So my last few posts have been sheisty because I was trying to write them quickly because my internet hadn't been working. In short I downloaded the oldest version of firefox because I haven't updated my mac since 2007 so I still have tiger and after all night I have gotten it to work. So this is my own computer and those pics that I had posted before were Carla's so I will post some of mine. I have a lot of pictures of food and soon I will have lots of pictures of Thai babies, I already saw one that looked like little baby carakas did. such a cute little baby that one was.
Anyways I know I posted today already but I thought that I should comment on my time here and not just give an overview of what has happened. Essentially this trip was the best decision I have ever made. Asia is a huge leap to go on your first abroad experience but I think that is why I like it. It makes me want to teach English in China or something. Anyways seeing a completely different culture has been amazing, I have had no culture shock and literally am just absorbing everything. The sounds, smells, and sights are completely different. Like I take pictures of everything because I literally haven't seen a fruit that looked that that, or I hadn't seen so many motorcycles on the street with girls sitting side saddle, or I haven't met so many nice individuals. In every setting I have been in whether a Thai person spoke english or not, they have tried to accomodate me, given me free samples, or literally treated me like their daughter. It feels so refreshing and so unlike the United States to think that people actually care about you and are actually good people (I am still being safe parentals, I don't trust everyone). It just feels like they genuinely care and I love that around here. When I went to buy my camera, people shopping in the store stopped to help me translate, changed my phone to english, and taught me how to use it. It is just a humbling experience to see how generous people can be. I have concluded that when people come to the US they must be bored out of their minds because everything in thailand is beautiful. From the gold encrusted tops on buildings, to the small Buddha statues, to the colorful portapotties and tuk tuk's. There is just so much beauty everywhere.
The people on the program have been wonderful. My room mate Lucy has put up with me wanting internet for the past week. She has let me use her computer, downloaded firefox for me, and has just been awesome. I now have a phone so email me when you wanna chat! She is so different from me but we get along well. Carla graduated Seas/Columbia with me this year and though I never spent time with her at school, I wish I had. She is a beautiful person through and through and we get along great. Larry has also been my food tasting partner because we have the most similar tastes in foods. Sarah was the first person I met and is a rising junior but she has bravely said goodbye to her parents because after this program she is spending 6 months in the Czech republic. Everyone else is very chill and we go out to eat all the time. I am slowly making sure to sit and chat with each and every person because they are all so unique. There are 13 of us at the moment, with more to come and leave with the second session.
Lastly, and hopefully I will upload some pics, but I have really noticed the light skin/dark skin problem here. It is so easy to think of all the problems that African Americans have with the standard of beauty but I came over here and was honestly shocked. I mean as I passed through aisles and aisles of skin whitening cream and saw school aged girls that were brown on their arms and legs but pale on their faces, I couldn't help be feel very sad. I had heard about this before but honestly I haven't seen a person on TV, a poster, or magazine that was dark skinned. Literally no one. Everyone was extremely pale. In a country where the average temperature during the rainy season is 91 degrees and during summer is upwards of 110, this just doesn't seem possible. To hate your skin color so much that you physically bleach it, is not only absurd to me but as I said before deeply saddening. I honestly can't believe that this is a part of the culture. As I have said before every woman is beautiful here. Literally all of us are like we want to be you, yet they don't want to look like that :(. Their natural skin color is perfect and I wish that they would see that as well.
Anyways, enough ranting, hopefully I will upload some more pics, lol then I would have posted 4 times today. Its cool man. Love yall's
Ernnnn
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