Finals Time

Hello there!
So after an exciting beginning to the month of April, it has now slowed down a bit with finals just around the corner. After Songkran we had a good long week of classes which came fully loaded with three different homework sets and a quiz. But I made it through that and by the end of the week I needed a break. So I headed to Ayutthaya, the old Kingdom just north of Bangkok. We arrived there at about 9:30 in the morning, rented bikes and explored the ancient ruins of the town. By about 10:30 though it was scorching hot! Unbelievably hot actually. So we biked around until about noon, ate a great lunch at a refreshing diner (which was even playing country music), and headed back to Bangkok.

Dunkin' Donuts breakfast on the train

Countryside, view from the train on the way to Ayutthaya

I think it is so funny how each region of Thailand has a different style of Tuk Tuk. This was the style in Ayutthaya. This one even has an army of figurines on top.

Unlike Angkor in Cambodia, the government actually prevents you from climbing on the ruins here

Yikes!

Biking through the park

Those are pig heads and eggs left for offerings

Elephant tour of Ayutthaya

Just fishing by the ruins

The best place ever after a very very hot morning

When we got back that Friday night we quickly went to the market to get some groceries to prepare a nice dinner for some of our Thai friends. Eye and two of Nico's friends from school came to Evergreen and we all hung out until it was time to head to bed.

Sunday was Easter and even though it was sad not to be with my family or my friends from home, a bunch of us at Evergreen made banana pancakes with real maple syrup from Canada :) They were delicious, I had about three and couldn't eat for the rest of the day.

This week has been lots of studying and class. Monday I had class and then a field trip to Thai Airways. Thai Airways was very very cool. We were given a presentation by the overhaul department, which is where they bring in a plane and completely strip it, test it, and rebuild it so that they know it is working properly. They do this all in about 1 month! We got to get a close up look at some of the plane engines. They take them completely apart so it was really cool to see the different parts of them. Most of their engines are made by GE aviation and Rolls Royce.
Then we got to take a tour through two 777's, including a tour of the cockpits! and one airbus. These things are massive.

One of the 777's we saw being overhauled? can you say that?

Rolls Royce Engines

After a long day at the airport I had some studying to do that night as well as class and studying Tuesday. Wednesday I had my first final which went OK. At least one is done and now I have three more next week. This weekend I have a dinner with some of the Dartmouth alumni that currently live in Bangkok so that should be a good time and interesting to see how they like living in Bangkok.

I also need to move out next week right after my final so I have a busy week ahead of me! But after that I will be headed to Koh Samet with a bunch of the other exchange students and then hopefully up to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and then back to Bangkok to head home to school! I'm getting pretty homesick to be honest and though I've loved my time here I'm excited to head back and see my friends and family.

I've got a lot to look forward to, I just need to get through this next week!