The Best and the Worst

Group of guys, including a monk, hanging out and watching a soccer match.

I have been wanting to write this post for awhile because, like most adventures, this one has pushed our usual range of happiness, sadness, and every other emotion to the poles. There are so many fantastic things we are experiencing, but definitly a fair share of difficulties to accompany them. Here therefore is our list so far of the Best and Worst of Thailand.

Temple (Wat) that we ride our bikes past to get to school.

Best

1.) Skys that are somehow way larger than they are at home, and daily sunsets that match the best we have ever seen.
2.) Literally hundreds of kids running up to give you high-fives every day.
3.) Biting into something you have never tried before and finding that it is delicious!
4.) Near weekly trips that would be tri-monthly occurances because of high costs in the States.
5.) Riding home from school on our bikes and passing through beautiful jungle and sugar cane fields and many-colored temples along the way.
6.) Booking a flight to somewhere that would take 14 hours to drive to for only $25.
7.) Walking by someone who stares at you timidly because they obviously havent seen many westerners, and then smiling at them and getting the biggest and most excited smile back!
8.) Being invited by locals to a BBQ or other event when they don't speak English, but are happy to have you at their table none-the-less.
9.) Worrying about something, then thinking of all the things we have already been through, and shugging your shoulders knowing it will work out in the end.
10.) Being here with Natalie, who, even though there have been some difficult times, is the best companion I could wish for and a total trouper.

Little Restraunt that we found. Super scenic, and meals were less than adollar each, but we didn't know how to order so we ended up with fried eggs over rice!

Worst

1.) Finishing your last class on a Friday, only to be told in the last five minutes that you need to teach another on right after, and by the way, they are combining two classes together so you will have 80-100 students to teach/babysit.
2.) Wanting to go to a town near by for the weekend, but having to do hours of planning to make sure you really have a reservation, and actually know the right bus when everyone tells you something different.
3.) Walking through the streets after a long day and having people yell "Falang" (white forgiener), and then whisper things to thier friends and then all laugh. Maybe they are being nice, but when you are in a bad mood already you automatically assume the worst.
4.) Sitting through a meal with no one that speaks English besides Natalie and I, and feeling awkward, especially when they are trying to feed you somthing that tastes bad and looks discusting.
5.) Being excited to get food only to loose you appitite by the time you finish walking through the market because of all the dead animals and weird smells.
6.) Needing to use the bathroom and having a really difficult time finding a public one, then finding one that's just a hole in the ground, and no TP in sight.
7.) Sweating within 10 minutes of taking a shower.
8.) Having a class of 50 misbehaving kids that are running around, yelling, not listening, and after trying eveything you can think of unsucessfully being on the verge of booking the next flight home.
9.) Seeing a lot of older white guys with their Thai girlfriends for the night.
10.) Being in a touristy area and feeling suddenly like you are in a Thai-themed frat party

Hate to finish with the bad, everything is most of all just really different and we are obviously loving our time here in general. Check back on this post as we will keep adding to the lists!