so...the reason i've been blogging so faithfully is 'cuz there's this great little internet cafe a block away from my place where it costs...get this, 50 cents an hour. so yeah, i've been coming here every day since i discovered it.

a few days ago, i actually met a really nice ex-pat who arrived here two weeks ago. her name is julia, and she lives pretty close by, so we hung out for dinner one night. super nice, went to berkeley for law school, is from southern cal. she was planning on going to thailand later on this month, so i might tag along.

yesterday, i walked to the national museum (not far, but it was stinkin hot). i first stopped by this restaurant for lunch called friends...apparently an australian businessman set it up and hired street kids to wait and manage the restaurant to train them and give them marketable skills. really great place, the food was awesome, and the kids seem to be doing well. then it was on to the museum, where, i kid you not, statues of buddha comprised at least two-thirds of their exhibits. i mean, it's not a very large museum, but i was walking around, thinking, where is God in all this...and then He answered. i stumbled upon this 19th century church bell with a crucifix on it hidden away in a corner...coincidence? i think not...

and then, when i was walking back from the museum, i started following this monk as he was crossing the street (crossing streets here can be very dangerous...so it helps to cross when other people are crossing). anyways, he kinda noticed that i was following him 'cuz even after we crossed, we were walking in the same direction, so he starts talking to me...and he invites me into his house! apparently, he's learning english, and he's very eager to practice. so we talked for about an hour, he showed me his house where he lives with about eight other monks and some temple boys, and we exchanged information. he lives very close, so i hope to meet up with him regularly...i'm in awe of how God works.