Timaji in Thailand!!

In the jungle, the Mighty jungle...

2006-08-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so when I say we went trekking through the jungle, it was LITERALLY through the jUnGlE! It was sooooo amazing! I could have done it forever. It rained the whole first 2 days. We were up in the mountain hiking on trails less than a foot wide. Don't look to your left because you'll be reminded you're on a cliff and if you fall, you're going straight down! There were 14 in the group. A Belgian couple, 4 girls from Ireland who smoked at every chance they got, a brother and sister from Argentina who were probably my favorite, a Canadian chick, and a beautiful Frenchman, his father and his father's girlfriend. The first night we stayed in a village in a little hut. We made a fire to dry our clothes and shoes. The villagers cooked us dinner and breakfast. The second night we stayed in a little hut with only 3 walls. A deck and the view of the river made up the 4th wall. It was so cool! Then on the 3rd day we went white water rafting and rode elephants. Because of the rain the river was really high and rough, so we couldn't raft as much as we would have liked. When we came back to Chiang Mai yesterday we found out that the Mae Ping (the river that runs through the city) flooded into the streets!!! Crazy!
Then we stopped by Imperial Mae Ping to see my friend Mink's new nose. She got surgery in Bangkok and yesterday was her first day back. They all told me they were planning on coming to see me off at the airport on Friday. How cute!!!!
I must say I'm going to miss it here. I'll miss being able to get a bag of fresh fruit for 10 Baht (about $.14), the fresh food that is sooooooo good, the nice people, my friends, meeting new people, how relaxed life is, it's all been wonderful.
Today we have to watch Christina give her presentation that she's been working on this whole time, then we have to help her to tell what we have learned here in Chaing Mai that we will take with us back home. Then there is a wedding or something going on at the international center where we are, so we are going to that, then packing up and leaving for the airport tomorrow around 7! See ya'll Saturday at 10:08 am! Holllaaaaaa...

JAI-YEN

2006-07-25T01:36:00.000-07:00

This is one of the many words I have learned since I've been here. It means "cool heart." I thought I would just share it with you guys. I like it cause you can apply it to anything! It's helped a lot when I get frustrated with Tommy or when I want to kill the rooster that wakes me up every morning at 4:30 on the dot. Yeah, I said rooster. And I mean the thing lives right under my window. I can't wait to get a good nights sleep!
Anyways, I've put new pictures up. http://community.webshots.com/user/uktimaji It's the first album on the webshots webpage. There are pictures of rock climbing. It was soooo much fun! The mountain was called "Crazy Horse Buttress." They say it looks like a horse, but I didn't see it, so I didn't take a picture cause I wouldn't have been able to describe it for you! Haha. Anyways, we did 2 routes in the morning, then had lunch and did 3 in the afternoon. It wore me out! It was nice to have some exercise, and wake my muscles up! I forgot how much I loved rock climbing...makes me wanna take a trip to Yellowstone and do the hiking, climbing thing. Anyways, that was probably my favorite thing we have done so far. Nature, exercise, meeting new people (2 girls from Canada who had been working at an orphanage in India for 4 months and a couple who didn't really have a home...they were just travelling around).
Monday-Wednesday we are going trekking. It is a big thing to do in South and South-East Asia. Take a guide to the jungle for some white water rafting, elephant camp, roughing it in the jungle, hours of hiking, and more hill tribe villages.
Friday is my last day at Imperial Mae Ping. I'm gonna be so sad! I have become really close to the concierge staff and the bell boys. I don't like that my last week is at the reception counter with people I don't know. I call over to the concierge desk just to say hi (even though they are in clear view just across the lobby). Maybe I'll ask to work there on friday.
Oh, and I took the family out for a "thank you" dinner to their favorite restaurant. It was the result of a lot of arguing with Tommy, but I finally got my way...mostly! Anyways...I guess I'll see ya'll soon! until next time...

"Industrialized JuNgLe"

2006-07-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

Quick update, then I have a fun story. So this weekend, of course we went to Christina's, watched tv, went to the walking street Sunday. I went crazy shopping for gifts for everyone, so you better like them!

Soo...I love the concierge desk! Meeting people every day, hanging out with the bell boys and the other girls at the desk, learning Thai...it's great! Yesterday, the girls were talking about the General Manager. *background info* He is from Germany and has been with the hotel for a little over a year. He is super intimidating, but that's probably because everytime he comes around all the staff jumps. He doesn't speak to them, only says hello. He knows Thai...his wife is Thai. ANYWAYS back to the story. So the girls were talking about him and how he never shows any emotion, like he always has the same expression on his face. They asked me the word for it, and the only thing I could come up with was "stoic." I told them it meant that the person could have emotion inside, but not show it on the outside. So they kept repeating it. The reason they were talking about him is cause he just walked by. Well, little did we all know that he was standing around the corner...and we didn't realize this until after the "stoic" conversation had already taken place. So they all start freaking out, and I keep my cool because a) he's german, so he may not know what stoic means b) he may have not heard us or c) if he did hear us, I'm only here for 2 more weeks, I'm not getting paid so he can't fire me, and I guess I deserved it (even though I, technically, didn't say anything about him). So time passes and later that day, some guy from the office comes to tell me the GM wants to talk to me. SHIT! (excuse my french). So I'm thinking I'm in trouble (for something I didn't do!). I get to his office and sit down, and he's still intimidating. But he starts asking me if I'm okay, what my background is in hospitality (Italian restaurants, buddy!!), what I know about the Imperial group, etc. So I calm down a little, then he slips in that he heard us talking about stoic, but I covered it. He then proceeds to talk about how Thailand is an "industrialized jungle." I love it, because that's exactly how it is. It's not a 3rd world country (although some parts could definitely pass), but it's not quite a fully developed country, either. It's like there's concrete and cars in the middle of the jungle...seriously. But after our talk, I felt much better cause now I don't freak out when he walks by, like the rest of them do. And it was kinda cute cause he tried to give me some advice (he doesn't have kids) for the real world, and I had a chance to express my deepest gratitude to him for letting me work there on such short notice, and apoligize for the unorganizational aspects of the program (long story...email me if you wanna know). It was the first time I walked away from an authority figure having a conversation like that and being able to say that I said everything I wanted to say! Round of applause.

Anyways, there was no real point to my story, or the rest of this blog, BUT here's some new people I have met. I met this kinda egotistical guy who calls himself a New Yorker, but he's only been there 3 years. He went to Virginia Tech, but is from Tennessee...BLAH!! He was nice and gave me his number. Don't worry about it cause this morning, when the van came to pick him up to go trekking, he and his friend came down in full camo, with boots, hard hats with the flashlight on the front, and small knives in their belts. I felt better about having thrown his number away. Then I met this guy and his dad today. They checked in yesterday, and said hello, but today stopped and asked me where I was from. We started talking and this guy is from Pennsylvania and works in Dubai. His son is 26 (very cute!) and is getting ready to start his civil engineering job in Australia. I look forward to seeing them again tomorrow morning.

Anyways, I think Ang and I are going rock climbing on Saturday, so I'll get some pics of that and get an update later! See ya'll in 2.5 weeks! Lisa-I get home Saturday, August 5 at 10 am. PEACE!

"Cribs" Thailand style!

2006-07-13T02:04:00.000-07:00

So for my slang-challenged family, "Cribs" means place of residence. And there is a show on MTV called that which showcases houses of celebrities. ANYWAYS...This link is to my webshots. Click on "NEWEST THAILAND PICS" and I'm gonna narrate each picture. It is only of the house I'm living in...but I thought I would be your virtual tour guide! So keep this window open, and open the pictures in another one so you can read and look at the same time! http://community.webshots.com/user/uktimaji

1) This is Sam and Bunmi...their dogs. P.S. there is no grass on their property, so the dogs pee on the tile driveway...no big deal. At least these are in houses and not roaming the streets like the rest!

2)This is right when you walk into the front door. To the right is the fridge, ahead is the dining room/kitchen table, to the left is the sitting area. The doorway you see is to the kitchen.

3)That is the sitting area to the left. Right in front (behind the camera) is the television.

4)This is the fridge. The first door on the left is Tommy's room. The next one is mine and Jupjeng's room (that's her sitting there) and the white door is the bathroom. Around the corner is the door to the parents room.

5)This is the kitchen. They don't have an oven! No baking cookies, cakes, bread, etc...! WHAT?!?!

6) This is the equivalent of a back porch. It has a fence around it and is really narrow. It's where they hang ALL their laundry to dry, where they have their washer, dishwasher, stack all their plates and bowls and pots, and have another stove that is the primary one for cooking. One foot behind and on both sides of the house is a fence just like this of the other houses surrounding.

7) This is my room! (Mom, see the Hello Kitty pillow on the bed!) The black rack you see is where some clothes are. There's also a closet to the right, at the end of the bed. To the left are 2 desks.

8) This is on the door of mine, Jupjeng and Tommy's bathroom. I thought it was cute. And they don't say bathroom here...they say toilet, and that is it.

9) That's the bathroom. Notice where the toilet is...for the next few pictures.

10) That's their shower head.

11) look! The shower, toilet and sink are all in the same room!

12) This is looking from the corner where the rooms are into the living area.

13)This is Jupjeng and her mom. Aren't they cute! They have become my favorite in the family....I just wish they spoke better English!

Anyways, I hope this worked out how I planned! Enjoy!

Pirates, shin splints, etc.

2006-07-12T01:53:00.001-07:00

Soooo this weekend when I got off work we went to go see Pirates 2!! The movie theater is soooo nice! (P.S. it was only 120 baht...around $3!!!! for a Saturday night!) When you buy your ticket, they have a diagram of the theater and you pick where you want to sit...so like assigned seating! Then they played, basically, the national anthem before the flick, and everyone stood up while it played. OHHH...sidenote...at 8 and 6 every day they play this song for the king and everyone stops what they are doing out of respect until the song is finished. Then conversations and walking resumes! So cool to witness...especially at the walking street. Anways, the movie was aight...I liked it, but I think I liked the first one better, and now I HAVE to see the third because of how the second one ended. Then we got pretzels at the Auntie Anne's in the mall and went to Christina's at Maejo and watched one of the enlgish movies that was on that night. Sunday we went to the walking street...surprise!!!! Next week I think will be my second big spending week....I finnaly figured out what gifts I'm getting everyone. Hope you like 'em! Then I skipped work Monday (it's Buddhist lent here...good excuse), and when I got back to Tommy's we ordered pizza.
Yesterday at work I met this awesome guy who is American but he has lived in 65 different countries because of his job (he's been retired for 12 years) but his wife works for the U.S. embassy, so they move A LOT! They are right now in the middle of moving from Singapore (which I learned from a woman who is from there today that the first language there is English, it is very cosmopolitan, and it is an island in the Pacific Ocean). Anyways, this guy, they are moving from there to Jamaica...cause his wife is being moved. Duh...I got his business card and email address...free place to stay in Jamaica! SB '07! Then, we played with dried ice and oils from the spa counter...the afternoons are boring!
Today I met people from North Carolina. First southern accent I've heard in a long time...soo nice to hear!
Don't know whats up for this weekend. Hope everyone is getting their postcards I sent! See ya'll in like 3.5 weeks!

Pirates, shin splints, etc.

2006-07-12T01:53:00.000-07:00

Lemme clear something up...

2006-07-06T03:14:00.000-07:00

Aight...so the Gettysburg address thing was halfway a joke. I know it was by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. And I know it started with, "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth a new nation..." I'm SOMEWHAT educated!

And I feel obligated to change it because I made my uncle cry! WADE!! Mr. Hardcore motorcycle tough guy uncle Wade! Anyways...let me update

So Monday I was supposed to start my new job at Imperial Mae Ping. Long story short...I couldn't start until Wednesday. So what did I do? Of course! I read for 2 days! Hung out in the city...drank an iced mocha...and on the 4th Ang and I went to the 4th of July celebration at the U.S. Consulate. It was great fun to be around Americans, but there was this annoying lady with a baby strapped to her who was somewhat in charge...she was raising her voice and being all controlling...I forget how much I DON'T miss THOSE kind of Americans.

Anyways...yesterday I started working. I hung out with the operators all day. I thought to myself, "Is this what I'm going to be doing for the next 3.5 weeks?!?!? It can't be!" But then I came to work today. I worked at the concierge desk and I LOVED IT! I got to meet people all day who spoke English! Of course I couldn't answer very many of their questions, but listen to who I met...I met this man who is travelling around the world in his sailboat with his wife. They are originally from Atlanta and their boat is in Phuket right now because they are meeting thier daughter and son-in-law here for a few days. THEN I met this guy whose cousin is some big shot with the city of none other than LEXINGTON, KY! He couldn't remember her married name though cause she just got married. THEN I met this handbag designer from New Zealand who travels all around southeast Asia buying fabrics and managing his factories that make his hand bags and he sells them everywhere...and in Chicago! How cool! He was there doing business, I don't exactly know what, but we talked for a while. He was super cool. THEN I met another woman from New Zealand who I had to help do her email at the internet lobby of the hotel. I swear she had never been on a computer before...she's 60! Carol was super nice and she is going trekking for 4 days tomorrow.

I know you all don't care about all these other people, but this is what I was so excited to do! My boss chick told me I'd be at the concierge desk for a week...WOOHOO!! The only bad part is you have to stand for 8.5 hours, and I have these heels on! I need a massage!

This weekend we are going to go see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. FUN!

Gooooood Blesssss Aaaaaameeeeericaaaaaa...

2006-07-03T06:48:00.000-07:00

I've got Whitney Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" on repeat, beating against my ear drums. If it weren't for me being around other people, I would be singing along at the top of my lungs. It is the eve of one of my favorite holidays of the year...the celebration of our nation's birthday. I'm so depressed I'm not there to join in the festivities. I'm going to miss hearing Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" every 5 minutes, cooking out, Adam's spectacular fireworks show.
As I sit down to try to collect my thoughts, I wish I had an Adderol on me to try to hone the bits and pieces running through my mind that I want to spit out, but can't seem to organize into a comprehensible essay of my feelings about our great nation. I wish so badly I could write the best literary piece you've ever read, because in my mind it sounds as poetic as the Gettysburg Address. Who am I kidding...I don't even know what the Gettysburg Address was about. Yet I know I have fallen in love with my country as I'm half a world away from it.
I guess it's true what they say...absence makes the heart grow fonder. You don't know what you have until it's gone...blah blah blah. But it is true. As wonderful as my experince here in Thailand has been, it has been such a blessing in reassuring my patriotism.
I've always been passionate about what I believe in, or what I'm a part of. Basketball teams, Kappa, dance, etc. Being in America all your life, you forget your passion for the place that has given you the freedom to experience all of those things. I now realize that I have more team spirit for America than I have had for any other thing I have been a part of in my life. Yes, we make mistakes...politically. But I have spent some time here defending Americans, explaining that they are different than *political America* that the rest of the world assumes goes together. While that should naturally be the case, I inform people that most of America doesn't like the way our political system works, and while we are greatful for the freedoms and culture that we have developed, we are disappointed in the way certain people run our country.
But that's not what's on my mind...it just came out. I just wanted to say that I love our freedoms to do anything.
It is proufoundly humbling to look at the history of our young country and think of the obstacles we have overcome in comparison to other countries. We are a mere 240 years old. And while we lack the importance of tradition in most countries around the world, it has become a blessing as well. Without that tradition, we have quickly be able to clear hurdles of feminine, religious, and minority rights. And while we still have problems with each, and with new controversies everyday, think of how far we have come juggling all in just 240 years. There are countries 4 times as old as we are where people have to practice their unpopular religion secretly, for fear of being harmed. Countries where women still can't get an education, vote, own property, or get a divorce. Look at things we can't decide on...abortion, gay marriage, stem-cell research. And why can't we decide? Because everyone has a different opinion and has the FREEDOM to voice it! Other places, some old guy would just make a decision and everyone would follow because that's how it had been done for 500 years and everyone would swallow their opinions because it would be tyranny if they disagreed with the king!
I love that in our country, you can look into the eyes of anyone, and know that their ancestors came from the same place yours did. Everyone's family tree started out in somewhere besides America. Yet, we all know we are here for the same reason...opportunity, promise, freedom.
Everyone came here to exercise the opporunity of making a better life for themselves than they had in their own country. Everyone was attracted to the promise of the American Dream. And every single sole that migrated here, and is still migrating here, wanted the freedom of choice, voice, and opportunity. To know that we give that to people from all over the world on a daily basis is somewhat remarkable, don't you think? We even provide it to our own...whose roots have been buried here for generations. The American Dream of making it is open to anyone. We feed off of it here...it's like a religion; rags to riches kind of thing that doesn't exist very often in other corners of the world.
I just love that I, for instance, have a down-home southern family that cooks every casserole possible, big-ass rolls, has whiskey at every family function, and says things like "Lord," "golly," and "ya'll.". And on the other side, there is the American Dream my father lived coming from a foreign country and making something of himself. This story is everywhere in America (but not everyone is lucky enough to have a foreigner AND be southern...unfortunately some must be midwestern or...gulp...northern!) Just kidding, I'm gonna live in NYC someday.
I mean, this weekend for instance, I met a girl who told me I "looked like a Spanish girl." When I informed her of my American mother and Iranian father, she looked surprised yet delighted and replied, "Oh! You're mixed breed!" I wanted to laugh so hard, but held it in because I knew what she meant, and she didn't know she had basically compared me to a dog!
But then I thought about it...aren't we all mixed breeds? I just love that about America. I love that new cultures don't scare us, they intrigue us. That instead of people being afraid to speak their mind, wear the clothes they want to wear, listen to their own music, make their own movies, love and date who they want, and practice their own religion people are PROUD to display these things. We don't know it, but we all have this innate sense of pride in who we are as Americans...we just have to find it.
I have found mine, and I'm so glad I did. It's like I found a new religion or something. I just love our way of life, our luxury, and our way of expecting perfection...striving for it. That ambition is what drives our country to be great and to grow everyday. And, although, sometimes we have an individualistic sense of patriotism, we all are believing in the same foundations this country was built on at the end of the day. We may not go down high-fiving everyone in the street we see and say, "Way to be an American!" But, don't we all kinda feel that way?
I admire our diversity, revel in our youth, yet am proud of our progress in just 240 years. Being American is something you are privilaged to be born with. To have the guarantee of opportunity and prosperity at your fingertips is something you should feel obligated to exploit. Vote, speak your mind, travel, learn about other people, and in turn you will grow into your pride of being American. It's a great thing I have had the chance to do at a young age, and something everyone should discover about themselves.

AIGHT- I spoke my piece...cheesy as it was, but oh well! Anyways, hope everyone has a great FOURTH OF JULY! Set off some fireworks in my name, eat a cheeseburger for me (one of the few times a year I actually eat a burger!), have a bowl of homemade ice cream, belt out "God Bless America," and thank God that you're American...a part of the greatest country in the world!

P.S. I got new pics up...finally! http://community.webshots.com/user/uktimaji Click the album titled, "New Thailand Pics!" and "shoebox" something on the second page of albums.

"You can't just sit around your whole life!"

2006-06-29T04:03:00.000-07:00

So there I'm sitting in an oxcart with a family I had met at the elephant camp from California. Earlier in the conversation the husband had informed me that they were travelling around for 1.5 years...yes, that is correct. 7 months in Australia, a month or so in Asia, some time in northern Africa, Europe. Their 6 year old casually told me they were going to go to Turkey, but some bombs were going off there, so they didn't go. Oh, really?!?! I told them I thought that was amazing that they were taking time to do that with their young daugher, and she told me, "Well, you can't just sit around your whole life!" Words of the wise from a child who should be having waterballoon fights, rotting her teeth with popsicles from the ice cream truck, and having sleepovers on Wednesdays.
That sounded somewhat literary...don't you think!? I believe it comes from all the reading. Anyways, UPDATE TIME! Monday, I went to the elephant camp with the owner of the company. He also is such an entrepreneur...owner of 13 companies (crocodile farm in China, handcraft company, tour company, elephant camp, etc.). Imagine the money he could make in America! The first REAL businessman I have met thus far...or at least one who has the ambition I'm used to seeing in business settings. Anyways, we watched the elephant show (complete with a little slam-dunk competition and sudden death soccer shootout!). Then we took a bamboo raft down some river, then an oxcart back to the camp. The next day I went back with him, but I got to ride the elephant! Very cool. That's where I met the family from Cali...they let me share their oxcart cause I was by myself. The NEXT day (Wednesday) I went to the tallest point in Thailand. It was really cloudy, so they view wasn't much to enjoy, but we made a lot of stops along the way. A hilltribe village (meaning 40-50 people who live and work in bamboo houses in the mountains...the kind of stuff you read about but don't believe until you see), saw a few waterfalls (I fell super hard on the bridge at the bottom of the waterfall...major bruise forming as we speak...I'll take a pic!).
On the tour was a family from France (you would have loved them, Adam!), a couple from Singapore, and a family from Oman (Arab country that hugs the eastern border of Saudi Arabia). It was cool to hear everyone get to know each other because they all spoke english...kinda humbling because here I was, the real english speaking person, and all these people from every corner of the world were speaking MY language. Makes me feel stupid for not being able to have a conversation in any other language than english.
Tommy informed me that the children in a lot of families in Thailand sleep in the bed with their parents until they are about 12. WHAT!?!?!?! I still can't wrap my head around it. I don't know that I fully believe it, so Ang is going to ask some of her teachers to see if this is really true. He said Juhp Jeng, the 12 year old in the house, only got her own room about 2 months ago. Mind boggling!
Tomorrow is my big speech about Kentucky tourism..."living and working in America." Learned some cool stuff about my state. This weekend we are getting a hotel in the city ($27 a night) and laying out at the pool on Saturday, going to a nice restaurant for dinner, then doing the walking street again Sunday. I love that place!
Keep me updated on life in the U.S...p.s. thanks mom, for the magazines! LIFE SAVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing exciting

2006-06-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

So I realized it has been a week since I last wrote! Sorry, yo! I haven't really done much. I finished "Memoirs of a Geisha" and also finished "Nanny Diaries." It was hysterical. Any of you who babysit rich people need to read that book. Anyways, I was at Green Lake for my last 2 days on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday I had the day off because I was supposed to go meet the manager of this tourism company, but he pushed it to Monday, so I had the day off. I met Ang at her school (since she is done by 1 every day!) and we walked around for a good 5 hours. We walked the whole city. There is a moat in a square around the old city, and it's really cool, then the rest of the city is sprawled out from that. We found some tour companies that did trekking. You go to an elephant camp, bamboo rafting, camping, an orchid farm, all this cool stuff for only like $30 for 3 days! So we compared prices at some companies, and then found another that did 1 day rock climbing in the mountains, or RAPPELLING DOWN A WATERFALL!!! I want to do it sooooo bad!
Saturday we all met up and took a riverboat cruise down the Mae Ping River, then stopped at this herb garden and they served us fresh pineapple and watermelon (delicious!). Then we cruised back, walked around some more, then went to Maejo for our traditional pizza and beer Saturday nights at the international center there where Christina is staying. At 8 and 10 they play English movies (we watched "Undisputed" and "Pearl Harbor").
Today, we slept in and went out for lunch, bought some amazing fruit that I've never seen or heard of in the USA, then chilled, then went to the walking street again. I think we will go every sunday. It is so much fun! Its just a huge market, but it's divided between art, clothes, silk, handmade stuff, food, etc. You just walk and walk through all these streets and there are so many tourists...hot European guys!!!!
We joked that we get so excited to see people who look like us because we have been living and communicating only with Thai people for 2 weeks, but these tourists don't care at all to see us...it's still fun though!
Tomorrow I am starting my week with the tourism company. I think the first 2 days I am going to the elephant camps, then Wednesday and Thursday I'm going to a cooking class, then Friday hanging out at the company office. THEN...Tommy said I am the guest speaker for 100 students at Maejo about living and working in the United States. I have to prepare a 25 minute speech about that, and tourism in Kentucky...I tried to explain that if it doesn't involve horses, then tourism doesn't exist in Kentucky, but he didn't really comprehend. My first guest speaking appearance...yowza!
I have my own love-dislike relationship with him. I feel very uncomforable with them driving me to my new hotel next week and home because it is 30 minutes to get there from their house...that is a lot to ask considering gas is as expensive here as it is at home, yet they make a lot less than we do on average. But they are so hospitable and kind, that I feel bad, so I just smile and nod (we do that a lot here!).
I have found that I like just walking around the city and getting lost. They have SO MUCH COFFEE here! Little shops are everywhere...you wouldn't believe it. I'm starting to like mochas and lattes...I'm turning into *one of them* I have started to like reading too...WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME!? Anyways, I'm very relaxed here...which I love! I can't wait to see what tomorrow and the next few weeks bring.
Star looking forward to my 4th of July post. I've started drafting it because I'm heartbroken that I won't be in the U.S. to celebrate, so I have a lot to say about our great U.S. of A!!!!
I tried to put pics up tonight, but Tommy's computer wasn't cooperating, so I'll try soon...maybe after this week cause I think I'll have a lot of pics!!!
Holla back...miss everyone sooooooo much!

quick notes

2006-06-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

so i met the human resources manager of the new hotel im working at! it is a really big hotel and it is in the city, so it will be busy. the website to it is www.imperialmaeping.com check it out! i think it is going to be a lot better than the green lake. at first i thought they were going to provide me with accommodation, and i got really excited to have my own room and be in the city, but then the took it back. indian givers! also, i have been asked if there are any americans. there are some, some europeans, some australians. its nice to see someone who looks like you...not asian (no offense). but im just hanging out today and this week. i dont start working at the new hotel until july 3, so we are hoping i can work at a tourist company and go around with a tour guide. thats just a quick update, ill get pics on here soon. peace!

Birthday Blog

2006-06-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

So, I'm celebrating my birthday 35 hours long. I started at midnight Thailand time ( 1 pm Kentucky time Saturday). I wish I had all my friends and family here to celebrate too...but let's be honest that it was pretty cool! We have been staying at Maejo this weekend just so the 3 of us could be together and hang out. Saturday morning Tommy took me to Payap to meet Ang, then Christina and her professor picked us up and we went to an organic market. Kinda interesting. All the markets are running together...like grocery stores, these markets are where they buy their food. It's like going to the farmer's market every day for you dinner. Then we went to the zoo!!!!! Not that impressed, but it was on this huge hill, and we walked a lot, so it was good to exercise and sweat! I saw tigers and monkeys...it was awesome!!!!! There were giraffes there too (yuck!...mom and dad know why!). Then we went to lunch and had this meal, of course I don't know what it was, but the professor said that is one thing we have to do if you visit Chiang Mai is eat this dish...that and go to Doi Suthep (which is the amazing temple in the mountains we went to last weekend). So now I have good luck! After that we came to Maejo and hung out all afternoon. Went to the 7-11 to have something to do because the university isn't really close to a lot, and not really accessable (I've lost the ability to spell) to the busses or taxis from town...but 7-11 WOOHOO!! Then we came back and ordered pizza! It was soooo good...and we had Thai beer. I felt totally American. We watched 2 movies, and at midnight it was my 21st bday! Ang gave me this cool card she made that said happy birthday in Thai. How thoughtful!
This morning, Christina's professor picked us up and we went to the orientation of the economics freshmen. Kinda boring cause it was like sitting in class but it was in Thai...all the students were falling asleep (we are all the same, you see!) and it made me feel better that I sleep in class. Then we did this blessing thing, where you tie these bracelets around your friend's wrist, they are the equivalent of friendship bracelets I guess. We had lunch, then Christina stayed at the school, and her professor drove me and Ang down to her university. We walked around a bit, then her friends from her nursing school took us to the "walking street." Yet another marketplace, but it was HUGE! A lot of tourists, and some crafts and food I hadnt seen before. Ang has a lot of cool girls our age that their dean assigned them to take care of her, so they are really helpful. Afterwards I took a taxi back to Maejo, and Christina and I hung out.
Very low key birthday but what an amazing place to have it....and I already had a great one with the fam, and I'm saving up for the big Sha-BANG when I get back! TWO KEYS with the girls!!!Gotta go to bed...long week ahead!

Happy father's day to all those dads reading, too!!!!

EnLiGtEnMeNt....Marinate on it...

2006-06-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, first of all this blog is going to jump around a little bit because I have ADD and I havent written all my thoughts down, so it's just gonna be word vomit. My job is boring...BUT, on the positive side, I read a whole book today....5 people you meet in Heaven. I really liked it! I think I'm going to go to the bookstore and get another...this reading thing is pretty good. Usually I don't read for fun, but surfing the net gets old after a while. Tommy said he is going to find me a new hotel quicker than we expected because he knows I'm bored. But, I also have noticed a lot of things while lounging around at the Green Lake Resort. People here socialize similar to the USA. Girls read magazines, horoscopes, take those quizzes together. They eat at work, are bored at work, go out at night (I went last with them...details later). They talk about boys and flirt and gossip. Once I noticed that I noticed that a lot of life here is similar as in the USA, and probably around most of the world. The only differences are language and location. It was great after I realized it because I didn't feel as alone at work. Even though I don't speak Thai, I could relate to how the girls at the front desk were communicating...and when they were reading magazines aloud to each other and stuff. OHHHH I met the Thai Lauren Fister (for those of you who know who she is). She is really pretty and plays with her hair all day. You can tell when she talks the other girls feed off of her (not neccessarily a good thing--no offense Ltrain!). She talks a lot and loves boys. It was funny to notice...now I think of Lauren all day cause I've been hanging out with these front desk girls the past 2 days.
Okay- so I was told to go to the front desk and learn their job yesterday (Thursday). Well what is there to learn? When guests check in, you assign them a room and answer any questions. But there are no guests! hahaha...so we hung out all day. We had lunch at the canteen with the food and beverage guys (there's this really cute one, but he's short...maybe I'll pull a Chauncey Boggs and bring home a foreigner...sike!) and the houskeeping chicks, then went back upstairs. 2 hours later the 2nd shift chick came in and brought sliced mango and this dip stuff (we would be eating chips and salsa in america). They were talking about me, I could tell because they call me Alice (Yikes!!!), and then they started speaking english and asking me if I wanted to go out with them to this restaurant/"pub" that night because they do it once a month. I told them I wanted to, but I didn't want to offend the family I was staying with. So they talked to Tommy when he came to pick me up and they worked it out. They picked me up at 9 and we went out. We got to the bar and this live Thai band (really good, by the way!) was playing MAMBO #5!!!!!! It was AwEsOmE!!! We ordered french fries for our appetizer, and drank and hung out all night. They have this scotch whiskey that is kinda sweet, but not very strong. After that, I went with one of the girls to her house so I could just go to the hotel with her in the morning. It was so much fun! Nice to get out of the house. They were very cool too...and so welcoming. That is how everyone is here.
Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm meeting Ang at her place at 7:30 and then Christina and her professor dude are picking us up and we are doing something, I don't remember what though. I really want to go to this nice restaurant on Sunday for my birthday to eat with Ang and Christina. It's by the Ping River and a lot of foreigners go there, then at 11 it turns into a bar and they play english music....TECHNO I hope! I'll request "Call On Me" and remember the wonderful 20th birthday I had last year...Shout out to CUUUUUZZZZZ!!!
Sidenote-sorry I spelled "gnats" wrong earlier...people are talking about it. I have lost my ability to verbally communicate because you have to talk slowly and simplify your vocabulary and repeat everything you say and they say here so people understand you. So I pause a lot and stare off into space trying to find an easier, more elementary way of speaking...it's kinda funny actually.
But enough rambling-I need some emails from you guys! Little brother, how is life? You didn't say much on the phone the other day, cause Daniel was over, but hit me up on the email! Mom and company-thanks for sending the package...I'm looking forward to it! Pat-way to go on the blog...I'm glad Creech finally figured out how to post a comment. Maybe she could figure out how to email me? Anne and Nicole-everyone thinks we are lesbians because you are speaking in that "sweet lover" language. I appreciate it because it makes me miss you guys...but it is funny to know that people are reading it who don't know you and think some weird chick is calling me "sweet lover" and telling me to "stay hott." I don't really know who else is reading my blog, but post some comments guys! Stay cool in humid Kentucky, and add 15 degrees onto whatever it is there, and you'll be walking in my shoes for a day! Peace out...until next time! And I'll get some pics of the family and this humble abode I'm residing in and the work friends...I'm sure those are better than reading 10 pages of me rambling) HOLLA BACK!!

2006-06-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

So, if any of you miss me to the point that you need to hear this lovely voice (I know there's so many of you out there...haha) here's what you do. Go buy an international calling card and hit up this number...0116678340258. 66 is the country code for Thailand. Remember I am 11 hours ahead of you. If you wanna send something via snail mail (through the post office) here is what you do...I think!

Allison Timaji
99/152 Moo 5
Sansai-noi, Sansai
Chiang Mai, Thailand 50210

Give it 3 weeks to get here. So you got 3 weeks to get something in the mail to me! Aight...to the good stuff. Uncle took me to work yesterday and I know he isn't comforable with the silence in the car created by the language barrier. I'm trying to learn Thai, but it isn't going well. Things I don't like about Thailand...1) my hair is frizzy ALL THE TIME, no matter how much Frizz Ease I put in it. 2) the bugs are everywhere, little bitty ants, flys, gnats...it sucks, but is so natural and a part of life for them here...get some cintronella, for real! 3) it's so hot, you are always sweating, and going from outside heat to inside AC, so you feel itchy after the sweat dries. I don't like feeling gross all the time. 4) no variety in food. thai morning, noon and night. no mexican, italian, american, chinese/thai/japanese. I miss a variety. okay, I'm done bitchin'. How can I in this gorgeous country! I helped serve lunch in the "indoor, open air" restaurant at the hotel. That means outdoors with a roof. Then I went to do sales stuff with the 23 year old chick, "Tom." She informed me she is looking for another job. I noticed she is very timid when going on sales things. When I went with Jamie at WKYT and would watch her, or at Twocan with Emily, Pam, and Melissa they were so confident, upfront, and smart when doing business. I didn't know how to tell her to be stronger about selling her hotel...oh well. Tommy picked me up and we went to the mall to have dinner and I bought new dress shoes for work because I can't walk in these...my feet are KILLING ME! We also met one of his gay friends (I think) who is a designer and has a shop in the mall. They are funny together, and we talked about going out for our birthdays. He said I looked like J.Lo...I don't, but he is my new favorite person for saying that. Tommy and I sang Whitney Huston on the way home and talked about how much we love Julia Roberts, Love Actually, and any rom-com (romantic comedy). His favorite movies are Billy Elliot and I am Sam. This is the Thai Jack McFarland!!! Although he knows nothing about women's shoes...one flaw doesn't hurt. ANYWAYS...I'm so freakin' tired all the time! I told him I am used to taking my power naps in the afternoon and he laughed at me! By 8 I'm ready to hit the sack...that might be because I don't have anywhere to workout either (driving me crazy). Also, we stopped to get gas...everywhere in Thailand the people at the station pump your gas for you! CRAZY! People here are so nice, want to learn, excited to meet Americans and practice their english, etc. I love learning new little things everyday about regular life, and trying to learn words...newest one is saleem which is a thai dessert with these gummy things, coconut milk, syrup (all room temp) with ice on top. SOOO GOOD! you can substitute the gummy things for cantaloupe (spelling?) I'm not going to do these everyday anymore...I'm getting sick of hearing myself talk, as are you all. Type at ya later!

sleeping with strangers...eeeek!

2006-06-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

Don't get scurrred...it is a literal translation. The hotel I'm working at couldn't, for some reason, provide me with a place to stay, so I'm staying with this AMAZING professor at his house with his aunt and uncle and cousin. Me and this beautiful 12 year old get to spoon in her Hello Kitty bed for the next 6 weeks. (We don't really spoon...just an expression) Anyways, yesterday we all got split up and taken to our jobs. We met the president of the university and he gave us some nice gifts (awesome golf umbrella and a limited edition coffee mug designed by the princess). Then I met the pres and VP of the college of tourism and we all went to my hotel. BREATHTAKING! Probably because I had no idea what to expect, so to walk into this was a dream, fo real! www.greenlakechiangmai.com. Check it out! We had lunch with the Sales and PR executive and manager, and the general manager of the hotel. The Sales exec. reminds me so much of Pam Leet...so cute, respected, wise, busy. They still don't know what to do with me here...English might be a problem for her, but this other chick in the office..."Tom" (they all have nicknames here...mine is 'oui" which means sweet, or sugar...They know me so well! ha) is only 23 and she likes to play bAsKeTbAlL!!! Her boyfriend does too...i didnt know it was such a big deal here! She's pretty good at english. Anyway, Tommy, the prof. I'm staying with, picked me up and we went HOME! The house is a little small for 5 people (only 3 bedrooms) but so welcoming and perfect to learn real Thai culture! I helped the mom cook dinner, and we watched the "Royal Barge Procession" that only occurs like every 10 years. Very cool.
Tommy is amazing. Such a blessing. He is 25 and working on his masters in toursim, then going to get his phd, hopefully in the united states. He is gay, and his family doesn't know. He told me, and I could tell he was just so excited to have someone to talk to about it. He is the pride of the family, so they can't know about it. He worked at the Savoy hotel in London for 2 years...that's like the most amazing hotel! Anyway, he wants to take us out...and Ang is only 5 minutes away, and Tommy's birthday is the day after mine....sounds like a celebration!
Anyways, we talked about everything from politics (which i dont like), to what he thinks of Americans, to September 11, it was awesome to get a different perspective. Then we went next door to meet the neighbors. The woman is the dean of tourism at the university Ang is staying at. The husband is a chef at another great hotel in Chaing Mai and invited me to come check it out for a day. He is swedish, speaks German, English, and Thai. And they are teaching their daughter all languages as well. AWESOME!
We had dinner, and the uncle came home from work. They are so wonderful, dont speak any english, but are so worried about my comfort and being a part of the family. All throughout the house is this beautiful tile flooring...I can't get over it.
The uncle took me to work today. I learned how to say goodbye and thankyou. "swat dee kah" and i forget the other...anyways, they are at a meeting right now, then i dont know what im going to do until 6 when tommy picks me up.
I will say I wish I brought my tempur pedic pillow because their beds are hard as rocks...I can't wait to climb up on that pillowtop mattress!! I think we are going to go to the zoo this weekend...p.s. I'm 21 on Sunday!!! until next time...hollaaaa!!!!!

First Thailand pics!

2006-06-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

http://community.webshots.com/user/uktimaji new pictures are up! It's the first album listed!

FISH and NATURE...dad would be proud

2006-06-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday June 10-

Today we ate breakfast at the student place to eat breakfast..started off normal with eggs, toast, coffee or ovaltine, then they brought us rice with veggies and pork or chicken...I didn't eat it. Then Dr. Yongyooth picked us up and took us to this marketplace where we bought some gifts and walked around a little bit. Then we went to a place where there are hot springs...like a mini gyser (sp?). The water was so hot! They had man made creeks where you could put your feet in the hot water...very relaxing! There were gardens everywhere...we sat and enjoyed the outside with a $.25 ice cream cone. To get to these places we drove through the country. There are gorgeous mountains everywhere! I want to hike up them! There are little villages everywhere...reminds me of Spears on your way to camp (for those of you who know what I'm talking about). Then we went to another market place where they have a street with a ton of handmade items (a lot of your all's gifts came from there!) I felt like I spent $100, but it was only $35 total! Then we went to a place where you can watch them handmake those pretty umbrellas. It was awesome! They dip the cloth in dye, hand carve the handle, etc. They kept wanting to paint our skirts and purses. I spent more money at the gift shop...yikes! Then we went to a "walmart" but it is called something in Thai. We had McDonalds fries, just to say we did it in Thailand...the McDonalds was in Walmart, along with a Home Depot, KFC, and a bunch of other little shops. We bought 12 Nestle bottled waters for $1.10! Detergent for $1!!! Everything is sooooo cheap here, I can't get over it. And they have so many American brands of foods, hygiene products, etc. Crazy! Everyone drives on mopeds here, and they drive on the left side. Lines on the street are more like guidelines...it reminds me of Mexico. And, on the dashboards of their cars is english, not Thai...I thought that was interesting. For dinner we went to the professors favorite restaurant. I ATE FISH!! It was really good! I was proud of myself. Of course we also ate rice and spicy soup and fruit at the end. I can't get over how amazing the fruits are! I'm gonna smuggle some home!!!!! It is really humid all the time here and there are bugs everywhere, like little flys and nats. We are trying to plan for what we are going to do the last 2 weeks or so, but travelling to the beach and Bankok is a little more expensive than we expected, hopefully it will work out though...I really wanna go to the beach!!!! Anyway, sorry this is so long. I'll try to get my pictures up here soon! Take care friends! Miss you guys so much!!

Safe and Sound

2006-06-09T01:41:00.000-07:00

So we made it! I still haven't had a night's sleep. It is 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday here, while it is 4:30 in the morning Friday in Kentucky. The flight was so long, but it is great to finally be here! It is really hot, but the landscape is gorgeous. Our rooms at the university are clean, and school starts here for the students on Monday, so we will get to meet all of them. When we got here, our professor picked us up at the airport and took us to a buffet lunch in town at a 5 star hotel...the meal was only $4 a person! And there was live music with a woman singing and a man playing the keyboard...it was kinda weird. Anyway, some students and faculty are taking us out to dinner tonight, and tomorrow we are getting acquainted with everything. Monday we start working, so we will see how that goes! I'm gonna go get some sleep! Until next time...

I'm leavin' on a jet plane...be back in August!!

2006-06-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

So I'm supposed to be studying for my final right now, but knowing that I leave tomorrow is keeping me from focusing. Anyway, I don't know when I'll get to a computer over there...and if I do, will it be english?!?!?! Just wanted to say how excited I am to be going, I still haven't packed and I leave in t-minus 33 hours...no big deal! Thanks to everyone for the well wishes! Talk to you all soon...kinda!

Pictures!!

2006-05-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

go to http://community.webshots.com/user/uktimaji to see my pictures!

Timaji in Thailand!!

*In the jungle, the Mighty jungle...*

JAI-YEN

"Industrialized JuNgLe"

"Cribs" Thailand style!

Pirates, shin splints, etc.

Pirates, shin splints, etc.

Lemme clear something up...

Gooooood Blesssss Aaaaaameeeeericaaaaaa...

"You can't just sit around your whole life!"

Nothing exciting

quick notes

Birthday Blog

EnLiGtEnMeNt....Marinate on it...

sleeping with strangers...eeeek!

First Thailand pics!

FISH and NATURE...dad would be proud

Safe and Sound

I'm leavin' on a jet plane...be back in August!!

Pictures!!

In the jungle, the Mighty jungle...