Social Media Class Blog- Thailand Study Abroad: First Full Day

First Temple.. forgetting the name so that will come later!

So today we had a tour of the university. First off it is so much larger than I thought, not to mention that I still have no idea where my class is for tomorrow. After the tour we had lunch at this restaurant, something with boat in the name, I had shrimp pad thai and a banana split! My first pad thai was delicious! The banana split wasn’t half bad either haha. After that we Americans took an hour or so to go swimming! Of course I still need to get sunscreen so I burnt a lot on my shoulders, but for some reason have not really felt any pain. At 3pm we had another orientation and mini thai lesson. I still feel so overwhelmed by the language; however some of the girls are picking it up so much faster! A funny thing is that one of the girls on the trip is a sign language major, and I of course took a full year of sign language so as we were learning thai we would share with them the equivalent sign and what it meant in English. So we had several different languages thrown in the mix, I think even some Spanish made its way into the conversation. This could explain my headache, or it could be the massive heat!

First Visit to the Night Market- Sooo much shopping!

Outside Uniloft Apartment

At 6 we went to the night market and it was incredible, I want to go back like right now and again for every night. It is like a huge flea market and they love to bargain; which for me will take getting used to. But such great things there, I think I will end up getting some of the local thai pants here which look so comfortable. I definitely did not account for all the showers and changing of clothes, cause let’s face it; while here you sweat like you are in a constant sauna. There was this food court where we went to dinner, and I enjoyed a surprisingly great chicken kebab wrap. I then followed that up with a refreshing mixed berry and yogurt smoothie. At home I usually make a smoothie but you put the yogurt in first and then blend everything. Here they plop the yogurt on the bottom then add the blended berries and ice right on top. So when you get to the bottom you end drinking the yogurt. But anyway it was still incredible.

Everyone here is really nice, it still is daunting learning some of the language and navigating places. We start class tomorrow and I found out that only 3 students are in the dance course and we perform on July 4^th for a HUGE audience. The performance is after our week break so chances are I will end up forgetting the moves and looking like a fool. So I am a tad worried about that L You talk as you dance so I will need to start studying my Thai and can hopefully learn it faster! And of course our class is the only one that is located the farthest away. Oh but the bonus is that for the dance course we don’t really have to wear our uniform but now that means I will need more clothes!

By the Offical Chiang Mai University Sign

Me and My Roomie

Orientation Group

Riding the Red Bus

My Name Tag and Thai Name

The University entrance

Orientation Group

The first 'ice breaker' game. Like hot potato but when it lands on you you take off a layer and then do whatever the paper says... and we played a version of telephone but you act out the word instead. Clearly I did not want to be the hot potato.

Entrance Photo, the fountain turns on when school starts

Treated to Lunch by the Program.. roughly under 80 something baht which is like less than 2 and a half US dollars! Shrimp Pad Thai and a Banana Split!