I love Thailand

Hey everyone!
So I made it to Ban Phe on Sunday. The drive down here was about 2 hours, and absolutely beautiful. Thailand is an amazing, exotic country. It is covered in green jungle hills in the distance and everywhere you look orchids seem to bloom like wildflowers.
When we got to Ban Phe, we moved into our apartment. We have a swimming pool and a balcony with an amazing view. About 10 feet away is the beach, and all along the road down the beach are restaurants. The part of the town we live in is really small but beautiful, and the city is about a 5 minute drive. I have a roommate, Sarah, who is 24 and from Canada. She is awesome mostly because she brought a 24 pack of toilet paper (apparently the Thai’s don’t use it). The rest of the people in the program are really cool. Everyone is about my age and come from all over (mostly Americans but some Canadian and UK). There are about 30 of us all together.
Yesterday we went to our first day of class. Each morning they pick us up and we ride in Thailand’s main form of transportation, a pickup truck with 2 benches in the bed and a roof over it. Not the safest but definitely an amazing way to look at the scenery.
We are studying in a Buddhist Temple, where we will also do our teaching practice. It is absolutely gorgeous. The Temple is surrounded by trees and flowers. Everywhere you look, monks are walking around. We will have 3 weeks of teaching practice in the temple, and then a week of holiday before our placement in another location. To be in the temple you have to take off your shoes and have your knees and shoulders covered, which is difficult because it is so hot here all the time. In about 2 weeks we will actually start teaching the monks, who are boys about 13-18. As a woman, I am not allowed to touch the monks, so to hand them something, I have to put it in their robe.
We met the Abbott (the head monk), and we had to sit on the floor with our feet pointed away from him and “wai” (bow) to him 3 times. It all seemed very surreal until he said ‘see you later alligator”. Here in Thailand, teachers are considered 3rd only to the King and monks. To wai the king, you put your hands on top of your head, a monk in front of your eyes, a teacher in front of your mouth, and everyone else below your chin. I am still getting used to people Wai’ing me! They also wear different colors for every day of the week. Mondays are yellow to honor the king, and Saturday’s are purple for luck. I forget the other days (oops).
Another thing I am getting used to (or trying to) is the toilet situation. As I mentioned before, there is no T.P. But what complicates the situation is most toilets are simply a hole in the ground covered with porcelain. I have no idea how Thai women go, because there is nothing to hold onto when you squat that low! To flush, you grab water from a bin with a bowl and pour it into the toilet. Luckily these toilets are pretty much everywhere BUT the apartment which has an American toilet, so I pretty much only pee when I am here!
The food here is AMAZING. Everything is very spicy but delicious. Dragon fruit is probably my new favorite food! Every morning a lady sells fruit outside our apartment. Amazing fresh tropical fruit for about 50 cents…my breakfast every day! We usually eat dinner down the road at this restaurant that we call “Saam’s palace”. I don’t know the real name but it is run by a cool dude named Saam. Basically everything is the best food you can eat for about $1.00. Beer is also $1.00...which makes for some good times. I have yet to experience what everyone is now referring to as “Thaiarrhea”, which is fortunate…but inevitable.
When I am not in class or eating, I am usually in the ocean. The water temp is about 80 degrees (if not warmer). I have gone for a sunset swim every night I have been here. The air temp is SWELTERING HEAT even at night! I have never been so hot in my life (thank god for AC in the apartment or I would probably sleep in the ocean). I drink about a gallon of water each day…and probably sweat it all out by noon.
Yesterday after class the group went into town to go to the night market and the Tesco, which is like Wal-Mart but with NOTHING you need…(yeah dad keep making fun of me for bringing a suitcase full of toiletries…you would be dipped here). The town is a lot bigger and everyone rides motorcycles (without helmets eeek). They drive on the opposite side of the road here, but often drive on whatever side of the road they feel like. They just hold their baby in their lap, or pile up to 5 people on a motorcycle and go. SCARY! Every Tuesday and Thursday we will make trips into town to go to the bank, or get supplies. Pretty much it is cash only here so I will be using the ATM in town mostly.
Last night we had a “welcome dinner” where we sat at long tables with these weird bbq/pots on them. We chose meat and veggies and grilled them then put them in the pot part and added noodles and made some kind of amazing concoction for which I am doing no justice with this description. I have taken pictures of all of this, and will hopefully post them up soon!
The internet situation here in Ban Phe is that there is none. I get internet believe it or not, at the temple. So on my lunch break from class, I will try to update as much as I can. And skype, although it is usually around 10:30 pm California time so skyping could be an issue for some (mom)! There are rumors of an internet café near our apartment building so I will try to get over there one morning! This weekend some of the group and I are taking a trip to the island of Ko Samet, which should be amazing!
Until then, I miss you all but I am LOVING Thailand so much. I have an address but they told us mail takes about 3-4 weeks, so giving it to anyone is basically futile. When I get my placement I will be there for 5 months so you can