Tsunami Relief!

After three months of an intense introduction to Thai culture via various teaching stints I am now onto the Tsunami Volunteer center in Khao Lac. Although an altruistic endeavor, it was heavily fueled by the desire to quench my need for westernization. The Tsunami Volunteer Center (TVC) usually has around 50-200 international volunteers at anytime. This dynamic group has a constant flow of newcomers that have provided me with crazy tales of international travel! I can't even try to compare my vacations to sky diving tours around the world, Sri Lankan war stories, or motorcycling through Vietnam. Thus I happily welcome the company of my new western comrades. Because contrary to what I expected, Asian culture has been quite a bit to handle. Ha..and I thought I was cultured.
I can actually speak the language now, although it did take me awhile. I am thinking that being tone deaf does not help when learning a tonal language. However learning the language doesn't help me understand all of their culture enigmas. Like how the Thais frenzy over having white skin with lackluster waif-like features to match, or the huge emphasis on grace and positioning of spoons and forks, not to mention that their education system has more holes than a colander (which always makes teaching interesting). So it is good to be around foreigners for a while 'till I hit the totally Thai scene again.
Meanwhile I am doing construction. It is quite heavy duty work (cement + monsoons = tons of fun). Also paying for accommodation and food here might run me dry pretty soon. Thus I may be heading back to teaching after a while. Meanwhile I do happen to be quite close to the amazing beaches of Thailand right now. So stories of clear waters and blond beaches are to come!