1st Two Days...

I am so excited to finally be here! It is an incredible place. I met my house mum, as she says it (she's a Kiwi/New Zealander), at the airport and we chatted on the 45 min drive from the airport to home. Her name is Sarah and she and her husband, Alex, have been with Rahab for 2.5yrs. The city is huge...like most, but you forget when you have been in your small town for so long. We went directly to the house from the airport. It is similar to a group of dorm rooms. There are 18 rooms and I live on the top floor (3 floors high). We checked out the house then headed for lunch. I tried some Thai food, not too spicy to start and it was wonderful. We ate at the Mall. That is the prime place to get food! It is very good and is set up like a food court so you can order whatever you please.
After that Sarah and I talked more and got to know each other a little bit while we relaxed. We met her husband for dinner and chatted about what it was like in America and the differences in culture here. Afterwards I went back to the house and unpacked for the night. Then, to bed very early!! I was jet lagged! haha

Day2:
Get up and have museli, cereal, and then grab the bus to Rahab. Rahab is located in Patpong, which is three streets of prostitution district. During the morning you will rarely see people, but at about 2pm, they start setting up the local market. The market sells clothes, toys, and other trinkets. All touristy stuff. Sarah says they do it that way so that the market draws people in and then the prostitutes keep them coming back. It is rather sad! Sarah informed me that over 4,000 women work on these streets every night.
I met some of the girls and we had a prayer and song time. I love that the songs they sing are in their language, but I know them, so that I can sing along. I will hopefully be able to play guitar for them too!
Sarah then put me and one other lady to work training on the computers since all the English speakers will be out next week at a conference in Chaing Mai. Since Rahab also makes and sells jewelry, we have to know how to fill out order forms and keep track of catalouges. It is not very hard to learn, but will take some practice.
We had lunch here and that was amazing. Super spicy, but delicious.
I got to practice one of the girls' hair after that. She is getting married tomo and I will be doing her updo. It will be very exciting! I will post pictures once my own internet is connected! I have to write from work right now, so it will not be as often for the moment!
After that Sarah, Noi, and I went to the bars. We only went to one for the day, but it was enough for my first day! This bar was similar to an american bar. Mostly just drinking and talking, not much dancing and few girls. This is unlike most of the bars here. We talked with one girl, she knew a little english, so that was nice for me. Sarah can speak some of the language, I know 2 phrases so far! haha. Although, I have to say! I was amazed at how much i could understand just by body language. Of course, for the most part I have no idea, but as we conversed with this girl, I could get the general idea of what she was talking about.
Our job at the bars is just to build relationships. Some girls speak english, but really the Thai girls at Rahab are the ones who can build the real relationships. I am a ticket into the door though. Unless you are coming to work in the bars, Thai women aren't normally allowed in without a Fa-rang(as they say it), or westerner!
Hope I'm not wearing you out with all this, I just want to be thourough on my first post. Just so you all can get a better picture of what it is like.
After the bars we went home for the night. We ate more thai food, lots of bean sprouts...and went back to the house.
I took my first shower... funny it was cold...so nice though because it is so hot out! the shower and the toilet are in the same area, I will post a pitcure of it later, but it is a squatty potty. I haven't used one since Africa so it is taking some getting used to!
Then I turned in for the night at like 8:30...haha so early!

Love you all ...bear with me as I get used to everything here! I should be able to post often, so that will be nice~!

Laura