50K

February 1, 2013 / Sloan / 2 Comments

Travel to the race site today is going to be stressful. I cannot believe the weekend is here! I’m stoked, terrified, STERRIFIED. Just like last times.

A HUGE thanks to all the people who listened to me whine and complain during this training. Buddha knows it didn’t go as planned (does it ever?)

Thanks to Hal and all the boys I miss at Rogue Valley Runners, Got the visor and plan on rocking it like a boss in gnarville tomorrow!!

Send me some energy if you’ve got some extra. I start 5am Saturday February 2nd, THAI TIME!

RVR style

LET’S DO THIS

A Dog, A Horse, And A Cup ‘o’ Noodles

January 24, 2013 / Sloan / Leave a comment

I have an inside joke with my 2^nd graders.

It started two weeks ago. We were talking, [I say talking like it was a conversation…it wasn’t] I was reading a book to them that had animals in it, (kids love animals, hell, I love animals, animal sounds, making animal faces…etc). And we started talking about [again, I use talking in the loosest way possible] horses and dogs.

In Thai horse is maaAAA (the tone goes up) and dog is MAAaaa (the tone goes down) simple, right? Try it. I’ll wait. But remember, MaMa is the Thai equivalent of America’s Cup ‘o’ Noodles—just to throw that into the mix!

……..have you ordered a cup or noodles yet?……….

Now imagine 30 little kids, yelling “maaAAAAAAA” [giggle] “MMAAaaaaa” [giggle fit] “No teacha, maaAAAAAAAAAAAA, no no no no.” There are four boys that are dead set on me getting it. Since this started I have these four boys coming up to me all times during the day yelling MAAaaaaaa, maaaAAAAA. Then they burst into a giggle fit when I try and imitate them. Teacha, he says pulling at my skirt, Teacha Saloaaan! MAAAaaaa as hard as I try I just can’t say horse and dog in Thai, correctly.

Grrrr…you will come with me

Days like today. Days where my students joke around with me make being here worth all the other struggles I’ve been going through. Breaking he language barrier with laughing and smiling and shouting MAAaaaaa maaAAAA over and over are the moments that as I sit here at my computer I smile. I break into a smile and my own giggle fit thinking about these four boys, about the entire class laughing at the same thing with me.

Getting Old

January 22, 2013 / Sloan / 2 Comments

It’s been a while, eh? I have since turned 26 here in Thailand, I liked being 25, I don’t really like even numbers. Weird. I’m now closer to 30 than I am to 20, I’m no longer a kid, this is when real life starts, right? Uhmm. No, not really.

From what I’ve been told by my elders the confusion never ceases, the wondering never stops and the self-doubt continues on with us through out our whole lives. At this point I at least feel like I’m getting closer to feeling at home inside myself, I’m studying and learning and thinking and trying to meditate on everything—~~maybe~~ I should zero in and meditate on one thing at a time… ~~I hear~~ that’s how you’re supposed to do it.

But enough about my confused head, heart and mind: birthday weekend! While approaching the date I had to reminisce on past birthdays—I then realized that this is the 4^th continent I have spent January 18^th on! Crazy!!

Things that happened:

I had a school of 900 beautiful Thai children sing me a version of Happy Birthday that I’d never heard before.
I received a birthday package from my Grandmother in Michigan who retraced my old stomping grounds of Holland, MI—making me tear up a bit at the memories. Then I ate candy and smelled the delicious coffee she sent!
I was bombarded by first graders with open arms yelling “Happpppy birfday, Teacha SaLone!!” I quickly corrected them “birthday, teacher SLOan” (if you know me you know that my name is ONE syllable. NOT TWO.) Just kidding, they were too damn cute to correct.
I ate an amazing meal, sang horribly in front of friends and was given some amazingly thoughtful gifts and cards.
I went to another province and went Thai camping.
Hiked down to a big tree, hiked back up and was applauded at my speed by a bunch of Thais lighting up their cigarettes.
I then hiked back down and hiked a short hike back to the camp ground, all the while pretending I was back in the Siskyou mountains.

My friend then said to me “Why don’t you pretend you’re there, in Thailand, you don’t have to pretend so hard that way.” Good point. Chalk is up to another struggle of not being here. I needed that, I’m here, in Thailand—let’s quit pretending otherwise.