Phuket = Boo-ket?? and Ko Phi Phi Magic

To be honest I was less than impressed with Phuket. I think it was a combination of bad weather, a cold/sinus infection, and sunburn than the island itself but yeah... let down. Also, going from Bangkok where everything was so cheap to going somewhere that taxis charge you $10 to go 2 miles just because they can really sucks. The worst part is that my two most expensive cab rides were to these places overlooking Phuket that are supposed to have the most amazing sunsets, but since it rained late afternoon/early evening every day it was too cloudy to see anything. Here are the views from the After Beach Bar in Kata and down on the beach in Rawai:

The good news is that I stayed in a really cute place, run by a very sweet Italian couple. Besides a great bed there was also a real shower with great pressure, a treat and big step up from my last place.

I ended up extended my time there cause I was tired of changing hotels every few days so I just stayed there and took day trips. Also, I didn't really go out at night. I wasn't in Patong, which is the touristy party place on the island, and even if I had I don't know if I would have gone. Sometimes traveling alone can be very exhausting. You have to make an effort to meet people, start conversations with people, and be willing to talk about yourself a lot to many different people. I guess cause I've been so sick and was feeling crappy I didn't really feel like putting out that much effort.

Enough complaining, there are a few things I did that were fabulous. The best was a day trip to Ko Phi Phi, which is actually 2 islands, plus we stopped at another one on the way. Since I was too sick to snorkel I just laid out and enjoyed the beaches, so I will let the pictures speak for themselves. I would be a very happy girl if I could see these amazing shades of blue water every day.

Another great place I discovered on Phuket is Old Town. I'm guessing most tourists don't make it there but I really liked it. The old buildings and architecture were so cute, I just walked around kind of aimlessly for a couple of hours. There are also tons of art galleries there so I checked those out as well.

Last but certainly not least, I did move hotels for my last night to be closer to the airport cause I had to leave for the airport at 4:30am, and I'm so glad I did. I was in an area called Hat Nai Yang, which is at the Northern end of the island. The beaches there are long and beautiful and much less crowded than in Kata where I had been. In fact, on my last day in Thailand I found my first secluded beach! Besides the fact that this beach was gorgeous and empty, it was also at the mouth of a national park.

I ended the day at a tiny beach bar with my favorite new Thai food, Som Tam, which is a spicy papaya salad, along with a mojito or two :)

Cheers Thailand, it's been an amazing time!

The Three Best Things About Railay

I just spent two amazing days on Railay in the Krabi province of Thailand. It is the most peaceful and remote beach, privy to all of nature's elements, which I learned quickly to accept and just go with the flow.The difference between high and low tide was so extreme that at any given time of day you could find yourself walking through 2 feet of water to get to your hotel or the nearest bar or restaurant on a path that is usually several yards from the shore line.

High Tide

Low Tide

Each day around 2pm the skies opened and the rain came down in droves, at times the thunder was deafening and the lightning right above. The beach is accessible only by boat, and there are no roads so everyone walks. Many people go there for rock climbing, as most of the island is either cliffs or jungle. There are also some of the most gorgeous beaches and colors of the ocean water that I have ever seen. I was tempted to stay there until it was time to leave for Bali but I decided to go on in my journey, knowing that everywhere I go will be beautiful and special, and I don't know when I will return to this part of the world so I want to see as much as I can see. I would be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind to move here one day. I could have a very simple and natural life living in a place like this. For now though, I have fond memories of my short time in Railay.

The three things I love most about Railay are:

1) The Views

Seriously this was the view 20 feet in front of my door

at 8am Sunday morning. Feels like I'm in a dream world.

Viewpoint overlooking Hat Phra Nang

Sunset wasn't that impressive cause of the afternoon

thunderstorms but still pretty beautiful.

The famed Hat Phra Nang

2) The Adventure

I woke up early one morning to do what my guide book described as a "strenuous hike" to a hilltop ocean viewpoint and a hidden lagoon. Thankfully there were a couple of other people starting at the same time because when I finally found the "crude path" mentioned by the book, it looked like this:

Basically just a massive muddy cliff side with strategically placed ropes. There were many of these on the way to the hidden lagoon, some uphill like this, others basically vertical drops down that you had to pull yourself up or let yourself down on ropes. After watching a few people in my group go down one of them and seeing how long it took and how dangerous it was, I made the decision to turn back. At this point we had already been climbing well over an hour and even if I had made it down, I didn't know how I'd make it back up and we heard from other people on the cliff that there were 3 of these vertical drops down to the lagoon. This was as close as I got:

As I forged ahead on my own back up to the viewpoint I kept wondering if I had chickened out or if I should have kept going. I knew deep down it wasn't worth risking injury, especially since this was only the 2nd day of my six week vacation, but I was still kind of bummed I was the only one who backed out. Luckily I ran into one of the couples later in the day (I was already at the beach and they had just finished the hike) and they said it wasn't worth it. I felt better about myself and what I accomplished, getting to the other viewpoint a sweaty and dirty mess was actually incredibly rewarding.

Later in the day I embarked on an adventure of a different kind. In Bangkok I shied away from street food cause I was scared of getting sick, plus I don't always know what's being made and most things have meat in them. But when I got to the beach and saw that the beach version of street food was a line of boats instead of food stalls I had to go for it. One of my favorite dishes here in spicy glass noodles with vegetables, and one of the boats had it. I figured since it was all cooked I was safe from most illness-inducing germs. It was delicious and I'm happy to say consequence free.

3) Fire dancing
I've seen this before but for some reason this was different and much better. The fireworks setting on my camera made the actions shots come out really cool.

Maybe it could have had something to do with the lead fire dancer who I momentarily fell in love with :) He was also an amazing singer/guitar player (which I'm always impressed by) and a DJ. Plus he had a great smile and a nice body.

The entire fire dancing show was incredible. I have no idea how they do that but it's truly impressive and beautiful to watch. Luckily I think maybe he had a moment with me too cause he cleared the table in front of me out and moved it to the side and came and performed right in front of me.

He's seriously swinging the fire sticks from his mouth!!

I took it as a sign though that maybe it should be a love from a distance since my shoes were taken and I had to go back to the hotel with these two Australian girls I met. One of them was sweet enough to offer me a spare pair of her flip flops (which totally saved me). Even though I have never felt unsafe anywhere I've been in Thailand even at night, I was too scared to walk back to the bar by myself after getting the shoes so I went back to my room. Plus, going back to the bar by myself in the hopes of engaging with him further probably wouldn't have led to anything good.  

All in all it was a great way to start my beach vacation and I'm looking forward to my next adventure.

Goodbye Pitaksa

Thursday was my last day at Pitaksa Day Care and I found myself very sad to say goodbye. Also, because of the language barrier I did not understand that my 5th week was actually the last day of the official school year and that many of my students would not be there for my last week. I also got several new students, which made teaching a little more difficult because of the distractions and because they were not at the same level as my kids. All in all though everything worked out fine and we had fun working on basic conversational stuff and reviewing everything we'd learned the past six weeks. Since the next two months are technically summer school, not all kids attend and those who do don't have to wear their uniforms.

On Thursday the kids that were left gave me a wonderful parting ceremony, singing me songs, giving me flowers, and all lining up to give me goodbye hugs. It was so sweet and heartwarming. The staff also gave me a beautiful pashmina, which came in very handy because my last few days in Bangkok were cold and rainy.

These are the staff members who I worked with to teach them English while the students were napping. This was actually much harder than teaching the children but these women were so great and so appreciative. We got through it together with lots of laughter and good humor.

Aor, Sue, Ann, Eung, me, Muay, Bom, Riaw

This picture is from the Democratic Party event a few weeks ago that my kids performed at. These are the teachers in my class, Maew (teacher's aid) and Arom (head teacher). They have been so wonderful to me and despite the fact that they speak very little English, we were usually able to communicate and work together fairly well using a mix of charades and basic words here and there.

Two weeks ago when another volunteer Rhonda was still here we put on an English Camp for the oldest kids at the school. Every 20 minutes we would get a group of 10 kids each to teach English to. Rhonda is a nurse back home in Oregon so she taught about cleanliness, like washing your hands, covering your cough, etc. I taught animals. I had pictures of a frog, cat, fish, and elephant. First they learned each animal, then I taught the spelling of frog, and then I had a page with each animal on there that they could color. I found out very quickly that my students were definitely the most advanced and best behaved kids in school. It was quite an adjustment trying to capture the attention of the younger kids and keep them engaged the whole 10 minutes. With some groups we definitely spent more time drawing rather than spelling.

We did this for two very long, challenging, non-stop days, and then the third day was a big celebration. There was singing, dancing, drawing, and finally a big feast.

While I had my doubts about doing English Camp with kids who were so young, the staff and teachers thought it was a huge success and would like to do it again in the future. The school is actually looking into finding a native English speaker to come teach full time there. Hopefully they'll be able to get the funding that they need because I feel like that would benefit them so much more than to have volunteers come in a few times a year and work with different classes. I'll be keeping in touch with the principal and I'll keep my fingers crossed for good news.

Although I was at Pitaksa to teach, looking back I see this was just as much or more so a learning experience for me. I am so grateful that the students, staff, and teachers were as kind, supportive, and appreciative as they were having me there. I definitely had my moments of doubt about how much my being there was actually helping them. But if I made a portion of the students excited about English, want to learn English, or at least gave them a foundation and helped them to be one step ahead when they start formal English education, then I will be happy. For the others I'm glad that for six weeks they got a little extra attention, affection, and encouragement. Sometimes a smile, or a hug, or a big "gang maak" (good job) goes a long way. I will certainly miss these beautiful smiling faces.

One Week Left

I can't believe I only have one week left of my program here in Bangkok. The past 5 weeks have flown by and I find myself very sad to be leaving my work placement. As challenging as it has been at times, I am so in love with the kids in my class that it makes it all worth it. Historically kids have not been my favorite, but this experience has given me such a different perspective on life, families, and children especially.

Kids here are not treated as preciously (for lack of a better word) here as they are at home. Take my class for example. I have almost 50 five year olds in my class, and while this situation would never happen back in the States, I would imagine that if it did the results would be chaos. Yet here I have not experienced one temper tantrum, crying episode, or other bad behavior to speak of. When they sit on the floor, they are forced to sit in rows of 10 and count off. If they make a row of 11 or 12 they are swatted by the teacher and get their lunch last. At the tables, they are crammed in together so close that they actually touch the person next to them, and if they get fidgety or agitated with the person next to them and cause a disruption they are swatted again.

It took me a while to get used to the swatting of the students. I still don't like it and I would never do it even though I have been told I can if they are acting "foolish," but it doesn't upset me like it did before. This isn't full out hitting or anything, but if a student is talking or being disruptive, the teacher or teacher aide might walk by and give them a little smack on the arm, hand, or head. The kids never cry, but they do stop what they are doing.

They are also learning skills that I don't think we were learning at 5. These kids are still at a daycare center, yet they are reading writing, counting, and doing basic addition in Thai, and learning letters, numbers, colors, animals, and basic phrases in English. They also have a full day of school. Arriving at 8:30, sitting for 45 minutes in a daily assembly listening to announcements, singing songs, and saying prayers. Then from around 9:30-11am they have lessons with their teachers (this is often the time when I am teaching), followed by washing their hands, eating lunch, brushing their teeth, and taking a nap. I am not sure what they do between 1 and 2:30 or 3 because that is when I am teaching English to the administrative staff, but they are still working in their classrooms.

So maybe it is because my students aren't coddled and are sometimes treated roughly that I feel such compassion for them. While I may not have gotten through to them as much as I had hoped in terms of learning English, I know I have given them encouragement and affection that they might not get otherwise. I know it's hard to give any sort of individualized attention to students when there's so many in one room, so I don't want to blame the teachers or school system, but I also know that a hug or a smile can go a long way. The kids here are absolutely adorable and so loving. I count it as a victory that one of the boys who just looks mean and seemed like a bully when I first arrived is now one of the first to come over and say hi and give me a hug in the morning. I'm definitely going to miss these kids a lot and I truly hope that their lives turn out for the best. I wish there was some way I could keep tabs on them when I leave but next year they will all be going to different schools for kindergarten depending on their skill level.

Hopefully if any of what I have taught them sticks in their minds, they will have enough of a foundation in English that they can get into a decent school so that the cycle of poverty and illiteracy doesn't continue with them. It is clear that there are some students with learning disabilities and autism that simply stare at their papers whether in Thai or English, and since the school is not equipped enough to get them the help they need, it is probably only a matter of time before their parents pull them from school. I know I can't save everyone, but when I see the alternative every day of kids running around the streets barefoot when they should be in school or out sitting in their mothers' laps begging for money, it breaks my heart. These kids are so good and so sweet, I just want them to have every opportunity possibly for a good future. My time here has come and gone much too quickly, but I am so grateful I was able to come here and be with them for this time. I have wonderful memories to take with me and a new passion for children's advocacy that I am excited to go home and start exploring new options for my future with.

Escape From Bangkok

This weekend I had a long weekend so Hannah and I escaped from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok to Northern Thailand. As we were jetting down in Chiang Mai I realized how easy it had been for me to forget that I was in such a gorgeous country. Bangkok is full of dirt, traffic, pollution, and way too many cars and people. Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand is a far cry from that lifestyle. There were trees everywhere, millions of rice patties, parks, gardens, and mountains. Even in the city of Chiang Mai we could walk everywhere safely, the air was cleaner, the sky was bluer, we weren't jostled by strangers with every step. It truly was a breath of fresh air in every sense of the word and we made the most of it.

We woke up at 4am on Friday and by 8:30am we were checked into our guest house in Chiang Mai. We wasted no time getting ready and headed out the door to start our adventure. Luckily we got an early start because it was seriously hot up there. It was cooler than Bangkok at night, but during the day was just as hot and humid. We entered the Old City through the Thae Pae Gate and our first stop was at a massage parlor that came highly recommended by a fellow traveller. We had the most incredible one hour massage for just 150 baht (around $5), which was a great way to start the day.

We walked around the Old City and visited several of the wats there. My favorite was Wat Phantao, which was made entirely of wood and absolutely stunning.

Hannah and I also released a few birds outside the temple for good luck.

One of the other more impressive wats within the Old City was Wat Chedi Luang, which has a gorgeous newer temple at the front of the property.

In the back is the ruins of the pyramid shaped original Wat Chedi Luang that was destroyed by an earthquake in the 1500s. The long staircase is partially in tact, and while you aren't allowed to climb it, the Buddha that was housed at the top of the tower is still visible from the ground. These pictures don't really do it justice but the entire complex was really beautiful and interesting.

After an amazing lunch at a delicious and seriously cheap vegetarian restaurant (Chiang Mai is known for the abundance of vegetarian and health-conscious restaurants so that was a nice treat), we headed up the mountain to Wat Doi Suthep, a very famous pilgrimage sight in Thailand. Besides driving 30 minutes up the mountain in the back of a wagon truck type car, there was also a cable car ride up to the Wat itself. We had every intention of walking up the 300 stairs, but when we arrived at 1pm in the heat of the day we just couldn't do it. We did walk down them though :)

Everything about the temple was amazing, from the views to the details it was just incredible. One of my favorite things about Thailand is that even though many of these temples are popular tourist destinations, they are also a part of everyday life for local Thais. Several of the most impressive temples are on regular city streets next to modern buildings, and Buddhism is just part of the culture here so people stop by on their lunch breaks, after work, and on family vacations. It's really a nice mix to see. It's also a treat when the monks are at the temples. I've become very enchanted by the monks here and I could literally listen to them chant for hours.

On Saturday we had another incredibly early morning and embarked on an almost 14 hour tour of the area outside of Chiang Mai. We visited a hot spring and drove through the town of Chiang Rai in the morning, ending up at a place called the White Temple.

To call this place stunning would be an understatement. It was truly overwhelming. This is actually a new temple that has been being built over the past 10-15 years. While it is not complete, the main temple and some smaller statues are still able to have visitors. The artwork inside the temple is like nothing I have ever seen or could imagine being in a temple. It is very post-Modern and provocative. Of course they did not allow photography inside the temple. Overall just walking around the place was simply serene.

After leaving the White Temple we drove a few more hours to the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. There, we took a boat tour on the Mekong River, saw across to Myanmar even though we weren't allowed to actually go there, and then went over to the shores of Laos and were able to walk around for a bit.

After our boat tour we went to lunch and headed to the Myanmar boarder to the most Northern part of Thailand. Unfortunately we weren't actually allowed to cross over because of the cost, safety concerns, and the fact that getting a Myanmar stamp in our passport would automatically make our Thai visas expire in 15 days. Definitely not worth it. I settled for this fun makeshift passport stamp/supplement:

 

On the very long drive home we drove through some rural areas of Thailand known for their abundance of hill tribes. We visited the home of the Karen tribe, which had both Long Neck and Big Ear Karens, as well as the Akha tribe. To be honest I felt a little uncomfortable being there and thus didn't take many pictures. I certainly didn't pose with any of the women as some other tourists did. While I know these tribes have a long, rich history, I couldn't help feeling like they were putting on a show. Part of the price of our tour goes to the village so at least they are being compensated for having us come through there with our cameras as if they are aliens or something. Something about the experience just felt unauthentic, but it was interesting to see. Of course I bought some of their goods to help appease my guilt even though I didn't actually want them.



We arrived home late Saturday, had another great dinner at the vegetarian restaurant up the street, had one drink and fell into bed. We woke up Sunday to a scorching hot day in Chiang Mai. We got a fruit shake, had another amazing massage, walked through the Sunday market, and visited one last Wat that is home to the largest jade Buddha in Thailand.

We then met a friend of a friend who works at an orphanage and school in Chiang Mai, as well as starting his own non-profit aiding villagers in rural areas in Northern Thailand and bringing children from these villages to the city for careers and education. To learn more about Stuart and his life here please visit http://stuandthekids.org/ and feel free to donate if you see fit.

We had a very Thai-style experience, riding all 3 of us on his scooter in search of my first street food experience. Thai ice cream sandwiches are literally that. Two thinly sliced pieces of white bread filled with coconut and vanilla ice cream, topped with chopped peanuts and strawberry sauce.

We left Chiang Mai in style, taking a tuk tuk to the airport...