Tests.

I was talking to some friends the other day who are getting ready to take finals in the next few weeks.  They asked if I missed taking tests.

I laughed.

It seems my life has been one test after another since graduation, and sometimes I seriously question if I'll be able to pass, let alone ace it!  No matter what has happened to prepare me for these tests, there's always that pop quiz that you wish you were better prepared for or question you wish you would have asked at the study session.

This last week was full of tests I feel like I barely passed.

Test #1: Motorcycle Mechanics
I got a motorbike last week, which is really exciting for me!!
Test Grade: F
After a practice run around my neighborhood for a bit, I proceeded to let the battery die.  Not 100% sure how it happened, but think it had something to do with the lights, which I didn't realize were on because it was so bright out while I was driving it around.  I have yet to get it started, though I know how to do so.

Test #2: Economy of Water
We got a letter in our mailbox that was almost all in Thai, other than the words "URGENT! PAY WATER BILL!"  Alarming considering we hadn't seen a water bill in our mailbox all month, even though we'd been looking for it.  Alarming considering it'd be 3 days before we'd be able to have someone translate and help us figure out how to make sure it got paid. Alarming considering we could have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to restart it.
Test Grade: C-
The wonderful Thai staff at the Family Connection Foundation took care of the whole thing for my roommate and I and our water wasn't shut off.  Unfortunately this was the least of our worries for the week.

Test #3: Intro to Transitions
Monday I joined three other wonderful young ladies for a "Transition Workshop."  All of us have moved to Chiang Mai within the last 7 or so months and plan to be here for at least another 6+.  None of us really knew what to expect, but we ended up doing a lot of interesting and different activities to help us think about and process our thoughts and feelings regarding our move, families, friends (both old and developing), faith, and the transition.
Test Grade: A but also D
A because, while the activities could be dubbed "cheesy," I and the others took them seriously, so it turned out to be a good workshop
D because I think I've been only focusing on certain parts of my transition that make me feel like I'm acing this whole transition thing (can I get food? yes. can I get around the city? yes. am I getting to know people? yes, though slowly. do I understand my job? yes-at least so far. do I have the proper paperwork to be here? yes.)  In reality, I don't know that I've done so well in other areas.  This workshop brought those areas to the forefront, and it was a bit much to process in one day.  But considering the following day had another trying test, I dealt with it in several ways: tearing up at the workshop, bawling in the shower, distracting myself  from it with work and a good meal, and crying in front of a dear friend.  Has it been fully dealt with? I wish. But earlier tonight I was looking at recent photos of a friend's family with their newest addition, I started tearing up again ... I guess I'm finally getting around to grieving the loss of how some of my relationships used to be. [It's also the beginning of month 3, apparently one of the first 'hardest months' in cross-cultural transitions.]

Test #4: Basic Electricity
Test Grade: F
I get a call from my housemate on Tuesday afternoon.  Our electricity isn't working, our handyman neighbor is around and it is blazing hot out!  She has other things to do, so I talk to our neighbor in the early evening.  He checks our breaker box, it's good and so checks our meter.  Right below our meter is a slip of paper, in Thai of course, but it's fairly obvious that it says something along the lines of 'you've been cut off.'  When I explained that we hadn't seen an electric bill all month ... and had been looking for it and the water bill in the mailbox all month; he explained that they don't go in the mailbox, but this other little slot opposite from where our mailbox is located.  Sure enough, there was this month's water and electricity bill.

Test #5: Advanced Electricity
Test Grade: C+
Our neighbors were gracious enough to open up their air-conditioned house to us for the sweltering night. After a crazy-busy day, my roommate and I finally had the time and the general idea of how to pay the bill to get back on the grid.  Our electric company has an office on the bottom floor of the nearest mall.  It didn't take too incredibly long for us to find (quite a feat considering where it was located and language abilities), but it did take a while to try and communicate.  It was actually nice because the Thai lady working with us treated us like adults instead of the terrified and confused children I pictured us as.  After writing down the address and my phone number, we were told it would take one hour (yeah right, but I was still surprised we COULD have power by that night). An hour later, no power. 90 minutes later, a call saying there WAS power, but still no power.  I just figured it might take awhile to 'warm-up,' 'get going again,' after being off.  Bed time, still no power-sleepover at the neighbors! 1am and terribly disorienting phone call awakes me and so I respond to the flood of Thai words in the only way I can at 1am ... in English as I fumble to find my keys, not fall down the stairs, and get through the doors and gates that separate me from checking the status of the power in our own house.  Not on.  After being passed to another worker who spoke a tad more English, and now being able to think of Thai vocabulary we got the message across: no power at 186/3 Worldclubland. "Ok, ok, we fix it, we fix it."  Good enough for me ... I was just praying I wouldn't receive another phone call!  7am arrived too quickly, but it came with wonderful news: we had power!

And so life becomes a little more comfortable.  We have electricity and water and we know how to pay those bills.

As far as this week's set of tests, I've already aced Photocopying 101 and Basic Health (aka are you breathing and do you have a pulse? great! here's a piece of paper that says you're healthy!).  I feel like I will pass tomorrow's fairly big test: Driver's Ed, because I'm prepared and since I've decided to postpone the Motorcycle Driver's Ed test until later this week or next week.  As far as my 'Diplomacy Tests' (or meetings) this week ... we'll just have to wait and see if I can push it past 'average.'