แอนดี้เคยรักนั้งรคเมล์ครับ การนั้งดูที่เที่ยวเยอะดีมาก แต่ตอนนี้ผมเบื่อนั้งรเมล์มากๆ 55555 ที่กรุงเทพมีรถติดเยอะๆๆๆ เมื่อวานนั้งจาก Siam Center ถึง Central Pinklao นานมากๆ ประมาณ 2 ชั้วโมงครับ แต่ไม่เป็นไร ผมคิดว่านั้งรถเมล์คือทางสที่ดีเพื่อดูเมีืองนี้ครับ ทั้งทนนดูน่าสนใจมาก ตอนนี้แอนดี้ดีใจเพราะว่าหญิงพาผมเพื่อซื้อ pocket wifi ดีมากๆ หญิงใจดีมากและเพื่อนทีดีของแอมดี้ หวังว่าเจอเขามากตอนผมอยู่ที่เมืองไทย
พรุงนี้พี่ดาจะพาแอนดี้ที่วัดสวดมนและนั้งสมาธิตื่นเต้นมากๆครับ วันนีตอนแอนดีเดินไปวดเจอพี่ดา โชคดีมากเพราะว่าเขาพาผมไปเที่ยววัด สวยมากๆครับ ที่วัดพระใหหน้ังสือสวดมนภาษาไทยใหแอนดี้และเชิญเราเข้าวัดเพื่อไหว้พระถ่ายรูปครับ โชคดีมาก
Since my last post, I've been busy...mostly riding buses around the city. At first, it was pretty excellent. Just looking out the window and actually being able to watch the world go by. Then I realized how bad the traffic here actually is. I am still trying to figure out how people get anywhere on time with the bus system. You either have to leave at 6 am, which I've done a few times and you end up at your destination really early. Or you give yourself twice as much time as you think you need and then you still end up being an hour late. Also, if you are the only person at the bus stop and you try to hail the bus, it will not stop, instead like 500 taxis, tuk-tuks and motorbikes will stop to ask you if you need a ride, which is obviously much more expensive and proportionality as dangerous.
Additionally, trying to cross the street, as earlier posted, is something that would make a Frogger champion's palms sweat. I have developed two rules for getting around town: always wait to cross the street and always wait at bus stops with Thai people. Otherwise, I feel that I would be in peril or waiting for longer that I already have been. (Mom, this is as joke, I am perfectly safe and covered in full-spectrum UV protective bubble-wrap.)
One cool thing about the bus is that music videos or 'actual reenactment' shows are shown on screens when you are in deep, soul-crushing traffic. I think I've seen a dramatic reenactment of some sort of toothbrush-related accident about 10 times so far. The volume is too low to understand what is happening, and I can't read the captions fast enough. Still, mildly amusing.
I have also received a few phone calls from host mom and D, which forced me to speak Thai on the bus. After the one call, the lady next to me actually talked to me, which seems like something people don't normally do. It was nice, she spoke to me in Thai, then we talked a bit in English. Still, speaking to strangers on the bus seems like taboo here. However, I don't blame people, since you might be sitting next to the person for an hour in traffic to go like 2 km and awkward silence is probably better that the equivalent time of awkward conversation.
Regardless, I finally have Wi-Fi on my devices. My friend Ying helped me find a pocket hotspot (get your mind out of the gutter). When we were trying to meet-up she refused to speak English with me on the phone (so I could learn), which was particularly 'helpful' when I was lost before and as a result of asking someone for directions. Additionally, my entire shopping experience in MBK Mall was in Thai. Proper respects to the patient sales-clerk at True phones store. Ying also took me out to dinner with her friend Sandy. It was great! I am hoping to see them both a lot more.
Yesterday, two of my friends from CMU took me out to lunch at Siam Paragon center. It was good to see them and very nice of them to meet me here, despite their lack of remaining time before returning to Pittsburgh in early August. I was late, but it was still really good to see my friends. I think we will meet again before they leave.
The Muay Thai gym is awesome. Fighting Spirit Gym rules. Straight-up. Great vibes and attitudes by the trainers, owner and others training there. No egos have been detected and people actually like to help. I have been working with a trainer named Awn. He is probably like 21 or so and his methods are pretty effective and simple. He asked me today how long I would be training there and has since ramped-up my conditioning and started correcting my techniques. Today was my fourth day. I've been going for 2 hours each day, because the proximity of the gym to my house is less than ideal. Still, it is a hard 2 hours. Usually 10-20 minutes of jumping rope, then 4 minute rounds of the following: 4 x heavy bag, 4 x pads, 3 - 4 x light sparring, then sit-ups and other cruel ab-work. It is awesome. This is what I get for telling my trainer that I'm never tired. He started chatting more and enjoys laughing at my mispronunciation of places in Thailand and other things. I think I'll probably be working with him most of time, which is fine by me.
Yesterday, I wondered around the National Stadium area and find the Action Zone Muay Thai shop. As advertised, it rules. Got some shorts, that I had to exchange for a smaller size and a few t-shirts, too. Good prices and selection. I went back with a friend from the gym today, and he scored some cool stuff. We ate lunch after at Siam Center, which was pretty decent. Kind of bummed that tomorrow is my friend's last day at the gym, but I think we'll hang for a bit after morning training tomorrow.
Finally, on my travels yesterday, I found a pretty interesting temple, that was seemingly a mix of Thai and Chinese Buddhism. I was invited in to look around and 'wai pra' by some random guy and was taking some photos when the monk of the temple began ringing the bell to close-up for the evening. It was pretty interesting to witness. The monk invited me into the inner part of the temple gates while he finished, so I could take some photos and pay respects. Watching a lone monk in the shrine area was a bit eerie in the waning evening light, but a nice moment to preclude the bus ride home.
This leads to my next set of observations. Buddhism, spirit-belief and daily life in Thailand are all the same thing. I mean, I've read about it before, but experiencing it is totally different. Every house, every block, every neighborhood has objects/spaces reflecting some type of spirituality or supernatural association. Buddha images are everywhere, spirit-houses, to provide shelter and offerings to homeless ghosts, and shrines dedicated to Hindu or local gods get daily attention from a huge portion of the population. It is a pretty amazing contrast to how people are actually living their lives in Bangkok's noise, pollution and traffic. I am excited to experience life at a temple next week, but in the meantime, the sheer amount of spiritual interaction that I have witnessed in a given day is staggering.
To follow-up my last post, the owner of the company invited me back to take photos of his Buddha collection. I was instructed to ask for permission from the Buddha and other images to take their photos, then I could proceed. The collection is amazing. Truly beautiful and well cared-for. I hope to go back and spend some more time there. The entire place, despite the standard Thai florescent lighting, feels comfortable in a really unexplainable way. On the way to the bus this morning at 6 am, the owner invited me to help he and some employees give food to the monks that walk each morning, exchanging food and other goods for blessings and teachings . It made me feel pretty grounded, actually. I hope to help again. Since my bus to the gym leaves around that time each day, that shouldn't be a problem.
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