Hello there! I'm almost at the end of my week in Bangkok. I've been busy & bewildered - am starting to get my head space together enough to get some perspective.
The 12 of us volunteers have spent this week being introduced to Thailand by our manager, and for the 9 working in Bangkok, sorting their accommodation. I've been studying the language intensively - overwhelmingly so. Learning a 5 tone language with 44 consonants, 48 vowel combinations and gender distinctions has been intimidating and tiring to say the least.
Can't wait to head to Chiang Mai on Saturday. Bangkok is nice to visit but I had my fill about 4 days in. I'm about ready to cough up a lung from the traffic smog, and the shopping ain't all that great.
Being shown around by locals has been pretty full-on, with very diverse experiences from the rank poverty of slums to five star excess. Riding on a tuk-tuk for the one & only time (a rip off, dangerous & at exhaust-pipe level) was insanely fun. We've headed on the river ferry (trying to avoid the cesspool spray), visited a Buddhist Wat and viewed the skyline from the tallest tower, amongst others. I'll let the photos do the talking, though they tend to glamourise the experience a bit too much.
I'm making use of the phrases "character-building" and "coping-mechanisms" pretty regularly, though that'll be the cultural adjustment & fatigue talking. I'm doing well for week 1 though, it's all good.
Bye for now,
Jen
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