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I am retiring this blog

2009-05-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

After recording my observations for 8 months in Asia, I have returned to Brooklyn and will from now on post on my original blog (www.victoriacho.blogspot.com), where I'll be writing on a variety of topics, many of which will have nothing to do with travels and adventures. I hope to travel again and record future adventures.... This is TBD. For now, you can follow my celebrations, disappointments, conundrums, and queries on the original blog. Hope to see you there!

Back in NYC

2009-05-20T19:36:00.001-07:00

How could I ever forget how fast New York is?

Who would pay $5 for a bag of pita chips?

The subway really is this filthy.

How come I didn't pick up more Spanish living in Brooklyn?

Have I been to Crown Heights before?

Well, maybe some people pay $5 for chips but they sure as hell don't pay $5 for orange juice.

24-hour bodegas!

It's bike-riding weather. There are beautiful vehicle-free paths for me to use!

There aren't motorbikes in this country!

There are beans in this country. And more kinds of organic peanut butter than I dreamed about in Bangkok.

There are books in this country in a language I can read. And more used book stores than I can keep up with.

From Bangkok to the 'Burbs

2009-05-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

It wasn't as shocking to return to America as I thought it'd be. I've never visited Los Angeles before, and I'm surprised by how the smaller outer towns remind me of my little southern hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Well, Charlottesville, with the presence of UVA, isn't as rural as many southern town. Yet walking among the streets of Redondo Beach, passing T.J. Maxx, Denny's, and Hollywood Video, recalls an America that I once experienced - a town that embodied many of the stereotypes of America.

In this small beach town outside of LA, people I don't know wave hello and drivers encourage me to cross the street even when the traffic lights indicate otherwise. This preference given to non-4-wheel driving creatures, I am certainly not used to. They'll also chirp good morning when you exit the grocery store and hold their massive pet close by, smiling while gripping the leash tightly, so that you may pass without the concern of that Rottweiler's potential desire to maim you.

When I was in Thailand, I experienced politeness in the following ways: I was taken to an English speaker by complete strangers that saw me struggle, I was escorted to restaurant kitchens if the staff wasn't sure what I wanted to eat, and I was given a few Baht more rather than less if a cashier didn't have exact change. These gestures were greater or lesser than kinds I experience in America, but I have a hard time imagining such ones taking place in America, particularly to someone who doesn't speak the national language (would a restaurant owner really take you to his or her kitchen if you weren't sure what you wanted to eat?).

The biggest cultural shock upon my return is once again feeling comfortable with the magnitude of America's wealth. It's not just reflected in income level or products at shopping malls, but wealth in America is ingrained in the behavioral patterns, conversations, expectations, and personality types. From intact sidewalks, to hand sanitizer dispensers for use in the customs line of the Los Angeles airport, to neon signs politely warning cars of potholes, to manicured rose bushes in gridlock patterns, to the lack of mangy dogs roaming the streets, money floats here. People seem to breathe it, speak in it, and of course live in it.

When I return to New York, I'm sure the feelings of shock will continue and may even increase exponentially. I can't anticipate my reaction, either negative or positive. Rather, I'm trying to minimize my judgments. Like a true Buddhist, my desire is to enjoy each experience, appreciate it, and watch it pass, without clinging and without desire for the next one.

A Buddhist Wedding

2009-05-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I attended a beautiful Buddhist wedding in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The bride and groom were "farangs" (Thai word for foreigner) and the wedding was a simple lovely ceremony attended by some of the couple's friends, including a few Thai people that helped with wedding preparations.

In the past, I've attended 2 weddings; my aunt's and my elementary school friend's. My aunt's was a medium-sized ceremony at a lovely church in Maryland. My friend's Unitarian style wedding was held at a Virginia vineyard.

Besides the vows and ministers, the weddings weren't so different from each other. The brides wore elegant gowns, grooms had tuxes, music was played as brides were escorted by elderly male relatives down the aisle, bouquets were thrown, the band played on, and guests consumed dinner, cake, and many, many glasses of wine.

The wedding in Chiang Mai couldn't have been more different. I didn't know what to expect, but neither did Nicole and Noah. Nicole thought the wedding would be an hour long blessing at the temple and then serving the monks food. She thought about taking the party to the Chiang Mai Zoo or to the Royal Flower Gardens in the afternoon, and then hosting a lovely dinner at a nearby vegetarian restaurant. Noah was still struggling to get used to the country; he had only arrived a few days earlier from Florida.

We arrived at the temple, Wat Fai Hin, at 10 AM only to discover one of a few surprises. A monk informed Nicole that she needed to prepare donations for 7 monks rather than 5. Donations for the monks giving the wedding blessing were customary, and several hundred Baht each (equivalent to $20) was standard. Nicole fumbled for more envelopes and added additional bills. She didn't want to offend any monk and felt strongly about throwing a true Buddhist ceremony.

Another surprise: the senior monk explained to Nicole that she and her fiance would receive a blessing at the temple, but the actual wedding ceremony would take place at a nearby home and would be performed by an elderly man from the town. Hmm...a mysterious home, and a mysterious town elderly. Okay. The senior monk explained that since monks are forbidden to touch women, the elderly man would be able to bless Nicole with a sacred cotton thread to be tied around her wrist. After the temple services and breakfast, we were supposed to follow someone (we weren't sure whom) to this house....

As Nicole expected, the blessing took nearly an hour, which may seem an appropriate length of time for a wedding ceremony, or a pre-wedding ceremony in this case, but when you are obligated to sit on the ground with your feet facing away from the monks, an hour becomes quite challenging. I sympathized with the couple, who probably felt obligated to remain entirely still during the chanting. The farang guests shifted and jiggled their legs in hopes of re-starting circulation.

When the chanting ended, the Thai helpers prepared the monks' lunch. Nicole and Noah gave some offerings during this time. Nicole had heard that the monks particularly enjoy foreign snacks since their Asian vegan diet is fairly homogeneous, so Noah brought fruit leather and strawberry preserves from the States. I was highly amused as I watched the monks cautiously peel the leather from the wax paper, chew with concentration, savoring this unusual taste and texture, and then gradually smile before reaching for another package.

Then the wedding party ate, and we enjoyed the wonderful vegetarian food from a nearby restaurant. Chiang Mai is filled with wonderful vegetarian cuisine, unlike most parts of Thailand. After breakfast, we somehow found the mysterious home where Nicole and Noah received additional blessings from the town elderly person and exchanged rings. The man placed a loop of string on Noah's head, tied another loop at the end of the string, which he placed on Nicole's head, making them look a little bit like aliens. Four elderly women nicknamed "the grandmothers" were also present. When the strings were tied, each person in the room approached the couple and tied more strings around their wrists while giving additional blessing. By the end of the ceremony, their arms bore sleeves of cotton.

We returned to the guesthouse and relaxed for a bit, munched on vegan cookies we found at a fantastic bakery (they also made the wedding cake), and then headed out to the flower garden where the photographer got some great pictures. Then we ate at a Gap House, one of the best vegetarian buffets in Chiang Mai. The vegan banana chocolate cake was a major hit. Both Nicole and Noah are vegan, and they were glad to find a cake they could eat. We returned to the guest house exhausted, full, and content and instead of doing an open bar as the couple originally planned, we immediately went to our rooms and slept.

If you knew my friend, you would see how perfectly this wedding suits her. First of all, Nicole is a passionate Buddhist. Before the wedding, she did a 10-day meditation retreat where she sat in silence for several hours each day. This is a Buddhist wedding ritual. Secondly, she doesn't indulge in grandiose, lavish activities. She always makes a conscious effort to spend money wisely on local businesses working to help the commuity, and she did an excellent job during the entire process. She patronized many local vendors, invited locals, and generously donated to the monks.

Overall, the wedding was a simple act of love and humanitarian kindness. It suits Nicole's lifelong intentions to assist those in need and savor the simple loveliness of life. I wish them the best!

Lovely Ladyboys of Thailand

2009-05-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

While traveling in other parts of Asia, I missed the lovely ladyboys of Thailand! I thought these gorgeous transsexuals were unique to Thailand but I heard they thrive in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia as well...however, I have yet to see this! I haven't even really seen a flamboyantly dressed man, but then again, I don't venture into bars or experience much of the nightlife where they probably are. In Thailand, I see them constantly; they work in hairdresser salons, serve food, dance, sing, wear business suits, and all while looking totally hot.

Called "kathoey" in Thai, ladyboys differ from homosexual men and drag queens. While the former look male and the latter may use false padding, ladyboys are men who have undergone sex change operations, which allow them to present themselves as women. They often grow their hair out, wear women's shoes, paint their nails and carry purses, and they never fail to look incredible in the tightest skirts, the lowest-cut shirts, and the most tapered of jeans.

I think the ladyboy component of Thai culture comes from the Thai's love for all things beautiful and elegant. The architecture of Thailand features elaborate engravings, every corner shops sells embroidered scarves, and the students seem to spend more time on their handwriting then actually figuring out their math problems. The culture commends beauty to such an extent that a former co-worker of mine once claimed, "they believe in form over function," (which explains why our students spent so much time copying notes from the board, yet few actually did much studying).

So, a natural transference of the culture's love of decor happens to the homosexual men. My friend who had once been to Thailand felt for any unattractive Thai women. If men can make themselves over into feminine wonders of beauty, the poor average looking woman must have bouts of insecurity.

The widespread acceptance of homosexual men in Thailand made me may initially shock any American. Here, it's common here to see men, gay or straight, walk down the street with arms around each other's shoulders or waists. They walk, and no one jeers or snickers. They are much more affectionate here, and they never fear negative judgments of others.

I wish I could say that women experienced such freedom. While homosexual men and ladyboys are lauded, lesbians seem condemned. At the school where I taught, the lesbian couple was nicknamed "the tom-toms" and were commonly mocked.

It is likely I will eventually return to New York City, and I look forward to the possibility of again living in a city with an open-minded attitude, with inhabitants of every color, shape, size, perception, and reaction possible. I sometimes forget how conservative other parts of the U.S. can be, with their discrimination against homosexual men.

It surprises me the ways in which a struggling nation seems progressive and ways in which it seems behind. I would have never thought a country with such a fragmented government would be as accepting of homosexuality, more so than the richest country in the world.

Back in Bangkok

2009-04-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Bangkok right now and relieved to be eating well again and feeling slightly more settled in my friend's apartment where I stored my suitcase (and laptop!).

I'm trying to land this job teaching English in Korea. Honestly, my first choice would be to return to the States. I don't have any desire to continue teaching, and I'm ready to feel more settled in an English speaking country again. Alas, since I couldn't change my return flight home and this job offers me one in addition to free room and board and a salary, the position is too good to pass up. Although the camp has expressed the desire to hire me, it hasn't been responsding promptly to my inquiries about the visa and contract, and I'm becoming nervous.

I'm going to the hospital in Bangkok to get my lower back X-rayed and make sure I don't have any serious damage from the motorbike accident.

I can't wait to look through my photos of Cambodia, the Philippines, and Vietnam! I'll post several albums shortly.

I'm also reading Life of Pi right now. Please don't continue reading this post unless you have read the book. I just finished the part where the hyena is eating the zebra alive on the boat, and I wanted to simultaneously vomit and cry. It's a great read though. Very funny and vivid writing.

i am sick

2009-04-17T06:14:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, I think I will have to curtail my explorations of northern Vietnam. My high fever and exhaustion prevent me from frolicking on the beaches of Halong Bay and hiking in the rice terraces of Sapa. I've been in my hotel room for the past few days curled under blankets and watching CNN. I think I'll return to Hanoi for a few days and fly back to Bangkok.

I was hit

2009-04-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

Not by a tuk-tuk, but by a woman rushing home on her motorbike to see her children. I was riding a bicycle at a leisurely pace, the pace one takes to absorb the surrounding temples and markets or when one has no particular destination in mind and wants to feel the cool breeze from the river. A man on a motorbike pulled out in front of me, which caused me to swerve into the side of the woman's motorbike. As I flew off my seat, I pictured the man I saw lying on the side of the highway in Cambodia. His motorbike was crumpled, and he lay there with a stomach torn open. His bulging intestines seemed to be palpitating. There were no blankets to cover him, no ambulances at his assistance. Only the stopped traffic and the stares of onlookers, frozen with shock. I wondered if I would end up like him.

My lower back aches and my head hurts from where I landed on the asphalt. Miraculously, I don't have any broken bones and no other vehicles hit me.

The traffic in Vietnam may be the worst I've ever seen, possibly beaten by Cambodia. Motorbike drivers often wear helmets but I never see cyclists wear them. I think biking is one of the best ways to see a city, but I have no intention of renting another one while I'm here.

I still have the urge to vomit and my head feels like it's vibrating.

MSG

2009-04-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

I've always heard that MSG is bad for you, but I never knew exactly why. What does it do? The BBC found that MSG is "linked to heaches, tightness in the chest, and a burning sensation in the forearms and back of the head."

Sounds bad. I read somewhere that 1 in 2 Vietnamese households use MSG in their cooking on a daily basis. I haven't experienced any of these side effects yet, but at least now I know what to expect and won't blame it on the heat.

no, i don't want a motorbike ride

2009-04-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am becoming weary of motorbike drivers, cyclo drivers, restaurant staff, shop owners, women selling noodles out of baskets, boys selling peanuts, girls selling scarves, men selling cigarette lighters and bottles of water hawking, shouting, calling, cajoling, and following me.

Perhaps it's because I've been to many other parts of Southeast Asia by now, but I'm not so impressed with Vietnam. It's a beautiful country, but it is similar to many other beautiful countries I've already visited. I don't find the people to be as nice here as in Thailand either. At this point, I've seen many temples, rice paddies, waterfalls, mountains, markets, and ruins. It's starting to blur together....

I can't decide what to do next. I still don't know whether or not to remain in Asia after May 5th, the date of my friend's wedding in Chiang Mai. I'd like to explore Laos, Myanmar, and Indonesia, but I feel a longing for the States, for some stability...especially for my laptop.

got rice?

2009-04-04T02:42:00.000-07:00

Having grown up consuming rice at least once a day, I have always been curious about the harvest and processing of this grain essential to Asia. The other day, I had the opportunity to visit a rice mill on one of the small Vietnamese islands located in the Mekong delta.

Most people are aware that rice grows in large, rectangular paddies that glisten beautifully and be seen from airplanes in perfectly formed grids. During harvesting season, the workers collect the stalks and use machines that turn the stalks over to release the grains from them.

There are multiple layers of rice, and the first layer known as the husk, is separated and sold as fertilizer to farmers. Within the husk lies the second, nutritious layer of rice: the part we know as "brown rice."

When I lived in New York, brown rice was a staple of my diet. I found its simplicity, nutritional value, and cheapness very attractive. I was startled to find its lack of presence in Southeast Asia, which is the largest producer of rice in the world.

Our guide explained that the brown rice shell is used to feed animals. Seriously? In developing nations, where people struggle to find proper nutrients, the most healthy part of one of their essential grains is tossed aside and carelessly thrown in with chicken feed and pig fodder??

When I asked the guide why people in Vietnam dislike brown rice, he explained that the flavor and odor of brown rice is unappealing to the locals. The distinct scent and taste also interferes with other Vietnamese dishes and with stir-frys.

I've been paying more attention to what I eat (I've become vegan) and I think eating habits are directly linked to education, economy, environment, and culture. Unfortunately, I see Southeast Asia as terribly behind. While the area offers a variety of savory cuisines, I think if people here were more aware of the processing of food, they would eat more whole grains and less meat. A lot of people claim that vegetarian is an elitist practice for the wealthy, but I find tofu and legumes to be cheap and if mills could simply retain the brown shell and people grew accustomed to the taste, instantly millions of people would be receiving a wealth of additional nutrients.

In addition to taste preferences, mills refine rice because white rice has a longer shelf life than brown. The guide explained how bugs are attracted to brown rice but do not touch white rice. This is because white rice has no nutrients. If bugs see its lack of nutrients, why shouldn't we?

Catapulted into Ho Chi Minh

2009-03-28T08:59:00.001-07:00

Am I completely ignorant for not knowing that Vietnamese used Roman characters? I must be.... It's strange to see letters you recognize yet hear them pronounced so differently and see them lumped together in strange combinations decorated with so many symbols, which form their own unique combinations....

Ho Chi Minh isn't very distinct from other southeast Asian cities I've visited. Like Bangkok and Phnom Penh, the pollution and traffic are atrocious. The city is more modern than I expected. I see designer stores and shopping malls, fancy cafes, and computer stores, and finely sculpted parks all over the city.

I thought I'd spend a few days here but am struggling to find interesting activities. I visited the War Remnants Museum, which houses some incredible photography of soldiers and victims. They also had documentation and excerpts of political statements made by various world leaders expressing their views of the war (most expressed their disappointment and and disgust with the US).

I plan to explore the Mekong delta and work my way up to Hanoi.

Today, I witnessed the city's celebration of a project called Earth Hour, a day meant to draw awareness to our electricity use. Everyone is encouraged to turn off their electricity for an hour. It began at 8:30 PM in Ho chi Minh. The project originally started in Sydney in 2007. I heard New York participated last year. It was beautiful to see businesses close and homes in the dark for an hour in Ho Chi Minh. I was so thrilled that the project spanned the entire city rather than a few organizations. People gathered around the city hall and listened to musicians play by candle light, and they sang, chanted, read, and sat down in circles arms around each others' shoulders, gazing at the stars.

I am uploading my pics on Picasa but think they look much worse on Picasa than on iPhoto. One day I'll get a real camera....

Poverty in the Philippines

2009-03-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

I met my friend in the capital city Manila and we immediately hopped on a bus to the rural north, where we hiked the famous rice terraces, which locals dub as the 8th natural wonder of the world. They were mesmerizing; I got lost in the emerald pools, these slabs of stone cut into the mountains.

We then went to the tiny town of Sagada for some spelunking. The food was delicious. The mountains were also breathtaking. The people were kind except...I was robbed.

My friend and I were swimming in a small waterfall with a couple of local teenage boys. We were told in advance that we didn't need a tour guide because it was only a short distance away from the town. The boys showed us how to jump off the top of the waterfall; my friend was really nervous, but when he saw me do it, he felt his manhood being threatened and promptly followed.

While we were jumping, I noticed one boy starting to carry his things away. I didn't know why he was making these little back and forth trips, or where he exactly he was taking these things.

My friend went to the campfire and got our shoes. I started to put on my clothes. One boy, oddly, was sitting near me and my bag. He was shivering. I asked him why he wasn't drying himself off by the fire, and he didn't respond. Stupid, stupid me. The boy snatched my bag and ran off.

I screamed incessantly, I screamed until I thought my chest would explode. Then I ran after him, but quickly slipped on the muddy terrain, me being barefoot. The other, younger boy said he'd run after his friend. His assistance was part of their little scheme. I should've grabbed him and held onto him, but I just shook my head like an idiot. I think I was also scared he might have a weapon so didn't want to physically handle him.

My friend felt differently. He put on his shoes, sprinted after the boys, and grabbed the younger one. He shook him and screamed in his face. Suddenly, my bag flies through the air. My friend grabs it, giving the boys a chance to scamper off. He started yelling at me that he had the bag, but I knew my money inside was gone, and sure enough, 90% of my cash was gone. Well, at least they left me a little. Thankfully my camera and credit cards were there.

I was infuriated with myself. I felt stupid and naive for standing a few feet away from my bag, leaving myself wide open to thievery. I felt violated and manipulated. These boys had planned ahead, and I hadn't picked up on a single clue. They moved their belongings in advance, they waited until we had built up some kind of friendship with them, and then they caught me alone while my hands were occupied.

I reported the crime to the police. My friend scoured the town and approached everyone he saw telling them about the boys. At the station, the police took down some notes and appeared very concerned but didn't really do much. Then my friend spoke to tour guides that located the boys within a few hours while the police still struggled to even remember the details of my case. One guide found the younger boy and brought him to my friend. He coughed up the 500 pesos the older boy had given him (I was missing 3,500 Pesos). My friend began screaming at the boy boy. I wasn't present, but apparently the boy burst into tears.

The older boy was missing. We knew where he lived, thanks to the guides, and they said he hadn't come home. We waited and finally went back to our hostel. The next morning, another 500 pesos found its way to us. Apparently, the older boy hadn't come home at all and handed the money over through a friend, who gave it to the police, who gave it to us. Apparently, the boy thought we would be assuaged with the partial return. I imagined him hiding in the woods, shaking, and realizing he was the current focus of the this tiny town of 400 people.

The next day, the day my friend and I had to leave, the police brought in the mothers of both boys and made them pay us what we were robbed. I felt so sorry for them. These women were so poor that they had to borrow the money from friends. One mother explained she felt like these boys stole because she didn't make enough money to make them happy, and then she cried. I hope their sons understand the pain they had caused. The older boy had been found but was taking some make-up test at school. Otherwise, the mother explain, he would've apologized to me in person.

This was the town's first robbery in 4 years. But the low crime rate isn't because of a tireless justice forth. Actually, a townsperson commented that the crime was only good because it got the police to do some work for once.

Even in my case, the police still did very little work. We found out they were waiting for the tour guides to locate the boys, since the guides seem to be more in touch with the community.
Tourism is one of Sagada's main sources of income, and these guys have their jobs on the line when things like this happen. The police were forgetful and fairly unhelpful. One policewoman even dared to blame me for the robbery, suggesting that if I should have used a tour guide. At first I didn't respond then later, with my friend's helpful insight, I realized her insulting remark and explained to her (okay, I may have cursed) that the tourism office should be to blame because they told us we didn't need a guide. She apologized. I hope she doesn't blame every victim in Sagada for the crime.

What have I learned from this terrifying, exhaustive incident that could've ruined our vacation? Always keep one hand on my belongings. People are kind, very kind. Those 2 kids were little punks, but it brought out the kindness and concern of an entire town for complete foreigners. I was so humbled by their assistance.

When I saw the younger boy, I asked him, "How could you do this?" My friend expressed himself differently: "DON'T MESS WITH ME! I'M FROM NEW YORK!" I bet those boys' parents beat them. I hope they don't ever steal again, but at the same time, but I also hope they don't have to struggle as much for food. Townspeople told me these boys come from some of the poorest families in the area. I want them to feel remorse and to understand the pain they caused for their families and for the town, but I also take pity on them. Nobody should have to struggle for food. When we met these boys, they were frying tadpoles. They were that hungry.

Cambodia: Phnom Penh

2009-03-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

Phnom Penh is Cambodia's capital and appears significantly more developed than any other part of Cambodia I've seen. I sense the French influence here, not only by some street signs and the smattering of French language, but also by the long gardens that remind me of those in front of French palaces, the architecture of the government buildings, and the traffic rotaries (the circles in which traffic enters and must go through before getting out at another exit) that are so common in Paris.

I visited the National Museum, which houses an impressive amount of Khmer art from various periods but unfortunately provides little information on the background of the pieces. Much of what I saw here I also saw among the temples in Siem Reap. I would recommend seeing the art in its original context at the temples.

Later, I visited the former Khmer Rouge prison, Tuol Sleng. The Khmer Rouge took a high school and converted it into one of their primary prisons/torture chambers. They captured many formerly high ranking Cambodian officials and brought them here to be interrogated and executed.

Before arriving in Cambodia, I had never heard of the Khmer Rouge. As I previously mentioned, the Khmer Rouge was a Marxist faction that overtook Cambodia for a few years during the 1970's. In their doctrine, they aimed to transform Cambodia into an agrarian society and eliminate education, religion, intellectuals, and all opposing belief systems and political ideologies. They systematically executed anyone that might disagree or disrupt their process of seizing complete control. They particularly targeted children in their attempts to enlarge their forces, since children were seen as particularly susceptible to new ideologies and as the country's future. When the KR was running low on soldiers, they forced many children to join the front lines. The KR eliminated monks, anyone educated or who might be educated, any officials of Cambodia's previous ruling party, relatives of those officials, and anyone else that showed opposition. They never held trials, tortured prisoners, created concentration camps in hopes of increasing rice production, which they believed would be the foundation of the new Cambodia. Across the country, they created mass graves in which they buried people, some of whom were not fully deceased. Historians dispute the exact number of victims, but the most common figure is around 3 million.

Although I don't have an extensive knowledge of world history, I don't ever remember these tragedies being mentioned in school. The UN actually allowed the KR to represent Cambodia at the general assembly for a few years. How could this have happened? Imagine if Hitler represented Germany at the assembly. Somehow, the KR got through....

At the museum, the prison cells and torture chambers are in their original condition. There are the original bed frames, instruments of torture, victims' clothing, and headshots taken by the KR of many prisoners. Other halls contain photography exhibits, information on various mass graves (ones are still being discovered), and information on the current status of former KR officials. There's a movie room on the top floor that plays a documentary about a woman searching for the remaining members of her family, which were taken away from her by the KR.

One particular section of them museum featured former child soldiers of the KR and recent quotes from them. The genocide occurred so recently that many are still alive and can recall serving in the KR, the murders they were ordered to commit, and their searches for their families and the challenges they faced while reconstituting their lives after the KR disseminated.

There is much information about this, yet I wonder if I am wrong to say I am one of many Westerners unfamiliar with this event. Here are some movies and literature that cover the topic:

The Killing Fields (1984)
Directed by Rolan Joffe and starring Sam Waterston
- an insightful look on the events of Cambodia during the Pol Pot regime through the eyes of an American reporter. Some strange sexual tension between the 2 male leads, but perhaps that's just because it was the early 80's.

Year Zero (2008)
Documentary directed by John G. Severson
On IMDB, this movie is listed as in post. There's no projected release date. The documentary features Aki Ra, a former KR child soldier who began the Landmine Museum in Siem Reap and has de-activated over 50,000 landmines to date. In addition to spreading awareness and raising money for his organization, the museum houses children of landmine victims or other severely impoverished families, and provides the children with clothing, food, and free education. This documentary should be an impressive feat.

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
by Loung Ung
This is one of the most popular books on the subject. I see it sold everywhere here, and it's highly rated on Amazon. Amazon review:
Written in the present tense, First They Killed My Father will put you right in the midst of the action--action you'll wish had never happened. It's a tough read, but definitely a worthwhile one, and the author's personality and strength shine through on every page. Covering the years from 1975 to 1979, the story moves from the deaths of multiple family members to the forced separation of the survivors, leading ultimately to the reuniting of much of the family, followed by marriages and immigrations. The brutality seems unending--beatings, starvation, attempted rape, mental cruelty--and yet the narrator (a young girl) never stops fighting for escape and survival. Sad and courageous, her life and the lives of her young siblings provide quite a powerful example of how war can so deeply affect children--especially a war in which they are trained to be an integral part of the armed forces. For anyone interested in Cambodia's recent history, this book shares a valuable personal view of events.

Cambodia: Siem Reap

2009-03-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, my friend and I arrived in Siem Reap after being on a bus for nearly 12 hours. Cambodia is a beautiful and incredibly poor country. I thought I was visiting a developing part of the world by traveling to Thailand, but I had no idea how much poorer some countries could be. First of all, there are very few people in Cambodia. I think the lack of tourism here compared to neighboring Vietnam and Thailand makes Cambodians more desperate when they see foreigners. Groups of children sprinted towards my friend and me and pleaded with us to buy their scarves and postcards. People will call towards you in Thailand but I've never seen the persistence and aggression that vendors here exhibit.

We've visited Angkor Wat and other temples, but we discovered that the complex, which is Cambodia's main tourist attraction and probably the one that draws the most revenue, is owned by a Vietnamese oil company! Cambodians barely see any of the exorbitant ticket admission fees paid by foreigners. Thankfully, Cambodians can enter the temples for free, but it's sad that one of Cambodia's most beautiful historical sites profits a Vietnamese company instead of the Cambodians, who desperately need it.

Yesterday, we saw a couple of other temples and met some orphans who were sitting on the temple grounds passing out fliers and raising money for their orphanage. Usually you see flocks of children asking for dollars (they take US dollars here as well as the local currency, which is the Cambodian Riel), or following you around with flowers or postcards. My friend noticed a group of children huddled around an English book, and they started telling us about their orphanage and their English classes. These children speak and read English very well! They know more English than some of the high school students I taught in Thailand. Impressed with their skills and curious about their organization and the educational system in Cambodia, we followed them back to their orphanage and spoke with the Chairman. He gave us a lovely tour as orphans followed us, curious to see what our impressions were and what we would do. Nicole and I gave some English lessons! For 2 hours, I taught a class of over 60 10 - 14 year-olds conversational phrases about afterschool activities. They were so happy and excited to learn. I wish I met other students who cared as much about school as they did. They had next to nothing, yet they were so earnest and appreciative.

We also visited the Landmine museum. Ever since Nixon expanded the Vietnam War into Cambodia and Laos, the country has been plagued with landmine accidents. Currently, there are still 3- 6 million active landmines in Cambodia. The person who started the museum is a famous "deminer" who has worked with various NGO's in his goal to eradicate all landmines from Cambodia. Many children and farmers have lost limbs due to the landmines' pervading existence.

Random facts about Cambodia:

- The country's population is a mere 15 million (NYC's population is around 9 million)
- 50% of the population is under 15 years old
- drunk driving is not illegal
- drunk driving and HIV are 2 of the largest threats facing Cambodians today
- in the 1970's, the Marxist party called the Khmer Rouge performed one of the worst social experiments in history on the Cambodians. They tortured and murdered monks, doctors, educated people or anyone who looked like an intellectual (even people who wore glasses were under suspicion), and anyone else that could possibly threaten their infrastructure. Only when the Vietnamese overthrew them (in response to their attacks on Vietnam) did the party dispel.

last week in Phetburi

2009-02-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

I'm going crazy preparing for my departure of Phetburi. With keeping in touch with people, making travel plans, finishing grading, packing, and exploring various routes for the future (do I want to teach more in Thailand? Should I try another country like Vietnam or Korea? Do I just want to travel for a bit and then go home? Should I wait until the US economy is better before returning? Do I want to try Portland?), I find myself exhausted.

It's been a great experience teaching in Thailand, and as small and homogeneous as Phetburi is, I will certainly miss it. The school has great kids, I love the locals that I see often, who smile at me and wave (instead of shouting things like they did when I first arrived), and the quaint nature, slow pace, and simplicity are mesmerizing and refreshing. I needed this kind of environment after living in New York.

I leave for Cambodia on Saturday with my friend. I'm going to stay there for 10 days. Other than that, the only certain plan I have for the near future is to attend my friend's (the same one going with me to Cambodia) wedding on May 5th in Chiang Mai. It's a little frightening that I'm in the middle of developing Southeast Asia, and I don't have certain plans for where I will be 10 days from now...but I've been winging it all along (including during class), so this isn't anything new for me, and I think I'm getting better at making stuff up as I go.

The only thing I do wish is that I had time to be in my apartment for a full week and catch up on e-mails and continue working on my novel. A lot of people have been asking me how my writing is going. I submitted a very short story to a variety of journals a few weeks ago and am waiting to hear back. I am in the middle of contacting even more people about my novel, and with the time difference and figuring out my travel plans, I can barely keep up. In addition to an adopted woman, I'm talking to parents who are looking to adopt, parents who have adopted, and other adopted people. I haven't started writing yet. I still feel like I'm so unfamiliar with this world, and I haven't delved into my research on the 70's in the Bronx yet! Ahh! I have much to learn, and it's exciting yet I wonder when I will make the time to do this! Writing short stories completely unrelated to my novel has helped me in the mean time. I don't think I'd be as productive or feel as creative if I wasn't writing something, even if it's not directly related to my novel.

Speaking of writing, I'm looking to contribute to more social action/justice blogs if anyone has contacts at any or can recommend others. I write for All Day Buffet (though not as much as I'd like to), and I just started contributing to Participant Film's social action blog, takepart.com. They're going to use my pictures too! I'd love to pursue photography, but my camera isn't high enough quality for me to produce pictures of serious caliber. One day, when I'm a successful writer and don't need to worry about a day job, I'll purchase a gorgeous SLR...one day.

I can't believe winter here is over. It's back to 80 degree humid weather again. I'm so glad I'm not freezing my butt off in New York. If I go to Portland, I'd have to adjust to rain, and since I didn't enjoy London's weather so much, I'm not sure how I'd do. I'm going to enjoy the tropics as much as I can though Phetburi is so conservative that wearing shorts and a tank top is seen as slightly scandolous. I bet the tradition comes from temples, where people need to cover their shoulders and knees to enter. Also, Phetburi is simply a small conservative town. No matter the location, a small town mindset is still a small town mindset.

Speaking of small town mindedness, I was talking to my boss today about my plans for the near future. I told her I was worried about job hunting in Asia because most schools here are looking to hire Caucasian English teachers. I haven't experienced discrimination since middle school, and i've been really upset lately because I'm reminded of how my supervisor was so hesitant to hire me based on my appearance even though she spoke to me on the phone and heard my native accent. Anyway, the first question a lot of schools ask candidates is if they're white, and I'm worried that I'll have difficulty finding more employment. My supervisor said she felt comfortable employing me because she employed a Chinese Canadian guy and had a good experience with him. But she admitted to me she won't employ Black people. Great, lady. Way to spread the racism and ignorance to your students by never exposing them to a wide range of minorities.

I'm pretty tired and I have a lot of grading to do, but overall, the experience has been fascinating and worthwhile. I've learned so much while I'm here, and the longer I stay, the less I think about applying to grad school when I go back to the States. I feel like the education I'm receiving here is far superior to a 4 year academic institution where you learn about issues through books and lectures rather than talking to the people who experience them.

Like I said, I'm not sure what the next stage is, but the current stage is pretty great. I miss certain things about America terribly, but I'm not ready to return just yet.

the dog

2009-02-13T01:10:00.000-08:00

There is a stray dog who lives on my block. His leg was so badly infected that it was three times its normal size and green in color. He didn't walk on it. He limped around on the other 3 paws, holding the swollen, bloody, greenish leg in the air.

I bought a cheap luggage cord and used it as a leash. The dog had a collar (covered in bits of pus and dirt), and I looped it through the collar and dragged the dog to the hospital. The vet told me that the dog's leg needed to be amputated.

A week later, I brought the dog back for its amputation appointment. The operation was successful. A Thai family who also lives on my block met me at the vet's office and put the drugged dog in the back of its vehicle. They kept the dog inside their garage while they gave it antibiotics and painkillers.

The operation happened a few weeks ago, and now the dog seems to have a new personality. Before, the infection was so bad that the dog was too weak to move. The dog appeared depressed and sick. Now it happily limps on its remaining 3 legs up and down my block. I wanted it to live at the school where I teach, where plenty of other nice dogs reside, but my boss told me they didn't want any more dogs here and that I couldn't bring it.

The people on my block named it Mee, which means black bear in Thai. The dog reminds me of my dog in Virginia. It recognizes me now and wags its tail unlike before, when it was too sick to move its head.

BURMA'S TREATMENT OF ITS MUSLIM MINORITY GROUPS

2009-02-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

What drives the Rohingya to sea?

By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok

The dramatic testimony from survivors of a draconian Thai military policy of towing Rohingya boat people out to sea and leaving them there has drawn international attention to the plight of one of the world's most oppressed people.

The numbers heading out into the Andaman Sea have increased sharply

So what is it that is driving so many Rohingya, a Muslim minority from the western-most part of Burma, to flee in rickety boats in the hope of finding refuge elsewhere?

The term Rohingya refers to a distinct, Muslim ethnic group living in northern Rakhine state, along the border with Bangladesh.

They are thought to be descended from Arab and other Muslim traders who travelled and settled there more than 1,000 years ago.

They speak a dialect of Bengali similar to that spoken in the Cox's Bazaar region of Bangladesh.

There are perhaps one million living there, but may be as many more living overseas, mainly in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

HARRASSED AND BEATEN

Northern Rakhine state is one of the poorest and most isolated in Burma.

But the burdens imposed on the Rohingya by Burma's military rulers make their situation a whole lot worse than other people living in the area.

"Economic hardship and chronic poverty prevents many thousands of people in north Rakhine state from gaining food security," says Chris Kaye, the country director for the UN's World Food Programme who visited there two months ago.

"Many do not have land rights or access to farmland to grow food, and the restrictions and limitations on the movement of people, goods and commodities places additional stress on people's livelihood opportunities."

For a start, the Rohingya are denied citizenship under Burma's 1982 citizenship law, which leaves them out of the 135 ethnic groups officially recognised by the state.

The official view of the Burmese military is that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh or their descendants.

Rohingya trying to leave Burma are often harassed and beaten by the Burmese security forces, but then allowed to leave, and told never to return.

They are also unable to travel freely. The military demands that they obtain an official permit even to travel to the next town.

It is almost impossible for them to get permission to travel outside northern Rakhine.

MARRIAGE RESTRICTIONS

Rohingya are subjected to routine forced labour.

The amount of time they have to give varies, but Chris Lewa at the Arakan Project says that typically a Rohingya man will have to give up one day a week to work on military or government projects, and one night for sentry duty.

This reduces the time they have to earn a living for their families. Burmese Buddhists living in the area are usually not required to do this.

Some Rohingyas said they were beaten by the Thai authorities. The Rohingya have also lost a lot of arable land, which has been confiscated by the military to give to Buddhist settlers from elsewhere in Burma.

One of the most bizarre forms of discrimination imposed on the Rohingya is that they must get official permission to get married.

Like all the other documents they must obtain, these give opportunities for officials to extort money from them, and the marriage approval can take two years or more.

Couples caught getting married or sleeping together without this approval can be arrested.

The Arakan Project has documented a number of cases where the men have been jailed, in one case for seven years. When they get married they are required to sign a commitment not to have more than two children.

CAMP SQUALOR

This litany of abuse and harassment makes the Rohingya a downtrodden underclass even in Burma, one of the world's most repressive and impoverished states.

This is why 200,000 fled to Bangladesh in 1978, and another 250,000 between 1991 and 1992. There has been a steady stream into Bangladesh since then.

But the numbers heading out into the Andaman Sea by boat have increased sharply over the past two to three years.

There has been no discernable deterioration in the way the Rohingya are being treated by the Burmese authorities, as in 1978 and 1991, so other factors are driving them to leave.

Conditions for the Rohingya in Bangladesh are grim. Around 28,000 live in the two officially recognised camps, which get some assistance from the UN.

But 200,000 more eke out an existence outside the camps, in a desperately poor part of Bangladesh, with no official documentation, and no prospect of employment.

In the past they have made their way to the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, in search of work, as many Bangladeshis do.

They could do that because it was relatively easy to obtain Bangladeshi passports. But heightened security concerns in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia over Islamic extremism have made it far more difficult for the stateless Rohingya to travel.

RARE PUBLICITY

Instead they have been making their way to Malaysia by boat.

There are already around 20,000 Rohingya in Malaysia, and the UN has had some success in protecting them from deportation.

An injured Rohingya man rests in hospital in Thailand (31 January)
Many who make the perilous journey at sea come close to death
The job prospects there are better than Bangladesh, and this slim hope of a better life is what is now driving thousands to take the risky journey across the Andaman Sea.

Inevitably some have landed in Thailand instead. Others have been intercepted by the Thai navy once they entered its territorial waters, which lie en route to Malaysia.

Networks of brokers have grown to cash in on this hope; they charge up to $800 (£547) to make the trip in rickety and overcrowded boats.

Shortages of food and higher prices over the past year in northern Rakhine state are also driving more people to flee.

Of the Rohingya survivors being washed up in Indonesia and the Andaman Islands after being set adrift by the Thai security forces, some left Bangladesh, some left Burma, and a few had been rounded up in Thailand after living there for some time.

The scandal over Thailand's treatment of the Rohingya has at least brought their plight some rare publicity.

It has also brought home to Thailand and Burma's other neighbours that the unending repression inside Burma affects them far more than anyone else, and that the Rohingya are a regional problem which requires a concerted regional response.

Whatever horrors they may have endured recently in the Andaman Sea, the flow of Rohingya boat people is unlikely to stop.

What To Do

2009-02-01T02:20:00.000-08:00

I feel like lately I've lost touch with some of the things I planned to do here. When I first arrived in Thailand, I was exploring temples, talking to monks, and waking up at 5 to go running, read, or write. Now that I'm overwhelmed with teaching and figuring out what to do after Phetburi, I feel too exhausted to pursue those things! My friend was in town for the weekend, and I showed her around, and I was telling her that I don't feel the same welcoming vibe from monks when I enter the temples here as I did in Chiang Mai, but there are still a few that I feel comfortable enough entering and that's all that matters. I stopped meditating for a couple of months, and I'd like to start again. I haven't been doing as much yoga either, although ironically, I started teaching a class to some of the other foreign language teachers. In general, I have so much work and figuring out to do about my plans post-Phetburi, that the other parts of my life are dragging. So, I want to return to my routine of when I first arrived, which means exercising, meditating, writing, and reading more. It's not like I'm partying on the beach or drinking constantly (nowadays, it's rare that I stay up past 11, but then again my workday starts at 7:45), but I haven't sent my story out to magazines yet, and I'm not nearly as far along on my novel as I'd like to be. My travel itinerary and return date to the States are up in the air (along with which state I'd return to, but right now, definitely not NY). I think this entry shows how much I need to meditate. Focus on the present....

islands

2009-01-18T05:44:00.000-08:00

See the whole album on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2354175&id=908111

Update: my family and my plans for the near future

2009-01-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

My family:

My parents are incredibly worried about me despite the recent dying down of protests in Bangkok. They tell me I should return to Charlottesville and try to teach at UVA now that I have teaching experience. They don't realize that a TESOL certificate isn't exactly equivalent to a PhD. They also want me to apply to the following kinds of programs: medical school, nursing school, and law school. I thought when I moved to New York (independent of their support) to pursue film, they would see that neither medicine nor law held a place in my future plans. I thought that when I applied to Columbia's MFA program and asked them for their financial info so I could apply for financial aid that my application would be the final piece of evidence that would convince them of my lack of interest in medicine and law. And, when I moved to Thailand to teach English and work on a novel, I foolishly thought again they would leave me alone and stop asking when I would take the GRE, the LSAT, or the MCAT and understand where my interests lie. I am consistently proven wrong by them.

On a celebratory note, my brilliant younger brother just accepted a position at a helicopter design company in Los Angeles! He completed his Master's at UMich in aerospace engineering. I will try to visit him on my flight back to New York. I believe I have a layover in LA.

Two of my other brothers are still in Korea. One teaches English (and maybe still takes courses at Seoul National University?). The other is in the American army freezing his butt off and doing something with maps. He works in "intelligence," and the confidential nature of his job prevents him from giving me details, but I'm not sure if he entirely understands the nature of his job either.

My near future plans:

They change everyday. The only aspect that hasn't changed in the last few weeks is my desire to stay in Thailand for one more term, which would extend my stay until September. In the last 24 hours, I decided to apply to more MFA programs when I return to the States. So far on my list is UMich, UC Irvine, Syracuse, Iowa, Columbia, NYU, maybe Cornell, and some others. I know it's an ambitious list so far, and I don't want to think of safety schools because I'm only willing to go into debt and take time off from working for a top tier program. I'd rather wait and apply again next year than enter a mediocre program.

This decision comes from my realization that I lack a writing community and I lack sufficient feedback and commentary on my writing. I've been reading a craft book written by one of my favorite teachers, whose NYU workshop I took a few years ago. All of a sudden, I put the book, which is actually insightful, aside on my table and thought, "this is not the proper way to improve my writing. I need to talk to a professor! I need someone who does this professionally to give me feedback on my pieces!"

I have a few qualms about applying to grad school. First, I feel old. If I apply this fall, I won't enter grad school until I'm 26, which means that I would graduate when I'm 28 or 29. The thought of being in school as I approach thirty doesn't thrill me.

Secondly, I'll be in enormous debt. Especially if I somehow wound up at a financially devastating program like Columbia.

Thirdly and most importantly, I'm worried that a MFA program won't improve my writing very much. I've heard mixed reviews of various MFA programs. Some people, whose work I respect, claim it's a waste of time, while others claim they didn't produce their true writing until entering one.

Other updates: I started teaching some of my co-workers yoga on a weekly basis. I'm still working on my story about a man who pays a visit to hospital to see the girl he hit with his car. It's pretty cold in Phetburi. They say this winter has record low temperatures, the lowest the city's seen in 15 years. At night, it gets into the 40's. I'm trying to improve my running speed. I've been shooting for running twice a week, 4 miles each time, and getting down to 10 minute miles (I'm a very slow runner). I'm planning a trip to Cambodia with my friend Nicole when my employment contract ends on the 28th of February. I have to be out of the country that day or else I'll be fined for violating my visa. Then, I'll return in mid-March to begin my job hunt in Chiang Mai. Hopefully I can land a position within a couple of weeks and be able to go out and travel again before the next term begins in May.

anonymous followers?

2009-01-17T22:52:00.000-08:00

What?? I just discovered that you can anonymously follow google blogs. Perhaps I should be more cautious of what I write. Who knows who actually reads this....

Update: my winter holidays and my novel

2009-01-15T23:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've written. Here's an update on the past few weeks:

My winter break:

I visited the southern islands, went scuba diving, snorkeling, rock climbing, and played on beautiful beaches. I loved scuba diving. I never thought that one day I'd be underwater swimming among schools of yellow and black fish, examining giant sea turtles, and looking out for tiger sharks. My instructor took me around, and I felt like I was inside a painting. The colors were so vivid, everything moved so fluidly, and the silence and cool water temperature gave the experience a meditative quality. Rock climbing proved to be a greater challenge since I'm slightly afraid of heights. I did a beginner's course and scaled a 40 foot wall, but when I reached the top, I was too scared to release the rope, which is necessary to come down. I was up there shouting at my instructor. He was asking me to release the rope, and I told him I couldn't. The view was stunning, and afterwards I felt very satisfied. My later climbs were more successful, but I don't think I'll be doing more challenging climbs anytime soon. I'm not as scared of heights, but I'm not ready to fully embrace them.

My novel:

I've been speaking to this southern firecracker of a woman over Skype. She has been sharing with me her experience as an adopted woman and her feelings during her search for her birth parents and her eventual meetings with them. I admire her strength and wit, and am impressed by her sense of humor and positive outlook despite the incredible journey she's experienced. I'm also speaking with someone in the NY Dept. of Edu about Bronx high schools during the 1970's. This guy is a Bronx native and told me about the knives in fashion, the gang colors, the rap, the tape decks, the classrooms, the books, etc. The scope of this project is overwhelming me more and more. You would think performing research would make the project feel more manageable, yet it seems that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. In one way, I'm thrilled to learn about environments and lives so different from my own, but I'm concerned because I want my book to be an honest and emotional portrayal, and I have mountains of work (probably years of it) ahead of me in order to achieve this. I'm not confident about my setting and plot, but I don't feel I've tried hard enough to be able to determine yet if this project is possible or not.

more to come on my family and my plans for the near future....

Love from Thai Children

2008-12-25T06:51:00.001-08:00

This is one of my older classes. Students are 17 - 18 years old.

This is my adorable and very ADD student Dream. All the Thai kids have cute nicknames. He's smart but he's unable to sit still for a second.

Some of my younger kids

A student's attempt to win me over on the midterm exam. He only got partial credit. See my response in red.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T00:51:00.001-08:00

Hello all! I hope everyone is having a loving holiday. Since Thais don't celebrate Christmas, I worked today but the schools still have a winter break, which begins tomorrow for me and extends until the 2nd. I decided to venture to Krabi where I'll be rock climbing, scuba diving or snorkeling, and relaxing on some of the world's most beautiful beaches. Krabi is where they shot The Beach and also has plenty of lagoons. Here are some pics to give you guys an idea:

I'll have my own pics soon....

Happy holidays! Stay warm!

New Thai PM Elected

2008-12-16T21:32:00.001-08:00

Click here to read an article from the BBC explaining much better than I could the recent election of Abhisit Vejjajiva to the PM seat. He is supposedly untainted by corruption or by conflicts of interest. He's handsome too, isn't he?

Kanchanaburi and Little India

2008-12-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

I will post some pictures soon (I'm really bad about that), but last weekend some friends and I visited Kanchanaburi, which is 3 hours northwest of Bangkok and frolicked in a 7 tier waterfall! It was fantastic. I've never seen water so clean and such a beautiful shade of turquoise, nor have I seen rock formations so gorgeous! It really makes me respect the capabilities of nature.

Then we returned to Bangkok and checked out Little India. We visited a gorgeous Sikh temple and ate at the cafeteria! They were so kind to us. I found out that one principal of the Sikhs is generosity and they encourage all visitors to eat at the temple cafeteria. This is a good tip for those ever planning to visit India, and if somehow you find yourself broke, on the street, and hungry. My friend told me the biggest Sikh temple in India feeds thousands everyday. Anyway, we checked out the temple's other floors. The chanting room was on the 4th floor, and the other floors had individual prayer rooms and conference rooms. My friend also told me they will chant for hours. At the front, there were a few men hitting drums, and people went up and bowed down to receive a blessing. The men and women sat separately from each other. Some were talking, some had their eyes closed, and others just stared while bobbing their heads to the beat. Around the temple were great spice and fabric markets. We bought lentils even though only 1 of us has a kitchen, but we were so excited to see beans that we figured we'd find some way to cook them. The area was different from any part of Thailand I've seen, and my friend said it felt just like being in India.

Visiting the temple was a startling reminder of how little I know about other religions and customs. Like most people, I've seen Indian men in turbans, but I never realized that these men were Sikhs rather than Hindus (I'm referring to a certain kind of turban. There are other kinds of turbans that refer to various other religious customs). I also didn't know anything about the Sikh religion. I found out it shares a lot of traits with Muslim and Hindu beliefs.

My friends and I are planning to visit Thailand's most southern provinces that border Malaysia. Instead of heading to Phuket, Ko Samui, and other sleazy tourist destinations, we decided to venture to the less traveled areas in order to avoid the hawkers and meet more locals. I look forward to talking with Muslims, entering Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist temples, and of course, frolicking on the (nearly deserted!) white sand beaches. I hope to increase my knowledge of other faiths, particularly ones that appear to be vastly different from my own. I feel I perceive them as quite different only because I do not know enough about them. Like I've found with Buddhism so far, once I speak to followers, I may find there are more similarities between my beliefs and theirs than I currently think.

Don't go to the Continental bar

2008-12-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

Turns out you have to be a facebook member to use the link I previously posted. I'm pasting the story below. Please do not support this establishment (located on the corner of 3rd Ave and St. Mark's Place) until they change their racist admission policy!

***

Last Saturday something happened in NYC that deeply upset me. So much, that it led me to question if any real change will result from
electing this nations first black president. Myself and 4 other
friends had just gone to see the new film "Milk" in the east Village
when we walked into the Continental (25 3rd ave/St Marks) a college
rock bar that serves cheap drinks. We were waiting in line to get our
ID's checked and in front of us was a black couple in their 20s. I
heard one of the bouncers say to the couple: "There is a dress code
get out of the line"

Now I look at this couple, and they are dressed like any typical New
Yorkers out on a Saturday night: the girl in a black tight fitting
dress and the guy wearing sneakers, baggy jeans, and a north face
jacket. Their clothes are nicer than some of the indie rockers wearing
holey jeans and muddied sneakers that are already inside.
In disbelief I asked the large bouncer, who is also black, "What's the
dress code?"And I cannot believe I heard someone say this is in 2008
but he replied
"Your skin color is right."
Upon seeing the disbelief in my face another (black) bouncer asked for
my ID, shined a light in my face and asked if I had been
drinking…"Look at me" he said.
"Sir, I have not been drinking but what is the dress code here?" I
replied.

Once I got into the Continental and found the manager, who was white.
I told him what I witnessed and he did not respond. I then rounded up
my friends and told him we were never coming back again. I can't
believe this is New York City in 2008.

Later in the evening my friends and I are walking around the East
Village near 1st when a group of black 20-somethings ask us for
directions the a bar called Cheap shots . We give them directions and
then jokingly say it is a good thing they are not going to the
Continental. Then shockingly they tell us that they were turned away
from the Continental too!

I understand that the Continental's goal is to cater to the NYU
students and St Marks tourists, but no matter how cheap the drinks are
they will never have my friends or myself as supporters of their
establishment again.

STORY - "ACCIDENT"

2008-12-10T02:25:00.001-08:00

I posted a story on my other blog, "Portfolio." Check it out here and give me feedback!

the recent wave of corruption/moral injustice

2008-12-10T00:45:00.000-08:00

Wow, I'm shocked by the injustice I'm reading about lately. With the racist admission policy of the Continental bar (please read my friend's story here), the Illinois governor corruption scandal, and the never ending antics of the current Thai government, I'm starting to lose a little faith in humanity. Never fear - I have a voice, which I will use to draw attention to current injustices and to hopefully inspire others to use their own voices and take action. We cannot remain silent and passive during such a volatile time.

Many people have expressed concern over my safety in Thailand considering the violent protests they read about in newspapers and see on TV. Though my small city, Phetburi, is 2 hours south of Bangkok and has barely been affected, I will do my best at attempting to explain the reasoning behind the protests and the various parties involved.

Most recently, the government officially ousted residing Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and ordered his party, the People Power Party, and its 2 partnering parties to dissolve after discovering one of its members bribed voters during the last election. Upon hearing this announcement, protesters, primarily made of People's Alliance for Democracy party members, decided to end their occupation of the Bangkok International airport, which should run at full capacity shortly.

The ousting, although official sounding, isn't as much of a re-assurance as people would hope. Wongsawat's party expected the decision and was already in the process of re-forming under a new party name, Puea Thai ("For Thais"), which according to the London Times, will attempt to form a new government next week.

The conflict can be traced back to the leadership of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, known for abusing power and leading a corrupt government while he was in power from 2001 to 2006. Currently, Shinawatra is in self-imposed exile in London, but he continues to heavily influence current Thai politics and leadership. Many current parliament members are still ardent supporters of Shinawatra and are called his puppets. Wongsawat is married to Shinawatra's sister.

That is all I know for now. I continue to research the structure of Thai government because I find it fascinating, disappointing, shocking, and refreshingly different from American politics. As I discover new information, I'll post it here.

Writer's Ramblings

2008-12-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

I'm still shocked by how precisely I can decipher my mood and personality from my writing. Now, I realize this may seem like an obvious conclusion, but I notice that not only do my choice of topic and my tone reflect my feelings, but also that my diction and syntax are good indicators of my levels of creativity, confidence, and contentment I was or wasn't experiencing at the time.

Like any writer, I'm extremely critical of my own work. Even after I publish a blog post or a story, I will continually revise it and make such minor changes as changing an adjective or re-wording a paragraph.

My writing process is an indicator of my personality - eager, ansy, hard working, yet passionate. I enjoy writing "in the moment" and often do writing exercises in my journal such as thinking of a person in a situation and writing a story based on that scene, without planning any other details in advance. I call these improv exercises because like in theater or in jazz, you begin with a single note or emotion and allow the expression to flourish with only spontaneity and your current mood steering the way.

As I mentioned before though, I become impatient and tend to publish, submit, or circulate drafts much earlier than I should. I'm eager to be published and recognized, and my patience gets ahead of my abilities and ultimately hampers the quality of my feedback (see previous post).

I think in addition to common obstacles of writers such as character development and pacing, I struggle with syntax. When I'm nervous, insecure, or uncomfortable with the potential audience of my work, I lose eloquence and labor over the proper order of words. I become indecisive and self-conscious. I'm editing this post right now as I write.

My best friend Liesel mentioned to me that in a story I wrote, she sensed I was writing "as I thought writers should sound like" rather than remaining honest and sincere. This was some of the best criticism I have ever received. She continued to comment that when I write personal e-mails to her, the words seem to flow naturally and passionately versus the somewhat artificial and staged feeling of my story. I completely agree with her and said when revising my draft, I would imagine her as my audience and see how the story changed with this new perspective in mind.

These thoughts came to me as I was looking back at previous entries in my Thailand blog. Some samples of my writing make me feel as though I am a terrible writer lacking eloquence, a varied vocabulary, a natural rhythm, or descriptive language, while other more sincere entries I find encouraging and genuine.

Lately

2008-11-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

I discovered a wireless network around my apartment! I am so excited to find internet access outside of school, even though the network doesn't seem particularly reliable. I'm tired of staying late at school to do my research, and now I'll be able to work on personal projects in the comfort of my own apartment.

So, teaching is still going well although I haven't been as prepared as I could have been for my latest lessons. Some of my classes only meet once a week for 50 minutes, and it's hard to imagine these kids learning much during that short amount of time. I prepared some jeopardy games, a clothing game, and other activities to entertain them. I think too many worksheets will bore the students.

My kids vary from teenagers more interested in their make-up than class to 12 year-olds who hand in homework covered with drawings. I prefer the younger students because I find them easier to entertain and because they haven't yet developed the sass that teenagers like to show off.

This weekend is a holiday weekend because of the king's birthday. I may travel to Kanchanaburi or Ayyuthua.

The other night, I hurt my back and had to go to the hospital. I was getting ready to go running and was wearing socks while walking down a set of smooth, varnished wooden steps and then slipped and fell backwards. My lower back hit the edge of a step! I got my back x-rayed and luckily no bones were fractured or broken. The hospital gave me a lot of painkillers, which made me nearly comatose for the whole day. My back is still quite sore, and I have to avoid yoga and running for a few days.

I finished Kazuo Shiguro's Never Let Me Go. I was impressed with the elements of suspense and the carefully crafted environment. He planted the seeds of revelation well, and the book successfully caught me off guard yet seduced me with its ultimate disturbing revelation. Although the narrator's voice occasionally felt too simplistic and sometimes its rhythm too dull and monotonous, the plot's tension and the main characters' loss of innocence were riveting. I think it's an interesting, ambitious novel. Now I'm reading Ha Jin's Waiting. I wish I took his class while at BU. So far I'm enjoying the novel. I'd like to read more Annie Proulx. The Shipping News has been called a masterpiece by many critics. Speaking of writing, I have been working on a short story which I will shortly post on my other blog (www.victoriacho.blogspot.com) and working further on my novel. I haven't posted much on my other blog in a while because I realized I was posting and sending drafts to people before they were read. Sometimes, I'm so eager to receive feedback that I prematurely circulate a draft, which does not help me as much as waiting, continuing to work, and sending out my best possible work for others to review.

Right now, we're in the winter season and temperatures are in the 50's - 60's. It's like a pleasant autumn.

It's finally hitting me.

2008-11-15T01:11:00.000-08:00

Today marks the official 2 month anniversary of my arrival in Thailand and so far, I feel like I've adjusted pretty well considering the shockingly different culture and climate. In the last couple weeks though, I've encountered a phase of homesickness, which caught me off guard since I have been enjoying my meditations, the progress of my writing, and the greater independence my teaching position has given me compared to other jobs I've held. I realize that I sorely miss the following elements of New York/American culture:

Cultural/racial diversity - the few other foreigners I've seen walking around the town appear to be from Western European or American descent (based on their accent and appearances). I haven't seen a single Black or Hispanic person. I ran into a Korean family, and my understanding is that a small Chinese community exists somewhere, but I don't see many other Asians - Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, Indian.... Perhaps they live in other sections of town I have yet to explore, or maybe I'm unable to tell (though I've become fairly acute at differentiating various Asians from one another), but I'm surprised by the town's lack of diversity not just among people from all over world but even among Asians.

Being around other artists - Although meditating in temples, hiking, going to bed at 10 and waking up at 5 has advanced and inspired my work, I miss being surrounded by a community of similarly dedicated artists struggling to realize their dreams. In New York, I took a wonderful workshop with Iowa graduate Aria Sloss and met other writers who shared their various obstacles while polishing their craft. I developed a repertoire with them and with Aria, which I can somewhat maintain over e-mail, but it can't replace in-person discussion not just in a workshop but at any event or gathering whether it be a gallery opening, party, or asking the coffeeshop barista about a flyer posted in the window.

Phetchaburi is a working class town and most people run small businesses like noodle shops, pharmacies, or motorbike repair shops. I haven't met any writers here but I did meet a few in Chiang Mai at the Writers Wine Bar. The writers who frequented that drinking hole were all above 50, male, and mostly travel writers. The other foreign teachers at my school are lovely people but none of them are toiling away at an artistic craft, so I struggle to relate my experiences to anyone in person here.

Nightlife - although I came here to explore my spirituality and to write, every now and then I enjoy escaping at a concert, a bar, or through an arthouse film. I found a low key coffeeshop by day/bar at night that slightly reminds me of Brooklyn but with a few Western European tourists and Thai people in lieu of Williamsburg hipsters (that's a welcome change). The girl who works there, Plai, speaks English and is around my age. I've been craving live jazz music, and Plai and I may check out a famous jazz club in Bangkok called the Saxophone Pub this weekend. Overall, Phetburi is SLOW. Teenagers are usually at home by 10 pm on the weekends. There are a few bars patronized by older, single Thai men, who along with women of ill-repute, make up Phetburi's nightlife scene.

Food - although food is delicious and cheap here, everyone needs variety. I long for meals absent of white rice or meals that feature brown rice instead. I miss Indian food, Korean food, Mexican food, and Middle Eastern food. I eat tofu at least once a day here since it the only vegetarian form of protein available at food stalls. Maybe I'll visit Bangkok this weekend and satiate my daal and falafel cravings. Since Asia uses very little dairy and since I never had much of an affinity for egg, I'm on the road to veganism. I'm trying to expel yogurt from my diet, but my other breakfast options are quite sugary (pastries) or fattening (nuts). And while I may struggle with the lack of veggie options, I will never resort to the consumption of meat! In a market in Bangkok, I witnessed a long row of wet looking, severed pig's heads. I won't ever eat meat again.

Otherwise, I find Thailand invigorating yet tranquil and currently plan to extend my stay in the country but not in my current town. Though I momentarily reminisce of New York's charm, my departure from the Big Apple has greatly benefited me and allowed me to transition into a stage of confidence, serenity, and thriving creativity.

But...your face?

2008-11-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

When I introduce myself as an American, the most common response I receive from Thais is, "But...your face?" and they tilt their heads sideways, confused. I then explain that my parents are Korean, and they seem satisfied.

At school, I receive some comments from the students. They'll shout out "Ni-how," "Konichiwa," and "An-yo haseyo." They'll also yell "ching-chong," and other random words to me. When I found out they did this to all of the foreign teachers, I was slightly relieved. Their comments remind me of some harsh remarks I received in my middle school days in Virginia. I believe my brothers and I were the only Asian students there at the time.

My co-worker taught in Korea and said he knew a Korean-Canadian girl who had a really difficult time teaching English over there. The other Koreans saw her as "fake" because she couldn't speak Korean and ostracized her. She had trouble making friends and managing her class because the students and I think even some of the other teachers didn't respect her. I considered teaching in Korea so I could learn more Korean and be near my brothers, but their demanding educational system and the unhealthy amount of pressure the culture places on education deterred me from going forward with my desire.

I think people expect an English teacher to look Caucasian, so I can understand their curiosity when they see me. However, it can take a few minutes even to explain how I came to speak English. I found out that when my current school hired me, the department head saw my picture and although she knew I grew up in the United States, she didn't believe I was fluent in English. During my phone interview, she asked me to speak to another English teacher. I found out later she did this to confirm my fluency even after she had been speaking to me for 10 minutes.

If a Thai teacher appeared at a school in the states with blond hair and blue eyes, I'd have questions too. I can see why people have questions about my heritage, but sometimes I simply want to state, "I'm American" and walk away.

gobama

2008-11-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

YES! Not many other people here care (well, some of my students congratulated me) but I screamed when the NY Times declared Obama as the winner!

I've been here for a week and a half, and things are going really well. I get along better with the younger kids. I teach middle and high school kids. The high school kids have some bad attitude, and their hormones are raging. It's a little tiring to hear the girls scream and boys make strange, guttural noises every time something even remotely related to sex is mentioned in class. Somehow, these kids can turn anything into a sexual reference. Well, it's that time in life for them. Thailand is also repressed in some ways - an American here told me that dating in Thailand is like dating was in American 50 years ago. So, they need to release tension somehow, and if dating is somewhat taboo for them, at least they can get it out of their system by laughing when a boy and girl stand next to each other for some partner work.

Overall, the kids are great. They're really nice and not at all the nightmare children I was wondering if I'd have to teach. My biggest problem is their chattiness, but I've heard that's cultural. I've gone over nouns, verbs, and adjectives with my classes. The strange thing about this school is that the English teachers aren't allowed to fail the students. Because students pay extra money to be in the English program, the school feels obligated to them all graduate. It makes no sense to me, and it's probably why so many of them finish school still unable to speak English and why so many people in the country still struggle with English despite the amount of English programs/teachers here. What a counterproductive policy.

Just watched Obama's acceptance speech with the other teachers. I wish I was in NY right now so I could celebrate with everyone.

VOTE!!

2008-11-03T16:45:00.003-08:00

Everyone VOTE! If McCain wins, I'm staying out of the country for longer. GOBAMA.

Teaching Is Beginning

2008-10-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

I completed a meditation retreat last weekend. It was one of the most challenging and amazing experiences of my life. We were expected to meditate for several hours of each day. The retreat was only 2 and a half days, and at moments I considered leaving early. Although I struggled to maintain my focus in either the sitting position, lying down position, standing or walking positions, I'm glad that I pushed myself and endured the full course. I was able to sporadically achieve some quality meditation sometimes even for 20 minutes. Even today whenever I felt a moment of hesitation, anxiety, or excessive concern, I remembered the principals I learned at the forest temple: detach yourself from emotions, focus on the present moment, and think about your breath. It truly calms me.

I'm in Phetchaburi planning some lessons. I was relieved when I arrived. I couldn't find much information on the city online or in my Lonely Planet. The small city is at the foot of beautiful mountains (like Chiang Mai) and has many temples (also like Chiang Mai). The most unique aspect of the city that I've discovered so far is that monkeys roam wild here!! I was running by the mountain and saw monkeys crawling on the sidewalk, climbing telephone poles, jumping onto roofs of nearby houses and restaurants, scampering across the street, and one that even jumped into the bed of someone's pick-up truck! The monkeys are adorable and agile creatures but seeing so many is a little overwhelming. I've heard they can be aggressive and angry. If you carry around any bags, they'll snatch them from you because they think the bags contain food. Seeing so many makes me think of that frightening scene from the Wizard of Oz.

The town is much hotter than Chiang Mai. We're 2 hours south of Bangkok, and it's about 80 degrees here everyday. My skin has become so dark that some people think I'm Thai.

I have to plan 2 weeks of lessons. I'm teaching one English Fundamentals course, which focuses on basic grammar. The rest of my courses are English conversation. I have a lot of freedom in creating my curriculum. I will use many drama games and have the students perform skits. Maybe that's for my amusement rather than theirs.

I'm a citizen too

2008-10-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Where is my absentee ballot??? C'mon NYC voting office...I mailed my form in weeks ago!!!

I went to the Chiang Mai zoo today. Giraffes are incredible creatures. They're not any longer than a mule, but they're very muscular. I saw giant pandas! They sat on a wooden bench and chowed down on bamboo. I felt sad seeing these creatures cooped up in cages and put behind glass walls, but some of them are endangered and probably wouldn't survive on their own in the wilderness because of poachers and other predators.

I've written and submitted a couple stories since getting here but haven't solidified an idea for a novel yet. Right now, I think I want to write about a young woman finding information on her original parents. I don't know if the woman is an orphan or was adopted. i don't know if the parents will be dead or alive. i do know that much of a person's identity can be traced to the person's upbringing and parents. I want her to go on a surreal, heartbreaking, humorous, and freakish journey. I like Murakami and Jeffrey Eugenides, and the journeys of their characters.

Speaking of books, i'm finally finishing What is the What. It's only taken me a month. i am such a slow reader. This book was easily one of the top 5 books i've read this year. i can't believe this white guy from Chicago successfully captured the voice of a Sudanese refugee. That man has impressive talent.

i don't have regular internet access, so if you're trying to reach me over the next week, i'll be slow to respond.

I start teaching middle school kids in a couple of weeks!! ahh!! All i ask from my kids is that they don't hit each other. I really hope i don't have to break up any fights, don't see any weapons, or hear any racial slurs in my classroom. i don't know if i'm ready....

End of Training

2008-10-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

This is a tuk tuk. Like I said: deathtraps.

My skype name is: vicvicvictoriacho

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Tomorrow is my last day of training. I'll hang out in Chiang Mai for another week, and then I'm off to Phetchaburi to teach middle school kids. I like teaching more than I thought I would. We've done some practice sessions at an elementary school and at a high school. I enjoyed being around the little children at the elementary school; I hadn't been around so many kids in a long time and found these pure, innocent forms of energy to be refreshing. The high school kids were very well behaved and studious. They were eager to learn English and took the class seriously. I found myself surprisingly comfortable explaining sentence structure and vocab. My supervisors say I'm "bubbly."

Next week, I plan to do a 3 day meditation retreat at the forest temple and a vegetarian cooking class.

Other insights on Thai culture - never, ever, ever point at someone. It is considered offensive, even if you're trying to communicate a compliment or something else completely unrelated to the person. Also, be aware of the sinking tiles. Since Thais don't walk, the construction companies don't put in too much effort into the sidewalks. They often use cheap materials, and sometimes you'll step on a tile that will sink and find your foot four inches deep in water left over from the rain. There are stray dogs everywhere. I guess they exist in every developing country. Although these dogs seem very kind and harmless, I wish I got a rabies shot before I left. You never know what could happen. People bring stray dogs to the temples because the monks take care of them. All the creams here advertise "whitening" effects. Everyone in Thailand wants to have pale skin. I've heard this is common in all developing nations. Everyone here will go out of their way to help you, even if you are a foreigner that speaks no Thai. They will get information for you, make an effort to understand you, and try to find someone who speaks English and who can help you if they can't.

I've become more accustomed to the city and culture and can walk easily from place to place (despite the sinking tiles), and now I don't even think about the temples I pass, the monks who greet me, and the strange fruits I see. I'm glad to be getting adjusted, but I want to remember that I shouldn't take any of this for granted.

This monk was a funny, charming fellow who insisted I take his picture. He is from Cambodia. He will leave next year and return to Cambodia. He told me he meditates four hours a day and that he can't wait to go to a discotheque when he leaves the monastary.

This is Wat Suan Dok, which is very close to our hotel. Twice a week, they have "monk chat." This is an opportunity for any members of the public, particularly foreigners, to sit down and ask the monks questions about their lifestyle, Buddhism, or anything else. It gives the monks an opportunity to practice their English.

Here are other temple interiors. At the base of the Buddha statues are offerings of food and drink.

Food

2008-09-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

I must comment on the food. As I mentioned, I've never seen a country eat so much so frequently. In a previous entry, I complained of the lack of vegetarian options. I retract my statement; now that I am more familiar with the city, not only have I discovered a plethora of vegetarian options, but also I have discovered many new delicious items.

Fruit
Fresh fruit is sold on every street corner. Dried fruit is also commonly sold. I particularly enjoy pineapple, papaya, bananas, and dried kiwi. Fruit is also included in stir-fries, pancakes, and can be grilled and served alone. I discovered grilled banana dipped in coconut milk. The country also produces ramatang, durian, lansong, bitter melon, and other things whose names I have yet to learn. Even the fruits that I do recognize taste sweeter and fresher here.

Plastic Bags
They put everything in plastic bags. When you get something for take-out, they will pour the curry/meat/veggies in a plastic bag and put the bag inside a styrofoam container filled with rice. Sometimes, the rice is given to you in another plastic bag. I suppose they do this because plastic bags are so cheap. Some meat and all the fruit is sold in plastic bags. I've also seen eggs sold this way, which isn't very practical, but I guess they became accustomed to it and are more careful when handling them.

Soy
They have many delicious flavors of soy milk here that I never knew existed. I don't normally drink soy milk because I have a slight allergic reaction to it, but I can't help but try the various sesame and cereal varieties regardless of the itchy throat I experience afterwards.

I've had some of the best fake meat here (made of gluten, soy, or seitan). Their fake meat is deceivingly and disturbingly realistic. At times I did wonder if it actually was meat since there is a language barrier and they might not have understood that I was a vegetarian, but I was re-assured that the chewy, delicious brown stuff I was consuming was soy.

Spice
When I was younger, eating kimchi everyday built up my tolerance for spice, but since I don't eat as much Korean food now, my taste buds have returned to a normal level of sensitivity, and my poor tongue burns when I consume those chili-filled stir fry's...yikes. No wonder rice and lime are staples of the Thai diet. I don't know how they could withstand the spiciness otherwise. The restaurant staff laughed at me when I squeezed a lime slice directly onto my tongue, but I didn't care. If I hadn't, my eyes would've started to water.

Weird things
Yes, they eat cockroaches, grubs, cicadas, and grasshoppers. Enjoy the pics.

Thais eat in a much more informal way than people in the States. Most Thai people do not eat at real restaurants. Thai places are usually make-shift tents or shacks. In one corner lies a portable cart on which rests a little hot pot and wok to cook the noodles, veggies, and meat. The meat is usually hanging from a rack in this tiny stall. If there is an empty area of the street, bring over a little stall with the cookware, set up some folding chairs and tables, and voila: you have the typical Thai eatery.

Delicious food being sold at the market. I usually avoid market food because it nearly always contains meat. And, we've been warned not to eat street food that's been sitting out all day since it's more susceptible to bacteria and may make us sick.

If I weren't already a vegetarian, this country's markets would convince me to become one. They sell all the meat in open air markets...where flies and other insects are free to roam. I see bugs crawling on the meat all the time. I think a main reason that I haven't gotten sick yet is that I've been avoiding the meat.

Grasshoppers...pret a manger.

Grubs? Termites?

Yuck.

Carnation seems to be a sponsor of Thailand. These "roti" (sweet crepe) stands are everywhere. You can get a crepe with banana and chocolate. They usually pour some condensed milk and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.

Even eggs are sold in plastic bags. Those #'s are the prices in Thai Baht. 1 USD equals approximately 34 Baht.

Every dried fruit imaginable...in a plastic bag.

Slices of every fresh fruit imaginable...in a plastic bag. It's really ingenious how they package their fresh fruit. They use large bamboo toothpicks to close the bags. When you buy the fruit, you take out the stick to not only open the bag but also to spear the fruit onto the stick so you can eat it. Clever.

A woman's food stall. Kind of like the fruit stands and food trucks in New York, there are vendors here selling everything on the street: from sticks of meat and octopus to candy to cups of cooked corn to fishball soup. I asked this woman if I could take a picture, and she nodded yes, but she didn't seem happy about it.... Whoops. Most people love it when I take pictures or something they're selling or of their business. I suppose this woman didn't care.

Hiking

2008-09-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Today, we went hiking. Up to the mountains, through trees, fording creeks, clearing bamboo shoots, cutting spider webs with our sticks, as we walked higher and higher to the thick white clouds that spun around the mountain top in a comforting blanket. At many points, we questioned our path. The trail was overgrown and electric with ants racing to build their cities of dirt, the curious mosquitoes, neon colored spiders, and even some snakes crisscrossing the path. We jumped over and crawled under branches, gripped vines, which helped us scale rocks, and then braced ourselves as we slid down dirt hills to reach the bottoms of waterfalls. The sights - the golden temple tops, the pocket size and the towering Buddha relics peering at us from the heads of temples decked in red and gold flowers and swirls, the timid monk giving a gentle blessing, tying a sacred white thread around our pale wrists, the tiled floor of the temple site that was like a patio except instead of tables and flowers, the site is filled with endless Buddha statues, waiting for your prayers with open ears and lotus flower positioned arms.

We examined the city from the viewpoint and somehow, hotels and condominiums grew and overshadowed the tiny shacks and modest shops and sidewalk restaurants that our version of Chiang Mai contained. Suddenly, we saw the sleek condos and the massive airport landing strip, and we wondered how we could be so tucked away and ignorant of Chiang Mai's skyline.

On our way down, our taxi traced the winding path, and we swayed in the back along with a group of Christian missionaries, who suggested we mention Jesus Christ in our meditation, and when we politely declined, they seemed disappointed and offended.

We spent over 4 hours hiking up Doi Suthep mountain. The path was very steep most of the way.

Doi Suthep contains many natural waterfalls. It is nearly impossible to hike during the rainy season because the trails become too slippery.

This is a view from halfway up the mountain.

some children dancing at the site

The main part of the temple, currently under construction. Inside the temple, we were given linen pants and large handkerchiefs to cover our knees and shoulders. It is deemed as inappropriate to enter a temple with your shoulders and knees revealed.

a temple interior (pics were allowed here)

temple grounds

view of the city from the temple grounds

one of the temple bells

I survived

2008-09-20T15:10:00.001-07:00

The day before yesterday (today is the 21st. I don't know why Blogger posts the date you started the post rather than the date you published the post), I completed a one-day excursion and went white water rafting, elephant riding, swimming in a waterfall, and saw an orchid/butterfly farm. White water rafting was the most exciting part of the day even though I kept slipping inside my raft and nearly knocked out one of the guides with my paddle. Well, I guess he got his revenge when he pushed me in the water at the end of the ride. Way to look out for my safety. Actually, the water was incredibly refreshing. The river was bordered by thousands of bamboo stalks and so many exotic kinds of trees that I've never seen before. The rapids weren't that strong. Anyone who knows how to swim could do the course, but it was still exciting for someone like me, who doesn't normally participate in extreme sports.

Elephant riding wasn't that fun...I didn't plan to do it, but all the packages here include the activity because it's so popular among tourists. I actually found it disappointing and disturbing. I cringed every time my guide hit the elephant on the head with a heavy wooden stick. Those poor beautiful animals. All they want to do is eat all day and play in the water, but they're kept on two-foot long chains and taken off them only to give rides to tourists and even then, they don't go very far. I loved seeing the animals up close. They are beautiful and extremely powerful. A young one was getting a little rowdy with one of the guides, and I could see its muscles flexing and bulging. It could have easily killed the guide. Our tour guide told me all the elephants here are bred strictly for doing these tours.

Now, on to prostitutes and monks. I see them everywhere and I must discuss them.

Prostitutes
The prostitution industry in Thailand also makes me said because of how booming and accepted it is. Prostitutes usually hang out in the window fronts of restaurants and bars, and also at malls, shopping malls, cafes, massage parlors - really anywhere at any hour. It's sad how dependent Thailand is on its tourists for income. We come here for the adventure excursions, the food, but many people come here for the women. I can't tell you how many sad old white men I see holding the hand of a very young Thai girl. Also, because Thais are very conservative in their dress, I've come to assume that girls wearing shorts or tank tops are prostitutes. I feel I'm right most of the time.

Monks
Ironically, there seem to be as many monks as prostitutes walking around the city. However, this is based on what I see on the street. I can't estimate how many monks there are who live in temples and don't step outside. It's strange that the most common type of man I see is a monk yet the most common type of woman I see is a prostitute. I think that's an indication of how the sexes are treated in this country.

I see monks performing everyday activities that I didn't think were available to them...grocery shopping, riding in taxis, and many young monks playing extremely violent video games in internet cafes (I guess in virtual reality, anything goes). I had this idea that monks barely spoke and were mostly limited to their temple. It shows how little I know about the practices of Buddhism.

I spoke to a monk at one temple. He was kind, patient, and surprisingly funny. He explained his daily routine to me: wake up at 4:30, do morning chanting, sweep the temple, collect alms, have breakfast, meditation for 2 hours, then I think he said more sweeping and cleaning, eat lunch, go to school, and then have free time. I asked him about the purpose of his daily meditation. He said it was to bring peace to himself and reduce his anger and his desires. He will stay at the monastery for one more year and then return to his home country of Cambodia and teach. He said he couldn't wait to leave the monastery and go to a discotheque. I asked if I could take a picture of the outside of the temple, and he insisted I take pictures of him and of the temple's interior as well.

I start training tomorrow. I'll learn how to teach English and get to meet everyone else on my program...

Day 3

2008-09-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

Whoops - I thought I had published this post. I think something happened to Internet Explorer while I was on the computer at the internet cafe. Anyway, I'm actually comfortably setup at this beautiful hotel (no more hostel!). There are 2 twin beds (what the heck am I going to do with the second one? Setup a fort?), a TV, and a nice little fridge. I can't believe I get to stay in a nice hotel with maid service for 6 weeks! I'll post the pics soon.

Anyway, below is a post I meant to publish 2 days ago.

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It is incredibly exotic, strange, and comforting here. First, there are towering ancient temples on every corner. I've gone into a few and meditated. Also, the people here are very kind and considerate. I think I'm used to people pushing each other around to get to wherever they're going, drivers cursing at each other and at pedestrians, and overall, the cold, stressed attitude of the typical New Yorker. People here seem relaxed and laid back. I think the relaxed nature party comes from the weather and from the Thai concept of "saving face," which means that no matter how infuriated or devastated one may be, one should never show signs of distress in public. Instead, one must stay composed and smile. So, perhaps the optimistic laid back attitude isn't necessarily genuine.

There are some things I miss about New York, such as the ease in which pedestrians may navigate the city. Nobody walks in Chiang Mai - everyone owns a motorbike or a car. I find myself to be one of the few people on the sidewalks, and now I see why - the sidewalks are often crumbling or abruptly end at a storefront, leaving me without any choice except to walk in the road. The only other people I see walking are foreigners. No one here is used to walking. I asked one man for directions, and he insisted I take a tuk tuk even though my destination was only 10 minutes away. I said, "it's okay," and started walking.

Another thing I miss about New York is the variety of food, particularly healthy food.... Although the food here is incredible, and I've never been in a country more obsessed with food, I am so tired of having white rice with my meal or noodles heavily cooked in oil. I am accustomed to eating mostly whole grains. Thankfully, I've found a few places in the city that have brown rice and sides of real vegetables (cabbage and bean sprouts don't count for me). I'll be visiting those places often.

As I said, I've never seen a country so occupied with eating and cooking. There are food stalls everywhere, and they all whip up delicious stir-fry's and soups for you in a couple minutes. The food is delicious and cheap (equivalent to a dollar per meal). Also, like most Asian countries, the Thais consumer smaller portions but eat more times a day, so people here seem to be constantly cooking and eating. And the Thais don't differentiate between breakfast, lunch, and dinner foods. They'll eat beef and noodles at 8 am. My stomach hasn't quite understood this concept. Also, I'm vegetarian, so when I want to eat at a food stall, my options are usually limited to noodles or rice with veggies or some kinds of soup. Surprisingly, a lot of places lack tofu. People understand the concept of vegetarianism, but very few places actually have decent vegetarian options (or even tofu). For a country that is 95% Buddhist, I'm surprised by how much meat the people consume.

Tomorrow, I am doing this one day excursion that includes hiking, waterfall swimming, and whitewater rafting. Hopefully, I'll survive to write about it.

Also, I will write about prostitutes and monks. I know everyone loves reading about those topics...together.

I made it

2008-09-17T07:49:00.001-07:00

Dear Everyone,

Thanks for the wishes, blessings, and notes of concern. I have arrived safely in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It's beautiful but incredibly humid here - more than New York in August. Everyday for a couple of hours, there is a torrential downpour. We're in the wet season right now. The rain is inconvenient and severe enough to flood many streets, but it is also a wonderful respite from the almost unbearable humidity.

Otherwise, I am admiring this beautiful city filled with glittering temples and extremely kind people.

More updates and photos to come. Today I chatted with a monk, walked around the moat, and bought a second-hand cell phone that says "girl power" on the display screen when I turn it on or off.

Love to all,
Victoria