June 17th

June 17th – We arrived in Bangkok and it is everyone's first day in Thailand except for me and May, a lovely half-Thai, half-Russian agnostic Jew studying at the University of Washington.

Everyone is fascinated by the surroundings, which is reasonable. Thailand can be a sensory overload with bright colors, friendly locals, and spicy cuisine. I try to do my best to ease my fellow travelers into their new environment. My Thai language is rusty but passable, and fantastic in light of the fact that no one else traveling can form a sentence in Thai.

In the morning we head to an opulent hotel for breakfast. I thought it set a bad precedent, but it probably helps to ease the transition. Most individuals order continental-style food, but I savor my green curry with beef.

Unfortunately as our six-hour van ride to our village began my stomach did not enjoy the savoriness of the morning meal. Part of my uncomfortableness was due to the zeal of our driver. He took every opportunity the road provided to pass other drivers, but would fail to maintain the speed after passing them. He seemed to pass no matter the curve of the bend or the steep of the hill. It got to the point where I forgot whether we were supposed to be driving on the right or the left. Still we got to the Foundations site safely.

Much to everyone's surprise, we were staying in a nice enclosed building, with electricity, running water and mosquito netting. I slept quite peacefully, excited for the activities of the following day.