Week One

What a week. I arrived in Thailand at 2 a.m. on Thursday, June 2. I did not get a lot of sleep while traveling, and the trip was about 26 hours in total. It was exhausting.

On the first day, we went to the university to buy the books for my classes and to determine the route to take when classes begin. When we arrived at the book store, they said the books were not available. Total bummer. On the good side, when I finally purchased the books, they were about $26 a piece (the same books as sold in the U.S.). For those of you who have purchased books before, you know this is an amazing price.

We took a rest on Friday, then went to Pattaya beach for the weekend. The beach is okay, but if you party a lot, this is the place to be. There are more bars, massage parlors, and girly joints than all of Vegas. Not for me, but I am sure Hollywood would enjoy.

On Monday, I did a test run to school to determine the time of my route. In Bangkok, the private transportation is far more efficient than the public transportation (imagine that). It takes me about an hour to commute to school, and costs about $2 each way, which to me is a bit expensive, but is better than driving.

Tuesday was the first day of school, which was good. The professor spoke good English, and knew the content well. However, one of my classes was cancelled, which I suppose is okay.

All and all, Thailand is good. I love the food here, but miss hamburgers already (you can get Micky D's, Burger King, etc.). When I get homesick, I drink a Coca Cola or a Pepsi. It is amazing how they taste the same all over the world. I find it a bit too hot to drink a lot of tea, which is kind of a bummer.

I am including some pictures from Pattaya. I will post pictures of our living arrangements with my next post.
Pattaya

Overlook of Pattaya Beach

The street behind the beach is filled with bars and other sorts of commerce

Beach off of the Centara Grand Mirage Resort

View from brother in-law's Condo

Farewell Fidelity

May 30, 2011, marks my last day at Fidelity. It is truly sad to leave behind the amazing collection of friends gathered over three years, but the new page of my life must begin. My plane departs at 11:20 a.m. on May 31, 2011, and 26 hours later, I will touch down in Thailand.

I owe a lot to the people at Fidelity. From deciding to study abroad, to the decision that led me to meet my wife, my colleagues influenced my life far more than they know. I believe some of the most important people I will know throughout my life, are people I met at Fidelity.

I want to say thank you to all of the people I work with. It is all of you that make the days at Fidelity entertaining.

I wish all of you the best of luck.