Just thought I'd start this post out with a HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! But honestly, if I didn't already know it was October 31st.. I would have no idea it is Halloween time at all. Meaning there is absolutely no celebration of Halloween here. No jack-o-lanterns, no costumes, no candy. If I would have seen a pumpkin to buy I would have bought it and taught my host family all about pumpkin carving, but alas, no pumpkins to be found :( It honestly still feels like July, with how hot it is here. Except for the fact that it gets dark at around 6 (it's like summer weather but wintery short days mixed together, and it completely confuses me). Anyways, I hope you all have fun dressing up and being crazy. Maybe do an extra little bit of trick-or-treating just for me? And of course send me all pictures of your costumes..
Today after school Patch helped show me how to go home by van.. She showed me by actually coming home with me. And while we were at my house, she asked my host parents if I can go to a wedding with her tomorrow. I had actually mentioned it to them before, but Patch thought it would be good if she met them in person first so they would feel better about letting me go with her. They said yes... sooo tomorrow I will be going to a Muslim Wedding (and not just to eat dinner this time!) It shall be exciting, I just hope I don't embarass myself too much by being the stupid foreigner who is dressed inappropriatly and doesn't know all of the customs. I never really realize that Muslims have so many different customs in addition to all the Thai ones I learned when I was first here. Instead of wai-ing and saying "Sa-Wat-Dee", Muslims touch their hands to the persons hands who they are greeting, then kind of bring their fingers up to their nose and say "Ah-Salam". Yesterday in school I actually went to a class with Patch for studying about Islam. I didn't understand anything the teacher was saying of course, but I tried to be polite and held my hands in the prayer like fashion that all the students were doing while they said their Arabic prayers. I had previously known about the whole Muslims not eating meat scenario (although I'm still not sure of the reason behind it), but now I've learned a new custom they have: they are not allowed to touch the saliva of a dog. Patch tried to explain to me the reasoning, and from what I understood it is because dogs somtimes lick unpleasant things and therefore their saliva is dirty, which I understand... but I'm still not sure why there is a rule within a religion about it. Patch told me that saliva from cats is cosidered okay, because cats are smaller than dogs. I didn't say anything to her, but I was thinking, what about dogs like Belle or Dookie (miniature pinschers) who are actually smaller than some cats?
On Sunday morning I apparently must wake up really early to go swimming with my host sister. While I want to go swimming, I'm not so excited about waking up to go swimming at 7 a.m. Also not excited about my host family finding out that I have a tattoo... I love my tattoo and all... but I'm just not sure how much they will. My host parents are so nice though.. They told me that I don't have to wash my own uniform, since I only have 2 sets of my uniform, it is ridiculous for me to have to wash 1 set everyday. My host mom or host aunt or whoever will do it so that it can be washed with my sisters uniforms and wont be such a waste of water. I will have to iron my own uniform though, which I agreed too. They also have offered to buy me 1 more set of my uniform. I think because they think 2 sets isn't enough. Which I must agree with, because this way they don't have to be washed EVERYDAY.
Not much more to report about the last couple of days. I've just been going to school and going to classes with Patch, which is sometimes quite boring.. But I've been carrying around a novel with me to read ("The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao", I'm LOVING it... can't put it down), and sometimes one of my friends passes me notes in English. A few of the girls in my class have actually taken to bringing their English conversation books along to class with them so that they can make conversation with me. And although I must admit my Thai isn't as good as most of the other exchange students, my classmates seem to be impressed with how much I've learned since last semester. I can have simple conversations with them, sometimes without Patch's help.. Yay me!
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