i'm on the other side of the world

so I'm in Thailand. have been here for about a week although the first five days don't really count because i spent them with 14 other Americans in one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed at, in Bangkok. Of course right outside the hotel were slums and the like, which I spose is the standard experience of Americans/Europeans abroad. Also there's a 7-11 on just about every corner here where me and the chill bros I met would go every night to get four packs of Chang ("thailand's finest") for about 2 bucks-- sort of tastes like natty light.
Also learned that we're not allowed to be loud, drunk or messy which may mean I'm in for a very long five months. Now that I'm in my host community I likely won't see another Chang before I hit the Bangkok airport on my way out. Also, my host mom literally handed me a hairbrush. Was kind of planning on a chill time in Thailand and then I found myself shopping for business casual clothes in the mall because I have to dress up for school. what the fuck, sort of.

Anyway, it's 98 and humid. I started school today which was pretty fun and hilarious. I was facing about 40 thai tweens and repeating "my name is Emily. how are you?" about 20 times and definitely wondered how the hell I got here. Planning on inundating these kids with some scandalous music at least, just to keep myself entertained. Hoping to meet up with other american bros ASAP but apparently it's rude to travel from your host family or something. I knew the host family would be a tad difficult since in America we demand independence from age 15, but here you pretty much life with your parents forever here if you're not married, and even if you are. Thai culture is ingrained with all sorts of non-verbal signs that I obviously have no idea how to read. Did I mention no one speaks English? Hoping to become proficient in Thai, just for a fun party trick.

It's still new and exciting at the very least-- the market is pretty cool and has all sorts of crazy stuff-- definitely noticed a 14-inch wooden penis carving with stuff written all over it-- made me wish I had a digital camera and that I wasn't with my host mom and her sister. Everyone here rides motorbikes which seem totally badass and I totally want to get one when I'm back in the states.

You should send me your number because I got a hella cheep phone deal going on and i'll give you a call. Wanna meet in LA in late Oct and travel up the coast for a while?

In light of recent tragedies...

I've been reading the wikipedia page for American Samoa. Thinking of tryna find away to get to the South Pacific, mayB do sum hard werkin, teachin English - this fair language of ours (flip-flop - wtf?!) and experience sumthin really reals that will make my existence back in the states more interesting to evry1 else.

I read "Getting Stoned With Savages" and "Sex Lives of Cannibals" when I was jobless and smokin pot on the porch in Portland (reprezent!) and felt that this guy was l337 because he went to live on a fuckin tropical island for a couple yrs without a TV - and people want to read about how real his lyfe was.

I really think we should get crackin' on our book about tryna "figure it all out" and "make sumthin of ourselves" - then people can read it and think 'thats exactly how I feel right in this moment - wow, they really get me, mayB I can figure it all out too sumday.'

NEhow. A grl I met in PDX - Land of Benevolence, moved back with her 'rents in NYC (upper east side, harsh) and is leaving in a week for the South Pacific with the Peace Corps - maybe we should get gay married in Iowa and join to get paid for bein us.....