August 22, 2009
I wrote the following narrative during my 4th of July break. Since then it seems time has flown. We finished mid-terms, a very busy time, and now I am into the quarterly reports. I am really enjoying teaching and the kids who are teenagers, of course, but very respectful even in their antics. Enough time has passed and we have got to where we know each other better and have fun as well as do some work.
On the business I have to rent my condo and my friend, Dennis Bianchi, is taking charge for me. Sharon and T.C., dear old friends, were great enough to take care of the personal stuff and take it to shortage for me. Hopefully all will work out and as well hope Gregory comes back for a visit.
I am really enjoying my little pot fish ponds outside my door and often just sit and watch them swim around. Imagine one gets to do such things at a certain time of life. And I cannot believe I now have a ladies sewing circle. Three friends gather at my house to knit or whatever and I am learning how to cross-stitch. I have also started a tiny bit of bead weaving again. But stuff is so hard to find here. When I go to Bangkok, I am sure there is something.
Please do let me hear from you. No matter what I miss friends – it is true that there are no friends like old friends who have been there to share so much.
July 7, 2009
It has been a long time since I gave an update to my friends and family. Life has sure been busy and I can tell you that living in Thailand sure is pretty laid back. Although I teach every day, there is still slowness to the rest of my life and when not teaching, there is not much to do for any of us except to entertain ourselves. I do that by going to the beach or islands as often as I can afford it. That is usually right after pay day which is the end of the month, of course.
Right now, on school holiday until the 9th, I am on the island of Koh Yao Yai, an hour by ferry and one half hour by speed boat from Phuket Town. Only the ferry was running yesterday and I was the only foreigner on a boat filled with mainly Muslim women going back to Koh Yao Yai after shopping in Phuket. The ferry was also full of supplies for the islanders and smelled full of fresh ripened fruit. I went immediately to the beach which is only a short walk from my bungalow.. Here there is a two kilometer, beautiful white sandy beach, quiet wave activity, perfect water, and absolutely deserted except for me. I had a great afternoon. This morning it is raining quite hard so I decided to stay in my room and write and then read. I always travel with reading material. My bungalow owner is going to take me on a tour of the island when it stops raining.
Well it has not stopped raining but we went on a tour anyhow. This island is really beautiful and unspoiled. There are people here, including Yamalia, my hostess, who really care and fight against huge resort developments and even stopped a big marina from being built. They are truly interested in the quality of life here and the integrity of the island. We walked along another beautiful beach in the rain where a misty view of the curve of the island could be viewed and we enjoyed what was almost an enclosed bay and surround. Yamalia knew I loved crabs so as we sat at her friends stand at the beach enjoying iced tea and iced coffee, she sent a young boy after crabs. He catches them by the mangrove trees in his little wire mesh cages. While he was doing that I enjoyed the ladies conversation about their exploits about their team activities to keep Yao from becoming like Phuket or Samui I am sure the rest of my stay will be the same – beach if it does not rain; exploring if it does.. And I am looking forward to my crab dinner with glass noodles Thai style.
What is daily life like? I get up about 6 a.m., put on the coffee and then turn on CNN. In the past I was able to get the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer at 6, but with daylight savings time, he is on at 5 a.m. and that is too early. So I just watch whatever news is on CNN or BBC. During this morning hour BBC runs their BBC America show, which is often more interesting than the CNN World News. There are a few occasions when I can be home at 9 a.m. to watch AC 360. I am still a fan of Anderson Cooper. For the past couple of weeks since Michael Jackson died I have, of course, been following the news about his life, his work and his dance. I find it hard to believe how truly saddened I have been – watching the reruns of his videos and performances only enhances my and other’s feelings how much more he might have been in the world of entertainment. His life may have been bizarre but his musical and dancing skills were tremendous. But I have digressed.
By the time I finish coffee, news watching, and breakfast, it is 7 a.m. and time to get ready for school. I walk to school every day from my little house and I am lucky enough to not have an overtaxing schedule. Most days I can go back and forth from home to school and sometimes get a few errands done during the break. I usually start classes at 9 a.m. We all finish at 4:30 p.m. no matter when our last class ends.. Check in at 7:45 and out at 4:30. No exceptions. There are a couple of coffee shops/restaurants right near the school, so there are often coffee breaks and socializing with other teachers. That is when we get all the gossip, rumors, etc….general workplace stuff.
I try to get all of my marking, book checking, lesson plans and other teaching essentials done during the day so that I do not have to take work home. Once I leave school, I leave school. I walk home, get some iced tea, and relax for a bit. Of course, I have created a pot garden of tropical plants and enjoy watching and caring for them. It is great to have great green vegetations, a giant fan palm, several bougainvilleas, a gardenia, and a jasmine plat along with a very old banana tree which has yet to create any fruits.. I think it may be the original, because once a tree produces fruit, it has to be cut back to allow the shooters to grow into new trees. . I actually have a couple of trees growing in pots that will turn out to be very large with beautiful white flowers – hopefully, the pots will keep them from becoming giants. If I had the space they are great shade trees. If not gardening or looking after my fish – I have one large garden pot of fish and some in my lotus planter, they keep the mosquitoes at bay -I may walk to the local pool a block and a half away and swim or jog in it for at least a half hour. I used to go every day but some days it is really too hot to even bother especially now during the Thai summer months. Sometimes I go to the local stores for whatever I need: Tesco Lotus, Big C, Central, or the Villa Mart. The latter has recently opened and carries lots of “farang” food. I was amazed to find they even carried corn bread mix. If I don’t go anywhere, I stay home, watch news updates, occasionally an old movie or old reruns of CSI and Midsomer Murders, make dinner, read and go to bed pretty early, usually by 10 p.m.
Weekends comprise excursions to the various beaches or islands, lunch or a gathering with friends, or shopping in the local markets. Occasionally I join my younger colleagues at a bar where we eat and drink, dance, and sometimes on a Friday, I join them for bowling. I have had a few dinner parties for the “ladies.” Many have enjoyed my New Mexico chile and many were introduced to corn bread for the first time. I might also visit the weekend market and a market in Phuket town where whatever one needs is pretty cheap. We do have department stores, but they are too expensive for most of the teachers. Food vendors are everywhere and street food can be really fantastic. I do not eat a lot of it because so much is fried or stir fried in a lot of oil but it sure tastes good. Thai fried chicken is absolutely great, and I do not understand why so many Thais visit KFC. It, to me, is not as good and much more expensive. Mostly I cook at home because I can control what I eat.
I have not gone on any major trips since Christmas when I went to Africa. I have been focusing on islands and visited Koh Lanta and now here. I am checking out islands and beaches for when my niece, Donna, and my “daughter” Anda come in the fall. I spent a few days in Bangkok and that was amazing. It was incredible to see the Royal Palace and although the Royal Family does not live there anymore – they are in palaces off premises but not too far away- all major ceremonies take place there. The site is an incredible fantasy land of temples, stupas, statuary, art work, and incredibly ornate architecture in the Thai formal style. The whole site literally glitters with glass mosaics and gilded gold. I really enjoyed roaming around the area for a few hours. One fabulous temple houses a reclining gilded Buddha which is truly worth seeing and so big that it is difficult to see from one end to the other. It is housed in an older Temple, Wat Poh, in an area of older architecture which uses elaborate ceramic work on its temples and stupas. This was another delightful place. One could go back to the Royal Palace grounds and always see something one missed before. Just outside the grounds is the original Royal Residence which is now used for visiting dignitaries. Not very far away I also visited the original home of King Rama V and it was delightful because it is a completely preserved Teak mansion.
China Town in Bangkok is as glittery at night as the Royal area. Lots of lights, many shops selling gold -almost all 22 carat. They tell me the price is pretty cheap, but I was neither in the market nor the bracket to buy any gold. It was fun to see, busy, colorful and stimulating. Chinatown itself is an absolute maze of little alley-like streets with shops and markets selling everything from fine silks to junky plastic stuff. It is easy to get lost in all the ambling walkways lined with shops. There were lots of food stalls but I did not recognize much of the food and I was there too early for the good restaurants. When Donna and Anda arrive, we will visit there again and work on getting a great Chinese meal.
While in Bangkok, I also took side trips to Ayutthia and to Chalangaok. The battle of the Bridge on the River Kwai took place in the latter. I love ancient and historical sites and Ayutthia , one of the original capitals of Thailand, sits on a lovely river side. It is now a World Heritage Site so the ruins are being preserved, but not restored. As you can imagine there are lots of stone edifices in varying states of wholeness and decay with the highlight being one walled Temple surrounded by gilded monks and protective warrior statues. Inside is an enormous seated Buddha statue at one end and the walls hold incredible paintings of the history of Thailand – one famous one in which the Thais are victorious in battle over the Cambodians. It depicts the leaders on trained battle elephants and captures amazing action among powerful elephants and leaders. You have probably read enough or seen in the news that there is a major dispute over a historic border temple site between the Thais and Cambodians. They are historic rivals who still dispute land conquests from the past.
Historically, the Bridge on the River Kwai is a major tourist site. It crossed a rather small river area but was in an incredibly strategic place. The original bridge has burned and a new one has been put in its place. It is still used as a railroad bridge. Tourists are allowed to walk across it but it is pretty tenuous walking as almost all walk down the center of the track as the sides are pretty open. People have to squeeze past one another going back and forth. And if a train is crossing, they squeeze into a few platform areas. I was worried about getting pushed over because this is yet another country where people are impatient and eager to be first. Traffic courtesy of any kind does not really exist. It is a site which is visited by huge numbers of tourists so it is always crowded. The area immediately surrounding the bridge is quite filled with the usual tourist souvenir shops, restaurants, stand, etc. It is not a place I would want to stay for a few days but many do. The surrounding countryside is truly lovely and boat housing and camping are ideal. The site is also home to a War Museum realistically depicting much of the equipment and the brutal treatment of those forced to build the original bridge by the Japanese. Blowing up that Bridge was a critical turning point for the war in this part of the world.
Back to Phuket.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
African Safari for Christmas 2008
African Safari December 2008
Given the problematic starts, Africa could have turned out to be a disaster for me, but it did not. That does not mean that everything could go wrong, did not. Quite a bit went wrong. A week or so before leaving, an ATM card swallowed my American debit card. That was the only way I had to get money. In order to bring dollars to Africa , which were required by some of the tour vendors, I had to wire Century Bank to send money to my Thai bank so I could then turn it into dollars. The wired money arrived just in the nick of time, the day before I was leaving. Praying I would have enough, I headed to the airport to take my 12:40 a.m., December 23rd flight to Nairobi . I arrived at 10 p.m. on the 23rd in order to have plenty of time to catch my flight. Yes, you got it. I should have arrived on the night of the 22nd. Naturally, my flight had been long gone. So I frantically searched the airport for another flight and found one on Emirates airline that was leaving at 2:30 a.m. on the 24th. I had hoped that this did not portend things to come. Welcome, I got to spend several hours in the morning at Dubai airport where I sat in an Irish Pub and had one of those huge Irish breakfasts. It was a pretty colorful place and I had wished that if I had a few more hours, I could have taken a city tour.
As I toured the airport and had coffee, etc. I had an opportunity to see that whoever might be waiting for their flights obviously were not Thai as they were sleeping all over the floor, against walls, covered in colorful blankets and cloths while lots of bare feet were sticking out from under the airport waiting chairs. Guess they don’t feel that the feet pointing are insulting to other human beings as the Thai do. To the Thai the feet are the most vulgar and low parts of the body. The head, therefore, is the highest. One should never touch anyone on the head. During one of my sitting sojourns, I talked to a man from Pakistan who has children in the U.S. in North Carolina and Chicago . He had visited them four years ago and was unfortunately upset with his treatment by customs and immigration who subjected him to numerous delays and investigation of documents because he, of course, looked like an Arab and was from Pakistan . He was sorely still hurting as he could not fully understand how his status and respect was reduced to being someone only identified by a document and not his person. “Documents define us” in this world today,” he said.
On the flight Dubai to Dar Es Salaam, I spoke with a man from Oman who was all Obama and like many Africans I was to meet could not wait for January 20 to come. I will insert right now that the Obama enthusiasm that I encountered from both Africans and other foreigners was so full of expectation that I began to fear for Obama. How can one man solve all the problems that are real in the world and live up to the expectations so many have of him. My Oman seat mate said: “He (Obama) could be President of the World.” Amazing. Whenever I told someone I was from America in Africa , there was a great welcome and many invited me to come back to wherever on January 20 and be part of their celebration. They were all planning big parties and joyous celebrations in both Tanzania and Kenya .
Fortunately the driver who had been scheduled to pick me up at 9:30 a.m. waited until 3:30 p.m. to pick me up and take me to the campsite at Dar Es Salaam …or rather to a small island about 5 minutes by ferry: Kopepeo Island . I was supposed to meet the tour group, but they had gone on ahead to Zanzibar , so there I was pretty much alone on Christmas Eve but I hardly noticed as there were many families celebrating Christmas and the festivities were simple but enjoyable. Sunset brought the most remarkable sight of the Indian Ocean as the sea colors begin as the deepest turquoise I have ever seen in water, then were bound by the rolling but gentle white caps of the waves, and beyond was the deepest marine blue stretching to the horizon: quite awesome to watch all this in front of the orange-pink sunset.
I met my official Safari driver and talked with me awhile and he, too, was so enthusiastic about Obama. He was from Kenya and evidently a lot of Kenyans as well as other African leaders are attending the Inauguration. Obama’s grandmother will be at the head of the Kenyan delegation and, if he is correct, I am sure we will see her pretty well placed on the platform. No question, she is a revered lady in Kenya . Her house is under guard all the time for both privacy and security reasons.
Early on Christmas morning three of us left to meet up with the others on Zanzibar . In trying to make sure I had access to cash, before I left I called my MasterCard provider to allow cash advances while I was in Africa just in case. That did not work either – so much for some advance planning. I was now thinking about getting frantic but decided to stay cool. If there was a problem, my school pay was going to be deposited on the 30th so I could always tap into that. Turned out that there could have been a horrendous problem as the cash they suggested that we bring was not enough. Everything had gone up: the local payment; the tour to Serengeti: and I had not anticipated the expense of Zanzibar or various ferries that I did not know about. It was not so much that the costs were hidden, just omitted or underestimated by the information that I received. Of course, I had not anticipated having two cards fail on me. And in general Africa is much more costly than one would expect even if they do tell you it is not cheap.
Zanzibar had been and independent country and is now part of the country of Tanzania . For several hundred years it had been occupied by the Turks and so has an old town, Stone Town , which has a heavy influence of Moorish architecture and it is heavily Muslim. It was also occupied by the British during whose time there was an active slave trade. Zanzibar was the site of a central market where captives from all over Africa were brought to be sold to traders. Their quarters which we toured were horrific, but the slave market sited itself has been covered over by St. Paul ’s Cathedral which is Anglican. The discontinuation of the slave trade there is attributed to all to David Livingstone who witnessed the atrocities and persuaded the King to abolish the practice. Livingstone’s house is still standing and now houses non profit agencies. It was fun to stroll around the tiny little winding streets of Old Zanzibar, Stone Town , despite its declining and aging elegance. However, it is also an insane tourist hunting game site for all kinds of vendors. It was really a major distraction to keep them away and they are about the most persistent of any vendors I have ever encountered.
I finally met my tour group at dinner: our tour guide had arranged for us all to have dinner in a lovely, old former mansion now called the Africa House. Our table was second floor seaside and I truly enjoyed meeting and watching the group. They had really bonded as many of them had been together on Safari for 30 to 40 days. It was fun to watch but hard for a newcomer to become a part of. Turns out it did not matter as the rest of the trip was so incredibly fast moving, busy, and exhausting that I was more interested in taking advantage of as much as I could and going to sleep early. I did not spend another evening out until we arrived in Arusha and after our Serengeti and Ngoronoro Crater animal drives. That was on New Year’s evening where the campsite restaurant had a huge game barbecue for all of the park trekkers. We had a lovely dinner and a happy few drinks at a truly funky bar which could have lived in Provincetown or Santa Fe in the fifties despite the jungle thatched roofing; stick sides, and Aussie barkeepers. Most of the people on the Safari, by the way, were from Australia or England with three from the States, two from Russia , and 3 or 4 from South Africa . I had a hard time understanding all the accents, to tell the truth. Most were still leery of America and seemed to believe that we single handedly are responsible for the economic crisis and even one young woman financier told me, but not in a rancorous way, that nobody would feel sorry for the U.S. I agreed with her projection but also answered her by saying: “they never have.” That was a diversion, but back to holiday celebrations, Jan. 31 was the end of our animal drives so we all decided that we would celebrate where we were at 9 p.m. as we had a very long drive the very next day to Nairobi . I had bought a bottle of wine for the occasion and others, of course, had their choice. After dinner, we were all just pretty much waiting for 9 p.m. to come. We were exhausted. Finally we did congratulations on all around, some hugs, etc. and off to our tents. I do think, though, I was the first one in mine.
And the best for last.: The animal drives for two days in the Serengeti National Park and Ngoronoro Crater which is a World Heritage Site together make up the worlds largest wildlife refuge and are the destination. for the largest animal migrations every year in Africa . Lucky for me I got to sit up front with our driver, Frank, who was just great. Immediately he started calling me “Bibi” which means grandmother in Swahili. Although I am not one to gaze in the mirror often and thus have a vision of myself that has not changed much in 25 years, I began to think I should check me out more closely. Not only because of the Bibi, but also because many of the younger Thai people call me the mother. “watch the mother,” “take care of the mother,” “okay, mother, over here,” and similar addresses made me think about how I really looked. But I am not going to tell you. I like my inner mind version quite a lot so that is how it will be.
First we descended in our 4 wheel safari truck, as opposed to the huge safari transport truck that we went great distances on and was essentially our home for as long as we traveled. The transport held all of our bags, tents, personal belongings, food, cookware, chairs, and all amenities that we would need for our travels. The descent to the crater is over 600 meters – about 1800 feet) and the road was dirt, windy, bumpy and something close to a mule ride down the Grand Canyon but on wheels. I must admit the sides of the road were not such perishable straight down drop-offs. The views in the Crater were incredible with miles and miles of bottom land although they are the highlands, dry, desert and a sky that stretched for miles. Africa is truly the land of the big sky. Lovely slopes housed members of the nomadic Massai Tribe who are still living in their own small village, historic lifestyle, grazing small amounts of cattle and goats, and farming on their land. They make colorful figures as they are seen in the fields wearing their colorful blankets and in many places the children were dressed in full tribal regalia complete with beautifully beaded wide collar necklaces flapping as they moved their heads. Their homes are round, thatched, mud and wattle often surrounded by tall stick fencing to keep the wild animals out of the compound. They often stood on the roadside waving to us as we went by and many even yelled: “give me money for school.” We saw a few animals in the crater where we traveled through for the morning and then headed for a dusty, bumpy ride to Serengeti. For the next day and a half we were going to be spending our time in the Park. And that turned out to be an incredible experience. I have to tell you that there were times when I had misgivings and thinking that I had seen all this stuff on TV. Thankfully and grateful for my impulse to go to Africa , I was astounded. I felt like I was a traveler on Animal Planet looking to spot and photograph animals. Our drivers chased down animals as if we were on the hunt. By now our group was in three of the safari trucks. All drivers were in contact by radio and signaled to each other when they saw a particular animal or incident that we all should see. Then there was the mad dash to that site.
The plains contain vast fields of vegetation on which animals can feed, wander, hide, hunt and play. They are free to do what they do. The plains are their home and their space. The predators chase the grazers. Miles and miles of zebras and wildebeest passed us as we drove, or I should say we passed them. These animals graze peacefully together and together they just walk and graze, walk and graze and their lines spread forever, it seems. Our driver and those with keener cameras and binoculars than I had were able to spot lions in the grass, in the rocks, or in the trees. We were lucky enough to see a leopard which seems to be an animal everyone wants to see, but all the drivers said it was very rare to see one as they are quite stealthy. We saw one and it posed, wandered, sat tree-side and in general kept its eye on us we snapped away. There were a few people who said the main sighting they had hoped for was to see a leopard; we did, and on our first day. Our driver was an incredibly patient man, seeking the animals and then holding for us for as long as the group wanted to take pictures or just watch
Although I had not expected to see nature in its entirety; I don’t know why and think I just assumed that some things only happen on Animal Planet because the photographers stay and stalk and wait for days. We saw two kills: one roadside and one only about 30 feet from the road. A lion had killed a zebra and it was really a sad site when its rear end was all open to the sky. A kill are attracts the clean up predators like the hyenas and vultures but they do not move in until the lions are finished. Once the mother lion had her fill, it was time for her pups to feed. There were three and they knew exactly what to do, but one was much more interested in playing with the tail of the zebra much as a kitten might play with a rope or string….flat on its back flipping the tail with its paws and legs. Watching this drama of feeding pups from a dead prey and a playing kitten-like pup was an awesome and real event to be viewing. The integral connection between life and death was certainly clear. As soon as the pups were through, the hyena and then the vultures got their fill. It is true that the vultures wait silently on the ground or in trees or circle the kill until it is time for them to feed and clean up the remains. They really create an incredible sight as they are so huge and several times we saw them circling from a distance but whatever they were seeking was too far away from the road for us to see. A similar incident was repeated when we saw a hyena capture a wildebeest. All safari vehicles travel only a designated road. The Plains are the wildlife homes safe areas where we are only observers of their lives and not allowed to intrude. We had a wonderful couple of days viewing in the wild and two more most impressive sights included the huge African elephants and giraffes. Elephants and giraffes are truly majestic, large, but graceful animals and nothing compares to seeing them in the wild. They are both huge in their own physical stature and watching them confidently feed and drink was quite thrilling. I had never seen a giraffe bend or drink before and it is fascinating to see how it splays its front legs outward before bending its neck to the ground. The animal drive ended on New Year’s Eve where we went to our camp, celebrated at 9 p.m. and then slept through a night broken with the roar lions not too far off in the bush. Quite an experience!
Our trip to our final campsite was from Arusha to Nairobi and that was a day’s journey over bumpy and windy, mostly dirt roads with many small detours. We thought it would never end. Everywhere we went in Africa was dry, windy and dusty and this route was exceptionally dusty. While we were on the game drives there were huge dust devils flying around the plains and lots of dust from all of the game vehicles. Our campsite had a restaurant and a bar and I immediately got a beer to take back to my room. There were rooms there so I opted for that. I no longer wanted to deal with the putting up and taking down of my tent. It was difficult for me, although the tent was really an easy gear. Tension supports were hooked onto the tent, but reaching the top and bending the poles were a bit difficult for me. Often I had help and during the game drive my “Bibi calling”
driver took care of putting up and taking down my tent. I was so grateful. This part was all a great experience, I suppose, but not something I want to do again. Next time, I will take the Lodge route. Friday night and I was looking forward to relaxing and going home on Sunday.
But again destiny had another thing in mind. We all went into the City of Nairobi on Saturday morning to go to the ATM and get a few items if we wanted to. On the way I started having horrible cramps and just felt muscle ache and nauseous. I was really concerned and could barely walk. So I asked one of the women to take my card and get money for me. I waited in the lobby of the hotel where we were parked and tried to get comfortable. It seemed forever before all returned for the trip back to camp. I took the front bench in the truck and just lay there until we reached camp. I was so worried that I was going to be seriously sick and could hardly climb down off the truck. I went straight to my room and decided to take some medicine. Just in case, I had some Cipro with me so I took one of those. For the muscle aches, I took ibuprofen and in order to sleep it all off I took a sleeping pill. I fell asleep immediately and woke up maybe an hour or more later. I got up and one of the guys appeared at the door inviting me to go see the video of the trip he had finished. Not realizing I was probably still asleep and somewhat groggy from the meds, I said sure thinking it would be great to see the trip from the beginning. . I walked out of the room to follow him and next thing I knew I was thinking how gravelly the walk felt and then woke up on the ground with a couple of people standing over me. I had fallen on my cheekbone and forearm, quite literally. It was not until the next day that I realized that I had quite a cut and scrapes on the right side of my face and a bad cut on the right side of my wrist. But lucky for me when I woke up on Sunday morning, I felt fine except for looking like a battered woman. I have no idea what came over me but it was not long lasting as I had no symptoms of any of the usual traveler’s diseases. I packed to go home and believe me I had a lot of dirty clothes to tapack. The smartest thing I did for the trip was to pack disposable underwear and was it ever a blessing as I could not have kept up with the drying. As it was much of my clothing was pretty damp and I had spread it all around the room to dry before packing for the flight home. My room looked like a teenager’s bedroom.
I was delighted to get to the Nairobi airport and made sure to arrive about 5 hours early. After the long process of getting to the check in agent, I was astounded to find that Kenya had cancelled my reservation. No reason why – it just happened. I was sent to a sales agent. As he said “these things happen sometimes.” I was not happy and really not taking it in stride because all I wanted to do now was get home to Phuket. There was no way to get on my original flight because they had overbooked by 1/3 and for some variety of reasons I had to buy a new ticket. I was assured that the request for a refund of my original ticket had been processed. As I write this I am still waiting to see that refund show up on my credit card and writing furiously to customer service at Kenya . The rest was annoying as I used the hotel agent recommended by the ticket agent and ended up in a hotel under reconstruction but whose rooms were nonetheless old and dirty and the price was a ripoff. The bathrooms and bed were clean, for sure, but the rest: furniture, curtains, rugs, drapes were all needing cleaning, replacing and washing after years of use and wear and tear. I did want to go to an internet to let people know that I would not be back on time, but was told that I should not leave the hotel and go out alone. Nairobi is not a safe place and its nickname is Nairobbery. I could not even get hold of Air Asia to change my flight so that was another problem waiting.
Early the next morning I got to the airport midst fears that this flight would also have problems waiting for me, but fortunately all went well. We left on schedule and arrived at 11:00 pm Bangkok time, which was way too late to get another flight to Phuket. So I spent the night in the airport walking continuously with my trolley full of my baggage. I really did feel like a bag lady. But I could not sleep, for sure, but I did go immediately upon collecting my baggage to the internet to see what I could do on line and inform school and others of my delay. I was so tired I could not read much, got something to eat and drank lots of coffee. Promptly at 5 a.m. when Air Asia opened, I was first in line to get a ticket on a 7:20 flight. They would not exchange my ticket and told me I would have to deal with customer service to see about a refund which was almost never granted but maybe my circumstances would be extenuating.
No doubt these extra mishaps have sure dented my limited resources and will cause me a decent amount of arguing back and forth. But I sure was happy to be back on Thai soil and just ecstatic to be back in Phuket where my regular taxi lady was waiting for me at the airport. What a relief. Before morning, I could not use my cell because it had run out of battery and I could not get it topped up until the mobile office at Bangkok airport had opened; so I was able to text Sunsat of my new arrival. Upon arriving home, I showered for a very long time and went to bed. I have no regrets but I will not travel like that again. Roughing it has its place but I had all the fun I could stand. The trip and experience were worth going, however. After getting over the mishaps and relaying the trip to friends here, I realized that I had loved the experience of seeing Africa and the animal migrations. Africa itself outside of tourist areas is what you think it is: poor, dirty in many places, dusty, magnificent in some places, big in space and vistas and skies, and chaotic. It was always amazing to see people walking what one knew was for miles and delightful to see women in such beautifully colored clothing in a variety of activities: selling, carrying buckets of water and goods on their heads, going somewhere with family for the New Year holiday, and taking care of kids, or parading on the beaches offering massages or trinkets.
It was a real delight to go to school the next morning and see my colleagues and my adorable students. We are getting for mid-terms, I am giving review lessons, and my face has healed quite nicely…no lasting impressions. My son is taking care of things at home; his girlfriend has been a great help to me and to him and I miss them both. I miss my friends, of course, but I am delighted to be employed in my new youthful state!!!
Hope you have enjoyed reading of my adventures and if you get this far, send me a line or two. As always I love hearing from home and yes I do plan to watch as much of the Inauguration as they will show here in Thailand .
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Just Before Christmas
Thailand, at least in Phuket, is all dressed up for Christmas. All the stores are fully decorated, the flyers are being left in the gate, the music is the same as one finds in all the stores at home at Christmas. And this is a Buddhist country. I don't know what it might be like in Bangkok but so many farang live in Phuket, Thais make them feel right at home. Although many Thais will tell me that if it is a holiday from anywhere, they like to celebrate. Amazing. On Christmas Eve, the entire school is turned over to Christmas activities, parties, and gift giving. I will already be in Africa so will miss that, but not a problem since I sure am familiar with the festivities.
What is it like living in Thailand. Well, it is all pretty normal in many respects. My house is very suburban. I get up every morning at 5:30 so I can watch the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and catch up on some of the TV commentators I like best. I am sure it is because they almost all agree with me. I walk get to school about 7:30 every morning and like everyone else swipe my finger on the print identification device. Usually I have to do it two or three times before it says Karp Khoun Ca 0 thank you. Don't know why I have this problem; everyone else seems to swipe once and it is a go. We all have to stay until 4:30 to swipe out again. Sometimes that is a drag as one has to hang around even if all the classes are finished. I am fortunate not to have a homeroom as every homeroom teacher has to stay for extra lessons which begin at 4 and end at 5. There is extra pay, but it is a long day. Currently, I am teaching my "need help" students and have about 12 hours a week of very small classes. Just the way it turned out and I get paid the same as everyone else.
I have hot water in the bathrooms, but none in the kitchen so I have to heat a lot of water. This is usual for a Thai household. We do not flush paper down toilets anywhere so that is kind of problem, especially in many public bathrooms. Most public toilets do not have toilet paper unless they have a large farang clientele. But the Thais have something else. It is really a bidet shower. Every place has them and that, of course, is for use every time you need. Actually it is pretty good to have around (with tp as well). Pretty sensible and refreshing.
I do eat out a lot as food is really cheap as long as you are not looking for very foreign food. Cheese and hamburgers will almost always cost $6.00 or $7.00 for example and just about all decent Thai food will cost anywhere from 35 baht to 120 baht for a meal. The 35 is rice and maybe some small amount of chicken and pork, a stir fry, and the price goes up as you add vegetables, whole fish, pieces of fish. There is some very good beer in Thailand which runs from $1.00 to $1.50 for a liter. All wine is very expensive as there is a high import duty on it; strange as there is none made here. Whiskey made in Thailand is very cheap but potent. Imported whiskeys like Scotch, Bourbon, etc. are pretty reasonable as is Vodka, Gin and Rum. Johnny Walker is very popular here. If I have anything, it is usually beer. Everything else is too much on a farang salary
Speaking of salaries, in my school, almost all teachers begin at 30,000 baht or about $1,000 a month and get after school lessons pay. Phillipino and Thai teachers make under 10,000 baht.Quite a difference. There is a raise every year of about 1500 baht. If you are here long enough you have three weeks off in October and one month in April. I got one week in October and can have two in April as things stand now. We also have quite a few holidays and for Christmas we have 10 days.
I am learning more about Thai culture and mores and just wanted to let you know that in normal families, girls are very protected and a great deal of emphasis is placed on not bringing disgrace to the family. They are expected to abstain until marriage. Like many countries that are becoming westernized and have great influence from Western movies and music, there are the beginnings of the breaking of these traditions. They really are not allowed boyfriends and girlfriends till quite late, although many of the kids talk about a girlfriend or boyfriend. Lots of text messaging, etc. but no dating. If a girl does not marry, she generally stays with her parents and very often strict rules still apply. We have one teacher who is about 25 who loves to hang out with a group of teachers her age who are farang. This is not allowed so she literally has to be very secretive about her joining them.
One of the big advantages in living in Phuket are the beaches for me. Last weekend we had 4 days off and a friend spent three of them island hopping, swimming, snorkeling and eating some great lunches that were provided by the tour boats. It really is so much fun to swim among so many beautiful tropical fish and the water is always warm enough to just jump or wade in.
It is always hot. We just finished the rainy season which is hot with very high humidity. Now we are getting into the dry season which is hot but not so humid. I am delighted to report that a pool just opened a block away from my house, so now I can just go and jump in after work. Membership is 150 baht a year, a little less than $5.00, and each pool visit is 30 baht, a little under $1.00. I had been coming home and jumping in the cold shower every day. Now I have an option.
My holiday begins the night of the 23rd when I fly off to Tanzania. I am really looking forward to this new adventure. Look here for my tales from Africa.
Geraldine
What is it like living in Thailand. Well, it is all pretty normal in many respects. My house is very suburban. I get up every morning at 5:30 so I can watch the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and catch up on some of the TV commentators I like best. I am sure it is because they almost all agree with me. I walk get to school about 7:30 every morning and like everyone else swipe my finger on the print identification device. Usually I have to do it two or three times before it says Karp Khoun Ca 0 thank you. Don't know why I have this problem; everyone else seems to swipe once and it is a go. We all have to stay until 4:30 to swipe out again. Sometimes that is a drag as one has to hang around even if all the classes are finished. I am fortunate not to have a homeroom as every homeroom teacher has to stay for extra lessons which begin at 4 and end at 5. There is extra pay, but it is a long day. Currently, I am teaching my "need help" students and have about 12 hours a week of very small classes. Just the way it turned out and I get paid the same as everyone else.
I have hot water in the bathrooms, but none in the kitchen so I have to heat a lot of water. This is usual for a Thai household. We do not flush paper down toilets anywhere so that is kind of problem, especially in many public bathrooms. Most public toilets do not have toilet paper unless they have a large farang clientele. But the Thais have something else. It is really a bidet shower. Every place has them and that, of course, is for use every time you need. Actually it is pretty good to have around (with tp as well). Pretty sensible and refreshing.
I do eat out a lot as food is really cheap as long as you are not looking for very foreign food. Cheese and hamburgers will almost always cost $6.00 or $7.00 for example and just about all decent Thai food will cost anywhere from 35 baht to 120 baht for a meal. The 35 is rice and maybe some small amount of chicken and pork, a stir fry, and the price goes up as you add vegetables, whole fish, pieces of fish. There is some very good beer in Thailand which runs from $1.00 to $1.50 for a liter. All wine is very expensive as there is a high import duty on it; strange as there is none made here. Whiskey made in Thailand is very cheap but potent. Imported whiskeys like Scotch, Bourbon, etc. are pretty reasonable as is Vodka, Gin and Rum. Johnny Walker is very popular here. If I have anything, it is usually beer. Everything else is too much on a farang salary
Speaking of salaries, in my school, almost all teachers begin at 30,000 baht or about $1,000 a month and get after school lessons pay. Phillipino and Thai teachers make under 10,000 baht.Quite a difference. There is a raise every year of about 1500 baht. If you are here long enough you have three weeks off in October and one month in April. I got one week in October and can have two in April as things stand now. We also have quite a few holidays and for Christmas we have 10 days.
I am learning more about Thai culture and mores and just wanted to let you know that in normal families, girls are very protected and a great deal of emphasis is placed on not bringing disgrace to the family. They are expected to abstain until marriage. Like many countries that are becoming westernized and have great influence from Western movies and music, there are the beginnings of the breaking of these traditions. They really are not allowed boyfriends and girlfriends till quite late, although many of the kids talk about a girlfriend or boyfriend. Lots of text messaging, etc. but no dating. If a girl does not marry, she generally stays with her parents and very often strict rules still apply. We have one teacher who is about 25 who loves to hang out with a group of teachers her age who are farang. This is not allowed so she literally has to be very secretive about her joining them.
One of the big advantages in living in Phuket are the beaches for me. Last weekend we had 4 days off and a friend spent three of them island hopping, swimming, snorkeling and eating some great lunches that were provided by the tour boats. It really is so much fun to swim among so many beautiful tropical fish and the water is always warm enough to just jump or wade in.
It is always hot. We just finished the rainy season which is hot with very high humidity. Now we are getting into the dry season which is hot but not so humid. I am delighted to report that a pool just opened a block away from my house, so now I can just go and jump in after work. Membership is 150 baht a year, a little less than $5.00, and each pool visit is 30 baht, a little under $1.00. I had been coming home and jumping in the cold shower every day. Now I have an option.
My holiday begins the night of the 23rd when I fly off to Tanzania. I am really looking forward to this new adventure. Look here for my tales from Africa.
Geraldine
Thailand Update Dec. 13
Dear Friends:
It has been quite awhile since I have written. Time flies by so quickly. But this last couple of weeks has been horrendous with terrible news from home and around the world. Detroit, Wall Street, Chicago, Kirkuk, Darfur, Mumbai, Mozambique, Iraq, and Afghanistan – it all goes on and on. To top it off I just watched “Planet in Peril” and really got sick to my stomach. It seems as though everything is going crazy around us and more than that is seriously harming us. And to top it off the changing weather patterns are adding more misery to millions.
I know if I were home I would be churning all the time worrying about it all, talking about it all, arguing about it all, and immersed in the problems of the world because I get like that. Thailand makes it all seem far away. This is a place that is not caught up in the worldwide turmoil; it has no immediate enemies; it does not have something the rest of the world wants to exploit; and it pretty much contains itself to within it borders. This is a country that is steeped in Buddhism, (although I am not always clear how that is manifested in everyday life), esteems its monks and making merit, absolutely reveres its monarch, and yet has all the problems one might find anywhere. On the surface everything seems to be sublime and easy but that is part of its allure. If things look good, they are. This is a country that does not even teach history in the schools. But it is a country that many come to for the pleasures it offers both in nature, sunshine and sea, exotic monuments and celebrations, and its allure for many who like to frequent its most seamy areas. Thailand is a land of many contradictions that I sense but cannot truly define. If there are those who speak of the activities of the “bar girls” with often disgust, but then they will also say “but there is no other way for them to take care of their families.” And they do take care of their families. Family is supreme and many a “farang” (foreigner) is supporting untold numbers of poor relatives of their Thai women. Love is for sale but it comes at more than the price of a one night stand when there is a decision to totally buy in.
Thailand is a land of nation, Buddha, and King. In travel brochures it is also called “Amazing Thailand.” It is a land of courtesy and saving face. There is still the polite but hierarchical custom of “weiing” each other. That is folding the hands in front as if in prayer and greeting one another with the words “sa ba dee ka.” Where one places one’s hands (chest, face or higher) and bows one’s head determines the stature of whom you are addressing. It is a custom I am getting used to as the children must wei their teachers and we wei back. As a sign of respect, they wei me with hands on the face and I wei them with hands on the chest. The head is bowed to the hands. I wei the director and the administrators as well. This courtesy happens everywhere and all over Thailand. When you purchase goods or food in stores and supermarkets, the clerks wei you in thanks. It is a sign of thanks, good wishes, and respect. Often, the children will go by me and bow low as they pass as a sign of respect for an older person. That is the custom.
I witnessed the extremes of this custom during the funeral of the King’s sister a couple of weeks ago. The Princess had been a beloved person for the Thai people and she was accorded an incredible funeral full of all the pomp, circumstance, and regalia that is at the disposal of the Thai Monarch. Parades full of elegantly uniformed marchers; royal regalia of gold and silver carried by bearers, monks presiding over dozens of services sending her on her way, traditional rituals involving cremation and final resting place, gift giving, chanting and mourning – all went on for days. I witnessed all of this on television and truly experienced the depth of the weiing and bowing traditions at their highest levels. With royalty the weiing tradition goes all the way to the forehead with a deep bow and during the religious ceremony weiing involved leaning back and head to or over forehead facing the heavens. I must admit I was absolutely fixated and fascinated as I watched such incredible spectacle unfold for the benefit of the Princess and the honor and tribute which was given to her life and death. As pageantry, the tributes were spectacular.
I am trying to describe all this and not display any commentary or judgment about all of this from a Western perspective because there are no doubt contradictions here in this display of extreme wealth and expenditure for the soul of a Princess and the extreme poverty in which many Thais live. This is a Constitutional Monarchy and the Thais love their King who is now aging and many wonder what the future will hold.
Some of the highlights of my life here include having had the opportunity to visit Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I had to go renew my visa in order to stay in the Country and teach while my work permit was being processed. I spent four days there and really loved visiting the City. It is modern, clean, colorful, and full of all of the most elegant designer shops you would ever need in many shopping malls around the City. I enjoyed watching the dress of so many women who were stunning in their traditional, colorful and elegant dress of over- -blouse and flowing pants. I took one a two day, on and off, bus tour around the City and enjoyed its incredible green belt housing orchid and butterfly parks, lakes and recreation activities, museums and monuments. I really loved the National Art Gallery which displays hundreds of works of Malaysian contemporary modern art. The Gallery itself is a great display of traditional and modern architecture which has rounded umbrella-like arches around the exterior and surrounded by grand staircases and pools and fountains. It is different but has some of the exterior look of the Opera House in Sydney.
Teaching is turning out to be a great delight. My students are fifth and sixth graders and I have 12 hours a week of very small groups that need special help with English. They are so much fun and though they are not always the best of students or the best behaved, I am developing a rapport with them and think I am making some progress. English is required for only the first six grades so many know they will not continue with it. Students at Kajonkiet Suksa School are Thai or a mix of Thai and just about every other nationality: American, Russian, Swedish, English, German, Korean, and Chinese… although most of the Koreans are Korean only. The Teachers are also from everywhere and there are about 100 farang teachers within the three-school system. Although the school requires that teachers be primarily native English speakers we do have a few from the Philippines and Eastern Europe whose English is good enough for teaching the Kindergarten and Primary.
A cultural phenomenon that makes teaching difficult is the Asian concept of saving face and that means that nobody really fails. That means that there are not those built in problems of failure potential that are an inducement to working harder. So my job is to help the kids do the best with English. Failure happens but that is rare and every effort is made to assist the kids in passing either through after school lessons, tutoring, or my ESL class. I am amazed at how well they do considering my own language abilities. I have never been good at learning languages and can speak about 10 words in Thai. It has been really difficult for me to get a good sense of the language and, of course, cannot read any of the signage anywhere. Thai is a kind of Sanskrit/Pali combination and there is no official agreement on the correct Roman alphabet spelling of any of the Thai words. So translations include a variety of spellings. I did much better in Vietnam which uses the same alphabet as English.
A major advantage for me of being in Phuket is to be near so many beaches and islands. I take advantage as much as possible. Last weekend we had a three day holiday so I went camping on the Similan Islands, one of the greatest dive places in the world, so they tell me. I did not dive, but I snorkeled around every day at several of the eight islands that make up the Similans. Camped in a tent and slept pretty well considering that it has been a long time since I slept in a tent – not since Romania. The Islands are a protected natural resource so the beaches were clean and pristine with absolutely clear turquoise waters, coral reefs with a variety of white, blue, green, and pink coral surrounded by lots of sea anemone. The water was fascinating with colorful, tropical fish of all shapes and sizes and I spent hours watching them. I love swimming, snorkeling and being at the sea. Food was included with the campsite and there was an amazing amount of food at every meal. Grilled fish (some of the best I have ever eaten), steamed fish, fish stew, mixed vegetable dishes, varieties of cooked rice and noodles, curries and curried soups, chicken grilled and fried or stir-fried in vegetables, omelettes and fried eggs, all but the latter cooked with some of the most incredible sauces I have had in Thailand. And to finish off the meal, plates of fresh fruit were served. I think I have already mentioned that Thais really like to eat and the tables are always covered with a variety of food. That was an enjoyable three days. But I was sad to discover that I have developed sea sickness – was absolutely uncomfortable on the speed boat to the Islands.
We have a four day weekend this week for some reason but I will stay around Phuket and take some day trips to a couple of islands off the Southern tip for swimming and snorkeling. Since I am going to Africa for Christmas, Kenya and Tanzania on Safari, I really have to budget. I am absolutely amazed that I can actually go to Africa from here at so much less than I could from the USA. I never thought that this would be one of my destinations but it was too tempting to pass up. I am hoping that with everything holding up okay at home, I can go to Australia during the break next April before I come home. It is a real possibility that I can do this.
Thanksgiving was a great holiday with hundreds of farang folks at a restaurant that caters to foreigners. We all had the turkey and all the trimmings and all we could eat. I really enjoyed that meal. It was a work day but the evening was just perfect. You would not believe that the whole meal was only $10.00.
Getting around is still hard for me so I spend most days teachings and most evenings at home. I do use motorbikes and have a favorite driver who fortunately drives slower and carefully when I use his service. Taxis are too expensive for the budget and I use them only after grocery shopping. I decided to go for it and ordered the only satellite TV that offers several English programs and CNN round the clock. Once in a while there is a good movie but mostly there are re runs of American programs. If you can believe it, there is even Commander in Chief in re run and The Guardian. Yes, Oprah is carried on the Hallmark channel, but I don’t watch her; never really have. I have watched a good amount of National Geographic, the History Channel, Discovery, and Animal Planet. Unfortunately, I watch too much CNN. But I read a lot too, not much that is truly intellectual or stimulating as there is not much around and the used books even for pulp fiction are really expensive. I did manage to borrow a copy of two Thai Books: The King Never Smiles, and A History of Thailand (both of which have helped me to learn more about Thailand) from someone who has a very few good books. He actually also had a Tony Hillerman and that was fun, of course.
I do miss close friendships, lady talk, Gregory, and chile! It is interesting that I have already been asked to stay for the next year which begins in May but there is lots of time to decide. No matter where I am I will need work. Greg has been gone for several weeks now and I am glad he was here. We shared some great times and he is now happily, I hope, at home with Lauren and writing what he writes endlessly.
Do write to me. I do hope all of my dear friends are weathering whatever is going on at home and not having any unhappy times and that my friends from around the globe are also having good lives. I want to hear from all of you no matter what.
It has been quite awhile since I have written. Time flies by so quickly. But this last couple of weeks has been horrendous with terrible news from home and around the world. Detroit, Wall Street, Chicago, Kirkuk, Darfur, Mumbai, Mozambique, Iraq, and Afghanistan – it all goes on and on. To top it off I just watched “Planet in Peril” and really got sick to my stomach. It seems as though everything is going crazy around us and more than that is seriously harming us. And to top it off the changing weather patterns are adding more misery to millions.
I know if I were home I would be churning all the time worrying about it all, talking about it all, arguing about it all, and immersed in the problems of the world because I get like that. Thailand makes it all seem far away. This is a place that is not caught up in the worldwide turmoil; it has no immediate enemies; it does not have something the rest of the world wants to exploit; and it pretty much contains itself to within it borders. This is a country that is steeped in Buddhism, (although I am not always clear how that is manifested in everyday life), esteems its monks and making merit, absolutely reveres its monarch, and yet has all the problems one might find anywhere. On the surface everything seems to be sublime and easy but that is part of its allure. If things look good, they are. This is a country that does not even teach history in the schools. But it is a country that many come to for the pleasures it offers both in nature, sunshine and sea, exotic monuments and celebrations, and its allure for many who like to frequent its most seamy areas. Thailand is a land of many contradictions that I sense but cannot truly define. If there are those who speak of the activities of the “bar girls” with often disgust, but then they will also say “but there is no other way for them to take care of their families.” And they do take care of their families. Family is supreme and many a “farang” (foreigner) is supporting untold numbers of poor relatives of their Thai women. Love is for sale but it comes at more than the price of a one night stand when there is a decision to totally buy in.
Thailand is a land of nation, Buddha, and King. In travel brochures it is also called “Amazing Thailand.” It is a land of courtesy and saving face. There is still the polite but hierarchical custom of “weiing” each other. That is folding the hands in front as if in prayer and greeting one another with the words “sa ba dee ka.” Where one places one’s hands (chest, face or higher) and bows one’s head determines the stature of whom you are addressing. It is a custom I am getting used to as the children must wei their teachers and we wei back. As a sign of respect, they wei me with hands on the face and I wei them with hands on the chest. The head is bowed to the hands. I wei the director and the administrators as well. This courtesy happens everywhere and all over Thailand. When you purchase goods or food in stores and supermarkets, the clerks wei you in thanks. It is a sign of thanks, good wishes, and respect. Often, the children will go by me and bow low as they pass as a sign of respect for an older person. That is the custom.
I witnessed the extremes of this custom during the funeral of the King’s sister a couple of weeks ago. The Princess had been a beloved person for the Thai people and she was accorded an incredible funeral full of all the pomp, circumstance, and regalia that is at the disposal of the Thai Monarch. Parades full of elegantly uniformed marchers; royal regalia of gold and silver carried by bearers, monks presiding over dozens of services sending her on her way, traditional rituals involving cremation and final resting place, gift giving, chanting and mourning – all went on for days. I witnessed all of this on television and truly experienced the depth of the weiing and bowing traditions at their highest levels. With royalty the weiing tradition goes all the way to the forehead with a deep bow and during the religious ceremony weiing involved leaning back and head to or over forehead facing the heavens. I must admit I was absolutely fixated and fascinated as I watched such incredible spectacle unfold for the benefit of the Princess and the honor and tribute which was given to her life and death. As pageantry, the tributes were spectacular.
I am trying to describe all this and not display any commentary or judgment about all of this from a Western perspective because there are no doubt contradictions here in this display of extreme wealth and expenditure for the soul of a Princess and the extreme poverty in which many Thais live. This is a Constitutional Monarchy and the Thais love their King who is now aging and many wonder what the future will hold.
Some of the highlights of my life here include having had the opportunity to visit Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I had to go renew my visa in order to stay in the Country and teach while my work permit was being processed. I spent four days there and really loved visiting the City. It is modern, clean, colorful, and full of all of the most elegant designer shops you would ever need in many shopping malls around the City. I enjoyed watching the dress of so many women who were stunning in their traditional, colorful and elegant dress of over- -blouse and flowing pants. I took one a two day, on and off, bus tour around the City and enjoyed its incredible green belt housing orchid and butterfly parks, lakes and recreation activities, museums and monuments. I really loved the National Art Gallery which displays hundreds of works of Malaysian contemporary modern art. The Gallery itself is a great display of traditional and modern architecture which has rounded umbrella-like arches around the exterior and surrounded by grand staircases and pools and fountains. It is different but has some of the exterior look of the Opera House in Sydney.
Teaching is turning out to be a great delight. My students are fifth and sixth graders and I have 12 hours a week of very small groups that need special help with English. They are so much fun and though they are not always the best of students or the best behaved, I am developing a rapport with them and think I am making some progress. English is required for only the first six grades so many know they will not continue with it. Students at Kajonkiet Suksa School are Thai or a mix of Thai and just about every other nationality: American, Russian, Swedish, English, German, Korean, and Chinese… although most of the Koreans are Korean only. The Teachers are also from everywhere and there are about 100 farang teachers within the three-school system. Although the school requires that teachers be primarily native English speakers we do have a few from the Philippines and Eastern Europe whose English is good enough for teaching the Kindergarten and Primary.
A cultural phenomenon that makes teaching difficult is the Asian concept of saving face and that means that nobody really fails. That means that there are not those built in problems of failure potential that are an inducement to working harder. So my job is to help the kids do the best with English. Failure happens but that is rare and every effort is made to assist the kids in passing either through after school lessons, tutoring, or my ESL class. I am amazed at how well they do considering my own language abilities. I have never been good at learning languages and can speak about 10 words in Thai. It has been really difficult for me to get a good sense of the language and, of course, cannot read any of the signage anywhere. Thai is a kind of Sanskrit/Pali combination and there is no official agreement on the correct Roman alphabet spelling of any of the Thai words. So translations include a variety of spellings. I did much better in Vietnam which uses the same alphabet as English.
A major advantage for me of being in Phuket is to be near so many beaches and islands. I take advantage as much as possible. Last weekend we had a three day holiday so I went camping on the Similan Islands, one of the greatest dive places in the world, so they tell me. I did not dive, but I snorkeled around every day at several of the eight islands that make up the Similans. Camped in a tent and slept pretty well considering that it has been a long time since I slept in a tent – not since Romania. The Islands are a protected natural resource so the beaches were clean and pristine with absolutely clear turquoise waters, coral reefs with a variety of white, blue, green, and pink coral surrounded by lots of sea anemone. The water was fascinating with colorful, tropical fish of all shapes and sizes and I spent hours watching them. I love swimming, snorkeling and being at the sea. Food was included with the campsite and there was an amazing amount of food at every meal. Grilled fish (some of the best I have ever eaten), steamed fish, fish stew, mixed vegetable dishes, varieties of cooked rice and noodles, curries and curried soups, chicken grilled and fried or stir-fried in vegetables, omelettes and fried eggs, all but the latter cooked with some of the most incredible sauces I have had in Thailand. And to finish off the meal, plates of fresh fruit were served. I think I have already mentioned that Thais really like to eat and the tables are always covered with a variety of food. That was an enjoyable three days. But I was sad to discover that I have developed sea sickness – was absolutely uncomfortable on the speed boat to the Islands.
We have a four day weekend this week for some reason but I will stay around Phuket and take some day trips to a couple of islands off the Southern tip for swimming and snorkeling. Since I am going to Africa for Christmas, Kenya and Tanzania on Safari, I really have to budget. I am absolutely amazed that I can actually go to Africa from here at so much less than I could from the USA. I never thought that this would be one of my destinations but it was too tempting to pass up. I am hoping that with everything holding up okay at home, I can go to Australia during the break next April before I come home. It is a real possibility that I can do this.
Thanksgiving was a great holiday with hundreds of farang folks at a restaurant that caters to foreigners. We all had the turkey and all the trimmings and all we could eat. I really enjoyed that meal. It was a work day but the evening was just perfect. You would not believe that the whole meal was only $10.00.
Getting around is still hard for me so I spend most days teachings and most evenings at home. I do use motorbikes and have a favorite driver who fortunately drives slower and carefully when I use his service. Taxis are too expensive for the budget and I use them only after grocery shopping. I decided to go for it and ordered the only satellite TV that offers several English programs and CNN round the clock. Once in a while there is a good movie but mostly there are re runs of American programs. If you can believe it, there is even Commander in Chief in re run and The Guardian. Yes, Oprah is carried on the Hallmark channel, but I don’t watch her; never really have. I have watched a good amount of National Geographic, the History Channel, Discovery, and Animal Planet. Unfortunately, I watch too much CNN. But I read a lot too, not much that is truly intellectual or stimulating as there is not much around and the used books even for pulp fiction are really expensive. I did manage to borrow a copy of two Thai Books: The King Never Smiles, and A History of Thailand (both of which have helped me to learn more about Thailand) from someone who has a very few good books. He actually also had a Tony Hillerman and that was fun, of course.
I do miss close friendships, lady talk, Gregory, and chile! It is interesting that I have already been asked to stay for the next year which begins in May but there is lots of time to decide. No matter where I am I will need work. Greg has been gone for several weeks now and I am glad he was here. We shared some great times and he is now happily, I hope, at home with Lauren and writing what he writes endlessly.
Do write to me. I do hope all of my dear friends are weathering whatever is going on at home and not having any unhappy times and that my friends from around the globe are also having good lives. I want to hear from all of you no matter what.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Kajonkietsuka Early September
Interestingly enough I wrote the following last night and the news from home seems even more disastrous - let me have your perspective. Tomorrow I go on my visa trip to Malaysia where I will get my one year visa. In a way this is fortunate as I have wanted to go to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, while I am still in SE Asia;
Today I begin my third week at Kajonkiet Suksa School, a private school that starts at Kindergarten and goes to Grade 8 for the time being. Aside from observing and filling in until the end of the Semester (Sept. 26), my primary assignment is to write a course outline for a new 9th grade which will begin next year. School year starts in May and is comprised of two semesters, the second of which begins in November. I will have the course outline completed by the 26th and we all go on vacation. I actually get one week paid and then come back to teach what is called summer school in October. Most of the school is on a one month holiday which is traditional in Thailand. When November comes, I will have several classes of students who need additional
support through ESL. I am actually having a pretty good time observing the management of a school here, the mix of Thai and
Falang teachers which does
not always work, and the total mix of students many of whom have at least one European, English, or American parent. That makes the teaching of English imperative for them and also for Thai parents who believe that English will be necessary to the success of their kids in the future....unless they are wealthy with lots of influence (and there are a lot of those in Thailand.) I may have said this before but I have found that in general the Cambodians and Vietnamese in cities and in schools were much better at English than the Thais, interesting because Thais actually start English in first grade. Many also learn Chinese as well. In fact, we have a couple of Chinese teachers who volunteer here to teach the language. China's education policies seem to require that those who want to teach spend a couple of years abroad volunteering before they could get a job in China. Naturally, they teach Chinese (their English is pretty
good, too and as an additional aside we have several Phillipine teachers who are teaching English so they are certainly up to par and the computer techs are all Phillipine as well. The latter are a blessing to a surface computer user like me.) But to finish with the Chinese, after the policy was described to me, it sounded a bit like an altered of our Peace Corps in terms of exposing young Chinese to other cultures.
I did find a house just about 5 minutes from school so I am grateful that I do not have to depend on motorbike taxis which really are the cheapest form of transportation. Between the walking to school and walking to a market which is about a kilometer away and climbing three flights of stairs every day, I am keeping in pretty decent shape. Or almost. The first several days of climbing three flights of stairs 5 or 6 times seems to have caused a strain on my right knee and I got to where if I sat down, I
could not get up without a
major stab of pain there. I panicked a bit but our teacher liaision took me to the hospital where I saw an orthopedic surgeon. After the usual x rays, we found nothing structurally wrong and Doctor said inflammation was probably caused by my new "life style activity." So some strong anti inflammation drugs along with a pain killer has eased the problem and I find myself not having any problems with my daily workouts but I have another week worth of pills before I go back.
I will tell you the hospital was certainly impressive; immaculate, efficient, very little waiting time and I was escorted by nurses from start to finish which eased the flow of paperwork and prescription filling. The doctor spoke very good English, the x rays were completed and read with 15 minutes and I was given a pointer lesson on the results and a couple of neat photos of my knee. The whole thing took about an hour and cost less than $60, meds
included. I don't have insurance here yet but should be covered by the time the new semester begins.
My house is a two bedroom, two bath house in what might be considered a rather suburban environment - nothing fancy but the landlady really cleaned it up for me and got me set up also with broadband internet which was just installed over the weekend, so I feel complete. Amazing how we cannot do without computers anymore. Unfortunately I am not so lucky with TV service. I currently have all Thai channels except for a couple of sports channels and the worst - for news only FOX NEWS! Is it ever godawfu, so I asked them to cancel it and I am not getting the super vision service that includes more English and CNN because it is too expensive. I turn on to catch the news in between the absolute love affair all their commentators are having with Sarah Palin - McCain hardly matters. That whole situation really makes me
nervous as the polls seem to be going pretty badly from Obama from here. In fact the country seems to be doing so badly from here. All those financial disasters mixed with really tragic natural ones are heartbreaking from here. How is it affecting you all? When one listens to Asian news, we don't fare so well; not because we are disliked but because we seem to be weakening and China seems to be rising along with the fears of a new Russia and its influence in some parts of Europe. Bush's good friend Putin sure must be having a time of having the last laugh. Energy stockpiles are realigning and influencing the world power structures.
I hope I like it all well enough to stay awhile and I hope if any of you are so inclined you will come visit. I have room, that is for sure. But I will tell you Thailand has many great places, but it is difficult to get around. There are lots of cheap air flights to various places, but if you come, I
would suggest that wherever you go you arrange for tours. I would strongly recommend seeing Bangkok (which I have not seen), Chiang Mai, Ayuttha (an ancient City which I have not seen) Phuket or some of the islands for beach goers. In fact if you stay with me you would have to taxi to the beaches which is anywhere up to 800 baht roundtrip (33 baht to the dollar). But that is stuff that can be worked out; Phuket is really just for beachgoers. Despite all the hype, I would not say that Thailand has the most beautiful beaches in the world, but like many others the good resorts have created little paradises within their bounds. There is supposed to be quite a night life in Patong, but I haven't wandered out and about to check it out, at least at night. Over the weekend I did go to Kata beach which has great surf but not overwhelming and spent the morning swimming and reading; then I wandered over to Patong just to check it out. Lots of great places to
stay, but the beachfront activities are like any resort town with lots of places selling cheap stuff and expensive ordinary restaurants. The beaches along this strip from Chalong Bay are lovely but not exquisite and need some
The longer I stay and the more I can be helpful about places to visit. Now that I have been living in the "burbs" some of the glamor has worn off, so if you want to see the exotic Thailand, tours are the way to go.
Chiang Mai is a delightful city with its moat still surrounding the old
city. I did visit Chiang Rai as well but it is a great and beautiful drive through lovely tropical mountain jungle and worth that alone and okay to stay if you are running off to do outdoor trekking, etc. A truly marvelous site very near Chiang Rai is the wonderful creation in progress and designed to represent contemporary religious (Buddhist) art. The artist, whose name I cannot remember but whose photo with me I have, has devoted his life to creating this enormous site with Wat and monk's quarters and all that goes with it his "White Palace." It is one of the most awesome structures I have seen, with a completely white exerior showcasing fantastic mythological characters from the Buddhist cosmology and the standard turrets, finials, and umbrellas along with carved surfaces that make up Buddhist temples. All this is covered with millions of pieces of mirrored glass which makes the whole thing look like a winter
fairy tale, but which will encompass some most sacred relics and wonderful art work in the inerior that depicts the Buddha and his life as one finds in most Wats. The White Palace will take many years to complete and will be a draw from everywhere for the devout who will seek solace and for tourists. I am sure you can find it on the web as the artist has raised money from around the world, is dedicating all of his own proceeds from his works of art, and is donating all of his time to the design, oversight, and artistic renderings of the buildings. In the process he is training a whole generation of artists in both the old and new artistic traditions of Buddhist art.
Wats in Thailand are a contrasting activity. By day many are both cultural attractions and oddities for a melange of tourists who have come to be awed by the glittering jewel -like mosaic patterns of colored glass which cover various parts of each Wat, along with
the exquisitely delicate looking, colorful wood and often lace-like carvings (turrets) which extend from the roof tops all glittering in red and gold, (real, gold leaf or paint) with an architecture strongly influenced by India. Thai Buddhism is influenced by earlier Hmong animistic religious along with Hindu influences, so one often find the spirits or gods of all three among the statuary and paintings. The insides of the most famous and not so famous of Wats are more than impressive with immense statues of the Buddha often set high above to smile benevelontly down on the viewer. The statues can be of gold or gold leaf, silver, emerald, marble, and one has a standing statue encrusted with diamonds. The artifacts of bowls and offering pieces are both simple and extravagantly elegant made of simple pottery, enamelled coated with inlay embellishments, or materials finely crafted from gold and sillver and even wood. The Wats combined hold and store
treasure lodes of national culture, history, and religion that cannot be removed by collectors and traders. So there is a lot of patrimony being saved.
Until next time - then I will try to think more about this very different place. It is hard to get a handle on it. The sublime and yet ostentatious Buddhist elegance not all that far from the street life of a bar girl who seeks the farongs for support seems eons apart and a study in the complexity and contradictions of Thailand.
Tell me stories from back home or from wherever you are. Greg is half way through his University course in Chiang Mai. He has had it much tougher than I did in my Language Corps class. I am hoping when he finishes we can do an island of Krabi before he goes back and spend a few days in a quiet bungalow resort on the beach.
Love,
Geraldine
Today I begin my third week at Kajonkiet Suksa School, a private school that starts at Kindergarten and goes to Grade 8 for the time being. Aside from observing and filling in until the end of the Semester (Sept. 26), my primary assignment is to write a course outline for a new 9th grade which will begin next year. School year starts in May and is comprised of two semesters, the second of which begins in November. I will have the course outline completed by the 26th and we all go on vacation. I actually get one week paid and then come back to teach what is called summer school in October. Most of the school is on a one month holiday which is traditional in Thailand. When November comes, I will have several classes of students who need additional
support through ESL. I am actually having a pretty good time observing the management of a school here, the mix of Thai and
Falang teachers which does
not always work, and the total mix of students many of whom have at least one European, English, or American parent. That makes the teaching of English imperative for them and also for Thai parents who believe that English will be necessary to the success of their kids in the future....unless they are wealthy with lots of influence (and there are a lot of those in Thailand.) I may have said this before but I have found that in general the Cambodians and Vietnamese in cities and in schools were much better at English than the Thais, interesting because Thais actually start English in first grade. Many also learn Chinese as well. In fact, we have a couple of Chinese teachers who volunteer here to teach the language. China's education policies seem to require that those who want to teach spend a couple of years abroad volunteering before they could get a job in China. Naturally, they teach Chinese (their English is pretty
good, too and as an additional aside we have several Phillipine teachers who are teaching English so they are certainly up to par and the computer techs are all Phillipine as well. The latter are a blessing to a surface computer user like me.) But to finish with the Chinese, after the policy was described to me, it sounded a bit like an altered of our Peace Corps in terms of exposing young Chinese to other cultures.
I did find a house just about 5 minutes from school so I am grateful that I do not have to depend on motorbike taxis which really are the cheapest form of transportation. Between the walking to school and walking to a market which is about a kilometer away and climbing three flights of stairs every day, I am keeping in pretty decent shape. Or almost. The first several days of climbing three flights of stairs 5 or 6 times seems to have caused a strain on my right knee and I got to where if I sat down, I
could not get up without a
major stab of pain there. I panicked a bit but our teacher liaision took me to the hospital where I saw an orthopedic surgeon. After the usual x rays, we found nothing structurally wrong and Doctor said inflammation was probably caused by my new "life style activity." So some strong anti inflammation drugs along with a pain killer has eased the problem and I find myself not having any problems with my daily workouts but I have another week worth of pills before I go back.
I will tell you the hospital was certainly impressive; immaculate, efficient, very little waiting time and I was escorted by nurses from start to finish which eased the flow of paperwork and prescription filling. The doctor spoke very good English, the x rays were completed and read with 15 minutes and I was given a pointer lesson on the results and a couple of neat photos of my knee. The whole thing took about an hour and cost less than $60, meds
included. I don't have insurance here yet but should be covered by the time the new semester begins.
My house is a two bedroom, two bath house in what might be considered a rather suburban environment - nothing fancy but the landlady really cleaned it up for me and got me set up also with broadband internet which was just installed over the weekend, so I feel complete. Amazing how we cannot do without computers anymore. Unfortunately I am not so lucky with TV service. I currently have all Thai channels except for a couple of sports channels and the worst - for news only FOX NEWS! Is it ever godawfu, so I asked them to cancel it and I am not getting the super vision service that includes more English and CNN because it is too expensive. I turn on to catch the news in between the absolute love affair all their commentators are having with Sarah Palin - McCain hardly matters. That whole situation really makes me
nervous as the polls seem to be going pretty badly from Obama from here. In fact the country seems to be doing so badly from here. All those financial disasters mixed with really tragic natural ones are heartbreaking from here. How is it affecting you all? When one listens to Asian news, we don't fare so well; not because we are disliked but because we seem to be weakening and China seems to be rising along with the fears of a new Russia and its influence in some parts of Europe. Bush's good friend Putin sure must be having a time of having the last laugh. Energy stockpiles are realigning and influencing the world power structures.
I hope I like it all well enough to stay awhile and I hope if any of you are so inclined you will come visit. I have room, that is for sure. But I will tell you Thailand has many great places, but it is difficult to get around. There are lots of cheap air flights to various places, but if you come, I
would suggest that wherever you go you arrange for tours. I would strongly recommend seeing Bangkok (which I have not seen), Chiang Mai, Ayuttha (an ancient City which I have not seen) Phuket or some of the islands for beach goers. In fact if you stay with me you would have to taxi to the beaches which is anywhere up to 800 baht roundtrip (33 baht to the dollar). But that is stuff that can be worked out; Phuket is really just for beachgoers. Despite all the hype, I would not say that Thailand has the most beautiful beaches in the world, but like many others the good resorts have created little paradises within their bounds. There is supposed to be quite a night life in Patong, but I haven't wandered out and about to check it out, at least at night. Over the weekend I did go to Kata beach which has great surf but not overwhelming and spent the morning swimming and reading; then I wandered over to Patong just to check it out. Lots of great places to
stay, but the beachfront activities are like any resort town with lots of places selling cheap stuff and expensive ordinary restaurants. The beaches along this strip from Chalong Bay are lovely but not exquisite and need some
The longer I stay and the more I can be helpful about places to visit. Now that I have been living in the "burbs" some of the glamor has worn off, so if you want to see the exotic Thailand, tours are the way to go.
Chiang Mai is a delightful city with its moat still surrounding the old
city. I did visit Chiang Rai as well but it is a great and beautiful drive through lovely tropical mountain jungle and worth that alone and okay to stay if you are running off to do outdoor trekking, etc. A truly marvelous site very near Chiang Rai is the wonderful creation in progress and designed to represent contemporary religious (Buddhist) art. The artist, whose name I cannot remember but whose photo with me I have, has devoted his life to creating this enormous site with Wat and monk's quarters and all that goes with it his "White Palace." It is one of the most awesome structures I have seen, with a completely white exerior showcasing fantastic mythological characters from the Buddhist cosmology and the standard turrets, finials, and umbrellas along with carved surfaces that make up Buddhist temples. All this is covered with millions of pieces of mirrored glass which makes the whole thing look like a winter
fairy tale, but which will encompass some most sacred relics and wonderful art work in the inerior that depicts the Buddha and his life as one finds in most Wats. The White Palace will take many years to complete and will be a draw from everywhere for the devout who will seek solace and for tourists. I am sure you can find it on the web as the artist has raised money from around the world, is dedicating all of his own proceeds from his works of art, and is donating all of his time to the design, oversight, and artistic renderings of the buildings. In the process he is training a whole generation of artists in both the old and new artistic traditions of Buddhist art.
Wats in Thailand are a contrasting activity. By day many are both cultural attractions and oddities for a melange of tourists who have come to be awed by the glittering jewel -like mosaic patterns of colored glass which cover various parts of each Wat, along with
the exquisitely delicate looking, colorful wood and often lace-like carvings (turrets) which extend from the roof tops all glittering in red and gold, (real, gold leaf or paint) with an architecture strongly influenced by India. Thai Buddhism is influenced by earlier Hmong animistic religious along with Hindu influences, so one often find the spirits or gods of all three among the statuary and paintings. The insides of the most famous and not so famous of Wats are more than impressive with immense statues of the Buddha often set high above to smile benevelontly down on the viewer. The statues can be of gold or gold leaf, silver, emerald, marble, and one has a standing statue encrusted with diamonds. The artifacts of bowls and offering pieces are both simple and extravagantly elegant made of simple pottery, enamelled coated with inlay embellishments, or materials finely crafted from gold and sillver and even wood. The Wats combined hold and store
treasure lodes of national culture, history, and religion that cannot be removed by collectors and traders. So there is a lot of patrimony being saved.
Until next time - then I will try to think more about this very different place. It is hard to get a handle on it. The sublime and yet ostentatious Buddhist elegance not all that far from the street life of a bar girl who seeks the farongs for support seems eons apart and a study in the complexity and contradictions of Thailand.
Tell me stories from back home or from wherever you are. Greg is half way through his University course in Chiang Mai. He has had it much tougher than I did in my Language Corps class. I am hoping when he finishes we can do an island of Krabi before he goes back and spend a few days in a quiet bungalow resort on the beach.
Love,
Geraldine
Friday, August 29, 2008
VIENTIANE
Our last excursion with Language Corps was a memorable trip to Laos: Vientiane, the Capitol and Vong Vien, a river area several hours away by van. I loved Vientiane so very different from where I had been in other cuntries. A quiet, French influenced city on the banks of the Mekong, it is manageable, provincial and a place where one could retire. It lacks the hustle and bustle of a major Asian City but nonetheless has its own character but shares with others the pervasive Buddhism as reflected in numerous Wats, temples and monasteries. The most famous in the center of the city is enriched with colorful gold and mosaic buildings with incredible paintings of the life of the Buddha inside. I was startled to see one such painting with a very St. Christopher like figure carrying the Buddha on his shoulders and which reminded me how very similar are the beginnings of all of our religious cultures.
Some great Laotian local restaurants are situated right on the river which is really a main part of the City and we enjoyed several great meals. One such dish is a ground pork dish made with lime, cilantro, garlic and served with sticky rice. One just rolls the rice up into a ball and scoops up the main dish with it. My first experience with sticky rice was a delight. Sitcky rice with mango is also favorite breakfast dish. What I have learned in this part of the world is that there are maybe 80 varieties of rice grown here and sticky rice is only one and it is a type of its own. It is much more glutinous than other rice which gives it its texture. Did you know that Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice with Vietnam being second? But I digress from Vientiane. It is a lovely city to walk around in and we did a lot of that along with visiting its very famous Wat and the incomplete Arch of Triumph, which is patterned after the French but quite a bit smaller. Begun in 1962 it will probably never be finished given the current political status of the country. That does not mean that there is not still leftover French influence in the architecture, and especially the cooking. The greatest French bakeries with the baskets of French breads of all kinds are everywhere and we enjoyed our morning coffee in one every day that we were there.
Our trip included visiting the village of Vong Vien, now a jumpoff site for kayaking, trekking, tubing, and just laying back. Our sport of choice was kayaking for several hours down the Nam Song river - if found it truly exciting. Fortunately for me, last winter when Greg and I were in Puerto Escondido he encouraged me to go kayaking with him on the lagoon outside our city in a natural reserve. I had always been scared of kayaks thinking if I was in danger I would never be able to roll it around, upright and escape. But there in Mexico, we went out on a sea kayak with legs free to jump out if need be. We had similar kayaks in Laos. When we teamed up, however, I chose to go with the guide as the river was full enough to have some decent white rapids which would be a first for me. We proceeded down the river surrounded by incredible landscapes of forest jungle mountains, rice paddies, and a variety of all the tropical flowers one might expect to see on a riverside. Some of the mountain peaks were clouded with mist creating a dreamy atmosphere. In full sun everything sparkled with green and gold light on the water. Like every river I have been on so far, the water is that milk chocolaty brown which comes from the rapid flow of the river churning up the bottom.
Later we went to Luang Prabang, the earlier capital and seat of the monarchy. This is a really small capital but full of again French influence. Our first outing was to the night market as we arrived late afternoon. So many items for sale along two blocks of the city which is closed to traffic every night. What was of most interest were the crafts from the Hmong tribes. Lovely woven items of all sorts with multicolored yarns and scroll stamping...bedspreads, purses, friendship bracelets and more. This is truly a very colorful market that is sometimes left in the drk as the lights flicker and go out from brownouts. It is a bit difficult to shop in the dark, but people seem to manage. A nice aspect of LP is the lack of raging. The pace is much slower and there are fewer around, so that helps with walking. I am amazed that no matter where I have been in Thailand, pedestrian traffic is essentially ignored and one cannot even walk on the sidewalks, if they exist at all. Even in Chang Mai I found myself having to step off the blocked sidewalks as shops and restaurants extended to the curb.
I enjoyed another of boating on the Mekong as we travelled upriver to visit the Buddha caves. A very large limestone cave contains hundreds if not thousands of Buddhas left there by the faithful. In fact in the past the King used to lead the boat procession to the caves once a year (and I forget which holiday) followed by the faithful and leave a Buddha in tribute. Again on this trip we stopped at a Hmong village which was very poor indeed but full of tourist souveneir racks. Even in Thailand, one has to be sure you are finding Thai goods. There are lots of items available from all over Asia and if I were to buy anything, I wanted it to be made in Thailand. At this village, there was one woman who was actually weaving cotton oblongs which were quite soft and simple in design. They were finished off with a little fringe and can be used for a scarf, a table piece, or a kitchen towel. For only 20 baht, I bought one because it was genuine. (33 baht to a dollar).
We visited the National Museum which used to be the National Palace. The last king disappeared mysteriously after the Pathet Lao overturned the monarch and has never been heard of. Although it is strongly written in many places that he and his wife and son were carted off to the mountains and basically starved to death in jungle conditions. The Museum was, of course, a gold and red fantasy which lots of silk brocade, couches, king's room, queen's room and all that goes with royalty although at this point probably not as elaborate with items that might have been originally found there. A real highlight were the brightly colored mirrored glass mosaics on the walls which threw off great light and sparkles to the rooms they decorated. Later that evening we went to the Royal Ballet performance in what used to be the Royal Theater. The performance was done in the Thai dance tradition of masked performers, elaborate costumes, and wonderful hand motions from the women dancers. The male dancers were quite athletic as they performed so many routines with legs at 90 degree angles. I still prefer traditional ballet, but this was fun to see.
I had a great outing through villages and mountains to one of the country's large waterful. Just standing at the bridge at the bottom was like being in the rain. I did manage to swim in one of the lower pools but was pretty careful so that I would not lose any balance. I do not think I would have been swept over the next small fall, but did not want to take any chance. No one else did. But I just could not resist having a refreshing dip in this beautiful place. On our walk back, we came across a bear sanctuary and it was fun to see more of these beautiful creatures. While I was doing all this, Greg was off elephant trekking and kayaking.
As I write this I am in Phuket where the political protestors have shut down the airports. It is safe where I am but there is a determination to shut down this current government and closing of travel for tourists seems to be one of the tactics. This country cannot survive without tourism, its number one industry. We are in a delightful lodge complete with tropical gardens, swimming pool and all in all a delightful place full of travellers from all over the world. Waterfalls provide the soothing gurgling backdrop to this oasis just 100 yards from a main road. It is very near the school where I will be teaching and I will stay here until I can find something closer so that I can walk to school. If all goes well and the airports open, Greg flies to Chiang Mai on Sunday to attend the Language Arts School at the University for a month.
Love to all. Please send me a line now and then. I will catch up on Chiang Mai next time.
Geraldine
Our last excursion with Language Corps was a memorable trip to Laos: Vientiane, the Capitol and Vong Vien, a river area several hours away by van. I loved Vientiane so very different from where I had been in other cuntries. A quiet, French influenced city on the banks of the Mekong, it is manageable, provincial and a place where one could retire. It lacks the hustle and bustle of a major Asian City but nonetheless has its own character but shares with others the pervasive Buddhism as reflected in numerous Wats, temples and monasteries. The most famous in the center of the city is enriched with colorful gold and mosaic buildings with incredible paintings of the life of the Buddha inside. I was startled to see one such painting with a very St. Christopher like figure carrying the Buddha on his shoulders and which reminded me how very similar are the beginnings of all of our religious cultures.
Some great Laotian local restaurants are situated right on the river which is really a main part of the City and we enjoyed several great meals. One such dish is a ground pork dish made with lime, cilantro, garlic and served with sticky rice. One just rolls the rice up into a ball and scoops up the main dish with it. My first experience with sticky rice was a delight. Sitcky rice with mango is also favorite breakfast dish. What I have learned in this part of the world is that there are maybe 80 varieties of rice grown here and sticky rice is only one and it is a type of its own. It is much more glutinous than other rice which gives it its texture. Did you know that Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice with Vietnam being second? But I digress from Vientiane. It is a lovely city to walk around in and we did a lot of that along with visiting its very famous Wat and the incomplete Arch of Triumph, which is patterned after the French but quite a bit smaller. Begun in 1962 it will probably never be finished given the current political status of the country. That does not mean that there is not still leftover French influence in the architecture, and especially the cooking. The greatest French bakeries with the baskets of French breads of all kinds are everywhere and we enjoyed our morning coffee in one every day that we were there.
Our trip included visiting the village of Vong Vien, now a jumpoff site for kayaking, trekking, tubing, and just laying back. Our sport of choice was kayaking for several hours down the Nam Song river - if found it truly exciting. Fortunately for me, last winter when Greg and I were in Puerto Escondido he encouraged me to go kayaking with him on the lagoon outside our city in a natural reserve. I had always been scared of kayaks thinking if I was in danger I would never be able to roll it around, upright and escape. But there in Mexico, we went out on a sea kayak with legs free to jump out if need be. We had similar kayaks in Laos. When we teamed up, however, I chose to go with the guide as the river was full enough to have some decent white rapids which would be a first for me. We proceeded down the river surrounded by incredible landscapes of forest jungle mountains, rice paddies, and a variety of all the tropical flowers one might expect to see on a riverside. Some of the mountain peaks were clouded with mist creating a dreamy atmosphere. In full sun everything sparkled with green and gold light on the water. Like every river I have been on so far, the water is that milk chocolaty brown which comes from the rapid flow of the river churning up the bottom.
Later we went to Luang Prabang, the earlier capital and seat of the monarchy. This is a really small capital but full of again French influence. Our first outing was to the night market as we arrived late afternoon. So many items for sale along two blocks of the city which is closed to traffic every night. What was of most interest were the crafts from the Hmong tribes. Lovely woven items of all sorts with multicolored yarns and scroll stamping...bedspreads, purses, friendship bracelets and more. This is truly a very colorful market that is sometimes left in the drk as the lights flicker and go out from brownouts. It is a bit difficult to shop in the dark, but people seem to manage. A nice aspect of LP is the lack of raging. The pace is much slower and there are fewer around, so that helps with walking. I am amazed that no matter where I have been in Thailand, pedestrian traffic is essentially ignored and one cannot even walk on the sidewalks, if they exist at all. Even in Chang Mai I found myself having to step off the blocked sidewalks as shops and restaurants extended to the curb.
I enjoyed another of boating on the Mekong as we travelled upriver to visit the Buddha caves. A very large limestone cave contains hundreds if not thousands of Buddhas left there by the faithful. In fact in the past the King used to lead the boat procession to the caves once a year (and I forget which holiday) followed by the faithful and leave a Buddha in tribute. Again on this trip we stopped at a Hmong village which was very poor indeed but full of tourist souveneir racks. Even in Thailand, one has to be sure you are finding Thai goods. There are lots of items available from all over Asia and if I were to buy anything, I wanted it to be made in Thailand. At this village, there was one woman who was actually weaving cotton oblongs which were quite soft and simple in design. They were finished off with a little fringe and can be used for a scarf, a table piece, or a kitchen towel. For only 20 baht, I bought one because it was genuine. (33 baht to a dollar).
We visited the National Museum which used to be the National Palace. The last king disappeared mysteriously after the Pathet Lao overturned the monarch and has never been heard of. Although it is strongly written in many places that he and his wife and son were carted off to the mountains and basically starved to death in jungle conditions. The Museum was, of course, a gold and red fantasy which lots of silk brocade, couches, king's room, queen's room and all that goes with royalty although at this point probably not as elaborate with items that might have been originally found there. A real highlight were the brightly colored mirrored glass mosaics on the walls which threw off great light and sparkles to the rooms they decorated. Later that evening we went to the Royal Ballet performance in what used to be the Royal Theater. The performance was done in the Thai dance tradition of masked performers, elaborate costumes, and wonderful hand motions from the women dancers. The male dancers were quite athletic as they performed so many routines with legs at 90 degree angles. I still prefer traditional ballet, but this was fun to see.
I had a great outing through villages and mountains to one of the country's large waterful. Just standing at the bridge at the bottom was like being in the rain. I did manage to swim in one of the lower pools but was pretty careful so that I would not lose any balance. I do not think I would have been swept over the next small fall, but did not want to take any chance. No one else did. But I just could not resist having a refreshing dip in this beautiful place. On our walk back, we came across a bear sanctuary and it was fun to see more of these beautiful creatures. While I was doing all this, Greg was off elephant trekking and kayaking.
As I write this I am in Phuket where the political protestors have shut down the airports. It is safe where I am but there is a determination to shut down this current government and closing of travel for tourists seems to be one of the tactics. This country cannot survive without tourism, its number one industry. We are in a delightful lodge complete with tropical gardens, swimming pool and all in all a delightful place full of travellers from all over the world. Waterfalls provide the soothing gurgling backdrop to this oasis just 100 yards from a main road. It is very near the school where I will be teaching and I will stay here until I can find something closer so that I can walk to school. If all goes well and the airports open, Greg flies to Chiang Mai on Sunday to attend the Language Arts School at the University for a month.
Love to all. Please send me a line now and then. I will catch up on Chiang Mai next time.
Geraldine
Monday, July 21, 2008
A Few Cultural Notes
Just thought I would add a few more cultural notes. During my stay in Cambodia , the national elections had begun. For 30 days before the election (which is July 28) the parties begin their campaigns. Trucks, taxis, cars, and tuk tuks are decorated with the banners and photos of the leaders for the political parties and loaded with volunteers sporting the colors by wearing the appropriate T shirts and hats. The loudspeakers carry music and messages of the party. The volunteers are the cheering squads which wave flags and also pass out literature during stops. The current party is expected to win but one needs to be wary as Election Day nears and then on Election Night after the results are in. It is not unknown to have brawls and shootings among the competitors. It does not matter that between 14,000 and 16,000 election observers are in the country.
Asian women think being white is great or the paler the better. All kinds of lotions for the body have whitener in them if you want it: bath gel, soap, moisturizers, and even deodorant. A lot of skin cream is made which carries the label with whitener. Those who use it swear it works; those who don’t say too many of the products have bleach in them which they believe only gives a grey pallor. Beauty is whatever, wherever.
So far the Thai women that I have met can really drink and they love to eat. I cannot believe how much food they order and eat during the day. I got to observe this on our recent excursion to Koh Chang, a beautiful island off the coast of Thailand about 5 hours south of Pattaya and mayb e 6 or 7 hours from Bangkok . Thais seem to like to travel in groups and really do have a great deal of fun. It is really okay to have fun. Even though the trip was for the Language Corps participants friends and others of the staff were also invited. The more the merrier and that made it a lot of fun.
After our five hour drive and food stops we took a 30 minute ferry drive and were extremely grateful to get to our hotel which was right on a lovely white sand beach. I was in the water in no time flat and just fully enjoyed the warm waters and easy body surfing waves. After a good while, I jumped into the hotel pool and luxuriated some more in what could have been cooler water. Then, of course, a beer at the poolside bar. Pretty much everyone was doing the same. Dinner of lots of seafood was farther up the beach, another postcard site, and everything was delicious.
The next day after enjoying the morning and early afternoon just swimming and exploring around the hotel, we all went to a village on the water built on stilts. It was great walking the narrow walkway with all the usual souvenir shops, food shops, bake shops, and so on all the way to the end of the pier with a very cool lighthouse. Small but with the decorative look of the various temples and wats on a much simpler scale, but nonetheless unique. After exploring this place, we backtracked and found our restaurant on one of the arms off the pier. What a beautiful site with mist hanging over the nearby jungle mountains, lovely pagoda houses hugging the shore and the hillside, Asian boats moving around in the water, some for fishing, some for recreation. Believe it or not, the fishing boats are wildly decorated with great splashes of color and designs that are from the sea, from myth, and from religion. And they are indeed kept immaculate. Most, of course, are made of teak. Needless to say we spent a long afternoon eating steamed crabs and washing them down with some great beer. One of our crew kept looking longingly at one of the neat looking pagoda houses, complete with guest house, and speculating that he would own that in about ten years.
We capped the weekend off by visiting a pounding, spray-shooting waterfall but only after more food ( the most fantastic spit roasted chicken and sticky rice). Only a few of us walked through the jungle path to get to the waterfall. Because it had been raining, the way was slick in a lot of places and only muddy in a few. I guess we trekked in about 40 minutes and just stood in awe at the water and spray thundering down the rock side in front of us. We followed a rope line to cross from one side of the water flow to the other and was that ever refreshing. We were able to swim around at the pool just past the falling water by holding onto ropes. The current was way too fast to allow for swimming freely. I did a little more rock climbing than I am used to do all this, but it was worth the trip.
Back to school and teaching the next day along with some more Thai language lessons. I am not doing all that well learning Thai, to tell the truth, but I am trying. It is really hard. Talk to you all soon.
Asian women think being white is great or the paler the better. All kinds of lotions for the body have whitener in them if you want it: bath gel, soap, moisturizers, and even deodorant. A lot of skin cream is made which carries the label with whitener. Those who use it swear it works; those who don’t say too many of the products have bleach in them which they believe only gives a grey pallor. Beauty is whatever, wherever.
So far the Thai women that I have met can really drink and they love to eat. I cannot believe how much food they order and eat during the day. I got to observe this on our recent excursion to Koh Chang, a beautiful island off the coast of Thailand about 5 hours south of Pattaya and mayb e 6 or 7 hours from Bangkok . Thais seem to like to travel in groups and really do have a great deal of fun. It is really okay to have fun. Even though the trip was for the Language Corps participants friends and others of the staff were also invited. The more the merrier and that made it a lot of fun.
After our five hour drive and food stops we took a 30 minute ferry drive and were extremely grateful to get to our hotel which was right on a lovely white sand beach. I was in the water in no time flat and just fully enjoyed the warm waters and easy body surfing waves. After a good while, I jumped into the hotel pool and luxuriated some more in what could have been cooler water. Then, of course, a beer at the poolside bar. Pretty much everyone was doing the same. Dinner of lots of seafood was farther up the beach, another postcard site, and everything was delicious.
The next day after enjoying the morning and early afternoon just swimming and exploring around the hotel, we all went to a village on the water built on stilts. It was great walking the narrow walkway with all the usual souvenir shops, food shops, bake shops, and so on all the way to the end of the pier with a very cool lighthouse. Small but with the decorative look of the various temples and wats on a much simpler scale, but nonetheless unique. After exploring this place, we backtracked and found our restaurant on one of the arms off the pier. What a beautiful site with mist hanging over the nearby jungle mountains, lovely pagoda houses hugging the shore and the hillside, Asian boats moving around in the water, some for fishing, some for recreation. Believe it or not, the fishing boats are wildly decorated with great splashes of color and designs that are from the sea, from myth, and from religion. And they are indeed kept immaculate. Most, of course, are made of teak. Needless to say we spent a long afternoon eating steamed crabs and washing them down with some great beer. One of our crew kept looking longingly at one of the neat looking pagoda houses, complete with guest house, and speculating that he would own that in about ten years.
We capped the weekend off by visiting a pounding, spray-shooting waterfall but only after more food ( the most fantastic spit roasted chicken and sticky rice). Only a few of us walked through the jungle path to get to the waterfall. Because it had been raining, the way was slick in a lot of places and only muddy in a few. I guess we trekked in about 40 minutes and just stood in awe at the water and spray thundering down the rock side in front of us. We followed a rope line to cross from one side of the water flow to the other and was that ever refreshing. We were able to swim around at the pool just past the falling water by holding onto ropes. The current was way too fast to allow for swimming freely. I did a little more rock climbing than I am used to do all this, but it was worth the trip.
Back to school and teaching the next day along with some more Thai language lessons. I am not doing all that well learning Thai, to tell the truth, but I am trying. It is really hard. Talk to you all soon.
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