I stayed with my good friend Popsie, who was more than happy to offer his house (and in fact wanted me to stay longer). It was good to soak in some time with my friends, especially knowing that my days in the country were counting down rapidly.
This was one of my last chances to see some of the temples I'd missed.
Wat Liab
At Wat Liab
Streets of Ubon
Actually, I couldn't believe that I'd missed Wat Tai Phra Chao Yai Ong Tue. The temple compound was surprisingly detailed (the words "temple city" came to mind) and included quite a number of buildings and Buddhist, Hindu and Animist figures.
At Wat Tai Phra Chao Yai Ong Tue
The temple city
As I left the compound I heard the small cry of a voice behind me: "Teacher!" I turned around just in time to see some of my past students dart behind a corner.
"Hello," I called, sending them a grin and a wave. Giggling, the girls ran for a better hiding place and disappeared.
I'm way too attached to Ubon, I thought to myself. How can I leave?
Minutes later, as I was walking back to Popsie's place, I saw a man herding cattle down a busy street.
I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the sight... and the one that followed.
I'm going to miss this place so much.
But the time came when I had to leave Ubon again. Had I stayed, I would have just missed my job and my students and the lifestyle that I'd grown so accustomed to over the last year. I couldn't do that to myself - and besides, I wanted to see areas in southern, central and northern Thailand. I decided on my plan: three weeks of travelling in these areas, and I'd cap it all off with one final week in Ubon.
Over the ensuing weeks, I would put my Thai language skills – and everything I knew about Thai culture – to the test. Armed with all the knowledge I’d gleaned over the previous year, I set out to rock my final month in Thailand.
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