When you go somewhere, you have this idea that you will be open minded. Embrace the new things. Different strokes for different folks… Blah blah blah. And for the most part I would agree. In fact there’s a lot I will deal with, crowded trains where you are up on everyone, drivers who feel that it’s ok to drive down the middle of 2 lanes. But there’s 1 thing I refuse to adapt to.
My sweet friend told me this last week and I think she is right. A first is was nervous about coming to a new place not knowing a soul but after a month of being here and really trying to immerse myself in our new routine and the Thai culture I am starting to believe that this is a great fit for me.
Having Pai here with us is still a little strange for me. I really enjoy her company and she does a wonderful job in everything that she does, it’s really me adjusting to the caste system here in Thailand.
Since it was Pai’s first day she wanted to cook us a feast! One of my main goals for having a nanny/maid is to learn how to cook Thai food! There is only one problem with this…. She doesn’t speak English fluently so when she has an ingredient she doesn’t know the name for it in English most of the time so I have to write down the Thai pronunciation of what I think she is saying and then figure out what the ingredient might be…. So for now I will just write about what we did and once I get a better handle on what we are using I will share recipes for anyone interested.
We had our first official day with our nanny/maid yesterday. Her name is Pai (pronounced bye) and she is amazing. She arrives in the morning and because it is her first day we are both a little nervous. We start talking and she gets something out of her bag, two small roses, and hands them to me! I say “wow! My husband doesn’t even get me flowers unless it’s my birthday!” She smiles and then hands me a wrapped gift and a card. I say “wow! Why did you get us a present!? You didn’t have to do that!” She says “yes this is for Chris birthday!” I say “what?” She says ” you said it was Chris birthday today?” “Nope not his birthday….” She starts apologizing and I’m apologizing and then we are laughing and she says “well this is welcome to Thailand gift!” I just died laughing and we literally laugh about it the entire day. Later she asks me “I wonder how I hear that it was Chris birthday?” I said you probably heard me say “Chris will be so happy on your first day!” She says “yea that was it….”
I really feel like that little misunderstanding started us off on the right foot. It made us feel right at ease with each other. The gift was awesome, two coasters that are full of Thai chili peppers, which Chris absolutely loved even if it wasn’t his birthday!
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For a week now Chris hasn’t been able to stop talking about this coconut ice cream that he had on the street, how great it is, and how I need to try it. On the streets I walk on to go to the park I have never seen an ice cream stand but yesterday after … Continue reading
While reading in the Bangkok Guide I come across a section that discusses some safety concerns. In this section of the book they explain that there aren’t really any poisonous spiders or bugs that I should be worried about but instead they suggest the reader should watch out for the spitting cobras that hide in the gardens. (Insert jaw drop here) COBRAS! IN THE GARDEN? They go on to warn the reader not to try and kill the cobra, since this wastes precious time, because what you should really be doing is washing your eyes out and getting someone to take you to the hospital. Then they suggest do not get someone else to go kill the cobra because again they should be driving you to the hospital. Then finally they explain if you did kill the cobra do not bring it the hospital with you.
From Palmetto Pride to Pad Thai 