China?

So many stories to tell. But right now there are huge numbers of dogs WAILING ferociously as I type. I've never thought of myself as particulary scared of dogs, despite the time I was bit while living on Vashon, but here it's a different story. Especially since moving out to the Chiang Mai University area. Three times now I've been literally scared stiff when faced with packs of dogs in front of me and growling with very mean looks in their eyes.... the last two times when I was out for a run, once at a beautiful nearby forest monastery which I now have "x'ed" off my destination list.

But, a digression. Since writing last, I've travelled north to Chiang Rai, Mae Salong and Mae Sai. I'm now back and have begun my Teaching English certification program. It's going well, but YUCK, I'm a lazy gal and I was enjoying my open time and now I'm in class 5-days a week from 9am - 5pm (sometimes later for teaching practice) and a ton of homework. Those of you who know me well will LAUGH as I quote my classic Tammy line: "Why am I in this program when I don't even really want to teach English?" With the word English, feel free to "fill in the blank" : don't want to be a Counselor, don't want to teach Yoga, don't want to be a Rabbi, um, I'm sure there are more. Luckily I can laugh at myself as well.














Above is my friend Yao (I promised a picture earlier) making peanut butter. And a picture of the "Martyr's Memorial Museum" in Mae Salong, a town of 9,000 Yunnanese Chinese up in the mountains. I FELL IN LOVE WITH MAE SALONG! It was so beautiful, and though I'm not interested particulary in returning to China, what an absolute gift it was to be with Chinese people, culture, food and Language!!! I could speak to people in their native tongue. It made me so happy.