Trailing Off....: March 2012

The Mermaid Statue is the symbol of Songkhla.

“Welcome home, Sister! Hello, Ms. Universe! Thailand missed you!”

This is the way I was greeted by my co-workers 36 hours after leaving a place where virtually no one spoke to me for nearly 17 months.

The last photo I took in Nanjing

I have come full circle. Not only back to the first country I moved to in 2006 to teach ESL but the same exact school, office, classrooms with a sea view, and even the same (free) apartment. The only difference is that this time, I have a significant other in tow, one who immediately enthralled the Thais with his good looks and kind heart.

A seaside stroll

“Because Thailand is so beautiful and Thai people are so kind.” This is my standard response when asked why I came to Thailand. And it is basically true. For a year and a half I lived in the second most populated country on earth and I can’t remember anyone ever looking me in the eye and smiling. Cheeky teens might wait til I pass and then shout “hello!” and howl with laughter, old women might stare with expressionless eyes, babies might look with unmasked horror. But rarely did people smile in greeting.

Thailand is not only the kindest place I’ve ever been to, it’s a sensory explosion. There is something about the sights, sounds, smells and tastes that make me feel alive in a way I didn’t in the US or China.

For this first of a series of entries about our time in Thailand, I’ll give an overview of how Thailand assaults and captures my senses.

Muslim fishing village near my apartment

Outside the teachers’ complex, roosters crow well before dawn, but I don’t always hear them over the fans or through the concrete walls. As I get ready for the day, morning sounds drift through the perpetually open windows: eggs frying, children giggling, water for showers splashing, a radio program droning on. All the while, exotic (to me) birds make their strange Jurassic Parkesque calls. Crossing the street to the school, high pitched squeaks of the tuk-tuk horns signal they’re ready to take me.

tuk-tuk (taxi)

I smile and shake my head, gesturing at the university in front of me. At 7:30, the university anthem begins to blare through the campus-wide loudspeakers—a rather haunting and ancient sounding ballad whose meaning eludes me. The campus is often eerily quiet before 8:00 a.m. Students who are awake at this time shout “hello”, the cheekier ones adding an “I love you, Teacher”.

Two lovely third year English majors

Throughout the day, there are more ‘hello’’s from students, jokes from teachers, and sounds of motorbikes going back and forth from building to building. At some point in the day, I take time to go to the sea, which is across from the university. It is usually windy here, so despite the busy road, all I can hear is the pounding of the surf, calling of more exotic birds, and the occasional shooting at the nearby firing range.

Beach across from the university

Save our first three days here, everyday has been sunny. The blue skies and extreme sunshine heighten the colors of an already very colorful place. The temple stupas throughout the town shine a bright gold, brilliantly hued flowers grow randomly on gates, above sewers, and in lawns, and the sea changes to a different shade of green, blue, or aqua throughout the day.

random flower

Climbing to the top of Monkey Hill, upon which monkeys live freely and pretty much do as they please, you can see the entire vista of Songkhla City; the point at which the sea and lake meet is especially stunning.

monkey business

During our first week here, we were lucky enough to witness ‘Academic Week’ in which students from various departments create displays and do performances to showcase their particular talents and interests. Nothing rivals the visuals of the Manora Dance costumes with the elaborate tail feathers, head gear, and long bird-like claws adorned on the hands.

manora dance

Not to be outdone by traditional folk dance costumes, Thai women typically wear bright colors; in fact, each day of the week has its own color. Wearing the correct color (for example, Monday’s color is yellow. The king’s favorite color is yellow and he was born on Monday) can bring good luck.

small temple near our school

Walking from the daily night market on Wachira Road (near my apartment) to the sea for a picnic is a lesson in Thai smells and tastes. Grilled Isan sausages, various meats on a stick, fried chicken, roasting fish, sweet, ripe mango, the nasty pungent durian, and the unique smell of Muslim yellow rice with its hints of cinnamon and anise. But nothing is more complex in taste and smell than Thai curry. There are an infinite number of ways to combine the classic tastes of spicy, sour, sweet, and salty. No two curry pastes are the same and each chef has his/her own preference as to the meats, vegetables, and tubers to toss into the mix.

Curry!!

Though Songkhla also throws into the air the occasional scents of open sewers, petrol, and drying, fermenting fish, the smell of curry will always be synomous with Thailand.

The only problem with living in Thailand is that it is usually not possible to earn a salary big enough to save a substantial amount of money for the eventual move “back home”. You may have a few thousand baht left over but it doesn’t convert to too many euros or dollars. So we’re treating this leg of our ESL Trail as an extended working holiday and enjoying our senses and the kindness of the people to their fullest extent.