pre-tailandia

In my experience with movement, particularly of the intercontinental variety, I've learned that it is entirely possible to be in two places at once, and in the case of life-altering relocation, I find it actually quite unavoidable. Three weeks ago, our contracts came in the mail from Thailand, a thick brown paper package with an elephant stamp, and ever since I've had my mind in Surat Thani while my feet remain stubbornly planted on Extremeño soil. Recent days have been full of paperwork and embassy phone calls, exposing me to the tricky animal that is Thai-accented Spanish and reaffirming my conviction that bureaucracy is the most maddening of all human innovations.

During classes I'm talking about my impending move with my students, who tend to think I'm a lunatic for going so far (presumably forgetting that I'm already over 4000 miles from my hometown). Between classes I'm making to-do lists and shopping lists--purchase shoes because apparently Thais have tiny feet and my size 8s will want for accommodation; call the embassy again because of something about visas and probably they want more money; now the airline won't take the credit card and they've made the dubious decision to handle customer service via Twitter, so spend the next few hours darting to the computer every spare moment to see if they've finally chosen mine out of the barrage of 140-character requests. My ever-tranquilo boyfriend is, predictably, relaxed and laughing at my frenzied state. But the truth is, I'm so excited that I'm loving the preparations. 

When not intensely engaged in logistical planning or Google Image Search daydream sessions, I'm making what I will (at the risk of being self-congratulatory) call a valiant effort at getting the most out of the remaining weeks here. My spirits have been only slightly dampened by the sudden appearance of the long-delayed rainy season, and I've been Spanishing it up with the best of them, all wine and campo and four-hour meals with friends. In moments of marinated pork loin, full-volume laughter in the plaza, and sunny walks through the freshly-bloomed wildflower fields, it hits me how much I will miss this place.