Sorry I am not updating this too often (for anyone that is actually reading….). I have been pretty busy after leaving Jenna in Bangkok. I took the night train with no issues to Chiang Mai, and met all the other volunteers at our hotel, the YMCA of Chiang Mai. I had met most the other vols in April, so it was more of a reunion. The first night we had some Thai hotpot, which was a lot of fun with our group of 40 or so.We had 4 days of culture classes (i.e. if you date a Vietnamese girl, they will expect marriage).

After that, we started our teaching classes. We just finished our first week, and I have taught two short English lessons to Thai students. The students are pretty fun. We had one exercise where they had to tell us a place in Thailand we should visit and why, and EVERY group ended it with, "and you can take beautiful photo, wit, you boyfriend!" I see what all Thai girls want to do…ha. So far, I really like teaching though, which is good since I am doing that for the next year…

It's been a lot of fun here with the other volunteers. Many people have made comments like, "this is just like my freshman year of college." So yea, we are having fun. Thailand is pretty quiet now; I think the tourist industry is really suffering from the crap economy, so when we go to a bar we typically completely take it over. About 15 loud Americans busted in on what appeared to be a romantic dinner between a Western couple a few days ago. The girl ended up crying the whole time (am I a bad person for finding it really funny???).

Last weekend went to Burma for the day to get a new Thai visa stamp. Mine was running out so I had to leave Thailand and come back in for a new stamp. All border towns are really shady (not just this one in Burma), but after being offered cigarettes, Viagra (really??), porn and girls a dozen times in as many minutes, I decided to head back to Thailand and get some lunch.

Tomorrow I am heading off whitewater rafting and elephant riding. There is a group of about 12 going, so it should be a good time. I have one more week in Chiang Mai, and then it is off to Hanoi for 2 weeks of Vietnamese language classes. Hope all is well back home.