Bashayer and Christmas

Sorry for the long time between posts. At first I had nothing to write about, then when I got something I was so busy that I didn't get the chance. 3 weeks ago was exams and also a horrible week for me. I am not going to go into detail but it was a rough week. Then on the 20th Bashayer came to stay with me. I picked her up in Bangkok at 7:30 AM and then we went to some street markets for breakfast and to look around. My host mom left us in Siam, the large mall center in Bangkok, so we went to the international market and to a movie. We got to see the first half of Whip It before realizing that if we didn't leave we were going to be late for the van, we had to get home before 6. We ended up being late anyway but at least we tried to get there on time. That night we went for a walk on the beach and we talked about a lot of stuff. It was nice to have someone I could talk to and share all my problems with and who would understand. We ended up going in earlier than we wanted because we were being eaten alive by mosquitos.

Monday we had school and so she got to meet all my friends. It was a little weird for me all the attentiont they gave her, but it was alright. She immediately liked Sai and she liked my other friends too. School is school so we didn't have loads of fun, but I think she liked it.

Tuesday we had English with this one teacher who doesn't know anything, but she is really nice. In the afternoon we have 6th and 7th period free because boys have military training so the teacher took us to the palace of Rama V. After school went went the the big palace in Petchaburi and then ran errands with my host mom. After we got home we helped to cook and then spent the night together having fun and talking.

Wednesday nothing special happened. After school we went gift shopping because I had to Preaw a gift since I drew her name and I still had to get Bashayer's gift so went to this one shop and I made a cool key chain for Preawa nd then Bashayer and I decided to make eachother bracelets. It was a lot of fun, but took a long time and so we couldn't go out for dinner like they wanted.

Thursday was Christmas Eve and the next day we were planning on baking so my host mom dropped us off at Big C to buy some things we still needed. After we got home we prepared everything for the next day and then helped cook. After dinner I opened a few presents. I opened the things from Macy, which were amazing thank you! and the pacakge from Germany, love the shirt and already started the jam thank you! I also opened Rummikub from Mom and Dad and taught Bashayer. I also traded gifts with my friends and got a pretty picture frame from Kaw. It was a fun day.

Friday was Christmas and so I was full of energy. I went to assembly and it was cool. The Chinese, English, and French students did some little pieces for Christmas. After assembly we went to class and I gave my friends their stockings, they were so excited it was really cute. After lunch Bashayer and I went to the bakery to cook, we asked if we could use the oven and they said we could so we were excited. We made brownies, pimpkin pie, and cookies. The brownies turned out well and we gave them to the teachers who all said they were good. The pumpkin pie was good, in our opinion, my host family didn't like it much. The cookies didn't turn out so well, they got over done. After school then we went to the market and bought the last several things for the dinner we were making. We then went home and cooked. We made pork burgers, mashed potatoes, corn, baked beans, and canned peaches. It was fun to cook with Bashayer and to teach her how to bake and cook, she doesn't do any of that in New York so it was all new for her. After dinner I brought down all the christmas stuff and we opened presents while I video chatted with home. It was fun. After that we stayed up late and talked and had fun.

Saturday Bashayer and I took the tuk tuk thing to Petchaburi and climbed the mountain. It was a lot of work, which was good because we ate way too much the day before. I got sunburned, but for the first time ever it turned tan after it went away. On the mountain we saw a lot of foreigners, the most I've ever seen in Petchaburi before. I also lost two bottles of water to the monkeys. After the mountain Bashayer dropped her camera and broke the screen so she wasn't in a good mood after that. We also got lost looking for the school. We had to stop and ask the police directions to the school, which after getting them made me feel stupid because I knew exactly where to go. We then went and waited at the school for Peach to pick us up, she was going to her grandparents which is five minutes from my house so she offered to give us a ride to the house. After we got home we goofed around the rest of the night and just had fun.

We didnt go to bed till 1 and we got up at 3 to go to Bangkok. My host dad had to go to school on Sunday so we went to Bangkok too. We got there at 6:30 and had nothing to do so we went and ate at Dunkin' Donuts and then went and sat in front of Siam. We both started to fall asleep there so we decided to go to Bon Au Pain and get some more food. I got an amazing Peacan Roll and she got a chocolate croisant. We sat on the upper floor on the couch like bench. After we finished eating we decided to sleep until 10 when the mall opened, so we slept in the restaurant for 2 hours or more. We left when this one lady kept staring at us. We then went to the mall and checked out what movies were playing and when. Paragon didn't have New Moon so we walked to Central World. New Moon was to play at 1:50 so we decided to go to Sherlock Holmes and eat before seeing it. The movie was really good and then we went to eat at this steak place. It had really good food. Then we went and saw New Moon, which was amazing!!! Then we went and tried to get Bashayer's camera fixed but the people who fix the cameras were on vacation till after New Year so we left. We took the van back home and arrived at the same time as my host dad so that was convenient.

On Monday we didn't do much of anything. We goofed around and stayed up late talking and spending the last of our time together. Tuesday we left school at 12:30 after changing and headed for Bangkok. We arrived in time to get some ice cream from Swenson's and to get Bashayer some dinner (she had to carry on because she wasn't going to get any anywhere else). We underestimated the amount of time to get there and ended up being 20 minutes late and missing her bus. They were able to squeeze her on the bus an hour after her original time, but she wanted to come back with us and stay for New Year. We had it all worked out with everyone but Gayoon and so her host sister called Gayoon to try to convince her to let Bashayer stay, but Gayoon said no so she had to go. She arrived this morning at 7:30 after a 14 hour bus ride. She said that when she got off the bus she was shivering because it is cold in her Province, meaning in the 60's!

Well I'll do an other post soon about today and the New Year but right now I'm tired and I have to get up early tomorrow to go with them to temple to give food to the monks for New Year.

So till 2010! Happy New Year!

Lots of Love,
Allyson

P.S. I am posting photos and will post the link soon.

Consitution Day

December 10 marks the Constitution Day which is held annually to commemorate the advent of the regime of Constitutional Monarchy in Thailand. Previously, the government of Thailand was an absolute monarchy until June 24, 1932 there was a transition to constitutional monarchy led by a group of young intellectuals educated abroad and inspired by the concept of western democratic procedures. The group which was known as "People's Party or Khana Rasdr" was led by Luang Pradit Manudharm (Pridi Panomyong). To avoid bloodshed, King Rama VII graciously agreed to abolish absolute monarchy and handed over the country's first "Permanent" Constitution. In fact, King Rama VII (King Prajadhipok) had prepared, even before being asked, to hand over his powers to the people.

Last Couple of Days

So on Wednesday I decided I was going to try and speak some Thai with my classmates, well it turned into them not letting me speak English anymore! It wasn't so bad on Wednesday when Mo was there because she could help me. On Thursday and Friday she was gone. She had a speech competition (which she did really well in, took first place), so I was left to fend for myself. It wasn't so bad, a little confusing, but it was fun. I got to talk to some of the girls in my class that I hadn't before and I sat with a different group of people at lunch. I'm really getting to know the kids in my class more and more and I like them even more the better I get to know them!

On Thursday we didn't have class until 4th period so we sat in the Library and they made me practice me Thai reading for three periods. I thought my brain was going to explode by the end! After lunch I went and sat with some of the girls and we talked. At one point they decided that they wanted to play with my hair because it was pretty so they did my hair. I also gave them my camera to take pictures and they had lots of fun. After they finished my hair (which looked really cool) we had PE. My PE is self-defense, totally not me. It turns out I'm pretty good at it because I was taking on ever girl in my class (I think they are all really weak because I hardly had to try to break their tightest grip). It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. I learned the word for hurt because I was very sore after class.

Friday was another language challenge but it went alright. 2nd period I have Art and they teacher is so cute. She doesn't speak a lot of English but she tries. Lucas is also in that class and she really likes us. Every week she gives us fruit or candy. This week she gave me a big bag of Glass Mangos. She said that Lucas and I are her son and daughter, it was really cute. 7th period I have Social Study with Peach and Lucas and Lucas and I were talking. We weren't being very loud or anything but apparently one of the girls in the class didn't appreciate our noise and so she called Peach a really horrible name and Peach cried for a good part of 8th period. I felt horrible that I had caused it, but she wouldn't let us comfort her or do anything.

Well also this week I figured out my community service. I will be volunteering in a Kindergarten once a week and doing projects with them, so if someone has a Christmas project let me know because I need ideas.

I have spent the weekend playing phone tag with Bashayer trying to plan her trip. Everything is almost settled, but I still have to try and get a hold of her tonight. This weekend was also Father's Day. Father's Day is on the King's Birthday because the king is the Father of the country. They don't do anything for their fathers except sometimes they give them flowers, but Meow and Mike didn't. At night they have fireworks and they do a song and have some performances to honor the king.

Well that's really all I've been up to lately. I changed some settings because people said it was hard to comment, so it should be easier now.

Pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=127891&id=535566988&l=7de7523a83

Lots of Love,
Allyson

Thai Thanksgiving

So I want to start by apologizing for the long gap between posts. I have been so busy with everything lately that I barely have time to think alone before I'm heading to bed. I'm not complaining though, it's kind of nice. Anyway last Thursday was Thanksgiving so I had a Thai Thanksgiving. They don't have an oven or turkey so I had to talk to mom about what kind of things I could make. In the end I made sweet potatoes (which are different than American sweet potatoes), potatoes (no cheese or sour cream, but I like potatoes so it didn't matter to me), strawberry jello with bananas, and fried chicken.

After school I went to the market with my host mom and we bought everything I would need. We couldn't find some of the things right away, but I didn't let it discourage me and eventually we got the things we needed. When we got home I changed out of my uniform and got cooking right away. I made quite a mess, but it was fun. I had Meow help me and in time we got it done. It took a long time and I felt like a chicken with it's head cut off running everywhere. Mike was eating everything before I could get it on the table.

They were all a little shocked when I said we were eating the American way so we didn't have rice. Everyone loved it and they made me make the chicken again on Friday night.

I made them do the "Thanks" and they didn't really understand, but it was cute.

A FEW Things I'm thankful for:
My American Family for all the love and support they give me
My host family for taking me in and supporting me and taking care of me
My friends for always being there for me
My skating, because I love it and I know how much it costs so I'm thankful for being able to do it
All the Opportunities in my life and all the blessings I've been given!

Thank you to everyone who loves me and prays for me! Just knowing that you are there and supporting me means sooo much to me! Thank you to everyone!