Fish Sauce and Foreheads

There are many new adventures that I have stumbled upon, and so I feel as if I have much to write about....shortly after somewhat settling into our new homes here in Lop Buri and beginning our somewhat comforting routine of language school, we left and spent about 4 days at a conference 2 hours away from here. From there I parted ways with everyone and went to Bangkok where I had the pleasure of connecting with an old friend of mine. It was so great to see her, catch up, and talk about what it's like to live in Thailand.

Me and my lovely Beth...

After she left I went and wandered around one of the many malls (that give you a slight taste of home...complete with Starbucks and Body Shop) where I came across what appeared to be some sort of political campaign. I attempted to talk to someone who looked like they knew what was going on, but I didn't really understand much of what we talked about (although I nodded and made noises like I got it). Anyway, somehow I ended up walking away with some sort of gift bag that they were handing out...now, I've been told that when you receive a gift here in Thailand you do not open it in front of the giver...rather you take it home and open it there. So, I graciously received this little baggy of goodies, and after I walked away I opened it. This is where the real confusion began. Inside was a bottle of fish sauce, a hand fan, a bag of salt, and a wee box with a small bottle of liquid, a tiny spoon and a tiny plate inside of it. Now, I'm not sure if these gift bags are meant to be an incentive to vote for this particular party, but I honestly did not know what some of the contents were for, so like a good little learner I went to the nearest Starbucks to get the necisarry thinking liquid (coffee) and I proceeded to ask the man behind the counter what I was to do with the things in this bag. At first he wasn't even quite sure what these things were for and so we both laughed as he tried to figure it out...next thing I know, a small circle started to form around me and the man came out from behind the counter (even as the line continued to grow), and they told me that the little box had some sort of liquid that was used to test how much iodine was in the salt. And then they told me that iodine is good for the brain. I'm still not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with it, but it was so much fun trying to figure it out!!!

My goody bag...

In the meantime Bob, the leader of my team, went up north to join in on some baptisms that were taking place in the village were we are going to be located in after language school. While up there he decided to try out the local barber and had quite an adventure of his own. I have to say, his hair cracks me up! He went in and they cut his hair, and then took a straight razor and shaved his side burns and the back of his neck quite high. Then they put a hot cloth on his face and proceeded to massage his face...he said they even massaged his eyes! Then they used the straight razor to shave his face and, this is my favorite part, they even took the straight razor to his forehead. That's right...they shaved his forehead!!! I love it! So, I'm waiting to see if it grows back and begins to fill in.

When I returned home I spent the evening hanging out with my neighbours. As we were sitting there, all of a sudden we saw something scuttling along the ground. Now, this is quite normal in this country as there are many different kinds of rodents and amphibian that we just don't have at home, but this one seemed unnatural and new...as we looked a bit closer we realised that it was a bat that was injured and couldn't fly!!! One of the guys pinned the little bat to the ground and I took a photo (even though I was terrified that it would escape and attack my face). Anyway, for the rest of the night they proceeded to throw giant leaves at me in jest that it was actually the bat. And for those of you who know me, this never gets old...I will jump everytime, so this is their new fun thing to do to Noina (that's me).

My little friend, the bat

One of the girls in the nieghbourhood...what's up with my face?

This is the fruit that I am named after...Noina

So...I think that's enough adventures to relay for this time...things are still difficult and adjusting is still hard, but I am able to see God's hand in the midst of it all. Thank you for your prayers and for all of your encouragement!!!

Me pretending to study...

Some phonetics to get you guys started

Language School has Begun!!!

Today was my first official day of language school...now, I just want to make sure that you know what it is that we are doing exactly...it's not like school in that we sit in a classroom with desks and we listen to a teacher all together. Rather, each member of our team has their own teacher (or helper) and we sit in a room with them and, at the moment, make sounds at them. If anyone walked by and had no idea what we were doing, it would seem pretty strange and pretty funny, but it has been fun so far!!! I'm training my mouth to make sounds it has never made before. There are two sounds that involve speaking from the centre or back of your mouth...one sounds kind of like the 'u' in 'just' if you were putting on a southern accent. The other one sounds like the 'e' in the word 'term' if you were putting on a brittish accent. I'm not sure if that really gets it across very well, but just imagine difficult sounds and then add tones on top of that.

I'm not sure if I mentioned in my last post, but I now have a bicycle which has made life in Lop Buri much more fun and interesting, and much smaller!!! I'll add photos another time, but my bike is bright blue (sii faa) and has a basket on the front and an extra seat on the back (for my doubling pleasure) and it's about 1000 years old. I refer to it as my Mary Poppins bike. This was mine and Bitsy's mode of transportation for this last week as she was waiting to purchase a motorbike. Seriously, I have to say that we stuck out like a sore thumb...two farang (foreign) girls weaving through traffic. Also, on Mondays everyone in Thailand wears yellow shirts to celebrate the king...so imagine two foreign girls wearing yellow and pedalling through the city. Amazing!!! Needless to say, there have been many honks and plenty of laughs as we ride by. And I have been getting my exercise as I've been biking for two in the heat of the day with a bike that only has one speed...

Well...I best be getting to bed...I have another long day ahead of me of making sounds and cycling around. Night...

Nookles with Shimps and Squids in Cravy

The wonders of the things we can eat here in this country. I had never heard of 'nookles' or 'shimps' prior to coming to this country, but now things like that are in plenty.
Anyway, I have not been able to get online much recently, thus the silence. We arrived in Lop Buri on Tuesday and have been 'orienting' to life here since then. Bitsy and I moved into our place and have been working on making it feel like home ever since. We live in a really great neighbourhood (called a Mubaan) and have been getting to know the people in our community and become acquainted with this place we are to call home for the next year. Lop Buri is a small city known for it's monkeys (evil little things) and for it's heat. It is seriously, likely the hottest place in this country and I can tell by amount of perspiring I do daily.
There is a phenominon happening throughout Thailand at present that I refer to as "jazzercize". They call it "aerobics", but it's more just like movement very similar to dancing and it's all done to very loud music in public places. I discovered that there was a place quite close to my home and decided to start attending. Yesterday I rode my bicycle (that is very Mary Poppins-esque) to the stadium and found that I was about an hour too early, but I also found that there were a group of competitive badminton players. I struck up conversation with them, and ended up playing again the coach of the local school and then playing against some of his students. I'm trying to convince him that it would be a good idea to let me join Team Lop Buri, but we'll have to see how that goes.
Anyway, we have not yet begun language classes...we officially start on June 12th and I think we're all pretty excited to learn as we quickly come to the end of our language as we sit with people, and I think everyone gets tired of saying and hearing, "I'm sorry, I don't understand". There is a girl that I met here on my first day who I gave my phone number to and she calls me regularly, but she doesn't speak English and I speak minimal Thai...we have some pretty funny phone conversations.
Just to let everyone know, I am doing much better than I have been. I had a really low day when we first arrived...not entirely sure why. I am learning to live in the everyday and clinging to the fact that God's mercies are new every morning. That's the wonderful thing that I am coming to realise in being here. I have never had to live day to day before, and now I am discovering God's sustaining prescence...even when things seem dark.
I love your emails and your encouragements...they mean so much to me right now!!! I will be posting photos and will be sending out a newsletter soon. Thank you for your patience! I also have my post address now, so I will send that out in the next letter. If any of you want it sooner, just email me...lots of love!!!