Sights & Sounds & Simple Lack of Communication

I’ve been here for a while, and it struck me that I have not even yet described the place where I am. Shame, shame on me. My intentions are always good, the carry-out tends to be more so-so. I’ve been keeping a mental journal, and really need to be writing it all down.

I live in a city in Thailand. It’s the 2nd largest city in the country, so I am in a fairly urban place. When the airplane landed, I could see two things in the dark: street lights casting round pools of light along the roads, and the starts in the sky – actually the same as the ones at the sky at my former home. I had to smile as I thought to myself that the first thing that I saw and noted were constants that I’ve always looked for no matter where I am.

Many people notice smells first. New countries smell – well, different. Every place has a different smell – I bet America smells pretty funky to people who visit the first time. I’ve identified many a place by it’s smell. But not so much here. The smells haven’t bothered me – either that, or I just don’t notice them. Well, I lie. I certainly noted smells at the fish market in Bangkok, and the squattie pottie in my apartment certainly smelled at first – but then I dumped a bucket of water in it and I don’t even notice it anymore.

I notice sounds. Birds chirp incessantly – and not just the birds that I’m used to. They sing a wild, tropical tune. One bird call sounds incredibly like a peacock, though I have yet to see one here. Stray cats abound. One in particular sounds like it’s being brutally murdered every night – it yowls as though a giant hand is squeezing it. However, it must escape, because I am always treated to an encore recital the next night.

When I walk out and see people, I like to hear them speak. My understanding of what it’s like not to understand what others are saying has expanded. I can hardly hear anything that I know – I hear words and sounds here and there, but cannot follow a conversation. Meeting another English speaker is always a highlight – we can have a full conversation and understand the whole thing. Ladies language is more drawn out and fluid – men speak with clipped sentences. It makes me think of fundamental differences between men and women. Some women like to talk and talk, while men say just what they need to say and then are done.

We keep our windows open because this time of year is nice. That means cacophony outside my window always exists. If it’s open mike night at the karaoke bar on the street adjacent to my apartment, I will be treated to a bad cover of Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me.” Or, like the other night, they will sing “Happy Birthday” five times in a row without stopping for a breath between each song. I’ve heard many interesting singers lately.

I think that’s part of why my ipod gets a lot of playtime. I have a pair of cheap portable speakers that I use a great deal. Little did I know the day I bought them at a Sunday School penny auction that they would get used so much. The person who donated them would probably be pretty amazed at the usage time they are getting. Songs uplift my spirits, and can be crucial in helping drown out bad karaoke.

The street upon which I live is a major place where I can find everything I need. Convenience stores line the way, and many vendors hawk their wares – baskets, pork on a stick, sticky rice, or papaya salad. The streets perpetually smell like food – some dishes better than others. I thought I’d have an iron stomach here – I wasn’t so sure the day I was confronted with a soup with chunks of congealed chicken blood. I’m almost embarrassed to say this, but I didn’t eat any of the congealed chunks. Bring on the bugs, but I draw the line on ingesting blood.

Multiple small shops line the way, selling trendy clothes that I will probably never be able to wear, even if I lost 60 pounds. Decorative water fountains splash water over the sidewalks in front of massage parlors. There are at least two 7-11s on this road – believe it or not, 7-11 convenience stores have quite the stronghold in Thailand and appear on nearly every other corner here.

The streets are not bad for a foreign road. The sidewalks are rather bumpy – I’m not the most graceful person on sidewalks smooth as glass, so I trip frequently. It’s not bad; if I can’t at least be a graceful person, I can take my frequent trips and falls gracefully. I think I’m getting used to it; I walk with my eyes downcast and step over the potential trip hazards. I’m getting better and better with it as the days progress – practice makes perfect, eh?

I have to confess that I had very little culture shock. Mayhap that is because I moved so much when I was younger. Uprooting and going to a new place is not a source of stress for me – I embrace it as an adventure. I look forward to exploring all around every day. Different foods and different people and different ways of life are no problem. I mean, I’ve never had anything as drastic as a new country – though a move from the south to the “north” could be grounds for culture shock, right? I guess that once again, every moment of my life has prepared me for such a time as this.

I realized this week that I’ve really been lax about telling folks about the simple things. I haven’t answered a lot of the questions that folks may feel dumb asking, or may just wonder about. So please do ask questions. I’m thinking of having a weekly post that addresses any reader questions (or if no one asks anything, a question that I think would be interesting). So please do feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.

I have one last confession – I have been tracking the hits from my blog. So far, the United States wins with the most hits. However, I’ve had folks from at least 19 countries come and visit. So if you’re one of ANY of my readers, I want to thank you for joining me on my adventures. Please continue to do so; we've got some great times ahead.