Welcome to the Jungle/Chatty Cathy was my favorite doll

(This is our first blog where we are experimenting with a new format of both Natalie and I writing parts, rather than just one of us doing the whole thing- let us know in the comments what your preference is!)

(Natalie)Why is it that I always feel inspired to name our blogs some cheesy/bad song title or lyrics? "I will Survive" and "I can't live, with or without you!" have both popped into my mind as potential blog titles that would snag peoples' interest enough to entice them to read about our lives. But in this case, it is rather descriptive of what I did this weekend, which I guess makes sense, and I get to quote a song from a band that I used to think was the coolest of the cool. No, now I think the coolest of the cool are the 3 other girls I got to spend a lot of time with this weekend in Thailand's second largest National Park, Khao Yai.

Yes, Graham and I were separated this weekend. OMG! My friend Lacey once joked "Separating you two is like separating the atom" haha lol lmafoah whateva. I was an independent lady, and while I  missed Graham, I have to admit it was also nice to have an all girls weekend. It was pretty funny because Alana, Hanna and Caroline are all super talkative, sometimes I found that it was hard for me to get a word in edge wise! Which is highly unusual because I am like one of those toys that you wind up and then it makes noise but I am always wound up. Graham always makes fun of me for it. I guess it is something that I got better at this weekend, just because I was out-competed for silence and attention! Anyways, the point is, I don't think I have chatted so much in a space of 48 hours since I was in the US!

The first night I spent in Bangkok, and I met up with Caroline, Shannon, and Shannon's Thai bf, Bad (cool name.) We had dinner and chat chat chatted, then tried to go to a night market. But the one we went to was closed! I feel bad because I am always telling people how cheap everything is here, but I have not sent any gifts back home! It is just because merchandise in Dan Chang isn't up to the levels it is in Bangkok. Don't worry Mom and all my lovely lady friends and family, I will send you some earrings as soon as I get my hands on some worthy of your beautiful ears! Bad was really happy when the market was not to be found, as it meant that he got to take 3 ladies to a bar, instead of following us around while we told each other how cute and cheap everything was.

It was a fun night at a random bar in Bangkok. It was so nice to be with Bad especially, because I was just able to sit there and look dumb and not worry about awkwardly trying to explain something to someone when we don't really speak each other's languages! It was also funny to go to a bar when the 3 of us girls were the only farangs there (save Marilyn, Elvis and James Dean painted all over the place!) Thai people seem to drink so differently than Americans, Europeans, or Latinos. They sit down at their respective tables, and only when they are so sloshed they can barely stand up to they start sway/bounce dancing to the blaring music. Now this is a huge generalization of course! But usually people at places where I drink like to kinda awkwardly dance/watch each other/try to look cuter than anyone else throughout the night. But at this bar, everyone was sitting down and I was lazy dancing in my seat, and slowly, half an hour before the bar closed, most people were standing up and singing along like it was their job. It was really cute, and just a random observation.

The next day held a LONG day of travel to the National Park. A taxi ride, bus ride, truck ride, and 2 hitched rides (and 7 hours!) later and we finally made it to our campsite. The park was absolutely gorgeous and riddled with monkeys (at least around the campsites, they were everywhere it was so cool!) and driving in the back of a truck through gorgous forested mountains was euphoric feeling. Caroline and I were giggling even more than we usually do. We rented our tent, set it up, and had dinner looking out over the fading sunset and the bright stars.  I thought about how many contemplative staring contests I have had with stars, they are always so peace-bringing and remind me of my unimportance and our connection.

The next day we hiked (which they call trekking in Thailand, don't ask me why-maybe because it sounds cooler? (or maybe because that is what they call it in Europe and Australia, where a lot of visitors here are from - Graham's musing))  ALL DAY. We walked past beautiful waterfalls along the river, and while the other 3 girls talked, I dorked out and tried to find monkeys or invertebrates. I was pathetically unsuccessul, it was so sad! I was being quiet in hopes of being lucky enough to come across a tiger or elephant (elephant scat was everywhere, I would look at it freshness hoping to be able to track the elephant like the late Crocodile Hunter!) While I was in Costa Rica I got pretty good at spotting things, but this time I did not see too much, although I tried and had fun doing it. I have really been missing the outdoors and science and animals and trees a lot since I have been here. I  missed the same things while I lived in LA (except science. I had a ton of that there!) In the Bay Area I am surrounded by gorgeous forests, and animals, and my job was all about science, so I feel like I was staying true to my passions. Here I am obviously getting some global perspective and really enjoying living a totally new and exciting way of life, but I miss pursuing what I truly live for.

That night we went on a famed "night safari"! We were all quite excited about it. Would this finally be our chance to see elephants or tigers in the wild???? We boarded the truck with anticipation, and all of our hearts sunk in unison when we realized that we were one truck in a long caravan driving along the main roads of the park with big spotlights to try to spot animals with. I went between cracking up (there was no way we were going to see anything!) and silently following the spotlight intently, almost wishing that tiger into being. It was a fun ride though under the stars around the park. And another giggling night, before one last hike and hitching a ride out of the park towards home.

After another long day of travel, I was so happy when Graham picked me up on our scooter Ruff Rider, and had a delicious dinner waiting for me. Another great weekend in Thailand!

Happy Chinese New Year!

(Graham) I decided that rather than traveling the whole weekend and sitting dazed in the chatter of girls (I love you all!) I would relax around the home front, and catch up on some reading, projects, and local exploration. It was a really chill couple days, and I emerged from it feeling refreshed :). I did miss Natalie enough to work most of my Sunday afternoon assembling a good dinner for her though, all with the sole use of my handy water heater (and ability to mangle together a few words in Thai to order takeout - don't tell her though!). The dinner featured everything from mashed potatoes to Jello shots; all a girl could desire.

I am happy to report that generally things have been getting better. I almost feel like I/We was/were in a horrible fog for a little while, being sick and unacculturated, and that it has finally lifted - yeah!!! I was randomly imagining sitting at a desk in a concrete room buried in Virginia being interviewed for a job with the State Department, or CIA or something, and when they asked me, "What do you believe is the most important part of adapting to a new culture" I would respond, "My my, what a good question. Well.... having traveled extensively, and being very familiar with the sometimes manic process of integrating into a new ethnology, I think that the core, and often overlooked step has to be finding a couple great restaurants, where, whatever else is happening around you, you can go and know that at least for that moment, you will be happy." They would probably minus some points for a run-on sentence, but if they are really as well traveled as they claim to be, I have no doubt they will agree. With that in mind I am happy to report that we do have a few awesome food places that we've discovered, two especially that we have ridiculous cravings for. I have loved Pho ever since I first tried it several years ago, but Natalie has always though it was so-so. Our top food addiction, which we have even created a song about (seriously) is for a Pho place! It is seriously way way better than any I've had before, and for those of you who are initiated, you know that is awesome.

This is the infamous truck that blasts music (traditional Thai to modern pop) for three days straight after anyone dies, to assist their soul in getting to heaven. They happen to set up right behind where we live, so it usually translates to three days of sleeplessness for us. We asked our landlord if there is anyway we can get them to move or play the music more quietly, but were told that it is tradition, and that although they hate it too, it would be rude to ask that. I bit my tongue, although I was thinking - how traditional can an insane truck with a million amplified speakers be, don't Buddhists not believe in heaven, and as our friend Paul pointed out, do the dead really want to enter into heaven dancing to Lady Gaga?? In Thailand they don't have a choice :)

Annnnnyway, enough making everyone jealous - slash droning on - Hi mom, you are probably the only person still reading at this point! :) I want to say that I miss everyone, and that we think about you all the time. I would start mentioning names, but I would accidentally forget someone. The bottom line is that this experience has really made me realize how much I love everyone in my life, and how horrible it can feel sometimes being away even from people that I only see once in a blue moon. One of my resolutions is to be better about staying in touch and hanging out, because when it comes down to it - who cares where you are if you aren't with people you care about. Or as they might say here - no road is long with good company. Only it would look like this, literally:

 ถนนไม่ยาวกับ บริษัท ที่ดี

With that final thought, I bid you farewell. We are going to try to be better about posting regularly, so check back soon, or just become a subscriber and be notified automatically whenever we update!

Much love-  Graham and Natalie