I still can’t believe I’ve been in Thailand for only one week. It already feels like I’ve spent a lifetime here. I’m really excited to start school on Monday, so I can make lots of friends!! I finished out my first week strong, with lots of adventures and new experiences.

Wednesday

Today was a very eventful day! I ate Khao Giaw (omelette) for breakfast. We were very busy today with errands. Brian, Marie, I, and all 3 host families spent the day getting everything sorted out. Our first step was trying on school uniforms. I was definitely a little nervous with the small Thai sizing, but it was surprisingly easy to find clothes that fit. We got normal uniforms, PE uniforms, socks, and shoes for both class and PE. Afterwards, we went to lunch, where I ate Moo Deng, a crispy pork dish with rice. We followed this with visiting our school, where I got to meet a few teachers and a couple of my host sister’s friends! They are very nice, so I know they will welcome me to Nareerat School with open arms. Fun fact: they have Dairy Queen in Thailand! I got to eat a Blizzard today, which reminded me of home, minus the steak fingers 😉 For dinner, I ate sticky rice with crispy chicken, and fried chicken legs. They were actually delicious!

Thursday

Today was less busy, but I had time to rest and relax before I start school on Monday. I catched up on the New Heights podcast episode featuring Taylor Swift ( can’t wait for the new album!!! 🫶). I also worked on an “About Me” presentation for school and for a Rotary meeting. Luckily, the slideshow was done, I just have to memorize what to say! Dinner was a fun adventure!! I got to experience an infamous Thai “night market”, where all of the town goes to eat and shop on Thursday nights. I tried so much food including: Pad See Ewe (noodles), khanom krok(coconut milk pancake), Takoyaki (fried dough with imitation crab), Khanom Bueang (fried crepe). I even tried crickets 🙈. I also discovered that I love lychees!

Friday

I spent the day studying Thai, trying to nail down lots of vocabulary for school. I have to introduce myself to the entire school and the Rotary club on Monday, in Thai, so I’m extremely motivated to learn quickly. It’s definitely been exhausting to learn a new language, but I know that my hard work now will pay off soon. I got to hangout with my host sister’s friends at a coffee shop in the afternoon. Some of the people I met will be in my class! I’m very glad to have some friendly faces on my first day. I tried the famous Thai milk tea– and it was sooo good. I definitely recommend trying it! I finished the night with Guay Tiao Moo (Pork Noodle Soup), and a beautiful Thai sunset.

Saturday

Saturday was a rainy day, but that didn’t stop me from immersing myself in the Thai culture. I learned how to do laundry here. We use a washing machine and then air dry our clothes in the sun. I made the silly mistake of washing my socks with my clothes haha. I didn’t know this, but in Thailand, they wash socks separately because feet are seen as dirty. But now I know what to do next time! We went with my third host family and Marie to paint mini houses at a coffee shop. I made mine look like my current family’s house. It was next to a gorgeous Wat (temple). Then, we got to try lots of street food for dinner! It was all so delicious! I even tried raw salmon, and I liked it. Then, Marie and I got to experience our first Seven-Eleven trip!! 7/11’s are very famous in Thailand for having literally everything one can need. They sell lots of snacks, skincare, and even SIM cards. Marie and I tried the Yakult yogurt drink and a cheese toastie (a viral 7/11 grilled cheese).

That’s officially the end of my first week in Thailand, and wow… what a week. I’ve tried crickets, raw salmon, and more kinds of noodles than I knew existed. Somehow, I’m still finding room for new foods at street markets. Monday I start school, which If I can survive eating crickets, I think I can survive high school.😉.

Until next time,

Emma Kate / Malai