Fried chicken, geckos, and feet

My host family has discovered that I like fried chicken, and I seem to be having it every night for dinner now.  I think they have been experimenting with me to see if I will eat something more than another (i.e. fried chicken vs. intestines) and they chose fried chicken to be the winner for me.  Not that I mind; I ask for only nit-noi (alittle) rice and then I get chicken.  I also will get fried fish, bananas, candies, a shrimp salad dish, and a veggie salad put in front of me as well (normally after I tell them that I am full).  I was wary of the fried fish for the past few nights because the skin is left on and you can see the fins, but I finally sucked it up last night and tried it because my teacher advised me that my mom is well known for her fish.  I was pretty amazed.  I won't say it is a dish that I want to have every day, but it wasn't bad.  I think I can eat it every once in a while.  The fact that I liked it got a big smile from my mom, so that made me very happy. 

I found my first few geckos in my house this week. One of them resides in my bedroom.  They are actually pretty cute.  They just climb along the walls, and they are great because they eat mosquito's and I have tons of bits all over my legs...so I say, the more geckos, the better.  They are usually only 3-4 inches long. 

I wake up each morning with gloriously clean, unswollen feet.  Feet that one would be fine showing off.  As the day goes on and I put my shoes on and off (you take your shoes off every time you go in a building - except the 7-11 - as a sign of respect), my feet get dirtier and dirtier as I step on the ground.  Add in sweat and dust and biking, and you have a perfect storm for gross feet by the end of the day...I promise that they are washed well every evening.  Also, because of the sodium in the diet here and the new climate, I tend to have beautiful "kankles" (is that what they are called) every night when I go to bed.  I haven't figured out a way to fix that yet, but I am hoping time and patients will pull through for me so I don't have to try to do the impossible and hide my feet.

I am still working on putting pictures together and finding somewhere where I can get wifi for my computer so I can upload some pictures.  I now have pics of my host mom, sister, and some of the PC people, but no way to upload them at this point. 

Thai life is good.  Its very busy with so much to do and see.  I can't believe I have already been gone for 3 weeks now.  In about another 3 weeks, I get to find out where my site will be located and then 2 weeks after that I get to go visit it for the first time.  Each day I learn a little more Thai and I discover more about the government structure. 

Anyways,  I gotta go...my sister saw me here so I told her I would be right home.