Thai Girl

I cannot believe how fast time flies by here. It’s July? When did that happen? Every day is a new adventure, filled with crazy stories, experiences that make me stronger, and just pure fun. We put up a couple of swings on the farm a few days ago. And it amazed me how something as simple as a swing brought so much happiness and excitement. I also had a chance to take a turn on the swing. As I was rocking back and forth, taking in all the beauty, I started to reflect on my time here. Starting at the airport, saying goodbye to my parents…I had NO idea what to expect. And then when I got here, all those first impressions…haha, it cracks me up to think about! I see things totally different now. This farm really is another home to me. I love the jungle, the farm, and most of all the people and it breaks my heart that I will have to leave. But I am going to enjoy every second I have here. So let me give you a little update of my life lately.

A week ago (I think…my sense of time is gone) I kind of got sick. Out here I acquired the nickname Girl with the Steel Stomach. I have been able to eat everything, street meat, super spicy food, etc with zero problems. But one night last week my body just refused to cooperate. Um…let’s just say it was a very unpleasant (possibly explosive) experience. For y’alls sake I won’t share the graphic details. Just know it was a rough night. Mai pen rai. I consider myself very lucky for only having that one experience. So no worries.

Teaching is going really well. I am learning a lot…about teaching, about different ways of learning, and about myself and how I respond to different situations. This past week I had my hardest and my best lessons. It can be so easy to get discouraged when a concept just isn’t getting through or it doesn’t seem like the kids have an interest in what I am trying to teach. And I become frustrated with myself for not being a better teacher. But by looking at something through a different light really helps. Giving different activities and trying new things really works. Everyone here really wants to speak English, and so together we find ways to get around our language barrier so I can teach and they can learn in the most effective way possible. I have a greater respect for teachers, especially the amazing ones I have had over the years.

I ran an errand with a teacher, Doi, and one of the older students the other day. We were driving back to the farm when Doi stopped the car, started shouting, and jumped out. What do I do in these kinds of situations? Monkey see, monkey do. I jump out and realize that there is a 3 foot (at least) snake slithering across the road. And what’s the logical thing to do? Chase it of course! So there was the three of us, chasing this monster of a snake through bushes and trees. It slithered into a big brush pile and while Doi and Bundit were getting sticks and trying to get it out, I started thinking about how it might not be the best idea to go in there with my little flip flops… When the other two finally gave up the hunt, I questioned the purpose of the pursuit. Doi replied, “You can eat”. Logically.

This past week I started Thai lessons. The kids and teachers have taught me phrases or words in the past. But this week I have sat down with a teacher and consistently tried to learn Thai. It is a very difficult language. And the different tones are killer; I am constantly saying something very different than what I mean. But it is very fun to learn. And since over the past month I have really developed a love for spicy food, they say I will be able to speak Thai better. Haha! We will see how that works out for me. But on Thursday I was speaking with my Thai teacher and I said something with all the correct tones and she (as well as our audience of farmers and children) got all excited and said, “ooooh! PeeKearaww (pee means sister) you are Thai now. No farang. Just Thai girl”. Well, as you can imagine that kind of made my day. And no, I am far from being Thai, but it was awesome to say the least. Maybe spicy food is the key? Speaking of spicy food, I took up a challenge this week. I really should learn to just simply walk away from challenges, but they are too much fun. A coworker handed me a chilli and a small chunk of pineapple, and asked, “do you really like spicy food?”…Before I know it, I am chewing up a fireball. Holy spicy. But I got it down just fine with no problems, like a champ :) It was a weird sensation though as the hot chilli went down to my stomach (I felt it the whole way down).

We had some guests stay at our farm this week. They wanted to go to the hot springs nearby, so after dinner one night we headed out. The last time I went to the springs, it was in the afternoon and we just boiled up some eggs. Little did I know it was going to be very different. We were handed giant sarongs that were sewed in a way so it was like a big tube. I was told to put it on and then strip. Whaaat? But like I mentioned earlier, I have learned to not question and just follow (may or may not be a good strategy). The hot  springs were…hot…and amazing! You sit on the ground, pour the hot water on yourself, lather up with soap, and then rinse off. It felt wonderful. In the village where the farm is, most people don’t have warm water, so this is how they bathe, every day. And it’s a communal thing. It is interesting how something so private back home is so open and quite fun here. But I did feel super awkward afterwards when this very thin sarong was soaked and clinging to every inch of my body. Let’s just say it didn’t hide much. So yeah…mai pen rai I guess. Haha!

Friday morning we took a small trip to BoSang. We went to this pottery place that is super famous. Compare it like this, Ireland’s Waterford and Thailand’s Celadon. It was awesome and I watched them make dozens of pieces right in front of me. I could not help but think of my mom and how she would have just loved it in there. It was way cool.

On a random note, I love how many people I meet just by travelling. I have been all over the states and to Ireland multiple times. Yet I never talked to other people outside of my family. Here I am meeting some of the coolest people from all over the world. Can I just make a suggestion? If you are travelling, step out of your comfort zone and talk to others. You never know who you’ll meet or what amazing stories you will hear. There are so many great people in this world. I am so glad I have met such great people from Thailand, Australia, Germany, France, Holland, Singapore, England. The list really just goes on and on.

Saturday morning I went zip lining through the jungle. It was crazy. I was so happy the entire time. Zip lining was on my bucket list…so check! But I will have to do it again. We did a bunch of zip lines over or through the jungle canopy, weird rickety bridges that were fun to bounce on (only because we were connected to the safety cables above), and went repelling. And by repelling, I mean they dropped us straight down at high speeds. So. Much. Fun.

After that little adventure we went as a group to see The Amazing Spiderman. Seriously, I love the concept of superhero movies, but they all are cheesy and overdramatic. Yet, I did enjoy this Spiderman a lot more than the others. And there were points in the movie when I was like “I love it!” but then there were a lot more moments when I thought it was just plain ridiculous. Haha!

The movie ended kind of late, which means Amanda and I had to run to catch our truck to take us home. We thought we had missed it, but we saw another truck and the people on it said that it went to the same place (in the best English they could). So we hopped on and before we know it we are driving somewhere neither of us had ever seen. To make a long story short we went all over the place, got lost, finally found the direction we needed to go, walked a bit, and then waited to be picked up. If this would have happened to me a month ago I would have freaked out. But it was just funny. I didn’t feel threatened, I didn’t even feel stressed. It was no big deal. I know so many people here now that I know there will always be someone who can help me.

As it is July now I have been thinking a lot about my family. I have missed/am going to miss my cousins’, my niece’s, my nephew’s, and my mom’s birthday. Oh, and my country’s (which just happens to be one of my favorite holidays). The only thing that would make my life over here complete is if all my family could come and experience it with me. And while I will miss the fireworks, I will be floating down the Mekong River in Laos. Heartbreaking I know :) Set off a firework for me.

Well, sorry for making y’all wait so long for the update. It happens. I am healthy, safe, and enjoying every moment. I have one month left and I am going to live it up!

Until the next adventure,

Peace.

Is This Real Life?

Is this real life? I asked myself this question multiple times this weekend. I had so much fun, and so much happened...so this is probably going to turn into a long post. But I promise, you are going to find some pretty dang good stories in this one. So let's just begin with the start of my weekend adventures.

Amy, Torie, and I left the farm just after lunch on Friday. It had been a great week of teaching but we were all ready to have a different kind of fun in the city. When we got into Chiang Mai one of our coworkers from Joy's House showed us a small guesthouse where we could stay. We dropped off our bags and hit up the city. I have been here for over a month and so I thought I knew the city pretty well. But it is a whole new ball game when you go around with the locals. I met so many people and found these awesome shops that I never knew existed. So that was great. Then we went back to the guesthouse to get ready for dinner and a night out on the town.

With our coworkers and friends we ate at the Riverside. It is a well known restaurant and bar as it is located right on the edge of the Ping river. We arrived around 7 and started eating some of the most delicious Thai food. -Side note: I am going to miss real Thai food...a lot.- Then some older guys started playing guitars which was really cool and we were sitting right next to the stage they were on. My coworkers told me to prepare for a night of dancing, but I was really confused because while it was super cool listening to these guys play, it definitely was not what I consider dancing music. So we just kept chatting and having a good time. Then the two old men just stopped and left, only to be replaced by a young band. And the party began. For the rest of the night these young (and really talented) bands were playing familiar American songs. My table started singing and dancing to all of the music, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. At first everyone in the restaurant just stared, but our fun and craziness became contagious. Before we knew it tables and chairs were being moved out of the way and there was a straight up dance party at the Riverside. Oh my, it was so much fun.

The music stopped and the bar was closing just after midnight. So I was assuming we would all part ways and say our good byes. But I guess that's not the Thai style. According to my Thai friends, when they party, they really party. Once one bar closes, you go to the next one that stays open until 4. I had never seen the real night life of Chiang Mai so I decided to stick around for the adventure to come. And what an adventure it was.

Our friends took us to the biggest gay bar in Chiang Mai city. And oh boy, it was crazy. Crazy fun. We walked in and the place was huge! It had a monster stage with multiple bands playing on it. It looked like it could be a part of some tv show like American Idol or something. The music was great and so of course we all started dancing. At one point a transgendered...person came onto the stage to sing some songs. Her voice was really good, her outfit a little questionable, and while she was singing Torie decided to snap some pictures. Well after the first couple of pictures, the singer stopped the music and called everyone's attention to the couple of farangs sitting close to the stage. She walked over to us and asked Torie if she was interested in men or women. Torie nervously responded, "...men..." and the singer ripped off her wig, made a couple of jokes, and gave Torie a big old hug. Um wow. That was an experience to say the least. We kind of just looked at each other and asked, "did that just happen"?? Later on she...or he came over and introduced herself and she was pretty sweet. We stayed until 3am, dancing and having a great time meeting some really nice and funny people. But by the time we left we were all so exhausted and starving. So at 3:30 we ate some burgers and fries (super healthy...) and crashed into bed. Chiang Mai is a whole new city at night.

My alarm went off at 7am and as you can imagine I felt like death. But I dragged my sorry little self out of bed and got ready for my big trip. I met up with everyone from my program and we headed for another mountain about an hour out of Chiang Mai. Our first stop was to ride elephants. Yep, elephants. Each elephant had a driver and then this box seat on it's back for two students to sit in. So Jenna and I hopped on Wan Dee's back to go for a nice stroll through the jungle. She would walk a few steps and then just stop, demanding that we feed her sugar cane and bananas. And we willingly gave it to her because it was so cool to see her gently take the goodies out of our hands with her trunk. The driver told me to switch spots with him so I would be sitting on her. Straddling an elephant's neck is pretty dang difficult. It is a balancing act as there isn't much to hold on to. We ran out of the sugar cane and bananas pretty quickly which wasn't good because Wan Dee was particularly hungry. So, with me sitting on her neck, she decided she wanted to eat some tree branches that just happened to be hanging out over a huge cliff. With nothing to hold on to, I used my abs like I have never used them before. The driver was hanging on to me by my shoulders so I wouldn't go tumbling down the mountain. It was a tad bit frightening. When she got bored of that we continued on our peruse through the jungle. The driver was feeling extra adventurous so he had me scoot up and sit on Wan Dee's head, with my feet over her ears instead of behind them (which was a nice relief from getting constantly slapped by her ears). Sitting like this was easier balance wise, but there was a lot less to hold on to. We were walking through a river and she kept splashing us which was fun. It was also cool when she would raise her trunk and lightly blow on me (despite the drops of elephant snot that came with it). I would blow as hard as I could back and we had this little game going on for the rest of the ride. We also saw a baby elephant (I think it was Wan Dee's niece) and I shook hands-trunks with it. So that was awesome.

After our elephant trip we met up with our guide who was going to take us through the jungle and up to a hill tribe village. This guy was about a head shorter than me, but 100% muscle. A long time ago some farangs nicknamed him Rambo, and that is the name he goes by. The only thing he carried on this overnight trek was a machete. Legit. He kept making us bamboo hats or fern crowns, so we journeyed through the jungle in style. This jungle trek was crazy insane. It wasn't just a fun little hike on some clear trails. We were climbing over boulders, jumping across streams, walking on rickety bamboo bridges over fast moving rivers. The trail at times would be no more than 6 inches across with a steep drop off on one side. And the first day of our trek was all uphill. I don't even think uphill is an accurate description. More of upmountain. I have never been that sweaty...ever. I would look down at my legs or arms and you could see hundreds of droplets of water/sweat from every pore. It was bizarre. But thankfully we found relief in the waterfalls. I don't know how many we stopped at but they were godsends. Jumping into a cool waterfall after hiking up an intense mountain was the definition of paradise. As we kept climbing up and up I kept telling myself this couldn't be real. It was just so gorgeous out there. And I was getting really frustrated because with every picture I took, I could never capture what it really looks like. I guess it is something everyone will have to experience on their own because pictures really can't do it justice.

When we made it to the Karen village (a hill tribe village) we all put our stuff in the bamboo hut we were staying at and then swam in one of the coolest waterfalls I have seen. It was amazing. Then we were just relaxing and Rambo started making us dinner (we were at his home village). I decided it would be fun to help out, so Jenna and I went into the cooking hut. I was frying up some chicken and tofu for our curry when I gave Jenna a turn to help out (we were in a pretty small hut). I realized that some men of the village were making themselves dinner and so I started helping them out. They were making one of their favorite dishes. We pounded up some chilli (and by some I mean A LOT), garlic, onion, and some other green herbs. Then we put a whole fish on a stone, took a machete and went to town on it until it became minced mush. We proceeded to do this with about 10 fish. I was pretty relieved that I would be eating curry and not cut-up fish eyeballs, guts, bones, scales, etc. But I continued to help them cut up lemon grass and fry it up altogether. It was great fun working side by side with them and learning how to cook one of their favorite meals. When it was all cooked I started eating my curry with the group and one of the men brought in a bowl of the final product so I could have some. It was very kind of them to share their food. And so of course I ate it. It was dang spicy...and I tried not to think of what it looked/smelled like when we were preparing it...and it was pretty good. I probably enjoyed the experience more than the taste.

That night before we went to bed Rambo told us all about the Karen people. It's that kind of stuff that I really love. People all over the world live such different lives but we are all so similar. I know I say that a lot, but it never ceases to amaze me. Anyways, earlier in the day Rambo showed us the village's church and told us how some time ago Catholic missionaries came in and baptized the whole village. They were very strict at first, trying to get the people to abandon their ancestral traditions, which they did, for about three years. The people all consider themselves Catholics, but incorporate their traditional beliefs as well. This is the kind of stuff I study in anthropology and it was amazing to see it first hand. Rambo taught us all about the magic they believe in and some of the men even did some "magic tricks" which really were some mind games that made all of us BYU students look really dumb. It was a great night and we has some good laughs.

After breakfast we said goodbyes to our Karen friends and hiked out of the village. We crossed some more bridges and narrow passes, but the hike was a lot shorter and easier. With that said it was still pretty intense with the steep decline we were trying to go down. After a couple more dips in some waterfalls we made it out and ready for our next adventure.

We had some lunch and then got on some bamboo rafts to float down the river. By this point we were all so dead tired that we just lounged around. We had a couple of mini-water fights, but we pretty much just bummed out on the raft. I had my feet dangling in the water until I saw this big old water snake coming at me (it disappeared into the murky water) and then I was slightly more alert for the rest of the trip down the river.

After the raft trip we went back to the city and got some food. With a couple of girls I went and explored the Sunday night market which is always fun. It was weird though because I ran into multiple people that I have met here in Chiang Mai since I have been here. It is weird starting to recognize people or run into people I know at the markets...I guess that's something I didn't think would happen at all when I'm in Thailand. But it's pretty cool that my circle of connections just keeps getting bigger.

Coming back to the farm was nice as always. Torie leaves on Wednesday, so that will be sad. We have had some pretty fun times out here together. And our teaching schedule will probably change once again. Mai pen rai.

Till next adventure,

Peace.

Ghost Busters

This last weekend we took a trip to the Nan province to visit a Hmong village. Some BYU students have been living up there for about as long as we have been here and so we stayed with their friends throughout the village. It was about a 6 hour drive (this area borders Laos) through the mountains. We would occasionally stop and take pictures of the mountain scenery (except for me...my camera died, lame I know). The drive was pretty fun, swerving on these windy mountain roads. Luckily I don't get car sick too easily, otherwise there might have been a problem.

We went to this waterfall and man oh man was it amazing. The water was lukewarm (which feels great when it's hot/humid) and there were so many pools we could swim in. We were able to slide down the smaller falls which was way fun. And I was feeling extra adventurous so I was climbing all of the surrounding rocks and jumping into the water. It's great cause when you climb a steep rock, you get to the top and start freaking out because it's so high, but then you realize there is no way to get down other than jump. So jump I did, multiple times. I really had the best time at the waterfall. Even when I was done jumping off the rocks, I would just float on my back and get lost looking at the jungle canopy overhead. This place is so beautiful, I know I say it all the time but I really do love it here. Unfortunately all that climbing made me really sore for the rest of the weekend, but mai pen rai.

We spent the rest of our time hanging out at the village, playing volleyball with the people (they are stinking good and they play every single day), eating great food, and visiting some temples. The family I stayed with was so kind. They fed me and Erin (one of the girls in my program) a fantastic dinner and then gave us both gifts. So apparently the family is a copper smith family, and so they gave us each a handmade bracelet to protect us from ghosts. It is really beautiful, and I guess it's really expensive to get one in America. But they just gave it to me because they cared about my well-being. It was so sweet of them and the bracelet really is gorgeous.

It is also interesting to see how different everyone lives. I came to Thailand from America, and it was a big adjustment at first. But now I would definitely say that I am into this way of life and it doesn't seem foreign anymore. When we went to the Hmong village it was really cool to see how they lived and how different it was from the Thai style. It is not uncommon for them to live in bamboo huts in small family communities. And while I felt very ineffective with my bucket shower (it wasn't even a bucket...more of a small cup), I could not help but think that this is a common daily practice for so many people. We all have different traditions and different ways of doing the same thing, but at the same time we are all so similar. That is just so amazing to me.

Anyways, it was a great weekend. And as usual, I was very happy to get back to the farm. It's nice to come home here. Yesterday there were some big changes in our teaching schedules because Kru May (the teacher I have been teaching) had to leave the farm. That and we got another volunteer. So yesterday was just a relax day. And today we had classes and went on a hike through the jungle. Despite the fact we were all huffin and a puffin and sweating up a storm it was really fun. Life is good.

Til next time,

Peace out.

Rough Hands

Wow, I really don’t understand how easy it is to lose track of time. For all of those of you waiting for email/facebook responses, be patient with me. Just know I am working my little booty off here and enjoying every single moment.

Our big camp just ended. About 40 junior college students from Singapore came and stayed with us for six days. While they were here we taught them how to farm and build dams and they helped us build our beautiful new library (pictures coming soon). When they first got here I was really worried because they were afraid to get dirty and they later admitted they were unprepared for jungle life. But they had such good hearts. They really wanted to help out and they were able to connect with all of our kids. It was really cool to be a part of it. But with that said, I am stinking exhausted and it will be nice to get back into our normal routine.

So here are some highlights/memorable experiences from the past however many days it has been (I really have no sense of time out here):

We had to do a lot of preparation for the Singapore camp. This included big meetings in the city with all of the staff. I was able to meet all of the amazing people that work here and I became pretty tight with a few. One of the days in the city when we show up for a meeting it was blazing hot. So I was just wearing shorts and a light tee. But then Che pulled me and Torie aside and informed us that we needed to look like a team and had to wear the CSF gear. No problem at all. Except for one thing: the CSF “gear” consists of sweat pants and a thick long sleeve shirt. Awesome. So within the first 5 minutes we were drenched in sweat. Mai pen rai. That night we had a big old party with singing and dancing (yes, this means we were rocking out to the karaoke which is a popular pastime in Thailand). We were also served some great food. This meal was my first experience of eating something so spicy it made snot come out. I mean…wow. Very disgusting and embarrassing, but slightly impressive. And although I feel as if I might have permanent damage on my taste buds, it was so worth it. The food was freaking good.

Right before the camp I had a pretty big scare. We were all eating lunch (some sort of hot soup) when I looked up and saw one of the girls trip and spill practically boiling water down a boy’s back. They were across the room but before I realized it I was pulling off Poom’s steaming shirt and carrying him over to the sink. He was screaming out in pain and I was doing my best to comfort him as I put water on his back. Even typing this out makes me shudder at remembering what that was like. It was awful. One of the kids ran out and found a plant (I’m pretty sure it was an Aloe plant) and we rubbed that on his back. His blisters are all gone now, but it was pretty traumatic.

On a brighter note once the Singapore students came it was a constant mix of hard work and party time. Every night we sang and danced around the “camp fire” which definitely was more of a bonfire. So fun. The kids have taught me all sorts of new dances and they have become my favorite pastime out here.

But with the hard work we have been doing I have not realized how much I have learned and how much I have become a part of this farm. The kids and teachers here have taught me all about the plants and animals. I work with them side-by-side on the farm. And it’s serious work. I plant, pick, and weed. I shovel up soil to bag it and build dams. I have built a fence. I have made and spread compost. I am pretty handy with a hammer and a nail. My hands are rough now, calloused to the day’s work. And until the Singapore kids came, when I was able to answer their questions about the farm or show them how to do something, I did not realize any of this.

We went to the city with the Singapore students where we stayed at Joy’s House (part of CSF) for one night. We had a big Thai bbq (which as you know is my favorite) and then got to watch some cultural performances put on by the children. There was a lot of dancing and it was all great, but my favorite definitely was the war drum dance. Oh my. If you ever get the chance to watch it, do not pass up the opportunity. It was simply breathtaking—I don’t think there is any other way to describe it.

I had a great time in the city, especially with the staff at Joy’s House. Like I already said, we became pretty tight during the camp. They call me Jessi J. Why? Not exactly sure, but it’s hilarious and we always rock out to her Domino song. They also cannot get over my hair. Everyone here has straight hair…except for me. They think it is the coolest thing how even right after I brush it, my hair just automatically curls and waves. As if my white skin wasn’t enough to make me stand out. But it’s all good fun. We enjoyed our time together, playing the guitar, riding motorcycles, you name it.

I would say it’s rainy season now. While we were at the market in the city a huge storm rolled in and the streets started flooding. And now I am sitting at my desk watching some of the hardest rain I have ever seen in my life. There is a new muddy stream in front of my room now, so hopefully the sun comes out soon. If not, mai pen rai. I am definitely used to being muddy now.

Well those are all of my updates for now. This weekend we are going to a Hmong village to visit the Anthropology kids from BYU. That will especially be fun for me because next year I need to do my field study. So I’m pretty excited.

Oh, and one more quick update. Those giant spiders, you know the ones I have posted pictures of on facebook? Yeah, well I discovered unfortunately that they play dead. Who knew? Spiders can play dead better than any dog, or human for that matter. Thought there was a crumpled dead spider on my floor, but then I went to sweep him up…let’s just say there was a lot of screaming involved. When I finally composed myself and went to take care of business he played dead again (which thankfully made him an easy target). So minus the terrifying fact that spiders can play dead, it’s a pretty cool trick I guess.

Til the next adventure!

Peace out.