July 3, 2010

We are all doing great and are starting to recover from some jetlag. The time change of 12 hours has been difficult, especially for Corbin, but we're all starting to feel more normal today. We spent today house hunting. We were supposed to be in a temporary townhouse, but we were surprisingly updated to a large house with our own pool. The kids love the pool and are making great use of it. Boomer arrived two nights ago and is adjusting well. He takes runs through the back yard and around the pool. The boys splashed him full of water today as he ran by.

We've been ordering all our food in, as it's hard to figure out where to shop for food and how to read the labels in Thai. Usually don't know what we're buying and just guess by the outside packaging. Our relocation lady has been such great help and has spent three full days with us helping us get set up and showing us around. We've purchased several appliances, water cooler, etc. from, Dinah, a lady who is moving out of a townhouse in our development who is moving back to the US after living here for nine years. She also has purchased a vacation home in New Zealand. She also offered her domestic helper, Khun Som, to us who has worked for Dinah for the past nine years. Som came to our house today to take care of the boys while we house hunted. She speaks and writes English and can cook Thai and domestic food. She knows the area well. We figure she will be priceless to us as far as shopping, going to markets, accompanying us when we travel the area, etc. as the language barrier is a challenge here. She is amazing. She had our whole house organized and cleaned and the boys were well taken care of when we returned today. She rode her motorcycle here, as that is the main transportation for Thais. The Thais buzz around everywhere here weaving all around the traffic and taking sidewalks with their motorcycles. She has a seven-year-old daughter named Peace. It's crazy driving here altogether. Hang on!! The tuk-tuks are fun to watch. One pretty Thai lady was dressed up nice sitting sideways yesterday on the back of a motorcycle with her umbrella in the pouring rain. The thais are very smiley people hence the nickname of Thailand "land of the smiles." They frown upon impatient people. They are in no hurry. The Thais figure what is the use of getting upset, fighting and swearing at the elements. They say : "Chai Yen Yen" (Take it Easy).

We toured the school a couple days ago. We were amazed at the open air school, as all the hallways are located outdoors. Lockers, water fountains one side of the lunch room, etc is all open to the outside. It is a huge 35 acre campus.

It is monsoon season here now and it will pour rain for like usually one hour a day. It has typically been in the morning. Carrying an umbrella with you at all times is a must during the monsoon as it will be sunny and the next minute your getting drenched in the rain.

We were shopping yesterday at a nice large six level mall here yesterday called Central Plaza. Haley got some cute designer clothes at great prices and is excited about that. We are also so amazed at how there are Thais everywhere when your shopping helping you the whole way. They follow you and want to help you. Us Americans think they are following us because we think they are watching us so we don't still, but that is not the case at all. They want to help you. They carry all your stuff for you and take it to the till. I asked for a shopping cart and there were none. There are people staffed in every section to take your purchases and when you pay there are seven people ringing you up! They also test all the appliances or any merchandise with batteries in front of you before they ring it up. So shopping here takes time.

Happy Fourth of July to you all back home and we will miss the fireworks, as the fourth is one of our favorite holidays.

The Schweigerts