Back by popular demand..... HA - that's a joke. Maybe not popular just a few complaints from a few friends and family members wanting me to continue to blog about our adventures in Thailand- So I return to the blogging world.
Let's back up a bit.
Summer - what can I say
After 6 weeks, 7 plane rides, 6 states, 12 different places of sleep and 6200 miles driven in the car, it was time to come home. So much fun was had. All the friends and family we got to see and spend time with was truly a blessing. We quickly adapted to being back in the US, almost scary that at times it felt like we never left. Nothing better than being able to pick up right where you left off and not miss a beat in friendships. It was emotional and stressful at times but lots of good personal growth was accomplished plus lots of much needed bonding with our first born.
We felt so loved by all the attention we got from friends and family just dropping everything for us, offering their beds or just entertaining us.
Floated with our first born.
Went flying!
Stayed with old friends!
Partied with MI friends. (They are candy cigarettes people)
Caught up with old school friends
Had a Moloney family reunion
Got to be with Grandma on her 70th birthday!
Played with some of our cousins!
Celebrated our other grandmas 76th birthday!
Vacations are awesome but it is always good to get home. I was never so happy to see KB(driver). I think he was a little surprised when I jumped and gave him a big hug when he picked us up at the airport. Only kidding but it did cross my mind that's how excited and giddy I was to be home. I can finally call this place home. Weird!
Big papa only got to stay in the US for 4 weeks so after being away from him for 2 weeks it was great to see him again. And Sparky lets just say she didn't stop bouncing and wiggling for several hours. I think our little black dog missed us. She was more than happy to curl up next to me in bed. She didn't leave my side for a week. She has finally forgiven me for leaving her for so long, I think.
That night (or morning since it's about 2 am) when we arrived home the first thing we did was swim. So much fun. We all just jumped in. Being gone for 6 weeks we were on US time and we were not ready to sleep. It felt so good.
Another person I truly missed - Khun Bic. We were just getting ourselves aquainted when I left in July. Her being new for me. Well let me tell you after 6 weeks of cleaning, cooking and laundry I was done. That sh...t is hard work. I couldn't have been more happy to hand back over those duties to her. She is the best. No longer does she make my beds look like they have dead bodies in them. She must have taken those 6 weeks to learn how to keep house. I came back to windows washed, socks sorted, undies lined up properly in drawers, beds like we are in the military, everything organized and clean. Ahhhhhh Sooooooo Nice! She is a gem. My non managerial skills worked again. Betsy I guess I don't need those little tiny balls after all. Lol
It is nice to not have the other one who showed me dead bodies on her pad or tell me how everyone hates America, or never show up for work. This one doesn't speak a word of English. It's great.
Home at last. Jet lag kicked in and I think it took at least 10 days to get over it. That is the only thing I hate. I get it bad. We had a week before school started so it was back to reacquainting ourselves with Thai life. Boys caught up with friends and Erin began her year long grueling school work of being a year 13 IB student.
Being a newbie no more now it was time for a change in another way. Adjusting to those friends who left us behind inThailand and went off on their new adventure. Erin, Andrew, Jack, Walter and I all experienced a close friend leaving. Being expats you develop very close relationships with people FASt. Not used to this since we are usually the ones who leave it was an adjustment. Entering that first coffee morning you look around for that familiar face who is always happy to see me and realize she is gone. Who will I talk to? Who will I lunch with? Who will I crack a bad joke with and get it? Eventually you move on and other people fill the void. Luckily I have been adopted by the Aussie posse and they have put me in Aussie school. Now we are all best mates. Lol
School starts
Ryan - second year of university. He is adjusting. He lives in an apartment and we caved and bought him a car. It was a rocky first year with lots of changes for him hopefully this second year his feet will be planted a little more firmly in the MSU life. He has the world at his feet, all up for him to take advantage of and make it a success. I know he will make it happen.
Erin yr 13. Wow where has the time gone. Graduation in May. Will she really leave me next year? So not ready for that. I have a year to get it together for when she does. She is in the hardest year of IB. With university applications to fill in, essays to write, final exams and an Extended Essay due I am glad it's not me. If anyone can handle it it's her. That girl has her fathers drive.
On top of all her academics she was made captain of her football team. Together we do a cardio combat class together so she can kick all the boys butts in Uni.
Andrew yr 9. He is a true teenager. Most times he doesn't want to be in our existence. Occasionally he will grace us with his presence and you better listen to whatever he has to say because he will only say it once before he quickly retreats into Andrew world again. He is back to hanging with friends and YES thank goodness he Made the Fobisia team. His team will play at the Fobisia games held in Bangkok this year in November. He is also giving us one more year with the saxophone. Hopefully this year he expands his ability to play more than the same 6 songs.
And then there is Jack - yr 7. No more elementary school. He has moved up into the big times - Middle School. He is loving it. Gets to see Andrew and Erin through out the school day. He switches classes and has fully embraced the challenge of being a middle schooler. He is playing basketball, football and rugby.
First official back to school photo.
Jacks first big yr 7 project. He builds the Mackinac bridge.
Big Papa is back to India. India, India, India. That man travels. The job is coming to a close quickly and so his trips to India should start slowing down. Going into our second year he has a true handle on the Asia Pacific work life. As soon as he gets really good it will be time for us to leave. Yep just as we start to feel settled here the talk has begun. What next?? Will we go or will we stay? Those are the questions that will be answered in the next 6 months. This is our life, not for everyone I know but it's ours and we accept it.
Our Thai life has returned and going into our second year it's easier. No longer do I fear the unknown I embrace it. Things that use to bother me or scare me now somehow comfort me. The raw meat hanging around the markets I don't even notice. Wide eyed no more when KB is driving me around. Lady boys start looking the same. Prostitutes on the corner are just women or in some cases men. The annoying high pitched Thai voice over the intercom in the store is still annoying. Soi Dogs are just rats and I no longer have a strong desire to feed them all and I know now they won't attack me they are all harmless. The smells here - well that's just something I don't think I'll ever get use too. It's always green and hot which I love. Life is quiet, life is normal.
You get use to seeing this. I swear you do, sort of. Lol
BUT then BANG your world is flipped upside down just as life was getting comfy and you get thrust forward to remember that nothing in this Thai life is normal.
Sunday afternoon we go to the driving range to hit golf balls and to get a bite to eat. We send KB off to run an errand then come right back, figuring we would hit golf balls and eat within an hour or so. An hour has passed we are ready to go Big papa calls KB to meet us at the entrance to take our clubs. KB doesn't answer the phone. Big papa calls him several times no answer. Steam is forming in his ears. I call KB he answers before the first ring completes. I ask where he is. 20 minutes madam. WHAT. Walter is steaming mad like furious mad. He says we are not waiting we are walking home. Well that's what we did, all 5 of us with 2 big golf bags. Let me tell what a sight we were. Thais are not use to farangs (white people) walking their streets. 5 of us single file with Jack carrying one of the bags. All of us Sweating profusely. Walter bitching up a storm about KB and where he could be. The rest of us bitching up a storm under our breaths about why we are walking. People are driving by whistling and carrying on. What a sight we are. We see KB in our car. He slowly approaches us. We gratefully get into the air coned car. KB apologizes profusely over the next few days. Walter wonders why we need a driver.
Fast forward a week later - Flat tire on the side of the highway. I no longer wonder why we have a driver. I am SOoooooo happy to have a driver. Big papa at home feeling helpless. He is trying to get us a new car and driver to pick us up off the highway. KB fixes the flat while Erin and I tried to not play chicken with all the passing cars. No safety here. Cars don't slow down they drive 100 mph past us. They ride on the shoulder right at you then pass. I can't get a damn taxi in downtown Pattaya but one stops on the side of the highway offering a ride. Motorbikes stop and turn their bikes into the traffic and park to help take off the tire. Erin and I wave our phones with the flashlight app light so cars can see us. Erin learns how to light a flare. Crazy it was but the tire was changed and back into our bubble of a world with KB taking us home. No walking this time. 😊
We are abck in the land of Thai!
KB getting ready to change the tire.
Nice motorcycle guy helping KB find the spare tire and helped get the flat tire off.
Erin's flare and the pink taxi cab
Home at last!
Cheers from the other side
😘 m
