Chelsea follows me around the world...again

Yes, for those of you who know Chelsea Burns, it will not surprise you that she arrived on Thursday, three days after my arrival.  For those of you who have not had the "pleasure," Chelsea is my friend from childhood/high school who joins (invites herself, haha) on my adventures.  She showed up in New Orleans, twice to South Africa, and the list goes on...She just can't get enough of me.  Actually though, she had her trip planned to Thailand before I did, and I am happy that she tacked on a little Khon Kaen time at the end.  It's been fun exploring the city with her and really nice to see a familiar face, especially since hers is one I won't see for a while.  She heads off to the the Peace Corps to do health education in Central or South America in January.

Since I last "blogged" I have gotten to know the city much better.  Even though there are apparently 150,000 people in Khon Kaen, it seems like there would be more, because its fairly crowded everywhere.  The city is not that big though.  Yesterday, Chelsea and I practically walked the entire length of it, both on purpose and by accident.  In the morning, I had a meeting to go over how to teach speaking and writing to beginners, took some hideous visa-sized photos for my work permit, and met Chelsea at this coffee shop near my house.  We had some lunch at this place I had been before and knew that the waiter, Boy, spoke some English.  Then we headed into town with the intention of seeing Khon Kaen National Museum.  We eventually made it there, after some intense map-reading and gesturing sessions.  When I first arrived here, I was instructed never to ask a Thai person to read a map because they are not taught how to...I have since experienced this phenomenon.

We made it to the Museum, blistered and sweaty, but in good spirits.  The Museum is described in the Lonely Planet Guide as the first destination a tourist should visit.  We were not at all disappointed, but it's pretty funny that this little non air conditioned Museum with only semi-correct English explanations is the city's best tourist destination.  We learned about dinosaurs, cavemen, Buddhism and lots of things in between, and then headed to the city center.  We visited the mall, bought some cheap DVDs, and poked around in an outdoor market selling everything from underwear to grilled bugs.  We had dinner at a night market with another Princeton fellow, Frank, and this guy Jeff, who is here from New Zealand teaching at a grade school.  We had pad thai for the first time since my arrival, mostly because that is one of the only foods I can pronounce and the consequences of a meal-gone-wrong at the night market could be gut-wrenching.  

Next, I had my first visit to the Pullman Hotel, the nicest hotel in the city (formerly the Sofitel).  I had my first karaoke session in Thailand, and potentially my first sober karaoke session ever.  I know what you are all thinking...God bless those poor souls who were karaoke-ing with me.  I know, I felt bad for them too, but they still forced me to perform even after hearing my terrible voice.  I am sure they were asking the age old question (eh-hem, Jessie Walker) "You do know you are tone deaf, right?"  On the way out, I had my first potential run-in with a Royal Princess, but our elevator was diverted for security reasons.  Boo.  My new and best Thai friend, Neuki, who is the coolest and nicest person I have ever met in my life (sorry everyone), drove us home, and Chelsea and I caught up on some much-needed sleep.

Today we lazed around for a bit, and then went downtown to this lake, Beung Kaen Nakhon, and walked around and had some lunch.  We were constantly monitoring the skies, because it looked like it was going to downpour all day, but it never really did, and was sunny most of the time.  Good day.

There will be pictures next time.  I have already taken some of my street, my apartment building, my room, a song-tau, and an elephant walking down the middle of the road.  For now, use your imaginations.  No dreadlocks or tatoos yet, and I haven't turned into rice, but will probably start soon.

For now, I leave you with this.  Be warned.  The next charades game that I am a part of will be completely unfair.  I will be the most supreme pictionary and charades player of all-time after this year.  On Thursday, actually, there was some sort of mix-up, and I ended up with a class of eighty, yes 8-0, students.  I taught them how Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum turned Bilbao, Spain into a vibrant tourist destination, and revitalized his career after some budget and scheduling trouble during the construction of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  All with pictures and charades. Hahahaah.

Peace and Love, 

Erin