Things I like about Thailand, and things I don't...

I love the language!  How can a language sound this beautiful?!  If you are a woman you say "kah" at the end of everything to sound polite!  Thank you sounds like a little bird twittering "Korp kun kah" (if you are a girl).  I love saying hello, and now say it all the time "Sawa dii kah".  The flowing of the language is wonderful!  I love listening to people speak, it is fantastic.

I don't like that I don't speak it, and how much I am relying on English.  I feel so useless and have to stop myself from speaking in Chinese.

I love the food!  Spicy (sometimes like tonight too freaking spicy) but sweet, sour and other flavors all blended together.  The curries and the stir fry's.  Honestly I have loved everything I have had to eat.  Until I came to Phuket... it is too spicy almost like they are tired of Tourist (which I am sure they are) and are trying to chase me away by destroying the lining in my small intestines.

I don't love how they always give you ice.  You are supposed to avoid it.. but it is unavoidable.  Hopefully we fix that soon.  Also watching which water you drink, and never being able to fill up your water.

I love Chiang Mai, I want to live there.  At some point I will.  It is touristy but not too touristy!  The people are kind, and not jaded by over tourism.

I do not like Phuket.  Too touristy the people are bitter and tired of white people.  There are just too many foreigners.  I might change my mind after I see the islands.  But all the beaches have tons of people, tons of umbrellas and chairs.

I love the animals.  There are monkeys, elephants, gibbons, hornbills, and so much more.  They are all interesting and seeing them in the wild is impressive!

I don't like how the domestic animals are treated.  Here in Phuket birds are in tiny cages, and dogs are thin wandering around.  Elephants and monkeys are often brutally mistreated but tourists continue to enjoy the shows oblivious or not caring for the animals treatment.

I like meeting other interesting foreigners.  I have made so many friends in Chiang Mai.

I don't like meeting other irritating foreigners.  Especially how everyone always jokes about she-males.  Who cares.. if you aren't picking up prostitutes then it shouldn't bother you!