Asians are small. Very, very small..

My current unemployment situation has me exploring my options for work outside of the US.  Being of Thai heritage, it seems fitting that I should at least consider going to Thailand to teach English.  This should be a fairly easy task, because of what I’ve heard from family who live in Thailand, they are in need of English teachers and having a degree in education myself, I should be a fine candidate.  There is only one small, itsy-bitsy trifle of a thing holding me back: how tiny Asians are.  Or if you want the real fact of the matter: how HUGE and American I am.

I’m not particularly tall at 5’6.5” (I do include the half inch in my height) but I am a pretty big girl.  In fact I have gotten bigger since I lost my job in June of 2008.  What can I say? I’m an emotional eater and I have been beyond stressed since I took on this sans job lifestyle.  The thought of boarding a plane and flying halfway around the world to live and work can be anxiety-provoking for anyone.  They speak a different language, they follow different customs and traditions, and I probably won’t run into one bible-thumper the entire time I’m there (I live in the "Bible Belt" so I run into them quite often now).  But my qualms are from past experience.  Being American and being with pudge makes me a target for every Thai woman (and some men) to pinch and laugh and poke fun of my very American-ness (which includes our obesity epidemic).  I guess they think it’s cute to be round and tall and pale and whatever else it is that I exhibit that differs from their norm.  But to me, it is horrifying.  I’ve always been shy and to be subject to public ridicule like that would be enough to drive me crying back home into the arms of my (Thai) mother.

But since teaching jobs are so scarce here (especially in history, my chosen field of expertise) I am resigning myself to the fact that Thailand may be the place for me.  But I refuse to go unprepared.  So with my Wii Fit in hand (or really on the floor because that is where the balanced board is supposed to go), I will at least take care of some of the size issues I currently face.  My goal?  Lose 50 lbs. by summer.  That’s a mere 150-ish days away.  I will keep you updated on my progress.  Maybe I could learn some key words and phrases by then too, like, “Please stop pinching me.” or “What is so funny?”  Wish me luck.



Oh, and here’s the obligatory unflattering before picture.

OMG! My arms are huge! Oh yeah, so is the rest of me.



Any advice on how to stay motivated or some super secret weight loss tip would be greatly appreciated. 

Listen Sammi.  Times are tough and the tough have already gotten gone.  It’s time to make a plan and achieve some goals.  Life may seem easy now on your parents’ couch, but it won’t seem that way when they expect you to start paying for all their food you are eating.