Chapter 23: Thailand

I know it’s been a few weeks since my last post. For this Im sorry. I will update you on the last few weeks of Thailand…as I leave Kanchana in 11 hours.

The beach- I just finished reading “the beach”, slightly different then the movie, but all the same brought me back to the islands I spent the last week on. Many stories…that would not be given justice in a blog. I’m sure there will be story time after I return to the states. It was basically bliss…utopia…perfection under the sun and in the water for 7 days. Our plan was to explore a bit…spend a day or two here and there..see a few different places, but in the end we kept extending our stay on Koh Phi Phi. Each day…our thoughts were “alright…just one more night.” One more night turned into two, then three…we found ourselves never wanting to leave. I figure…why leave somewhere that is…well…sanuk, soi. It would of course not have been the same without the people. The people you meet on the way are who make the stories and the memories alive. They each intrigued me in different ways…and hopefully in the end brought something into my life I’ll be able to give to others. Sounds so sappy I know…but the truth is sometimes clichéd and sappy. And we all know that I am always sappy. Especially at times like these. I keep in my mind an email my mother sent…knowing I would receive it back at school…a few words that have stuck with me since and ive passed on to a few traveling friends, “don’t cry because it’s over. smile because it happened.”

A few more days spent back at school. Parties, presents, goodbyes, tears. With their tears and attempts at goodbyes…this was more then I may have spoken to many of the teachers the entire term. But it was more then enough. We had a farewell party and farewell dinner and farewell lunch…and it doesn’t seem to be ending. As the director said a few words…quite a few…I smiled and nodded like I always do…laughed with everyone on cue. Then I looked across the table as my friend Pla motioned for me to wai and thank him. I did so post haste and everyone complemented me on my timing. I gave a speech and was asked to write it down to be translated later. As I walk around campus today saying my last goodbyes…teachers are literally taking things off their backs and giving them to me as gestures of thanks. I learned the proper way to give them back without being impolite. I also went through my bags and passed out clothes and jewelry I would not miss and they would greatly appreciate. I needed to lighten by bags up a little anyway.

A few things Ill miss…not in any order…

Daolien (meaning starflower)- gave me my monthly massage in Uthai Thani Hospital. Monthly turned into weekly. Daolien was my age and knew my muscles better then I did. She kneaded and gnawed and although her massages were sometimes painful…in the end it was jello-y bliss.

Thai markets- beautiful, colorful, creative and surprising…the markets brought spice into my sometimes dull weeks. They were filled with everything from gutted frogs to fried rats on a stick, from grilled bananas and bamboo sticky rice (a favorite) to buckets of live eels and squid. There was nothing you couldn’t find at a Thai market and the best part was I managed to pay for my weeks supply of food in less then 200 baht (7 American dollars). I also got quite good at bargaining in Thai…a skill that wont take me much farther…but one that I may have perfected. I think by the end I was receiving Thai discounts over the outrageous farang prices. The farmers that knew me…also new I earned Thai salary and that my whiteness did not mean richness.

“Hello Teacha…Good morning Teacha” – Although the students were naughtier then expected..and by the end, most did not even come to class. ..I will still miss their constant attempts at English greetings, their giggles when they say, “good morning” rather then “good afternoon”., their blank stares when asked a question, but more their brilliant smiles when they visit my room in the afternoon. Sometimes we would chat, sometimes play games, draw pictures…look through my pictures, skype from back home, teach me Thai…it was more fun to just hang out then actually teach. Go figure.

Soi- beautiful- heard constantly throughout my day. From teachers, from students, from parents, farmers, mothers…Overwhelmed at times by the constant attention…a girl can never hear she’s beautiful too many times. D- you’ll have to keep up with this oneJ

My infamous water supply and living arrangements…ok so these things might not be missed…just remembered. It was always a question as to whether I had running water or not. By the last week- I had it only twice because there was a draught. I took many showers with buckets and only a few hot ones when on vacation. During the one “cold”er month…there were days I didn’t even want to wake up because I didn’t want to take a cold shower. Yes- pity me. My apartment was also infested with pigeons…everywhere….except for directly IN my house. They were everywhere else..building nests and being gross. If you know me…you know there are few things on my hate list and one of them is pigeons. They are like walking hepatitis. I still did not have the heart to break their eggs though (the Thai teachers got mad at me for this) and they multiplied each week.

There is more to add to this list…but atm I do not want to think. Or “reflect” as you bloggers might say.

TBC…

The girl guides and boy scouts camped out throughout campus last week. Although I did not join them camping…air con was too precious in the temp…I did join in on the festivities…wishing I was a girl guide and 13 again. In the black of the night I watched them type rope over water and swim across the swamps on campus…climb trees and reach their hands into a questionable bowl. The latter I actually did do after much persistence…it was slimy and gooey and later I learned they were real eels. No comment. The students cooked me dinner over their fires and sang campfire songs around the bon fire. I even attempted to teach them the English equivalent to “make new friends. ..” A good way to say farewell…

**an added piece to “what do you truely know…” gma- be kind.  kindness goes a long way and it’s not difficult to do.  so very true.

On my way here I read an article Oprah had written in her latest magazine. It had interviews of writers, news casters, celebrities, and friends old and young…asking them the same single question. “What is it that you truly know…” On my 18 hour flight…it had be thinking…and I asked myself the same question. This is what I came up with…

1. To love someone you must love them for who they are and not for who you want them to be

2. You cannot plan life…you must except and embrace that life has a plan for you

3. Many things make up who you are…but it’s the people you surround your heart with that matters most. They change you. They shape you. They comment on your blog. And they are all uniquely irreplaceable …

After the last 5 months I asked myself the same question the other day…and am adding a few more…

4. Worrying gets you absolutely no where,,,except it does tend to attract stray dogs

5. Even if we do learn from our mistakes…we will continue to make more. Sometimes even the same ones. We are only human.

6. Simplicity is life’s little secret

7. Most things in life are relative- safety, education, cleanliness, warmth, forgiveness, wealth, love…the list goes on

8. Taking the time is worth it. To stop. To talk. To listen. To remember. To forget. To love. To enjoy.

Although officially ripped off from Oprah…it would be interesting to see answers from others. I encourage you to think about it and share what it is that you “truly know”….I can post them after. I’d like to think these are things I truly know…but then again…it’s all relative in the end. Maybe I should say it’s what I truly know at 23…

This weekend I went to Lop Buri for the day. Lop Buri, formerly known as Lawo, was one of the important ancient towns of the Khmers period during the 10^th -13^th centuries. Khmer ruins are scattered throughout the town that was built around the remaining ancient architecture. What’s most special about this small town, however, is there infestation of monkeys. As soon as I entered the city via motorcy (motorbike) there were monkeys roaming everywhere…through the street, among the ruins, swimming in fountains, and swinging from the trees and telephone wires. Although the city discouraged the monkeys at first, they realized it brought in revenue as a tourist attraction. Now they celebrate the monkeys with a yearly festival- dancing in the streets and offering the monkeys the best of the best.

After walking around the town and amongst the ruins most of the day…I watched the monkeys swim. They were just like the kids at a swimming pool I once guarded at. They dove in and played tag, swam in circles and dunked each other. I had to remind myself these creatures were not 10 year old children. They were also not shy as I thought they would be. A few even tried to eat my dress and steal my bag.

On the way home…I had to make two bus transfers…Uthai is not easy to get to…but im used to that. I met Kae on my first bus, as he was headed to Chainat (a province about 50 kilos from mine). He worked in Bangkok and his English was excellent. He helped me figure out my bus transfer…and as I waited for the bus to leave, he got back on and asked if he could give me a ride back to school. His children dont meet many foreigners and they had never been to Uthai Thani before so they were thrilled when I accepted his gracious offer. His in-laws and two children picked us up…on our drive home we stopped by their favorite juice stalls to get the kids a treat and we toured the country side. Once in Uthai, we walked up to the local temple (456 steps). I played games with the kids and talked to Kae about everything…culture, politics, thai fruit. After walking around the local festival, they continued to drive me the entire way back to school…interested in seeing where I lived and the campus. I fell in love with his children and was invited to their home for dinner and to meet his wife next week. The hospitality here is incredible and this is just one of many stories where I have been so welcome.

*Ive posted pictures of Kae and his children June (12) and Jaem (7). They were all smiles…

After a long day of visiting schools…all I needed was a shower. As we drove up, I was presented with a ticket and an invitation to attend the dormitory students (matium 3 and 6) graduation at 5:30. It was 5:15. Tables were set up on the lawn and the stage was set. Each class put together a performance…some sang, some danced, some told jokes…they were all light hearted and more fun then the tradition Thai performances I had attended in the past. A few students stood up to speak…say their thank yous to their classmates and teachers…although I couldn’t understand much, their expressions and emotions said enough. Tears streamed as they hugged on stage and embraced each other…when the head boy and girl of matium 3 class got up to speak, her tears held back her speech.. It is quite uncustomary to touch someone of the opposite sex in public…especially if you’re a student. I could tell all she wanted to do was embrace him. They looked at each other and gave quite uncustomary deep, slow wais. After a few more performances, they started loading the chairs on stage…the Thai teacher grabbed my hand and said , “Come Kim…“ surprised I wasn’t already up and out of my seat like the rest of the teachers. I sat up on stage between the director and the teachers as the students lined up one by one. They each handed me a white string. I glanced at the other teachers…and tied the strings on the students’ arms one by one following suit. After a few ties…I whispered to another English teacher a few chairs down…“what’s congratulations”. She laughed and realized I had been caught off guard and thrown up there. “Yin Dee Doi”, she replied back. I continued with each student as they bowed at my feet…some fighting off tears…“yin dee doi…choke dee (good luck)“. “thank you teacha,” their reply. The ceremony was moving and unexpected. Mikwamsuk (happy) and siajai (sad) all at the same time.

**Ive posted some more pictures on-line under “my last month…” There is one quite disturbing I caught at an elementary school. Of course…I was the only one thrown off by it…

 Last week I took two trips across Uthai Province to visit primary schools in hopes of recruiting children to attend Kanchanapisek (my school) next year. Each school was quite unique….some had 3 buildings and 1500 students, while others had only 3 classrooms with 100 kids. All the students were the same however, peaking into the class I was presenting in (well attempting to present in thai)…trying to get a look at the white farang, which im sure some have never seen before in their small rural farm villages. The shy ones would run around the corner, point, then run back, while the braver students said hello and answered my questions unconfidently…“what is your name…how old are you…“ exc. Pictures of some of the schools are posted. And I did get quite a few offers to continue teaching at their school. Although I felt like more of a commodity…it was refreshing visiting with the younger students…their enthusiasm and energy. The day was draining in the hot sun though. At the end of the day we dropped off our school students that came and spent a good deal of time visiting with their families. One student lived with his grandmother (pictured) and owned a small shop. Another student lived back on dirt roads…her mom fixed us fresh jack fruit and showed us their juice room (they make and bottle their own juices). They also had a tamarind farm (my favorite fruit in Thailand).

She bagged some for each of us…and they tasted better then the store. I tried everything…and when we were finished….she said in Thai, “youre very easy…most foreigners worry about the cleanliness or think its too dirty but you try everything…” I think this was a compliment…but I didn’t think much of it…cleanliness is all relative. My other student lived in a small Thai style house (thatched roof and wooden walls) that overlooked the cane fields her father farmed on. We drove up to him sleeping in a hammock overlooking the fields watching the sunset. Simplicity.

The last few weeks have been filled with Thai food, fun, and family. Cheesy I know but I thought it had a nice ring to it. I visited Cha Am few weeks ago. with a teacher (Yui) only two years older then me who lives below me. She invited me to meet her sister and relax on the local Thai beach that was only a few hours away. We relaxed, rode horses, and the best part of the trip- ate famous Cha Am seafood. Yui failed to mention her sister was a local chef. Saturday morning we rose early and headed to the market. Her sister walked down the aisles like she knew them by heart and picked out fresh squid, crabs, oysters, clams, and shrimps the size of my hand. Back at her house, she grabbed a propane stove…no not a stove….a propane tank, placed it on the front porch and started heating the water. She threw some vegetables and limes in front of me to start chopping up on the giant wooden platform used for multiple functions…this time for preparing food and eating. Within 15 minutes, she prepared the best tom yom koung (seafood soup) I have had here. We boiled the crabs, oysters, and clams, and enjoyed our seafood feast at 10 in the morning.

The weekend was relaxing…I brought my dictionary and Yui and I enjoyed school gossip and boy talk. I did resist swimming, however, for multiple reasons…a). Thais love banana boats (giant boats shaped like bananas attached to jet skis that speed through the waves). They are all in good fun…but I witnessed a few people crawling out of the water spewing their lunch among the surf…and b). Since it was primarily a Thai tourist destination…there were only Thais swimming. There was not one in a bathing suit…actually far from it…most swam in full attire- jeans, sweatshirts, tees, pants. I didn’t feel comfortable baring it all or swimming in my jeans so I was content relaxing in the sand.

Friday I headed out again…trying to make the most of my last few weekends here. Another 10 hour bus trip North to Chang Rai for Juliette’s 25^th birthday. With a plan this time, we (me, Juliette and lisa) were making a second attempt up Mt. Puchifa. Success. Saturday afternoon we drove another two hours up the mountain with our hired guide Kip. We rented three tents from his friend in town and kept driving until we came to the national park where we set up camp. My girl scout skills came in handy…we got a fire lit in know time and feasted on chicken and pork on a stick, grilled eggplant, tomato, avocado, and chang. Unfortunately no grams so no somemores. Puchifa is more of a Thai tradition…not yet tainted by lonely planet…so we were the only farangs (foreigners) there. Later that night, a group of about 20 thais set up their camp right below us- we later learned they were all social studies teachers in training at Chang Rai University. Immediately, Arm came over and serenaded us with the only English lyrics he knew. We joined their camp shortly after (we couldn’t resist)…sat around their roaring fire, told jokes and shared stories in broken English and Thai, attempted to learn Thai folk songs, enjoyed Thai whisky…and every now and then would look up and be entranced by the sky. “Dao soie” they would say, pointing upwards, “dao soie we repeated, beautiful stars”, “beautiful stars,” they said in return. The night continued like this until 2am…until there was nothing left to burn and the night melted into silence.

4:30 am flashlights shined in our tents. It was our three tour guides we hired the day before to bring us up the mountain. Keesa, sexie, and shilong- three 9 year old boys from the village orphanage willing to hang out with us for the morning and help for as little as we were willing to give. They were adorable so how could we say no? They helped us pack up our tents and clean up camp, then lead us on a 30 minute hike up the mountain- just in time for sunrise. Although I posted pictures (see “puchifa” under blog roll) words cannot describe its beauty. Straight from a national geographic. I think my best trip so far.

The ride home was a little shaky with quite a few challenges…but like I say with everything here…what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger. Ill save you the details to keep mom from going crazy. But just know I made it back in one piece and that’s all that matters.

It is not unusual to see 4 kids a mom and a sack of rice piled onto a motor bike. Safety has a different standard in these borders. Children as young as 7 are seen speeding past on motor bikes. Moms run errands with their infant strapped (sometimes not…just holding on) to the front of the bike. Pick-up trucks are not only loaded with hay and materials, but sometimes dozens of kids and/or workers. At first, it was a system shock..cringing each time a motor bike ran past, but now I’m used to it…even the other day on my way to the market- 6 students on one bike. It was plugging along and it’s rims scraped the road’s surface, but they managed to make it there and back in one piece. In Chang Mai, after a few drinks at a Thai night club with friends, we hailed a tuktuk (tiny cart with 3 wheels and a motor) and fit 6 people on this (two holding onto the sides of the driver hanging out the sides, 3 crammed in the back, and one literally sprawled across our laps. Good thing we were a bit tipsy at the time, or else it would not have been comfortable. It takes me back to the days on New York and DC, when cab drivers would be hesitant to even put four in the back seat. Unless they were corrupt and you slipped them more cash, most would only drive the allotted 4 (so we would all have seatbelts that we would in turn, not wear). When Brittany Spears made national news and went to courts for her baby driving stunt (for those of you who don’t remember- baby Spears rode shotgun on Brittany’s lap) I wonder if those pictures made it here. I’d assume it didn’t get much press…because here, it’s just the way things work.

Dogs…There is quite the dog problem here. No one gets them fixed (bob barker would be quite upset) which you can imagine leads to a country overpopulated with stray dogs. Most aren’t vicious, many are sick, and none have the loving dog personalities we find from our canine best friends at home. Im assuming it is due to the heat and lack of nutrition that they are quite subdued- sleep all day, in the sun, not moving an inch as you walk past. At night there seems to be quite the dog melody, that I assume one only hears in the quietness of the country. Simultaneously late at night, all the dogs break out in a chorus, howling…it’s so loud it sometimes wakes me up at night if I already dozed off. It is exactly like One Hundred and One Dalmatians style…like their planning their attack and their plans to take over the country side. It’s kind of creepy at night, and I find myself checking the locks

ps I truely enjoy all your comments.  keep em comin
pps i thought i posted this a while back…oops

The same things I love about this country are the same things that drive me crazy sometimes. But, thus is life and I am used to most Thai style or sty as they say…as much of it is becoming my own. As a white woman, I receive quite a bit of attention. Although charming at first, it causes me to always be on guard, on my best behavior, and as appropriate as possible. On my way home from Chang Mai last weekend (a 10 hour bus ride that got me back at 3am and dropped me off on the side of the highway- I guess that’s another posting) our bus ran into 4 check points. Each time, the officers loaded the bus in masks and with guns, checked everyone’s passport, went through our luggage loaded underneath the bus, and even checked the crevices of the engine. It was not a pleasant experience- especially as 3 of the officers hovered over me specifically at 1 in the morning passing my id around trying to pronounce my name. Not going to lie- one of those moments I wished I blended in. The majority of the reactions to “…mah jak America.” is an immediate smile and “Oba-ma!” emphases on the “ma” as they point to their darkened skin and say same-same. I’ve gotten used to this type of attention, but as I work in the little Thai I know, they are thrilled with my attempts and I gain a different kind of respect from them as they continue to hound me with questions and try to teach every word around me.

Other customs I’ve grown accustomed to- in ground “toilet” holes. Places near Bangkok have westernized toilettes, but an hour outside, all you will get are holes with buckets of water to flush with. I’m a pro now at this squatting technique. In the North, there are two basic types of work- farming, or owning a shop. Every shop- noodles, car parts, cloth- every shop is a house as well. The restroom is their own family restroom- shampoo and toothbrushes scattered throughout, the wooden plank next to the pot of boiling broth is the owners bed. Mattresses are very rare…most Thais sleep on wooden planks – or a big wooden table (some outdoors) throughout the day and at night. The temperatures get so hot that sometimes the only thing to do is sleep. Many older Thais- especially farmers and market sellers- have black stained teeth. The permanent tooth decay is from their lack of dentistry and the constant leaf they chew (much like pure tobacco leaves- but I think stronger). Ill get back to you on it’s formal thai name.

Rice and or noodle soup is served with every meal and condiments include, but are not limited to, sugar, chili, fish sauce, and hot sauce. Everything is eaten with spoon (right hand) and fork. Knives are not used at the table. Driving rules are non existent and 7-11 (7 as they call it) is on every street corner stock full of canomes (meat or pastry filled pies), seaweed and chili lays, and whitening lotion.

I’ve written quite a bit about school, but in general, the students are never on time (if they show at all), sports, music, and dance activities come far before education, and each day I wake to the Thai national anthem and our school song played loudly over the campus speakers.

On a final note- our buffalo are veered very important. We now have 13 buffalo living on campus, grazing in a new field each week “mowing the lawns”. When we receive or buy new buffalo there is an induction ceremony. A monk attends and sprays them with holy water, I fed them last time with holy hay. It is always a grateful day. Along with our buffalo are 6 pigs, a giant rice field, and rows upon rows of vegetable greens the students are harvesting for class. If the greens don’t survive, they fail the class and must retake it next year.

This weekend I am headed to Chang Rai (the farthest northern province) for my second attempt at climbing Mt. Puchifa (fog mountain).   Hopefully some great pictures to come. 

much love