Happy Solstice! While summer time in Seattle is marked by sunny days (hopefully), here in Thailand summer invites the rolling thunder storms and cataclysmic sunsets. Unlike Seattle, rain showers here are rather exciting because they only last an hour or two: violently interrupting an otherwise 90-100 degree day. On the few auspicious occasions that the temperature plummets into the 80's, our students come to school wearing jackets and emerge from the school's swimming pool blue lipped and chattery teethed.
We quite enjoy northeast Thai cuisine. Katie's favorite dessert is lychees, which have just come into season here. When you peel the red skin off this golfball-shaped fruit, a white translucent flesh is revealed that tastes like roses and sugar. Travis, ever anxious to use his Thai language skills, loves to order "cow cow moo". This dish incidently has no beef in it whatsoever. Another local delicacy that we've only ever heard translated in English as "cow shit soup", does indeed have certain cattle remains inside; and is supposed to be fantastically delicious and quite spicy. Sometimes after school we take the motorcycle down to the Poo Milk Cafe (see picture) for some bubble tea. We're not exactly sure what's in the tea that makes it so yummy?
Recently our school celebrated "Wai Kru" day, which in English means respect your teachers. Our students brought us flowers, candles, and incense. Students bowed before all the teachers and presented them with gifts as is the Thai-Buddhist tradition. This was a rather overwhelming experience for both of us. Quite a juxtapostion for Katie after having taught Seattle Public School students last year. Teachers in the US get a fraction of the respect that teachers in Thailand do. Here, teachers are respected more than most other professions.
We have become rather spoiled indeed.
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