Ok, so the last internet cafe I found to blog had the really slow dial up connection that kept dropping on a really old clunky PC. They closed early and I felt wierd keeping the staff there while I fumbled with the camera, so I skipped uploading pictures.
Tonight, I went out for water and left my camera behind for the first time since getting here. Of course, I stumble upon the Four Seasons of internet Cafe's. This one has flat panel screens on brand new pc's with blazing speed.
If I had the camera, you'd be in for a treat. I spent last night as the sole speaker of English in a Red Lahu Village. It was a spectacular experience.
Villagers turned out to welcome myself, my cousin David, his wife Krista and our driver (whose Thai name I cannot spell) outside the coarse village temple. Before entering, the villagers washed our hands with water from Bamboo tubes. This was followed by a drumming and dancing and a ritual where strings were tied around my wrist which I am not to remove for at least 7 days.
It pains me to summarize the event so quickly, but I'll elaborate when I share the pictures.
We snuck away for a bit for a ride up to a nearbye Chinese Village for some Tea-tasting and shopping, and then I returned to the village alone.
With me not speaking Thai or Lahu, and none of them speaking English, the evening was equally comical and frustrating. Through the wild gesturing and awkward staring we had a little fun. I showed them a few pictures of home I had left over stored on one of the camera's disks which was pretty exciting.
In the morning, I was so delighted when a villager found the English word for a desperatley needed vice: COFFEE!!! I was so excited I used both the English and Thai affirmative. (Yes/Che)
The conversation went like this:
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Friendly host: Coffee?
Tom: Yes, yes, Che
Friendly host: Ahh... Tea, Tea (starts to leave)
Tom: No! No! Coffee.
Friendly host: Coffee?
Tom: Che, che, Yes!
Frienly host: Oh. Tea. Yes.
Tom: No, no Tea. Coffee.
Friendly host: Coffee. Yes. I get.
Tom: Kwapoon Cap (thank you) Che, Che.
Friendly host: Tea?
Tom: No. Coffee. Coffee.
Friendly host: Coffee! (starts to leave)
Tom: Che, Che, Coffee...
Frienldy host: Tea?
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You get the picture. Turns out I had confused the Thai word for Yes with the previously unknown-to-me word for Tea. (They are similar)
Abbott and Costello would have been proud of the exchange.
So very much more to share, but I'm so tired. Tomorrow, more meetings, and, possibly a visit to the Elephant camp!!!
Excuse spelling and grammer errors for now, I'll clean em up later.
Thanks for reading.
-Tom