So last night the plane landed on time at 11:15 PM and I was sick from the flight. My bags weighed almost 50 lbs each and it was raining. I found my taxi and got to the boot camp. Tiger Muay Thai. However since it was so late, they put me at a different room down the street. I was so glad to have a bed I didn't bother eating anything to make my stomach feel better. I just handed over my American cash to the taxi driver and waited awkwardly while Mama (as she's called by everyone who stays there) showed me where everything was. Passed out. Woke up this morning and got ready for class. Didn't eat breakfast... PROBABLY not a good idea... I'm seriously out of shape because the walk (that is like 400 meters) down to Tiger is enough exercise for me already. Sad. I sat down in the office and the receptionist introduced me to Kru Rose. He quickly grabbed me by the wrist and showed me around. I'm not sure if he likes me... or thinks I'm ridiculous. I don't know Thai well enough yet to figure out what he's saying to people and laughing about while pointing to me. Then he left me in the beginners ring. I talked with Kru Tad and Kru Thai... who I affectionately call Kru Legs and Kru Serious. They pinched my fat and asked how long I'd be there. 3 months... if I wasn't so easy going I'd have been pissed about the fat pinch.
The workout started with RUNNING!!!!! BOOOOOOOO! Why did I do this to myself? I am not and have never been a runner. It's my biggest thorn. GAWWWWW Maybe I will learn to love it. But I mostly just felt like a fat out of shape American stomping through the running circle. 10 minutes of running. Running while punching, running while upper cutting, running while hooking, running with elbows, running sideways, running opposite way sideways, running while alternating sideways, running on our toes, running while jumping in the air with our knees, running while reaching to the ground.... and then shadow boxing, then technique with a partner followed by 10 push ups, then we got to alternate 3 rounds each of bag work, pad work, and sparring, all of which were 4 minute rounds with 1 minute break in between.... in which we did 10 more pushups. I got to work with ChokChai on the pads. I made it a point to remember his name. At the end of the most intense 2.5 hours of my life they informed us that it was time for 100 push ups and 300 sit ups. I started feeling queezy. And pretty much felt the bile rising. I ran out of the mat area and puked in a toilet... and of course... peed myself. Then I went back and finished the sit ups.
After class ChokChai invited me over to where he was and gave me a banana. Thai bananas are so tiny and delicious. He offered me more but I just felt like dying. So he told me to go home and sleep. I went home and did just that.
When I got up one of Mama's girls Fung gave me a ride to the bank where I got some Thai money. Quickly I came home and ate some food and then passed out again.
I know it's just my first day here... and I still have SO much more time ahead of me to adjust... but I feel REALLY alone and confused. The culture shock isn't what I expected. Once I get moved back to camp I think I'll feel better. I miss Momma. :(
The workout started with RUNNING!!!!! BOOOOOOOO! Why did I do this to myself? I am not and have never been a runner. It's my biggest thorn. GAWWWWW Maybe I will learn to love it. But I mostly just felt like a fat out of shape American stomping through the running circle. 10 minutes of running. Running while punching, running while upper cutting, running while hooking, running with elbows, running sideways, running opposite way sideways, running while alternating sideways, running on our toes, running while jumping in the air with our knees, running while reaching to the ground.... and then shadow boxing, then technique with a partner followed by 10 push ups, then we got to alternate 3 rounds each of bag work, pad work, and sparring, all of which were 4 minute rounds with 1 minute break in between.... in which we did 10 more pushups. I got to work with ChokChai on the pads. I made it a point to remember his name. At the end of the most intense 2.5 hours of my life they informed us that it was time for 100 push ups and 300 sit ups. I started feeling queezy. And pretty much felt the bile rising. I ran out of the mat area and puked in a toilet... and of course... peed myself. Then I went back and finished the sit ups.
After class ChokChai invited me over to where he was and gave me a banana. Thai bananas are so tiny and delicious. He offered me more but I just felt like dying. So he told me to go home and sleep. I went home and did just that.
When I got up one of Mama's girls Fung gave me a ride to the bank where I got some Thai money. Quickly I came home and ate some food and then passed out again.
I know it's just my first day here... and I still have SO much more time ahead of me to adjust... but I feel REALLY alone and confused. The culture shock isn't what I expected. Once I get moved back to camp I think I'll feel better. I miss Momma. :(
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