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So as can be expected, technology has let my expectations down again. I had stored all my emails in an email account that was cancelled because I didn't sign in for a long period. Everything was lost from the period of September 2002 to December 2004. More than two years of fun and adventures not only in Southeast Asia , but back in the states as well. Let's see, October of 2002, I went to Cambodia . I continued to work around Petchburi until August of the following year. I started University at Bangkok University in January, 2003. Took six classes and came out with a 3.95 GPA. In September, I finally fulfilled my dreams of making a 'visit' back home to Colorado . This was an unforgettable time when I worked at 7-11 off of 84th and Corona in North Denver . I got chance to work every single shift. The best was grave yard when I was alone except for the fact that I got robbed for two cartons of cigarettes. The last major thing that happened on this trip was getting arrested outside of a lodo (lower downtown) nightclub. I had alcohol on my breath and the bouncer wouldn't let me in. The problem was my friend and ride home already entered into the busy place and I had no way to contact or find him. I keep pleading with the doormen and police to help me as it was so cold outside and I didn't have any money. They eventually got fed up with me and made a show out of me. They booked me for interfering with police authority and loitering. The charge was such bull-sh*t, that the judge let me off for time served the next day. However, I still had to spend a night in city jail, which I don't plan on doing again. My man hood wasn't violated but it's quite possible for frequent flying and long-term commitment to this system. After Denver , I took a bus down to Albuquerque to visit my sisters before making my exodus again. This was similar to my first exit a year and a half prior. Winter holiday season---watching the niece and nephews growing up. Along with Chaselyn, Leon, and Donavan, I also had the pleasure of meeting the fourth, Anthony. I arrived in Thailand on New Years Day, 2004. I started to come down with something on the plane after transiting in Taiwan . By golly, I thought it was SARS, but I would soon find out a few weeks later, that it was Chicken Pox. I must have contracted this from my nephew, Donovan cause he had had it before I left New Mexico . Now I thought that I had chicken pox as a kid, but I must have not had it much at all because, as an adult, it hit me hard. I was paralyzed sick with bumps all over my body for a good part of a month. This is the most suffering I can remember going through for a long time After recovering from this, I found work teaching in Song Phi Nong district of Suphan Buri. It was comfortable and wildly adventurous for the time it lasted. To keep it family rated, let's just say fruitful experience was gained, and lessons learnt. We can conclude that pleasure and business is certainly an explosive compound, if not catalyst. After the Golden Monkey Sonkran holiday, I found new work in Bangkok . It was at Anubahn Nontaburi School , the main kindergarten of Nontaburi, the province on the northern/northwestern end of Bangkok . Here, I became the Kindergarten One, class five homeroom teacher. It was a relaxed gig that inspired and occupied me for the next four/five months. Starting July, I also took on a Sunday job teaching English at an international kindergarten. This was my first high paying wage at 500 baht/hour. This lasted for three months. My contract at Nontaburi didn't continue as they wanted a teacher who could fully obligate him/herself to the program. As I was/am still in University, my work schedule had to be cut up. As far as Uni, I kept bringing in the good grades maintaining a 3.9 GPA up to this day (January 2005) So then I took on some part time gigs. A few days teaching corporate classes in the evenings at 400 baht/hour and one full Saturday teaching kindergarten level at 600 baht/hour. From then on, though the work load lessened, the prestige and pay heightened. Time Travel Only in October of that year, my friend Jussi, a student from Finland , my girlfriend, Worawan, and I all took a trip to the Sukhothai area. (On the way, I came down with a great sickness again that I honestly believed was the Chicken flu) The ancient Dvaravawati-Khmer-Siamese style ruins at Sri Satchanalai and Sukhothai---remnants of a past glorious civilization have mysterious healing powers. END OF PHASE |
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