It's been a long month, since I last wrote. I've been to Thailand and back....had a good time, by the way. I saw Chris Wells and Saramanda, two old Peace Corps friends. Luckily I was in the north when the tsunami hit. I didn't really realize until afterwards that a bunch of my family was worried. I just took it for granted that they all would know that I was in the north. After all, I did tell them. I'm back though and after my sister calling my up twice, waking me once and slightly drunk today, I'm pretty sure she's convinced that I'm fine.

But, since getting back, things have changed quite a bit. Before I left, I had been planning on signing with another school around here. Since returning, that's fallen through and now I'll probably be going home early March, indefinitely. I went back to talk with my "new boss" about my visa situation, saw my new contract and haven't talked to them since. They changed what they originally offered and were trying to stick kinder in there without me noticing. That and they wanted me to come back without a visa, go on a Japan run and spend half of my alloted airfair for my entire contract. I don't think so. I told them they could call me until the end of this last week, if anything changed...and nope no word. I'll now be on my way home at the end of this school year. I just sorted out a bunch of boxes that I had packed and threw away a bunch of clothes. I would have worn them had I stayed, but they certainly weren't nice enough to keep. I still think I may have to send a box of stuff home, but I'm not gonna take care of that right away. I'm nervous about going home, knowing that I won't have a ton of money to go on. Also, I'm not really sure what I'll do, other than substitute. I'm just not the kind of person that goes into things blind, but I'm trying not to worry about it too much. At least I won't have to worry about a place to stay. My folks place is always there. Plus, I already know they won't be there the month of March. I'll be able to readjust in an empty house, at least.

I've got a horrible cold, at the moment. It's going on 3 weeks now, starting pretty much after getting off the plane in Thailand, probably bad plane air. After either 5 or 6 days of 24 hour dry hacking and nearly two weeks total, I decided to go to the doctor at the end of last week. The doc listened to my lungs, did x-rays, and wrote me a prescription for 4 days of drugs. The problem is that they haven't been helping at all. Now, nearly 4 days after that, my cheast actually hurts to the touch from coughing so much. I coughed so much yesterday I actually spontaneously puked. Thankfully I was in the bathroom at the time, but it still wasn't any fun cleaning it up. It was all over the floor. Now, my voice is going out too, and we have a kinder parents presentation tomorrow. One can only hope that I'll be able to properly speak tomorrow. Otherwise there will be some mighty feisty 5 year olds in front of a bunch of parents, with a teacher not able to scream. I guess we'll just see though.

over and .....out