Goodbye Bangkok

Down to about twelve hours in Bangkok, and it is a much odder feeling than I expected. I've got everything packed but some last minute bits and pieces and my toothbrush. I've yet to have an internet connection smooth enough to load my pictures from this last week's touristy adventures—which involve the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Khaew, Wat Arun, and Wat Pho (approximate spellings)—but as soon as I can, I will get those to you.

Friday we all went out as an early celebration of Chelsea's birthday. After arriving at a vegetarian restaurant that closed two years ago, we ended up at some Italian-like place nearby. Taking P'tip's advice to eat as much Western food as we want this weekend, we went in and ended up with pasta, chicken, salads, and wine. I had a lovely garlic and lemon sea bass over MASHED POTATOES. Delicious. Though the meal may have been Western, we definitely still ate Thai style, with everyone tasting everyone else's. And the wine was a nice touch. After one of the more pleasant meals I've had here, we headed to Saxophone, a bar with some bluesy, southern rock kind of vibe to it. It made me so much more conscious of live-music-void that I have in my life at the moment. The feeling of sitting there, sipping a drink and enjoying the music brought with it a touch of homesickness that I shared with the other native Louisianian. This started a giant conversation about good people and good music and then about the South. The girls from Georgia chimed in as we discussed the finer details of Southern identity—Deep South, Dirty South, Mason-Dixon Line. Maryland was refused entry into the Southern club, as well as Texas and Florida. I'm sure it sounded like a ridiculous conversation to anyone around us…a bunch of Southerners being exclusive and nitpicky. But it felt so much like home—it was a good note to end on.

Now it's me and my suitcases. Someone should pick me up at the airport and then P'Kee will come and see me on Tuesday to make sure I've settled in. What Monday holds is a complete mystery. I might be introduced to the entire school and be expected to give a speech or even sing a song. I might be allowed to spend the day observing classes and unpacking. Or I might be expected to start teaching, ASAP. So we are being told to arrive with our Thai speech in one hand, our lesson plans in the other, hoping for the best.

Singing or no, come tomorrow, my real life here starts.