Here I go!

My first post from Thailand! This will be a public journal of sorts. But you only get the PG rated stuff :-P

I'm here. In Bangkok, Thailand. Specifically living on the campus of Saint Gabriel's College, the primary/secondary school in which I teach 6th grade Math in the English language. School hasn't started yet because of the political situation. The government informed schools to not open until Monday, May 24. We'll see if they push it back again.

The red shirt protests have been going on in Bangkok for 2 months. Only today did the protest leaders surrender to police and encourage their followers to go home. They did so after the military cracked down on their main camp in the 'heart' of Bangkok. Arson and looting have ensued. The government called for an 8pm curfew tonight so the streets are now completely empty. No cars, no people, no noise but the insects. Rather eerie for Bangkok. I can't hear a thing from my apartment's roof. Quite peaceful actually. A stark contrast to the gunfights and arson that are happening in the red zone. I can still see the smoke rising from Central World, the second largest mall in Asia. But I can't hear more than the crickets, and occasional bat flying overhead...

Update: The curfew has been extended for the next couple nights. Nothing burning anymore downtown.

That's all that's happening on this first post, but get excited!, there will be plenty more to come.

Here's a video from my apartment's roof;