Hey all -

Didn't have too much of a chance to post yesterday after my assignment because I was out late (and I'm going out early this morning - it's 6:20 a.m. here).

This is an idea of what it's like to work through an interpreter:

Me: Out in the middle of nowhere Thailand, on a rubber tapping farm. All around me are trees, a tiny house and not much else, and I'm watching Yun, the father in my story, as he thatches his roof. Suddenly, there is a shout from the woods and Yun looks up, grabs a giant stick and goes running into the trees.

I should preface this by saying that snakes typically come out in this area after a monsoon - and we just had a particularly strong one.

I chase Yun (no easy feat while carrying two camera bodies and a host of notebooks, extra batteries of every kind, pens, rain jacket, toilet paper, plastic bags . . . you get my gist), and behind me is my interpreter.

Interpreter: A pig! Someone saw a pig!

Me, to interpreter: A pig? Not a snake?

Interpreter: A pig!

Me: A snake?

Interpreter: A pig.

Me: (still not understanding why a pig would elicit so much commotion) A pig?

Interpreter: A pig.

Me: A pig (I go running off after Yun, confident that I am in no danger).

15 seconds later.

Interpreter: (sounding alarmed and foolish) JuLIE! JuLIE!

Me: (I stop). Yes?

Interpreter: A snake. Not pig. A snake.



Apparently the words for 'snake' and 'pig' are similar in Thai. Good to know.


Above: Yun after work, as the sun went down.