Out in the boonies

I was just speaking to a friend on Facebook, when it struck me how many little things I took for granted living in the Western world.  The specific item that brought this up was a movie theater.  Blog followers, I know this sounds crazy, and some of you will even think that it's not a big deal, but it is a big deal and it is true.

I cannot go see a movie in a theater.

Phew, I'm glad to get that off my chest.  Oh, I could get on a bus to Hua Hin or Surat Thani and see one.  But Hua Hin is four hours away, and Surat Thani is around five, I think.  Seems a little extreme just to go see X-men.  And what hurts the absolute most is knowing that once I get there, the popcorn they serve will come in a variety of horrifying flavors.  Sugar, BBQ, spicy something-I-don't-want-to-think-about.  Butter flavored popcorn?  Neither love nor money can get something like that here in Thailand.  Even in Bangkok, which I'm convinced isn't really Thailand, the popcorn comes in spicy, sweet or a mix of the two.

There's loads of other little things being this far south in Thailand.  No McDonalds, no karaoke in English, going into a bar knowing you'll hear some random music in English.  As soon as you set foot in a bar or a restaurant, they'll change whatever they're playing to random music in English.  And I mean random.  It'll go from Bob Marley to the Spice Girls with no warning.  I'm convinced that every business owner around here has dutifully bought a single CD of songs in English having no cognizance of the songs themselves.  And the person that mixed that CD just googled "English Speaking Music" and put the first 30 songs they found on the disc.  It's a sweet gesture, but man do I miss goth clubs.  Haha, that's something I never thought I'd think, let alone say aloud.  I just said it aloud to myself and it feels awfully weird. 

I guess it's a trade off, really.  I get gorgeous islands and beaches, ace weather and very cheap beer.  Every great once in awhile, I'd trade that for getting McDonald's fries and going to headbang with the other metal kids.  Whenever I get that feeling, I just march myself up to the store and get two big Leos, bring them back to my apartment and bounce around listening to Mindless Self Indulgence.  Then if I'm still sober, I drive to the beach.  No matter what's wrong, it's nothing that can't be cured by wallowing around on the sand looking at this.

Then I wade out ankle deep in the water and think "Life ain't bad, eh?"

Student Work

Have you ever sat around and wondered just how well the kids I'm teaching can speak English?  Shockingly well, in some cases.  Their pronunciation is a little bad, and they don't have a lot of vocabulary, but I do know what they're saying in most cases.  Without further adieu, here is the best of the comic strip last week.

Shockingly lucid in some places, huh?

Till next time, fellow bloggers!