Protests and Ping Pong

For the past couple of months I have been training hard in the art of Ping Pong and it has finally paid off. I started my official table tennis class yesterday and came away the undefeated class champion. My last opponent was probably the hardest. A short boy of 13 years who could put topspin on the ball like you couldn't believe. I was put into the M1 class which is equivalent to 8th grade in the U.S. because the guys my age are way too good for me but one day I hope to duel them as well. In more exciting news, Jackie (the other exchange student) and I passed through a mob of anti-prime minister protesters and were greeted warmly. We got the normal series of questions shouted at us. Whats your name? Where you come from? As we passed by they all started getting on mopeds and it looked like something out of the movie "the road warrior." We continued walking as they gave us the call outs, waves, peace signs, and fist pumps. I gave one particular rambunctious moped driver the fist pump back. I think that made his day, a farang who was for the cause.

More Photos

I uploaded some more photos a few days ago and you find the link on the right side of this page. Most of the photos are from my AFS camp. We stayed for about 5 days in Pathumthani (not sure on that spelling) a province about an hour away from Bangkok. The camp served to help us AFS students adjust to living in a house with a Thai family. As expected there are a lot of differences between how families function in Thailand compared to the U.S. Hmmmm what else, I had to take the bus instead of the train to Bangkok from Songkhla because the train union shut down all the trains to help the cause of the protestors that want the Prime Minister to leave. The Bus was an uncomfrotable and smelly experience. Sitting next to the bathroom kinda sucks but at least you dont have to walk far in the middle of the night. Well I just probably wrap it up because my host brother is looking to use the computer but I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing good and I'm safely away from the civil unrest in Bangkok.