A bike Ride and a River

Yesterday afternoon I took a bike ride with my Balot (supervisor).  He was taking me to the villages near the river to show me the changes that have occurred in the few short months that I have been here.  Usually when I am on my bike I have the urge to speed through the streets feeling the cooling wind drive past my face as I smile and wave at people as I quickly pass by.  Biking is a new release, a new freedom for me.  I take random rides throughout the day around my village and beyond to get out and obtain that boost of energy I need to get through the remainder of my day.  Today though, we meandered.  You see, Thai people don’t view biking the way that I do.  For them, it is just another mode of transportation to take you from here to there.  And, they have no need to get anywhere fast, so when riding a bike, you slowly lower your foot down on the pedal to propel it ahead, just fast enough so that you are moving, but you can carry on a conversation with all that you pass along the way.  And, so we went. 

When we reached the river I was amazed.  I knew that the water was steadily rising, but I had no idea to what extent it really had.  I had biked through this part of town just 2 days ago and didn’t notice the things that I did this time around.  The river, which at first sight seemed to be more of a trickling creek, was now just a few feet short of the road.  A swift current ran through the center sending leaves and small branches to a new unknown home.  Two months ago I had visited one of my Balot’s friends’ homes along here.  You could look down a steep 20 foot drop to the river at that time; now, the river was sneaking towards the bottom stilts of his home. 

Further down, trucks were parked in the street because the car ports were covered in water and a few homes already had to create makeshift walkways to their front stairs because the water had already taken over their yards.  The rainy season is just beginning.  We still have over 3 months to go until it ends.  I can’t imagine what this area is going to look like once the river finally claims all of its territory.  One thing that I do know: I think I’m going to get to do some boating this year J.

Lesson of the day:  Sometimes I need to take the opportunity to slow down; “smell the roses”.  There is so much to see and learn just by watching what is going on around me. Elderly women resting on a wooden plank in the blistering afternoon, hiding from the sun in the shade.  Children chasing one another through the beams that rise up below the homes.  A father tickling his child until they laugh on their front porch.  So much is going on in this town that I have yet to learn about.  Next time I go biking, I think I’ll try it at a slower pace…see if I can find out something new.

Here are a couple pics of my unfinished house...its looked like this for at least a month now...I am hoping it will be done soon.  It is 1 story, 1 bedroom.

The back of my house.  The open space is the walkway from
the inside of the house to the bathroom

The front of my house.  Missing a few walls still.  My house is
only the left side, or the right, and someone else will live in the
other half.  Still don't know what type of front door I will have:
regular door or garage door??

Another angle of the front/side of the house...I have a couple trees.