Chiang Mai

I have finally made it to Chiang Mai and started working for an NGO in the field of climate change and energy politics. It is very interesting, but it was hard to switch from traveling and doing nothing, especially not using my brain, to a 9 hour working day in front of the computer! Not that working here would feel like “real” work, though. I am living in a wooden flat on the office compound which is also completely made out of wood and set in a beautiful garden. My desk is outside with a view over palm trees, flowers, Geckos, Chipmunks and only has a roof above. It feels fantastic! I have a Gecko as a flat mate who likes to shit right in front of my toilet or in front of my door which can be a pretty uncomfortable experience considering that I’m walking bare foot all the time... Recently I am a bit worried that I might even have a snake living with me (they have Boas and all kinds of nasty ones here), because I found an old snake skin IN MY ROOM!! Yes, how comforting. I have not really chosen the best time of the year, because the rain season has set in a bit too early this year (climate change!!) and it really does rain ALL the time. When it doesn’t, I go and play basketball with Thai guys who don’t speak a word of English and keep calling me “Farang”, which means European foreigner. I am also enjoying the Thai food, especially the pancakes, fresh fruits and juices : )!! On Friday I went out with some guys from work and we went dancing to Thai disco music, it was much better than I expected! But there’s some kind of discrimination going on here. I, as a foreigner, am not allowed to wear clothes that show too much skin. But Thai girls, on the other hand, are wearing the skimpiest and tightest cloths ever! They go out in hot pants and high heels and are all skinny like crazy, making me feel like a bulldozer. They look like 15 when they’re actually 30 years old, I don’t know how they do it. Anyway, it was great fun and I’m looking forward to the next weekend!!