Hi everyone!
Grandma and I have been in Bangkok for more than a week! We are staying in the visiting faculty quarters at the nursing dorm. When we arrived, we got a malia, which is sort of like a Hawaiian lei. It was made with jasmine blossoms and smelled very sweet! There was fruit on our table, too! Grandma had to teach me which part of a mangosteen to eat. And I’ve been practicing with my chopsticks, too! One day, we even had Grandpa’s favorite coconut dumplings. When we told Grandpa about them, he said he had been making some for himself and was eating them, too!
When we first got here, Grandma was very busy. She had to do a lot of studying and writing to get ready for the workshops she has been teaching. She didn’t have time to take me on any adventures. I tried to be a good helper and wait in our rooms, but it was hard! Finally, Grandma said it was time to go to a party! It’s almost time for Chinese New Years, so we went to a New Years Party for one of the groups Grandma is working with. I had a good time! First, I got to help sing karaoke with my New Years friend from two years ago. The song was in Thai, but nobody minded that I sang it in Lion! We had a yummy lunch and I made some new friends, too! After that, Grandma took me back to her office, so I could see where she works. Then my traveling friend from two years ago came and gave me another malia. It’s good to see my Thai friends again!
The very next day, there was another party! The faculty and staff had a big Sports Day celebration. Everybody had special shirts to wear. We all went out to the Salaya campus to have the party in the new Faculty of Nursing building. Grandma and I watched the construction two years ago when we were here. It’s very pretty! After we walked around to see the building, I made friends with the balloon decorations for the party. For Sports Day, everybody is on a team. Grandma and I were on blue team, but some of our friends were on green, pink or orange team, instead. There were lots of prizes to win!
Sports Day started with team cheering competition and a soccer game. I helped the blue team cheer by shaking a noisemaker. The blue team won the first soccer game! In between games and cheers, I had a chance to make friends with a green team cheerleader.
We went outside for the tug of war. Grandma was on the blue team, and they won two tugs and lost two. Then there was a relay race with straws, rubber bands, chopsticks, pingpong balls and soccer balls. Grandma was in the race and blue team came in second place. When we went back inside, the tables were set up for a Chinese banquet. My new friends helped me taste the first soup, and it was yummy! New food kept coming and coming. After a while, there wasn’t enough room on the table for all the platters!
Grandma says we’ll have more adventures this weekend, and Grandpa is coming soon to join us! I’ll have to go exploring so I can show him my favorite places around here!
Love,
Lion-san
You look very nice in your blue team outfit! The cheerleaders wig just didn’t look like you. It is nice you are getting to see your old friends and making new ones.
Moose-san said he meant to tell you in your last posting that they have mud season in Maine too only it last for a couple of months and that is when the natives head south.
Dear Lion-San:
It’s hard to believe that 2 years have passed since you were at Mahidol University. You may run into a Rochester turned Tampa friends (Dianne and LaRon), who are at Srinakharinwirot University this week.
The coconut dumplings look yummy!
It seems I will miss you as I will be visiting Rochester next week – bummer!!!!
Hugs and kisses