Today marks the start of the final year of my first term as an expatriate in Khrungthep.  This is a good time for me to review the progress on the promises I made when I ran for this position.

Oh, sorry – have become so caught up in the impending election that I’m seeing everything through that lens!

Truly, though, yesterday was the third anniversary of my arrival in the Big Mango, so today is the start of year number four.  Time flies when you’re eating sticky rice and mango, as they say.

Last night I had three back-to-back conference calls with colleagues in the United States, leaving me attached to Skype until 11:30.  Oh, so tired!  In the midst of the first call, there was a knock at my door.

Excusing myself from the call, I went to answer.  Who could possibly be knocking on my door at 9:00 in the evening?

There was a trio of primary school trick-or-treaters!  “Trick or treat!” they called out in distincty non-Thai accents.

I felt terrible, as I didn’t have anything to give them.  Despite my fears of what trick they might play, I complimented their costumes and told them the candy bowl was empty.  Had I thought quickly, I could have given them a box of chocolates from the refrigerator, but these are Tawn’s so that would not have been wise.

They seemed disappointed, but nodded and walked away.  This morning there was no toilet paper or eggs on my door, so they must not have been too upset.

~ ~ ~

Let’s wrap up the week with some random pictures.

Above: There was a pair of cute Mini Coopers parked in the condo car park one morning.  One black, the other white.  So cute!  These are expensive here, about US$60,000.  Don’t think I’ll ever be able to afford one.

Below: Grecco-Roman mansion, anyone?  Thais really like columns in their architecture; it seems to represent their aspirations for wealth and glory like the Roman villas of old.  There is this one house near the Thong Lo BTS station that is just a little too over the top.

Below: Last weekend we went to Scott and Jum’s house.  Jum is a former colleague of Tawn’s and there was a get-together of other colleagues.  They have a cute baby boy who is more comfortable being passed from person to person than any baby I’ve ever seen.

Also, Scott and Jum have a Wii balance board.  Tawn was very excited to try Wii Yoga.  In the end, though, he decided his regular yoga mat was just fine.

Makes for a funny picture, though.