Breakfast

Today is Thanksgiving... well in the states it is. Here it's just another average day. I even had to go to school today because here they don't have the whole "you can miss school for religious/cultural holidays thing." Even though Thailand technically has freedom of religion, 98% of the population is Buddhist and every day at every public and private school in Thailand they say a pray to Buddha after the whole school sings the National Anthem. Yup that's totally what Freedom of Religion means.
But alas, Thanksgiving isn't a religious holiday, but in a way, we treat it like one. People fly across the nation to spend time with their families (whether they like them or not), we all put in what we can to make sure that there is plenty to eat, there are days of preparation whether it be cooking or cleaning the house, you don't have to go to work or school etc.. But that's American culture. And isn't it beautiful!

As I see it, there are about three ways that you can see Thanksgiving.
1. A day to spend with family, thinking about what it means to be thankful and to be grateful to have such wonderful friends and family. And then stuff your face with food and probably watch some TV special.
2. A silly celebration about how our ancestors came to America, brought over new diseases that later killed many Native Americans and finally took land that wan't ours. And then you stuff your face with food and probably watch some TV special.
3. A day where you have to try to survive yet another family dinner and unfortunately none of them can cook either. But still you stuff your face with food and probably watch some TV special.
I prefer the first way

My day at school was good. I had Japanese  French, Chinese and cooking class. Which I thoroughly enjoyed but there was still that deep hole inside my gut. The hole that can only be filled with sleeping in, spending all day in my pajamas, eating Thanksgiving dinner, watching the Macy's day Parade and dog show, and especially spending the whole day with all my family.
I wanted to make a Thanksgiving dinner for my family here, but quickly figured out that was impossible because they is only so much western food they sell at import stores and only so much of it is reasonably priced. So I decided to make my host family a good old-fashioned American breakfast for dinner!
I got syrup, butter and pancake mix at a normal grocery store. Found bacon at the import store and eggs are everywhere in Thailand.
And thus, today I made Pancakes for my host family. I was going to make the bacon and eggs too but they were too full of my delicious pancakes.

I was making the last pancake of the night when I accidentally spilled a couple drops on the side of the skillet. Still in the skillet, just not anywhere near the pancake itself.
And while I was standing in the funky outdoor kitchen in my home in Thailand, I thought about those spilled drops of pancake batter. And how they make these tiny delicious pancakes. And how grateful I was for those delicious little things and just for breakfast itself.
And here is a list of all the breakfast foods I am thankful for:

1. Waffles. For all the times my dad has made them for me and for how delicious they are.
2. Hash browns. For the times I've eaten them at Emma's house or in Portland with my parents.
3. Pancakes. For the times my dad made them into letters for my name, mickey mouses, chocolate chip, tye-die, or even the tiny delicious ones that accidentally spill on the skillet.
4. Milk shake thingy. For the times when my dad and I used to dance the the kitchen while he shook up a protein shake for me.
5. Norwegian Pancakes. For all the mornings I have spent at my grandparents eating them right out of the pan.
6. Lefse. No ones can describe how thankful I am for lefse.
7. Aebleskiver. For all the times Besta has made it for my family in the mornings.
8. Raisin brain and bananas. For them always being there for my Grandpa each morning.
9. Scones. For Emma always making them with me in the middle of the afternoon.
10. Cold pizza. For just helping me to be lazy in the mornings and keeping up the American stereotype.
11. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. For being the sugary breakfast cereal that every kid wants but no parent wants to buy.
12. Peanut Butter Toast. For never failing to be delicious. For my dad making them for me when I'm running late to school and for Besta making them for me on Monday afternoons when I was little.

Thank You Breakfast. Thank You for bringing me closer to people and for the memories I will keep forever.

Book: The Hobbit page 177, it's coming along, but it's still a little slow.
Thai: Sure..........................................................................................na chai

Yup

I didn't make this and I got this off another exchange student's blog (http://fromthailand-withlove.tumblr.com) but its just too perfect!

Youth Exchange:

brilliantplanet:

Sometimes it’s like:
 
Other times it’s like:

Trying to understand people when you first arrive:

When people don’t understand you:

And most likely you did.

All of the new food:

When you’re about 2 months in:

9 months in:

Tired all the time:

Sometimes you just need so be alone, but you never really are:

You do stuff that you wouldn’t normally do, because why not?
You make tons of new friends:

But when the year is over, you have to leave your new life behind:

But when you see your family again,

When you’ve been back home for a while:

But you still miss the life that you had in your foreign country:

11/14

This blog comes to you in  NINE PARTS!
Part 1: Chore
Well, I have blogged in a while...why?
I want all my blogs to be something I am proud of and a good piece of writing. However, this has forced me to not blog as often because if I blog everyday then I won't have anything new to say etc. etc. This has also forced me into the mentality that every blog has to be perfect and it's starting to become a chore.....which isn't good.
SO
I'm not caring anymore. Some blogs will be good. Some not so much, but I just need to get my thoughts out into the world and the world can decide if they are any good or not.
Part 2: School
I am finally back at school again and it is............it's ok. I just got my schedule today and I've been in school for three weeks now. Also because it's "Sport's Day" on Friday, I won't actually be attending my classes until Monday. So I've been basically doodling, reading and staring at a wall for three weeks...
For my new schedule, some classes are the same like Sword Fighting, Thai, Fruit Carving, Art, yada yada... but this semester I am taking more Thai classes (I'm now learning how to write and write Thai!). I am also learning five languages here. I'm taking German, French, Chinese, Japanese and obviously Thai. So I started my exchange knowing two languages, English and a little Spanish and will hopefully return know seven.
Part 3: Friends
My school friend, J, got her GED so she is now taking university courses and thus not attending my school anymore. I was the closest to her out of my school friends and so now I don't have many friends at school. I have another friend, Tannie but she is in a different class so I rarely see her. Luckily though all the girls (remember I go to an all girls school) in my class are super kind and try to involve me in everything.
I have become really close friends with almost all of us exchange students in district 3350!! You know how when you first meet someone, it takes a while for you to become close friends with them? Well, not with exchange students! Here are some reasons why:
1. You came to this country alone.
Literally. Alone. You don't know anyone besides your host parents, you don't know the language here, you have no friends or relatives. It is a very clean and barren slate. You want to make friends and therefore any other person that speak English is automatically your best friend.
2. Exchange Students love hugs.
I wasn't a "huggy" type person before I came on exchange but I really do love hugs. I realized this a week into my exchange here. Hugs are just a gesture that shows love and compassion and that's what you live for as an exchange student.
3. One year.
You have to spend a year with these people, so you might as well get along.
4. Exchange Students are made of awesome.
Exchange students have gumption and gut. They will do just about anything and are some of the nicest people I know.
To conclude, I have about 28 new best friends and I have only known them for three months and yet I'm willing to fly across the world to visit them after exchange.
Part 4: Starbucks
The past two times I have visited Starbucks here they have gotten my order wrong. It's not a problem and I'm not complaining....Hear me out now....but I have a problem with it. Starbucks has switched it's decore and background music to be Christmas themed. And. I. Can't. Take. It. Not only is it the beginning of November but it hurts to see the wreathes or here Little Drummer Boy because it makes me think of home. And so when I order my regular of a coffee frappuccino no whip, the same thing I've always ordered since my first Starbucks, and Thai lady who is wearing a santa hat behind the counter thinks I ordered the caramel one because she can't understand my accent and because White Christmas is playing too loud, I just get annoyed. And I get annoyed because I'm not in Washington and it's not cold outside and Thai people don't celebrate Christmas. And mainly I'm annoyed because I don't want to scare the innocent Thai lady behind the counter by bursting into tears in the middle of Starbucks.
Part 5: Visa
I went to the immigration office in Bangkok to renew my visa and while I was waiting in a DMV similar office, I chatted with another visa renewal hopeful sitting next to me. And it turns out, he is from Mexico, he has been here five months and he is in Thailand getting his PhD in Thai culture specifically studying the UNDERGROUND ROCK SCENE IN BANGKOK. Isn't that the coolest PhD you've ever heard?
Part 6: Winter
Isn't winter here and yet the lowest low I have seen in the forecast for this week is 79F. And it's winter!
Part 7: Vlogs
I am now uploading more videos of my adventures to my you tube channel! Make sure to subscribe!
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcDs9I1OugwZpEnMcVWiPg?feature=guide
Part 8: Book
Around 110 on The Hobbit and its a little low but good, still around page 60 on the casual vacancy....that one is slower than I expected
Part 9: Thai
champu............................pink

.

Paprika

One day I was siting downstairs in the living room reading when my host mom came into the room from upstairs awkwardly holding a stray cat.
'Well, this is new,' I thought.

My host mom explained to me in English why she was holding the cat.
The cat was the neighbors and it had somehow managed to sneak its way into our garden, into our house and then all the way up into my host parents room without us noticing.
This is not the last time the cat has done this.
The cat is white with some sandy splotches on its' back and has a kink in its' tail.
Which reminded me a lot of my cat, Gidget. She has a kink in her tail and orange spots all over.

I didn't have a pet until I was five. And ever since then there has always been a furry friend in my house. A cat to pet and snuggle with or a dog to greet you when you come home. In Thailand, I don't have anything like that. The nice thing about animals is they understand every language and love you unconditionally.

Luckily, the cat had been over to visit about every other day and I have decided to name him Paprika. Even though my host mom told me his name is Tuay or cup in Thai.

Paprika is sort of how exchange works. At first its different, a little scary but sometimes reminds you of home. And then after some time, it becomes normal and sometimes boring. And then eventually you don't want to leave it.
And right now, I don't want to leave Paprika. And I don't want to leave Thailand. Not yet anyway.

Tomorrow I will go to the Immigration office to renew my visa! Wish me luck!

Book: Finished The Hundred-Year-Old Man who Climbed out the Window and Disapeared  and it was so amazing! It is about a man who has traveled all over the world and has a brilliant sense of humor. I hope everyone will read it and hopefully get the bug for travelling! Page 20 of The Hobbit. So far it's a little slow but I know it will go faster the further I get into the book.
Thai: Tuay.......................Cup