Things I Learned While in Southeast Asia

I have been home for a couple weeks now, and I've finally adjusted to life at home again. I no longer constantly wonder if mosquitoes are biting me. My jet lag is gone and I can drive without my brain getting too confused. There are some funny things that I still do. I feel pretty awkward if I don't take my shoes off before entering someone's house, but I leave them on anyway. I often wai people when I thank them. Sometimes when someone says something amazing, I naturally want to reply with jing lo? (which means "really??") but I keep having to stop myself and remember that I'm speaking English. Also, I am usually FREEZING cold in my own house. Why do we people in the western world need to keep our houses so air-conditioned all the time?


When you spend time on the other side of the world, you inevitably learn a lot. This is a wrap-up post to my grand adventure, but more blogging is sure to come when I continue my travels in future years. I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this, looked at the numerous photos I posted, and read the stories I wrote. I would like to share with you many of the lessons I learned while I was abroad. Some of them are small and some big, and a few seem to have nothing to do with Thailand whatsoever. But they are all connected and have become a part of who I am.

Things I've learned:

All people everywhere are human. We may look different, believe different things, think about things differently, and laugh about different things. But we are all human and that's something we all have in common.

Everywhere you go, there are kind people who will love you.

"Pasty white" skin is just as beautiful as dark, tan skin. It's all just a business ploy so companies can get you to buy their products. In many countries, people want to be whiter. Many people wish their skin was as white as yours. Those people don't realize how beautiful they already are. All skin colors are beautiful in someone's eyes. Just accept how you are.

In Thailand

In the USA

We don't need air conditioning all the time in every room of the house. It is bad for the environment. A lot of the time, fans do the trick.

Almost everyone likes to dance and celebrate, it's just that the style and music is different.

Sometimes, mosquitoes will bite you no matter how much DEET you spray or rub on yourself. It's a fact of life.

However, when you do get bitten, there's this AMAZING stuff made from eucalyptus that gives you relief within seconds of putting it on. No joke.

This stuff was pretty much my best friend when I was over there.

People don't need a ton of money to be happy. Family is what matters.

You don't always need to correct people or tell them what they're doing wrong in front of other people. It's just not worth making them "lose face" over it.

You don't need to be direct all the time. Sometimes it's more polite to hint at something to get what you want.

Many people are afraid of trying to speak English. Just show them how bad you are at their language and they will laugh and feel less nervous. We're all here to help each other.

Sometimes when you're traveling the world, you're going to be physically uncomfortable. Just accept it.

Insects are, for the most part, harmless. If ants come, don't worry. They'll usually leave. They're just cleaning up after you.

In order to find out the answer to a difficult question in life or a difficult situation, sometimes all you need is to get away from everything and just meditate. Mindfulness is key. Detach yourself from your thoughts and feelings and just observe them. They're just thoughts, they're not you. Rationally ask yourself why you feel and think those things, and you'll come to some realizations and be able to change your actions and reactions.

Things don't always have to make sense. Just roll with it.

When you make a big mistake, you can apologize to those whom you've hurt, and then pick yourself up again. It's okay.

An extremely important skill to develop in life is the ability to say "no."

Death is a part of life. It happens at the most unexpected time, but to fear it is pointless because it will happen at some point. It is the natural state of things that people, animals, and plants leave, and their souls go on to the next step in existence.

It's not a huge deal if dogs leave their yard and wander around the neighborhood. They'll come home. Same with cows and chickens.

Don't climb Buddha statues or point your feet toward them. That is disrespectful.

Dogs, unless they're sick or crazy, can be very calm animals. Locking them up and giving them a sense of "territory" to defend is what makes them crazy. If you live in a society where dogs run freely, they will more likely coexist with you peacefully.

 

Animal life is sacred and should be respected, protected, and not taken for granted.

People can be very passionate about their religions, traditions, and cultures. These things are very important to them and if they change, it should be their own decision to do so.

If you realize that God is in your heart, He will never leave you regardless of where you are on the planet or what you have done.

Think before you do something stupid.

When you wai people, you connect with them in a very special way that a simple "hello" cannot reach.

You don't need to stay in a nice hotel. You can stay in a cheap room in a guest house and save yourself money.

Firm, hard mattresses are actually quite nice to sleep on.

Brush your teeth with the tap water no matter what color it is when it comes out. That will help immunize you.

Everyone just wants to live a happy life.

People will be thrilled if you try to learn their language. They LOVE it, no matter how bad you are at it.

Don't be afraid to get a Thai massage from a ladyboy. It just might end up being the best massage you've ever had. True story.

If you find a cockroach running around in your room, just forget it. It's not worth trying to catch, and it's not hurting you. It will leave soon enough.

There are countless people out in the world right this second, walking around with nothing but the clothes they're wearing and stuffed backpacks strapped to their backs. They all travel for different reasons, but most of them share one thing--they've got the travel bug. It's like a disease, but it's more than that. It's a way of life. These people are everywhere and they are some of the kindest, most accepting people you will ever meet. When you're at home, you don't see these people much, but when you're traveling, you realize how many of them there are.

When you travel with an open mind, you leave a piece of your heart on every road that you have walked, and you take other memories with you. Traveling can shape your worldview and educate you in ways that a classroom cannot. It turns you into a more internationally-minded person, and can help you consider how the choices you make at home, the products you buy, the ballots you cast, and the organizations you support can directly affect people in other countries. If you ever get the chance to go on a journey, even a small one, take advantage of it. You will not regret your decision. And if you don't get the chance to take such a big leap, try something small. Try something new every day. Cook a new international dish. Study a new language. Connect with friends around the world. Hang out with someone new. Any of these things will enrich your life.

Something to ponder on, which I learned from a monk while on a meditation retreat:

"May all living beings be happy and secure."

Peace to you.

Why English is Important, and Why I Feel Conflicted About It

The English language is taking over the world. All around the world, people are learning and studying English. Because we are living in an increasingly globalized world, people of many different backgrounds have recognized the importance of a lingua franca. I have been asking myself, "Why English? Why, out of all the thousands of languages out there, is the language that I happened to be raised with the one that everyone is learning? What's so special about my language anyway?"

This is because English is the language of the internet, the language of international business and affairs, the language of tourism, the language of the media, and the language of products distributed on a mass scale worldwide. Many websites, whether for fun or for business, are in English. Youtube users from many different countries post videos in their own language, but they also post videos in English because they know that they will get more views and reach a wider international audience using English. Some funny memes and jokes posted on websites such as 9Gag are posted by users who are not native speakers of English, and that is why there are occasional grammatical and spelling errors. But as an international community, we understand each other anyway. All around the world, there are television channels in English. Even here in Thailand, my host parents watch National Geographic shows on TV. While many American shows such as "Psych" and "Police Women of Dallas" have been dubbed in Thai or have subtitles, some TV shows have no translation at all, yet people watch them anyway. In Europe, this is more prevalent. In Sweden, I noticed that many shows are not translated. This is one reason why Swedes are so good at English--they hear it on the radio and watch it on TV every day. They learn it in school from a young age until they graduate from high school. It is pervasive and it is everywhere. But still I wonder, why English?

Here in Thailand, I am helping to teach English at a school for a development project. When you hear "international development," what comes to mind? Most people would think of voluntourism in Africa, helping out at an orphanage, helping to build houses or bathrooms, etc. When I signed up for this program, I had an option of choosing different organizations to work for. Why was being an English teacher an option? I wondered that for awhile. As I've thought about it, I've realized that it was an option because English is important for the development of a country. A country whose inhabitants can speak the lingua franca of the world are much more able and competitive in an internationally-oriented business scene.

There are many reasons why I feel an inner conflict about this. One of these reasons is the attitude that people in the Western world sometimes have about development. To quote my professor, Dr. Brown, "Many people have this idea that development is about going to another country and helping out our brown-skinned brothers. Like we somehow know the answers to their problems that they've been dealing with for years. This is not true at all. These people have been there for a long time, they know what works." That is very true. Thailand is by no means a starving or struggling country. They have their own way of doing things that works for them. And while it is right to help people, do we know how to do it the right way?

Just because English is the lingua franca does not make it a superior language, nor does it make us superior by any means. There is no superior race or superior culture. As I've traveled and studied languages, I've learned this firsthand. If someone speaks a different language but struggles with English, it does not mean that they are not smart. They think about the same things, they joke around, they are equally intelligent, and they are just as clever. It's just that they're doing that all in a different language.

 I think that because English is so widespread nowadays, one result is that Americans tend to be cut off from the rest of the world. They take it for granted that their culture is an everyday part of other countries. They take it for granted that other people speak their language, or should speak their language. And they see no reason to try to learn another language because it seems that there's no need to. I actually think there is a need, and that is the fact that learning another language, or at least trying to learn it, helps to open your mind. It helps you realize the world is much bigger than just one way of thinking or doing things. This is the kind of education that many people sorely lack.

While I think it is important that the world has a lingua franca, I also feel conflicted because I know that American culture is changing other cultures. And because the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and other countries already have English-speaking citizens, people from these countries sometimes take it for granted that they can travel the world and use their own language. Tourists may get a bad reputation because they will go to other countries expecting the people there to speak English, and when the people sometimes don't understand, they get frustrated. I saw that happen here-- a white girl was trying to ask a somewhat complicated question to a Thai girl behind the register, and when the Thai girl didn't understand, she got frustrated. So I had to explain to her what to do. Or my friend met some Europeans who were trying to buy things with euros, and when the people didn't accept them, they didn't get it. She had to explain to them, "no, this is Thailand, where you use baht." Not all tourists are like this, but many are, and it gives us a bad reputation. And while I am helping (albeit in a small way) to equip students for the world by teaching English, I am also perpetuating these negative consequences of the spread of English.

Guys, when you travel, you need to conform to the ways of the country, not try to make the country conform to you. If you want things to be the way they are at home, then don't travel. But if you are willing to try to see life from a new perspective and be uncomfortable sometimes, then travel is definitely for you. You don't have to understand the culture 100%. You don't have to learn an entire new language either, but at least learn some basics of the language in the country where you're going. That will make things so much smoother for you, and the locals will respect you for trying. They will also more likely be friendly and helpful. And in learning a new way of doing things, you will become a more educated, more globally-thinking person.

Pictures of a week in Laos

Last week we got to spend the week in Laos. (Pronounced "laow." The 's' is silent.) That was an adventure. First we drove up to the border. After spending the night in a hotel by the border, we crossed the Mekong River, took care of papers, and then boarded a bigger boat on the river.

Lonely Planet's map of Laos.

Laos was colonized by the French. You can see some French influence in the curtains on the boat and in Laotian architecture.

Because it is a landlocked country, the Mekong River is Laos's lifeline.

This boat ride was very scenic. On one side of us was Thailand, on on the other, Laos. After a few hours of sailing on the Mekong, we were deep enough into Laos that we could see Laos on both sides of us.











We stopped in a very small town called Pakbeng (see map). The town had one main road, one bar, and lots of children.

If you hire a tour guide and rush to see the sights and stay in a nice hotel where

 The kids were so adorable. A bunch of them just stood there and stared at us. They didn't understand us and we didn't understand them, but somehow we communicated with them over the language barrier. Interacting with the locals and with these kids was one of the coolest experiences ever.


 




When you buy a packaged tour, rush around to see the sights, and stay in a nice, air-conditioned hotel where everyone speaks English so that you're comfortable all the time, you don't get experiences like this. I think that's a shame.

We went around meeting people and exploring the town. Later that night, our little group had a Fourth of July party in one of the last communist countries on earth.

The next day, we got on a boat again and continued our journey.
 We headed to Luang Prabang, which was about five hours (give or take) by boat.

So beautiful.

 On the way, we stopped at a small village one of our boat drivers was from.

Imagine what it would be like if this was where you lived.

 

 

 

 

 

This is like a Lao version of a tuk-tuk.

After a few hours, we arrived in Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is a quaint tourist town. It's like the Chiang Mai of Laos, but it's smaller. There is a thriving night market where ladies pester you to buy things, bars where all the tourists hang out, many hotels, and many signs in English. At the markets here, people take dollars, baht, and Laos currency which is called Kip. Luang Prabang has some beautiful wats (Buddhist temples). And it's right along the Mekong River, providing a great view.


In Laos, I learned about how different cultures can be, just across a border. Laos gives off a very sabai (calm) vibe. Like Thailand, the people are nice, there are lots of markets, and the languages are very similar. However, Laos has more of a French influence because it was colonized by the French. Because of that, baguettes and western food items are easily found. In Laos, people don't drive on the left side of the road, but the right. That confused my brain for a second when I was there.



The next day, we went swimming at a beautiful waterfall.

 

 

 

 

Laos has some amazing waterfalls. It was surreal. I had never seen one this blue.

The people in our group were saying, "I think we died and went to heaven..."

When we got back to Luang Prabang, we explored the market, which is situated next to wat. At this market, they sell a ton of things you can also find in Chiang Mai markets: handmade bags and skirts, wooden jewelry, hippie earrings, sandals, paintings of monks and Buddha, beautifully-designed table runners, and more.







The next day, we got to ride a boat down a tributary to another waterfall. There were people riding elephants and playing in the water. Some of us sat out in the sun, others took a dip in the cool water.

From the boat on the way back to Luang Prabang

Back to Luang Prabang...

A view from the hotel's buffet area.

This is jackfruit. It's huge and it grows in the most random places on the tree...

 

Man, I wish vehicles like this were street legal in the States...

Luang Prabang

When we flew back to Chiang Mai, it took us about an hour. It was painless. When we landed and stepped into the airport to wait for a rot daeng to take us to the city, I had the strangest sensation of coming home. Chiang Mai felt comfortable, like I didn't have to worry about anything and I could find my way around again. It was the weirdest feeling, to feel like I was coming home when I truly won't be going home for another month. I wonder what that's going to be like.

Luang Prabang was a very cool place. Laos was absolutely beautiful, and I will miss it and always remember it. It was a great learning experience, another stamp in my passport, and an awesome trip. But it's good to be back in Thailand, where things are back to normal. :)

New Friends and a Zipline Ride

This weekend, some girls came riding up on their motorcycle to come visit the farang girl. I was excited. Where I live, there aren't many people my age. I now have some new friends! Their names are Ning and Amp. They are my host dad's nieces, so they are my "cousins." They speak English pretty well, and I can get by in Thai, so we communicate fairly well. We went riding around our town and got some treats.

That day, my dad showed me the chabaas growing in our yard. This is the flower I'm named after!

The next day my Thailand group and I got to ride a zipline course through the jungle!! It was crazy fun and kind of scary. It wasn't just ziplines. There were all kinds of crazy thin bridges we had to cross and there were times when the workers had to drop us down from high platforms onto lower ones many, many feet down. They did a good job of giving us a thrill while keeping us safe. The best thing I can use to describe it would be the Rocket at Lagoon, or a free fall sort of ride. Then we rode really long ziplines over the treetops and to our next destination. If you ever go to Thailand, I would highly recommend it. The view of the jungle from above is beautiful. There are rivers and waterfalls and many kinds of crazy trees.

Keara has an Australian friend who is helping out at the farm where she volunteers. Her name is Amy. For some of the ziplines, there are two wires right next to each other, so two people go at once. Amy and I held onto each other as we went down, and at the exact same moment and in the exact same pitch, we yelled like Tarzan. No joke, we did not plan it. It was hilarious.

At the end of the zipline course was the biggest drop out of all of them. It also happened to start raining, and hard too. It was pouring on us. We were scared that it wouldn't be safe in the rain, but it was just fine. The guys who were our guides helped us through the entire course, and at the end, they didn't seem nervous. We screamed though as they dropped us. They slowed us down and we landed softly on a cushion below. Then we used banana leaves as umbrellas. That's something I can say I had never done before.

 

 

When we got back to Chiang Mai, we went to the mall. While the rest of the group went to see Spiderman, Erin and I got massages. Guess what we saw on the way:

 

A pretty cool way to advertise a sale, I think.

 Because some of us wanted to go shopping with friends at the Night Bazaar and we didn't have a way to get home that late, we decided to stay in a guest house. Depending on what type of room you get, it costs 100-150 baht a night. That's about three to five dollars. It doesn't come with air conditioning, but it does come with a nice fan that keeps you cool and a bed with a really soft mattress. I was highly satisfied. If you need somewhere to stay in Chiang Mai, let me know and I'll hook you up.

At the end of the weekend, I came back home and met up with my new Thai cousins again. They took me around town on their motorcycle. We went to a coffee shop and I got a chocolate drink, and then we got some cake. They needed to run some errands for school, so I tagged along. We took an alternate route home, and I was reminded of what it was like to be in a place where no white people go. Many people we drove past were staring at me and smiling, so I yelled "hello!" In the back of a pickup truck was a big group of people shouting "Farang!" So I waved at them and they waved back. If you need a confidence boost, come to Southeast Asia. People will shower you with attention.

I'm going to spend the next five days in Laos with the group. We will be celebrating Amanda's birthday and also the Fourth of July there.


Until next time.

A Day in the Life of Eden in Thailand

You are curled up under a blanket in a dark room, fast asleep. Suddenly, you hear a knock on your door, and your eyes snap open.


Chabaa. 

You answer, Arài ná kháa?


Àp náam.


Okay.

Every week morning, your father wakes you up. Good thing too, because the alarm on your phone chooses to go off only half of the time. You check your phone, which sits on top of your suitcase at your bed side. It is 5:20 in the morning. At home, this felt very early. But this is your new home now, and you are not very tired. Yet.

You offer a morning prayer or do a meditation of some sort. Pulling the blanket off of yourself, you reach for the air conditioning remote and turn it off. You are very lucky to have air conditioning. Most people don't.



It is dark outside your window, but all kinds of animals are awake. Chirp chirp, haw haaaao. You hear birds singing that you never heard at home. Eeeee eeee! You hear geckos clicking. Mooooooooooo. You hear a cow coming from who knows where.


Shut the curtains, grab a towel, leave the room, and make sure you shut the door so mosquitoes, cockroaches, and geckos don't get in. But mostly mosquitoes. It doesn't matter how well-screened the house is. They will get in.


When you open the door, a wave of heat hits you. At first this was surprising. But now you expect it. You are used to being hot all the time. This is nothing to you.


Prepare yourself. You are about to enter mosquito zone.


Open the bathroom door, go in, and try to dance around and keep your legs moving so that mosquitoes don't land on them and bite you. Turn the shower on. Whoa, it's cold. But don't worry. In about a minute it will feel absolutely wonderful in this heat. Clean up, wrap yourself in a towel, and get out of there.


Guess what. Your ankle is itchy. They got you anyway. Dang it, you say. Mai pen rai.

Go back to your room. Turn on your Macbook and listen to some AC/DC. Put on a skirt or dress. Brush your hair. It's going to air dry, and it's going to be curly. Bringing a hair straightener would have been pointless.



You hear a voice at your door.


Chabaa.

Arài ná?

Gin khâo.

Ok, gamlang jà maa.

Head downstairs. Your Pa is a good cook, and he made some breakfast for you. It consists of rice and vegetarian meat made of mushrooms. Very delicious. Your family feeds you well. Put some food in a basket to take to your volunteer work. Go upstairs, brush your teeth, grab your stuff, and head out the door.


Walk out to the car, and get in on the front left side. This is natural to you now. Your mother will drive you to the school where she works, dropping off your younger brother at his school on the way.


Your mother pulls out of the driveway, honking as she does so. In this country, honking is not rude. It's a way to let people know you're there, and countless accidents are avoided every day because of this.


Your street is very narrow. It's about a third as wide as your street back at home. As you leave the neighborhood, you see signs written in Thai. You try hard to sound them out, but pass by them too quickly to finish. As you get on the main road and go faster, you see cars, vans, trucks, and lots and lots of motorcycles. Teen boys and girls on motorcycles with no helmets, sometimes three people per motorcycle. This is not strange. They are everywhere.


There is music playing in the car. It is Thai music, and your mother sings along. You doze off on the way to school. You open your eyes and see a 7-Eleven on your left. You know you are at the school. It's still early, but there are students there. You see them walking around in their uniforms, the girls with their dark hair braided. You wait in the library, doing homework or dozing off until it's time for school to start.


Loud music comes on over the intercom. This is the cleaning song. It's the students' job to clean up the school. You try to force yourself awake. You look out the window and see the Buddha statue which is at the front of the school. Next to the statue is the flag of Thailand, not yet raised on its tall pole. After the cleanup song, the school song plays.


A few minutes go by, and the school song plays again. All the students disappear. They are gathering for morning assembly. You hear the national anthem and watch a boy and a girl raise the flag. You stand up for the song and bow at the end. When in Thailand, do as the Thais do. Afterward, you hear a familiar Buddhist song that you hear every day. It is beautiful. You walk over to the assembly outside and see the students meditating. Then they do hand actions to another song. You don't understand the song, but you could sing it.


After that, announcements are made. You go back and wait until class. Once class starts, you go help one of the teachers teach English. The students are fun, but shy. You have to entertain them and get them involved. Do this a couple times throughout the day. When you have breaks, go to the library and read for your university class.

Suddenly, a woman from the cafeteria comes into the library. Náam linjee! She says. Lychee juice. You are excited. This stuff is your favorite. It costs only five baht, and your mom buys it for you almost every day. Korp khun mâak! you say.


Later, you go to the cafeteria to eat. You sit with the other teachers, but you have no idea what they're saying because they're speaking the local dialect. They love to practice English with you though.


Go home, driving on the left side of the road. All the while, you're still trying to sound out the signs you see and remember the names of the Thai letters on the license plates. When you arrive home, sit on the porch and do some studying. You look up and see the dark clouds approaching. Oh yes, please rain! When the wind starts to blow and the birds start to fly around seeking refuge, you know it's coming.

And it does. And it's beautiful. Everyone is afraid of getting wet, but you love it. You walk under it and relish it, because you know it won't last long. You take off your sandals and splash in the puddles. The water under your feet is actually warm. You are about to go back to studying when one of the neighbors across the street pulls up on their motorcycle and stops to say "hi."

You say sàwàtdee jâo, which is "hello" in the local language.

She answers, Chabaa wàtdee jâo!

Pai nai?

Pai talàad. Chabaa pai mái?


Pai khâa.

You hop on the back of the motorcycle. She is going to take you to the market. You feel the wind blow in your face and through your hair, and it feels free. On the way, you see dogs walking around the neighborhood. Whether they are stray or owned, you do not know.


At the market, you see a náampàn stand. This is like a kind of shake or smoothie with powder in it, and it's delicious. You choose either ovaltine or strawberry. Only 15 baht. 50 cents.



 Head home to eat dinner. Eat sticky rice, mangoes, pineapple, and fake meat while your family turns on the tv. You see all kinds of shows you didn't expect to see, such as "Psych" or "Police Women of Dallas," all dubbed in Thai. Go back outside and sit on the porch, soaking in the (somewhat) cool evening. The sun is about to set. Although you cannot see it because of the clouds and the trees in the way, you know it's setting because the birds start to all gather and go crazy. You hop on your bike and go to a local field to get a better view, although you still can't see it.

Look straight up and it's a beautiful orange color. The clouds look absolutely majestic, almost frightening. Your breath is taken away. You are standing in front of a canal. To the right, you see chickens walking in the street and cows in the field. To the left, a bridge. Occasionally someone rides by on a motorcycle. Across the canal you see a house. It has a tin patio. People's clothes are hanging up to dry. A woman is standing in the field far off, looking at the sunset. Still, you hear the birds going crazy. Night is approaching. It's just you and nature. Once it gets dark, if you are lucky, sometimes you hear monks chanting.



You see the silhouettes of the banana and coconut trees against the darkening sky. You hear the crickets singing. It's time to go home, but you need to stay just a little bit longer. You wish you could take a picture, but you just can't. No picture ever looks good. You want to just stay in this moment, just you, and God, and nature, forever.




And that's when you realize that Thailand has your heart.

Catching Up

This post is a recap, since I'm a behind.

Both of my host parents are teachers. The schools they teach at cover the entire public education system. In the States, we have kindergarten, elementary school, junior high or middle school, and then high school, but these schools have children ranging from age 4 or 5 to about 16. It is age 16 when students graduate and go on to university. My father's school also provides university-level classes, so it has many university students who attend.

Things have been going great at the schools I'm teaching at. Sometimes, teaching is really hard when the teachers decide to leave the room and have me fend for myself and teach the students on my own. It's not the teaching itself that's difficult, but the fact that many students just will not listen no matter what. Those who do listen are so focused that they can tune out the sound of the others talking, which is good.

However, most of the time, the teachers already have a lesson plan, and I help them teach it. A lot of the time, my role involves teaching the students correct pronunciation, since I'm a native English speaker. At my father's school, one of the teachers has been teaching the students question formation and how to use the words "what," "why," "when," "who," "where," "how" etc. What she does is she has the students ask me a question and then I answer it. I also teach students vocabulary at both schools. I try to be as entertaining and hands-on as possible, so they'll be interested and remember things. For example--last week, I taught my favorite subject: body parts. This one is easy because (for most people), all of your body parts are there so you don't need to bring any teaching materials. For example, I would touch my face and say "this is your face." Then the students would repeat "face" back to me. I wrote write the names of the body parts on the board, and I would repeat the vocabulary many times. I had the students stand up and touch the body part that I told them to. They get really confused by the words "head," "hand," "ears," and "hair" because these words all sound very similar, especially to a Thai person. Speaking slowly is key. The students got really into it and laughed a lot, which is a sign of success.

The students are so adorable. Yesterday at my mother's school, there was this group of little girls eating popsicles outside the library. When I walked out, they all yelled at the same time, "Pii Chabaa sawatdee khâa!" (In Thai, "Pii" is the title you give an older sibling or someone older than you.) So I said "sawatdee khâa" back and said "aròy mái?" ("is it delicious?" referring to their popsicles) and they answered "aròy khâa!" in their little voices. So cute. That is what it's like every day at that school, as I'm walking from room to room or going to get lunch. I'm always greeted by students. Yesterday there was a funny little boy who would say "Pii Chabaa, sawatdee khráp" and put his hands on his head and walk really close to me.

My Thai is at the point where I can get around without a problem.  I know all the basic things, like asking how much something is at the market and bargaining for a better price, asking where the bathroom is, telling people how long I've been in Thailand when they ask me and what I'm doing here, asking if a store or a wat is open or closed, asking where I can find such and such, asking for directions, the days of the week, and having really basic conversations like "what are you going to do today/tomorrow?" or "I'm learning Thai." But that's about the extent of my knowledge. It's great to be able to get by, but I want to actually learn Thai. What's frustrating is that the people in this area don't speak Thai to each other in nonformal situations. They have their own local dialect called Kham Mueang, or Northern Thai, which is similar to Thai and yet very different at the same time. I swear, it's a different language entirely. For example, in Thai, you say mâi pen rai but in Northern Thai you say bà bpen yaang. When people speak to me, they use Thai, but the fact that I'm not being immersed in Thai every day is making it more difficult to learn. I've found some great websites though, and I'm going to listen to podcasts to hear more. Also, pretty much everything on television and on street signs is in Thai.

In the mean time, I've decided that I'm going to learn some Northern Thai. It is a charming language and when I speak even a few words of it, the locals laugh because I catch them by surprise, and because I sound funny. To say "hello" in Northern Thai, girls don't say sawatdee khaa, but sawatdee jâo! Aròy mâak ("very delicious") becomes lam te te. The word sanùk, meaning "fun," becomes mêuan. I think if I can learn enough basic vocabulary in Northern Thai, I might understand people better.

On a change of subject, this weekend I discovered something totally weird: mosquitoes bite me more when I use mosquito repellant. What the heck? In our group I'm the mosquito magnet, and I've spent a great deal of energy complaining and trying to find a solution. Erin said, "I'm pretty sure they live in you or something." I would not be surprised at all. On Friday, I realized that nothing I do keeps mosquitoes away. Nothing. The others in my group don't get bitten as much, but I tried three different kinds of mosquito repellant and they still would eat me alive. I was so frustrated. Then on Saturday, I put all three kinds of insect repellant on me and I got bitten all over my knees. But then, on Sunday, I hung out with the group all day and spent a lot of time outside, never putting DEET or citronella on me, but I don't think I got a single mosquito bite that day. So weird. So on Monday (yesterday) I decided to do the same thing. I do have bites, but only about two really tiny ones. Today I will try the same. I'm coming to the nonsensical conclusion that mosquitoes are more attracted to me when I have repellant on. So weird.

This weekend, my friends and I decided to stay at a hotel and check out the night life of Chiang Mai. As it so happens, this weekend was an atypical one, because it was voting weekend for the province mayors. Because of this, few bars were open, and the ones that were didn't serve alcohol. Not that I mind because I don't drink anyway, but a friend in our group was looking forward to it and what she wanted never materialized. It was disappointing because not a lot was going on in Chiang Mai this weekend, unless it was underground. We still went to a bar though and had fun, eating good food and listening to some local guitarists play some nice music. I was surprised to hear them play a song called If by one of my favorite bands, Bread. That was the last thing I expected to hear in Thailand. So awesome! So I gave them a tip, but I think they were confused and amused because you just don't tip people in Thailand. I don't care! They deserved one anyway.

That's the latest news for now. I'll be posting more later this week! Choog dee!

Jungle Trek Weekend

Last weekend was quite an adventurous one. First, we rode elephants. That was pretty much the coolest thing ever. Our elephant was really sweet. Her name was Bumi and she was very smart and well-trained. She was so hungry though. She kept reaching her trunk up so we could hand her a ton of bananas and sugar cane while we were walking. It was hilarious because she would keep stopping to eat and we couldn't keep up with the rest of the group. I got to sit on her neck and feel her shoulder blades moving up and down with each step. I was afraid I would lose balance. I was just mesmerized with the feeling of her rough skin under my hands. Her ears kept swatting at my legs, over and over. So funny. We took a route that crossed a river, so when Bumi got in the water, naturally she wanted to rinse herself off. So she sprayed us with her trunk. I could not stop laughing!

Feeding Bumi!

I am officially in love with elephants. They are such kind, sweet animals.

 After our elephant adventure, we commenced our hike. Actually, I wouldn't call it a hike. It was more like a trek. Through the jungle, uphill. It was an intense workout. The best part? Our guide was a native Karen tribe guy from the mountains, and guess what his nickname is. Rambo. Yes, that's right. The name suited him perfectly, too.

See what I mean?

If I had to pick one person to be stranded in the wilderness with, it would be Rambo. He would keep me alive. As we were hiking, he would stop and pick random things up off the ground and eat them. He showed me some edible mushrooms. As we were hiking, he made us all walking sticks out of bamboo that he hacked with his machete. He also made everyone a hat out of leaves. He told us where the termites and red ants were so we could avoid them. And I kept getting hit by low blood sugar, so he carried my heavy bag for me multiple times while I ate candy.


We climbed over rocks, jumped over mud, crossed high over rivers on logs, etc. It was the quintessential jungle tour. A couple times we stopped by some waterfalls and went for a swim. We met some people from Germany and Canada there. Thailand's got some NICE waterfalls.

Finally, we arrived in the Karen village. There were tons of rice paddies with the mud packed around them very nicely. The houses were made of bamboo, wood, and some sort of plant material for the roofs.



These people live very far away from society, and their culture is unique, as is each tribe's culture. It was interesting to see the stark difference between this hill culture and the one we visited the week before. The religious views are different and the clothes are different. Each tribe is unique.

Most of the tribes in this area converted to Catholicism when missionaries came to preach to them. However, they still hold their animist views as well, and mix these religions without hesitation. Rambo told us that he was a Catholic, but later that night, told us about the magic that the elderly people in the tribe possess. People may convert, but they do not change their culture. And they shouldn't have to, because it's beautiful.

Mosquito nets are REALLY nice.

This was by far my favorite weekend in Thailand. It was surreal. We slept in a bamboo hut under mosquito nets with a hill tribe by a waterfall that was perfect for swimming in. At night, you could see the stars more clearly in the sky. It was beautiful.







 

 It was time to head home, so we hopped in the back of a pickup truck and rode down, stopped by a restaurant, and got some food. Afterward, it was time for rafting! The rafts were literally bamboo sticks tied together, and on top of that, the raft drivers were quite fond of splashing us and saying "it's raining!" in Thai. Needless to say, we got pretty wet.

During the whole weekend, engulfed in the scenery around ourselves and the circumstances we continually found ourselves in, we kept asking, "is this real life?" I will never forget that weekend. It was amazing, and I wish I could share it with all of you.