I know everyone must be thinking: "Beky please please please give us an update on the solar oven!" Well it turns out it was a big flop. The first two days I tried to make rice, but it took so long it rotted. Ouh Tai was really into it, and carried it out to the sun the second day, and would check on it for me and rotate it to face the sun throughout the day. (He's so nice). On the third day I successfully made a grilled (imported) cheese sandwich in it, but I suspect the full sunshine and temperatures reaching the high 80s could have melted the fine Danish Mozerella cheese as well if it were just sitting in a bird's nest. Oh well, the sandwich was still so delicious. I made the oven out of a cardboard box for the outside insulator, and the inside was a large aluminium box. They actually call for using two cardboard boxes, but I thought the metal would be a better heat conductor, but guess who thought wrong. I hope to make another/better one. So keep staying tuned ;<
Crawly Critters
Since its summer vacation for the school kids not too much teaching has been occuring. So this little post is dedicated to all the cute, fuzzy, cuddely, crazy, and slimy critters, that aren't going to school.
One evening I walked out of my room and towards the bathroom and see this litte fuzzy crawly friend on the ground. The next day I saw him on the wall and took a photo of him. It was kinda crazy, because he's actually all yellow when you first see him, then I blew on him before I got up close to him and his little body squished up and this black dot appeared. I supposed its supposed to be like his 'super scary-I look like an eyeball-self defense mode.'
The third day of our bumping into each other, Mr. Fuzzy Wuzzy, wasn't so fuzzy anymore. I promise, this was the day after the last picture. Way uglier right?
Here's a side view to see how much it sticks off from the wall, kinda...it was dark in the hallway and the flash was needed. The point is, it protruded about half an inch.
This is the little hallway to the bathroom area, because there is no door to the outside, there are tons of bugs that just creep or fly right in and make their little macro-cosmic life in the mortar of our brick wall. Please click to enlarge the photo to get a good glimpse of all the details. I mean really one square inch of this stuff prolly has about 26 dead bugs in it, and about enough cob webs to clog your ear. Gross, I know, obviously I walk right down the middle of the hallway, staying clear of accidently having my pj's brush up against it.
Just an extra bonus shot. I thought the flash really hilights the powerful cobwebs (the brown, non-reflective surfaces) that somehow can stick to the glass window right next to my bedroom door. Now this window, unlike the brick wall, I really like wiping my wet hair on it right after I take a shower.
Crazy Zany Critters at Tesco Lotus
Kelly, another volunteer and I stopped buy our neighborhood Tesco Lotus (the Thai version of a Target) last week. We were walking down a main aisle, and I saw a man whip around and start running to the back of the store. It seemed so urgent I said out loud, "Hmm I wonder if he forgot his kid in the back?" Nope turns out he was running to the back to get in line to buy these sodas that just came out and must have been "Priced to Move." Now this picture doesn't really show the frenzy that was had, but there were people pushing and shouting and fork lifts of soda being moved.
Maybe this photo will be able to sway you. Yes, as we drove out of the parking lot, we see this one shopper's jackpot of soda. I repeat this was just one shopper's goldmine of on sale Sprite and Coke, waiting to be loaded into the red pickup truck. It was a madhouse.
Chiang Rai Critters
Clever packaging. Cats are Critters.
Giraffes are critters. Pilar and I rode a bus an hour south to Chiang Rai to buy mozzerella cheese, cream cheese, and Cheetos. (There is no non-processed cheese in Mae Sai). This little girl was driving this large giraffe around the store.
Slimers
Slimers are slimy critters. I just love it when people do their impressions of Slimer from the Ghostbusters movies. It was Jamie's half birthday party, and he celebrated. Slimer was my favorite character from Ghostbusters.
Tookgeh
There is a crawly critter here...can you see him? He's about 18 inches long and likes to yell "Tookgeh.....Tookgeh.....Tookgeh" all night long, while he hangs out at the playground next to my bedroom.
Here he is, without the camo.
And the ever popular side view.
Jingjok
Tookgeh's little cousin, he's about 3 inches long, and likes to hide in between the crack of your door while its open, don't worry, I shooed him out.
Here's another little dude.
And three other little Jingjok, they're all over the place here, and always get inside and like to poop on the walls, but they do eat the insects!
Cuddly Critters
The first time it rained in a month here, I walked down to the volunteer office in the morning, and found the little puppies all curled up on the little mat sleeping so cute I had to take a picture.
Then I walked inside and looked left and saw their mom, sleeping on another dry spot-our little activity table. So cute, I had to take a picture.
But things quickly turned from cute and cuddly to sad and depressing. (read only if you are not too sensitive to animals). Little black puppy was accidently hit by a car at school the next day, and passed away. So sad, the kids were sad too.
Little white puppy had a little accident. She was sleeping under a car and was accidently run over. But the kids made her a little cozy place to recover, and gave her the little green stuffed catepillar, and toys and milk and cookies to eat and drink.
Here she is looking so sad that day, she went to the vet, and they said that she didn't break any bones.
She could sit up and eat and drink a little, but was just dragging her right hind leg and foot.
But the next day she was reallllly better, and back to her super cute self!
Here she's eating some rice, and you can see how she drags her right foot. She can't seem to lift or bend it. She went to the vet this second day again, and for some reason the vet said she'll never be able to use it again. (sob) I hope the vet was wrong, I think she was a lot stronger just after one day of resting. Isn't her tail adorable-black with the white tip, and on the underside of the tail- its beige.
I'm full and happy and sitting on my rice bowl.
Border Critters
This is the sign about a mile from the school, on the main road-facing Burma (Myanmar). northern most point of thailand how exciting.
Burmese border guard critters with guns.
And welcome to Burma/Myanmar. I didn't actually go, just turned to my left as I was at the northernmost point in Thailand.
