First Week in Bangkok

I've had my first week in Bangkok! We've kicked off the Fulbright ETA (English Teaching Assistant) orientation, meeting everyday from around nine to three. Orientation has been so insightful, exhausting, exciting, overwhelming, and fun. I’ve learned so much, laughed so much, and gotten to know all the other ETAs so much better. We got to meet last year's cohort of ETAs, who had prepared so many resources for us, going over everything from practical teaching skills to how to navigate toilets in rural Thailand.

I’m learning things I had no idea I would be learning; I've been diligently taking notes on different tactics to defend myself from stray dogs, why we should never approach the monkeys, and how to stay away from malaria. I am mentally preparing myself to meet my roommates: geckos, spiders the size of my hand, and maybe a few poisonous scorpions. And a really sweet stray dog who will keep the mean ones away!

I've also been learning so much about the community in Isan, the Northeast Region of Thailand and where I will be spending my year. Everyone I’ve talked to has told me about how kind and welcoming the people are there. The nature and serenity seem unbeatable, and I am so excited to meet all the students and teachers in Khammuang after hearing all the stories about them.

I've also been repeatedly hearing that Isan has the best food across Thailand... and the spiciest too. While I am incredibly excited to explore the different flavors across Isan, I have potentially the lowest spice tolerance out of everyone I know. Nonetheless, I am determined to begin building my spice tolerance here in Bangkok and to continue doing so in Isan. On my first day in Bangkok, I ordered a Khao Soi from a food court in Terminal 21 for lunch, specifically asking for phet nit noi, or just a little spicy. As I dug in, I realized that a little spicy in Bangkok was very spicy for my standards. Before long, my eyes were welling up with tears, and my nose was starting to run. I did my best to continue eating and conversing with three other ETAs I had basically just met, while a stack of tissues began piling up pretty high next to my bowl. The Khao Soi was delicious, and I managed to finish it, with barely any tissues to spare. While my first Thai dish in Thailand was not the most graceful start, I am still excited to continue exploring all the dishes Bangkok has to offer. (The dish doesn't look spicy in the photo but I swear the heat builds.)

Dinner that first day didn't induce as many tears, but was still an adventure. I headed to Chinatown with a group of ETAs, which was a convenient two stop ride on the MRT. The streets were packed with people, cars, motorbikes, and Tuk Tuks, and the sights and smells were incredible. There were street food vendors packed along both sides of the road, grilling, frying, and sautéing all sorts of ingredients. We found a couple of the other ETAs seated behind one of the street food vendors that had a sign boasting a Michelin star; intrigued and getting a little hungry, we decided to join in. One of the people working at the stand led us in and asked what we thought was how many people we had, so we responded with four. It turned out that he was taking our order, and he went off to get four orders for us. What we had just ordered, we had no idea. Before long, he returned with four pink bowls of what looked like chicken noodle soup with various cuts of meat. Despite the 7pm heat and being drenched in sweat, we devoured the soup, which was rich, flavorful, and of course, spicy (although it definitely was nothing compared to lunch).

Honestly, after that Khao Soi on that first day, I haven't really eaten anything spicy ('m taking it slow), but I have learned that not everything delicious has to be spicy. Bangkok has pretty much every cuisine you can think of, and given that we'll be eating only Thai food once we're off to our provinces, we've been trying Bangkok's Japanese, Italian, and Lebanese food too.

I feel like I've done so much in Bangkok already; I've explored my first markets, had my first Thai massage, and rode in my first Tuk Tuk. I've had my first 3am 7-11 run, many embarrassing foreigner moments, and several broken Thai conversations. I've taken the MRT in the wrong direction, gotten lost in the city, and walked through the flooding alleyways of Bangkok with several other ETAs in the pouring rain. Yet after a packed week, my list of to dos and to sees in Bangkok is only growing; the city has so many layers of culture, history, and random little gems, and I'm excited to continue exploring in the next three weeks!