Now that I have my Thai driver’s license, a sweet Honda motorbike and a very necessary helmet, I can finally drive myself to Muay Thai kickboxing training!! Yay. I have to drive about 15 minutes northeast(?) to get there – I don’t actually know the direction because there are no maps of this place. It is just in the high school one village over, in Pho Thong. The training is free and one hundred percent authentic Thai, which is amazing considering that lessons in the states are anywhere from $80-$300 a month and you will never find an actual Thai trainer, at least not at the places I’ve been to.
Two days ago was my first day. The gym is technically inside, but there are a few huge garage-like doors that really open it up. It is non air-conditioned… and dirty. I mean, everywhere in Thailand is dirty, so I guess I’ll get used to it. Damn Americans with their shiny brand new brand name equipment all sleek and functional, antibacterial spray bottles, clean towels, and what have you. Whatever. I don’t need that stuff. Although I must admit I was spoiled rotten with some of the best gyms in the States when I was there (my high school, Penn State, some of the gyms in my hometown). Never take cleanliness and functionality for granted people.
Anywho, like I was saying, Tuesday was my first day. I had met the trainer, Tawan, a few weeks back. He is so cute. I know that’s probably not the most correct thing to say about a man who could kill me in under a millisecond with skill and precision, but it’s true. He is tiny, speaks no English at all, and every time I do something right he gives me a big thumbs up! Haha. It was just he and I in this dirty, slippery gym. Nobody else. He was having me try out some basic exercises; I think he was trying to get a feel for my skill level, and I left sweating, but not necessarily because I had a hard core workout. You sweat everywhere here. You start sweating the minute you get out of the shower and dry off. I have never used so much baby powder in my life.
Yesterday was my second day training, and it was entirely opposite of everything I had anticipated of the previous session. A few other Thai girls were there to train too, their names are Mai and Dewan (sp?), and another young Thai male trainer named Bum. I love the nicknames here. And it gets even better, you gotta love this – everyone and their mom came into the gym to see the white girl train Muay Thai! I had an audience the entire time I was training, which I must say definitely made me kick my game up a notch and work my ass off. All those little eyes.
As I was punching the bag I was surrounded by about 20 seven to ten year old little Thai boys. I mean they were literally standing in a circle around me just watching me punch and kick. It was so funny. And when I was working with the trainers in the ring, they just lined up around the ring and stared, until they started their own little muay thai match in the other empty ring and Tawan had to yell at them to get the hell out! Haha. It was such a hilarious experience, and this time I left covered in sweat, with sore legs, new battle bruises, and a swollen ankle from kicking the pad with the wrong part of my foot. Good thing I have medical insurance, because this is brutal business. I think I’m gonna like it. Technique Technique Technique.
And of course, I’m in love with my motorbike. I was so happy on the sunny ride back home I tried to, without a radio of course, sing songs out loud (which is what I do when I’m happy), but my helmet was strapped so tight around my chin I couldn’t quite open my mouth wide enough. I imagine it could have been a pretty comical sight. Anywho, after I got home, I showered, and then went back out to grab a bite to eat – fried beef with onion bulbs and mushrooms in a creamy and delicious oyster sauce. With rice. Duh. That is probably one of my favorite dishes, when it’s cooked right. The meat here is always a bit iffy. Sometimes you just have a pile of fatty, inedible pieces on the side of your plate. But hey, at least you have food.
A lot of people here don’t have anything. More so in the city than these small villages, but still. Being here makes me feel so lucky for having these opportunities (traveling, teaching, training, learning, living), and also so grateful for the opportunities provided by the United States of America (cleanliness, administration, order, efficiency, luxury). Even though I get sad sometimes, when I miss my friends and family back home, I’m so happy to be here and to be meeting new faces that are always smiling, and always staring. When I do get back home, I’m going to be like, “Wtf? How come everyone in a fifty foot radius isn’t staring at me?” And yes, though at times it is a bit annoying, once you get used to it, you kinda like it. I dunno, maybe it’s just me. When you learn how to react or not react to it, you can kind of control it and have a lot of fun with it – make strange faces at people, stick your tongue out at them, wink a lot, make funny noises. Especially with the kids, they treat you like a celebrity. And yeah, I like that.
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