Thailandic Trances

Thailand is so different from anything I have ever seen before. It's unbelievably far away and incredibly different from America in every regard. Whenever I eat dinner I have no idea what I am putting into my mouth. The vegetables and meats are indistinguishable, as are their textures. Today I took a 3o minute bus ride from Chiang Mai to San Kam Phaeng, only it wasn't in a bus- it was in the back of a modified pick-up truck with 16 other people. Three people in the cab, 13 people sitting in the truck bed on benches, and one guy with a large sack of something lumpy hanging out the back. It cost me $.46 each way. I ate Pad Thai from a moped sidecar parked outside a pavilion (that's way too nice of a word) that cost me $.61. This was legit Pad Thai. Before they brought me my meal they brought me mosquito repellent, and then served me water in a tin mug after ladling it out of a cooler. I stayed for an hour because the fan was so refreshing.
My gracious host family waters their roof everyday. They have a hose tied to the roof and they turn it on for one hour each afternoon. They put pails on the ground under the roof where it leaks.
I shower on the toilet. Okay, not exactly, but I certainly could. I identified 7 toothbrushes in the bathroom for the three people living here. When I do my laundry my garments (interpret that word as you will) are hung up to dry on the front gate, the banister, and everywhere else.
I ate fried chicken for breakfast, and I only know it was breakfast because of the time. Dinner and breakfast foods are the same here, as is the afternoon meal.
I counted five geckos in the hallway, four cows in the backyard, and countless chickens at the free range chicken farm across the street. Roosters too.
Someone came up to me the other day and said "Teacher Dan asleep" and then walked off. Just that, nothing more. This place is surreal.