And All That JAZZ

So I guess that it has been a week since I last wrote. I was really surprised that in my language class, me and another Japanese girl are the only people under the age of 55!! I guess that there are a lot of people who retire here. Anyway, the Japanese girl is sooo cute and sweet, but she lives about an hour away with a host family. She is teaching Japanese here, but learned English in Australia and has the cutest accent!! I really like her. Our teacher is great, and this week, I'm definitely devoting some time to studying!

I hooked up with a couple "younger" people in the other classes, in their 30's and 40's, and we've been getting lunch after class every day, so its nice having that connection, and I'm also looking forward to meeting some peeps my age who also live here. Where are you all?
There is this one bloke from England who has the thickest accent ever, and he just makes me laugh hearing him speak!! He was telling us the other day about having too many beers at the Irish pub, and then driving home on his motor bike, he woke up in the ditch with a police officer tapping him on the shoulder. The police man ended up driving him home on his motorbike with no fine or penalty since he was the only one involved in the accident. "I feelll off me bike" too bad you can't do accents via the Internet.
I also happened to arrive for one of the biggest festivals in Chiang Mai called Loi Kroitong, where you give an offering to the goddess of water, I think?? Anyway for about five days there were festivites and parades. People would set off these paper lanterns which had fire in the inside of it, and they would rise like hot air balloons (they were of course much smaller) and then you say your wish for the coming year. They also made these flower bouquets that have candles and incense (sp?) on them and you would send them off giving thanks to the water, and also asking for your wishes for the coming year once again! It was great fun!