Learning Thai

In less than two weeks now we'll be back in the States for a three-month visit. These days we are busy packing, trying to arrange logistics for our absence here and arrival there, and talking a lot with the girls about what to expect. We are all excited (except for Silas, who is blissfully unaware of the big change that awaits him!) We're still doing some English teaching, but are starting to wrap up those classes. Claire's school break starts next week, so that coincides nicely with our departure.

If you think about us you can pray for the energy that we'll need for our last days here - and for the 24 hour trip that begins early on the morning of October 5 (the evening of Oct. 4 in America). Thanks!

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Silas got his very first official big boy hair cut today!

A. cuts the hair of our whole family and she was wonderful and patient with him. He did surprisingly well though- didn't squirm much or fuss because he enjoyed checking himself out in the mirror so much. He kept waving and grinning at himself.

With A.

-Candice

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Recently I became aware of a quirky cultural phenomenon here in Thailand. On many vehicles there is a small sticker that states "This car is red" (or any other color - except for the actual color of the vehicle). It turns out that this comes from a belief in lucky and unlucky colors. Everyone has a color that is best for them and other colors that could bring bad luck. Ideally everyone would own a vehicle that is painted their lucky color. But Thais are also very pragmatic. So, if you find out that your lucky color is blue, but the car that you can afford to buy (or already bought) is red, what do you do? Instead of repainting the car, you just put buy a sticker that says "This car is blue" and the job is done. As far as whoever or whatever controls your fate is concerned, your red car instantly becomes a lucky blue car!

Our neighbor's car has one of these stickers. Here's what looks like a red car...

But if you look closer, you'll see that it's actually a gold car!

-Tom

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Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'm proud to report that Tom won and we had a fantastic dinner of squid in Thai chili sauce. Yum!

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There was a festive mood in our neighborhood yesterday....the princess was coming! Many neighbors had spent the past few days painting over graffiti, hanging purple swags of bunting (purple is the color of the day she was born), practicing bows and greetings, hanging flags along the streets. The morning of her visit, our neighborhood was hushed. Nearly all businesses were closed, most children didn't have school, traffic was stopped, and police lined the streets.

We dressed in purple (well, the guys wore blue because they don't happen to own any purple) and headed down to see the princess parade.

Along the way, we saw crowds of school kids waiting.

And more crowds waiting

Eliza didn't have school today, but Claire did. She sat our in front of her school for at least an hour waiting for the car to drive by and then did it again for the Princess's return trip. We got to hang out with her and her classmate and teachers in front of the school.

The kids wereexcited. Every now and then someone would call out "Ma laew" (she's coming!!) and everyone would get excited, getting into position on their knees, and then subside as they realized she wasn't.

Waiting.....

And waiting....

Finally she did come by in a long row of cream colored cars with flashing police cars and an ambulance before and after. It was so quick that only Tom saw a quick glimpse of her waving from the window.
Oh well, it was still exciting to know we had been that close!
As the kids returned to class several boys chased each other around the playground yelling, "Long live the Princess!"

-Candice

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's the fruit that we picked from our yard one day recently. There were 9 more clumps of bananas that our landlords took for their own use and to distribute to friends and neighbors.

That same day I got an unwelcome introduction to a new kind of Thai animal...some kind of wood-boring, flying black bug that has a ferocious sting. I found out about the last part when I unwittingly put my hand over its hole. My whole hand swelled up and took about two days to get back to normal size. That's why the picture is just of his back end - I wasn't about to risk another sting coaxing him out for a better picture!

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our neighborhood is abuzz this week with preparations for a royal visit. One of the princesses will attend a ceremony at a local school tomorrow and decorations are going up. Claire's class at kindergarten will welcome the princess as she drives past their school (the younger classes have the day off). We're planning to go out to see what we can see - hopefully we'll be able to get a good spot and take some pictures.

This princess is particularly popular because of her involvement in many projects around the country. She's known as "Phra Thep" (angel princess) but her full name and title is Somdet Phra Theprat Ratsuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Ratthasima Khunakon Piyachat Sayam Borommaratchakumari! As you can tell from the pictures, her color is purple - because of the day she was born.

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)