I spoke to soon

When I said that the return visit to the doctor to get my wound cleaned and redressed hurt I was serious. It did. But it was nothing compared to the second time; which was excruciating. It had been about 30hrs since I had gotten it cleaned the day before and when she took the dressing off it was gross. Much more puss than the first time. This required an incredibly invasive swabbing to clean it out. She also had to push around the edge of the wound to get everything out. OOWWW!!

Today was my third visit to get the bandage redone and the wound cleaned. It still sucks when they clean it but it was tolerable today. Also, it is showing a little progress. It isn't very red anymore, just tender. The nice hole is still there and I may be imagining things but I think its getting smaller. Hopefully it really is getting better.... it still festers though ;)

Festering Wound

You know the Apples to Apples card that says "Festering Wound"? That card never wins cuz it never fits any of the green cards and its just gross. But those are the words I would choose to describe what has developed on my left hip. It's grotesque. I may being erring on the side of overly dramatic but I think you get the idea.

I got two bug bites on my hip last Saturday. I would attribute them to the malicious work of a mosquito, or worse, two mosquitoes working in tandem to torment innocent sleeping young men. One of the bites started going away after a couple days. The other bite did no such thing. It started to get swollen and red, not unusual for one of my mosquito bites. Then around Wednesday I started to get the feeling that it wasn't just a bad bite that itched and hurt a little. I was able to pop it like a zit (gross I know, but it gets worse). I wasn't entirely convinced that my extremely healthy young body couldn't fight the bite on its own so I waited a few more days...

It proceeded to get worse. I went to the bar for a Thai friends birthday on Friday and I could barely sit down it hurt so bad. It got more swollen and started to develop into an open sore (I'll spare you the details about what came out of that). When I woke up this Saturday I made the decision I would go to the doctor. At this point the open sore part was about the size of a pen cap. I ended up going to the mall to see Transformers 2 (completely logical decision). The movie was supposed to get over around 5 and I was going to go to the doctor after, but the first 3 showings were sold out so we end up leaving the movie theater around 10. I was going to wait to go to the doctor until the next morning but when I got back to our Hotel I checked it out. It had grown; the open sore was now more like the size of a quarter. I decided not to wait; I needed to go right away.

I went to Chiang Mai Ram, which is the best hospital in Chiang Mai. Accompanied by my roommate, David, I walked into the hospital around 11:20. They took my information, checked my temp and put me in a room within 5 minutes. A nurse looked at the bite, clearly infected, and immediately called for a doctor. The doctor took one look and instructed me that they were going to have to drain it. I laid on my side while they numbed it, cut it open, and cleaned it out. They bandaged the wound and told me that I would have to come back for the next 7 days so that they could replace the dressing and keep an eye on it. They sent me to get antibiotics and pay and I was on my way home around 12am.

That was easily the most efficient doctor visit I've ever had. 40 minutes was all it took. It cost around $80 for the visit, drugs included. Visiting the next day to get the wound dressed was by far more painful than the initial procedure. The guy, very poignantly, shot disinfectant into the open sore. OUCH! He also swabbed it and showed me the end of the Q-tip with a little chuckle saying "look at the puss". Hilarious... if I didn't have a FESTERING WOUND!

Muay Thai

The little guy on my left has an amazingly powerful kick. He would destroy me. The old guy next to him is Mr. Badass that I practiced with.

We got to learn the basics of Muay Thai fighting for our Thai language and Culture class. It was awesome!

We went to a "gym" to get learn from some of the trainers. I put gym in quotations because it was really just an open concrete slab that had punching bags and a couple boxing rings. Not exactly a gym as we know it in the US. The trainers wrapped our fists in athletic band (mine stunk cuz it was used; gross, I know). Then we learned a punching sequence and how to protect our face while we punched. We learned two punching sequences and how to kick. Then we put boxing gloves on and the trainers got pads out and we took turns learning in the ring.

There was an old trainer there. Probably in his 50s or 60s and super strong. He was crazy. He had a couple missing teeth. A six pack. Endurance beyond belief. You're average retired Muay Thai fighter....

Of course I had to work with him. His training style was more like a game to him. He would put the pads up and have me punch, punch, punch, punch, kick, punch, kick and then as i'm getting into it he'd put the pad a little to far out of my reach and I punch and he'd bop me on the head with the pad. Over and over he did this to me. I tried to figure out how to block him but it was impossible. He was to old and wily. He gave me bloody nose and a couple marks on my forehead and he was laughing his way along the whole time.

Moral of the story, I need some more Muay Thai training. The gym is open to anyone who wants to train there and I'm so very tempted. I'd at least get in super good shape over my last two months here.

Oasis Spa

I am taking a class called Small Business Management and as a part of the class we visited the Oasis Spa. The owner spent a couple hours with us discussing the intricacies of his business and the process he had undertaken in starting it with his partner.

The first Oasis Spa opened in Chiang Mai six years ago. The owner that we spoke to is a native of Thailand who worked in the medical field for ten years before deciding to open the spa. His partner is an American with international business experience. Together they noticed that there was an opportunity to start a spa in Thailand. Thailand has always been known for Thai massages, which is abundantly apparent when you walk down the street. You can stand on a street corner and see 4-5 places that you can get a massage, all offering them at prices around $5-6 for an hour (the cheapest I've seen is under $2!). Six years ago the Thai massage industry was closely linked with the sex trade in Thailand. This left a market open for a legitimate spa business that offered a luxury experience beyond anything that was being offered at the time. The Oasis Spa caters to this market exceptionally well. The attention to detail in the spa is incredible. The aromas, music, art, and the layout are all designed to maximize each customer’s experience. Everything in the spa has been hand selected by the owner for its traditional Thai qualities. The music, for example, is in the traditional Lanna style (Lanna is the former kingdom that Chiang Mai was the capitol of) and was developed by a doctor for its therapeutic effect, over the course of a year. Every part of the spa is attended to with the same attention to detail. The spas prices are also very reasonable, expensive only by Thai standards. A standard oil massage at the spa costs about $30 and we’re talking a luxurious experience.

The owner explained everything about how he started the business. Giving us details on how he selects and trains employees and how the business has expanded and the challenges that has brought with it. He explained how none of the technology on the market was quite suitable for monitoring the details of Oasis. He and his partner developed their own software keep the business running smoothly. He also talked to us about the importance of setting your business apart from the competition and marketing to the right group of people. He is an incredibly innovative and smart business man.

The success of Oasis speaks for itself. In six years of existence they have opened six spas throughout Thailand and they were just voted the best spa in Thailand. Learning from the owner of such a successful business was an incredibly valuable experience.

Check out the website: http://www.chiangmaioasis.com/En/l_cm.php

Leadership Training

This Saturday we had a leadership training course from a former member of the Thai military. The course was relatively elementary compared to all of the leadership stuff that I have been involved with from high school to the Greek Community. He gave a lecture for most of the morning and then we went to a Thai military base. At the base we went through an obstacle course. Most of the stuff on the course was pretty easy for the group. We had to climb over walls, go through tunnels, and do a rope swing. The funnest thing we did at the base was a thing they use to simulate a parachute drop. They strapped us in a harness and attached us to a cable that was strung from the tower we were at to a field about 200 yards away. The tower was about forty feet in the air. They hooked us up and then you jumped out and zip lined down the cable. It was pretty fun.

Sunday I didn't feel very good. I felt like I might be getting the flu. Not the best thing to get in a country that is absolutely paranoid about Swine Flu. They will quarantine you if they think you have it. I'm pretty sure its just a stomach thing now. Not the most comfortable thing but I don't think I'm in any danger of dying anytime soon.

I can't graduate!!!

School has begun! That explanation point is in the spirit of complete sarcasm. School is lame, in Thailand and in the US. I only have class on Monday from 8-11, Wednesday from 8-4, and Thursday 8-11. Not a bad schedule. After only a week we've already had three group assignments and have gone on two excursions. The classes are very hands on and involve a lot of real world application. For the first time in my life I have to wear a uniform to class. A tie and collar in the heat and humidity here is extremely annoying.

I was informed by my advisor, who happens to be on the trip, that I have a slight problem with graduation. Mostly that I can't graduate at the end of this trip. That was a fun conversation. Turns out that you have to take 9 upper division business classes at WSU and I have only taken 7 at WSU. Also, I am taking a class that can count only as an I BUS class or as a general business requirement but not both. ANNOYING! After looking at the classes I'm taking and what I need I figured out that I will have taken all the classes I need but will still be missing 2 upper division classes taken at WSU. I think I've taken enough classes at WSU so I'm going to email some professors and try and get the requirement overridden. I think I'll be able to get the rules bent a little cuz if this program was ran like it has been in the past I wouldn't have a problem. Usually there are WSU professors here teaching the classes which would make the classes count as if they were being taken at WSU. This is the first year that the classes have been taught by Thai professors and I was unaware of this change when I signed up for the program. Sooooo, hopefully I'll be able to get around this little rule.

I just finished "Three Cups of Tea" and I highly recommend it. It's an excellent book and it shows how it doesn't take any special skills to change the world. All it takes is determination and a leap of faith. I'm ready to graduate and take a leap of faith. Watch out world!!

For mom :)

I think they'll enjoy it. Thanks mom!

Two weeks in

I did it! I finally created a blog so all of you lovely people at home can be updated on my adventures. The name Chief Bigstick was bestowed upon me by my fellow travel buddies because I have a propensity to find a big stick just about everywhere we go. Never underestimate the usefulness of a big stick when your hunting exotic animals in the jungle. Either I poke the snake with a stick or my finger... I opt for the stick.

The first two weeks have FLOWN bye! Nearly every day has been packed with sightseeing or some sort of adventure. To recount it all would take pages and pages. So I'll begin with this weekend. Friday we spent part of the day at a boys orphanage painting. We painted the walls of a courtyard area and also the entry way of the younger boys dorm area. All of the boys were in school so the orphanage was pretty empty making it easy for us to get some work done. On Saturday we came back in the morning to play games with the kids, have lunch, and paint a mural in the courtyard and the boys dorm. When we arrived the boys immediately wanted to play football (soccer). They had just finished cutting the grass on a big field and they were ready to go. It was so much fun playing with them... and exhausting! There was about 10 older kids playing and probably 25 of the orphans. They were everywhere. I got schooled by one kid about have my size. I challenged him and he dribbled the ball right past me and kicked it right into the middle setting up a shot. I need to practice before I play with Thai kids again. When we were done with football and thoroughly dripping with sweat (humidity and exercise are brutal) we went to eat lunch with the kids. After we ate the little 5 and 6 year old kids had a blast being thrown in the air and climbing on the guys. We were definitely their jungle gym. Then went to the little kids dorm area and painted a mural on their entry way. I painted a couple flowers and drew and airplane that looked kinda like a whale until one of the girls helped fix it up. Overall, it was an amazing day. The kids were so much fun and they loved having us there.

Sunday one of the Thai buddies took a couple of us to her grandma's home. I tried the most amazing mango I've ever eaten! It was soooooo good. They taught me all the Thai names for the fruit we were eating but I've forgetten already. After the delicious fruit we went to the nearby temple and there was some sort of a celebration going on. They had a parade led by a minature horse with a little kid decked out in all sorts of Thai regalia. They were beating on drums behind the horse and it hated it. I kept my distance cuz I was positive it was going to go into a kicking and bucking spree. Some of the people were dancing and we joined in and they absolutly loved us. The women were all older, like 50s ish, and they kept coming up and dancing with us. It was a lot of fun.

When we got back to the city we went to the legendary "Walking Street". It didn't dissapoint. The street goes on forever and it has shop after shop selling everything you can imagine: art, clothes, jewelry, food, etc. One of the stands was selling bugs... to EAT! I ate a little grub lookin guy and a silk worm. Not to bad tasting, they were cooked and seasoned so it was tollerable. I was in a pretty goofy mood the whole time we were there and everytime I heard music I would dance to it. The Thai people walking down the street all stared and laughed at me everytime. Apparently its not normal to dance in the street. I made one of the Thai buddies dance with me and she got so embarrassed. She told me she was to shy to dance. I think all the Thai buddies are gonna be a little more outgoing by the time us loud Americans leave.

Today was the first day of class. We are taking them with Thai teachers and alongside Thai students. Both the classes I had today are going to be interesting. We already have already been assigned some homework but its going to be very interesting because most of the stuff we have to do is group work and involves lots of excursions. Tomorrow we are going to the business center to learn the history of Thai business and how it has evolved. Very interesting stuff and its deffinitely information I would never be taught in the US. I'm excited for the next 9 weeks of class. Its gonna be fun!!