Peace Corps Guyana: Western Weekend!

This past weekend Mel and I went back to Chiang Mai to celebrate the 4th of July by having a Western style weekend! We had mexican food, (yeah, I know not American) went to a mall and realized we can no longer afford mall clothes, and saw a movie! My first time at a movie theater in over two months!!! It was awesome! They have three different popcorn options, banana flavored, regular and sweet. I got sweet and it was tasty if I do say so myself. One drawback of having a Western style weekend is that you are now used to the East! I got a little sick from the food and I got to see the food again...if you know what I mean.
I also got a little homesick because there were a ton of families and travelers in Chiang Mai on summer break. I am so used to only seeing Mel!
I took it easy Saturday and called it an early night. On Sunday, we decided to pamper ourselves! Mel got an oil massage and I got a pedicure and reflexology, which is like a pressure point massage, it was AWESOME!

At school, we have been working hard training our students for the upcoming competitions. They keep adding competitions, or changing things around. You would think we would be used to the chaos by now but alas, we are not. Mel is now training some grade 6 students for the speech competition that is happening in a week and a half. They told me yesterday that my girls were going to say there speeches at the morning assembly, the next day. (this morning) So I hurriedly added an ending, we practiced and this morning they said it. They obviously did not know the ending but the rest they did so well on! I felt like their mom! Or stage mom! I didn't breathe the whole time they were on stage and said their lines as they said them. I was super nervous. Afterwards, Nonglak came up to me and the girls and said this one was better than that one. !!!!!!!??? They are human beings! I was like they just learned the ending and they were awesome for saying it in front of 1,555 students and teachers!!! UGH! Then she told me that there is a Phrae speech competition on the 23rd and she wants me to write a speech for them. The subject is about family. Umm...ok. We have been working on this one for around a month and you want them to memorize a whole new one in a week and a half?! They are not robots?! Then she said I wouldn't teach all next week and we would just work on the speeches. They are seriously obsessed with competitions. Whatevs. I really like working and helping with my little girls so I guess that's good!

Mint, Am, and Nuey!