Better than before

So --- its a funny thing...

Between college and law school, I had these magical travelling & working experiences in India, South Africa and Thailand and I was always a bit worried about how it would be if I returned somewhere, if I would inevitably be disappointed because so much of the magic was the time and age I was at. With Chiang Mai, I knew that i hadn't had my full last time but at the same time, wasn't completely sure I would have as robust lifestyle as the first time around.

But I can honestly say, that after being in Chiang Mai for over a month now, almost everything is SO much better than last time!
Although my BFF from college, David isn't in Chiang Mai like last time, he is in Bangkok and we have awesome times visiting each other, and I think i leaned on him to hard last time I was here, cause he was so well acclimated, but now we are on much more equal footing and its fantastic to have him only an hour away. Plus he introduced me to Pailin who is also from UNC, and half-Thai and she is both a totally awesome person that I love being friends with and also amazingly helpful with anything I need a local to help me with!

My neighborhood, & apartment is way cooler! I LOVE it, i've said that like 8,000 times but I can't stop raving about it. Last time I was in tourist-central, with backpackers in and out so higher prices and transient folks (plus i hate backpackers, yes i hate myself when i backpack). This time there are tons of Thai people here plus the ex-pats (I don't' hate on all foreigners, I am one!) and there is everything a person could want from a wide range of humble to fancy. I love that my gym is a 3 minute walk away and is huge and beautiful and I can take fun classes and sit in the sauna. I've really made my little studio apartment my home, and its actually much cozier than my apartments have been in NYC for the past three years and than my more humble place last time here which was barren.

My office is awesome! I technically worked out of a different office last time, and although I met two of my closest friends there (who I still get to see and hang out with and party with!) my office here is fantastic. The staff has welcomed me with open arms, I have a friend who i worked in the south post-tsunami working directly with me, my team for the Act Against Abuse project are awesome, and are constantly excited about integrated me despite the fact that there is more of a language barrier.. I get invited to many outreach activities and people volunteer to translate for me when I need it. The regional network I work with, are these fantastic group of young asian women who are such awesome activists and whom I get to hang out with like a group of school girls when we are stuck for extended trainings and conferences. They are all also super-duper excited about me working with them, and immediately treated me like an equal and not some temporary intern. And the work is precisely what I could have hoped for.

Friends and persona life -- great great great. Like i mentioned two of my good burmese friends from before have both just moved back to Chiang Mai, i have another ex-pat friend who works for ICTJ here, i went out dancing with staff the other weekend and with the regional network folks & entire activist community like to go out and drink! My neighbor sings at a local bar that i go to see and my two other random missionary friends go every Thursday to trivia/pub quiz. I don't have any bad down time, where I am at a total loss for what to do or lonely. I definitely miss my friend Xochitl here but other than that, I've got much more bustling life! It may slow down in the future, but I also think in my older age and after the three years of intense loneliness in law school I revel and enjoy my alone time - plus I always can keep myself busy working out and pampering myself! (and watch the Wire on DVD, its so good.)

My motorbike! I love love love it! far more preferable way to travel and it opens up the and makes me feel much more independent and adventurous.

The only thing, is my romantic drama. I didn't really bemoan my awful drought of law school, i figured it was a byproduct of being a law student and it was okay cause once law school was over the drought would be too. I always at least found some crushes to get in trouble with during my summers. But since I've bounced back so fully since law school ended, I guess I am now sorta expecting this to have taken off again in Thailand. Last time was a whirlwind in a short period but this time, but this time not much currently on the horizon. i know i've only been here for a month, so i should be patient, but if I had some drama.. the right kind... life would be almost perfect.

But honestly not only is it better than last time in Chiang Mai, its such a phenomenal improvement in my quality of life from last year that I want to hit myself if I a complain about anything. Cause even when I think Iam about to face a logistical hell, like having to get a health check up for my work permit -- it is 10 times easier than any comparable errand in New York. I can't help but laugh at myself at the end of the day. I'll find my trouble, i don't need to worry.