First Impressions - Our New Home and Community

We were all anxious and excited to see where our new digs were going to be.  Troy, who would become our new friend, coaching colleague, tour guide, spiritual leader and answerer of all bizarre and, let's face it, stupid questions, picked us up at our Bangkok hotel and delivered us to our new home.  I have to say that I almost cried when we arrived.  This was to be the beginning of a new chapter of our lives.  And ready or not, we were here!

We have a lovely apartment on the third floor of teacher housing.  When you enter, you climb about 10 steps to get to the main level where you find the living and dining rooms, the kitchen and a sliding glass door that leads out to the verandah.  Another short flight of steps takes you to the two guest bedrooms (plenty of room for lots of visitors - hint, hint) and a bathroom.  Of course, we have chosen the top floor, another short flight of steps, to be the master bedroom.  This could also be considered the "hottest" floor of the apartment - you can read anything into this that you want to.

We are living in a gated community called Nichada Thani (ni'chitu to'nee).  About 80% of the staff live within Nichada.  There is a lake in the center of the community with a bike path and road surrounding it with several off-shoots of housing developments.  But of course, the school, International School of Bangkok, is the focal point.  Within a block of the school, you can find a little market, a smoothie shop, a dry cleaner, spa, a restaurant, and, believe it or not, a Starbucks (unfortunately they don't have Chai Latte's in Thailand - sniff, sniff).  Right outside the gate, you enter a different world - the Thailand we see in books, movies and on the internet!  There are carts everywhere selling fresh fruit, bbq meats, cold beverages, roti (our new favorite dessert - think nutella and banana pancacke) etc.  People are living in hut-like homes.  There are tons of motor bikes, bicycles, tuk-tuks and taxis (see David's post regarding Indiana Jones Ride).  We are still working at grasping all of the new and different road rules.  If you are a pedestrian, you better run for your life.  It is the hustle and bustle of life right outside of the gates that is truly fascinating.