We're Here!

Hi all:

Just a note to let you know we landed safely and without problems here in Thailand. We met students in Los Angeles and spent the next 30 some hours in flight or airports, but we all(including our student coming from
France) and our luggage arrived safe and sound in Chiang Mai. A small but happy victory! We landed about noon, and the students checked into the hotel, took a shower, and walked around the University. After dinner downtown together, we all returned for an early bedtime (not surprising).

Our classes began yesterday at 9:00 AM (Sunday)--of course, we were up at 4, so being there at 9 was no problem. After a great guest lecture about the differences between American and Thai culture, we did some logistical things, had lunch and sent students shopping at the day market(with the help of Thai students) for clothes for the Northern Thai dinner tomorrow evening. Our Thai classes (5 hours per day) begin today and go for two weeks, and during that time we will also visit and finalize internships.

Things are very green here, and there are beds of blooming flowers all around. It is Chiang Mai University's graduation in a week and a half, and so they are preparing the campus and it is beautiful. We leave campus during graduation as the area is so crowded (the university has 20,000 students). This year we will visit a Lahu village north of CM. We will stay in simple housing with the villagers and it will probably be cold (not by Mn standards, but there is no insulation and only one blanket per person). We will do a service project there for the church in the village.

Well, I'm losing my email, so I'll sat goodbye. Miss you all!

Ann Leming
Director, Spring Semester in Thailand