Jazz and basketball heroes

I am enjoying it more and more here in Chiang Mai. It is much more difficult to socialize with the Thai people, because their culture is just so different. They are vey polite, but reserved and engaging in a conversation, exchanging phone numbers or arranging to meet up is nothing easy to achieve! However, I have my circle of friends, or family as they say, in a Jazz Bar here and I love being with those people. Yesterday one of the best Jazz-Saxophone players of Thailand (apart from the king) joint the band plus a 13 year-old genius. Seeing the proud faces of his parents was the most beautiful thing of the evening.
I am also getting better with my basketball skills, reducing the gap between my skills and the skills of the male team from humongous to huge ; ). However, as long as they pass the ball and I don't embarass myself like the day before yesterday, when I had to quietly sneak off because I couldn't take the blame, it is alright! The other day, when the group of about 20 Thai guys was obviously talking about me in their strange tonal noises and than laughing out loud, I decided to tell them that it is not the most comforting feeling for me and asked them to only talk about me in English. I also mentioned the fact, that I'm not only a "Farang" but that I also have a name. They laughed again, but I think, they respect me a bit more. Thais are very shy (if they are on their own - but big-headed when they're in a group) plus girls are supposedly even more shy and weak, so I think they were shocked and impressed by a girl telling them her opinion. In general, the more Thais get used to you, the more they treat you as a special guest and it is amazing, how friendly and helpful these people are.