Kathoey's in Paradise

I spent the long weekend, which included the 6th month anniversary of my arrival in Thailand in Kho Samui(the same stinking island where I was dive certified 6 months ago). The time has not made it a more pleasant place but it was, nonetheless, a weekend I wont soon forget.

After about 5 hours in the car, traveling with a friend from Phuket(Tik) and her cousin, we finally made it to Samui. We met Tik's nephew @ the pier - Well I suppose I should say niece(or... I don't really know what to call her relation to Tik) . 'Got' is his/her name and he/she was a real pleasure to meet(with no sexual connotation).

He/she - or more accurately "Shim" as we would later call Shim to Shim's delight - works at a fancy resort giving high priced Thai massages to high priced guests.

Kathoeys (The Thai name for transexuals like Got) are quite common in Thailand which makes going out on the town anywhere a little different as you will(or at least I am) often be solicited for all sorts of things that take "short-time", "long-time", "Fun-Time", etc. from long haired, long legged, big bosom-ed, beauties with a deep voice and big hairy hands. Bar hopping in Thailand is not the time to let down your guard - unless of course you ARE interested in the company in which case go for it.

Anyhow, Got was not the type of Kathoey who was out on the streets late at night soliciting shimself. Got had a good, well paid job in a nice resort and he/she was genuine "jai-dii"(kind heart). Which is good because I often have found myself wondering about what these people's lives are like - no better no worse no doubt but what do they go through in Thailand to be who they are?

Got showed us what shim could of the island for the first day and we we stopped for lunch and tore through about 300B(8$) worth of delicious spicy Isan food(Isan is the area in the northeast of Thailand where my three mentioned friends are from originally). Isan food can mean many things but in our case it consisted of som-tam(spicy papaya salad), gai-yang(grilled chicken), khao neeo(sticky rice), and laap(Usually chicken or pork salad - always delicious).

We went to the beach after lunch and returned to the guest house and we ended up getting massages in turn from Got. Yes, I now can say I've been massaged by a transexual, and no I'm not going to report it to the police, and yes I enjoyed every second. score...

This may come as a surprise to some of you(probably not to others) but if you know me at all you know that I'm not the type to discriminate. The best Thai massage in your life is the best Thai massage in your life folks.

Thouroughly relaxed from our Thai massages, and me exhausted from a bit of a cold I've had recently, we went to bed/hit the sack/hit the hay/got some shut eye.

In the morning we did some more exploring(pretty uneventful). In the evening we ate moo-kata(Barbecue pork) Which is actually more like barbecue whatever you like. Everyone sits around the table and throws meats on the Barbie and veggies in the soup at the base of the of the barbecue grill. The grill is dome shaped so all the deliciousness ends up in the soup and its deeeelectable.

Oh, also less than $2.50/person all you can grill and eat.

It got more interesting when we went out to a couple of bars/clubs that night. In the end we hit 3 different spots and we got turned away from one because Got was a Kathoey. Sad really because she's really harmless.

We left Samui the next afternoon at 4:00pm. I got back to Tapput late last night and got up early to get on the bus to Malaysia to extend my visa for another 5 months.

Wish me luck - I miss you mak...

ps. Charles your emails are re-donk-ulus...

English Camp - Set Lee-aw...

Just finished("Set Lee-aw" in Thai) my 12 day marathon English camp a few days ago and I feel good. If I can survive teaching 8hrs a day for 12 days I should be able to survive a semester.

So I'm here until early March. Yea I know I said November, and the whole Wyclef reference falls apart but somethings things weren't meant to fit refences(even well-intentioned ones).

Alex I'm sorry I will miss your Bday... I'll send my happy Bday vibes from Thailand.

I hope none of you are too disappointed. I promise I wont postpone the date any more...

Soon I'll be going to Malaysia to get my new visa(which will allow me into Thailand until March).

Before you(or I) know it I'll be back in the old USA saying my thanks to those who kept up with me and kickin back a beer(legally).

I don't think its possible to rain more than it does in Taput, Phang-nga in the south of Thailand.

I have been working here for about a week, teaching an english camp(pretty much solo) with 60+ kids. Its hard. (mostly on the body and mind)

This morning I woke up at 7am, late for my schedule recently(usually I'm up an hour earlier). sprinkled frigid water on my face and hopped on my Thai family's moto-sii(motorcycle) and drove into town for Breakfast.

On the way I witnessed stark beauty over my right shoulder and severe weather over my left. The latter hit harder. I got stuck in the rain - and not in a fun way(there was no singing... I was, in fact, silent save for some indescriminant cursing). I would later stop in for breakfast in the local thai "coffee shop" to find my host father's truck. He was going in my direction and I needed only ask to hitch a ride and I could have avoided the rain all together.

The Taput area is a relatively undiscovered gem in Thailand. Mainly because Taput is just a meaningless stop along the way for most folks heading from Phuket(the island to the south west) to Krabi(the province to the east), both more popular for their exotic "thai-ness". I have found that, perhaps, exotic "thai-ness" can be found most easily in little towns like Taput. The Thai way of life is most starkly different in these places. In fact I am nearly the only farang(westerner) within 5km of the town. I never see other westerners.

I get the impression that locals like it that way(I can understand why they wouldn't want a whole lot of sun-burnt, sunglass-ed, folk in hawaiian shirts looking at the sky and asking for directions, mispronouncing names from an clumsily unfolded map - and then folding up their maps, that tell nothing of the area, and deciding that this area holds nothing worthwhile).

I can tell you about my family as well. I am staying with a great Thai family here in Taput. Both parents are teachers(sound familiar?). The father also works about 7 different "farms". He has help to work his farms for him but he grows bananas, coconuts, and oil palm.

The family is six-strong. That includes Maee("mom"-real name: Rosrin), Paw("dad"-real name:Pai-sarn), Pik, Pook, Ya("Grandma"), and Poo("Grandpa").

Paw is in a constant state of youthful mischeif. Riding in his truck through the streets of Taput he often points out a dog in the road and calls out "moto-wayy!". He does the same thing everytime he sees a dog, a chicken, a cow, a water buffalo on the road where it shouldn't be. For whatever reason it never gets old. He always has a sly smile on his face that makes you wonder just what it is he's just done(most of the time he hasn't done anything). He hates staying in one place and would rather bounce around all day long. He makes you think you could stay young forever.

Maee is similar in temperment though I think she is more of the enforcer(though the kids honestly need no enforcing-why? I dont know but like most thai kids they never seem to argue or have any serious problems, I think its the live and let live attitude that permiates this crazy country).

Pik is a little ball of maturity. He cooks, he clears the table, and he does everything with a broad smile.

Pook is traveling to America in August on an exchange program and I am helping her complete her application. She is a good student and a fast learner.

Ya is the cutest old woman you will ever meet(sorry grandma). She speaks softer than a mouse and though I can't understand a word she says I listen and cherish every word.

Poo is a rugged grandpa - by Thai standards he looks about 120 years old and he is still going strong. When you guess Thai's ages, by the way, make a guess and then subtract 15-20 years and you are probably right.

He's up before the rooster, fixing cabinets, doing the gardening on his hands and knees and wearing his pale white, rigid plastic cowboy hat, sarong or safari shorts(likely commando), and (most of the time) shirtless. The guy is just hard. Some might say a rough-neck.

Anyhow I'm eating like I'm possessed. I eat breakfast, snacks at 10, lunch at 12:30, and 2 dinners. Its delicious and I'm only gaining good weight(I think).

Thats it for now. I know most of you have long forgotten me but thanks to those who continue to check in. It means a lot.