Road Trip

This weekend my friends--Kali, Rooney, Asa and I decided to rent a car and take a weekend trip to a province about 6 hours away called Nan. A couple of us had heard it was supposed to be beautiful and were intrigued by the idea of a road trip. It was pretty cheap to split the cost amongst the four of us... it ended up being a little less than 30 dollars per person.  I, of course, was the biggest worrier of the group and bought about 3 different maps just in case. But the drive actually ended up being very easy. The roads here in the north are marked really well and are very well kept so there was not much to worry about. We left on Friday afternoon and decided to just take our time, stopping along the way if we saw something that seemed like it could be interesting. While we were driving through this valley that had beautiful rice fields all around we spotted this round, golden thing peeking out between some hills. As we got closer we saw that it was this humongous Buddha statue perched at the top of this big hill. So we decided to turn off onto this little road and try to find it. On the way we stopped at this beautiful temple in the middle of this little village. We pulled up in our car and the temple dogs started barking so loudly... they did not seem happy that we were there. We could hear the monks chanting from inside. But eventually some of the monks came out and talked to us-- at that point the dogs had calmed down and were letting us pet them and play. The monks were kind and let us take some pictures. They also gave us directions to the Buddha on the hill and encouraged us to go and see it. We got back in the car and drove a little more until we reached the top of this hill. There was a series of steps leading up to the statue and dragon-like creatures lining the staircase on either side that had really beautifully carved, but very sharp, scales. It was so cool to stand under this massive thing and look up. It's eyes sort of gaze diagonally down at you and it is this beautiful golden color. The sun started going down and there was some thunder and lightning in the distance and everything cooled down a bit. The sky turned this great pink color--which created a great backdrop. We left before it got too dark. We drove until we hit the province of Phrae and decided to check into a guesthouse there and stay the night. We had a pretty good dinner at this little restaurant and then walked along this main road where there was a small food market going on. Kali and I got some mango with sticky rice that was phenomenal. Then we walked some more and ended up meeting this older man and his wife at this little shop who was from Phrae and we got to talk with him. It was so great because we were actually able to have a long conversation with him... we were so excited to be able to use our Thai and see that we could actually communicate with some one for a significant amount of time. After that we wandered over towards the moat in the center of town and ended up hanging out with this group of kids around our age who were from Phrae. Many of them were lady-boys, which is what Thai people call transvestites. There are tons of lady-boys all over Thailand and it is widely accepted to be gay here. You can hardly tell that many of them are men until they speak. But this group who we were hanging out with was great. They had a guitar so they were singing some Thai songs and they were so into taking pictures. It was a fun night.

The next day we drove the last 2 hours to Nan ended up getting there a little after noon. We kinda wandered around the city a little bit--which was much bigger than Phrae, and found this great guesthouse to check into after a little bit of hotel hopping. The rooms were huge, everything was so clean and there was hardly anyone else there. We drove over to the Nan river where we heard there would be boat racing going on. Nan is known for its boat racing--there is a big festival at the end of every November that is pretty widely known. They race these long skinny beautiful boats that are painted with intricate little designs. We got to see all the little novice racers load into their boat and push off. (It's only men who race) They count and make these cool grunting noises as they go to time when they paddle. Right near where all of this was going on was an outdoor aerobics class with a bunch of middle-aged and elderly men and women doing disco aerobics as this hilarious pump-up music plays. It was great to stand in between the two events and have the disco music in one ear and the grunting of these men in their boats in the other ear. It was quite the contrast. After that we drove across a little bridge and explored this great residential area that bordered the other side of the river. Then we found this cool restaurant that was right on the river... there was not another soul there but they opened it all up for us and handed us some menus. Of course, everything was in Thai but the menu was about 5 or 6 pages long so we knew there must be some good stuff on there. So we decided that we would randomly point to a few dishes and see what happens. A couple of them were really good but there was one that was extremely spicy and weird tasting. It is very possible that it could have been frog or snake or something though because later they found a English menu and handed it to us. But this was after we had eaten these things so who knows. Eventually more people filled into this place as it got later and there was a band playing live music and people were dancing which was fun. The next day, after searching for some coffee and anything resembling breakfast food, we decided to hit the road and just take our time getting back. We chose to take the more mountainous, rural route on the way back which ended up being a great decision because the views and the countryside was amazing. Lots of curvy windy roads and then sometimes it would flatten out as you were going through a valley. It was a beautiful sunny but very hot day and we stopped off to get lunch and see some temples along the way. We ended up getting back around 7 which was good because it meant avoiding the night driving. It was great to get away for the weekend and just see how other people are living their lives and also just to be immersed in something new. I hope I can do more while I am here. 

Here is the link to some more photos. 

http://s438.photobucket.com/albums/qq110/emilyfwolff/Phrae%20and%20Nan%20Weekend/

Reflections on Kawila Anukul school.

 At work on friday it was sports day. The day was kicked off at 8:30 with a big parade. All of the kids were dressed in different color shirts according to team. At the front of the line there was a marching band which was really cool... they were so good. Everybody, kids and teachers included, marched down the street together grouped by color. It was really nice. They were even able to stop traffic and people on the side of the street clapped and smiled. The teachers threw me right into the swing of things and one bought me an ice tea. They sometimes drink ice tea out of plastic bags with a little straw and the tea is so sweet. It kind of reminds me of New Orleans sweet tea. Throughout the day various teams competed against one another in little relay races, soccer matches, basketball or other games. I helped with the kindergarteners for a while in the morning... they are a handful. They have so much energy but are such cuties. I was working with this one little boy who lacked many muscles in the left side of his body so he kind of just throws himself on you and on anything really. So both his physical and mental control were limited. But he was so adorable and ended up winning the relay match for his team.  There was also some dance performances by some of the girls which were really great. They were all made up and so excited. I wish I had pictures because it really is such a beautiful space and environment. It was a great day... so cool to see kids so excited and motivated. Also, one thing that is really sticking out to me about these kids is how well they take care of one another. They really act like family members and seem to have such strong bonds. People who I have talked to here say that the value of family is very great. It makes sense when you see these kids acting like brothers, sisters or even parents for one another.  Also, I have been noticing things about how the kids are disciplined that is very interesting to compare to the US. If one kid hits another here and a teacher witnesses it, the teacher does not jump to their feet and reprimand a kid for causing trouble. It's just sort of seen and possibly acknowledged, but the teachers aren't pounding the kids with consequences and talks. It seems to be treated as, "it will be what it will be" and whatever consequences one faces is what they will have to be individually responsible for. This is not to say that if one kid was being cruel or really physically harmful that the teacher wouldn't do something. But overall, it seems to be more of the hands-off approach. And believe me, this place is not crazy or chaotic. It is so peaceful in many ways. So I am enjoying observing different styles and comparing it to what I am use to. 

Mae Chaem Village stay

I just got back a week long stay in Mae Chaem village, which is in the lowlands of a mountain region about 3 hours southeast of Chiang Mai. It was definitely my favorite experience so far. I think that there was about 30 of us--including the 20 of us that are doing the 'Thai Studies' program along with about 10 "Thai buddies", who are students of the English communications department. These "buddies" came along to help bridge some communication and cultural gaps. There are all amazing people... so nice and genuine. For most of them this was a new experience though as well because city life is vastly different from the way people live their lives in small, rural villages. So we all piled into a huge truck early last wednesday and embarked on our journey. Of course, my stomach was not happy with the ups and the downs and the swerves, so I ended up getting to sit in the front about halfway through so that I didn't share what I ate for breakfast with everyone around me. That would not have been pleasant. Anyway, it was a beautiful ride... the terraced rice fields made such cool patterns. And our village was at the foot of Inthanon Mountain--which is the tallest in Thailand. It was huge!

When we got to the village, we all sat under a little canopy space and all of the mothers of the village laid out the meal that they had prepared. Tons of rice and vegetables and eggs. It was really fresh tasting and delicious. Then we found out who our host mother would be... My mother was named "Mae Lai". I also lived with my friend Kelsey and our Thai buddies' name was Tuk Ta. Our house was a beautiful wooden and concrete structure. There were roosters everywhere. And they did not refrain from waking us up at 4 AM every morning while we were there. They also had some pigs and some chickens in the back. The kitchen was a wood stick structure in the back of the house. There was running water and electricity. And our shower entailed a bucket of cold water in a small closet-like space. They also had a tv and a non-functioning computer. I a little surprised to see how much tv was watched. In my family there was my mother- Mae Lai and my father- Paw Moh. And then their daughter- Pii Dtang lived in the house as well with her husband- Pii Joo. And then Dtang and Joo had a 12 year old daughter that lived in the house as well. Her name was Ploy. They were all so great. We did not see much of our father or speak with him a lot... it was interesting to see how the women were our primary caretakers throughout the trip in many different areas. Paw was a rice farmer and was much smaller than his wife. (which I gather is pretty unusual for Thai people... it is rare to see a woman much taller or larger than 5' 5" and 130 lbs) Paw had beautful dark, sun-worn skin and you could tell by looking at his hands that he has worked hard for a long time. And Mae was a weaver and also seemed to be the head mother of the village. She had a beautiful wooden loom in the front of the house and also had a little shop. Her fabrics were extraordinary. So many bold, stunning colors weaved into shirts, hats, skirts, etc. I ended buying a few things and she gave the three of us some gifts of scarves and hats. 

While in the village we would have Thai language class at least once a day with a professor that joined us. We would eat most of our meals with our family which was so nice. It was so amazing to observe how much closer the people in this village are to their food compared to our ways in the states. I mean, they go out back and kill the chicken or pick the vegetables and it is all sitting in front of you-- along with a pile of sticky rice-- fresh and so tasty. I know this is how many people live and how people have lived for centuries, but the only time that I have ever seen chicken is in plastic wrap under fluorescent lights. It was so cool to see everything in its full cycle. Beyond class and our meals, we had a good amount of free time to hang out with our families and relax. I got to draw a lot with my little sister Ploy and some of her friends. She was such a great artist. I did this one game with her where one person scribbles anything on a sheet of paper and then the other has to turn it into some sort of scene or monster or landscape. And she was so inventive... the things she came up with were amazing. This one time when we were just doodling she drew a caricature of Samak with a pig nose. Samak is the former prime minister of Thailand who was just recently forced out of office... there were huge protests in Bangkok by a resistance party throughout the past month calling for his removal. He is known for his pig-like turned up nose. Anyway, it was interesting that she would draw this because the majority of rural people support Samak because of all of the aid he has given to populations in the countryside. So I was a little suprised. But it was so fun to draw with her. That is one of my favorite things about art-- it doesn't require much language a lot of the time. My family knew a little English and I know a little Thai, but for the most part our Thai buddies and hand gestures were our primary means of communication. 

One day they took our group on a little tour of the area. They brought us to this house where this old man-- I think he was in his 80s, made these Thai traditional hair pins. They were these beautiful golden pins, with are carved with intricate little designs. Supposedly, he is the only person in Thailand that can still make them in their traditional form... the king's son even came to visit him in his home once to honor him. He was great... and one of his five wives was sitting in the corner of the room selling some weaving as well. Wow. Then they took us over to this woman who makes fermented bean paste wrapped in banana leaves... it was sooooo salty! And I only had a tiny little taste of it. We also go to visit a few beautiful temples. There are TONS of temples because every little village has their own. At night they took us to this local outdoor massage and sauna place. The sauna was this little stick closet with some seats and the steam flowed  in scented with local natural herbs. We got to exfoliate by rubbing this porous rocks all over. And the massage was wonderful- it was an hour long and it was a Thai massage, which is different than other kinds of massage. It involves a lot more of stretching and pressure. Another day we got to go to this arts and crafts festival at a local school. There was music and local crafting and really good food. All of the children were dressed in their traditional Thai clothing so our mother decided to dress Kelsey and I up in some of her skirts as well. That night there was a welcoming ceremony with singing and dancing and other performances. It was so fun... many people from the village came. We sang 'Stand by Me' and taught everyone the 'hokey pokey'. They were a hit. Some of the young girls of the village performed a dance that used candles. My thai buddy did all of their makeup... which they loved!

Antoher day we got to visit some beautiful waterfalls. We got to go see the highest in all of Thailand. It was so beautiful and strong. One night we witnessed a beetle fight. This is really amazing. Men in Thailand raise these black beetles and then hold these matches where they fight each other. They sit the two beetles on a log and place the female beetle in the center and then the men duke it out and whoever can knock the other one off of the log wins. Men in these rural areas hold matches all of the time and they often place bets on certain beetles. The shouting and calling coming out of these men was hilarious. (It actually reminded me a lot of the sounds that would come from the basement when my brother would play his video games when we were younger... screaming at the television)

The second-to-last day that we were there, there was this festival that only happens once a year called "Loi Gatong". It involves making offerings to the village temple in order to make merit for family ancestors and loved ones who have passed. Every family builds these tree-like offerings out of straw and bamboo and then hang them with all sorts of things that the monks at the temple can use. These ranged from bars of soap to bags of tobacco to bags of chips. It was so interesting to look around and see all of these little products hanging on trees and in the backdrop to see these ancient temples and holy monks with nothing but orange robes walking around. We got to participate in the various prayers and rituals. All of the women and the children sat under the little canopy area and prayed and made offerings and the men all stood in the open space near the temple talking with one another and carrying the giant bowls of sticky rice offerings into the temple. It was interesting to observe that gender divide. I got to play with this little boy named Sanon who was around 2 years old. He was so precious and had the best smile. But he was very small and a little weak because he has a heart condition. His grandmother told me that he is going into the city to get surgery soon. She asked me to stay in Mae Chaem and be his sister. I wish! It was beautiful to observe how the mothers and grandmothers care for their children--they are very affectionate and often keep their children close to their bodies. 

The next morning we ate breakfast with our families and said goodbye and then Mae Lai walked us over to the temple to say goodbye. It was difficult to leave but I think that I will return at least once before I leave Thailand. I am attaching a link to a website where I am going to put up pictures now because there is not enough space to load them onto this site. I got some pretty good ones. 

http://s438.photobucket.com/albums/qq110/emilyfwolff/Mae%20Chaem%20village/

Long overdue... sorry!

Hello again. 

I have not written in a while... 2 weeks have gone by extremely quickly. A lot has happened. All of last week was orientation which was very good. I felt like it gave me a good taste of what life will be like here at the university and in this city. I really enjoyed going into town when I have had the opportunity. Last saturday I just went off and explored all of these cool little streets and food markets and shops. Tourism is definitely not absent.. tons of places geared towards backpackers and foreigners. Lots of people wanting to sell you things or give you rides. But it was nice just to be able to walk around... there are tons of temples all over the place. Most are clad in gold that has a really cool shine if its a sort of gray day because you can really see the contrast between the two hues. 

I also was lucky to have the opportunity to go zip-lining last weekend. For those who don't know what this is, basically you are harnessed in and attached to a rope that extends between two giant trees. You jump off these platforms that are built around each tree and fly through the air until you reach the next. It was scary but after the first couple of zips, it got a lot easier. I just had to rarely look down.  A big group of us went so we got a great rate. The cost includes transportation and dinner as well. At dinner I met one of the cook's daughters. Her name was 'Chom-pu' and she was so cute. This place was up in the mountains and right near a tiny village where people live in this sort of wooden houses on stilts. It was nice to experience and see another little bubble of life somewhere for a day. 

My classes and service started this past week. My classes have been good. I especially like this class I am taking on Vietnam because we will be learning mostly about post-war Vietnam which I am interested in exploring. I am interested to see how it will contrast what I was taught in school about the war. My service has been great so far. I have had only 2 days of it so far. Wednesday and today. Well, I guess I should say for those who don't know, I am volunteering at a school for mentally challenged children called Kawila Anukul three times a week. It has been great but definitely challenging. I have worked with many children before and many mentally challenged children before but I have never had to work through this sort of language barrier before. Its a really interesting experience though. Like today, I was sitting there and the kids were doing activities with these wooden blocks that had characters of the thai language on them. As the teacher was asking them various questions, I was learning too. In my thai class we have not done any writing yet. We have only done basic speaking so I was absolutely more lost than they were. And they were all looking to me for help! It was a little frustrating but it was also kind of nice to learn along side them. Throughout most discussion that goes on I can pick up a few words but for the most part its like watching a movie with no sound. I have really never been in a place for an extended period of time where the predominant language practiced or used is not english. But the kids are so adorable and it is amazing already to see how much can be communicated with gestures and smiles. (sounds kinda cheesy but it's really true) All of the teachers have been so welcoming and understanding which is helpful. 

To add on, I am also using this blog to journal for one of my classes. And my teacher suggested that I write 3 expectations that I have of this trip and 2 goals that I want to try to achieve. (Don't worry... this blog won't turn into a series of class assignments) So here it goes, my first expectation is that my perspective on language will endure a major shift as a result of my time here. My second expectation is that I will be opened up to an entirely different set of politics and history. (I have been really enjoying following thai current events and relating them to what I have learned so far about the history and evolution of this country) My third expectation is that I will eat more spice in the next 4 months than I have in my entire life. (For those of you who are familiar with my eating habits...I grew up eating plain pasta with butter and refusing to have anything on my plate "touch" and I have just recently started to stray from this habit).

My first goal is to remember as much as possible about this trip... journaling and emailing is already assisting this goal I think. My second goal is learn as much as possible about as may people as I can here. Sometimes in my busy craze of life in the states, I think that I forget that there are still things to discover about people. So I am going to constantly remind myself to ask questions and listen intently.