December in KK

But it really feels nothing like December. As I hear reports of snow back home I look outside and see a few leaves fall from trees. Is that really winter?! The tempertaure has dropped to a chilly 60s at night and 70s during the day. I now bring my fleece everywhere I go. And I laugh thinking of most of you bundled up in winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and boots! But some things are the same here. Scarves and winter coats are starting to make their appearance around here and the ski masks and hats are usually worn by people on the back of pick up trucks. My students moan if I want to turn on a fan while I teach and they don't take their jackets off during class. Oh, where did those days of sweat drenched lessons go? Well they are not too far away as some don't think this cold weather (yes, you can hate me for calling it cold) will be here for too long.
December is full of holidays and days not working. Two days ago was the King's Birthday and Father's Day wrapped into one big celebration. I'm not sure what happened because I holed up in my house and did nothing much. It was beautiful. Then on Monday is Constitution Day. another week later and it's Graduation Day (for someone, I have no idea) and another day off and then 4 days later is the start of midterms. My winter vacation starts on December 21st and I think it goes until Jan. 2. The holidays make the time leading up to the midterm fly by. And then after New Year's it's just a month a half until the end of the semester.
With holidays comes vacations. Tonight I am overnight bussing it to BKK (mom and Dan, I know you are jealous! ha) and then catching a 6am bus to Trat and then a ferry to my final destination of Koh Chang. Koh Chang is an island near Cambodia and is supposed to be gorgeous. I think the whole island, or a large part, is a National Park. So I'm escaping the winter weather in some bungalow on the beach with my friend who is teaching in Nan. The funny thing is, to me, it's a no big deal trip. I decided last night and will be on my way in 10 hours. Over the midterm break I will be in Lao traveling by bus and boat through the larger cities and the northern countryside. We'll see how that goes! It'll be my first time out of Thailand actually.

Signs that I am becoming antisocial (or just more selective of people I talk to):
-I sat on the sawngthaew for 10 minutes next to this white man before I chatted him up. At least I said something!
-I met a bunch of new people and couldn't really remember how I have made friends in the past. After I asked the typical questions of what do you do here? where are you from? how long have you been here? do you like it? what do you do in your free time? I ran out of things to say.
-I'd rather watch a movie or read my book than go out and be social
-The biggest festival in KK is happening right now, right by my house, and I still haven't gone because I have heard of the hordes of people. It's just really not enjoyable to be stared at and people yello HELLO at you. I could never be famous.
-I just want to eat lunch by myself. Maybe hearing myself talk in class is just too much for me!

And now I am going to go warm up my lunch and eat it alone at some table outside in the chilly weather. :) And tomorrow the beach!