Don't be fooled by the red hair....I'm Thai

Last weekend, a group of Suphan farang decided to have one last hurrah on Khao San Rd. It had been a long while since I've gone wild on the most overstimulating street in the world, but we wanted to go big one last time. As we stepped into the hostel, which was bumping with backpackers from all over the world, I was instantly struck with anxiety and discomfort. I used to live for these kinds of places, so I was really thrown off by this feeling. I have been so enamored with Suphan, and thus traveling a lot less this semester. I've gotten really used to being one of few white people in a given place. I love Thinglish conversations and continual "Chon gao's" (Cheers') with Bia Singha. I love getting my photo taken with random Thai people and rocking the peace sign. I absolutely love awkwardly dancing to Thai bands at Thai bars where there are no other farang in sight. It's just the way it has been for the past year, and luckily, I love it. I embraced it long ago and have been reaping the benefits of pretty epic nights out in Suphan. So, after some thought, it was pretty understandable why I felt so out of place in a hostel teeming with farang. I forget how to interact with them. Which means only one thing..... I. Am. Thai. 


I use baby powder on a daily basis, I rely on Google Translate, I don't wait for others before eating, I only listen to Thai music, I'm a Thai band groupie, I cannot form a coherent English sentence, I double dip, I contribute to Facebook conversations (84 comments? chyeaaa), I very publicly use a toothpick after my meals, I text while tripling up on the back of a motorbike (okay it only happened once, but I felt very Thai), I cross the street at really inopportune times, I eat freaky things like deep fried shredded catfish with mango, I drink whiskey and coke, I 555 a lot, I try to avoid the sun, I crush on Thai superstars, I smell menthol tubes, I use bug spray as perfume, I eat rice every single day and miss it when I don't, the list goes on and on....


Seriously- I'm becoming Thai. When we walked into a bar later that night (to see my third 25 Hours concert in a month), we were pretty obviously the only white people in the bar, and everything felt right again. I have not only been introduced to a completely new culture this year, but I've been fully immersed in it, and somewhere along the way, I adapted to it. Which is all fine and dandy, but I am days away from embarking on a 6 week backpacking journey before going back to America. Is Thai Nell going to be completely overwhelmed or will I just 'snap' back into backpacker mode? I'm sure it will be fine...Mai Pen Rai....right?


Also- with that being said, I will have very limited access to the Internet in the next 6 weeks, and so blog posts will be far and few. 


BKK- Isaan- Laos- Siem Reap, Cambodia - BKK- some beautiful tropical island(s) TBD- Chiang Mai- Suphan- BKK - Seoul- Chicago- BOSTON (what?!?!?! ahhh!)


Suphan- I love you. I'm not ready to say goodbye. I still have a few more nights to cherish with you, so CHON GAO!

Some of my favorite people 

Best. Night. Ever.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a farang named Nell. Nell was new to this land and though she embraced the food and the scorching sun, she was very hesitant to accept the Thai music scene. But then, one day, she heard this song and everything changed. 25 Hours had rocked her world and pranced their way into her heart. As the months passed by and her love for 25 Hours grew stronger, she knew she must see them live. But where? But how? She made it one of her top priorities to make it happen. 


The 25 Hours album had officially dominated her Itunes, circulating on repeat all day and into the night. Her friends, Sarah and Clare, also had a strong love for them, and so the three of them put their powers together to make their dreams come true. With lots of Google searches, Facebook and Twitter stalking and whole lot of Google Translate, they struck gold. 25 Hours playing in Ayutthaya, only 45 minutes away, at a small pub...that night. Excitement took hold of their bodies. 


Later that night, after many tuk-tuk and motorbike rides, there they were...sitting not more than 20 feet from the stage where P'Lam and his crew would soon come on and fill the room with their mellifluous music. As the pub filled up, their hearts grew big with anticipation. And then...it happened. 


Nell's heart was sent in a flutter when P'Lam came out and started singing their newest single, Lohk Bai Mai. At that moment she thought "I couldn't possibly be happier." She had no idea what the night had planned out for her. Within minutes, she was standing front row, inches away from the band members. She danced and grinned as they took notice of her. She let out a giddy yelp when P'Lam reached out and touched her hand. She nearly fainted when he stooped down to say something to the three girls at the end of the show. "No, really," she thought, "this night couldn't possibly get any better."


Before she knew it, they were outside posing for photos together and chatting with the members of the band. Hours whizzed by as they talked, laughed, sang and even got a preview of their not- yet released single. The night was pure bliss. 


Nell woke up the next morning with a giant smile plastered onto her face. She wondered if it had been real or just a beautiful dream. But, as she looked to her friends on either side of her, donning the same silly grins, she knew that this fairytale had been real...and she's been living on a high ever since....

It was seriously one of the best nights of my life. They were all super cool guys and they were really happy to find that they had some hardcore farang fans. Here are a couple of my favorites by them....listen- they are amazing!!!!

Oh Hot Damn, This Is My Jam.

Learning to embrace the Thai music scene has been a challenge. If you asked me back in November how I was finding the music, I probably would have shook my head in disappointment and whined about the lack of good music. Or, I would have sang the Loi Krathong song, because that was on repeat in my head for an obscene amount of time. Very unfortunate. But song by song, and then band by band, I've been discovering really, truly good music. Of course, I am one of the least judgmental people when it comes to rating music (my Itunes varies from Backstreet Boys to the Black Keys to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to Ludacris- and I genuinely think they are all very talented and amazing), so me crushing on some of the Thai pop stars should come as no surprise. 

First, it was Gun The Star 6 who came into my life. Some of the M2 students fawned over him, so I obviously had to stalk it out, to find out he was a looker with a voice of an angel (yes, that is an exaggeration), but he was good! He is the Thai Enrique. And then, thanks to some friends, I found out about Bodyslam and 25 Hours and Singular, and my world was rocked. These bands are huge superstars in Thailand because they own the incredibly popular 'punk rock' scene here. Although I can only understand about 12% of the songs, I really enjoy their music. There is a huge gang of these rock bands, that are uber-hipster and ultra-cool, whose faces grace the the advertisements of everything from Pepsi to whitening cream to a bird's saliva health drink (vomit). And the cool thing is that I've seen a few of them in live performances. Superstars are a big deal here, but they are more willing to play a free concert for a big event. I've happened to be in the right place at the right time for a few of these shows, and they put on really good performances. A few months ago I was lucky enough to go to the Legend of Rock concert (Thanks, Wat!) and I was so impressed with their rock n' roll skills. Between their smooth moves, soothing voices and harmonious beats, I was sold on Thai rock. 

Toon from Bodyslam. So cool!

Gun The Star...what a cutie!

When it comes to Thai rock, however, no one does it better than Carabao, the most popular band of Thailand. And it's well deserved- their music is the bomb diggity and loved by everyone. If their music comes on the radio, everyone around will raise their hands up in Carabao pride and sign along. 

Carabao

And then there is Bird. The man who defies age with his fit body and killer dance moves. I believe he is 53 years old, but he looks like he is in his 30s. His music has been extremely popular in Thailand for the past 25 years and he shows no signs of stopping. One of his more recent songs, 'So Much, Too Much, Very Much Right Now,' has not only consistently stayed in the #1 spot on the charts, but it has also managed to find its way into every. single. conversation. because of it's catchy beat and English phrases. Well done, Bird, well done. 


So, ask me now if I like the Thai music scene and my response will be much more enthusiastic. I can recommend bands and tell you my favorite songs of theirs. Heck, I can even give the songs to you because I own them. I happily put them on my Itunes so I can rock out to them in my bedroom when I'm bored (yea, that happens). I wonder how this music would translate in America, but for now, I'm quite content making up my own words and dancing like a fool to Thai music.  


Here are the videos for some of my favorites!