Writing the Thai Language

I feel like I should justify why I'm not a whole lot better at Thai. Particularly at being literate in Thai. So here goes.

Writing Thai makes no sense.

I'm going to scratch the surface of the complexity of reading and writing Thai. This is just an introduction to the craziness. There are 44 consonants, like 25 vowels, 5 tones, and no spaces between words. Buckle your seatbelt, this is more than you've ever wanted to know about Thai!

First off, in English we do this thing where one sound follows another, and we just write the sounds down in that order. Makes sense, right? Well, Thai doesn't do that. We'll use my name as an example.

 The sound 'k' (one of many)

The vowel that says 'a' as in 'pale' (but a long 'aaaaaaa' not a short 'a')

The sound for 't'

The sound 'ee' as in, 'Katie' + a tone marker

If it was English, you'd put the whole thing together like this.

But it's Thai. And there's no way that you can just put the letters in the order that you say them! So it looks like this

Or, in English

Now I'll give you an example.

This sentence says 'Katie is going to an island with a friend.' (literally 'Katie go island with friend)

If it was English it would look like this.

All the letters are there, if you can figure out where they're supposed to go. And that's a lucky case! Sometimes you don't get the pleasure of having vowels in your words.

The Thai word for road is

Transcribed it would be 'tay known'. Two different vowels - 'a' as in 'pale' and 'o' as in 'go'

But how is it written?

No vowels. 

(If there's no vowel, there are 3 different sounds that it could possibly be, depending on a number of factors)

And believe me, figuring out the consonants and vowels is CAKE compared to figuring out the tones in written Thai. Just imagine this blog post as the pinky finger nail on the monster gourilla of the Thai language.

*Truth be told, I absolutely love Thai, even the craziness of the writing system. It's kind of like a giant puzzle. But it's fun to rant about why I have such trouble learning it!

My Roofin' Roots

I know that your breath is bated while you open this post, hoping that this is another edition of Extreme Home Makeover: Katie's House. Currently room #2 (this time it's RED!) is in such mid-painting chaos, I think you'll have to wait for next week! But here's a fun story.

Last month I got to spend some time with Karen friends, and in the process learn some useful skills; like how to make a roof! It reminded me warmly of several delightful summers spent working for Chase Roofing, although the skill set is pretty different.

Step 1: Gather these long, tough, covered-in-slivers jungle leaves.

Step 2: Break off a piece of the tough, central vain of the leaf. Using that, sew the leaf on to a long stick.

* Step 2 is best performed with an old, smiley, brightly attired Karen woman.

End result? This!

And this. 

If you can't tell, there are hundreds of tiny black slivers in my fingers. Some are easy to get out, some you have to dig out with a safety pin, and the rest will fall out after a few weeks. You can always tell who has been working on the roof by their hands.

Actually getting the new roof on to the roof is a task for another day, and a job that girls are not allowed to participate in, no matter how deep their roofing roots.

A place to hang up my umbrella

3 months since my last post? For shame! Unfortunately all of my most harrowing and blog-worthy adventures go on the work related blog. That leaves little time to talk about the mundane areas of my life, like the banana flower curry I made for dinner or the eating contest that I cheered at last month. If you'd like me to hook you up with that much more awesome blog, you can e-mail me! (Not like I really have to sell it, but sometimes I give life-saving breath or bench press boulders on that blog. Well, at least I'm going to bench press a boulder. Soon. It's on the schedule)

But I have News! From The Other Side Of The Pond 

For the last 7 months I have been bumping around a lot. I left the dorm, stayed with friends, have traveled to several different countries, and have not fully unpacked my bags. Until two weeks ago.

My darling Australian flatmate (who fights international injustice as a job then moonlights slaying dragons and saving babies for fun) and I moved in to our new apartment, and we're settling in nicely.

I've hardly scratched the surface on Design Sponging the entire house, but the front room is done, sans stuff on the wall (waiting for a drill that can tackle the concrete walls).

My decorating budget is nearly non-existent (notice the use of my ladder and broken toaster in the decorating scheme), but I did invest in paint and this amazing traditional Thai chair/bench/couch.

More pictures to come (like a Do-It-Yourself Folded Book Bookshelf that I invented!), and I'll keep you updated as I move across the house. This might turn into a home decorating/cooking blog (banana flower curry anyone? And black garlic simmering in the rice maker).

Yes, I think I'm home!

The Power of a Film

I've been told that as a young child I was extremely sensitive to movies. Even as a preteen I would get really upset at any violence or if an animal even got hurt in a film. Then as I grew older I think I came to understand that while the emotions invoked by art are real, the stories are just that; stories. Film lost the power to universally invoke the pits or heights of emotion that it previously had.

I'm still extremely moved, however, by stories that are real. This week it is 'The Lady,' a movie that came out last summer about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The story is at once moving, tragic, beautiful, and true. It's not history, but current in the unchanged situation in Burma. 

I think that good art encourages us to see the emotions and complexities of life in the extreme. We feel pain, or love, or whatever it is, in the Platonic ideal of what that emotion can be. Art is a beautiful and powerful way to express life.

Snow on the Other Side Of The Pond

There's snow on the pond! (The infamous pond of 'News From The Other Side Of The Pond) Check my brother's twitter account for a video of me 'tweeting' about the snow.

Last night, nostalgic and missing Chiang Mai, I ordered dinner from one of Boise's Thai restaurant, Chiang Mai House. 

The didn't have cow soi (and didn't even know what it was because none of them were Thai). The pad see euw was not delicious, and the som tham, which was supposed to be a little bit spicy, was so spicy that I couldn't even eat it. But the satay was delicious. Also, American Thai portions are HUGE!

And, the accomplishment of the week, I installed a motion sensor light in the hallway.   3 trips to the hardware store, 1 to the neighbor for a voltmeter, 40 trips to the circuit breaker, and it works!

See the video.

In other news, my dad bought a 55in TV so that "Grandma can watch 'youtubes' of kittens jumping in and out of baskets." - Mom

My Week: In Animals

Last week I ate frogs. They are delicious.

You can't really tell from this photo, but this spider is about the size of a face. A really, really big face. But not dangerous, I was assured.

And saw a cute monkey.

This week I played with a cute monkey.

And got attacked by a cobra.

Let me be clear. I was not antagonizing the snake. I was far away, peacefully observing it in its natural habitat. I was walking carefully and well aware of him from far away (I also didn't know it was a cobra until after the video or I might not have stuck around). That being said, from now on I will obey when Thais urge me not to go places where there are snakes. In fact I've promised to obey everything that my Thai sister says from now on.

But it was a little bit the most exciting thing that happened this weekend (probably just because I slept through the earthquake Sunday. Or that would have been exciting too!)

Penang

I don't really have an interesting/funny/catching intro, and let's face it, y'all really just read the intro to get to the pictures, right? So here are the pictures.

The top of Penang Hill gives you a beautiful panoramic view of the island.

Like this!

But I got tired of the tourist spots and so I wandered off on my own. Good thing I did, 'cuz I discovered this adorable little cottage (completely overgrown) and a few families of monkeys!

I also found this Thai food stall across from my hotel. 24 hours out of Thailand and I was really missing Thai food and speaking Thai, so it was nice to chat with the little family here while they made my fried rice (a Thai friend has offered to teach me to make Thai fried rice so that I have a little bit of Thailand to take with me when I visit the States).

It started with a fish...

...a fish in the fridge. A live fish in the fridge at my friends' workplace.

Friend A: Friend B, there's a live fish in our fridge. It's moving around.
Friend B: Huh. That's interesting. You should ask the boys.
Friend A (to the boys): There's a live fish in our fridge. Where did it come from?
The Boys: We caught it in the creek outside.
Friend A: Wow. How did you catch it?
The Boys: With a spear gun. We're going to eat it later.
Friend A: That's so awesome! I want to go fishing!

And so our Saturday plans were made.

I anticipated. I prepared. I learned the Thai word for spear gun and how to say 'that bait is disgusting.' I used my Thai skills, but no spear gun skills. Just rods. And the bait wasn't disgusting. It was bread.

Fishing is hard work! It actually takes muscles and you get, like, tired and stuff.

We caught a bunch of these big guys. Apparently they aren't good for eating, but they're very fun to catch!

Disney lied. It didn't turn into a prince.

And we saw this beautiful little beetle.

It was a wonderful afternoon of relaxing, enjoying each other's company, and getting a bit of a bicep workout. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm Like Okra

The constant comings and goings in Chiang Mai give one opportunity for reflective pause on how one says 'hello' and 'goodbye.' You may have already read my post on goodbyes, this is the post where I explain how I am similar to a vegetable. Stick with me here...

My boss has heard a theory that if you try a food 6 times in a short stretch of time you will come to love it. I've often mused that I am an acquired taste. In new or unfamiliar surroundings I don't usually give the best impression. Usually I say something snarky (not cute snarky, just inappropriate snarky), or offensive, or just rude. In my head I want to be warm, inviting, and put the other person at ease, but the nasty monster of anxiety keeps rearing its ugly head. 

Probably 90% of people don't like okra. But to the other 10% it's either naturally delightful or at least it grows on them. The friends who stick it out with me through the awkward, gangely stage (which in Thailand lasted until about 3 months ago) end up being enduring, loyal, and true friends.

Michelle* naturally loves okra and frequently cooks it. She's pretty naturally full of love for everyone. Becca* and Deb* get into stitches over my stories, despite my narrow and biased knowledge of Greenland*. Mary*, who is about the most honest and sweet person I know, will patiently hear me out on any subject. Jessie* lets me sit and talk for hours and shows a supportiveness for my hobbies that rivals my mom's.

These and many others. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends; people who not only support me but allow me to support them; people who push me to strive for Truth and Virtue above anything else, and certainly above myself.

Want some?

*All names of people and countries have been changed to protect the identity of those involved. They might love okra, but they probably wouldn't be thrilled if okra posted a million pictures of Julius the Monkey on Facebook and then tagged them. This blog post is kind of like that.

One Year Later

I have been in Thailand 1 year and 4 days. 

I look forward to many more days and years in my beautiful host country.

The day after I arrived last year I had my introduction to the nursing dorm in a fun and interesting ceremony. You can see the pictures on, I'm pretty sure, my first post for this blog.

A year has passed and we just had the same ceremony. This Thai festival originates in the idea that each person has many souls, or spirits, and when you move you have to invite your spirits to your new house. We use it as a welcome party and a time for the teachers to bless the new students. It starts with the students doing a giant 'London Bridge' style game with their schoolmates and teachers. Then there is a traditional Thai family style meal then plays and dances by the students. They were still partying hard when I left at about 11 PM.

I love these moments of spending time with all of my wonderful new friends.

The Dean of Nursing and other teachers.

Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway

I spent last weekend in Kanchanaburi, a little town 3 hours west of Bangkok and well known for the infamous Death Railroad. Remember the old movie, Bridge Over The River Kwai? Although the movie is mostly fiction (a British officer would never have endorsed or helped the building and engineering of the railroad, and in fact the POWs did everything in their power to sabotage the railroad, like plant termites in the wood, etc.), the building of the Death Railway is a sad fact.

In 1942, after the successful conquest of Singapore (which was invaded on bicycles, no less!), Japan set their sights on Burma. For this purpose they used Allied POWs (largely from Singapore) and 'hired' workers from Malaysia, Burma, Indonesia, and other nearby countries. The conditions for both the POWs and these 'hired' worker were pretty horrendous. Actually the area around the Kwai Bridge was one of the better sights because of fresh water, but many of the camps were overcrowded, without proper water, food, or hygiene, and death tolls were very high. POWs were often guarded by Korean soldiers who were treated poorly by their Japanese superiors, and likewise handed that cruelty down to the workers. The construction (258 miles through mountains) was originally estimated to take several years, but because of deadlines was completed in a little over a year. This monumental task was accomplished by backbreaking work and long hours by undernourished and sick men.

After the war the Allies moved all the POW graves to a few central graveyards. There is a lot of information about the POWs due to record keeping both of the Japanese and the POWs themselves. Not so with the Asian workers. Estimates are that 90,000 Asian workers died during the construction, but there aren't identifiable graves for these men, and so they are spread out across the jungles of Thailand and Burma.

Even in the midst of reading heart wrenching stories of depravity and cruelty, there were also stories of the greatest hope, courage and compassion imaginable, not only amongst the POWs but from the Thai villagers nearby, Thai businessmen from Bangkok who went to great personal risk to alleviate the suffering of workers, and Japanese officers who tried, in little ways, to aide the men.

The River Kwai

The Bridge (Allied forces destroyed the middle section in 1944, but this bit is original)

On our way to Kanchanaburi we spent the day in Bangkok and hung out at this awesome temple with a great view of the river and city.

In the Village

It's always a great treat to get out of town and enjoy the countryside. In Thailand that means muddy paths, pigs everywhere, squatty potties, and lots of food (fish or pork on rice. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

I have two dear friends who live in a rural village. They speak almost no English, and I speak even less Karen, so we settle on Thai, which is comfortable for them (being the language of public schools and official work) but is still quite laborious for me. Nonetheless, it is delightful and relaxing to spend a few days in a quieter life.

Chen, the husband, told me this trip that he is worried that the village isn't as comfortable as the USA or as Chiang Mai, and he wants to be a good host. I assured him that, although the village doesn't have internet, cell phone access, or cable TV, I find those things a distraction from the meaningful relationships that we have time to cultivate when we are away from those 'luxuries.' I would much prefer to spend my evening sitting around the cooking fire with my friends and all their neighbors and relatives who've come by to visit. And the lack of indoor pluming or hot water? The thick layer of mud on shoes and pant cuffs? Well, you just have to get used to that.

This is an old style Thai house. The family lives in a newer house next door, but all the cooking and hanging out happens in this house.

Pi Pi (Grandma) and my friend's daughter.

Cooking house/living room. Would you like some lung cancer with your fish and rice?

Chen in the family cabbage garden.

Khun Tan National Forest

Khun Tan is a national park about an hour drive from Chiang Mai (3 hours by train. If you're curious). It's a beautiful, jungle paradise that, by some amazing circumstance, Payap owns property in. That's right, we have a camp with cabins, a kitchen, sort of a pool (sort of a slime bath, though) at the top of a mountain in the middle of a national forest. That means no neighbors, no foot traffic, and someone else empties the garbage cans. It's beautiful. I spent last weekend by myself at the cabins reading, philosophizing, and enjoying nature. I don't think I've ever, in my life, not seen another human being for 24 hours. It was a grand adventure.

The aforementioned train ride.

I didn't know a place could be as beautiful as Thailand before I saw Thailand. This is my view from the train.

Made it to the bottom of the mountain. Now to get to the top...

When you travel around Thailand you have to be very wary of decaged edges. The second you take those edges out of their cages they just go WILD!

It's about a 3 hour hike from the train station to the cabins.

But I arrived!

Why does one hike to the top of the mountain for a weekend alone? The view.

[Caterpillar] Puppy pile!

I wasn't the only one hiking the mountain...

I'll save the fruits of my philosophizing for later, but it involved reading some Cicero, Plato, and the Gospel of Luke, with lots of thoughts on friendship and human interactions.