Same Same but different!

"Same, Same but different" is a call farang tourists often hear when walking through any sort of touristy street market (the Chiang Mai night market and Kho Sahn Road being two examples). While the term is meant to imply the vendor has similar goods to one nearby, yet different (and therefore better), I noticed that phrase make its way into my thoughts the moment I stepped out of Chiang Mai's airport and into the hot, thick, Thailand air. Arriving late in the evening, 2 of my former (and I guess current again) co-workers met me at the airport and traveled with me back to my organizations lodgings. The drive home felt like a very odd dream. In a way it was as though I never left. I recognized a great deal of the sites we passed (Central Airport Plaza, some old friends' apartments, a former favorite restaurant, my old gym, etc.) and was hit with a flash of great memories, and in a way it felt as though I had never left. At the same time, things certainly felt different, as co-workers who I had once been close with acted shy towards me again, as if I were a new recruit, and I did notice many changes on the street (including at least one new KFC). All in all, it felt a bit surreal, though that might be in part to blame on the 26 hour trip!
On a different note, I got a stark reminder of my own American consumerism and materialistic values. Only 2 days ago I dedicated an entire blog entry to my pride in packing just one large pack! This accomplishment stayed with me throughout my entire journey, through the point when I happily learned that my bag had made it through the 3 flight luggage exchange and was with me in Thailand. My pride was dashed moments later, however, when I met my coworkers. They both started laughing, amazed that anyone could own, let alone pack, so many things! My pride quickly turned to embarrassment, as I realized how much (material goods and otherwise) I truly take for granted in the U.S.
I am finishing this post up at the Chiang Mai office, the same one I worked at 2 years ago! I've gotten to see some old students, which has been a special treat. One more surprise has been how much of my memory is tied up in my sense of smell. I realized this morning, when we stopped at the market for breakfast, how much I missed certain scents, even the bad ones!
I'm off now to eat some of the delicious fresh fruit I have been missing (mangosteen if you are curious)