Night Market

Today was my first day here on a non-school day. We started the day relaxing and watching A Night At the Museum w/Ben Stiller-i thought it was a cute movie.

We then piled into the Ban San Faan van and headed to a mall to see the High School Musical by the local Chiangmai International School. The school was set up for missionary children and the musical was done in English. It was cute. We then headed over to a night market where we ate at one of the local shops. I ate what the kids ate (pork w/garlic and rice), which the teachers and nannies found comical since the children's food has a lot less spices in it, though it is still slightly spicy. I can't handle how hot the adults eat their food. It's almost not worth eating when it's that hot!

While walking around the Night Market, I was warned by Brian to hold on tight to the two children I was walking with. Apparently a lot of children have been stolen lately in Chiangmai and Night Markets are the perfect place to snatch a child-who knew. I asked Malee tonight what they do with the children. She said some of the stolen children get sold into sex slavery and others have limbs removed so that they look more pitiful when they beg. It just seemed disgusting to me that anyone would even think to do that to a child. On a lighter note, the Night Market was teeming with vendors selling clothes, vegetables, fruit, meats on sticks, fried dough, waffles, frozen orange juice (which I had but was disappointed at because it was VERY salty-Brian said the Thais do that to cut down the sweetness-I didn't really like it), puppies, gerbils and other rodents, lottery tickets, hairbows, purses, etc. etc. I'd like to go back at some point and buy some skirts, but I was too worried about the kids getting taken to really be able to look around. I took some pictures which I will post tomorrow or so. The traffic near the market was also enough for me to keep the kids really close-cars would drive so close to us and not slow either that I was afraid the kids would misstep and get killed. Which makes me think of another sidenote: On the wall in the living room/dining area, there are mail slots for each child. One name didn't sound familiar to me, so I asked who that was. Averil said he had an accident and died. How terrible. I don't know what kind of accident, but I felt funny asking. I wonder if he got killed by a car. Not sure, but it's sad nonetheless.