Goings on.

So, things have happened since November second! School has started! And things!

First of all, we went to school again for the first time in more than a month on Monday, November 3rd. We didn't have any classes yet at that point, but we did meet with the woman who is essentially in charge of us, and we figured out this semester's schedules. I only have one class alone, but the only class we have all together is Thai massage, which was speically set up for us, so that doesn't count. Plus, most of my classes only have one other farang in them, and I think that's actually a good set up. I think sometimes we almost look friendlier when we're with one other English-speaker, because Thai kids can see that we're not just quiet, sullen, scaryyyyy foreigners. I feel like I've already made a lot more headway into at least being friendly and comfortable with the Thai students, even if it will still be a long time until I make any real friends. (I mean, for one, Thai is friggin difficult. I have lived here for 3 months and still speak about the same as an infant. Possibly worse.)

Anyway, after school that Monday was really fun. That night was when most of the real loi krathong celebrations occurred. Me and Rianna went together to the biggest festival in Korat, at bungtaloowa (the same place as the beauty pageant), which was pretttty fun. There were enormous, gorgeous krathong rafts floating in the water, and some stalls selling some pretty cool clothing and stuff. I actually spent like 1000 baht, $30, there, which is a LOT in Thailand. I mean, t-shirts are usually 100 baht, $3 , and generally the most I will pay for a t-shirt, one I really, really like, is like 200 baht, $6. So yeah, there was some cool stuff. Also, while we were waiting to be picked up we realized we were kind of hungry, so we browsed around the food area near the entrance, and picked up some mini eggs. I'm pretty sure they were quail eggs, but neither of us had ever had quail eggs before anyway, so we were a little suspicious-- but they were AROI DII! AKA yummy! We also found this bottled peach tea that was delicious. Anyway, after going to the bungtaloowa festival, Rianna's mom picked us up and took us both back to my house-- where there was another festival going on right in front of my house. There we actually took part in the loi krathong traditions, and floated our rafty things in the canal in front of my house. It was pretty cool. After that we walked around the market area with our host mothers, and then we both went home.

Since then not much has been going on-- except, of course, going to classes. As of today I've finally been to all of my classes, so I guess I can kind of just describe them all a bit.

• Thai language: The same as always, really.
• handicrafts: This would be pretty nice if it were in an air conditioned room, I think. Kind of relaxing... but it's not. So it's kind of unpleasant.
• photography: So far the teacher's just been talking about technique, etc., most of which I couldn't understand anyway. But we'll be taking some pictures at some point, I think, so we'll see.
• "carving" aka I have no idea: Well, we made something crazy out of banana leaves last time. This is not actually carving, I have no idea what it is though.
• Thai massage: I think this should be good. We learned how to do like 20 minutes of foot massage today, and of course, we practiced on eachother. Pleasant.
• dress making: This will either be fantastic, or miserable. I'm hoping fantastic, at least. I'm just a little worried, because everyone else in the class has clearly taken sewing classes before or something. Everyone else can already draft patterns-- something I've never learned. This doesn't bode well for their actual sewing skills. They will probably kick my sewing skills' ass. But I'm hoping, even if that's the case, that it won't matter.
• fruit carving: Oops, I forgot, I actually haven't had this one yet. Oh well, I'll talk about it once I've had it. The teacher, however, is the same as the one for handicrafts and "carving," so I think I have some idea of what it will be like.

Yeah, so, that's about all that's going on. Second dress making class tomorrow, so I'm a bit nervous ( :c ), but hopefully I'll be able to figure things out or whatever. I'm supposed to be bringing in a design for a blouse and a skirt I want to make, but I can't find any pictures of things like what I want to make, and I am awful at fashion drawings, so I'll probably have to embarrass myself with some awful art, but whatever. This isn't a fashion illustration class! Bah!