Excited!

This morning I'm going to look for my cell phone once again. Then I'm off to the bank to get the money out of my account so that at the orientation I can pay for my trips. I hope they let me take it all out at once... Well that didn't work. I just got back from the bank and it takes a couple days to process the transfer..oo well. It was not for a lack of trying. I should be leaving in a couple hours for my trip. We will stop in Phayao for lunch and then stop and visit the famous hot springs. Once we get to Chiang Mai we will wait for the kids to get home from school and all go out to dinner. After all this we will hit up the famous Night Bizarre!! I can't wait to go shopping. I will take tons of pictures and get them up as soon as I can. I can't wait for this weekend. Hopefully all goes well. I still haven't found my cell phone, and am hoping it turns up soon. I won't be writing until I get back in Chiang Mai on Sunday because I'm not bringing my laptop on the trip. I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and I can't wait to start mine!

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

At School

So here I am sitting at school on my laptop!! Something you wouldn't find kids doing in the United States except in a college. It's nice to finally be able to do something with my day at school instead of making a list of the things I need to do when I get home. It's been raining for 5 days straight and is almost starting to flood. Today is my last day of school for the week..soo I'm super excited. I'm trying to listen and understand Thai but this is hard to do.  My host mother made french fries and chicken nuggets for dinner last night. It was a greatly appreciated break from all the spices and basil and wierd cuts of meat that I've been eating for weeks now. I am however worried that I'm going to run out of books to read during school. I tried to look at the store here and I couldn't find a single book in english...this might be challenging. Also where I thought my phone was...it wasn't so now I'm kind of in trouble because without it I can't call home, or my host mother. I hope I can find it soon because it could be in Chiang Mai or in one of my families cars in Chiang Mai. My host mother actually sat down to watch Free Willy with me last night but then got swept away by work. Atleast she made an attempt to bond. Tonight we are going over the important first night questions that we both forgot to ask. Hopefully we can get this all solved so that we don't have these misunderstading any more. Even though I'm at school with not a thing to do I feel I should try to talk with my classmates.


Until Later, Dacotah Smith

Alot to write and NOT alot of Time

First off what better way to end a weekend than to loose your cell phone...I'm still on the search for it. We went to Chiang Mai a four hour drive yesterday to drop my host sister off at the airport and say our goodbyes. Surprisingly her mother did not shed a single tear. Neither did her four friends that also accompanied us to the airport.(Unlike mine) I'm hoping that I didn't loose my cell phone there. One the way back we stopped in a town about an hr away called Phayao and had dinner on the tiny lake. I was informed that in the middle of the lake there are ancient ruins of a temple and they take tourists out to see them. I was promised that next time when we have more time we would go see them. I also convinced my host mother to not only take me to an elephant training camp next weekend but to take me to do the famous night safari in Chiang Mai as well!! I can't wait for my two days of school this week to be over, so I can go to orientation!! I also have woken up 5 nights in a row now to go to the bathroom only to find a gecko sitting on the toilet. Each time deciding I can wait til morning! There is the rough summary of my weekend and whats to come.


Until Later, Dacotah Smith

My House

Our water storage tanks outside the front door

The view from the house

The factory that is right next to the house- my host family runs it

Another view

The main house

The trucks that are coming in and out all day long

The dining room

The walk-in level

Preview

Science Day at Phayao University

Fashion Show with clothes made out of recyled materials

The view from the school

The newest science building

More

More Models- My classmates

Mae Sae- The Border of Burma and Thailand

Back in Thailand after a day of shopping

My sisters and my mother

At Home Alone

I am sitting in the house alone. My family just left for Chiang Mai. They will be dropping their daughter off at the airport tomorrow so they left today since it is easily a four hour drive. They did not have room for me in the house where they will be staying or in the car. So I will be picked up tonight after their sister closes up her shop and will spend the night with her and go to Chiang Mai bright and early in the morning to say goodbye. While I wait to be picked up I will be reading, catching up on my blog, eating a couple mangoes, watching a movie or two and trying to stay busy and not get bored. I will be back home tomorrow night and will go to school on Monday and Tuesday and head back to Chiang Mai on Wednesday. I will be meeting up with 10 exchange students in Chiang Mai and we will be taking a car three hours south to a resort for our first orientation. We will all take that car back after the orientation is over four days and later and then my host mother will pick me up. She agreed to take me to see the elephants in Chiang Mai and the Orchid farms and some temples before we head back. I'm looking forward to an exciting almost two weeks. I also recently learned that I will be leaving my class for about an hour a day and going to learn the basics of Thai language with the kindergarten class. It is a little embarrassing but should be fun and a nice chance to get away from everyone in my class always trying to please me. They are all almost too nice that it can be overwhelming at times. But I'd rather have it this way than not have any friends at all. I'm so excited for whats to come and have to only focus on the highs of each day instead of the lows. With this mindset I should do just fine.


Until Later, Dacotah Smith

More Pictures

More

 Outside the famous temple in town

 At the Thailand and Laos Border

 Inside the temple

 Outside the temple

 The temple was closed so we just took pictures and left

 Decoration outside the temple

Busy... Busy... Busy

Yesterday I was so busy I didn't have anytime to write on my blog so here it goes. Yesterday I woke up and went to three different banks before school, trying to find the cheapest way to transfer a large amount of money for the three trips that I will be taking later this year. Long story short, I need the money by Tuesday and am kind of in a rush to get it as I leave Chiang Kham for Chiang Mai on Saturday to drop my host sister off at the airport, and will be staying until I leave for my orientation. I'm so excited to meet the other exchange students in this district and so excited that this orientation is about 7 hours away from my house and at a resort and spa, should be a nice few days. I've been running around trying to get the money transferred and switch my insurance before I leave on Saturday. The good news is my class is testing at a university tomorow and Friday so I don't have school!! After going to the banks yesterday, I got dropped off at school and read half of my book, until about 4:30 when I got picked up. I then went to yet another Thai dancing class, where I proceeded to drip sweat...nasty. I did get my first chance to wear my tailor made uniform, with my Thai name embroidered on it (Darika Smith). After all this we stopped and got rodee the Indian dessert that I'm obsessed with and came home to change. At about 7 we left the house in the pouring rain for my first rotary meeting. I got up and introduced myself, gave them a club flag and in return received a gorgeous club flag from them. We ate dinner there and my host sister said her goodbyes, as she is leaving on Sunday. We didn't get home until about 10 and I then showered and went straight to bed. I got up at 5 this morning to be picked up at 6 to wait a friends house for a bus at 7 to go the Phayao University. The whole class went for the day. It was science day and we watched a student made fashion show including only clothes made out of recyclable materials. It was so cool. I did however start to get a little bored so four teachers took me to play chemistry bingo. On my first game I won!!! I won a bear piggy bank, not the best prize but I was still excited. After all this we had an hour bus ride home where we played karaoke in Thai and then I got dropped off right at my house. My host mother and sisters still aren't home, so I finished watching the Ugly Truth and am finally getting time to update my blog with the hundreds of things I've done. This is all for now!


Until Later, Dacotah Smith

A Picnic with Friends

At The National Park with the Phu Sang Waterfall in the Background

The Waterfall

 The gorgeous country on the Thailand and Laos Border

They all love to pose for pictures

 At one of three temples visited that day!

BUSY Day!

yesterday was so busy that I didn't even have time to write. We went to the Thailand and Burma border and crossed into Burma for cheap shopping where I got a ring and matching earrings and a t-shirt. We then went to the Big-C shopping center to find me some school shoes and just like I was saying they don't come big enough. After all this we went to a shrimp farm with a pond with about 3000 goldfish in it. We ate fresh shrimp, the famous spicy papaya salad, fried rice and spicy soup with shrimp. It was a great day and I wish I could go into more detail but I have to eat breakfast and get to school.

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

Friendly Day

I woke up and for breakfast ate a pancake prepared by our maid, unfortunately she doesn't know how the make them and it was just a semi cooked blob, but I ate it anyways. I also ate my new favorite fruit called lankin...I think. It's only in season for about two weeks a year so I'm eating all I can while I can. Then I tried to watch my movies that I brought from home and unfortunately this DVD player wouldn't let me play them, it said check region...bummer. So I resulted to watching one of the movies I borrowed from my counslor...The Blind Side. It was great. At 11:30 my new friends came to pick me up and take me to the waterfall. We met a bunch of people at the grocery store where we bought chips and pop for a little picnic by the waterfall. All in all it was about 14 of us in one pick-up which was fine until it started to rain. We went to the waterfall and took lots of pictures and then went to the border of Thailand and Laos and then headed to three different temples. It was a busyyyy day. I'm exhausted and my host mother and sisters are not home so I finally have some time to be on the computer. My sisters love to play computer games...all day long. Over all today was a greattt day and I'm excited to head back to school on Monday. One day away from them might be nice, it's all just a little overwhelming. I did get my school uniform tailor made and it is officially ready to wear at school, this way at least I will fit in a little better.

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

School Pics

After the Lockout!!

Once I finally got into the house this morning I had a quick breakfast and we were off. I was told the reason I was still locked out at 7:30 was because a truck got stuck and it took them until three in the morning to get it unstuck and back to the factory, needless to say is was a late start. When I arrived at school we sat in the blazing sun for about an hr while a teacher explained the weeks announcements. We then went to a room and sat through an American college visit, where college students came and talked about why they should go there. Only problem was I didn't understand a word. After that they had English class, during which they read the few magazines I brought with. After lunch we proceeded to go outside in the scorching sun fill up a Thai hot air balloon, only difference is there is no basket attached and it was square. It was a contest between classes and evidently we won. (There are pictures on Facebook) It took about an two hours to fill it up with hot air, during which we were all dripping sweat. After school I waited a long while to be picked up and then headed to my Thai dance class where again I was dripping sweat. After all this we went out to dinner and went to seven eleven to get Slurpee's! Finally I'm home and ready for some sleep. Tomorrow my friends are picking me up and we are going to the waterfall once again, this time I feel it will be more exciting as maybe if weather permits we can hike the trail where the warm pool is and follow it to the waterfall. Over all each day has it challenges, but I am just trying to find the best part in each day and only concentrate on that. My official orientation is in two weeks and is four days long and held at a resort and spa!! This I am veryyy thrilled about, some time away from my family with kids in my same position. My host sister leaves next Sunday for a year in Wayzata, MN! Her name is Ching and she's 15, I wouldn't have been able to do it that young. Plus she is super shy at home where she fits in and speaks the language, I just wish her the best of luck.

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

Uneventful Day

I got up and left the house at 7:30 only to drop my sibling off at school then procede to wait for the bank to open so I could open an account. Needless to say I didn't get dropped off at school until 10 and all the kids were wondering where I was I had six missed phone calls... So I went to school and than was supposed to be picked up at four to continue with my thai dancing class. It wasn't until five that I was picked up and brought to my thai dancing class. Where we got video taped... I will try to get it up. Then we did about 10 errands and finally headed home where my younger sister got sick at the table and almost made me sick as well. I then went to my room and showered and watched a movie to unwind before falling asleep. I woke up this morning got ready and waited outside the house for over 20 minutes, as all the doors were locked. I called my host mother three times and she didn't answer, finally her brother let me in on his way out. School starts in less than an hour were supposed to leave in ten minutes and no one is up. I'm beggining to wonder if they start later on fridays or something. OOOO well I can't do anything now I'm up and I guess I will just be waiting until people get up!


Until Later, Dacotah Smith

Link to my photo album

BUSYYY DAY

I don't have time to write much so here it goes. I walked out of the local seven eleven to find a baby elephant following a man around a busy street. It was awesomeee. At school we stayed in the same room all day and the teachers came to us. Not that anyone would ever know, the class just kept talking through the whole thing. It was interesting. It seems they should be studying harder then we do being that they have less of a chance of advancing to a university than we do. But this was not the case, they did absolutly nothing all day. The teachers either taught and talked while the kids were talking to eachother or they just talked to the kids and didn't teach a thing. This should be an interesting year. Sadly this is all I have time for.

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

Science Day at School!

I was dropped off at school by my host families driver at about 8:10 which to my knowledge would make me late since school starts at 8. However I got out of the car and followed about 10 kids in. I guess I'm just not used to such a laid back school. After I arrived and walked in alone with everyone yelling Hello!! Hello!! I made my way to my classroom. I helped them set up for games and then went to a different room to play games. That's about all we did until noon. They had a room that was black and had glow in the dark stars and black lights!! It was sweet and we played games and if you lost you got flour all over the face! I was covered by the time I left. What amazed me was that everything cost money. They charged you to play the games and enter the star room etc. Luckily I'm a superstar here and they payed for me to play darts and to get into the star trek room. They also bought me a glass with a little bit of coke and alot of ice in it. They are all so nice and considerate. Yesterday on the way to the gates where we get picked up a classmate bought me a popsicle for the wait.Today I was just sitting, keeping to myself and observing when two guys invited me to play this game and when I offered to pay they shot  me down and insisted that I let them pay.... It was mighty nice, I later found out they were only 15 haha. After all this ended we went and ate a lunch of friend rice with chili sauce and then went back to clean up the mess. After that we watched a horror movie. During this time they informed me that the whole class is going to pick me up on saturday and take me to see the temples and have a picnic at the waterfalls. I'm sooo excited and shocked by how considerate they are. In the U.S. most kids would just let you sit and eat lunch by yourself and sit in class without a soul to talk to. I know this from experience, however these kids wouldn't leave me alone, I almost went to the bathroom just to get a second to myself.  I can't wait to see what tommorow holds even though I'm pretty sure they are actually going to have class tommorow...BUMMMER. School is great the only reason I want to leave is to get some time to review after being clobbered all day, otherwise I would live there!

Until Later, Dacotah Smith

My First Day of School

My new best friend

So I arrived at school in a conservative tank top.. was then told they don't have a uniform big enough so I can wear what I want..then told it would be nice if I can wear a uniform...soo later tonight we will be searching town for something that fits. I was also told I can't show my shoulders so I had to wear a boys t-shirt...not the best start. Luckily things cheered up after my counsler made me introduce myself to the entire student body over a microphone...nerve racking. Plus they were all sitting making me seem even taller compared to them than I already am. Then my only life line left me to go back to work and I was on my own. Luckily I learned that today was a preperation day for the science day happening tommorow. So basically we did absolutly nothing laid on the floor and talked, ate, sang justin bieber songs and talked some more ... I was excited when I got invited to go on a motorcycle and go the the waterfall again for a picnic this weekend with some of my female classmates!!!! They tried there hardest to spit out almost understandable sentences in english and told me all their nick names.. Bee, Aue, Uee, and others I can't remember at the moment. They gave me a nickname since none of them could understand my name. My nickname is Pha...like the sky they said. I was also given about 15 compliments on my eyes and eyelashes... I'm starting to think this won't be sooo bad after all. They taught me some thai as well..bakka means pen, and ma ja chun chan USA means I come from USA!! I'm getting the hang of things little by little. They said they will teach me atleast a word or sentence a day. They also taught me eyes, nose, mouth and ears but unfortunatly my brain was soo scattered I lost them already. Overall a great first day of school, it was all a tad overwhelming, I'm wondering how I'm going to do it again tommorow, which will be a day of games and dancing and singing!! Then they return to actually learning things again...I think.  I'm actually excited to go back tommorow!

Thursday market

So after I finished writing yesterday's blog things cheered up. They took me into town where I went and explored the "thursday market"  and than sat at my host mothers sisters store and just hung out. Then we went to lunch and I got chicken with garlic and rice, two plates and a scoop of ice cream for roughly 3 dollars. It was delicious. I soon found out that her sister is my counselor and she said maybe in October she would take me to go do a high ropes course with her in the jungle, she also said she might take me to the beaches of Phuket at sometime. This made me veryyy excited. She also said that I get to stay with her on Sunday for the day, a girls bonding day. We soon went to her house and she let me take twelve movies to watch at home when my host mother is working all day. (American Movies!!)  My host mother took me to the house in town where she grew up and let me pick two mangos to bring home and eat! I than realized that I definitely live in the nicest house in this area and it made appreciate what I have. We then proceeded to go back home where I watched a movie and than since it was mothers day we went to my host mothers house for dinner with her three sisters and all the six kids. We had a pork bbq which was delicious and ice cream cake! After dinner the kids invited me to play cards with them and it was soo much fun we played for three hours and didn't even realize how late it was. We than went home and all went to sleep. Over all my best night here!

My First Day of Exploration!

Since my family is in Bangkok til Wednesday I'm staying with my counselor. So we got up at eight and went to the morning market and bought some fresh mangos and crepes for breakfast. Then we proceeded to go home and eat breakfast. She then took my to a temple and to the national park with the only warm waterfall in Thailand and than to the Thailand/Laos Border.. all this before noon. We than went back to what is becoming my favorite hole in the wall restaurant where I proceeded to order garlic chicken and rice, it was delicious. Now she has gone to her shop down the street and I'm sitting in her house with the fan going its about 96 right now, with no air conditioning and I'm to stay here and chill until she gets back from work. We will then go to a restaurant with fried fish and fruit salad she says and head right next door to get the fried dough dessert..YUMMM... I don't have a ton to write about you can see it all in my pictures that are now on Facebook.

Bye for Now, Dacotah Smith

My First Thai Words!

I tried to post pictures on here but it wouldn't go so if you want to look at some find my facebook profile! I also have learned some thai words.. here it goes.. Alloy Mai= I like it alot Kapun= Thank you Guetot= fried chicken Sawadeeka=formal greeting Sipcow=18 that's it for now!

Thai's are not punctual!

So today I was supposed to go learn some thai dance at 9 in the morning, sooo I got up and got ready and just sat and sat and sat and patiently waited. It turns out we didn't leave the house til 11 and by than it was too late so for know the thai dance lessons are postponed until Wednesday. I did however receive a thai name. My thai name is Darika meaning beautiful girl and my nickname is Da given to me by my host mothers two sisters. Today we went and brought thai silk to a tailor so that my younger sister could get a traditional thai dress made for her to the tune of about 250 dollars... I want one too. I have know just gotten home and gotten packed for the time where my host parents are away and I am to stay with my counselor. She will take me to school, that I'm excited for! I also tried the thai ice cream which is your choice of bread, kidney beans, coconut, barley and something else that I couldn't make out, with shaved ice on top and syrup and than condensed milk poured on the top. It was quite interesting, the condensed milk and bread I didn't care for but the shaved ice was delicious. My youngest sister is adorableeee, the oldest not soo much but we have bonded the most as she is headed to Minnesota on the 29th. I can't wait to learn how to dance hopefully I can understand some of what the teacher is trying to teach me. I'm hoping I might get to try the thai version of KFC for dinner. I also spotted a Starbucks in Chiang Mai and and Dairy Queen in the airport, the joy of familiar things. Yesterday I tried a fried dough with what seemed to be butter and sugar...it was sooo good, the only trouble is I don't know what it's called. I told my host mother that I love mango and she is doing everything she can to find me some mangos even though there out of season, this I'm truly grateful for. Well I'm off to stay and close up my counselors shop.

Toodles, Dacotah Smith

Thai Dancing

Today I will be taught how to Thai Dance!! I'm so excited, plus I'm doing it with my host sister which makes it a good bonding experience! Tonight I will stay at my host mother's sister's house until wednesday, because my family is going to Bangkok on the overnight bus to get Ching my host sister a visa for canada so if she is offered while on her stay in Minnesota she can go. I'm kinda jealous they are not taking me the buses are double decker coach buses with pillows, blankets, tv's and seats that recline almost all the way back!! OO well this way I will be able to spend some time with my counsler and get to know her better. She will also be taking me to school on monday!

In my home in Chiang Kham

my room

I get to live in there guest house all by myself it has three bedrooms and three bathroom and two of the rooms have air conditioning that part is mighty nice. I don't like being away from the family I at times feel like i'm all by myself my host mother said next monday she will take me to the school to go get a uniform and talk to the principal and I should be able to start school on tuesday which will be soooooo nice. Because my host mother and father are busy working, leaving me with nothingggg to do. My host mother speak pretty good english but my father can say my name and i don't speak... so needless to say at this point and time theres not much conversation going on. My host family own their own factory where they turn local corn into dye and syrup? So theres workers everywhere they have two mades and a bunch of other workers. I slept with a hugeee gecko on my wall that kinda freaked me out but when I woke up it was gone.. phewww. Since my host family lives in the sticks there is barely any internet connection so when it's rainy I won't be able to update my blog. I'm a little homesick called home last night and started crying, everything is just overwhelming and there is no one to talk to since I don't have any friends yet. so while my host mother and father are working today I will just be quietly reading a book and getting used to the heat. My host mother offered me some funky looking fish for dinner which I tried and than decided I didn't care for, she keeps saying you so big and eat so little haha. So she cut me up a papaya and two other fruits that I have no earthly idea what they are. They were all soo delicious. She definitly has my best interest in mind it's just hard when she is working I have nooo one to talk to. Well that's it for now I have to do some research on where exactly I am so I can find someethinggg to do.

my home

Toodles, Dacotah Smith

I'm in Chiang Mai!

So I also met a russian girl who landed in Chiang Mai with me which was nice. Before I got on the plane I enjoyed a glass of Kiwi juice which was delicious. On the plane I had a whole four seats to myself so I got a good 5 hours of sleep laying down!! Then when I got off the plane my host mother and her oldest daughter were there to great me! They took me to get some traditional Thai food which was delicious and than we stayed at their house in Chiang Mai and today were leaving for her hometown! The coolest thing I saw was a man riding an elephant down the road as we drove by! I'm soo excited for whats to come!

In Seoul Korea

It hard to believe that I left just about 24 hours ago. I just got done with my longest flight being 12 1/2 hrs long, where I watched about 4 movies. P.S. Korean Airlines is da bomb! But what made it even better was when we got to the airport in San Francisco we met up with other rotary kids who are from Canada, Alaska, Portland, Seattle and California and found out we were all flying together to Thailand. Unfortunatly they are all flying into Bangkok, while I'm flying solo to Chiang Mai... ooo well we had the long flight together and we all bonded. I was sooo excited when we met them and we took a group picture which I will post as soon as I can get my hands on it! All in all I was with some people I knew and now I'm all by myself this is when it is starting to sink in! But I'm in it for the long run 12 months isn't that long...Right? I'm sooo excited to meet my host family but am throughly exhausted right now. I couldn't really sleep on the plane until the last hour when they turned the lights on and the plane started buzzing with conversation.. ooo well. I will try to catch some ZZZ's on the last leg of my journey to Thailand. It's raining here and even in the airport I'm almost sweating...guess I'm gonna have to get used to it. It was nice to meet these other kids because they taught me things about thai culture that I would have learned the hard way. I'm sooo excited to begin my new year! Talk to you soon, Dacotah