Year 2, Blog 1: Ajustification

Hello loyal and not-so-loyal blog readers. Here I go again.

I'm back. I'm, well, what's the word, maybe "adjusting"? Yea, adjusting. Among other things, to
1. The heat. It's just so gosh darn hot. I mean, really, really, scorching hot. I'm talking sweat no antiperspirant could ever dream of beating in places you've never dreamed of sweating H-O-T.
2. The turn-your-stomach-inside-out stenches that lurk around the corner waiting to prey on an-already-slightly-queasy-from-one-too-many-Changs (Thai beer, more potent than you'd think) version of me. You never know what's rotting on a Thai sidewalk. It's not a place for the easily-nauseated.
3. The fact that my lunch today cost me a whopping 78 cents. Beat that, McDonald's value meal.
4. A puppy that pees when I walk through the door. Any door, really. It's nice to be loved, Micah, but I just went to floss my teeth and you're psyched to see me again, really? Oh, and now your tail's wagging through your piddle puddle? How special... Or when Neuki and I aren't home to excite the urine out of her, she pees on newspapers which putrefy in the heat I was just talking about and contribute to one of those smells I was just talking about. Although, I guess it can't quite be classified as a lurking shocker because it's an expected gag-inducer now.
5. The undrinkable water. If I could just close my mouth in the shower...
6. The comments about my weight gain. No joke, a friend today compared me to an inflatable device in that I look like I just added some air. Actually, it was cheese. Burritos, enchiladas, pizza, lasagna, god bless america... and I give it about 10 days in this sauna and the metaphorical tire that is me will have deflated again, okay skinny Thai girl?
7. Living in a country with a fragile government. Before I left, my dad said it will be formative and interesting to be in a country like Thailand in order to "witness the fragility of governments firsthand." My mom said that was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. But, concerning your concerns concerning this concern, please don't worry. Things are calm for now. In case violence does break out, I will be sure not to follow my dad's next piece of what is usually infallible wisdom. While attempting to quell my nerves regarding leaving for Khon Kaen just as two municipal buildings were burnt to the ground, Bri says, "Don't worry, Bear, if things are on fire, just stay under the covers." Can you at least kind of sort of see where he was coming from on that one? It's almost good advice...barring my house being on fire or a few other contingencies.
8. Living on the opposite side of the world from 98.4% of all the people I love. It stinks. If this list were in order, this would be number #2, close behind the heat as the biggest adjustment.
9. Driving on the left. But even more, the left-side passenger seat location. Gets me every time.
10. The heat. Yes, I know, I said it before. But have you stopped to ponder how hot it could actually be here? Remember when your art teacher explained the kiln? This is what I imagined.
11. Being bowed to. And called "teacher" again.
12. ภาษาไทย The Thai language. Forgot that, oops.


Love,
@(oLo)@ It's a bear. See it? Ear, cheek, eye, nose, eye, cheek, ear. Maybe a koala. Thai people love things like this. All things "cute" really.