my new house guest

After our discussion this morning, I doubt he will be coming back. (as, unfortunately, to stop me from bitching about the spider, Rin slapped him with a broom and all that's left is a pile of twitching legs.)

Today has been a day of bombardment of news, images, stories and updates. It is enough to take the humanity out of the event. I am starting to forget those feelings I had a year ago tonight, and seem to only be able to remember those thoughts I had today. ‘Those poor people.’ The thing is, it seems to not really phase me that I was one of those people. I woke up on Boxing Day planning on going to the beach. I was planning on going to check on a friend’s house who was back in Canada for the holidays.

I can hardly remember the days following the tsunami now. I get letters from home wishing me the best and wondering how I am doing on this anniversary. To tell you the truth, when people go through events like that, it all seems to slip by without the emotions attached. If I was to see a dead cat on the side of the road today I would turn my head. But it was a year ago this week that I was peeking under sheets, covering my nose so I wouldn’t wretch from the stink. Looking at bodies that once had life, blown up like balloons, full of tsunami. Riding around in the back of a pick up truck with people from the Canadian embassy, helping translate at Thai Hospitals, looking for missing Canadians. Talking with mangled bodies and minds, trying to find out if they are Canadian, or if they have contacted their embassy. Hearing stories of being picked up twenty feet by the wave and thrust into the ocean to be scraped along the coral, and then some how found themselves in a hospital somewhere on Phuket island.

‘Have you seen my friend? She was right next to me, I managed to grab a branch, and she didn’t. Have you heard of her?’

‘Ruby. Ruby is missing.’ I remember this Asian-Canadian girl whose husband pleaded with me to find her. I saw posters of her throughout the island until February. I eventually saw on a Canadian news-report that her body had been found in Phi-Phi. I went to the hospitals around the island and took down all of her posters, telling the staff that she had been found. I still have one of her posters in a box from when I moved off of Phuket. I know where it is, but I haven’t looked at it since.

Things are surreal today. My life has changed. The tsunami changed Phuket. It changed me. But in a way I can’t describe. I will never forget my time with the Canadian Embassy looking for missing people, trying to sort my way through the madness. Hearing about people who had lost people. Counting the people I knew, making sure I didn’t.

Today the sea was calm. The weather is sad. Mother Earth has made her mark. She was trying to tell us something, and hopefully we have listened.

December 26th, 2005

The thoughts aren't quite coming out today. I will try again later.

Where I spent the day yesterday wrapping up the final bits and pieces of my Christmas shopping. Chinatown in Bangkok, an awesome place for shopping and market time, but insanely busy where there are people touching you are all points and places and uncomfortable smears of sweaty arms as they meet yours. Walkin down the small sois of Sampeng looking at (this and that, which I bought for my parents, who read this, so I won't rite it yet...) and suddenly a *beep beep* and a motorbike bumps into people left and right as it tries to make a delivery halfway down a mile long soi that is no more than two and a half feet wide. My best advice, avoid standing on the right, to avoid the scalding hot tailpipe. I always feel bad for the newbies as they hustle out of the way of an oncoming motorbike and get burnt in the process. Soon they will learn.

We took a watertaxi there, always a nice way to avoid the traffic and congestion. I feel like I am almost cheating the system by getting to my destination so fast. But on a public holiday, the water is the way to go. On the boat I saw a foreign woman rushing to lean on the railing under the sign marked for monks. Monks ride for free on the boats, and there is a designated spot for them to stand, where people can stand, provided ther are no monks left to wither in the sun. And so I saw this woman pushing her way the railing and Rin was watchin my reaction. It is stricyly forbidden for a woman to touch a monk's saffron robe. (A very important thing for female travellers to read up on before they come here.) And she pushed her way through, thinking nothing of it (why would you, really...) And she leaned on his robe and watched the sights. The monk smiled, saw Rin and I watching, and I asked Rin if I should say something, and the monk simply went outside and left her to inhale the filthy waters of the Chao Phrya. It really made me realize that there are so many dos an don'ts here. So many things to do and not do. Don't point your feet at someone. Don't touch the head. Do rub up very close to other people in a market. Do ignore social bubbles. Do pick your nose in public (and wipe it in your math book, as another teacher at school disovered last week.) Do not have courtesy for other drivers. Do wai your elders, teachers and parents. Don't, if they are foreign. Do, hoever wai a foreigner if theyr hands are full and it is simply impossible to wai them back, as the parents do one of my students do every time I see them.

At any rate. A long day. I have been sick all weekend, as has my little dog. He has a virus from the market we got him at and it is possibly fatal, so we are doing everything we can to take care of him. Yesterday before going to Chinatown Rin went and bought me some medicine as I wasn't feeling well. I was walking through the sois shopping and felt suddenly very tired. I asked him, and he said, 'oh yes. If you take this medicine, you must sleep. It is very strong.' Perfect, honey, thanks. I eventually made it home.

Christmas is coming, my shopping is done and being sent off today. And soon I will have a new business here in the heart of it all. But more to come on that soon.

Life in my sweet little house has been very different this week, with Rin and I watching Sante's every move, and trying to make him strong. It has been a bizarre week, coming home to both Rin and the closest thing I have ever had to a child. It has been rough.

I don't sleep. And when I do I have nightmares that I roll over onto the dog and he spends his last few moments of life gulping for air beneath me. Or that the fan or air conditioning is too much, and I will wake up and he is an ice cube. Or he will find that some geckos are poisonous to dogs and I will wake up with a dog, feet to the heavens with a small slimy talk wagging out of his tiny little teeth.

These are now the thoughts that go through my mind on a daily basis. Not to mention a few problems going on, mostly brought on by the upcoming holiday season in which I know I am not going to be with my family, and nothing in Thailand can really compare to a Burtch Christmas. Because of this am putting off Christmas shopping, as I can't stand the fake trees and asian-accented Christmas carols everywhere I go. So mom, sorry, your presents may be a little late. hope you understand.

The Newest Addition to the Burtch-Reungsawat Family

Sante (with an accent on the e, not on this computer.)

Our new 50 day old Golden Retriever, has been an absolute dream since we brought

him home on Sunday.

Playing with "Dad" on the King's birthday, a wonderful day off to enjoy our new family member.

Chewing on a blanket, and everything else we have.

Many stories, will have to wait.

For now, all you need to know is that he is vey well behaved, and only pees on Rin's side of the bed.

A post devoted to the most important woman in my life...my mother. Have a very happy birthday, and I am thinking of you with all my heart. I miss you, I love you.