Chang Mai

Suwahdee kha! That is the greeting you give to everyone as you fold your hand in prayerlike fashion. At least that is for women. If you are a man you say Krap instead of Kha. Needless to say the men all giggle and there is a lot of bathroom humor. I have also learned all my numbers and can count to 1000. I think I have about 20-30 phrases and words. Nothing is similar to us and their letters are absolutely different mostly like squiggly lines.
Today we went to elephant camp. We rode elephants with our mahout- the guy who lives with each specific elephant- for an hour through the jungle. There were about 7 in total- 2 to an elephant. You sit on a platform on their back while the mahout sits on his head. Along side us trotted the 2 babies that belonged to these girls. It was one of the most awesome experiences ever. We stopped while they grazed on wild sugar cane and then bananas. It was a little bumpy but we laughed the whole time. The babies kept trying to get into our backpacks looking for food. Elephant kisses are unreal and unforgettable. After our ride we rode on bamboo rafts down a river for about an hour. The jungle is very green- duh- and the birds can be heard but hard to see. Along the banks were other elephants with their mahouts sometimes batheing or getting a drink. There were also lots of water buffalo. The tribe here is the Lisu and I bought one of their hats. Very, very colorful and good in the hot hot sun. I am gettting Italian food tonight as I cannot face another bowl of rice. Thai eat the same thing for every meal and I know we are supposed to be eating like them but I need a break. Tomorrow we get up at 5 AM to give alms to the monks- rice again- and then we get to spend time questioning them about Buddhist philosophy. I have been studying up on it and have some questions planned. So Suwahdee Kha!