Welcome to Mueang Thai

Long overdue, I am finally making my first post from within Thai borders. I arrived in Bangkok Sunday night, having been diverted to Chiang Mai for several hours to allow a storm in the capital to pass. I questioned the pilot's claim as we refueled in the provincial capital in the northwest after having flown 17 hours nonstop, but sure enough, the runway at Don Muang was a mess of puddles when we finally arrived at our destination. 5 o'clock does not seem to be a good time to travel here as the rainy season lives up to its name with monsoonal authority at regular intervals. I guess the rain is helping people around the country, especially the farmers of the Northeast, but it has no positive effect on the traffic-choked metropolitan mess that is Bangkok. Disregarding the temporary relief from Bangkok's stifling jungle heat that is amplified by exhaust fumes and the pungently intimate congregations of street vendors and pedestrians, you can do just fine if you know where you are going. So far, I am just getting settled as I prepare for my proposed endeavor, but have managed to completely drain myself before 10 pm all 3 days that I have been here. My improvised itinerary consists of errands and visits throughout the city in the afforementioned heat/downpour that takes a toll on the mind and body. I consider the heat exhaustion fortunate because a 7 am start really gets me ready to stare down what can be a both intimidating and stressful city, and will prepare me further for the potential physical and mental challenges that I expect to be infinitely more difficult when I make my way to Isaan and into the Muay Thai culture and monastic asceticism. Most of the energy that I am still struggling to recover was lost during a visit to the elementary school where I volunteered as an english teacher last summer, which would not have occurred had I not found my NCAA approved football in perfect condition in teachers office. My surprise visit was punctuated by an extended lunch recess a session of orchestrated madness that I credit to myself as the students failed to grasp the concept that American football is not rugby or UFC. Even in rugby constant kicking and punching is not encouraged, especially if you choose to dive headfirst into human piles 0n a concrete playground. Despite the students' displine in the classroom, the Thais really know how to let loose and have a good time, although the violence of some of their favorite activities would not be acceptable on American soil. Even the teachers wanted to play. Needless to say, I picked up where I left off last summer and if my budget becomes more of a concern, I will always have a free room at the monastery at Wat Ampawan, the Buddhist temple adjacent to the school with a permanent teaching vacancy. I have a lot more to say about my plans and my new impressions of Thai culture and my experience thus far, but I accidentally ate Thai-style American food, which is a BIG mistake that many people seem to make when they dont pay attention. All I can say right now is that this is definitely going to be an interesting summer, and I look forward to a final product, a goal that I came one step closer to as I scouted Panasonic 3CCD Digital Video cameras at Pantip Plaza, an enormous electronics mall not far from where I'm staying for now. One logistical problem that I expect to encounter, is finding time to get to a computer, remembering what I have done since my last post, not to mention staying within 200 miles of a place where computers and/or the internet are available. This will be easily achieved if I maintain my self jai yen-yen(heart cool-cool), a Thai expression for 'take it easy' and remember that no matter what obstacles present themselves, with the correct mind-set one can eventually say, if not immediately, 'mai bpen rai' (no problem). This post is probably too long already so I'm going to stop.