school-er” involved and amped. Sweet.
On Friday my friend Shirley was in Bangkok and came to my school!! Shirley is a great friend from CAL and it was awesome to be able to walk her around school and teach her what I have picked up of Thai culture! It was a little weird because even though I checked with multiple people before she came to make sure there were no weird rules (“yes, yes, it will be fine, no problems!”), sure enough, there were weird rules haha! I could take her to see floors 2-6 of both buildings and walk her around, but we could not sit in one place above the ground floor. Huh? And yes, I was informed of this procedure through a small note dropped next to me while Shirley and I were sitting in the teachers office on the 2nd floor…. HUH?!?!? Either way, it was really cool having my students introduce themselves to someone I know from back home! Friday night we went out to a bar with some of my friends in Bangkok and on Saturday we went to a really big market. I have been to it before, it’s called the “Jet-chu-CHAT” market and it’s pretty dense. The whole thing is kind of a stimulation overload. There is a pet section, I really really wanted to buy a dog…. But I didn’t. I did get stabbed by a hedgehog that I was petting (I know, why would I pet something that is covered in spikes…. Go on youtube and watch a video called nom nom nom nom and another called boogie boogie hedgehog… you’ll wanna pet one too, but you probably shouldn’t… they’ll get ya)
Sadly, Shirley had to leave around mid-day on Saturday. After she left, I got on a bus to a tiny town called “Panat Nikkom” where two of my friends were staying. We went out to a little coffee shop that served beer and I got to meet a few of their American co-workers. They all seemed like cool people! The next morning we were off to a beach in a town called “Chom Buri.” After taking a sardine-packed bus, and a forty minute song-tao (a truck with benches) we get to this beach only to find that there is a big race happening. It was kinda weird to see these nascars tear through the course that wrapped through the city. At the same time it was pretty cool. We were able to walk along the coast for a bit and found what would have been a private beach if a house had been on the empty lot next to the beach. I took a little walk to explore the coast but aside from that, we didn’t see anyone else on our side of the coast. Just a few barking dogs and the occasional roar of racecars redlining and back-firing, it was sweeeeet.
I got back to Bangkok and back home without problem, by myself (well, I got a huge helping hand from a few kids that led me to the bus station and talked to the teller so I could buy a ticket…. But I talked to them by myself, pretty much!!!) Either way, I felt even more like I got a grip on this city and its ass backwards transportation systems! Booya! Work Monday and Tuesday was uneventful. Booya.

And now you are all caught up on the happenings of Ashley Watson’s Brother. (uh, oh, did I just invent a signature sign-off line!?!?!? And does that sign-off line reference the title of the blog!!?!?!? Oooooh shit! Lets see if it sticks!)