day 9: nearing the end of my stay in bangkok

even after putting on insect repellent lotion AND spray, along with wearing a long sleeve shirt, i get a mosquito bite on my arm. it is not only one bite, of course...i do find my feet and ankles to be semi-masticated as well; those darn mosquitoes have discovered a feast! to add to my physical unattractiveness, my feet have been invaded with blisters galore. wearing sandals with my skirts have been quite painful. beauty definitely comes with a price.

interviews have been going surprisingly well. i am fortunate to be interviewing people who find my work important, who want to provide information for my masters thesis. i might add that they are people with occupations that range from directors to ministrial officers. i'm not sure if i will get that type of attention back at home, but being a american student from the east coast has its perks. i never found such a satisfaction in using a "name" or "title" to get me anywhere in life until now; it is almost a necessity if i want to get anything done here. i wonder if it is an asian thing, or simply because i am a young female in a foreign country without any knowledge of the language or culture. nevertheless, i find this experience to be rewarding and fruitful. what surprises me more is that there are many women in the public sector where i conduct these interviews. they are women with power---women with a voice. the equality of the sexes here is evident; it's amazing. =)