Elephants, elephants, and me riding elephants

Sawatdeekah!



I got to ride an elephant this past week.



It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life.



Being to close and getting to know these animals was unbelievable.



We went to Baan Chang Elephant Park, which is an elephant sanctuary in Chang Mai. They rescue all of their elephants, instead of capturing them, and strive to give them the best life that they can.



While we were there we got to pet, feed, ride and wash the elephants. My elephants name was Hua Hong (I actually have no idea if that's correct but I'm pretty sure that's what my guide said).



We were trained on the commands for telling the elephants where to go and when to stop. Although my elephant didn't listen very well, and Morgan and I often found ourselves walking towards the brush so that Hua Hong could eat along the way.



When we went through puddles she would stick her trunk in the mud and then spray us with it, but she was just being nice - she knew we were as hot as she was and was just trying to cool us down.



Riding them was actually quite terrifying because, in case you weren't aware, elephants are huge! And they aren't exactly easy/comfortable to sit on. So falling off was a real threat. And with my luck I was sure that it was going to be me.



But I made it, and my Thailand adventure continues!



I'll update again soon!

Sa bai sa bai

Hey everyone!



So I'm currently sitting in an adorable internet cafe just down the street from my apartment because this is the only place my wifi will work. It's also monsooning outside, so I'm going to wait a while before heading back. That's why I haven't been posting much, my wifi is really spotty and doesn't work often. And also I'm out adventuring around Thailand so you really can't blame me!



I wish I had the words to explain how astounding this trip has been, just in the first week that I've been here. I've met people from all around the world, and made real friends already. I've never found it so easy to talk to people and have real conversations so quickly.



The first day I was here I went to explore around Bangkok with a few people from my program that I had just met. We took a bus into the city and then traveled all over using the sky train and taxis.



We went to the chatuchak market, which is the largest outdoor market in all of Southeast Asia.... it was huge! It was so cool, and slightly overwhelming. These pictures aren't the best but they give you an idea of what it was like.



Thousands of shops and vendors selling anything you could possibly need, from socks and underwear to electronics and giant works of art. And of course food.... which is actually the only thing I actually bought while I was there because it was just too overwhelming to, and it was my first day in this strange country.



From there we went to a few malls, looked at a few temples, ate more food, got massages, and just took in the fact that we were across the world and in such a huge beautiful city.



What can I tell you about Thailand? Hmm... well it's an interesting place.



Bangkok has been quite the experience. It changes right in front of your eyes with every street you walk down. Some areas are very run down, smelly, and filled with people who are very poor. And then you turn a corner and are taken aback by the beauty of a temple or a view of the city. It's very crowded, but there are areas that are really desolate. I already have a love hate relationship with the city.



The thai people are unlike anyone I've met in America. They are beyond friendly and very sweet. If you happen to catch their eye, they don't just awkwardly look away, but will greet you with a wide smile and a friendly "sawatdeka!" It's refreshing. They are quite shy and usually hesitant to start conversations but they will talk to you if you show an interest and attempt to talk to them.



Not knowing the language can be frustrating, but it's actually quite fun finding ways to communicate with people across such a language boundary. You get very used to making funny gestures and acting out what you want to say. I've learned a few words in Thai, and I get overly excited when I use them and people actually understand me.



Shopping is a blast here because you can bargain with just about any vendor and usually can end up paying half of what the original price is, even more if you're good at it. I was nervous to try at first, but now that I've gotten the hang of it, I never accept original prices any more.



There are a lot of scams in Bangkok, and it's good to have people who have done their research about it with you (or do it yourself.. which I didn't do, good thing I made friends!) so you don't fall into a trap. For instance, if a took-took taxi driver gives you an offer to get across the city that sounds too good to be true, that's because it is and you should probably keep walking. Or else you'll end up at their friend's gem store or tailor shop with a bunch of guys telling you that you "look like shit" and you need to buy a suit from them.



When I say that it rains here, I mean pouring down rain like you would not believe. My tiny umbrella I brought from West Virginia is going to crumple immediately under this rain. It also comes out of no where, there can be completely clear skies one minute and the next it's monsooning all over you. Although it doesn't usually last very long and is often a welcome change from the extreme heat.



The food here.... I wish I could bring it all home with me so everyone could experience it. I've eaten most of my meals from street vendors, and I'm not complaining because it's all so good. Everything is so fresh! The juice are made from the fruits that are sitting right there on the stands, you can watch them squeezing fresh pomegranate and guava into bottles for you. They grill pork and chicken right in front of you, and you eat it right off the stick. Most of it is quite spicy, a few times I've gotten a little too confident and ended up looking like I was crying as I ate something that was slowly burning my mouth off.



As for me, I absolutely love it here. There's something about being this far outside of your comfort zone that makes it feel like you can do anything. I can feel any shyness and fears about meeting people or trying crazy things just falling away. I ate a scorpion for God's sakes! I'm learning to live by the Thai saying "sa bai sa bai" meaning relax, chill out, it's okay. I know I've only been here a week, but I know that I made the right choice in coming here and I can't wait for everything else this country has in store for me.



I hope all is well in the states!



Rissa