A few pictures as I procrastinate from work, packing and insanity

A few pics from my big day in Mae La. I feel so unbelievably lucky to be here, doing this...

Mildly uninspired.

Hi all. I'm not dead, really. I have been insanely busy with work, though decorating my apartment (ok, fine - not decorating. Maybe I just bought cushions. And a giant gong. A gong can do a lot for a room) and discussing with friends the personal lives of all of the waiters and cooks we know in town (seriously - instant entertainment for hours, I tell you) has managed to occupy any free time. Don't get me started on the endless drama of families in refugee camps and figuring out who has lied about their child/parents/registration/marriage/death. Somedays I feel like the CIA. So many stories, and liars (though even they are kind of fun. We have even started a Liar's Club for them all) and sad cases.

And then there is Mae Sot's sorry excuse for a gym. I really hate it there. The horrid gym lady continues to gleefully smack my stomach/ass/thighs whenever I walk in right after she announces to the the entire gym what my current weight in kilos is. Bite me. Stupid gym. Stupid underfed Thai women.

My bike lock rusted shut after only two weeks of the rainy season... while it was ON my bike, so I had to walk/hitchhike to work for the entire 9 days it took me to find someone with chain cutters who could cut off the lock. I managed to forget about this about once a day and would tear down the stairs, late for work, and try to hop on my bike - only to fall over when the rusted lock wouldn't let the wheels turn. I would then have to run down the street to flag a motorcycle taxi... and go through the same routine the next day, much to the daily amusement of the fish soup lady across the street from my apartment.

Stay tuned for the next enthralling installment of Amy's Life on the Border (though, that really makes me want a burrito right now. Mmm... I wish I was on that border).