Thats Not Chocolate

So I felt it was time for that update as quite a few things have happened since the last update. I feel like I'm doing this way to often and people will get bored, but I want to remember everything, the good, and bad.

Wow Monday literally seems like a life time ago. huh what happened on monday... (goes and digs out schedule from backpack)

I'm running out of things to draw, We literally have so many classes where we sit and do nothing or spares where we sit in an air conditioned room doing nothing. The only class I look forward to on mondays is dance class. We've learn at least 4 dances, The teacher is really awesome except for when you mess up, because he thinks you don't understand the dance at all and shows you everything all over again... Alayna is always grabbed by the teacher to be the demo girl in front of everyone, she comes back blushing and covering her face in embarrassment, though she's actually pretty good.

Also last thursday, Howard wanted us to actually do something in his class for once so he handed us a blank page and said, write about Thailand. I wrote a good page or so about all the random things i could think of.

He handed them back to us on this monday and it was really cool, he wrote back replies to each on of ours, he said mine was personal, fascinating, gave an insight to my personality, and he also said I'm a horrible speller. It was nice to hear what he thinks as I really respect him as a person and a teacher. the notes made us both happy and we had fun laughing about things we wrote. These random notes have now become a regular thing between us. he really enjoys us blabbing about anything we can think of, and it gives us something to pass the time with.

Tuesday's highlight English camp.

we were playing telephone with sayings like "Damn, it feels good to be a gangster" Then we watched as Matt and Steve get into a bickering match, two 20 year olds bickering like Aaron and me. It made us laugh

I also got a drawing lesson from Steve and for some reason when he looked at my art all pride in it evaporated, like the jumping off the cliff sound effects in the old cartoons. Dino tried to give me a drawing lesson on male crotches with " It's too small, you need to make it bigger, much bigger" thanks Dino I really needed that advice.

That night I was sitting, watching some kpop music videos and talking to other kids in my district when Grandpa came is saying we were going to a Rotary party, I thought okay, be a good Rotary kid. When we arrived at the house it was pouring rain, we were about 20 steps from the house. I was gung-ho to walk right up to the house, my grandparents got mad, and I mean actually mad and said I wasn't allowed as I would catch a cold. My grandpa grabbed my arm hard and did not let me step out of the car until and umbrella was put up... seriously that made me angry. It's the rain, Big whoop, my Grandparents said I'm not allowed to play in the rain during the rain, fat chance I'm going to listen. I love the rain, they are not taking that away from me.

Wednesday was a ton of fun, during on of our frees me and Alayna started talking about food we missed. waffles, steak, chilli, grilled cheese then we got on the subject of Japanese food, and dang a craving started up and would not go away, so we phoned our parents and were able to go to Robinson for Japanese food. HECK YES. It was so delicious, I had some pork udon and we shared dumplings. There was a majorly cute guy sitting behind us, though he turned out to be gay which was a tad disappointing. 

After dinner we went into Robinson department store and started looking at clothes. I turned into a complete girl. Everything was so...CUTE. or punky, stylish. I loved it. There are two pieces that I absolutely must get. a shirt with tears in it, and a black jacket that I literally fell in love with. It's super expensive but I am getting it without a doubt. The night was just a lot of fun. Thank god my grandparents actually let me out of the house to go in the first place.

Wednesday was awesome. It felt like a true exchange day.

At lunch Matt decided to join us and my friends. Me and alayna were complaining about how Thai food never really fills you up, just satisfies you for an hour, then your hungry again. Matt joined in and we dreamed of McDonalds, matt suddenly cocked his head and said "Let's go to McDonalds then" we laughed at the joke. "No, I'm serious lets go right now, we can make it before lunch ends" We jumped on the chance, something adventurous, exciting, SPONTANEOUS. Matt walked off to get this transportation while me and Alayna walked to the front gate where we would meet him. 

I was so happy when Matt pulled up on a moped/ motorcycle. We both climbed on and we were off. In thailand mopeds are huge, seeing 3 people on 1 is pretty common. I wouldn't trust a thai person with one for a second but I trust Matt, Steve and Howard, I trust them more with my safety then I do with my Grandma when she drives. Literally I fear for my life when she drives. literally.

We decided on the way that McDonalds was too expensive, we instead headed to a hole in the wall thai place that had awesome food, yeah it wasn't the cleanest place but if Matt can eat there, I can. We talked about a ton of random things while eating mysterious veggie dishes. He then took us out to a pier and i got a good whiff of sea air...happiness

As we were driving back Alayna leaned over my shoulder and said "this is the sort of thing that makes the exchange" and it's so true I'm here to have adventures like that, I'm not here to be just a student. I want to be an explorer. We got back just in time for our next class too. good fun. riding a motorcycle got checked off my list of things to do.

Now we hit Friday, Friday has not been my day.

it started off good. I found out Howard is a Star Wars freak, hell he even knew who Wedge was, which no one else has ever known when I've asked. He was an original Episode 5 movie poster at his house in England signed by the original Obi-wan....JEALOUS. I think we shall have many good star wars convos in the future.

Then howard mentioned that All the English teachers were getting together at a Thai buffet that night. Again Alayna and I jumped on the chance, why not? real thai food, able to get out of the house, and hanging out with some of the coolest people in all of thailand, downside? nothing

I phoned my grandpa about it and he seemed a little sceptical, then when I said Howard had even offered to drive me home, Grandpa had to ask how, and course I was the idiot who told the 79 year old Howard used a motorcycle. I think I experienced the Thai equivalent of a raging hissy fit. He freaked out saying I was in no way allowed to ride a motorcycle ever that it was dangerous. I told him I trusted the english teachers and that they were good drivers, but nope, nothing would calm him down. he said if he ever saw me riding a motorcycle he would phone my headmaster and from what I got, he would have me suspended from school. I didn't mention he fact I'd all ready ridden one. He then went on to saying I had to come home instead of going to Alayna's like originally planned and he wanted to talk to Howard at the restaurant, he also was wondering if the resturaunt was clean enough for me to eat at and such. Let just say this put me into a bad mood.

Spent the rest of the fuming and hoping i could talk to him about this. I felt like I was a china doll, not allowed to get dirty.

When I got home I wasn't in...a calm place of mind t talk to him. i went and cooled down, listened to some kpop and just bummed on DA. The drive there was bad I did what my mom always called "being snarky" i couldn't help it after the telephone call I was not ready to be all happy. He didn't give me a chance or anything. He even phoned Alayna's mom saying it was some sort of rule, not a district rule as we discovered, just his rule.

I thought I was going to die when he tried to find a parking spot, sideswiped at the least with his driving skills. He got honked at at least a dozen times.

We finally found the place, my grandpa looked like he was about to steer me out, he didn't, instead he interviewed Howard. gave him the big speech that he was responsible for us, and asked him if he knew the four Ds of Rotary, all these things. He didn't seem to think Howard would be very responsible. He also said he would be there directly at 9:30 to pick me up, I couldn't even take a tuk tuk home, no sir.

While this was going on Alayna filled me in on some things her mom had told her. US going out with some males after dark is very un Thai like since we're students and such. She also said that her mom felt bad for me as she think my Grandpa is way to strict.

Anyways we finally got down to the food. man it was good, you cooked your own good and this weird water/grill thingy. I was never meant to be a chef and burned almost everything. The water also just loved to burn me. Thank god there was ice cream at this buffet, again with the eating my weight in food.

found out some cool things like Howard's girlfriend is pregnant and expecting in February and he wants the kids nickname to be Latte...I feel sorry for that kid lol, it was going pretty good. We heard all these funny stories about Howard hitting on women in uniform, Steve being asked if he was gay, and such. At one point i was listening too hard to the stories while getting Alayna chocolate ice cream. i give it to her. "...this isn't chocolate" "wha? wait..shoot" good fun

 Then Alayna gave me some news which sent me into a break down literally.

I said I wanted a breather and went outside and just cried, I would have screamed till I was hoarse, If there had been something a little softer then brick around i would have wanted to wail on it i was so angry. All I could think is "I'm not a bad kid, am I?"

I went back in when I thought I was good, i was able to sit there for a few minutes before I almost started to cry again Howard noticed something was wrong even said " Is there something wrong sweetie?" that made me laugh through he tears, I've never been called sweetie aside from my mom, weird for hear it from a teacher. 

Alayna offered to come out for a breather with and I needed a friend, When we got out i started crying in anger and just arg. Then guess who decided to come help. Howard. We all sat down, while he had a smoke i explained everything and just... he helped he really did. I stopped crying and just He was a big hand... He even kinda told me what I have to do, and I guess I get to tackle that this weekend. I just i can't thank him enough. This is the first real breakdown I've had here and I'm so glad I had him there to help me, same with Alayna. I was able to calm down enough by the time Grandpa got there. Howard kind of gave me a smile, wouldn't let us pay our bills, and promised to bring us back some awesome England chocolate. He also texted us his email so we can talk during the break. We are going to keep up the note thingy while we're on break and he's in England, should be fun.

He also spoke to my Grandpa while I went inside to get my purse and I wish I knew what he said.

Anyways saying goodbye to Howard, Steve, and Matt was actually kind of depressing. These guys are really awesome and kinda really good friends. I'm going to miss them for the next month.

Driving home was quiet expect for my Grandpa saying he almost didn't let me eat there because it was too dirty, Alayna's parents were fine with it though so he let me (thank you Alayna's host parents) and I cried, out of happiness this time that I have people that care for me so much here, like Alayna, Howard, Matt, Steve. Now I'm sitting here crying as I write this.

So if something exciting happens over the weekend I'll write a small entry on monday and then try to keep entries to every monday

Kyouheikutie