(My friends school)I was approaching an old looking pick up truck that had about 10 people in it. It was the usual mix of 3 elderly looking grandparents a middle aged lady, 2 younger girls around early 20’s and 4 or 5 kids. The middle aged lady’s eyes met mine and she immediately said to the others “Look a farang” heads started to turn and gawk at me. I mean I am sure they have all seen foreigners before but Thais villagers always seem to think that we are an attraction for some reason.
I had to pull up next to the pick up truck and the little boys and girl’s faces had huge smiles and eyes wide open. One young boy around 8-9 years old said to his mum in Isaan (a Lao/Thai language) Ask the foreigner where he is from. I told him Australia and they all bust out laughing thinking it was so funny I answered his question. A young girl then asked my name also in Isaan and when I said Jason there was a chorus of them trying to repeat my name. I asked the girl what her name was and she was to busy laughing to answer. The small boy reached out and touched my arm and so did the young girl as if I was from another planet.
(In Isaan 2 in the front and as many as you can fit in the back)One of the young 20-25 year old girls was jaw dropping and breathtakingly beautiful and she looked so shy. She was bright red for some reason and it couldn’t have been sunburn as Thais don’t really burn but I knew the reason as the mum had told her to ask if I had a girlfriend. I replied that I had many but then said I was joking and again they all roared out laughing. The lights had changed and I had to go and they were saying that I spoke Thai/Isaan well (only very basic) and the young boy reached out again and I shook his hand and I putted off to my job.
This all took place in 60-90 seconds at the main road intersection that goes to the airport and continues through the city. This really made my day and it just reinforces the respect I have for Isaan villagers. They are amazing.
This afternoon after I had finished teaching it was off to Nong Bua Park to run a few laps and my girlfriend does aerobics. Well today we were there for about half an hour and then some really dark clouds started blowing in and you could hear the thunder and see the flashes of lightning. This is very common around this time of year. Most afternoons we have late storms. We stayed for another 10 minutes and then decided to go home as it looked like it was going to rain cats and dogs.
(Nong Bua Park. My little Haven)We got home and 5 minutes later it started to pour and the thunder was deafening. The sky was pitch black and the wind was blowing from everywhere. My girlfriend is petrified of lightning as when she was really young and lived in a Village on the Mekong River near Khong Chiam a lady suffered really bad burns when lightning struck her house and it went through the house and blew an electric fan apart next to where the lady was sitting. She is middle aged now and her face and arms look horrible with scars from the burns.
So when there is a lot of lightning and thunder Noot will be about 1 foot away from me. She shuts down all the electrical appliances (the first time she did this I thought and told her she was insane). She has got a little better but like right now she is in the bedroom with me while I am on the computer on the bed watching Thai TV which I really hate (I want to watch the AFL football) and she won’t go out into the living room as she is by herself out there and there is lightning and thunder still rumbling and flashing about.
This is what I am expecting for the next 6-8 weeks or longer with many of these storms and sometimes rain that comes down in buckets loads and maybe if I am lucky the odd flood that might close the school for a day or two but this is wishful thinking.
I love Isaan country. Brunty
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