July 11- Cue Music!

Today after teaching a morning class, I attended a class of my own! I sat in on a Thai music class and learned to play a Thai melody on the flute. Though I don't play very well... my teacher was very encouraging and lent me the flute the practice- and practice I shall! Hopefully, by the end of this experience I will be able to speak Thai, eat the spiciest foods, and play a complete Thai song on a Thai instrument. I love a good challenge :)

Also, yesterday my mother took me to an open market. It was very cool- nothing like what I've experienced. Where I'm from (Hawaii) the closest thing I can compare the night market to is Waikiki. Strolling around in the evening, as my mother explained, is something Thai people love to do. In the evening it is very cool and people are in high spirits.

What shocked me was how cheap things were. I bought many items for under $5 and was smiling the whole way back. I can tell it won't be my only visit to the market :)

Thai people love to eat. They eat large meals and encourage others to eat more, more, more. Instead of asking "how are you," Thais usually ask, "Have you eaten yet?" (Or so my Thai guidebook reports). I thought this was a mere exagerration before I came to Thailand--I was very wrong. I think I may have consumed at LEAST 5 bowls of rice in a day and my stomach actually aches from eating too much! But the food, oh man, the food is just too yummy (and this makes it exceptionally hard to stop eating!).