You've offered me such tempting choices. I got so excited with each new comment that I started wishing for war. I would be terribly disappointed to not do this program, but you had me almost hoping for an excuse not to go to Thailand.
Not that I could choose between you. Oh, no. I want to do all of those things - go to see Meg and her boys in MA, tromp about Canada with Emily, and rustle up those traces of Spanish I learned in my stint at STMS with Brenda. Oh, why did my summer get so booked up? Why am I not independently wealthy? Why must I wait until later vacations for such fun?
Because here's the travel update:
I talked to the Global Service Corps peeps yesterday. They have been in constant contact with their counterparts in Thailand and with the State department, and they tell me this:
- The provinces where I'd be working are not on the "unsafe provinces" list.
- The airport is actually quite a ways outside of Bangkok, and
- The State department said that the airport is safe.
- GSC is also changing the itineraries to completely avoid Bangkok: instead of the scheduled opening weekend of touring around the city, I'd be taken directly to the placement site.
And I believe them. The protest leaders surrendered today; and although a remainder of the Red Shirts went on an arsonistic looting spree through the city, I think it's the beginning of the end.
Hopefully?
So, I might still be going, but it's not certain. I read the news headlines every few hours, scanning for more information on which way it's going to go. I look at the photos (like these, for example) and can't believe I might be going there shortly. Well, not there. Near there. The same country as there.
In any case, this arrived today in the mail:
And if in the end I can't use it, at least I have some fantastic alternatives to choose from.
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