stefanie.
Hiiiii. Yah I am the biggest blog slacker on the face of this Earth. I realize that, hence why I am typing now. I will aim for more than once a month, but I have to admit that I will likely not reach this goal. I am in 'the bubble,' as well got classes, fitness, mosquito bites, traveling, new house, etc to contend with. Alas, very sorry. Hehe.
The only real story I wanted to share is as follows: I met a nice Thai girl in one of my school groups. She is chatty, with an American accent. Find out she is Thai, but when to International School. And she has 2 horses. And... would Ruben and I like to come to her polo match that Saturday? Sure. I mean, I went to the Chula/Thamasat football (read: soccer) game, and went to the tennis fancy pants competition next semester... might as well add polo. I love horses anyways, I had just never seen a polo competition. So I thought to ask her what to wear in a text message a few days later, and she mentioned sun dresses and no t-shirts and shorts. Okkkay, sounds good. We cab out there, which turned into a 500bht cab ride to the far outskirts of Bangkok. When we get to the grounds I was shocked. Like fancy-pants to the power of 10591035910395. One billion gamillion gagimillion. It was all fountains and nice cars and beautiful grass and well-dressed people. Turns out this was not just a "polo competition" it was THE polo competition. Yep. Kings Cup 2007. Everyone who was anybody was there. The organizers (my friend and her family) even paid celebrities to come there. It was insane, all the fancy people. Though Ruben and I had no idea who most of them were, as we are out of the Thai celeb loop, we did get to meet the top Thai models, actresses, actors, musicians, singers, business people, etc. Turns out that we were, as her guests, VVIP. That is right, we were Very Very Important People. We got full access to everywhere, including the yummy yummy food and got to see all the horses. We were practically on the field, that is how close we were. We got to watch my friend ride in the demonstration game, and then got to see the finals, with the best polo players in the world. (Thailand had picked up 2 Argentina players for the competition.) Yep. Thailand won! It was fabulous. And then we got endless Mernot in our cups, and then endless bottles of the nicest Aussie wine. It just kept coming on and on. And the dinner that night! Omigod, the best food ever. Then we were allowed to watch all the shows and stuff, with center seats. Best Thai singers, jazz muscians, dancers, etc etc etc. And then FIREWORKS. Met tonnes of people that said I can come and ride at their stables sometimes. And then we went to the afterparty in the nearby tent, and got to dance to one of the best DJ's in Bangkok. Yep. Insanity. And the best part... Miss Universe 2005, Vancouver made girl, was there. Yep, they even had freaking Miss Universe. Then our friends driver drove us home in fancy van. Yah.
Annnnnd... next morning I texted to say thank you and then she wrote back: "...want to go to a Muay Thai fight? I have VIP seats." Her driver would pick us up in a few hours. Yep. He drove us to the fight, were the owner of the entire place greeted us, we were given center seats again. Hehe, we even got to get sprayed with sweat from the fighters, that is how close we were. Seats there easily go for over $70CDN a set, and we could have stayed all night. Then we got driven to Paragon, fancy place, for dinner, and then got driven home. The entire weekend we were joined by 2 Aussies (well, one Phillipino, who goes to school in Aussieland) who were visiting my Thai friend. Yep. Never thought that I would be doing that sort of stuff while in Thailand. Very fancy-pants, high-class, fraternizing with the Paris Hilton's of Bangkok and whatnot. Hehe.
On that note, Ruben and I are making rice. MMm. You would think we would get enough, but I am currently addicted.
In future posts I will tell all about our place, and saying goodbye to friends, and my new gym (I am in love with it!) That is all for now. Say hi to Canada, or wherever you are. And plan to come visit Thailand, it is quite fun and easy to travel!! That is all!
I am alive and well, and back in teh land of Asia again. After a whirlwind travel to Canada and an amazing trip on a big cruiseship to the far lands of Mexico, I am tanned and semi-rested and back in Asia. Life is happy, happy, and I will write when I do not have to pay per the minute! XOXO.
Merrry Christmas! Made it home, after a quick trip back to Bangkok to find the best apartment in the world. Then on a brief 17 hour adventure from Bangkok to Vancouver. It is so freezing here. Does not help that my running shoes and my sweater both went missing, in Bangkok and Vietnam, respectfully. As I got off the plane iwth just a t-shirt and flipflops (and pants, silly) I can safetly say that I made a promise to never live in a cold climate again. Well, asides from that sweet 8 months that I have to come back to Vancouver to finish my degree next year (blah.) Annnnyways, back in Canada. Hung out with the Dad, sisters, and step-mom and then hung out with the lil'st sis and my mom yesterday. So far been an amazing trip, lots of fun. Just doing normal Canadian Christmas things, such as shopping and whatnot. Blah blah blah. Finally should upload some pictures, but I am being lazy. I know. Eventually... Leave Saturday morning, so it has been a brief trip. Got my Thai passport VISA today, so I am, for sure, let back in the country. Took some pleading and some Consulate talking after hearing No No NO about 5 times. Alas, I got back in, and will arrive sometime in January to the nicest apartment in the world. Did I mention it is the nicest apartment in the world? Yes. Anyways, I shot an AK47 in 'Nam. Do not ask why I do these things, only laugh, as it was from the 1960's and kept jamming. Ruben did too, but also shot a machine gun. Bam bam bam. I am practicing to be an American. Hehe. JUST KIDDING. I did not really just say that. I get to tgo to the spa in T-minus 1 hour. So that should be plenty oh fun. Indeed.

Finally got a picture on here. Ruben and I drinking 7cent beers. I kid you not, they are 2000 dong a beer. It is this weird fresh-no-preservatives beer. Yum yum. Aroy, in Thai talk. This is in Hanoi, Vietnam. Yes, land of cheap beer. Bia Hoi. Official name. (See, I am actually in Vietnam, and I am actually still alive.)
Hi hi. In Saigon. For the next few days. And then we go to Cambodia, to avoid paying the $$$ from Vietnam to Bangkok airfare. Yes, we are taking a boat and sneaking over the border. Totally legit. Then stay in Phnom Phen for a day or so, and see some S21 and the Killing Fields, and then off to Bangkok for a few days, so Ruben and I can get a different, cheaper apartment. Ohlala, so exciting. We found some cheap places and I think it'll be totally fantastic. Had the nicest birthday ever, yes, I am officially 24. Shudder. We rented a motorcycle, drove around, got completely lost, ran out of gas, had a flat tire, went to random island on random boat to see some monkies, got attacked by monkies, saw a dancing bear, got trapped on island, drove home, did not get lost, had nice nice nice dinner, drank some nice nice nice drinks on the beach, with a nice nice nice Dutchman, and got really, really pretty earrings from said nice Ducthman. My Dutch is amazing, and only results in Ruben have to correct me 68% of the time. Improvement, improvement. I even talked to random Dutch tourist to practice, "Hullo, bent jij Nederlands?" Oh yes, it is shockingly amazing. Anyways, Vietnam is oh so much fun, and we are loving it, and learning lots and lots about the American War, which is awesome. Seeing some war tunnels, will shoot a AK47 tomorrow, and generally being humbled about this horrible history of the Vietnamese. First the French, then the Americans (along with the SOuth Koreans, the Australians, the New Zealanders, the Thais...) Indeed. Learning so much, and having the time of my life. Even learning some Vietnamese. Didn't get us lost once today, (okay more than once) as we wandered around Saigon (HCM) to see the War Museum, and the Reunification Palance. Met some children who shined my flip flops and fixed them, practiced English with other Vietnamese. Very very very very nice day. We loved it. Weather is good, no hurricane. Feel cut off from natioanl news, loving every minute of this trip, and bought everyone some snake wine. As a joke! Geez, do you think I can just take crates of it back? I wish... I will try to post pictures again.
i tried to upload pictures of ruben and i in 'nam, but it is not loading, so, alas, you will have to wait to see pictures of me and the dutchman until i arrive back in canada and get ot a real computer, i have about a thousand from india, nepal, thailand, laos, vietnam and soon to be cambodia. pretty good considering i do not have a camera in use right now... thank god for modern technology, like my new 1 GB thumb drive that I got for like nothing. woohoo, thank you south east asia!!
Hi hi from Vietnam. How goes it... life here is good. I am almost 24, so that is quite exciting. Veeeeery much so. We landed in Hanoi last week, spent a few nights wandering around, and then ended up going to some tour in Halong Bay, with lots of swimming and kayaking and sitting on a boat. Ohlala. Then down south for 12 hours, getting off at some random side restaurant for a 30 minute break, but decided to stay for another 6 hours to do a tour of the demilitarized zone. Lots of Vietnam (read: American) War things, learned tonnes from a really nice Vietnamese man. Motorcycle tour indeed...
Wandered out from a rubber plantation to an old army base, lots of weird articfacts they just dug up because they are making a new water trench thingy. Went trekking up, being cautious of landmines, my flip flops got stuck in mud, ended up walking barefoot. Thinking of Canadian govt: under no circumstance walk around Vietnam countryside because of parasites and landmines and blah de blah. Weirdly, ended up with some weird rash and Ruben's thingy on his leg is even more infected. Ohlala. Got some antibiotic, thinking about taking malaria pills. Lalala.
Went on bus again to Hoi An, nicest place, old city that has been perserved. Lots of food, some South China Sea swimming and lots of relaxing and getting some clothes made. $5 a piece of clothing, custom tailored. Spoiled Stefanie. A little bit of craky Stefanie, as I am a little hung over. But Ruben won the lottery, 450 euros today, so that is a special reason to not be cranksters. Also, found out that Typhon Utor is about to slam into the Vietnam central provinces, right where we are, so it is all very exciting.
We head down south tonight, to see some more. We cannot fly home to Bangkok before I get back to Bangkok, so we are going to bus across Cambodia, see the capital and then take cheapy flight back to Bangkok. It is so expensive to fly out of Saigon, it is not even funny. $50 to fly in, $250 to fly out. Yes, Vietnam government is tricky that way. This country is way more developed than i thought, with amazingly friendly people. I am totally in love with it, and like it better than Thailand, I think.
That is all for update. Almost 24 and in Vietnam with the Dutchman. Home in 10 days to see all you all!!!!
So exams are all done... Yep. Finished. Some went better than others, as is usually the case. Heh. I survived. The Current Issues of Marketing exam was the easiest thing in the world. I can safetly say that you did not have to go to more than 3 classes to write a wicked exam. Do not ask how I know this. Heh.
Ruben and I are just finishing up figuring out our place here! Looks like we have a really nice 60 square metre place for next semester. Staying at same hotel, just in a one bedroom, so no more roommates except for Mr. Dutchman Ruben. I have to say this is totally wicked, though I will miss that stinky little girl named Michelle who lives next to me currently. Saying goodbye to having 3 roommates in a 2 bedroom apartment will be very easy, truth be told.
What else... Ruben and I are leaving for Vietnam on Monday. We are not sure where in VIetnam we are going, haven't booked our flights, haven't read the Lonley Planet, but we know that it will be the most amazing time ever. I go back to Canada Dec 23, but we have a lot of time until then to wander abouts Vietnam. Some other people from exchagne are coming too, so we get to hook up with all them on the way, possibly.
I am finishing/starting my Christma shopping... hehe. I went yesterday and ended up getting 1 thumb drive, 2 dresses, 2 shirts, 1 headband and 1 purse. All for myself. Yah, that went well. Went a little better today, as I managed to get le padre the best gift ever. Hehe. He will laugh and laugh until he cries. Get to go to weekend market tomorrow to finish the great planning up.
My schedule next semester is a nightmare, though I get Mondays off. Shudder.
I have to pack. Michelle just reminded me. Yes, I have to pack for next semester because we do not get our place until mid-January. We are stashing our stuff at our hotel and hoping it is still there when we get home in January. Wicked.
Okay, that is all. I am getting into Christmas here. For sure. Not. Heh. I do when I go to Starbucks, which is really exciting. Christmas music and gingerbread lattes. Ohlala. So exciting. I can't believe how much snow is in Canada right now. It is like +35 degrees here. It is so crazy.
I am celebrating my birthday tomorrow, because we are going to Vietnam on my actual, Decemeber 14. We are going to the best Mexican restaurant in Bangkok with a random young British Manager (so strange.) Yum yum yum. They are setting up the top of the restaurant for me. Hehe. Yummers. Yes, I will be 24. Seems like just yesterday I was the young age of 22....
I keep dreaming of horses. I think Ruben will buy me one for my birthday. We will keep him on the balcony.
I ran out of deodorant and am using random stuff that is imported from Europe or some such crap and it seriously doesn't work. Ewww. Yuckus.
Heh. My shoes from last year were my uniform shoes this year. They were falling apartment and I wasl ike "ugh, these are getting ugly, I need to throw them out." And Ruben is like "Omigod, GOOD, they are so ugly." And I got defensive for a bit, and then I was walking home and we talked about it, and he said, "throw them in the canel" and I said, "no way" and then he picked them up and threw them in teh canel. The Thai's freaked out and ran to the ledge to look and some other tourists were freaking out. It was quite hilarious. Yes, polluting Bangkok, one shoe at a time.
Watched the new James Bond, it was good. No basis for comparison as I have never seen a James Bond movie before. It was fabbity fab.
Went to see The Prestige. Since Michelle is performing magic tomorrow at my party, this movie was a good way to introduce me to magic. Michelle is way better than the magicians in the movie. Obviously. There is no doubt, as Michelle has tricks from a really nice store and she is so tricky.
Been eating really yummy food, and discovered my intense love for Japanese food. Also, intense love for American/Canadian/Western/Conteniental breakfasts. Indeed. Bacon and egg and toast and yummy. Indeed.
My tattoo is itchy today. I am going to get another one. A hand print on my bottom. For flair and laughter.
I have been working quite hard on developing a little tummy from all the drinking and whatnot that I have been partaking in. Also from the intense dehydration that plagues you, forcing you to crave all sorts of less nurtious substitues like water. We have a general belief that everyone has put on weight on teh exchange. It makes me laugh. And makes me want to make sure I go to the gym next semester. Will be quite a bit easier, as we have more structure and with Ruben's work, we will be going away less. Except for our weekend trips to India to ski. Expect for those.
I want to go to Cambodia to see the Killing Fields. I am reading a book about it. Quite intriging.
I am exhausted from all this typing. My hard day yesterday of shopping and then a nice lunch and then a 2.5 hour Thai massage, then a nice night of drinking and cas and then today sleeping in, going shopping, napping, having nice meals and watching movies has really exhausted me. Heeh. My Thai massage has left me so pained today, but I love it. It was the best massage of my life. I felt so good, and then made the poor decision of having margaritas and wine coolers at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Hehe. Opps. Whatever.
Hehe.
Annnnnnnnyways. THat is all, might post less and less, as I head off to Vietnam, then back to Thailand, then over to Canada for a week, then down to LA and to Mexico for a week, and then over to Taiwan to visit Scottie for a week, and then back to Thailand to get cracking at school.... Hehehe. Ohala. Going to be an action packed next month and a half. I can't wait. And then I get to come home to the nicest new apartment with the nicest guy and have a very nice next semester. Tres exciting...
Annnd that is all. Over and out.
Hiiii I am alive. Going into exams. Woohoo. Post later.