Life is Full of Lessons... And They Ain't All Easy!

 April 18, 2026

First, the daily weather report here.  1. It has not hit 105-106 degrees F as was predicted, but most days do hover close to 95-98.  2. My personal morning weather report is looking out of my balcony to determine if I can see the beautiful green mountains that surround the city of Chiang Mai.  This a picture from this morning- so nope, all the hikes and walks that I wanted to take while here are off the table. Which is a disappointment but you must go with the cards that you're dealt. 

  

From Karen's Apartment Balcony:  See the mountains?

Below are a couple of stock images.  This is what I expected and what I saw

when I was here July 2016. 

 

  

NOW, for the lesson learned.

I brought with my my US Apple phone.  I can FaceTime with Lee and send text messages and use it as a Kindle for reading; plus, I need it for the duo push security associated with my VPN and UF accounts. However, I have a second Apple phone that I purchased over here back in 2023.  It is a far cry from the flip phones that I used to purchase in the markets of Cambodia over the years! One of my first actions (typically) upon landing is to find a local phone shop and activate a SIM card and acquire a temporary phone number while I am here.  I purchase a calling/ data plan. 

Well, given I arrived so late at night and knew I would want a Grab (aka Uber) the next day, I stopped a phone kiosk in the airport and purchased a calling/ data plan.  This is where I made a BIG mistake. I purchased a 15-day plan though I am here for 30 days figuring a local shop would be cheaper.  That has been my experiences in Vietnam and Cambodia. Well, not here. Same cost everywhere.  So, what's the problem? 

My plan expired today (04/19), and when I tried to get help at the university and the front desk last week, they kept saying "Go to any 7-11."  I just wasn't sure about that given the level of English I've encountered at the convenience stores, so I paid $12 r/t to go BACK to the airport on 04/16.  Okay, so the trip wasn't a complete loss.  I was able to mail some postcards home. 

The first True kiosk I went to at the airport noted that the attendant was on lunch break- Strike 1. I walked to the other end of the arrivals terminal and found another True kiosk only to be waved me away- Strike 2.  Apparently I needed the "True- dtac" kiosk. Fine. I found one, only to be told that they could not "top off" my calling/ data plan.  I could not do so until the 19th. So, I'm to wait until I cannot make calls nor use the internet?  That didn't make sense to me.  I then asked them just to give me a new data/ calling plan, but they pointed out that if I did so, I would not have enough coverage to take me to my departure.  Then, they to said, Go to any 7-11.  Strike 3. Stress level rising.  Being without communication in a city such as this one will not go well.  It isn't as if taxis are lined up along the streets as they are in Hanoi or a kazillion tuk tuk drivers are hoping you pick them for transportation along the streets in Cambodia. 

Last night (04/18), I went to my local 7-11 (with fingers crossed) and they said they could add 15 days for the 650 Bhat shown on my True/ dtac card (see pictures). GREAT!!  However, the message from True kept saying that the "promotion was not available".  I asked for my 650 Bhat back ($20.40) but the two clerks showed me where there was clearly 650 Bhat in my True account.  At that point, I figured that I had no other choice but to wait and see what this morning brought me. 

..... AAAAnd it brought me nothing, nada- no internet- no phone service. Grumble, gripe, *&%)*^)%!!!  KNEW this was going to happen. Now, I totally blame myself.  By the time I spent the $12 and the time chasing my tail at the airport and then going through the stress at the 7-11, I OBVIOUSLY would have been better off purchasing the 30 day plan to begin with. Some lessons are painful.  Wait? So, what did you do? (You may be asking.)

I'm out of breakfast foods in my apartment this morning (Thank Goodness, plenty of coffee though.) and I cannot say the b'fast at the little cafe is good, but it is sustinance. Their lunches, which are $2 are quite nice. So, I grabbed some breakfast, took a deep breath and went to the aparment building's front counter. The young people who work here have been very nice and their English is quite solid. I presented my dilmema to them and the young man did a "blip- bloop- blip" (hitting the keys) and said, "There you go." Nah- it wasn't that easy. Was it?  He said the money was there, the account just needed to be reactivated. When I told him he was my hero, he blushed. He really was though.  

 
These are pictures with the instructions provided. For a non-technie- it was Greek to me.  Very relieved that I'm back in the land of active communication. 

                     But, I do not care if it IS more expensive, moving forward- I will get my phone                       and data plan activated before I leave the airport for the length of my journey.

That's a wrap for now.  I've got to get tomorrow's power point polished.  I am presenting a 3-hour workshop on how to integrate clinical judgment/ critical thinking into nursing classrooms- labs- clinical settings. 

Wishing you all well. 

Stepping Off the Sidewalk..... Into New Adventures

Karen

Disclaimer: The content of my writing strictly represents my personal views and not those of the University of Florida, the U.S. government, the Department of State, or partner organizations.