Now that the Thailand program has accepted all its volunteers and travel plans are being arranged I've learned so much more about what my year will be like.
Like I said, I'll be living and teaching in the Northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom. This province and its city are right on the Mekong river bordering Laos. Because of its location, the language, food, and customs are a fusion of Thai and Lao called Isan. It is a rural province, and I've heard that elephants roam the streets freely - I can't wait for that spectacular sight!
As for preparations, they are fully underway: I purchase new clothing often that is acceptable and comfortable in the heat and humidity of the tropical climate (no tank tops or shorts allowed!); I've now been to the Travel Clinic twice and will go a third time in a few weeks to make sure all my shots and malaria prescriptions are right; My passport is in the hands of the Thai consulate for a visa - sounds like I'm ready to go!
There's a lot that goes into planning a trip abroad, including all the things that would need to be dealt with during the year at home: Student loan deferrals, tax forms, insurance issues - it all adds up to hours of paperwork and phone calls.
All the work is worth it though. Anyone that I've talked to that has been to Thailand before has had an amazing experience. One of the swimming lesson moms is an ESL professor at Nashua Community College and invited me to meet some of her Thai students. The girl I met was very friendly but she did warn me about the heat and incredibly spicy food (too spicy for her even) of my province.
One more thing - I've found out the tentative travel arrangements!
Sept 30 : Boston to LA
Oct 1/ Oct 2 : LA to Taipei, Taiwan (Happy Birthday to Me! With the time changes and all I can't figure out if this will be the longest or shortest birthday ever, but one things for sure - the entirety of it will be spent on the plane!)
Oct 2: Taipei to Bangkok
Oct 2/Oct 3: Bangkok to Nakhon Phanom - a 12+ hour bus ride
It will be an exhausting few days, but I can't wait to start this adventure!
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