I’ll get to the learn part in a minute, but first, I turned 18 somewhere in there.

My birthday was incredible, to say the least.  Between Ama reaching over with her spoon (you can hear Vader’s theme in the background slowly building as it moves from dish to plate), completely ignoring your “Im lao kaa!” (I’m really full!) and instead insisting, “Gin kao,” (Eat.) and completely destroying the coconut decoration on your cake as you -try- to cut it…not to mention the guy with the guitar and the guy with the violin were singing “Country Road”…it was anything but your average run-of-the-mill American birthday.  (I did get presents, too…so nice!  I can’t believe it!)  I met the other exchanger in my club, too.  Virginia.  She’s from Canada, and I officially love her.

Then started the rain.  The rain hasn’t really quit for two days now.  People are starting to worry about flooding.

Right at the very start of the rain I went to Nong Prachak with Aor and Ing and a couple of their friends (after visiting Monica and her host brother at his school).  We had juice and snacks…and this is why I’m telling you about this at all:  There’s a myth, in Thai culture, that whoever takes the last piece of the dish will have a handsome boyfriend.  The first time I heard that was actually from my host Papa at dinner my first night here, but I recall not exactly…feeling the raw slices of cucumber.  Ew.  Anyway.  All the girls look at me.  “You take it.  Handsome boyfriend.”

And I, in all my dignity and kindness, dig in with my chopsticks.  “I could go for that.”

Do I believe it?  Well, it would be nice, wouldn’t it?  I can hear my mother reading this.  “Oh no.  Honey?  She’s going to bring back a Thai boy!”  Oh, Mom, I’m just having a little fun with you.  Though the former exchange student I met at the Rotary meeting yesterday (the one in which I was nervous and had to introduce myself.  In Thai.) said I would have no problem finding a boyfriend here.  (Score number two.  Mom, please don’t have a heart attack.)

You will all want to see my school uniform.  (This is where the “learn” becomes relevant.)  The first time I saw myself in it, I laughed.  For a good five minutes.  Just laughed.  It looks good, don’t get me wrong, but man, I look…foreign!  Nothing like those cute girls with the contained black hair falling over their shoulders.  I have never felt more like a falang in my life than I did looking at myself wearing that uniform.

School is going to be good.  I’m a little nervous still, so don’t mind my restrained tone, but my teacher and my advisor are wonderful people.  My teacher (she’s at least the gal in charge of me, I don’t know what I should technically call her, but teacher works for now, don’t you think?) told me before I left to get my uniforms that she didn’t have her own family, and hoped to be able to think of me like a daughter.

I almost cried, right there.  Just turned into pure mush.

And a very sweet girl whose name escapes me bought me lunch today and introduced me to all her friends.  There really are just…so many exceptionally nice people around here.  It really makes me wonder if foreign exchange students in America have anything near this luck.  I feel so well taken care of, wherever I go.  Not to mention a Thai boy already wanted me to know he loves me.  …eh?

I would like to tell you more.  However, I am tired.  All who have commented, I’m working on getting back to you, I promise…hopefully by the end of the day today.  Which is…something like…noon for you guys.  On Wednesday.  Yeah.

Time difference will never make sense to me, I swear.