Malaysia... again! or Thailand?

Hello everybody!!!

I missed you too!!! I don't know what to say! why it's been so long since my last post... I have been a real mess, haven't I? my mind was all over the place...

The Jungle Bar was real fun (I maybe going back soon, if everything goes according to plan) and afterwards I visited Penang again. I like it there, good food, good atmosphere, the real Chinatown... although it was a little bit trying, my situation... I was courted by two men!!! the story of my life! could not relax, could not decide... and so I went to Singapore on the night bus (12 hours). I was happy to leave and was really looking forward to the next part of my travels, the visit of my dear Angel! my Spanish Angel came, at last, after so much expectation and we had a great time together! First a couple of days in Singapore, with lots of treats!!! (like a queen!) good hotel, great food (we even had Spanish tapas!!!), went to the Raffles Hotel, to the Long Bar and had a Singapore Sling and ate a lot of peanuts throwing the rubbish on the floor! (that is the custom, it seems...). We even dressed up for the occasion, just to blend in with the atmosphere! (got new pair of shoes!!!).

But what can I say? I was already missing Malaysia! Singapore is so tidy, so clean, so square,so regulated, so organized! (they have signs saying: "no spitting!", give us a break!! we are in Asia, here everybody spits noisily!!!). So I was happy when we crossed the border, (and I hate that border crossing, with all my heart! I think I have crossed it too many times in too short a time) into dear chaotic Malaysia, where dirt is not a problem and you can smoke nearly everywhere...

Went first to the Island of Tioman! A very nice island, I must say, but of course, compared to my little paradise Kecil Island... it was ok! Angel liked it a lot. What we enjoyed most was our walks in the jungle! the first day we started going for "a walk" and ended up climbing up and down the jungle (with our flip-flops, like the natives!!) throughout the whole day, among monkeys and monitor lizards and sweating our heads of, ... thank goodness we went from beach to beach so we could refresh ourselves every couple of hours!!! and all that to reach the last beach and take a taxi boat back! but it was great fun, after all!

The next day we planned it a bit better, put some shoes on and took some water and stuff... this time we went across the island! very exciting! the jungle was soo big and deep! and the trees sooo high!! some monkeys scared us with strange human-like noises when we where in the deepest part! creepy!!!! it was like an endless going up steps, so many steps had been carved in the jungle... it was steep but we finally got to the end of the slope and then it was downhill!! much better! but very long too! it took us most of the day again to get there and when we finally did we found a deserted beach! it was beautiful, sandy, long, large, with great waves.... but nobody there! we were hoping for a taxi boat to take us back (and I was thinking a beer wouldn't do us any harm either...), but due to the Muslim New Year, everything was shut!!!! and we were lucky to get a land rover through the jungle before it was too late!!! what an adventure that was too!! it was very slippery from the rain and the road was terrible... thank goodness this man, Mokhtar, knew what he was doing and got us safely to the other side! I was real scared at one point, when our car started sliding down the hill...

Ok folks, this is just an "Entree" of the rest... I know I should have started by telling you where I am now and so on, but you know what? it is too boring!!!! ok, I am in Thailand, in Yasothon Province, in a village/suburb called Khamkuenkeaow, if you must know. I came here to work as a voluntary in a rice farm with WWOOF (Willing Workers in Organic Farms) but it seems I have been misled! as soon as I arrived here last week I found out that there is no farm, only this very sly teacher and her off springs... so my task seems to be to help her with the English lessons she gives at the local High school that encompasses around 3.000 students and 190 teachers! all in a oner!!! I know! very scary!!! and on top of it, the woman is doing her thesis of... what do I know, so has no time for me. The first weekend, I was buried in the grandparents' village, Bahnsithan, famous for its triangular pillows, with only the company of a troupe of children who did not speak English at all! I like the place, and the grandparents were kind enough to put up with me and feed me and all... but I did not know where I was, soo lost!

That was last weekend and then the week started and I had to go to school!! I tell you guys, Sunday night I could not sleep out of mere panic!!! but I did it, I went there and introduced myself to the teenagers (about 25, 14 years old teenagers!!) and told them my little story about where I am from and stuff... and during the week I started getting more and more confident and at the end of the week I was teaching whole lessons by myself!!! I could not believe it! I have surprised myself!! and then the weekend came again, and the teacher disappeared again and buried me in the village again, where I have been till today, that I am back to Ka... and ready to go to school tomorrow! so that is what it is, my life here. And since I have time in the following days to update you, rest assure that you will receive further news from me tomorrow, ok? good night then! and bless you all for being there!!!