Shallow, Silly Things I Already Love About My Job

In no particular order:

1) Working barefoot

Throughout Asia, people commonly take their shoes off before entering a house or shop. In this office, it's the custom to take off your shoes before entering the building. That means that not only can I wear my comfy, ugly sandals to work, but I get to work barefoot all day long.

2) Driving to work past a big field filled with animals

Yesterday, it was goats. Today, it was something large with horns (a yak?). Up close, they're pretty cute. I kind of want to hug them and play with them. Except that I really do hope to be allowed back unto the US someday and I don't thin US Customs would appreciate me frolicking with livestock.

3) Catered Burmese lunches

Every day, we feast on rice and a collection of Burmese dishes. Someone brings them into the office, right upstairs to my work area! I had not dreamed this would ever happen to me.

I dare not ask what is in them. I know I ate fish eggs and shrimp on the first day, and I know I was really excited to bite into yesterday's meat dish and taste chicken. (I'm the pickiest eater on the planet, and normally refuse to eat or even try any seafood or pork.) I think this will be a good experience for me.

4) Working with this cute old dude

He was a professor in Burma and does a lot of translating work in the office. He speaks almost perfect English, and has an incredibly feisty sense of humor. He's the cutest older man ever. And terribly nice.

I'm still working on learning and pronoucing names, and his is quite complicated. So for now, Eric and I are calling him the "cute old dude."

5) Working with Eric (sitting next to the cute old dude)

People outside the law school who read this don't know Eric, and I wish you did. He's a brilliant classmate of mine, and brings so much to class discussions and the law school. I've only had one class with him, but he made such a huge contribution that I don't want to imagine the class without him. And all my friends who do have classes with him rave about him. More than one male classmate has confessed -- nay, proudly declared -- that they have man-crushes on him. And with good reason. Eric is a person you come to law school to meet. Or should.

He and his wife came to Mae Sot to volunteer on a previous trip, so he's my guide to the area. He wants to work in human rights law, is extraordinarily idealistic and compassionate and brilliant and well-informed. I learn so much every time I hear him speak. And he's hilarious and fun, too! And quite easy on the eyes.

6) Riding to work every morning on the back of Eric's motorbike

I think that's perhaps the coolest thing I may ever do.