Sawadee ka (Hello), Chiang Mai

At the end of July, we moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand.  I am working as a pre-school teacher at Chiang Mai International School. Millie is in third grade at the same school.  I used to live and work in Chiang Mai back in 2000.  I am amazed at how much the city has grown.  It used to be very easy to get around and traffic was bad only at rush hour before and after school.  Now the city is huge and has grown and expanded more than three time the size it used to be.  The traffic is intense, as well.  But we have settled in and it is all becoming normal in a way everyday that we are here.  We are always hot and sweaty, but doing well despite it being the monsoon season.  I take Millie to school on the back of my motorcycle.  Those days it is raining, we are happy to have Mike drive us in the car. 

We live about 15 to 20 minutes from school in a subdivision.  Here they are called moo baans.  Our moo baan is called Pimuk 1.  Lucky us, we have a swimming pool that is just a short bicycle or walk from our house. Here is Millie swimming with a friend.  She lives about 5 minutes motorcycle ride from us. 

One of our first weekend trips was to Bua Tong waterfalls (also known as the "Sticky waterfalls.")  Here is the beautiful view standing next to the top of the falls.  We drove in our car to get there.  Mike has been embracing the very crazy Thai traffic.  It was a bit nerve wracking for us passengers, but he is now driving like a local.  Which means never looking as you merge in traffic, going the wrong way down the road, parking on the highway and going shopping if you feel like it, etc.  There will be more posts and pictures dedicated to our traffic here in Asia.

Me and Millie posing on the sticky waterfalls.  The rocks are not slippery, so everyone has so much fun just climbing up and down.  

Millie loves how big some of the leaves are here.

Going for a bicycle ride here in the back of our neighborhood.  We took this trail to get to our local Sunday Thai market.  They sell lots of delicious cooked meals, desserts, drinks, clothes, and really any cheap trinkets/plastic things for your house.  They also have a bouncy house they put up for the kids.  

Some pretty cool plants on the ride home.

Here I am with Millie and the other pre-school teacher making play dough for our classroom.  I have been so busy settling into our new home overseas and starting school at the same time, so more detailed posts and pictures to follow shortly.