More Christmas Festivities

Sunday, 26 December 2004

When I first came to Thailand, I had no idea if I was even going to have a real Christmas, and so far, I have done more celebrating this week than ever! This morning, Aw and I woke up early to go to Soi Sawng market. I bought eggs and a huge round throw pillow. It was 320 baht ($8 - a big purchase!), but I figured it was my Christmas present to myself, and I love it! Not sure I can bring it back to America with me, but it is very soft and excellent decor for my room. We were running late, so hopped on a motorcycle taxi to quickly get back to the house and eat noodles we bought before P'Aot came to pick us up for church. Luckily, she was running late and came by after 9:30 am. We went to a different church, the church P'Aot goes to and Aw used to go to, called Hope Church. It's more of a younger congregation with hip pop music rather than traditional hymns. There was an hour and a half sermon (way too long for my liking, as a Thai guy named Tom - who now lives and studies in the UK - translated for me), dancing with young children shaking their hips, lunch with an assortment of Thai foods for 10 baht each, and a gift tree. We paid 10 baht each for a coupon, which allowed us to pick a lucky star with a number of the Christmas tree. That number corresponded to a prize we got. I got a plastic decorated cup and a pot of flowers. Came home and took a two hour nap. Woke up to get Christy's text message that she and her parents are stuck in Phuket because of the tsunamis!

I have been watching the news on CNN and the footage looks devastating! About 400 killed so far by this largest earthquake (8.9) to hit in over 40 years, and the tsunamis surprised many in this tourist town of beach resorts on the southern coast of Thailand. Jun's family was planning on driving me there for New Year's next weekend and going to Phuket Fantasea (a US $60 million cultural theme park) and the beach, but perhaps our plans will change now. I'm not sure if Christy and her parents will be able to leave on their flight back to Bangkok tonight. I called my friend Na (Jun's cousin) to make sure her brother is okay, as he lives in Phuket, but she said he lives in the city, not near the coast, so he and his business are fine. It's really scary though to think of all the damage to these places, like Ko Phi Phi, an island where I am planning on taking friends to when they visit in mid-February. I will stay posted on the news and keep trying to call Christy, as the phone lines are cut off now. Hope they get back to Nakhon Pathom safely.

Phu's family took me and Matt out for dinner tonight at a nice outdoor Thai restaurant I have been to before with friends. We ran into Linda and her family dining there as well. As Phu ran around the restaurant (the teacher in me had to talk to him once), we enjoyed fish, tom ka gai soup, som tum, fried rice, and another very spicy soup. We talked about my suggestion to retain Phu and have him repeat grade 1 next year. His father seemed okay with the idea tonight. They gave us Christmas gifts, moisturizing cream and facial toner (perfect girl gifts!), and brought me home. I chatted with Tik and Aw, who were busy applying straightening cream to Tik's hair, and talked about me perhaps going home with Aw for new year's weekend to see her mother's house 13 hours away in northern Thailand, near Laos.