Chantaburi

So i just got back from a rotary trip to chantaburi, and im here to tell you of my adventures with 50 other exchangers.

We'll start with the day before the trip because that has interesting stories too. I took the songtao(thai bus) to the mall but instead of sitting ion the back i sat up front with the bus driver (air conditioning, YAY) and we started the normal thai-falang routine conversation ie where are you from, how long are you here etc. we actually had a really good conversation and just before i got out he took a small amulet off of his mirror and gave it to me as a gift. On one side is buddha and on the other a meditating woman and thai words. if you wear it it is supposed to give you good luck and keep you safe. It was a really nice gesture and actually kind of moving.

Later that night my mom and sister and i went out to eat, and we pull into the parking lot ight ahead of another vehicle. we all get out, and there were two falang in the other car so my mom says "look, ashley, your friends!" at which point i realise that the two falang that got out actually are exchange friends from another rotary club. so we sit down and my mom says something about my friends again and i tell her that one is named gaeo ta and the other meow. she looks confused for a moment and then says "wait, you actually know them?" shes like "i was just joking because your both falang." pretty random and funny.

the next day we left for rotary on a bus with most of the other exchangers, but i guess everyone stayed up the night before because it was just the brazilians and the korat girls (aka us) awake and being loud and im sure disrupting everyone elses sleep. we finally get there and get settled in and have dinner. later that night we all go exploring and we find a rasta cafe about 5 minutes down the beach and hang around there talking and doing whatever for a few hours. one of the guys we had been talking with had what can only be described as fire sticks and balls, and so he and one of the other exchangers started fire dancing. i wish i had a video if this but i dont, sorry. poor girl hit the back of her head with the fire balls a couple of times and im sure singed a few hairs. really cool to see though.

from the resort we were staying at we could see the sunset into the ocean which was gorgeous, will post pictures later.

the next day we were scheduled to clean the beach as part of the "kings project". so the 50 of us cram into a songtoa that could comfortable hold maybe 35 people and drive down the beach. it was hot as hell out and i did NOT want to clean, but what else is new. about halfway through i quit cleaning the beach because at that point i had looked down next to my foot and found a used syringe. the rest of the time was spent collecting shells. the afternoon was spent planting magrove trees which wasnt that bad and only took about a half hour. after we finished that one of the directors cut down some coconuts, and cut off the top. inside is the most delicious coconut milk and fresh gooey coconut.

day three was the 'fun' day. in the morning we watched a dolphin show which was quite honestly mediocre and i felt really bad for the dolphins because they had to be sprayed with dye first which cant be fun. in the afternoon we went to a waterfall which was really beautiful and we all got to swim in it. normally people wear shorts and a t-shirt to go swimming in public which is what we all did. however there was another smaller group of tourists there and both of the girls were walking around in thong bthing suits! some of the thai people actually got up and left it. it was a little obnoxious however they were defs not from canada (thank goodness.) on the way home in the cramped songtao we had a nice little sing along to songs from every country, france, germany, canada, russia etc. it was pretty cool to hear every ones songs. during the entire week every chance we got jean-phillipe, constance, kaitlyn, anna, katy, kate, nicole, colin and a bunch of other people sang the canadian anthem, and not all of us are even canadian. every one else would sing along by replacing the words and singing only "eh" in the tune of oh canada.

that night was supposed to be our halloween party but i think only about 10 people dressed up. everyone sang a bunch of karaoke and had a few pop-rocks competitions, and ended up heading to the rasta cafe at around 10.

we got up at 5:30 to try and see the sunrise, but the sun didnt rise over the ocean. instead it rose behind a bunch of trees so that was pretty much a bust.

the last official day we went to an aquariam and on a nature walk. we got to go kayaking which was cool. kaitlyn and i were in a two person, tashi and anna were in another two-person and a really cool guy from south carolina named mason was alone in another. we ended up not following the guide and just siting there because we are all ridiculously lazy. it came time to row back so we linked our kayaks together and rowed together as a kayak clog.

mason and anna got to talking and figured out that anna vacationed in masons little speck of a town the summer before. Anna got to talking about how she went to myrtle beach and ended up getting sand in places where sand should never be. mason, in his southern accent, deadpan glory says "There's nothing but hookers and trash in myrtle beach. thats probably why you got sand in your snootch."

the last end of the afternoon was spent painting a fence at a childrens school which wasnt too bad, however i think the words "russia" and "canada" are still emblazoned yellow against the white we were supposed to be covering. once back at the resort everyone ran to the ocean to cool down slash clean paint off of themselves. it started to rain about halfway though the swim. its en interesting feeling to be rained on whilst swimming and the ocean and sunset are magnificent through the haze of droplets.

later that night was our farewell dinner. mostly a string a very embarassing hula dancing, a round of musical chairs in which more than one object was broken, and a very prolonged (read: boring/humiliating) "miss Youth Exchange" Pageant. which really should have been intersting seeing as half of the contestants were boys, yegt somehow still managed to be dull.

other than that life is uneventful. my blazer looks better and better as is keeps filling up with pins from different contries and different events. school starts again finally on monday. im excited to see which classes i have.

COMMENT!! i'm making the official threat that if people do not comment i will not post. what use is it to have a blog if your not sure anyone is even reading it?

love to all,

Ashley