I went to the dentist today...

... and got a filling.  And my teeth cleaned.  It was actually really awesome because the lady was the best, most gentle dentist that I've ever seen.  I have to go back in two weeks... my mouth is still swollen with lidocaine right now.  If I thought people looked at me funny before when I walked around town today was a whole new thing.  One lady actually cringed when she saw me.  Anyway, I got a checkup, a cleaning, and a filling for the equivalent  of $77... not cheap but certainly cheaper than in the USA with no insurance and at the nicest private dentist's office in town.  Why did you want to know that?  I don't know.
                                      I guess I just haven't written about every day life in a really long time.  I moved into a brand new Super English house with 5 other teachers.  This house is a SERIOUS upgrade from the other two houses I have lived in.  Let me count the ways... (1) there is always running water, (2) there is a water heater--there is always a hot shower, (3) it's brand new, (4) there are screens on my windows so I can actually open them without letting in half of the insects in Thailand, (5) we got brand new beds (glory be to God), (6) we got brand new armoir/closet things, (7) it's a lot more secure, and (8) any day now we are getting internet.  So overall, the house is great.  Also, all five of my roommates are super cool so that makes it good too.  Anneliese and I have the entire third floor to ourselves with a little common area between our bedrooms.  In addition to movin' on up in the housing department, I got a motorbike.  And oh my god does this make my life soooooo much easier.  Walking to Super English took about an hour, riding a bike took about 25 minutes; riding my motorbike takes about 7 minutes.  And it runs on about $4 in gas per week.  And also, it's wicked fun to drive.  At first I was super paranoid, but now I am more comfortable with it and it's just great.  And it makes my life so much easier.  For instance, if I wanted to I could leave the office right now and do whatever I want for 4 hours before class starts.
                                Instead of doing something fun like eating (not that my swollen mouth would allow that) or taking a glorious nap, I've got to prepare an arts & crafts project for tomorrow.  My boss' son (Solo) is 3 years old, and I have been spending four hours a week with him just so that he can practice his (American) English.  Thursdays are now going to be arts & crafts day, which I'm wicked excited about.  I just bought a whole bunch of construction paper and I am going to make all different kinds of noses, mouths, ears, and eyes and we are going to make silly faces.  What's more fun than that?  So, life is back to normal.  I have really long days on Tuesday and Friday, but every other day is pretty easy and relaxing.  I'm back into my teacher mode.  It's funny... after you're anywhere for a while things just fall into the same old pattern.  I go to work, I lesson plan, I eat, I hang out, I watch TV.  It's the same as life in America in a lot of ways.  At some point things stop being foreign and amazing and different and scary and just become normal.  I have different eyes for it now.  The one big difference that I am going to miss for sure is the food.  Oh man, Janet, John, Brittany and I had the BEST dinner last night.  We had green curry, spicy catfish salad, morning glory, and fried shrimp in coconut milk.  It was amaaaazing, maybe the best food I've had in Surat.  And all for under $4 a person.  That is going to be hard to leave.
                             Speaking of leaving, I am doing just that in about 105 days.  I fly out of Bangkok on October 5th and land at JFK on October 6th.  I am so excited to see everyone!!!  I am a little nervous about it, since it will have been such a long time.  I feel like I might have reverse culture shock for a bit.  I know I am going to have change shock, as my father and my mother are both selling their houses before I get back.  My dad finally got that job in Florida and he and Lorraine bought a house.  They leave on July 2nd.  That's in like 10 days... so that's where he'll be when I get back.  Not a bad place to visit, I guess.  My mother is also selling her house, and has leased a really sweet apartment in Quincy Center right on the red line.  I can't wait to come home to the Boston area... sooo exciting!
                                     In other exciting home news, my boyfriend Joe found us an apartment in Philly that I am SUPER excited about.  It's in Fox Chase, a neighborhood about a million times nicer and safer than anywhere I lived before.  Also... just exciting!  We are going to be roomies and I can't wait!  I am so glad because it makes me look forward to real life when I get home and not just the initial exciting homecoming part of it.  I am pretty scared about getting a job though.  For real.  I turned in my application to be reinstated as a teacher for the School District, but they're in the midst of firing tons of teachers so I don't really imagine that working out for me.  At this point I will be happy with whatever I can get.  I keep joking about working at McDonald's or the mall, but I might be lucky to get either of those things.  The job market is so much easier here!  After my appointment today my dentist was chatting me up about how her cousin opened a bilingual school in town (I had already told her that I was a high school history teacher in the US and that my boyfriend was still there and a math teacher) and she propositioned me on the spot.... said I should tell him to come out here and we could work at the school starting in October.  A bit heartbreaking.  A lot heartbreaking.  But I'll get over it.  Anyway, I have to go prepare some crazy face arts & crafts stuff.  I miss and love you guys!  xoxoxoxoxoxoxo