"But, uh, it's like ten in the morning Acomb."

"Yeah, but I already finished my beer. It's whiskey time!"

- one of us, and one of our Thai profs, during a northern thai Songkran festival at CMU.

This confirms, if nothing else does, that Flunk Day does exist in the real world. You just have to live in Northern Thailand. 

I knew 19 of 23 letters I was told to write today.  And I was really close on a couple of others.  I just can't tell the difference between the way Ajaan Acomb says "f" and "p".  Oops. Or the difference between "tong" and "toong" when said by natives. 

Also found out today that one of our language profs was let out of the hospital the other day.  Yay Ajaan Jang!  Very glad she's well and back to good health. 

It's been a productive past few days, with all three "chapters" of my independent study started, and my final reflection for HR class half done.  I think.  I may need to start over. I think it works, but I need a second pair of eyes. The internet in Chiang Mai has been in and out, though which is ANNOYING!!  The internet cafe has been sans internet since they reopened post songkran.  So sad. Emily and I are sitting at a cafe down the block with the cheapest menu items possible so we can use their wifi.  I wish they sold wifi cards at 7-eleven like they sell water and phone cards (public wifi exsists - I can see it, I just don't know how to log in!).  

We have a week left in Thailand.  Each day I go out to do something I think about those things that are going to be so different very soon.  For example, right now I'm sitting in a full cafe and I can hear my keys click over the sound of all the other customers talking, over the kitchen, the wait staff, the music.  That would never happen back home - we talk too loud.  I would still be aware of the keys clicking, but thru my fingers rather than my ears.  

I will soon have to wait for crosswalks in order to cross the street, because traffic will more likely run me over than stop (unlike Thailand and the opposite of Vietnam, where you just have to go, because otherwise they DON'T stop).  I'll have to drive again.  And not drive the way Khun Ahn (our Thai song-taow driver) or the VN taxis drove.  That might, maybe work in Chi-town... but no where else in the states. :) And when I get home, I won't be going back to college (or at least not for long), or the midwest... I'm moving and teaching and stuff.  Old balls (yeah Liz, me too now). Wow.  

Either way, I'm almost more concerned about culture shock coming home than I was going abroad.  Weird, right?  Who does that? Other than crazy old me... Either way, it's a back-of-the-mind kind of thing right now.  More worried about finishing my papers and taking the praxis within the next seven days.  

See some of you soon!