What a day! It was the first day of classes and since I am only taking one class you would think that it would be so easy. Well it was a wake- up call because I seriously am not meant to a graceful dancer, so I can cross that off the possible career list. We also have such a small class and come to find out we have to perform in front of everyone. We have 3 weeks to learn 4 Thai dances! The first day I was struggling with the main hand movements. We are working on the Finger dance which requires specific movement for each hand and foot which is just confusing! You need to manage all the steps without messing up the flow. But you just keep smiling and moving forward. The bonus is not much homework and we get to wear a different costume for each one and they will video tape it so maybe I can convince them to make me a copy. Although on second thought it might be one of those ridiculously embarrassing moments in my life and shouldn’t be advertised…

Ballet Studio for Class (of course its the farthest one away-20ish minute walk)

Community Cats! Here some cats don’t seem to have any owners, everyone takes care of them like a family.

As I write this I keep hearing a noise by my window and thought for sure there was a bug in my room but when I pulled back my blind  I saw my first Thai rainstorm!! Luckily after we were treated to dinner by the resident director and on-site coordinator me and another girl walked down to the street and went shopping (I finally got my towel and umbrella)! That was by the way the first time that I left my apartment without a Thai student to help translate and navigate. Today also was the first time we tried to cross a Thai street without a Thai person there. The roads here are beyond chaotic. I have seen maybe 2 or 3 street lights, barely any crosswalks and no lanes what so ever in the roads. Back home the second a person even looks like they are contemplating crossing the road every car stops. Here however you shouldn’t even step off the sidewalk until cars are out of the way. But actually there is never an ‘out of the way’ since a car and motor bike can go anywhere. We have been told that many people get what is called a Chiang Mai tattoo for free. What that really means is that the exhaust pipe from a motor bike scalds your skin leaving a massive burn. I am tattoo free so let’s hope that stays the same.

At dinner I tried sticky rice and curry for the first time (and of course a bunch of other things I cannot pronounce).  I would say that it was interesting; however the curry was not my favorite because it just had a weird after taste. It was not spicy but oddly sweet. But  I am willing to try anything at least once!