Friends

Hi,

Another cool morning, and hot day here in Chiang Rai. There's a forecast calling for rain tomorrow but who really knows? There's a party at the river, construction next door, and school is getting intense.

The 'Easy' song was "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone. See, I told you it was easy. This one is not:
"Now it begins, not that you've gone. Needles and pins, twilight till dawn. Watching that clock till you return, lighting that torch and watching it burn..." Hint: There was a sound in this record that many thought was a jet airplane. It wasn't. Who remembers that sound? Who knows what made the sound? The song was sung by a woman and the topic is obvious. Oh yeah, it's from 1959 so some of you will be excused from class early. (Ha)

There is a big gathering of merchants and crafts people at the fairgrounds across the river. It's an annual affair and a good reason to throw a week long party. That's just what's been happening since the weekend. During the day it's like a trade fair and at night it's a giant carnival. We can hear the faint thumping of a bass and sometimes the voice of a singer, and we can see the ferris wheel from our house. Exams are over and the kids are on a vacation. We'll just stay here and imagine how much fun they're having.

Our neighbor, Mr. Narong, is at it again. He's putting up another structure on his property. This time, from what we've gathered, it's an elevated room that he will rent as a 'Home Stay' dwelling. When a traveler wants to stay with a family instead of in a hotel or a guest house (small hotel), it's called a 'Home Stay'. Some people like to get a closer feel for the culture by living with members of the community. Great idea, I'll just be glad when the sawing and pounding are finished. They're going pretty fast with the basic building so it shouldn't be much longer. It will be interesting to see how it all works out. Maybe we'll meet some interesting people from far away places. Hmm.

We had another Thai lesson today and more information was piled on top of last weeks input. Today we were introduced to two types of 'final consonants'. They are 'live' and 'dead'. What? It has to do with the duration of the last vowel/consonant. Oh yeah, and now I know how to write my name in Thai. We're really understanding why learning the letters and writing them brings out better spoken Thai. Every sound is presented on paper so there is no question as to the tone, duration, etc. We found out today that we've been saying a few words wrong and didn't know it. Bet you didn't know that there is a letter in the Thai alphabet that has no sound. Hmm, now you know.

Have a Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,
Danny

"If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone."
~Maxwell Maltz

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