Theravada Buddhism and the Art of Motorcycle Riding

HOLY CRAP, I CAN RIDE A MOTORCYCLE.

Keep in mind that this is after my disasterous course in London, after I fell off and wrenched my leg, after my instructor in London despaired of my ever learning.  I had a few hours' training today with a fellow VSO volunteer, the wonderfully snarky Pam (also my "buddy" whose job is helping me get settled in to Chiang Mai - so far, she's shown me where to buy utensils, imported cheese, and chocolate cake, so orientation WIN, as far as I'm concerned :)).  It was a WORLD of difference from the London course, which mainly involved a large man sighing in a pained manner over my incompetence as he rattled off the same list of instructions after every abortive attempt of mine to travel more than a few feet.  Pam is very laid-back about the whole thing, knows exactly what riding a bike in Thailand is like (so, "Keep your right foot on the rest and push off with your left, then immediately lift that one into place," becomes, "Hey, if it's easier to keep your balance with your feet dangling at first, do it that way until you're comfortable," and, "You must be properly attired in summer-weight motorcycle gloves," becomes, "Seriously, you're better off than most Thais if you're wearing a helmet,"), and was really encouraging, pointing out how much progress I was making and that I was able to U-turn really smoothly.  By the end of what was barely a three-hour session, I'd gone from making my wobbly way up and down my own driveway to tearing around the parking lot and back roads at the local reservoir, going over bridges, making hairpin turns, and only seriously freaking out once. :)  "You're not ready to go on the road yet," Pam told me, "but you can control the bike."

WOW.

I don't think it's possible to overstate how terrified I was about the whole motorcycle thing when I came out here, and now... well, there were times when I actually enjoyed that. :)

Still got a ways to go, but am apparently not nearly the hopeless case my London instructor believed!