ramblings

Guess who was in town? Poor guy, he had 3 official engagements in one day - regardless of the fact that he's 72, was jet-lagged, and had to talk the whole day! No wonder he's an international leadership guru.

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In one part of his lecture, he used the expression "DUH!" to stress a point (and repeated it several times too) - I asked my co-workers if they understood the word and apparently Duh is such a non-polite word that there is no Thai equivalent to it. No wonder The Simpsons aren't well-loved here.

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Yesterday's conference reminded me that sales will never be an alternative career. I was part of registration and being chirpy and helpful at 7am will never really be my thing - probably moreso because 9 out of 10 participants would talk to me in Thai and I'd give them a standard smile and refer them to the next person.

survivor

It's funny how we get attached to things - a mobile phone that can reach family and friends, a favorite pen that makes your signature look perfect, or a worn-out shoe that still feels comfy after a thousand miles. I've cleaned out my desk at work and emptied my drawers, but have put off handing over my computer, chair, and table to my replacement -- yes I am probably in denial.

For the past 2 1/2 years, my computer has been my faithful friend and my virtual link to the outside world. It has been my sole witness and companion to the madness of my stay here - how, instead of bursting into tears or staging a solo walk out, I hammered into my keyboard all the insults, curse words, and ill wishes that I could not say. Despite being here physically, my mind and spirit have really been elsewhere, much like Hermione (in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) - and my computer and phone line have been my magic compass to take me there. My little corner at work has been a refuge of sorts - in here I have zoned out the words I wish I did not hear and the thoughts I did not want to entertain. Somehow, in this little space I call my domain, I have held on to who I was before I came here.

Now my bulletin board is empty, Post-Its stashed away, drawers empty, and CDs gone. As I turn over my table, delete my files, and change my passwords, my Bangkok chapter slowly draws to a close - by Monday I'll be sitting in a makeshift desk that doubles as a paper station, with a computer whose sole purpose is to go online.

I survived Bangkok.

the real thing

Now this is a real recruitment ad. How I wish the Thai market was this mature, and had better English comprehension.





*image from hodes.com

goodbye chatuchak

Last Saturday, I said goodbye to Chatuchak. In all my trips here, I always linger in the home section where a variety of ceramics, wooden decor, and silk table runners are found. This time, I bought a fitting souvenir - an 8-inch wooden Sawasdee Girl. I've always admired the craftsmanship in Thai woodwork. but have delayed buying any home items for lack of a home to decorate (hehehe!). Best of all, it only cost me 350 Baht for 2 pieces! After a few more stops, I had too much to carry and was ready to call it a day. I will miss the hustle and bustle of Chatuchak, and everything in it except the pet section!

only in thailand

Thai English Sample of The Day:

Setting: a classifed ad for a major manufacturing company

Copy sent to me: "Able to work under pleasure and flexibility"

Thought bubble: Hmm... maybe they require their employees to wear leather to work, and hook them up in chains too.

pratunam marathon

Realizing that I only had a few weekends left, I went on a marathon shopping trail yesterday at the Pratunam area. After our usual Sunday brunch, R & I went to Pratunam to scout for funky bargain finds. Ironically, I've lived in Bangkok for 2+ years but have only shopped in Pratunam once.

Psyched as we were, it took another full hour before either of us bought anything - we were both reaching the boredom point because nothing was appealing. But true to shopping form, after I purchased something, I was on a roll. Before we knew it, we had walked around for 2 hours (no drink, food, or bathroom breaks!) and literally walked around the whole Pratunam area.

Our next stop was a sidewalk vendor near the boat station, a stone's throw away from Pratunam. I always pass this lady on my way to yoga class, and her knit tops are the best - and her prices are pretty unbeatable. R and I virtually wiped out the woman's merchandise for the day since we were both buying in bulk (a.k.a. hoarding). One customer was even waiting for us to return a few pieces we were holding because they wanted them if we were not going to buy them!

Our last stop was a few meters down the road - Big C's underwear section and Fashion Outlet. After depositing our bags, we were off to the lingerie section. For some strange reason, Big C always has a good selection of Wacol bras, even better than most malls. I guess it's because the display is more organized and staff are more friendly here. Best of all, we didn't have to line up to pay for our purchases because the salesgirl took care of it!

Last on the list was Fashion Outlet (inside Big C) where the cheapest and best thermal underwear can be found. (Since Bangkok is a popular tourist destination, there are a lot of stores that carry winter apparel overruns.) After another hour of browsing thru the merchandise, I declared our marathon was over - my legs were killing me and my pockets were definitely lighter than 5 hours before... plus, R & I realized we were both hungry as it was already 8:30. WIth shopping bags that made us look like tourists, we went home and called it a day. Any more shopping and I'll really need a 10-ft. container to ship my things back home!