| Fifty women lifting their legs and arms in perfectly coordinated movements. Music playing through the stereo speakers Males lifting weights and running on elypticals to keep in shape. Not a gym, a park. A park at the side of the road where one might find a park bench, some trees to look at and a tennis court to play in. But in this park there is also a blacktop for the aerobics which takes place every night. All the women come in their colourful athletic gear. In Thailand they do not have gyms, they have parks. Parks where children play on swingsets, boys play basketball and there is enough workout equipment to give to 4 different schools in the city. These parks are everywhere. Each time I pass them [whether by my host sister's frilly pink bike with a basket, a bell and all the fixins or by motorcycle with my yellow helmet that makes me feel like a real rocker or by car] I feel inclined to join the women doing aerobics in the upbeat pumping of fists and flexing of legs. I think I will do just that. Because I know I will gain a fair bit of weight while on my exchange I am going to catch it early and start working out and exercising from the get go. The four flights of stairs to my bedroom helps a bit and so does the heat which I swear is melting off pounds. On the contrary I don't think it will do much in the long run so I have decided to start swimming at the other school in my city, doing aerobics with Suzanne and jogging or bicycling in the mornings before school. [Let's see how long this will last]. There isn't much to post since my last blog except that Suzanne and I have become regular customers at "CO double F" a coffee shop and at "The Bubble Tea Place" [I'm not actually sure what it is called, but that's what I call it] the shop next door. They have rewarded us with free tea, free fruit and free conversation. The other day we were at "The Bubble Tea Place" when the store owners from "CO double F" came over and had a big conversation with us. They always smile when we come in, and I don't think it will be long before we can say "the usual" [in Thai of course] and they will know exactly what to get us. I don't think "CO double F" gets much business because when Suzanne and I had finished our lattes and I asked for two more they looked like they were going to fall over with delight. The second latte came with sprinkles and chocolate sauce, it has come like that ever since and we don't even need to ask for extra foam anymore. They have started teaching us how to order things in Thai and they ask us all about our exchange program [in the little English they know as well as some sign language and random Thai words]. I think today was the first day this week that I didn't go there, it's a little odd to be perfectly honest. The only other thing I can think to write about at the moment would be the monsoon weather today. I danced in it [AGAIN] except this time I was not scantily clad with see through pants and superhero underwear. I was wearing my school's sports uniform with the pants rolled up, my shoes and socks off and my feet buried in the mud. A group of girls in my PE and guitar classes came out and jumped around with me. No one cares here about getting wet, everyone runs around without umbrellas in the pouring rain [except maybe occasional groups of girls who randomly have tarps that they carry over their head as if they were carrying shields to block shooting arrows from the castle they are about to attack]. By the way, I just noticed 12 new misquitoe bites on my legs which were not there before I started typing this blog. It's decided... tomorrow I am searching for an electric fly swatter and the strongest bug spray money can buy. "Up in the air you breathed easily, drawing in the vital assurance and lightness of hear. In the highlands you woke up in the morning and thought: Here I am, where I ought to be" - Isak Dinesen, Out of Africa xo. Kulap |
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