Kira (Thailand): Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday, we drove from our orientation site (a quiet resort next to a national park) to Khon Kaen. It was a beautiful drive through mountains, although there were a few too many sharp curves for my personal preference. Khon Kaen University has a huge campus with many agricultural fields (apparently, the agricultural program here is very good). Khon Kaen itself is a city of about 200,000, and the area around my apartment is very urban. It is an interesting mix of landscape.
When we got here, we met our Thai roommates. My roommate, whose chulen (nickname) is Koy, seems very sweet and accommodating. After we put my stuff in the room, we met up with her friends for what she called "Thai fondue." We were given a pot of boiling water and raw food to cook. It was delicious and included octopus meat (which is kind of rubbery).
At the table, Koy told me that her friends thought she looked like Kerope the frog, so I asked if I looked like a character. She and her friend consulted for a minute before deciding that I resembled Winnie the Pooh. So my new chulen is poo. I personally don't see the resemblence, but when I mentioned this to my friends from the program, they said that i didn't look unlike Pooh. I guess there are worse things?
After dinner (which Koy didn't let me pay for), I went out with everyone from the program for a girl's birthday. We went to a bar with live music, and we drank Singha and rice whiskey. In Thailand, there are not dance floors usually, so everyone stands around the tables and dances. It was fun, and I got to take a tuk-tuk back.
A few more things:
1. Thai bathrooms: I could write about Thai bathrooms for pages. First of all, most Thais do not use toilet paper, but instead spray themselves with a hose-like thing or dump water on themselves with a bowl (depending on how modern the bathroom is). I don't really understand this method. Also, showers are not separate from the rest of the bathroom. There is just a showerhead and drain next to the toilet (in modern bathrooms. Other places just have a pot of water and a bowl to dump it with). This leads to a wet environment.
2. The other people on the program: I feel like a slacker compared to some of them. I definitely have not been doing as much as I can to save the world, and I feel like I should change that from now on. Also, I should exercise more.
3. Thai language: We've had four hour classes for four days in a row now, and I think I can speak/understand a little? It's a fun language to speak.
4. Isan-style eating: In Isan (where we are), people eat sticky rice most of the time. To eat in this style, you take a lump of rice, mush it together, and use it to grab other foods. There is no silverware involved (except common spoons sometimes), and all the food is served from common dishes. Also, everyone eats on the floor. We've practiced this a few times, and this will be how we eat all the time on homestays.
5. The fruit: Is pretty much amazing. I really like the bananas, which are small and sweet. The tamarinds are good too, and the tangerines, and the dragon fruit. mmm.
6. You guys: I miss you. I hope you're all doing well. Also, I showed pictures of everyone to my friends on the program, and they said my guy friends were all really cute.

That's all for now. I have a free day today, and we leave for our first homestay on Tuesday.