punchdrunk

Kevin, i've actually heard a similar comment about his fight game from someone credible.

I heard that the dislike of dark skin here in Thailand originally comes from the ideal that if one has dark skin it would mean that that person works in the fields or works manual labor and therefore would be exposed to the sun. So that would indicate that a darker skinned person would be poor, uneducated and more likely to commit violent crimes. I can't remember who told me that (thai or foreigner) and I don't know how true it is, but it guess I can see the logic in that thought process. In America I get the impression that many people still hold on to the ideal that black Americans are descendants of slaves. (Clearly it's more complex than that, but I hope you see my point.)

Actually, the US only offers a single or double entry tourist visa. That means you get 60 days for each entry. After your first 60 days, you can go to immigration for a 30 day extension; at the end of that you have to do a border run to activate the 2nd entry, and you do the whole process over. It will give you a total of 180 days. After that, you'd apply for a new tourist visa in a nearby country, but you will only get a single entry. (That is a risky option since the rule changes last year.) Your best bet I think would be the ED visa. Then you only have to report to immigration every 90 days. Visit the website for the Thai embassy you will applying to in the US (Washington I think you said). Some embassies are stricter than other as far as required documents. If you do decide to apply for an ed visa, look into that now, because whomever is sponsoring the visa will have to have documents prepared here and then send them to you in the US to submit with your application.

I struggle with the heat and rehydrating as well. I drink loads of water while training, but aside from that I don't think of it. I keep a large bottle in my room at all times and will chug some if I happen to look at it. I use the electrolyte powders too, but only when I really feel dehydrated; I don't like that they contain a lot of sugar. I've found that using and ice pack (like the ones you use to ice injuries) on the back of my neck or on my face in between rounds helps me out a bit. Also, you can buy powders in the shops that are designed for heat rash; they have menthol in them or something and help give a cooling sensation.

Running, running, and more running for sure! At my gym we do 8 - 12k every morning (6 days a week) before we start our regular training. (It's acceptable to do less, but if you really want to get the most out of your time here and have FUN, why not!) May I also suggest focusing on endurance while doing your bag and pad work - we do (at least) 4 5-minute rounds of each, then move on to conditioning. I wouldn't focus so much on sharpening your technique before you get here. Even seasoned pro fighters are usually instructed to adjust their technique by pretty much every trainer they encounter here. Lastly, a lot of people complain about jet lag interfering with their training; so maybe try to start adjusting your sleep schedule.