Saturday, June 29, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Almost...
I'll post pictures of my new place soon, I still have a bunch of my stuff scattered all over and it needs to be sorted. Plus I've got ten dozen errands to run and a tiny moped to transport a ton of stuff.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Ahhhh memories
Last night I introduced Amy to Couchsurfing.org and we went through much related to it.
After spending so much time talking about it, showing her my profile, looking through pictures, and just rifling through memories, I felt like I was home, and I evidently tricked part of myself to believe it was July, August, and September of last year. It was comforting and then surreal to step outside and remember when and where I was.
I also remembered something important I had forgotten.
Last summer I accidentally discovered what it meant to be fully present in each moment, to be unconcerned by anything that came before or that was to come and to just be aware of what was going on around me and what was going on within me. It's the consequence I guess of not having much of a damn to give about anything (traveling for shits and giggles). The importance of such a mindset to me is the resulting lack of hesitation to act instinctually.
It was a headspace I hadn't known before and I recall knowing I was losing touch with it many months ago after my return. But I chose to let myself lose touch with it so that between then (my return home) and my next trip/move/whatever I could put myself to sleep with mindless videogames, television, a shitty job, and other mind numbing agents to speed the passage of time.
Mentally healthy? Probably not, but it worked. Now I have to undo some bad habits again, revert to my gut, and remember much.
After spending so much time talking about it, showing her my profile, looking through pictures, and just rifling through memories, I felt like I was home, and I evidently tricked part of myself to believe it was July, August, and September of last year. It was comforting and then surreal to step outside and remember when and where I was.
I also remembered something important I had forgotten.
Last summer I accidentally discovered what it meant to be fully present in each moment, to be unconcerned by anything that came before or that was to come and to just be aware of what was going on around me and what was going on within me. It's the consequence I guess of not having much of a damn to give about anything (traveling for shits and giggles). The importance of such a mindset to me is the resulting lack of hesitation to act instinctually.
It was a headspace I hadn't known before and I recall knowing I was losing touch with it many months ago after my return. But I chose to let myself lose touch with it so that between then (my return home) and my next trip/move/whatever I could put myself to sleep with mindless videogames, television, a shitty job, and other mind numbing agents to speed the passage of time.
Mentally healthy? Probably not, but it worked. Now I have to undo some bad habits again, revert to my gut, and remember much.
Friday, May 31, 2013
I think I need an umbrella
Silas is the 5th grade teacher from Camaroon and he has been at AMEC for about 5 years. Being from Camaroon, he's black man. When he first came to Thailand he was in Bangkok looking for work and he couldn't find any because he was black. Employers would even tell him straight to his face, we won't hire you because you're black. He would respond by laughing in their face. Perfect.
Silas also told me that renting an apartment for black men is a challenge too; shit, getting a HOTEL room can be difficult. So there's a problem of racism in Thailand. But here's the kicker, it's not because he's 'black.'
Huh?
It's because his skin is so damn dark.
What?
Remember how I've said before that light skin is glorified? Shit, the soap here has bleaching agents in it.
So those that are 'racist' just despise dark skin. That means a very, very, dark skinned Thai would receive a tremendous amount of bullshit during their life.
After considering the situation I realized all those times Thais wanted to take pictures with me because I'm blond and white should have filled me with rage. You wouldn't have wanted to take pictures with god damn Silas? Would you??
The fuck Thailand?
Also I learned this week that in Japan there is a popular business where a van drives around and you can pay money to enter it and have a woman fart in your face.
**The More You Know**
In other news, Tuesdays are my 'speech' days. I have to talk for a few minutes in front of the school. It can be about anything. I was stumped. Rachel said if I couldn't amuse the students then to amuse myself.
So I told them all about guidos for a few minutes.
Points made where that they tanned their skin with chemicals, glitterized their clothes, wore sunglasses indoors at night, and this was all due to their not being very bright because they don't read.
I don't think any of them understood. But I did get them all to say "gweeeedoooss" with me.
lol
Silas also told me that renting an apartment for black men is a challenge too; shit, getting a HOTEL room can be difficult. So there's a problem of racism in Thailand. But here's the kicker, it's not because he's 'black.'
Huh?
It's because his skin is so damn dark.
What?
Remember how I've said before that light skin is glorified? Shit, the soap here has bleaching agents in it.
So those that are 'racist' just despise dark skin. That means a very, very, dark skinned Thai would receive a tremendous amount of bullshit during their life.
After considering the situation I realized all those times Thais wanted to take pictures with me because I'm blond and white should have filled me with rage. You wouldn't have wanted to take pictures with god damn Silas? Would you??
The fuck Thailand?
Also I learned this week that in Japan there is a popular business where a van drives around and you can pay money to enter it and have a woman fart in your face.
**The More You Know**
In other news, Tuesdays are my 'speech' days. I have to talk for a few minutes in front of the school. It can be about anything. I was stumped. Rachel said if I couldn't amuse the students then to amuse myself.
So I told them all about guidos for a few minutes.
Points made where that they tanned their skin with chemicals, glitterized their clothes, wore sunglasses indoors at night, and this was all due to their not being very bright because they don't read.
I don't think any of them understood. But I did get them all to say "gweeeedoooss" with me.
lol
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Dear Dad
Today a Thai guy living here, around my age, taught me how to drive the bad ass manual motorcycle they have here. It's the same one I posted about a month ago. Bear in mind he doesn't speak English and I don't speak Thai, we shared about 3 common words.
In conclusion, your teaching skills as they relate to manuals need some polishing and I now have a spare set of wheels.
=D
In conclusion, your teaching skills as they relate to manuals need some polishing and I now have a spare set of wheels.
=D
Friday, May 24, 2013
First week of school
Post on teaching blog - Le Teaching Blog
In other news I bought great prescription sunglasses that made me feel like I was being lifted off the ground so I walked around like Ray Charles for the first 10 minutes.
Later in the evening I was having some drinks with my neighbor M and his friend Ling, literally this time, the guy lives one unit over. I whipped out my translator and we enjoyed some basic conversation. Unfortunately they thought I asked them at one point if they were both gay, like with each other.
"no no no no no no no, straight, straight, layyydeeee, layyydee we like the layydeee"
The question I put into my translator was "Are you a tutor?"
I then put the translator away for awhile.
I'm going to go out drinking and "dancing, dancing" with them tonight. Should be a trip, lol.
In other news I bought great prescription sunglasses that made me feel like I was being lifted off the ground so I walked around like Ray Charles for the first 10 minutes.
Later in the evening I was having some drinks with my neighbor M and his friend Ling, literally this time, the guy lives one unit over. I whipped out my translator and we enjoyed some basic conversation. Unfortunately they thought I asked them at one point if they were both gay, like with each other.
"no no no no no no no, straight, straight, layyydeeee, layyydee we like the layydeee"
The question I put into my translator was "Are you a tutor?"
I then put the translator away for awhile.
I'm going to go out drinking and "dancing, dancing" with them tonight. Should be a trip, lol.
Well....
Eating fried pig skins while smoking and drinking whiskey with your neighbors at 1 am.
Fuck it I'm an adult god dammit
Fuck it I'm an adult god dammit
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