Romping around in the jungle decked out in camo, surrounded by a natural wall of giant bamboo clusters, as a pleasant breeze dancing with the heat of the day maintains the peace in this small Karen village base camp just across the Burma border, I find myself mingling with a handful of boys and men, guns and dirt. The hours of the day pass as we box, do pullups and pushups, and dismantle and clean deadly weapons used to defend these peaceful, Christian people from the unruly Burmese government. Out here in the jungle, life is simple and beautiful, aside from the ongoing tension and violence imposed by the Burmese as they burn villages and steal innocent lives for no reason other than to claim power. Bird songs intertwine with the sounds of shuffling leaves on giant bamboo stalks as they sway in the wind to make for an exceptionally serene soundtrack. I wake up with the sun as a breakfast of fried eggs, Ma-Ma noodles, fish, and rice awaits me with a thermos of hot water and instant 3-in-1 coffee packets. Lunch and dinner are usually the same, although canned sardines or freshly killed and dried mystery meat that hung from the tree have been known to replace the fresh fish. This may not seem like a 5-star meal to you, but I'll have you know I looked forward to these meals everyday. The random mini bananas, pomelo, and fresh sugar cane personally prepared with a machete also add to the excitement.
One would assume the Karen language is similar to that of the Thais, but this would be a false assumption. Even the lifestyle and culture is very different, often times almost opposite. Unlike the Buddhist Thai people, the Karen religion is generally Christian. Not dissimilar from Thais, however, they are extremely resourceful and ingenuitive when it comes to creating something out of nothing. The technology in the jungle may not be as sophisticated as that of the Western world, but the level of happiness and the number of smiles proves the unnecessity of such technology. This is not to say these villagers aren't intrigued and even fascinated by iPhones and notebook computers, but what they don't know definitely doesn't hurt them in that regard.
We have created a monster in the West, where the days can't provide us with enough hours and because of this we are constantly burdened with the pressures of time constraints and having to always have or want the latest advancements and upgrades in technology.
Our walls become thicker, cities more concrete, and our hearts colder and more difficult to share with others. I think this is one reason, among several, why our relationships seem so disposable. We are beginning to live disposable lives, and it's extremely humbling to witness this first-hand, living in a world that seems so natural and purely human. A couple men here in the camp walk around with one bamboo leg after stepping on landmines near their villages, and some are unschooled refugees who miraculously speak 3 languages, are strong as an ox, and house souls so beautiful you can't help but stare in awe.
I believe in technological advancement and constantly bettering ourselves and our lives; however, when it turns into a completely different world that is foreign to our roots, when we forget the way nature smells, when we contract ailments simply because our immune systems have been babied our entire lives, when we become incapable of communicating with people who are different from us and instead expect them to speak our language without us trying to learn from them, I think we are failing to appreciate life for what it is and how it's been given to us. I loved my time in the jungle with these people. As I make my way back to Bangkok to collect the rest of my belongings and then to venture on down to the islands, I plan to keep these memories in the forefront of my mind and hopefully come back to spend with them some more time.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Chiang Mai, Thailand 1.9.11-1.16.11
This quaint little laid back town reminds me so much of home. These days, the word "home" can mean any of many places, but right now I am referring to St. Augustine/Key West. Chiang Mai is in northern Thailand and is bordered on the north and west by mountains, jungly mountains. Granted, the mountains aren't quite snow-capped and tree-less as one might assume; however, the temperatures dip down low about halfway up the mountain and after sundown. The peak extends nearly 6,000 feet and seems very elevated to this sea level original. Whatever, they're mountains to me. There are many tourists here like where I come from, so that's nothing new to me, and they're mostly from Australia, Asia, and Europe, with hardly any Americans. It's a lovely little mix of culture and backgrounds and I've befriended people from Algeria, Switzerland, Ireland, Australia, France, Norway, Denmark, England, Korea, Thailand, Netherlands, Burma, and Spain, basically all within three days. Renting a motorcycle and heading into the mountains about 20 km, I witnessed bone-chilling waterfalls and deep wandering caves tucked away in the side of majestic rock protrusions, valiant hills of bamboo, a temple or "wat" so spiritual that one would feel ashamed if not slightly moved in its presence, and a stunning bird's-eye view of the city at night from 4,000 feet above, as the light of the day calmly rested its head behind the distant mountain pines. We found a village of Mhong people peacefully residing atop one of these mountains, growing coffee and making textiles and clothing by hand. Their quarters are as simple as their way of living, but the scenery is something from a fairy tail land found above the clouds somewhere in a far away place; jungle foliage surrounds a small valley of grass where vegetables and strawberries grow, a small stream creeping through the middle, and bamboo huts founded on clay dirt are warmed by the sun. A crisp, gentle breeze sweeps its way amongst it all making one yearn to be a part of such a primitive culture.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
True Traveler
I need to start taking notes as I do things so I can remember what to write about when the opportunity comes along. It's been a while since the last post, and the ever-growing sense of pressure to update all that I've encountered since the last post is rather overwhelming. I apologize, but this may be shorter than one would assume, not because I have been sitting in a white room the whole time, but because my memory and my brain don't always get along.
I decided that attending school would be fun in Thailand because it seems so laid back and relaxed. There's a lot of it, but you're with fun, nice people all day, the food's excellent, and there area enough activities and holidays to shape one's youth into a very productive and positive experience. There are negative aspects of every culture, but if you're unaware, or simply used to, your culture's way of doing things, it's hard to know better and so the "bad" things aren't really bad. Happiness can be found in uniforms, long-hour days, difficult assignments, and lots of work (advanced education). Thais simply care about quality and cleanliness, especially when it comes to decorating and art. They have a good time no matter what they do. I could totally continue teaching, but it's not the right time. I need to be doing other things like exploring and learning the language and really experiencing the culture. That's how to really understand a people. I was able to do that at the Loy Krathong festivities by the lake. Thais get so in to holidays and fireworks! There was basically no supervision and thousands of people (mostly young people) were all setting off explosives and things that would be totally illegal in the States. The area was spacious, but the Asian way (probably because of the absurd amount of people here) is to cram as many people will fit in one space. The maximum occupancy in elevators is never under 15, and they're usually smaller than American lifts (elevators). I know Asians are generally smaller people, but come on! haha Anyway, Loy Krathong was literally like a war zone. One explosive came out of no where and made me feel as if I'd been blown up by a land mine. The light was so bright in my face and I felt the power of the explosion. I had to check to make sure all my limbs were in tact! It was all in fun though and there were smiles all around. It was actually quite a spiritual experience, as are many things in a Buddhist country. Gun, a Thai guy I met, told me (through Phil, my translator) that Buddhism is a lot like Christianity these days. They feel it in their hearts when they pray. They don't ask for money or material things, and they pray to feel it, to be connected, to have their family be protected and together. They're such loving people who want nothing less than happiness and togetherness.
__________________________________________________________________________
Ko Samet - Ao Nuan Beach 12/7/10
Sitting on the beach watching the waves playfully claim the shore, jumping up onto the rocks and rubbing them down again. The sun's not bright, but the air is warm with a relaxing and refreshing breeze. Pure bliss. Oh, here comes the sun, delicately but persistently tossing the clouds aside in order to have a glimpse of Mother Earth and her beautiful morning features. A lonely sandal rests atop a protruding rock, probably left behind by a drunken patron just before he collapsed onto the cushioned floor of his bungalow. A vivacious young couple prances happily from the door of their honeymoon hut and fall desperately into the ever-open arms of the Gulf of Thailand. An anxious motorboat races by, its Thai captain ready for the day of chauffeuring adventure-hungry tourists. One dog, and then another, traipse over my feet and up the rocky cliff, leaving behind little paw prints in the sand for the sea to discreetly wipe away, erasing any evidence of the beach's morning visitors.
The water inches nearer, testing my reaction time as it quickly creeps in and then pulls out again. I get an alarmed sense of just how much pent up energy resides within each wave. They're like children longing for recess, a playmate, yet the ways they are capable of crashing and wrapping around the rocks and recoil and fold are innumerable, so even without a companion, the ocean is happy and as free as can be doing what it does best.
Yesterday (12/6) was a day full of traveling via 4 modes of transportation: motorcycle, van, bus, boat, and foot. So, I guess that's 5. I went for a walk after reaching the island by ferry,changed into my bathing suit in the woods just off a cliff path, and found myself floating effortlessly in a turquoise pool of salt. A man by the name of Osmo, from Sweden, invited me to join him for a drink and dinner. He also offered his bungalow to crash in for the night (3 meters from the beach). The bungalow consisted of a king size cushion on a raised platform on the floor, and a hammock on the front porch. A separate, beautiful shower in the rocks and a separate hut with a squat toilet was included, as well. This is where I pooed for the first time in a squat toilet, and must say I was relieved when a scoop or 2 of water flushed the evidence.
__________________________________________________________________________
The next 2 days consisted of beach hopping, relaxing, fire twirling entertainment, and fresh, much-needed air on Ko Samet before backtracking back up to the city. After hanging out there for a couple more days and discovering some really cool parks with lots of grass, ponds wandering beneath stone bridges with fountains and paddle boat rentals, outdoor gyms with real equipment under the trees in the breezy but warm open air (they made my day/week), several food stalls, senior centers with elliptical machines, thai chi and yoga classes, playgrounds for kids with sand and simple exercise equipment, and ducks and huge iguanas, my thoughts on Bangkok weren't so bad after all. Bangkok proper is actually a lot cleaner than the surrounding provinces, but no matter where you go, your chances of finding clean air to breathe are slim to none.
I flew to the Philippines where my Uncle's family (all Chinese) resides. The family is well-known in the community, as they own many restaurants, spas, and other businesses. This means they have homes in almost every part of the country. I met 4/5 of my Chinese-American cousins, along with my uncle and his sister and her husband, in Manila and we spent the following 3 weeks together meeting new family members each day (huge family of a couple hundred) and taking advantage of the amenities that come with owning all sorts of businesses. Most of the time was spent eating: Chinese, Philippine, Korean, and Vietnamese, for the most part. I tried the famous balut (a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell). Actually, I had it 3 times. Alcohol was involved each time, but had I not been drinking, the consumption still would've taken place.
Manila has some of the worst traffic I've experienced and most of the people are extremely poor. Poorer than in Thailand. Some of the makeshift "structures," for lack of a better term, that these people live in are not even believable to see. I gave a bunch of clothes to several different people laying on the street trying to sleep on dirty cardboard or in some other unsanitary area. I thought the bathroom situation in Thailand was bad with the whole no-toilet-paper thing. At least they have hoses to spray off with. In the Philippines, the bathrooms usually consisted of squat toilet, no toilet paper, no hose, dirty floor (unlike in Thailand where the floors are so frequently mopped and polished that I have a hard time walking without slipping), no bucket to dip a bowl in to scoop water up on yourself, no soap, dirty sinks, and no paper towels or hand dryers. Gross. That's all I have to say. It's rare to even see people washing their hands at all! And after knowing (or not knowing) what just happened behind the stall door, it's rather difficult to not be disgusted. I can only imagine how many germs are spread throughout the country, and I'm not sure if they have a secret technique of remaining clean all the time, or if they're immune to such germs, or if I just wasn't exposed to the insane amount of sickliness, but I am curious to know how it works.
Lots of market shopping was done in cramped quarters indoors, Philippino people EVERYWHERE, no room to walk or breathe, and vendors beckoning you to buy things by saying "Yes, ma'am sir ma'am" (sounds more like mom than ma'am, and in Tagalog there is no difference between how you address a female vs. a male, so they tend to get the 2 confused or just say both...maybe thinking they're being extra polite??). The first few times I was referred to as "sir," I was taken aback and almost offended, since my short-hair days are over. Once I realized they don't all know the difference, it was rather amusing. Bargaining is not my strong point, unfortunately, but things are already very cheap, so I didn't feel as bad giving them a little more than they might get from a Philippino. It's also good that I am not one to buy lots of things; otherwise, I could furnish several houses and dress an entire school or children and feed a small army with my tight budget.
Olongapo was our next destination near Subic Bay, where we hung out quite a bit at the family's coffee shop and spas. The quote "Life is hard" was coined between us cousins because of this rich lifestyle we experienced with 14-bedroom houses, drivers, maids, houseboys, and food prepared for us 24/7 we're not used to. Snorkeling at a private beach was a highlight, as we were able to see lots of marine life including huge sea urchins, blue starfish, swordfish, and many others! A 3-hour drive from Subic Bay took us to a family friend's resort on the China Sea, where we took a boat out to a picture perfect island that can be walked around in 15 minutes. White sand, transparent, emerald water, coconut palms, a couple vacant tiki huts, and a picnic basket full of food and beer greeted us for the day. Some phenomenal marine life and coral reefs sat silent below us as we snorkeled around the island, observing the beauty and vastness of the powerful sea. Tons of whole conchs and other shells adorned the beaches, and crabs scurried from one shell to another in search of a more spacious house to hide their naked bodies. Bright blues and yellows and purples and oranges spotted along the reef, along with sand-camouflaged fish and giant starfish made a barrier around the island and separated the clear waters from the drop off abyss of deep dark and mysterious blue water on the other side. It's crazy how the sight of nothing can be so intimidating and humbling from the perspective of a vulnerable snorkeler bobbing around aimlessly on the surface above.
The next stop was to Baguio, 5 hours north in the mountains where many generations of Igorot hill tribes live and the weather is cool and breezy. It was very nice for a change since the rest of my days on the road have been pretty warm. I woke up to a lovely mountain view as the morning fog set in and cooled things of a bit. Baguio, like most other places in the Philippines, is unfortunately way too overpopulated, but would be a great place to stay a while if that weren't the case.
Once I said my goodbyes to my family, both old and new, I returned to Thailand in order to finish what I started and get to know the rest of the country outside of Bangkok. I made some more friends and decided to travel north with Alek, from NYC. After a long night in Bangkok involving dancing, more friend-making, and no sleep, I met up with Alek at the northernmost BTS (metro) station where we began our planless adventure. We caught a city bus and took it as far noorth as it would go (not very far), walked about 4 miles with our giant packs, caught 3 different hitches farther north, and ended up in Ayuthaya, Thailand's old capitol city. There wasn't much to do there so we bought some cheap train tickets, hung around the town for several hours, met a girl, Baybay who was also traveling, and after 14 hours, found ourselves up north in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Another adventurer from Australia, Geraint, shared my bench and so we shared travel stories and gave each other advice and chatted about life in general. The bus ride was long and trying to sleep upright on benches that face one another (2 and 2) wasn't my favorite part, but I must say I loved the windows down and no air-con and the fact that I could climb down the steps and hang my body out of the train as the wind tussled my hair, the smell of nature filled my nose, and overgrown shrubbery randomly whacked me in the leg and face. I'd definitely recommend trying it, and I will probably take a similar train back down south in a few days. Alek and I rented a motorcycle yesterday and drove farther north to a little town called Chiang Dao. It reminded me of somewhere I've been before, and for that I loved it. We had to stop for a herd of elephants to cross the road at a training camp, which was thrilling and so cute! The mountain drive was cold and a little damp for a bit, the sprinkles of rain piercing my naked arms and chilling me to the bone. What a gorgeous drive that was, for about an hour! I taught Alek how to ride a motorcycle, but turning it around gave him some difficulties, as it happens to do to people, and he ran it into a ditch! haha I'd gotten insurance for it, but forgot that I still had to pay up to 1,500 baht in the case of an accident, so since Alek left to go down south before I returned the bike, I got slapped with a hefty charge. Lucky me! heh I really enjoy the atmosphere of Chiang Mai. It feels like a combination of St. Augustine, FL and Key West, FL, both of which feel like home to me. The weather is cool right now, prolly in the low 60s! I had to bust out the pants tonight and a jacket yesterday on the bike! Yikes! But, it's also been a nice change. After all, it is still winter! There are tons of unique and well-made, handmade gifts and crafts here, unlike the same old crap in most other places to which I've been. Lots of farang (foreigners), but I don't mind it right now after not being able to speak to many people and have normal in-depth conversations for quite some time. More to come later. I need some sleep.
I decided that attending school would be fun in Thailand because it seems so laid back and relaxed. There's a lot of it, but you're with fun, nice people all day, the food's excellent, and there area enough activities and holidays to shape one's youth into a very productive and positive experience. There are negative aspects of every culture, but if you're unaware, or simply used to, your culture's way of doing things, it's hard to know better and so the "bad" things aren't really bad. Happiness can be found in uniforms, long-hour days, difficult assignments, and lots of work (advanced education). Thais simply care about quality and cleanliness, especially when it comes to decorating and art. They have a good time no matter what they do. I could totally continue teaching, but it's not the right time. I need to be doing other things like exploring and learning the language and really experiencing the culture. That's how to really understand a people. I was able to do that at the Loy Krathong festivities by the lake. Thais get so in to holidays and fireworks! There was basically no supervision and thousands of people (mostly young people) were all setting off explosives and things that would be totally illegal in the States. The area was spacious, but the Asian way (probably because of the absurd amount of people here) is to cram as many people will fit in one space. The maximum occupancy in elevators is never under 15, and they're usually smaller than American lifts (elevators). I know Asians are generally smaller people, but come on! haha Anyway, Loy Krathong was literally like a war zone. One explosive came out of no where and made me feel as if I'd been blown up by a land mine. The light was so bright in my face and I felt the power of the explosion. I had to check to make sure all my limbs were in tact! It was all in fun though and there were smiles all around. It was actually quite a spiritual experience, as are many things in a Buddhist country. Gun, a Thai guy I met, told me (through Phil, my translator) that Buddhism is a lot like Christianity these days. They feel it in their hearts when they pray. They don't ask for money or material things, and they pray to feel it, to be connected, to have their family be protected and together. They're such loving people who want nothing less than happiness and togetherness.
__________________________________________________________________________
Ko Samet - Ao Nuan Beach 12/7/10
Sitting on the beach watching the waves playfully claim the shore, jumping up onto the rocks and rubbing them down again. The sun's not bright, but the air is warm with a relaxing and refreshing breeze. Pure bliss. Oh, here comes the sun, delicately but persistently tossing the clouds aside in order to have a glimpse of Mother Earth and her beautiful morning features. A lonely sandal rests atop a protruding rock, probably left behind by a drunken patron just before he collapsed onto the cushioned floor of his bungalow. A vivacious young couple prances happily from the door of their honeymoon hut and fall desperately into the ever-open arms of the Gulf of Thailand. An anxious motorboat races by, its Thai captain ready for the day of chauffeuring adventure-hungry tourists. One dog, and then another, traipse over my feet and up the rocky cliff, leaving behind little paw prints in the sand for the sea to discreetly wipe away, erasing any evidence of the beach's morning visitors.
The water inches nearer, testing my reaction time as it quickly creeps in and then pulls out again. I get an alarmed sense of just how much pent up energy resides within each wave. They're like children longing for recess, a playmate, yet the ways they are capable of crashing and wrapping around the rocks and recoil and fold are innumerable, so even without a companion, the ocean is happy and as free as can be doing what it does best.
Yesterday (12/6) was a day full of traveling via 4 modes of transportation: motorcycle, van, bus, boat, and foot. So, I guess that's 5. I went for a walk after reaching the island by ferry,changed into my bathing suit in the woods just off a cliff path, and found myself floating effortlessly in a turquoise pool of salt. A man by the name of Osmo, from Sweden, invited me to join him for a drink and dinner. He also offered his bungalow to crash in for the night (3 meters from the beach). The bungalow consisted of a king size cushion on a raised platform on the floor, and a hammock on the front porch. A separate, beautiful shower in the rocks and a separate hut with a squat toilet was included, as well. This is where I pooed for the first time in a squat toilet, and must say I was relieved when a scoop or 2 of water flushed the evidence.
__________________________________________________________________________
The next 2 days consisted of beach hopping, relaxing, fire twirling entertainment, and fresh, much-needed air on Ko Samet before backtracking back up to the city. After hanging out there for a couple more days and discovering some really cool parks with lots of grass, ponds wandering beneath stone bridges with fountains and paddle boat rentals, outdoor gyms with real equipment under the trees in the breezy but warm open air (they made my day/week), several food stalls, senior centers with elliptical machines, thai chi and yoga classes, playgrounds for kids with sand and simple exercise equipment, and ducks and huge iguanas, my thoughts on Bangkok weren't so bad after all. Bangkok proper is actually a lot cleaner than the surrounding provinces, but no matter where you go, your chances of finding clean air to breathe are slim to none.
I flew to the Philippines where my Uncle's family (all Chinese) resides. The family is well-known in the community, as they own many restaurants, spas, and other businesses. This means they have homes in almost every part of the country. I met 4/5 of my Chinese-American cousins, along with my uncle and his sister and her husband, in Manila and we spent the following 3 weeks together meeting new family members each day (huge family of a couple hundred) and taking advantage of the amenities that come with owning all sorts of businesses. Most of the time was spent eating: Chinese, Philippine, Korean, and Vietnamese, for the most part. I tried the famous balut (a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell). Actually, I had it 3 times. Alcohol was involved each time, but had I not been drinking, the consumption still would've taken place.
Manila has some of the worst traffic I've experienced and most of the people are extremely poor. Poorer than in Thailand. Some of the makeshift "structures," for lack of a better term, that these people live in are not even believable to see. I gave a bunch of clothes to several different people laying on the street trying to sleep on dirty cardboard or in some other unsanitary area. I thought the bathroom situation in Thailand was bad with the whole no-toilet-paper thing. At least they have hoses to spray off with. In the Philippines, the bathrooms usually consisted of squat toilet, no toilet paper, no hose, dirty floor (unlike in Thailand where the floors are so frequently mopped and polished that I have a hard time walking without slipping), no bucket to dip a bowl in to scoop water up on yourself, no soap, dirty sinks, and no paper towels or hand dryers. Gross. That's all I have to say. It's rare to even see people washing their hands at all! And after knowing (or not knowing) what just happened behind the stall door, it's rather difficult to not be disgusted. I can only imagine how many germs are spread throughout the country, and I'm not sure if they have a secret technique of remaining clean all the time, or if they're immune to such germs, or if I just wasn't exposed to the insane amount of sickliness, but I am curious to know how it works.
Lots of market shopping was done in cramped quarters indoors, Philippino people EVERYWHERE, no room to walk or breathe, and vendors beckoning you to buy things by saying "Yes, ma'am sir ma'am" (sounds more like mom than ma'am, and in Tagalog there is no difference between how you address a female vs. a male, so they tend to get the 2 confused or just say both...maybe thinking they're being extra polite??). The first few times I was referred to as "sir," I was taken aback and almost offended, since my short-hair days are over. Once I realized they don't all know the difference, it was rather amusing. Bargaining is not my strong point, unfortunately, but things are already very cheap, so I didn't feel as bad giving them a little more than they might get from a Philippino. It's also good that I am not one to buy lots of things; otherwise, I could furnish several houses and dress an entire school or children and feed a small army with my tight budget.
Olongapo was our next destination near Subic Bay, where we hung out quite a bit at the family's coffee shop and spas. The quote "Life is hard" was coined between us cousins because of this rich lifestyle we experienced with 14-bedroom houses, drivers, maids, houseboys, and food prepared for us 24/7 we're not used to. Snorkeling at a private beach was a highlight, as we were able to see lots of marine life including huge sea urchins, blue starfish, swordfish, and many others! A 3-hour drive from Subic Bay took us to a family friend's resort on the China Sea, where we took a boat out to a picture perfect island that can be walked around in 15 minutes. White sand, transparent, emerald water, coconut palms, a couple vacant tiki huts, and a picnic basket full of food and beer greeted us for the day. Some phenomenal marine life and coral reefs sat silent below us as we snorkeled around the island, observing the beauty and vastness of the powerful sea. Tons of whole conchs and other shells adorned the beaches, and crabs scurried from one shell to another in search of a more spacious house to hide their naked bodies. Bright blues and yellows and purples and oranges spotted along the reef, along with sand-camouflaged fish and giant starfish made a barrier around the island and separated the clear waters from the drop off abyss of deep dark and mysterious blue water on the other side. It's crazy how the sight of nothing can be so intimidating and humbling from the perspective of a vulnerable snorkeler bobbing around aimlessly on the surface above.
The next stop was to Baguio, 5 hours north in the mountains where many generations of Igorot hill tribes live and the weather is cool and breezy. It was very nice for a change since the rest of my days on the road have been pretty warm. I woke up to a lovely mountain view as the morning fog set in and cooled things of a bit. Baguio, like most other places in the Philippines, is unfortunately way too overpopulated, but would be a great place to stay a while if that weren't the case.
Once I said my goodbyes to my family, both old and new, I returned to Thailand in order to finish what I started and get to know the rest of the country outside of Bangkok. I made some more friends and decided to travel north with Alek, from NYC. After a long night in Bangkok involving dancing, more friend-making, and no sleep, I met up with Alek at the northernmost BTS (metro) station where we began our planless adventure. We caught a city bus and took it as far noorth as it would go (not very far), walked about 4 miles with our giant packs, caught 3 different hitches farther north, and ended up in Ayuthaya, Thailand's old capitol city. There wasn't much to do there so we bought some cheap train tickets, hung around the town for several hours, met a girl, Baybay who was also traveling, and after 14 hours, found ourselves up north in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Another adventurer from Australia, Geraint, shared my bench and so we shared travel stories and gave each other advice and chatted about life in general. The bus ride was long and trying to sleep upright on benches that face one another (2 and 2) wasn't my favorite part, but I must say I loved the windows down and no air-con and the fact that I could climb down the steps and hang my body out of the train as the wind tussled my hair, the smell of nature filled my nose, and overgrown shrubbery randomly whacked me in the leg and face. I'd definitely recommend trying it, and I will probably take a similar train back down south in a few days. Alek and I rented a motorcycle yesterday and drove farther north to a little town called Chiang Dao. It reminded me of somewhere I've been before, and for that I loved it. We had to stop for a herd of elephants to cross the road at a training camp, which was thrilling and so cute! The mountain drive was cold and a little damp for a bit, the sprinkles of rain piercing my naked arms and chilling me to the bone. What a gorgeous drive that was, for about an hour! I taught Alek how to ride a motorcycle, but turning it around gave him some difficulties, as it happens to do to people, and he ran it into a ditch! haha I'd gotten insurance for it, but forgot that I still had to pay up to 1,500 baht in the case of an accident, so since Alek left to go down south before I returned the bike, I got slapped with a hefty charge. Lucky me! heh I really enjoy the atmosphere of Chiang Mai. It feels like a combination of St. Augustine, FL and Key West, FL, both of which feel like home to me. The weather is cool right now, prolly in the low 60s! I had to bust out the pants tonight and a jacket yesterday on the bike! Yikes! But, it's also been a nice change. After all, it is still winter! There are tons of unique and well-made, handmade gifts and crafts here, unlike the same old crap in most other places to which I've been. Lots of farang (foreigners), but I don't mind it right now after not being able to speak to many people and have normal in-depth conversations for quite some time. More to come later. I need some sleep.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Life is like a box of chocolates.
No, you never know what you're gonna get, but that's what makes life like a box of chocolates, as opposed to a box of . . . cigarettes, I don't know. . .something. Life is good. Life is really good. I'm just sorry there are so many people who don't see it yet. It's all about letting it be, flipping the coin over so that all you see is the heads side. You always know the tails side exists, but you are in control of the coin. It can't flip over on its own. And whether you let the coin just sit there and tarnish over time or you dust it off regularly so it stays shiny and face up always, is a determinant of your happiness. They say if you find a penny heads up, pick it up and it's good luck. There's always that risk of "what if I mistake it for being heads up when its really tails up, and I pick it up? Will I have bad luck?" It's that doubt in life that'll keep you from ever picking ANY pennies up, literally and metaphorically. No risk, no return.
So 2 nights ago Phil and I went for dinner at the delicious seafood restaurant behind his condo. While we were sitting there chatting and waiting for our food, a man came walking up to the open-to-the-outside-air front steps of the place and offered me something, which I immediately and not knowing for sure what it was, turned down, just before seeing the baby elephant on the other side of the half-wall. I ran out into the dark street without thinking twice, and with eyes the size of apples, began petting an elephant for the first time in my life. Wasn't expecting that! The man gave me some sticks of something to feed the elephant, so I began talking to the elephant like it was a long lost friend, speaking more fluid Thai than I have so far with other humans. She ate the sticks of whatever right out of my hand. I simply put them in her truck and she knew exactly what to do with them. I heard the other day that up north there are elephants that paint beautiful pictures! They have such good muscle memory, that after their owners go threw the motions of painting a certain picture with their trunks, they are able to replicate the motions and develop their own creations! How cool!
So, yesterday was my last day of teaching. No one really knew about it until just before I left, and only my last (and best) class of the day was aware of my departure because the teacher who was to relieve me came and sat in on the class, forcing me to explain. They were stunned and sad, as was I. I found the words difficult to get out, and it was then that I realized how much of an impact these 38 students had had on my life in the 5 weeks of knowing them. In the hall after class, several approached me with long faces, kind words, and big hugs. The new teacher, Sam, who has been teaching students of all ages for a good number of years, said after observing me teach, he actually couldn't find one thing wrong with my style of educating! Having only been teaching for 5 weeks of my life and being able to do it free of fault and critique kinda makes me feel proud, I must say. It felt good to hear that, at least! My students told me I was their favorite teacher ever! Really? Is this real life? haha So cool. No, I'm not cut out to be an English teacher in a Catholic school in Bangkok, Thailand, but it was definitely a cool experience, and I'm so thankful for it! Now I'm receiving all kinds of friend requests on Facebook from my 12th-graders! Woo! Now that I'm a free bird with no obligations, I get to drive the motorcycle around town, while Phil's teaching his little heart out, to explore and find little hidden treasures and sights, and I love it. Could you guess? I have complained in the past about many parts of the US having crap for public transportation, yet now that I have it, my opinion has changed slightly. It's amazing not to have to wait for public transportation, pay for public transportation, and pay again if I want to get off somewhere for 2 minutes and then get back on. I guess I just really like having a motorcycle in the city. I'm not used to city life much, and have been fortunate enough to be without a vehicle for the past few years in the States, but living in the city and being able to drive between cars and on sidewalks and such to get "there" quicker and to not have to deal with the traffic because of this "beating the system" method of transportation on a motorcycle, and all while having an adventure of a lifetime every time, is so exciting! No complaints. Still.
I've been dragging Phil's futon couch out onto his 23rd-floor balcony at night to fall asleep to nature's cross-breeze fan and to wake up in the morning to the sunrise grinning and winking at me. The noises of the city and the soi (street) dog arguments at random hours of the day and night don't exactly add ease to the serenity of sleeping out there, but when the eyelids of the day have been pulled down and I am perched atop the balcony railing looking out over the skyline of the city nightlife, I can't help feeling like Batman ready to swoop down in the shadows and save some people. I'll admit, or just state, my constant craving to remove the railing from below my feet and leap into an adrenaline-filled free fall, if only I had means of remaining off the ground. Don't worry, until I find such a thing, whether I have to create something (probably not the cardboard wings my uncle attempted to utilize in his youth) or buy something (for which I haven't the funds right now), I'll remain grounded, just high up. Sad day. But still awesome! I'm just Batman and my cape is in the shop at the moment, so for now I'll just ponder life and devise a plan to save the world for when I get it back! :D
So 2 nights ago Phil and I went for dinner at the delicious seafood restaurant behind his condo. While we were sitting there chatting and waiting for our food, a man came walking up to the open-to-the-outside-air front steps of the place and offered me something, which I immediately and not knowing for sure what it was, turned down, just before seeing the baby elephant on the other side of the half-wall. I ran out into the dark street without thinking twice, and with eyes the size of apples, began petting an elephant for the first time in my life. Wasn't expecting that! The man gave me some sticks of something to feed the elephant, so I began talking to the elephant like it was a long lost friend, speaking more fluid Thai than I have so far with other humans. She ate the sticks of whatever right out of my hand. I simply put them in her truck and she knew exactly what to do with them. I heard the other day that up north there are elephants that paint beautiful pictures! They have such good muscle memory, that after their owners go threw the motions of painting a certain picture with their trunks, they are able to replicate the motions and develop their own creations! How cool!
So, yesterday was my last day of teaching. No one really knew about it until just before I left, and only my last (and best) class of the day was aware of my departure because the teacher who was to relieve me came and sat in on the class, forcing me to explain. They were stunned and sad, as was I. I found the words difficult to get out, and it was then that I realized how much of an impact these 38 students had had on my life in the 5 weeks of knowing them. In the hall after class, several approached me with long faces, kind words, and big hugs. The new teacher, Sam, who has been teaching students of all ages for a good number of years, said after observing me teach, he actually couldn't find one thing wrong with my style of educating! Having only been teaching for 5 weeks of my life and being able to do it free of fault and critique kinda makes me feel proud, I must say. It felt good to hear that, at least! My students told me I was their favorite teacher ever! Really? Is this real life? haha So cool. No, I'm not cut out to be an English teacher in a Catholic school in Bangkok, Thailand, but it was definitely a cool experience, and I'm so thankful for it! Now I'm receiving all kinds of friend requests on Facebook from my 12th-graders! Woo! Now that I'm a free bird with no obligations, I get to drive the motorcycle around town, while Phil's teaching his little heart out, to explore and find little hidden treasures and sights, and I love it. Could you guess? I have complained in the past about many parts of the US having crap for public transportation, yet now that I have it, my opinion has changed slightly. It's amazing not to have to wait for public transportation, pay for public transportation, and pay again if I want to get off somewhere for 2 minutes and then get back on. I guess I just really like having a motorcycle in the city. I'm not used to city life much, and have been fortunate enough to be without a vehicle for the past few years in the States, but living in the city and being able to drive between cars and on sidewalks and such to get "there" quicker and to not have to deal with the traffic because of this "beating the system" method of transportation on a motorcycle, and all while having an adventure of a lifetime every time, is so exciting! No complaints. Still.
I've been dragging Phil's futon couch out onto his 23rd-floor balcony at night to fall asleep to nature's cross-breeze fan and to wake up in the morning to the sunrise grinning and winking at me. The noises of the city and the soi (street) dog arguments at random hours of the day and night don't exactly add ease to the serenity of sleeping out there, but when the eyelids of the day have been pulled down and I am perched atop the balcony railing looking out over the skyline of the city nightlife, I can't help feeling like Batman ready to swoop down in the shadows and save some people. I'll admit, or just state, my constant craving to remove the railing from below my feet and leap into an adrenaline-filled free fall, if only I had means of remaining off the ground. Don't worry, until I find such a thing, whether I have to create something (probably not the cardboard wings my uncle attempted to utilize in his youth) or buy something (for which I haven't the funds right now), I'll remain grounded, just high up. Sad day. But still awesome! I'm just Batman and my cape is in the shop at the moment, so for now I'll just ponder life and devise a plan to save the world for when I get it back! :D
What’s with white being the skin color of choice throughout many parts of the world, except where white people generally reside. I guess the grass is always greener, and basically everything boils down to money, but why does it have to be like that? Thais see white skin as beautiful because it means you aren’t outside slaving away in the hot sun doing some “poor person’s” job just to be able to put food on the table. I see white skin as unhealthy, Vitamin D-deficient, weak, and lazy. I find it rather amusing when people of naturally darker skin tone than I tell me to go inside or get in the shade or cake on the sunscreen or layers of clothing. I find the deep bronze color of the Thai men (most of the women are lighter) is beautiful! I would love to have skin that color, and not only because I think it’s more attractive, but I think life would be that much more satisfying if that color was the accurate representation of how much time I were able to spend in the sun! Who cares about the money part? Yeh, yeh money helps you get places and do things and see things yadda yadda, but if your skin isn’t pasty white, and instead looks healthy and full of pigmentation, by all means appreciate it because you’re GETTING to experience one of the universe’s greatest aspects, the Sun.
So, I’m trying to learn Thai via these tapes, along with interaction, of course. But at the moment, I’m practicing pronunciation in Thai, listening to songs in Spanish, and writing this blog post in English. Haha It’s interesting, to say the least, and I’m not sure if it’s helping the process, or making me think harder for no good reason, serving more as a distraction.
I went for a long run this morning and came upon a loud ruckus sourcing from a large crowd of people on the side of a main street who were all wearing pink shirts with “Best of the Year Team” written on them (because here, they say the adjectives before the nouns they describe). Three men and a toddler boy were stacked on top of one another’s shoulders, standing up! They managed to walk back and forth without falling! Then, they dismantled and the guy second from the bottom, tied a shirt into a turban-like thing on his head before starting round 2. This time, the turban man had the guy with the toddler stand on his head! The 4 proceeded to walk in a circle and back and forth! This was all performed to the beat of 3 drums being played by 3 other boys. After all 8 feet were safely on the ground (which took less than 20 seconds), 2 men and 2 boys dressed in 2 dragon costumes, along with another boy adorned in a fancy silk outfit and a “V for Vendetta”-like mask began dancing to the drums. Another guy lit 2 strings of firecrackers simultaneously that were strung about a tree and around this mini wat (temple)...not sure the name of these sacred monuments yet, to which people bring flower and incense offerings and to which they wai (http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/how_to/wai/). The strands erupted with great commotion for 8 minutes straight! I've never had a fireworks strand last longer than about 20 seconds because they've only been about 2 feet long :(, but oh my goodness! They don't mess around!
This is a long weekend for schools because there's an event tomorrow (Friday) for Father's Day and then Monday is the King's birthday, and they ADORE the king with their whole hearts, so there's no school and huge festivities, so how I shall spend the next four days should be nothing less than interesting! Until next time!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
To come to the surface for air
The Thais are all smiles, especially if you (as a foreigner) give them one first to ease the possible tension of "idk how this farang is going to act, so I'm kind if intimidated by her" and make them feel safe enough to open up and return the smile. I'm talking about MOST of them. There are always exceptions and sometimes I give a smile and get a solid face that just stares, which I don't know how to take yet, but until I do, I just laugh to myself at the possible thoughts racing through their heads. Thailand is "the land of smiles" though. I don't know what all this garb is I hear about foreigners not being able to smile/look at anyone here because its so unsafe. How are you supposed to make fun of this one life you're given if smiling is a dangerous act? Ridiculous. Like how Europeans are scared to come to the U.S. because they hear how many people are shot and murdered every 30 seconds or whatever and I haven't ever witnessed anything of the sort in my 24 years of living there. It happens everywhere, but it doesn't mean you have to stop living because it's too unsafe to do anything but fear.
The sun's raining down on my skin as I write this atop my balcony overlooking the mountains, river, and the lovely town of Kanchanaburi (the second night in the town, as the River Kwai Mansion). Such a wonderful escape from the lack of exposure to the sun during the week that I have to deal with, trapped under the covering of the school. Watched some 14-year-old boys swimming around in the river with little black inner tubes. The River Kwai flows down into the Chao Phraya river that runs through Bangkok. It's much cleaner in Kanchanaburi. There's no way I'd swim in the Chao Phraya in the city, but I did get in a lil ways in the Kwai.
Another thing on Phil's list of things to do in Kanchanaburi that I wouldn't have done on my own was to visit the Death Rail Museum that talks about the Japanese' malicious ways in WWII. Kinda cool to learn about. Met 2 girls from the Netherlands, Flor and Hannakah (sp?)...yeh like the Jewish holiday who were touring around the country for a bit. My tie-dye V-neck shirt got all stretched out on the drive back home to Pakkret. Boo. Back to trafficland and pollution city.
It's interesting how poor a majority of this country is, yet I haven't seen one homeless person yet. They're all so close to having nothing (everything), yet they can make do with what they DO have and they are happy. It's all about mindset. Westerners are too needy. They aren't resourceful. They don't understand and can't fathom life without things.
I love how colorful Thais make everything. Their vehicles are all pimped out in vibrant colors, or are pimped out in some way. Even the garbage trucks are adorned with colorful shapes and designs on the backs and sides. The air con buses are out of control! Double-decker charter-bus-like things with air brushed images from top to bottom and front to back, with chrome exhaust pipes, loud, fancy sound systems blasting dance music, and covered with dozens of lights on the front. Some have these Michelin man-like things on the front, too...3-D. So intense, you can't help but laugh when one comes plowing down the street. The sawng-thaews have bright lime green roofs in the back, purple, yellow and green lights, some have disco balls and huge speakers and sub woofers like a party bus to take you to and from work. haha So hysterical.
The toilet paper, if you can find it...which is usually a travel package of tissue that some girls and foreigners carry around, is about the size of one square of American toilet paper. there are no paper towels, and there DEFINITELY aren't paper towels 16 inches x 12 inches like in the States. "Tissue" of any sort is not only hard to find, but also comes in environmentally-conscious sizes. Why do we think bigger is always better? Grr.
The sun's raining down on my skin as I write this atop my balcony overlooking the mountains, river, and the lovely town of Kanchanaburi (the second night in the town, as the River Kwai Mansion). Such a wonderful escape from the lack of exposure to the sun during the week that I have to deal with, trapped under the covering of the school. Watched some 14-year-old boys swimming around in the river with little black inner tubes. The River Kwai flows down into the Chao Phraya river that runs through Bangkok. It's much cleaner in Kanchanaburi. There's no way I'd swim in the Chao Phraya in the city, but I did get in a lil ways in the Kwai.
Another thing on Phil's list of things to do in Kanchanaburi that I wouldn't have done on my own was to visit the Death Rail Museum that talks about the Japanese' malicious ways in WWII. Kinda cool to learn about. Met 2 girls from the Netherlands, Flor and Hannakah (sp?)...yeh like the Jewish holiday who were touring around the country for a bit. My tie-dye V-neck shirt got all stretched out on the drive back home to Pakkret. Boo. Back to trafficland and pollution city.
It's interesting how poor a majority of this country is, yet I haven't seen one homeless person yet. They're all so close to having nothing (everything), yet they can make do with what they DO have and they are happy. It's all about mindset. Westerners are too needy. They aren't resourceful. They don't understand and can't fathom life without things.
I love how colorful Thais make everything. Their vehicles are all pimped out in vibrant colors, or are pimped out in some way. Even the garbage trucks are adorned with colorful shapes and designs on the backs and sides. The air con buses are out of control! Double-decker charter-bus-like things with air brushed images from top to bottom and front to back, with chrome exhaust pipes, loud, fancy sound systems blasting dance music, and covered with dozens of lights on the front. Some have these Michelin man-like things on the front, too...3-D. So intense, you can't help but laugh when one comes plowing down the street. The sawng-thaews have bright lime green roofs in the back, purple, yellow and green lights, some have disco balls and huge speakers and sub woofers like a party bus to take you to and from work. haha So hysterical.
The toilet paper, if you can find it...which is usually a travel package of tissue that some girls and foreigners carry around, is about the size of one square of American toilet paper. there are no paper towels, and there DEFINITELY aren't paper towels 16 inches x 12 inches like in the States. "Tissue" of any sort is not only hard to find, but also comes in environmentally-conscious sizes. Why do we think bigger is always better? Grr.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Empty Gravity
I don't want to convert. I don't want to rebel. I want to know. What's the harm in asking questions and being curious? Doing so in a way that doesn't judge, one way or the other, after learning something, but simply using the information to put the puzzle pieces of fact together in order to be able to see the whole image as it is, not how it should or could be.
I love rewarding my students. I love giving them candy or letting them play games in class, educational games (usually) where they actually all have fun and laugh and smile. I love saying something (completely without direct intention) that somehow or another ends up making someone feel special and tickles his or her soul, if only for a moment. I do believe everything happens for a reason, and when my words or actions end up affecting someone positively, to my awareness, I can't help but giggle at the beauty of someone feeling special.
One of my students (12-years-old) was writing sentences about how he felt. One sentence said "When I feel unhappy, I eat coke." hahaha I had to laugh hysterically. And this is why our world is so corrupt!
Thai food has yet to disappoint me. Granted, I have had a few dishes that made me basically cry for about 20 minutes, my face turn red, and practically made me blow a fuse because of the intensit of the spiciness, but it's always been well worth it. The best part so far has been the fact that I don't have a clue about most of the ingredients in my food. I usually have no idea what I am eating. They cut up whole chickens (even though I don't eat chicken) and throw everything in the pan, include whole herbs like whole, raw galangal (Thai ginger) root pieces, huge and impossible-to-chew bay leaves, and some sort of peppercorns they use that add so much flavor, but are SO intense if eaten raw or without by themselves and whole. My point is that I love the constant stimulation of all these new foods that always have some sort of surprise about them. There's usually at least one or two ingredients that I discover at the bottom of the dish or that I've never tried or seen before.
Down in Bangkok near Khao San Road is the famous Wat Phra kaew nd Grand Palace. Apparently this is the most famous temple in the country, and for good reason. It's stunning details, colors, intricacy of architecture and decoration, as well as its enormous lay out, consumed me for several hours one day. This was my first true experience with Buddhism as a religion. Incense and flowers were given as offerings, shoes were piled high and left outside the actual temple, and every square centimeter of these buildings was adorned with some sort of color of paint or texture that blew my mind. The entire expanse of one bordering wall told a story via hand-painted murals and gold flaking. So much time and care is put into each piece of these temples, resulting in a fine display and representation of the Buddhist culture.
A friend from back in the States came to Thailand on a yoga retreat last week, and although we were unable to get together before she had to return, she sent a new Polish friend Daria (from Ft. Lauderdale, FL) my way, who was staying in the country a few extra days and wanted to hang out with a face from a familiar place. Together, we took a van from Bangkok to a place about 2 hours west of here called Kanchanaburi. This is a smaller, but also touristy little city, and another place to scratch off on my list of places to which I need to visit. Teacher Phil met us there on his motorcycle. After being crammed in this large van like sardines for a few hours and not being able to put my feet up on my seat or the one in front of me (because it's Thailand and feet are considered dirty and should not be shown or aimed at anyone), we were bombarded at the bus station with Thais trying to make a buck from the tourists and give us a ride in their tuk tuks or taxis or motorcycles. It was slightly overwhelming for a few moments, but once we got away from the station area and found a row of food stalls to pacify our hunger pangs, we were able to relax and take in the scene. I was feeling ballsy and curious (go figure) and ended up buying an assortment of insects and amphibians to snack on as an appetizer. Phil and Daria were rather speechless throughout the selection, purchasing (only 30 baht...about $1), and eating process, and I must say their faces were priceless. It was new and different and I don't necessarily support the mass extinction of these creatures (grasshoppers, frogs, larvae, centipede things, etc.) but it was one of those you just have to try once to say you did, so...I did. They were pretty crunchy, and I would probably prefer them covered in chocolate or a dip of some sort, but they were cooked and lightly salted and actually not too bad. There was about one heaping handful of assorted critters that lasted me through the next day's breakfast. haha. I definitely got my protein in that day! We stayed in floating rooms with walls and ceilings constructed from paper-thin sugarcane on the River Kwai, the first night. I woke up to this loud noise of a long tail boat pulling a huge floating restaurant down the river. Soo loud..
We rented another motorcycle and toured through the winding mountain roads, fresh air, and tiny villages
of the Thai countryside about an hour north to the Erawan Waterfalls. I felt so alive behind the handlebars with the wind in my hair, turning it into one big dread lock. My nose filled with hundreds of aromas that shuffled through the air, all so different, yet all so deliciously invigorating. Each one made my smile grow wider and wider. The untethered feeling of having control of time, speed, and direction that was given me the moment I affixed myself in the driver's seat of the motorcycle was a brilliant highlight of my time here to date. It was yet another feeling to add to my ever-growing list of indescribable feelings I've experienced. I've driven motorcycles before, preferably dirt bikes that I could take off-roading on dirt ramps and through the woods in a race to not get to anywhere, but to get the most out of the experience, meaning faster speeds, steeper jumps, trickier terrain, etc. Every experience is different, though, and this one, on this bike, with this girl on the back, both of us with bare feet, in this country, driving down this road to this place, was unforgettable. Weaving in and out between trucks with bamboo poles piled 7 feet high on top of the racks and finally getting a first-hand dose of Thai-style driving was incredible. So free! Smiles and waves from all the passers-by who happen to be watching the road from their lazy hammocks, fruit stands, or bungalows made me giddy. Once we arrived at the waterfall park, we were greeted by foreigners (farangs) from every corner of the globe, and they were speaking languages to which I've not been introduced. So cool! Having to figure out which language to best address them was quite a thrill. Language really does open up a part of your mind that takes you out of your comfort zone, and if not utilized and practiced, will never become easier. It's not everyday that we are able to use this kind of knowledge that we may or may not already have, but once you open that door, it's a challenge that can be rather addicting and consuming (in a good way). The average American is spoiled (to some) or deprived of ( to others a.k.a. me) in that they don't have/get to experience the inability of being able to communicate to another human being via the use of words and language. It's really sad. Most Americans don't know what it's like to be somewhere where they are not understood and able to get/do anything they want, talk to anyone they want at any time. Having to learn or rack your brain for words in a different language, just in order to say hello or apologize or order food or any small task (not to mention get to know a person) is complicated. It's liberating and such a fun thing to be able to do. Americans are so brainwashed into believing the lies that they are the best of the best and the rest of the world wants to live in America and be like Americans and speak and act and talk and dress like Americans. It's a load of crap, and it's so sad to be the fat, lazy country that the rest of the world makes fun of for these reasons. America has a lot going for it, a lot of opportunities and such, but it's not full of educated, happy, and selfless people by any means. What are we striving for in life, anyway? Do we really want to be the most popular kid in school who is only popular because our parents are rich and so we have all these fancy clothes and drive a nice car but can't do anything for ourselves, much less for the other people around us? We don't have any close friends, merely millions of acquaintances, and it's our own fault. We are so talented and have so many resources, yet we choose to be so selfish and run the world, oblivious to the exuberant amount of good we're destroying in the process. People of the world probably wouldn't mind if we shared our easily-obtained money with them, but yet they want nothing to do with us as people because of what we represent and what we've allowed ourselves to become as a nation, and as individuals. We can't think on our own anymore and we don't even have to if we don't want to. The government is more than happy to do that for us, and it does, making us even lazier, more warped and brainwashed, and ignorant. These are completely self-inflicted wounds, and all it takes is a little curiosity, a little drive, and a little concern. Why do so many millions of Americans not see this and want what they could have? They claim to be happy, yet I've met families living beside busy streets and dirty ditches with nothing more than a make-shift shanty and good imaginations who are happier than most Americans.
Continuing from before I got of on a tangent, at Erawan Falls, we hiked up some serious rocks (not for the weak or lazy) in the lush, green tropical vegetation, climbing 7 tiers of emerald green waterfalls and pools. A couple small gibbons were "hanging" out in some trees near the first tier. I suddenly felt a part of my heart mend together, becoming more whole at the sight. I felt at home seeing them there live, before my eyes. Watching monkeys is not dissimilar to holding a baby and watching his or her every move, expression, thought. They really are human-like, and babies are "like" little people. Their brains are capable of processing, interpreting, and creating. Their bodies (unlike those of babies) can multitask, feel weight distribution effortlessly, navigate amongst branches and limbs with such ease and haste. I can't wait to spend more time with them, get to know them and their personalities, become more in tune with my own body and able to throw it about with awareness. If I was something in a past life, I think it was a monkey...or a dolphin. Maybe a dolphin first. They intrigue the crap out of me, either way, and I love them, in their natural habitat, of course.
I love discovering new and universal forms of sign language, out of necessity, to use to interact with people who speak different languages than any I know. A person can only be co creative on his or her own, but stick them in a new environment, surrounded by foreign culture and he or she will realize so much more potential in him/herself as the person realizes that there's never a bottom to a black hole (the astronomical,scientific abyss). There's always "plenty more where that came from," one simply must be inspired or stimulated in a new way.
On the drive back to Kanchanaburi from our day trip to the falls, I watched the fiery sun slowly sneak off behind the green mountains to make light for a new day on the side of the world that I used to call home. Daria had left on a bus back to Bangkok in order to catch her flight to the States in time, so I had the motorcycle to myself. B-) Yeh, talk about super freedom! I could stand up, put my feet up, stir around, go fast, weave from side to side, and I could feel the bugs smacking into my face, the wind and dirt and dust drying out my eyeballs, and the wetness seeping out of the corners of them like tears of happiness, but it didn't bother me for a minute. I was living and feeling and it was a dream. Had some grasshoppers for breakfast. They were better the first time around when they were fresh. They were less crunchy and rather tasteless 2 days later, but I finished them anyway. haha
We passed a field of sleepy sunflowers that hung their heads as dusk came over them. Fields of sugarcane lined the road for miles, hiding tiny paths to bamboo bungalows that I was dying to visit and make my own. I would've loved to trek down the trails to discover the beautiful, yet simple lifestyles of the local village people. That time will come, though, for me. I must be patient. I was doing things Phil's way this weekend: playing civilized tourist and staying in the city in guesthouses along the main drag. I appreciated it, however, because I was able to do things that I normally wouldn't have chosen to see or gotten to experience if it were up to me. I definitely could live there, though, out in the countryside, which to me is the wrong word to use in this area of the world, but I am not sure what else to call it that would paint the right picture for my readers.
Loy Krathong is a huge Thai holiday I was able to experience firsthand, a day or two later. On this day, they celebrate and give thanks to the water: the sea, the river, and lakes for feeding and providing for them. They send off little "krathongs" made of palm frowns, fresh flowers, sugarcane rings, and candles, into the water and simple lanterns with flames that fill with hot air from the candles and float off into the sky at night. It's quite a sight, rather magical. The area adjacent to the lake we went to was filled with thousands of people with home made fireworks and explosives (like M-80's). That many unsupervised people with such intense dynamite in one area makes for a mini war zone. At one point, I thought I had blown up after feeling, hearing, and seeing a bright flash and huge burst that made me jump...somehow. It was kinda scary, but after realizing I was still in one piece I was laughing and running and dodging the other "bullets".
I love rewarding my students. I love giving them candy or letting them play games in class, educational games (usually) where they actually all have fun and laugh and smile. I love saying something (completely without direct intention) that somehow or another ends up making someone feel special and tickles his or her soul, if only for a moment. I do believe everything happens for a reason, and when my words or actions end up affecting someone positively, to my awareness, I can't help but giggle at the beauty of someone feeling special.
One of my students (12-years-old) was writing sentences about how he felt. One sentence said "When I feel unhappy, I eat coke." hahaha I had to laugh hysterically. And this is why our world is so corrupt!
Thai food has yet to disappoint me. Granted, I have had a few dishes that made me basically cry for about 20 minutes, my face turn red, and practically made me blow a fuse because of the intensit of the spiciness, but it's always been well worth it. The best part so far has been the fact that I don't have a clue about most of the ingredients in my food. I usually have no idea what I am eating. They cut up whole chickens (even though I don't eat chicken) and throw everything in the pan, include whole herbs like whole, raw galangal (Thai ginger) root pieces, huge and impossible-to-chew bay leaves, and some sort of peppercorns they use that add so much flavor, but are SO intense if eaten raw or without by themselves and whole. My point is that I love the constant stimulation of all these new foods that always have some sort of surprise about them. There's usually at least one or two ingredients that I discover at the bottom of the dish or that I've never tried or seen before.
Down in Bangkok near Khao San Road is the famous Wat Phra kaew nd Grand Palace. Apparently this is the most famous temple in the country, and for good reason. It's stunning details, colors, intricacy of architecture and decoration, as well as its enormous lay out, consumed me for several hours one day. This was my first true experience with Buddhism as a religion. Incense and flowers were given as offerings, shoes were piled high and left outside the actual temple, and every square centimeter of these buildings was adorned with some sort of color of paint or texture that blew my mind. The entire expanse of one bordering wall told a story via hand-painted murals and gold flaking. So much time and care is put into each piece of these temples, resulting in a fine display and representation of the Buddhist culture.
A friend from back in the States came to Thailand on a yoga retreat last week, and although we were unable to get together before she had to return, she sent a new Polish friend Daria (from Ft. Lauderdale, FL) my way, who was staying in the country a few extra days and wanted to hang out with a face from a familiar place. Together, we took a van from Bangkok to a place about 2 hours west of here called Kanchanaburi. This is a smaller, but also touristy little city, and another place to scratch off on my list of places to which I need to visit. Teacher Phil met us there on his motorcycle. After being crammed in this large van like sardines for a few hours and not being able to put my feet up on my seat or the one in front of me (because it's Thailand and feet are considered dirty and should not be shown or aimed at anyone), we were bombarded at the bus station with Thais trying to make a buck from the tourists and give us a ride in their tuk tuks or taxis or motorcycles. It was slightly overwhelming for a few moments, but once we got away from the station area and found a row of food stalls to pacify our hunger pangs, we were able to relax and take in the scene. I was feeling ballsy and curious (go figure) and ended up buying an assortment of insects and amphibians to snack on as an appetizer. Phil and Daria were rather speechless throughout the selection, purchasing (only 30 baht...about $1), and eating process, and I must say their faces were priceless. It was new and different and I don't necessarily support the mass extinction of these creatures (grasshoppers, frogs, larvae, centipede things, etc.) but it was one of those you just have to try once to say you did, so...I did. They were pretty crunchy, and I would probably prefer them covered in chocolate or a dip of some sort, but they were cooked and lightly salted and actually not too bad. There was about one heaping handful of assorted critters that lasted me through the next day's breakfast. haha. I definitely got my protein in that day! We stayed in floating rooms with walls and ceilings constructed from paper-thin sugarcane on the River Kwai, the first night. I woke up to this loud noise of a long tail boat pulling a huge floating restaurant down the river. Soo loud..
We rented another motorcycle and toured through the winding mountain roads, fresh air, and tiny villages
of the Thai countryside about an hour north to the Erawan Waterfalls. I felt so alive behind the handlebars with the wind in my hair, turning it into one big dread lock. My nose filled with hundreds of aromas that shuffled through the air, all so different, yet all so deliciously invigorating. Each one made my smile grow wider and wider. The untethered feeling of having control of time, speed, and direction that was given me the moment I affixed myself in the driver's seat of the motorcycle was a brilliant highlight of my time here to date. It was yet another feeling to add to my ever-growing list of indescribable feelings I've experienced. I've driven motorcycles before, preferably dirt bikes that I could take off-roading on dirt ramps and through the woods in a race to not get to anywhere, but to get the most out of the experience, meaning faster speeds, steeper jumps, trickier terrain, etc. Every experience is different, though, and this one, on this bike, with this girl on the back, both of us with bare feet, in this country, driving down this road to this place, was unforgettable. Weaving in and out between trucks with bamboo poles piled 7 feet high on top of the racks and finally getting a first-hand dose of Thai-style driving was incredible. So free! Smiles and waves from all the passers-by who happen to be watching the road from their lazy hammocks, fruit stands, or bungalows made me giddy. Once we arrived at the waterfall park, we were greeted by foreigners (farangs) from every corner of the globe, and they were speaking languages to which I've not been introduced. So cool! Having to figure out which language to best address them was quite a thrill. Language really does open up a part of your mind that takes you out of your comfort zone, and if not utilized and practiced, will never become easier. It's not everyday that we are able to use this kind of knowledge that we may or may not already have, but once you open that door, it's a challenge that can be rather addicting and consuming (in a good way). The average American is spoiled (to some) or deprived of ( to others a.k.a. me) in that they don't have/get to experience the inability of being able to communicate to another human being via the use of words and language. It's really sad. Most Americans don't know what it's like to be somewhere where they are not understood and able to get/do anything they want, talk to anyone they want at any time. Having to learn or rack your brain for words in a different language, just in order to say hello or apologize or order food or any small task (not to mention get to know a person) is complicated. It's liberating and such a fun thing to be able to do. Americans are so brainwashed into believing the lies that they are the best of the best and the rest of the world wants to live in America and be like Americans and speak and act and talk and dress like Americans. It's a load of crap, and it's so sad to be the fat, lazy country that the rest of the world makes fun of for these reasons. America has a lot going for it, a lot of opportunities and such, but it's not full of educated, happy, and selfless people by any means. What are we striving for in life, anyway? Do we really want to be the most popular kid in school who is only popular because our parents are rich and so we have all these fancy clothes and drive a nice car but can't do anything for ourselves, much less for the other people around us? We don't have any close friends, merely millions of acquaintances, and it's our own fault. We are so talented and have so many resources, yet we choose to be so selfish and run the world, oblivious to the exuberant amount of good we're destroying in the process. People of the world probably wouldn't mind if we shared our easily-obtained money with them, but yet they want nothing to do with us as people because of what we represent and what we've allowed ourselves to become as a nation, and as individuals. We can't think on our own anymore and we don't even have to if we don't want to. The government is more than happy to do that for us, and it does, making us even lazier, more warped and brainwashed, and ignorant. These are completely self-inflicted wounds, and all it takes is a little curiosity, a little drive, and a little concern. Why do so many millions of Americans not see this and want what they could have? They claim to be happy, yet I've met families living beside busy streets and dirty ditches with nothing more than a make-shift shanty and good imaginations who are happier than most Americans.
Continuing from before I got of on a tangent, at Erawan Falls, we hiked up some serious rocks (not for the weak or lazy) in the lush, green tropical vegetation, climbing 7 tiers of emerald green waterfalls and pools. A couple small gibbons were "hanging" out in some trees near the first tier. I suddenly felt a part of my heart mend together, becoming more whole at the sight. I felt at home seeing them there live, before my eyes. Watching monkeys is not dissimilar to holding a baby and watching his or her every move, expression, thought. They really are human-like, and babies are "like" little people. Their brains are capable of processing, interpreting, and creating. Their bodies (unlike those of babies) can multitask, feel weight distribution effortlessly, navigate amongst branches and limbs with such ease and haste. I can't wait to spend more time with them, get to know them and their personalities, become more in tune with my own body and able to throw it about with awareness. If I was something in a past life, I think it was a monkey...or a dolphin. Maybe a dolphin first. They intrigue the crap out of me, either way, and I love them, in their natural habitat, of course.
I love discovering new and universal forms of sign language, out of necessity, to use to interact with people who speak different languages than any I know. A person can only be co creative on his or her own, but stick them in a new environment, surrounded by foreign culture and he or she will realize so much more potential in him/herself as the person realizes that there's never a bottom to a black hole (the astronomical,scientific abyss). There's always "plenty more where that came from," one simply must be inspired or stimulated in a new way.
On the drive back to Kanchanaburi from our day trip to the falls, I watched the fiery sun slowly sneak off behind the green mountains to make light for a new day on the side of the world that I used to call home. Daria had left on a bus back to Bangkok in order to catch her flight to the States in time, so I had the motorcycle to myself. B-) Yeh, talk about super freedom! I could stand up, put my feet up, stir around, go fast, weave from side to side, and I could feel the bugs smacking into my face, the wind and dirt and dust drying out my eyeballs, and the wetness seeping out of the corners of them like tears of happiness, but it didn't bother me for a minute. I was living and feeling and it was a dream. Had some grasshoppers for breakfast. They were better the first time around when they were fresh. They were less crunchy and rather tasteless 2 days later, but I finished them anyway. haha
We passed a field of sleepy sunflowers that hung their heads as dusk came over them. Fields of sugarcane lined the road for miles, hiding tiny paths to bamboo bungalows that I was dying to visit and make my own. I would've loved to trek down the trails to discover the beautiful, yet simple lifestyles of the local village people. That time will come, though, for me. I must be patient. I was doing things Phil's way this weekend: playing civilized tourist and staying in the city in guesthouses along the main drag. I appreciated it, however, because I was able to do things that I normally wouldn't have chosen to see or gotten to experience if it were up to me. I definitely could live there, though, out in the countryside, which to me is the wrong word to use in this area of the world, but I am not sure what else to call it that would paint the right picture for my readers.
Loy Krathong is a huge Thai holiday I was able to experience firsthand, a day or two later. On this day, they celebrate and give thanks to the water: the sea, the river, and lakes for feeding and providing for them. They send off little "krathongs" made of palm frowns, fresh flowers, sugarcane rings, and candles, into the water and simple lanterns with flames that fill with hot air from the candles and float off into the sky at night. It's quite a sight, rather magical. The area adjacent to the lake we went to was filled with thousands of people with home made fireworks and explosives (like M-80's). That many unsupervised people with such intense dynamite in one area makes for a mini war zone. At one point, I thought I had blown up after feeling, hearing, and seeing a bright flash and huge burst that made me jump...somehow. It was kinda scary, but after realizing I was still in one piece I was laughing and running and dodging the other "bullets".
Sunday, November 14, 2010
You can put on the red light if you want to.
So, I forgot the mention an exceptional opportunity I had in Hawaii. I was taken to the world's only natural salt water aquarium. I swam in a champagne pool filled with nearly 1000 fish and sea creatures or all sizes, meeting face to face with parrot fish, tuna, eels, and many other vibrant fish. I fed them avocados, lettuce, mangoes, and papaya. They loved it, but I think I loved it more. Such a special feeling that was! It reached parts of "wow" that I can't explain. And to be able to do that in a natural environment? Priceless.
I am comforted by the stray dogs that wander lazily about the streets, and occasionally burst into a wild barking fest.
So, I have been hanging out with another teacher who is also a sound engineer, and he has been sharing his knowledge with me. The addiction of music is a strong one. If it gets to you, you're basically done for, suckered into a life all-consuming. Every measure of a song, every sound or beat takes over you and is captured and tossed into an expensive blender of ideas and moves and other rhythms and vibes. Any life is forever tolerable from this point forward. I remember how closed and unexposed I once was to so many things. I didn't understand different lifestyles or types of music or ways of thinking and reaching conclusions. I thought I knew it all. Traveling has and forever will continuously erase these stereotypes and preconceived notions about the unknown. And I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to say that. For the freedom to not care so much that all I can do is care. Care about every single human being who's path happens to cross mine, whatever their intention or mine. Some people are concerned, and for good reason, with safety and finances. I believe these are things one should be aware of, but should not have to constantly worry and stress over them. The less one has, the less one has to worry about. I have 150 pounds of belongings with me. I'd like to at least cut it in half. It ties me down. It's extra weight that inhibits me from doing.
I've decided to let the teaching gig go and to travel to the Philippines to see my family, experience yet another country, and to give myself time to do things I want to do. Teaching hasn't given me much chance to do that. The environment is not for me. I need to be physical, outside, and not working 13 hours a day. It'll be grand.
And I love Thailand. Everywhere you go, there are sacrifices to make, and having to make those is tough but oh, so inspiring after that fact, no matter the outcome. For every red light, there's a green light. Why else would there be a red light?
I am comforted by the stray dogs that wander lazily about the streets, and occasionally burst into a wild barking fest.
So, I have been hanging out with another teacher who is also a sound engineer, and he has been sharing his knowledge with me. The addiction of music is a strong one. If it gets to you, you're basically done for, suckered into a life all-consuming. Every measure of a song, every sound or beat takes over you and is captured and tossed into an expensive blender of ideas and moves and other rhythms and vibes. Any life is forever tolerable from this point forward. I remember how closed and unexposed I once was to so many things. I didn't understand different lifestyles or types of music or ways of thinking and reaching conclusions. I thought I knew it all. Traveling has and forever will continuously erase these stereotypes and preconceived notions about the unknown. And I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to say that. For the freedom to not care so much that all I can do is care. Care about every single human being who's path happens to cross mine, whatever their intention or mine. Some people are concerned, and for good reason, with safety and finances. I believe these are things one should be aware of, but should not have to constantly worry and stress over them. The less one has, the less one has to worry about. I have 150 pounds of belongings with me. I'd like to at least cut it in half. It ties me down. It's extra weight that inhibits me from doing.
I've decided to let the teaching gig go and to travel to the Philippines to see my family, experience yet another country, and to give myself time to do things I want to do. Teaching hasn't given me much chance to do that. The environment is not for me. I need to be physical, outside, and not working 13 hours a day. It'll be grand.
And I love Thailand. Everywhere you go, there are sacrifices to make, and having to make those is tough but oh, so inspiring after that fact, no matter the outcome. For every red light, there's a green light. Why else would there be a red light?
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