5th Day: Chiengraknoi School

Holiday was over...

I was little bit nervous when Ms Waraporn and Ms Aranya led my friend and I to our school. The first school we visited was my school, Chiengraknoi. Chiengraknoi was in Ayutthaya province, it was different province with VRU. In Chiengraknoi, I would observe Mr. Song’s Class, in Prathom (Elementary School) 4-6. I’ll teach English in Chiengraknoi with Olivia and Steph. I was so astounding because I studied at Physics Education, but at that time I had to teach English. I didn't know anything about English class! Eww...

Otherwise, I was so lucky because Chiengraknoi has Muslim Students (almost 30%), so there were 2 halal canteens. And there was a Mushola too. Alhamdulillah...

Muslim Student in Chiengraknoi

 Mushola

Halal Canteen. (I do love their food. Each morning I always ordered Khao Man Gai. I hope I can meet with you two again, aamiin)

4th Day: Biggest Traditional Market in Thailand

Fourth day, it was still holiday in Thailand. We planned to go to Thalad Thai, the biggest traditional market in Thailand. We went there by Song Thew, but... we had to wait 10-15 minutes to get Song Thew because we used a shortcut way. And when the Song Thew came, it was full of people.  So, some of us had to stand. It was –really- dangerous, especially for people who had short arms –like me-. We need 20 minutes from VRU to Thalad Thai.

And... taraaa... it was just like traditonal market in Indonesia. Finally, my friends and I decided to buy some food. We bought eggs, oil, some kales, flavor and etc.

Before we leaved, we had a lunch. Alhamdulillah, there are some halal foods. I don’t know what food I ate, but the taste was similiar with “tumisan sayur” in Indonesia.

After that, we went to Tesco Lotus again to buy data package. Thank’s to Rang (Nam’s friend) because he helped us a lot. Finally, we went home by Song Thew again. But we used free Song Thew because it departed at 5 pm.

Zahrotunnisa

August, 20th 2016

3rd Day: tnereffid

Today, Nam took my roommates and I to Masjid near Valaya. We went by taxi meter because Nam didn’t know the specific address of that Masjid.

People in the masjid was so kind. They invited us to come to their village. There was s river that full of kale (kangkung).

The village was full of Muslim. So, I could find so many halal food there. I met with the owner of food stand. She coocked us Pad Kra Pao Gai. Finally, I could eat chicken! And, it was so... tasty!!! 

After lunch, we went to Future Park just-for-window-shoping. 

I got a nightmare in the evening. And I hoped it wouldn’t happen again.

2nd Day : Exploring Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University

Today I didn’t have schedule yet. Fianally, my roomates and I decided to walk around Valaya (read: wa-lay).  We started with a traditional house near our dorm. The building was like “Rumah Panggung” in Indonesia.

We went to Valaya Demonstration School. It was a high class elementary school.  After that we found Faculty of Education.

What I liked the most in VRU:  there were so many ponds!

In the evening, as usual, we went to traditional market. For your information, I just ate noodle in the morning, hiks...

I get curiuos with something like “rujak”. It was only vegetables, so I thought it was halal. At least, I can eat another food. But... it was so sour!!! I just ate two spoons. Ugh! The other day, I figured out the name of that rujak: Som Tam. Perhaps I need exercise to eat that, haha..

Zahrotunnisa
July, 18th 2016

Bahkan, ketika diri ini menjauh, Dia tetap sangat menyayangi.

Beberapa hari ini, saya sedang mengurusi masalah keuangan ketika di Thailand nanti. Niatnya, hanya berapa bath saja yang akan saya bawa cash dan sisanya dimasukan ke tabungan biasa.

Ternyata, tidak semua atm bisa digunakan disana. Saya mendapat info itu dari teman yang di Thailand.

Mba Citra menyarankan saya agar membuka tabungan Bank P*nin, yang compatible dengan Mastercard atau Visa. Paginya saya langsung ke sana. Sempat berpikir juga, kalau bapak mau kirim uang, bakal susah nih. Soalnya bank itu letaknya lumayan jauh dari rumah bapak. Di sana, setoran awal ternyata harus 300 ribu, padahal di dompet hanya ada gocap dua lembar dan pecahan kecil yang nggak seberapa. Yasudah, kepaksa saya pakai atm bersama. Nggak taunya, password error dan tiba-tiba atm terblokir. Eww.. Mau nggak mau saya harus balik ke kos dan ambil buku tabungan BRI untuk diproses.

Alhamdulillah, tak ada antrian di Bank BRI. Saya langsung ke bagian CS dan to the point saja untuk memulihkan kartu atm. Berawal dari obrolan ringan dengan ibu-ibu CS, akhirnya titik terang muncul. Di BRI juga sedia Mastercard keules. Hanya saja saya mengunakan tabungan simpedes sehingga fasilitas yang digunakan ya reguler. Tak berapa lama, saya membuka rekening baru untuk keberlangsungan keuangan saya di Thailand nanti. Tak perlu lagi memutari jalan palur untuk ke bank yang satunya, haha...

Allah Maha Baik...

1st Day : Long Journey

At 4:15 am, my taxi arrived in front of my boarding house. Saying good bye to Mba Hira. I didn’t say anything to Mba Riska (She woked me up at 3 am and didn’t sleep yet until I prepared myself. Massive thank you, Mba! Muah!). I went to SOC with Aziz because we had the same flight.

My frist flight! From SOC to CKG! I never tought that a plane was not too big. At that time I learned many things about how to check in, get boarding pass and prohibition on airplane.

At CKG airport, my baggage didn’t come yet. Besides, the other pessengers has gotten theirs. Hiks. I asked (raad: screamed) to field officer. And not long after that, I got my baggage. I said to Aziz, “I can’t imagine if this situation happens at the DMK. What will I do? Scream like that? Lol.”

I got my breakfast at Bakmi GM cafe. Em... ex.. pen.. sive.  Fried chicken + pangsit + tea = 75k idr.

After had a lunch, I accompanied Aziz to change money for his friend. For your information, I got 1 Bath for 390 idr (I changed my money in Pas Numismatik Money Changer, Solo). But... At the aiport 1 Bath equals to 500 idr! Well, just prepare your money before travelling to another country.

In check-in room, I met with 4 ULM students. They had the same flight with Azis and me. The two of them would be my roommate at VRU dorm! Najwa and Mutiara. I never tought they came from Banjarmasin, beacuse their accent was just... similiar with sundanese. Especially Najwa’s!!

My second flight! I got lunch there, Nasi Lemak Pak Naser’s. Tasty! Full of chicken, yummy! But... I just got 120 ml for my drink. Pardon, 120 ml for my drink! Hiks. Whereas, I need a lot of water if I eat. That time I Iearn about how precious water is! From CKG to DMK (Don Mueang aiport), I need 4 hours flight. My neck hurt in the back. Why didn’t I bring my pillow or koyo? Eww..

At the DMK, I had to go to Migration Section before took my baggage. It needed a long time. After that, a nightmare came! My baggage wheel has broken! Whereas it was my new baggage! Double eww!!!

Alhamdulillah! Najwa, Mutiara and I met our buddies (student from VRU who picked me up at the airport).  They were Nam, Nun and Ket (their nick name). They helped me a lot for bringing my baggage. Massive thank you, haha!

We went to Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University (VRU) by Van. Tarara... We got the biggest room than the others! The room was so comfortable! Perhaps, my university need to build dorm like this, muehehe...

What we need –the most at that time- were DRINKING WATER, food and data for internet connection. So, our buddy took us to Tesco-Lotus (just like Giant in Indonesia). I had to pay 80 bath for a True-Move simcard, and 20 bath for balance. After that, we went to Rong Gua market, near VRU. It was a nigth traditional market. For our safety, we just buy rice (5 bath), and fried fish (30 bath for 3 fishes).

It was a long day.
May Allah always protecti me with His way.

Zahrotunnisa

July, 17th 2016