The
thing that I realized after today’s session is some people wanted to do Muay
Thai in order to get fit, some people just want to learn how to fight, and some
people want to be professional Muay Thai fighters. So which category are we?
The answer is none of them. We completely did a great job at today’s Muay Thai
session.
We
started our first activity with a 2-hour morning workout starting at 8 a.m in
Jitti Gym. We spent a lot of time on the basic techniques and it was awesome as
everyone got so enthusiastic. Most importantly, everyone had a smile on their
face. The thing that we liked the most about our first day of training was the trainers
who were so helpful and friendly.
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| Ladies in action |
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| The training was so much fun |
Following
the tiring Muay Thai workout, we headed to watch a Muay Thai match at 2 p.m. It
was so crowded and it did not seem to be an event that many females would attend
as it was majority of the population there were men. All of us were
enthusiastic at as the match started kicking in.
Standing
amongst the locals in the crowd as a spectator was a fun experience as they
were rather friendly to us. An interesting point to note is that the galleries,
which were the rather rowdy sections, where most locals sit and start betting
on the match. The thing that I personally found interesting was the gestures
used by gamblers to communicate about their bets.
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| At the back of the Channel 7 stadium with the crowd |
After
watching a rather interesting Muay Thai match, all of us went to Chatuchak
Market, also known as the JJ Market. A
lot of cheap stuff were sold in JJ Market and this showcased the difference in
the attitudes towards shopping between male and female, as the girls got really
excited towards shopping. This was evident with girls turning up with their
hands full of shopping bags after spendign 2 hours shopping. Shopping in Thailand equipped us with much
bargaining skills as eventhough the price may feel ridiculousy low,one should
not feel guilty to bargain. Bargaining means lesser money spent, so yay you!
A
common practice amongst sellers who cannot converse in English is the
communication through the calculator where they key in the price and they expect
you to key in how much you are willing to pay. This little fight for the final
price is one that is quite a fun and awesome experience. Lastly, don’t forget
the power of your beautiful smile in
Thailand. Catharina even got a discount for her stuff just because she smile at
the merchant. So, please do not forgot to bargain in Thailand as it is a must, especially in Chatuchak Market, as it is a paradise for
bargain hunters.
After
walking around Chatuchak Market, we decided to fuel our body with some food.
With much options for dinner, some of us decided to try the best boat noodles
in Thailand. Surprisingly, the bowl was so tiny and all of us gobbled down
three bowls. It was so cheap, priced at
10 baht each, allowing us to eat as much as we want. If possible, make sure that you have a strong
knowledge about the menu or a little bit of Thai to help you along as people
there cannot speak English fluently. So you might have to resort to using body
language to communicate with them. It can be complicated but it is pretty fun. All
of us enjoyed today’s session as it
ended off on a rather pleasant note with heavier luggage and lighter wallets. L All, in all, it was
such an adventurous day. Big thanks to Dr Joel!
Nova Wijayanty, 20 is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and International Studies
