3 down, 2 to go...

these last two weeks have been...a little rough, with the paper draft and exams - i guess i'm kinda rusty at this studying . not that it was any better the first, or even the second, time around. failure sucks, and it was difficult to not get emotional - was not entirely successful, but i did my best to put on a positive face, as quickly as i could, despite my disappointment. Oddly enough, several classmates admitted to me that they're equally discouraged ... so i may have fussed a bit more out loud, but i'm not alone...

fact is, i just got my first real reality check on exactly what i need to do, individually, to make this program work for me - so i'm feeling a lot more focused than before...

anyway, i've had my head down for a few weeks, so tomorrow night, i'm taking a little break for RCA... nothing like a little music and dancing to get the spirits up

school, beach visit...

...been mired in schoolwork, trying to balance everything, so my blogging may be a little thin in the coming weeks. Midterms are the week after next - and there's a LOT of reading - plus, i'm still working on processing so much information for my article on Solar (switched from the algae, at least for this term, tho, note Exxon's re-newed interest in algae...)

Haven't time managed as well as i could have, so last week i was scrambling a bit, sacrificing sleep - which catches up faster than i remember it! so by friday, i was feeling a bit run-down - of course, i got a little paranoid - i mean, i don't get sick so often, and with all that H1N1 flu stuff - could i have been feeling fluey? it's hard not to get a little paranoid - enough people wear masks around here daily - and i think the last week more than most. I keep wondering if they're afraid of catching H1N1, or are they sick and don't want to spread the germs (or scare other people?) - anyway, i'm fine now, so run-down, it was...

A Break for the Beach...
on other notes, the week before last, i went to visit my dad and sister at the beach - and went horseback riding with my sister. she quite likes it, and is pretty good at it... the last time i went - i think it was on a class camping trip in high school (where we went to a ranch in a british enclave in Uruguay - they spoke with english accents - Mr. Bouvier, what a find...)

This time was considerably more challenging than i remember...and i tried not to read so much into that!

So as much as i wanted to go riding on a trail, it was excellent to get a little supervised refresher... i swear, that horse knew i was a crappy rider, and i swear it would vary its rhythm just enough so that i was out of sync at any given time! and trotting + holding the reins + staying on the horse - wufa! i had a good time tho, and look forward to the next time i go down, for a trail ride - and maybe the next time i'll wear jeans....

my sister...

me...trying to be graceful...

On a sidenote, this ranch is really cool... they have about 20 horses, which they keep up very well (fans in the stables, etc.) - they're near Asian University, a bit into the mountains, so there's dirt roads and pretty views...

okay, that's it for today!

Snack Attack, thai style!

Flavors only a thai could love?

prawn crackers, shaped like a french fry... who can resist?

Edible fishbone garnish/snacks...!

grilled squid flavor... undoubtedly inspired by local dried-squid carts...

spicy chicken flavored pea snacks...

Lay's - a prime example of multinationals aiming very well their target market! some great choices...

seaweed flavored potato chips...
spicy seafood or chili-basil chips (the only one of these i've tried so far, not too bad!)...

hot chili squid (or spicy seafood) chips...

and thai chili paste chips...

Tiny notes

There are so many little things that amuse me every day out here, that i am unable to catch on film.

This morning on the train, this high-school boy was standing in front of me so intently reading his graphic novel, that he was completely oblivious to the high-school girl gazing up at him adoringly from the other side, grinning like a cheshire cat... for two stations! hilarious...

If a movie is worth a hundred lessons...

So, hypothetically, say you're living in Asia somewhere, and someone tells you (in as many words) that they love all things western, and asks you what movies are most representative of current western culture...


Office Space came to mind... but so did Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy... Blazing Saddles... Grandma's Boy... Donnie Darko... Where the Buffalo Roam... The Three Amigos... Crossroads (the one with ralph macchio!) ...

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Some more school photos...

finally, a shot that captures the scale of KMUTT's main canteen (thx carina!)...
bikes everywhere...

Sort of a center spot on campus... it's even got a little lake (w/ fish!)...students hold a recycling rally at the entrance of campus...

they were on both sides of the street, hollering slogans back and forth - to the beat of drums and everything! highly animated and entertaining!

Always smiling - they just crack me up!


Wai Kru: Teacher Appreciation Ceremony

A quite nice ceremony, really - thais take the time to emphasize their respect...

In preparation, these flower arrangements were made with a lot of patience and great moxy by classmates over two days (i helped on the one in the middle - painstakingly folding pink flower petals in four and fixing them with pins onto a foam base)...

These bunches are typically presented to teachers - the red and yellow ones have pointed petals, symbolizing "sharp minds" coming together; the grasses in the middle are virtually impossible to kill, even when trampled upon - they symbolize "longevity" and "discipline" required in study; and the little flower in the middle is an eggplant flower, and it flops a little on its stem, giving the impression of "bowing," a symbol of lasting and mutual respect amongst scholars...

below, students wait in line to present flowers and respect to their professors/advisors, thank them for taking the time to show you the ropes... (that's my kiwi pal, carina!)

and in turn, they thank you for being a student and wish you success in your future...then they tie lucky strings around your wrist! (that's me getting a bit o' luck myself!)

and finally, some of my classmates...