May 10, 2011

Dear Natty,

Who is your number one boyfriend? Oh yeah, I know the answer! Hugh Jackman. Guess what??? I went to see his performance last Friday!!!! Of course, everybody wanted to see Wolverine including me . He is much cuter than what we have seen on TV and in movies; indeed, he is so damn hot!

Did you seen the 2009 Academy Awards? His performance here at the Curran Theater was like that. This guy is not only good looking, but he has such a great voice! I believe if he makes a music album, it will be one of the albums in top Billboard chart for sure. He performed singing, dancing and acting incredibly. I was laughing all the time and was so exited by everything on his stage.

Half of the show he performed as a sissy. It was so funny, but I totally believed that he was gay. Thinking in another way, he might be a really good actor. Good actors make people to believe in their role. When he performed Lady Marmalade, oh my God! I almost believed that he was Patti Labelle lol. Are Hollywood actors and actresses as incredibly good as I just saw? I am more excited to explore this answer, so it's time to find a cheap flight to Hollywood this summer!

The theater, the performance and Hugh were perfect. There was only one thing that I hated was that the guy who sat behind me wanted to be the narrator of the show! Damn it! I know what songs he was singing and I went to the show to hear Hugh Jackman sing, not Fat Oldman singing! Why are these narrators everywhere? No matter where I go, they will be there as well. Theater, movie or concert, they are everywhere around the world. Why do some people like to talk when watching shows (especially things that are expensive). I paid money to hear the good voice of the performer not those noisy people.

Overall, I gave this show five stars, especially when he smiled at me while signing his autograph for me (it even made me unable to breathe for a minute, but I loved it! I fell in love with Broadway already, and my next show will be Tales of the City, which my teacher mentioned. I'm so excited to see Mary Ann and Michael perform after being their fans for a while since I read the book.

Love,
Bird


May 3, 2011

Hey Juelie!

When you have a chance to read this letter, I think you will be having a wonderful time on Samui island (one of my most loved islands) for your last summer break in Thailand before you come to see what summer break looks like here in America.

Life here is tough, so you'd better prepare yourself for this new place, new culture and new people. Also your life might depend on the word "Craigslist" like me right now. You and I know this website very well since in Thailand, we both use it for our jobs in Bangkok when we had just graduated. But I can tell you right here right now that I'll bet Craigslist will come to your life from the time you prepare to pack your bag in your apartment in Bangkok!

My life here really depends on Craigslist, I do everything on Craigslist. It is an incredible tool to help me live my life in a place where everything is so challenging. Sometimes I call Craigslist my helper. I found houses where I've been living and the house I'm living in right now on my "Helper." I've gotten a lot of free stuff on my helper such as a free TV, a free microwave and even free underwear LOL ... well I was kidding about underwear thing :P But seriously, free things on my "Helper" are not bad quality at all because Americans are so materialistic that they always need some new gadgets; as a result, we have saved a lot of money in buying stuff for our new home in the U.S.

My "Helper" also helps me make some more money as well! I posted an ad for my Thai tutoring on my "Helper" and many people have contacted me. Even though some were scams, many were not. In fact, students that contacted me through my "Helper" are really students who have studied with me for a long period compared to students who contacted me through my Facebook ad.

Coming to the States alone without knowing anybody can make people feel lonely and easily homesick. The "Helper" also helped me find new friends too! Wait! I know what are you thinking! No, you are totally wrong. I've had nothing to do with the dating section (which I might do someday lol), but I found some new friends in the strictly platonic section which is all about making new friend WITHOUT benefits! These people are so cool. I found one who is a sculptor, and we became good friends because we have the same passion about the ocean. Every time he goes sailing, he calls me and asks me if I want to join or not. But sadly, my schedule is so busy lately.

Many people say "Don't trust anything on the internet"; there are so many dangerous people in the cyber world including my "Helper." But if we know what we are doing and think carefully before taking a chance in this cyber world, our life will be easier. I like my "Helper" a lot and I hope when you get here to the States at the end of this year, this helper will help you just like it helped me. But don't forget to think twice, honey. This cyber world is still really dangerous.

Have fun searching for a house on my "Helper" and let me know what experiences you will get.

Love, Love, Love,
Birdie


April 26, 2011

Dear Nicky,

How is your life in London? Finally, we are all international students from Thailand in a strange country. Are you living with a roommate?

Here in America, people call people who live in the same house "roommate" whether they sleep in the same bedroom or only share the house. A good roommate is everybody's dream. As a person who has never lived with stranger (someone who is not from same family), I was very nervous before moving here about finding a good roommate or having to stay with a bad roommate, about which I had seen a lot of bad stories of on TV, internet, and heard about from people I know. So far, I have never had a bad roommate, but my problem, which is happening right now, is that my roommate is too good!

Why do I think he is too good? First of all, He always asks if I need any help in everything. When I was sick and he knew it, all the medicines and vitamin capsules that I might need for recovering from my cold were already on the table in the living room waiting for me to pick and take them. I don't have to clean the house because he has a Mexican house cleaner to clean the house once in a while. I don't have to buy detergent, toilet paper, paper towels or spices for food; indeed, if I buy anything, he will complain because he already has everything. Believe me, I tried that before and he didn't like what I did and gave me money back. Also, I am allowed unlimited use of the printer in our house.

Not only do I not need to buy necessities, but I also don't pay for luxuries as well. I mentioned that I wanted to see Hugh Jackman perform on Broadway in San Francisco this May. Guess what? A few days later, the ticket is already on the table in the living room. I paid for that ticket along with the rent (he is the house owner), and then he wrote me a check for the ticket and gave it back to me. He said it was this treat because I'm not just his roommate but I'm also his friend.

Having a good roommate is good, but having a roommate who's too good makes me very uncomfortable. I feel like I owe him a lot. Maybe living with bad people is better for me because I feel like I'm so weak and everything that I need is already prepared. Sometimes, a person who is too good makes me feel too bored especially now. Sometime I feel like maybe living with bad people would help me to be a stronger person. I think I would rather want to live with bitchy people and want to be BAD, just like Michael Jackson's song, than living with a kind angel. But who knows? People are never satisfied with what they have. I might understand the value of living with good people when it is too late. Hmmmmmm ... I think I seriously have to ask myself: "Think again, Birdie. What do you really want?"

Love, as always
Birdie


April 4, 2011

Dear Juelie,

One rainy spring day, I woke up pretty early because I heard a very loud noise from my backyard. I was so mad because it was a rainy weekend and I want to sleep all day and all night. I walked to the window to see what was happening with my super mad face hoping that someone who was making the loud noise would see me and lower their voice.

The first thing I saw was a big castle with many pictures of Disney princesses. The second thing was a lot of smoke from a barbecue grill. Suddenly I realized it would be the birthday of one of my little neighbors. I immediately changed my face to a kind and friendly mode because I knew they would invite me to join their delicious barbecue ;) Yeah! They finally invited me. I spent my entire afternoon having nice conversations with my neighbors and watching children playing in that big air bubble.

How long has it been since I had a big birthday party like that? WOW, time goes by so fast; it's been 15 years! Birthday parties here in San Francisco are not different from birthday parties in Thailand at all. Just a couple of things like instead of barbecue, Thai people have Thai Satay.

I used to think that birthday parties were a tradition that came to Thailand from western countries because people sing the "Happy Birthday Song" everywhere. But thinking about 15 years go when I was very young, I don't think western culture was the reason that I had to have big birthday party like that. Living in a small town in Thailand makes me sure that western culture was not the reason.

The whole idea of having a birthday party is an international idea. People everywhere celebrate their birthday party. When I think about my neighbors' birthday parties in Thailand, they were completely the same as American birthday parties.

Recently, I sent you a letter about differences between America and Thailand, but it seems that the birthday party is one thing similar to Thailand, so far, since I got to San Francisco. Who says American culture is so different from Thai culture? I don't agree with them. At least when people celebrate things together, there is no difference between happiness at all.

Love,
Birdie


March 15, 2011

Dear Nippie,

How is your life in Bangkok? How is the family that you wanted? Do you have the baby that you have always wanted? Are you ready to explore this city with me?

Last week, as I was walking around downtown, I saw a big beautiful carousel just like in the movies. I stopped to sit and watch people on the carousel. I saw one African American parent waiting for her kid while the kids had a big smiley face. When I looked at the parent, I saw that she looked a little tired. When I thought back to when I was young and begged my parents to take me to the carousel, I thought my parents were enjoying it with me as well. But now I realize that it is not always fun to raise a child. Oh, I miss my mom and dad (T.T)

Remember where I am? I'm in San Francisco! Do you think that if I just saw one family on a carousel, I

Would send this letter to you? Of course not! On the other side of the carousel, I saw parents who were both women with their two kids. Even though both kids were different (one white and one Asian), the family looked so happy. That's not enough to define being in San Francisco. Next to that lesbian family, there were parents and one kid, and yes, they were all male! Now this carousel is real San Francisco carousel.

I have always wanted to have my own kids. At the last gay pride parade, I saw many gays and lesbians who showed up with their kids and I was so proud with them. I hope I will have my own kids one day. I didn't realized that parents have to dedicate almost all of their time for their kids. I questioned myself after saw the African American parent's face. Am I ready to be that tired? Is gay parenting harder compared to straight parenting? I think time will tell me when I grow up. ( I meant when I'm more than 30 years old).

Thinking about how hard it is to be a parent really makes me love my parents more and more. How could they raise a naughty kid like me?

I'm so happy to hear that you will come here next year or sooner, especially to this city, the city of freedom. There are many lesbian families that you can't find a lot of in Thailand, and I hope they will give you some ideas about being a lesbian parent as you want to be. Now, I have learned a lot about being who I am. My next goal is learning to grow up and give love to others, and yes, to my future kids.

Looking forward to seeing you here,

Love,
Bird


March 8, 2011

Dear Juelie,

When we were studying for our bachelor's degree, everybody called us a married couple. Of course, I was the wife and you were the husband. Even though everybody knew that we slept in the same bed sometimes, no one thought we had ever slept together or even just thought about that. Our definition of the word "friends" is people who you know and have a social interaction with. Friendship is expressed in many ways, but not sex. In Thailand, when we have a new friend, we mostly start with friendship only. Almost no Thai people start their friendships with sex.

When I first read "Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin, I didn't think that novel could possibly be real or even close to real American life. The main point of the story was a complicated relationship between the characters, and every character related to each one in some ways. The novel was so fun that I totally fell in love with this book. But I have never thought that my life in San Francisco is totally the same as in the book. I had roommate who was my friend's boyfriend, and I found out that my friend used to date a person that I was dating at the end of last year, and it turned out that the person that I was dating was in some kind of relationship with my first landlord, and also my first landlord used to sleep with my friend, who is my roommate's boyfriend right now. I know this is confusing, and I'm confused too!

Guess why it is so complicated? Because they mixed "Sex" and "Friendship" together. Many people here start their friendship with dating or no-strings-attached sex; then they become friends. And that's how the story starts to be more complicated. I realize that I used to live in a house where both of the roommates slept together and then they decided to stop and just be friends. Was that easy for them? Can people who slept together become just friends? After one year in San Francisco, the answer is yes. It is very easy, especially in the city, where you can be what you want to be, and do what you want to do. People in this land of freedom have a very different point of view about being friends from the Thai point of view. To some people, sex is not just for couples, but also for friends who want to have a fun time without any emotional involvement.

So I really want to warn you before you come here at the end of this year: please be careful when you can an American a friend because "we are friends" can turn into "we are sex partners" so easily.

Love,
Birdie


March 1, 2011

Dear Natty,

I miss the time that we were hanging out together a lot. Last New Year's Eve, I was kind of a little homesick boy because I thought about our great time on the full moon and New Year countdown party with 30,000 teenage guys and girls on the beach.

Back then, we had fun together, and didn't even care to get to know people at the party. We just wanted to have a great time, but we didn't know that we also lost 30,000 opportunities to know new people, to make new friends from around this huge world, to get new job connections, and, of course, to fine our missing piece, "Love."

There is such a big difference between our philosophy of hanging out and the American point of view. When we go to a party, we go there only because of our friends, and we don't go alone. But in the USA, people use party time for making new friends and new connections. They don't care about going alone or they might know only one person from a hundred people at the party. Friends of their friend's friends are their friends automatically; there is no pressure to go to new place and new party at all.

I used to have a problem about being alone and having no one talk to me at a party because Thai people don't like to talk with strangers. Here in San Francisco, after my first American party, my point of view totally changed. I love to talk with strangers at parties. I see many things that I don't expect to see at a party. I've gotten to know a lot of friends, so my social life expanded fast within the first half year of living in the USA. One of the best things about going to a party is that I have opened opportunities for making new connections. I have students who study Thai with me that I met at a party. Not only have I made new connections, but also my friend that I brought to the party with me got new connections for his art performing.

I really love parties! I think when I go back to Thailand, I won't only have fun with people I know, but everyone at a party. I'm sure there are many interesting people everywhere, so I won't let my opportunities fly away anymore. There is only one thing that I have never experienced from a party. I haven't had a chance to find my missing piece. I know it's hiding somewhere, but fortunately, I love hide-and-seek.

Love,
Bird


February 15, 2011

Dear Yimmy,

How is everything in Japan? Have you graduated? What are you doing?

Do you remember when in one of our marine biology lab classes when we mentioned the song "Home" by Michael Buble? We said we might cry if we heard this song when we were away from home. Many times when I heard the song, I felt homesick so badly. The song always brings me the feeling of loneliness, sadness, and also warmth at the same time when I realize there are many people who love me unconditionally at home, but our life has to go on our way. The song always bought little tears, but not last Saturday.

San Francisco is one of the cities outside of Thailand where Thai population have collected. Every time I'm in downtown San Francisco, I always hear Thai conversations through my iPod earphones. Sometime it help me feel warmer in my heart when I hear the Thai language here, but this time was too warm! I was in a gym instead of being on a beach somewhere like in the Castro on a Saturday night. When I was lifting weights, there five Thai boys and girls showed up. They not only showed up, but they all were using the gym equipment around me. I felt so weird because I love in the city so far away from Thailand. It's an eighteen-hour difference and across the Pacific Ocean, but I'm still surrounded by Thai strangers.

It was not a warm feeling; indeed, it was too hot! Some people might wonder why I didn't say hi and speak Thai to them, but some Thai people I met here were not as nice as they should be. They were not friendly as our country signature "The land of smiles."

That night left me a few big questions "Am I the only person who tries to avoid meeting Thai people in a foreign country? What about the Thai community in other countries? Are they friendly with strangers who come from their country? I can't wait to find the answer when I graduate and am ready to fly to my new home.

Love,
Bird


February 8, 2011

Dear DeDe,

Do you remember the request you made before I left Thailand last year? You told me to tell you about the Hip-Hop culture in the U.S.A. and you also thought it would be a super modern and cool style like what we have seen in movies such as "Step Up."

Here in California, forget about cool rap songs in luxury night clubs because the places where I have heard Hip-Hop song are not really nice places where you'd want to hang around. A dark corner where not a lot of people walk at night is one of the places where I have always heard Hip-Hop songs, and the songs mostly come from homeless people. It was pretty scary especially in the first half year of my journey, but I think I am used to it now. One of the Hip-Hop places is on a bus, especially the few seats at the back of the bus. I do not really understand why some people think that it is good thing to turn on music too loud; maybe they assume everybody likes the same kind of music they love. Do not get me wrong, I like Hip-Hop songs, but sometimes I want to listen to some jazz or classic songs as well. Listening to Kenny G. while having Eminem as background music is not nice at all . Maybe the real culture of Hip-Hop music is to be "loud" just like the name of Rihanna's new album. I am curious about how many other people in the U.S.A. who listen to Hip-Hop songs prefer it not loud and environmentally friendly like me. I prefer our Thai way, to do whatever we like to do but always respect people around us.

Guess what I just did. I just asked the woman who is sitting beside me about what singer she thinks I am listening to, and her answer was Celine Dion. She was totally wrong because I was listening to Kanye. West featuring with Jay-Z.

Always take care,
Bird C





February 1, 2011

Dear Juelie,

Finally, real Christmas in a foreign country that I was dreaming of all my life has happened. Flashback to Bangkok when we were talking about what Christmas is going to be like: we dreamt of white snow and a romantic time underneath a sparkling Christmas tree. Forget about dreamy Christmas because I am going to tell you what real Christmas looks like!

The Christmas tree that we were dreaming of having in our house was not easy to bring home. It was beautiful to see the open air Christmas store, where I could smell fresh pine trees. Once we bought it, we had to carry it home and that was the horrible part. We got sweaty carrying the tree home in the temperature of around 41° Fahrenheit, which is about 5° Celsius. When we started decorating the tree, it was fun, but after two hours passed by, I felt I wanted to finish this tree as soon as I could. However, once everything was done, I realized that the point of decorating the Christmas tree was not about how beautiful it was, but it was about the quality time that you were spending with your family. In my case, it was creating a bond of friendship between me and my roommate. I have changed my view of the Christmas tree as just a beautiful item for the Christian holiday to a gorgeous quality time for every single person.

One of a not nice things about Christmas time especially when you are far from home is that you can feel horribly homesick. Everybody was going home for Christmas, but I was alone and felt so lonely even though I was in the city of San Francisco which is a pretty big city in the U.S.A. That fact blew my Christmas dream away. We were so happy going to nightclubs on Christmas Eve and wished we would have a happy party time in the countries which really celebrate a real Christmas. Nonetheless, it showed me the importance of family in western countries, which is different from The Land of Smiles, where I was living last year. In Thailand, we are all getting bored of our families sometimes because we were spending most of the time with our parents. I always wanted to fly away from the place called home to see the world, but now I am looking back to my warm home and taking sometime to miss it.

Thanks to the horrible wonderful Christmas for reminding me to think of someone who really loves me back in my home country. Am I going to fly back? Definitely Not! Remember who I am. I am a Bird.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,
Bird

P.S. I can not wait for our Christmas time together this year!