What Thailand has taught me (so far...)

The following is a post I made in facebook from March...I add to it as I live my days in Chiang Mai.

1. Every day, I walk down Tha Pae Road in Chiang Mai to meet my friend for dinner.  Every day I pass the same shop.  Today, I noticed a banner above the shop that read: "CAN'T GET LOST if you don't care where U are".  That is SO true on so many levels.  Trying to find a different restaurant to eat at tonight, my friend and I essentially 'got lost' on some of the side roads and alleys in Chiang Mai.  We had no idea where we were, but we didn't care...we just kept walking along until we happened upon a quaint little Italian restaurant.  Nobody was there, just my friend and I (and a sweet little gecko on the wall).  The food was absolutely delicious and the waitress was the nicest, most attentive waitress I think I've ever come across.  It was a splendid evening, and, being on the sidestreets, it felt like we were miles away from the hustle and bustle of smelly (but lovely!) Chiang Mai.  Lesson learned: Get lost and don't care.  Chances are there will be something remarkable just waiting for you around the corner.

2. Cold showers are a million times more refreshing at night than in the morning.  Especially after walking around in 100 degree heat all day.

3. Although they're still absolutely revoltingly disgusting, I find I can tolerate cockroaches more so here than anywhere else.  Come to think of it, the only other time I've seen a roach was in Australia the week before I arrived in Thailand.  Thailand and roaches just seem to go together...gross.

4. Thai's are deathly afraid of ghosts.  So much so that each and every building here has a 'Spirit House'.  Spirit houses are little miniature houses - around the size of a doll house - and the Thai's give offerings to the Spirit houses.  It's sweet, and funny at how frightened they are of ghosts :)

5a. To cross a road, you literally have to take a leap of faith.  Cars, trucks and motorbikes are not going to stop if you're waiting on the side of the road to cross.  But they will slow down if you walk infront of them.  I think it's only because they don't want to reduce their 'merit' (good they do to reach Nirvana).

5b. Red lights are just a suggestion.

6. Ladyboys are more lady-like than most ladies I know - myself definitely included on that one.

UPDATED - sometime in March.
7. The Thai's don't pronounce the letter 'R' if it falls in the middle of the word.  Therefore, when they say the word 'crazy', they pronounce it 'casey'...as in 'Kaycee'.  When a Thai asks my name, every . single . time . they say, and I quote: 'Oh! Kaycee, like CRASY!!'  Yep.  Like crazy. :)

UPDATED April 7 2012
8a. Playing on that last "crazy" entry, Thai's are dreadfully honest.  I went to a Monk Chat back in February - a Monk chat is just that, you have the opportunity to chat with Monks about whatever you want.  Normally you're not allowed to talk to the monks, especially women.  My friend and I were chatting with a monk about Buddhism, it was all very interesting (I didn't have time to ask him about his Zombie Apocolypse plan, but I'm sure he doesn't have one as he did say they don't believe in the end of the world).  Anyways...when we were leaving, he asked us our names.  I got the typical response, "Kaycee?  Like crazy!!"  Yep, like crazy.  Then he proceeded to say "But you don't look like a crazy woman, you look like a lazy woman.  hahaha, Just kidding."  No monk, I don't think you are kidding.

8b. I was at one of my favourite places to eat (Kafe) the other day waiting for my friend.  The guy who I assume is the owner is always kind and was engaging me in conversation while I waited.  He told me that I reminded him of his friend by the way I talk, my mannerisms, etc.  He then said his friend's name is Stuart.  What?!  I said "You think I look like a guy?!"  He replied, "No, not really."  Not really.  Thanks for the 'honest' compliment?

9. After 31 years, I finally learned how to use chopsticks.  Mission complete.

UPDATED September 18, 2012
10a. The real-life game of Frogger pretty much sucks when it's Frogger: Game Over. (See #5a)

10b. Thailand is a very unforgiving place when you have to walk on crutches.  The pavements and sidewalks are uneven and full of obstacles that make it difficult to walk on two good feet.  I'm clumsy enough as it is without the added help of tripping hazards...