This tenth update comes from Laurel Lozzi, Junior Art major from Westmont College. Laurel comes from Falbrook, CA.
Lots of new pictures can be found at:
community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100
Dear Friends and Family,
So far, our trip in Thailand has been full of numerous transitions: getting familiar with a new culture, people, and city, living with a new family, and learning a new language. There has been one transition after another and on Tuesday I could feel the onset of another transition.
Last Tuesday in the early morning we (the students) said goodbye to our host families. I'd say it was a bittersweet moment. Most, if not all of us were ready for the return of our American independence and the change of pace. But, on the other hand we were leaving the people we have spent the last two months with. They have given to us and created space for us in their families. For that, we are thankful and many will miss their families--at least for a short time. Many students have been receiving daily calls from members of their host family and some are invited (or
expected) to stay with their families when we return to Chiang Mai.
Since we have left our Thai families to embark on exploring other parts of Thailand, the students have become the new family, yet everyone in this family speaks English. We have been travelling together, exploring the ancient and present day glories of Thailand: Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok. This past week has been a blur of wats (temples), ruins, heat, sweat, bathing suits, exhaustion, and good company. Here are a few highlights:
We have been staying in some of the nicest hotels in each city we have visited. Each hotel has been equipped with swimming pools and air conditioning. As we travel south, the weather has gotten hotter and stickier. So, after each long day of sightseeing most of us have immediately changed into our bathing suits and taken advantage of the perks of fancy hotels. From my perspective as a woman and a native Californian, I am thankful for the opportunity to expose the areas of my body that have been hiding from the world the last 2 1/2 months (because of social
standards)- like shoulders and knees.
On our second day of travelling, we rented bicycles and rode around the ancient city of Sukhothai. As we biked, we were surrounded by ruins more than 2000 years old. In the midst of history, we felt like kids as we rode on the bikes. I've asked a few other students what their favorites moments have been and this has been one of them.
The Talking Buddha in Sukhothai is also a popular temple among the students. As we walked through the old walls of this wat, a huge Buddha statue towered over us. It's hand might have been more or less as tall as our bodies. We have seen so many Buddha images and statues in the past week, but this one was definitely one of the most beautiful.
After Sukhothai we made our way to Ayutthaya, where we toured the city by boat. As the sun was setting, we ate dinner on the boat, sang karaoke songs, and enjoyed the cool breeze. The city was beautiful from the water, but the people made the evening memorable. We bonded with one another as we embarrassed ourselves by singing and dancing. Sanook maak!
Bangkok. The vibe in Bangkok reminded me of many of the large cities in America (like NYC or LA--more than 14 million people in the daytime). The traffic was heavy, buildings took over natural wildlife, people were everyone either selling goods or seeing the sights. The city seemed to be endless. There were so many things to see and places to explore, but most of us were there for less than two days. Thankfully Bangkok, known as the "Venice of the East," has boat taxis and water transportation which helps relieve the scorching heat. We toured some of the old canals in Bangkok where many people still live. There were a few people who would float from place to place selling goods to people nearby. It was beautiful and the waters were teaming with fish.
Last, but definitely not least, we started spring break from our time in Bangkok. We are now on our own and many of the students left for various islands. I happen to find myself on Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand with seven other students (Micah, Hanah, Allison, Melina, Little Sarah, Dominique, and Ben). It has been wonderful to feel the warm waters of the tropics, hear the foam washing up to shore, and feel the sand in between my toes. All of us are already a shade darker or redder.
Tomorrow, we plan on snorkeling on the nearby island of Koh Tao and exploring the world beneath the sea. It is beautiful and picturesque.
But we are only here for a short time, six days, until we go back to class in a remote village in the north of Thailand. Adventures continue!
We love you all and miss you. I hope this email meets you in good spirits.
Thanks for being apart of our lives even though we are physically so far away.
Chook Dee!
Laurel Lozzi
SST and Westmont College Art Student
Lots of new pictures can be found at:
community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100
Group Field Trip--Pittsanoke and Ayutthaya
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Tuesday, March 12, 2007
This blog comes from Blair Warner, Sophomore International
Business major from Pepperdine University. Blair comes from Hood River,
Oregon.
Dear Friends and Family:
I think a Thai vocabulary lesson is in order as I begin this SST update.
Let me introduce you to the Thai word "uan," pronounced “ooh-waan”. Uan is
Thai for fat. And this is silly and it is at the top of almost everyone’s
commonly heard vocabulary in their Thai families. And as we all prepare to
say goodbye to our Thai families, we are sad, yes we are, but uan is
something that most of us are also feeling.
A good way to describe a peculiarity of the typical Thai family (not that
there aren’t thousands of strange things in a typical American family) is
that you are told constantly that you are uan, and then you are
immediately forced to eat three more helpings of rice until you both feel
and look like a blimp. So as we get excited for spring break, I think most
of us naksiksaas (students) are looking at our bathing suits, wondering
how exactly we are going to wear that thing for a week on the beach with
our various extra rice/noodle weights. Jogging, anyone? Oh boy.
So this last week was filled with studying, spending time with our
families and goodbyes at our various internships as we had our final Thai
culture exam on Friday. No hilarious skits were a part of this final, and
for most of us it was a last-ditch study effort, four written in-class
essays, and then academic freedom! I can speak for all of us when I say
that it is great to be done. This culture class has taught us a lot about
Thai culture and has helped us be able to apply all that we are witness to
in Chiang Mai life and in our Thai families to general cultural aspects of
Thailand.
I cannot speak for everyone’s specific internships, although I wish I
could. I am a part of the Baan Ponsawan (boardinghouse) and English
teaching internship along with Nate, Sara, Courtney 1 and Courtney 2. I
can say that it was an incredible week for all of us. Our last two days of
teaching were unforgettable. I will miss my second grade students more
than words can say (yes, think of the Extreme song). However, we
definitely used more than words to show our love for these children, as
did they in return. With these kids, language and cultural barriers were
crossed as we use things like stickers, snacks, hugs, a little English
teaching here and there, and learning constructive Thai phrases like “you
are smart” as we tried to show the kids that we care. They are so smart
and capable, and we just hope that they have a fair shot at the bright
future they deserve so much. We put together a goodbye party at our school
on Wednesday, and it was amazing to give them balloons, face painting,
stickers and ice cream. The five of us also got to say goodbye for real on
Saturday when we went swimming with the kids at a local pool. What a great
time. It breaks my heart, but I know that we will be back. Maybe not all
of us within a year, maybe not in even in three or four, but we will be
back. My heart is with these underprivileged kids. They have given me a
joy of working with kids that I did not previously possess. So we students
said goodbye to all those who have changed our hearts and lives in these
incredible internships, whether they be monks or hilltribe kids or special
needs children or silver craftsmen or northern Thai young men…and many
more!
This week other students in our group also had going away parties at their
internship placements, including 9 students at the Buddhist University, 2
students at Anuban Chiang Mai School, and Dominique at the Healing
Foundation.
But you must be wondering, what about the SST 2007 banquet?? I can feel
your excitement, and can honestly say that it was such a success. Everyone
was dressed “to the nines” in their fabulously tailored or
Thailand-designed outfits, and I thought it ironic that this formal dinner
was the nicest and probably the cleanest our group will be for the next
month and a half. From now on it’s sun, sand and sweat on the beaches and
in various cities in Thailand as we travel places with HOT weather. And
then after that comes the not-so-frequent showering that will (not) occur
the Karen village in April. : ) But us SST 2007 students are up for it,
yes we are. But going back to the banquet, the night was filled with an
encore of one of our Thai language skits, many heartfelt thank yous to all
those who make our experiences in Thailand possible, and an incredibly
memorable time with our Thai families.
What else are we up to these days? Why, packing of course. I’m resorting
to magic as I try to fit my accumulated Thai treasures into a couple
suitcases, and I know others are experiencing similar challenges. But as
with all of these Thailand adversities, the resourceful and amazing SST
2007 group will succeed. And there is also last minute Chiang Mai shopping
and eating and enjoying life and our families in northern Thailand. Last
night at the Sunday walking street market over half our group was there,
covered in shopping bags. I can’t believe how the time has flown, cliché
yes, but never more true.
Our group is going to bond, Kumbaiya-style, during our Thailand field
trip, and then split off into several groups for incredible spring break
experiences at the world’s best beaches!! Parents and relatives and
friends, we miss you and are thinking of you when we aren’t busy shoveling
mango and sticky rice into our mouths. Take care and know that we are
healthy, happy, and extremely well-fed.
Blair Warner, SST student from Pepperdine University
This blog comes from Blair Warner, Sophomore International
Business major from Pepperdine University. Blair comes from Hood River,
Oregon.
Dear Friends and Family:
I think a Thai vocabulary lesson is in order as I begin this SST update.
Let me introduce you to the Thai word "uan," pronounced “ooh-waan”. Uan is
Thai for fat. And this is silly and it is at the top of almost everyone’s
commonly heard vocabulary in their Thai families. And as we all prepare to
say goodbye to our Thai families, we are sad, yes we are, but uan is
something that most of us are also feeling.
A good way to describe a peculiarity of the typical Thai family (not that
there aren’t thousands of strange things in a typical American family) is
that you are told constantly that you are uan, and then you are
immediately forced to eat three more helpings of rice until you both feel
and look like a blimp. So as we get excited for spring break, I think most
of us naksiksaas (students) are looking at our bathing suits, wondering
how exactly we are going to wear that thing for a week on the beach with
our various extra rice/noodle weights. Jogging, anyone? Oh boy.
So this last week was filled with studying, spending time with our
families and goodbyes at our various internships as we had our final Thai
culture exam on Friday. No hilarious skits were a part of this final, and
for most of us it was a last-ditch study effort, four written in-class
essays, and then academic freedom! I can speak for all of us when I say
that it is great to be done. This culture class has taught us a lot about
Thai culture and has helped us be able to apply all that we are witness to
in Chiang Mai life and in our Thai families to general cultural aspects of
Thailand.
I cannot speak for everyone’s specific internships, although I wish I
could. I am a part of the Baan Ponsawan (boardinghouse) and English
teaching internship along with Nate, Sara, Courtney 1 and Courtney 2. I
can say that it was an incredible week for all of us. Our last two days of
teaching were unforgettable. I will miss my second grade students more
than words can say (yes, think of the Extreme song). However, we
definitely used more than words to show our love for these children, as
did they in return. With these kids, language and cultural barriers were
crossed as we use things like stickers, snacks, hugs, a little English
teaching here and there, and learning constructive Thai phrases like “you
are smart” as we tried to show the kids that we care. They are so smart
and capable, and we just hope that they have a fair shot at the bright
future they deserve so much. We put together a goodbye party at our school
on Wednesday, and it was amazing to give them balloons, face painting,
stickers and ice cream. The five of us also got to say goodbye for real on
Saturday when we went swimming with the kids at a local pool. What a great
time. It breaks my heart, but I know that we will be back. Maybe not all
of us within a year, maybe not in even in three or four, but we will be
back. My heart is with these underprivileged kids. They have given me a
joy of working with kids that I did not previously possess. So we students
said goodbye to all those who have changed our hearts and lives in these
incredible internships, whether they be monks or hilltribe kids or special
needs children or silver craftsmen or northern Thai young men…and many
more!
This week other students in our group also had going away parties at their
internship placements, including 9 students at the Buddhist University, 2
students at Anuban Chiang Mai School, and Dominique at the Healing
Foundation.
But you must be wondering, what about the SST 2007 banquet?? I can feel
your excitement, and can honestly say that it was such a success. Everyone
was dressed “to the nines” in their fabulously tailored or
Thailand-designed outfits, and I thought it ironic that this formal dinner
was the nicest and probably the cleanest our group will be for the next
month and a half. From now on it’s sun, sand and sweat on the beaches and
in various cities in Thailand as we travel places with HOT weather. And
then after that comes the not-so-frequent showering that will (not) occur
the Karen village in April. : ) But us SST 2007 students are up for it,
yes we are. But going back to the banquet, the night was filled with an
encore of one of our Thai language skits, many heartfelt thank yous to all
those who make our experiences in Thailand possible, and an incredibly
memorable time with our Thai families.
What else are we up to these days? Why, packing of course. I’m resorting
to magic as I try to fit my accumulated Thai treasures into a couple
suitcases, and I know others are experiencing similar challenges. But as
with all of these Thailand adversities, the resourceful and amazing SST
2007 group will succeed. And there is also last minute Chiang Mai shopping
and eating and enjoying life and our families in northern Thailand. Last
night at the Sunday walking street market over half our group was there,
covered in shopping bags. I can’t believe how the time has flown, cliché
yes, but never more true.
Our group is going to bond, Kumbaiya-style, during our Thailand field
trip, and then split off into several groups for incredible spring break
experiences at the world’s best beaches!! Parents and relatives and
friends, we miss you and are thinking of you when we aren’t busy shoveling
mango and sticky rice into our mouths. Take care and know that we are
healthy, happy, and extremely well-fed.
Blair Warner, SST student from Pepperdine University
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
This blog comes from Lisa Brooks, Sophomore Creative Writing Major from Pepperdine University. Lisa comes from Plano, Texas.
To all the ones we love,
The theme of the letter is ‘SANOOK’, which means ‘fun’ in Thai, and which has become a sort of a mantra for our experience here in Chiang Mai. I want to update you on the stunning events of week 8, which was packed with all the SANOOK you can handle. You see, SANOOK is the Thai way, and as my Dad so cleverly states, “It’sThai-way or the highway”. We choose the Thai way. Would you believe that even economics can be SANOOK? This little-known fact was actively proven to us this week through the lectures of Ajarn Chaiyan. He managed to make the economic ups and downs of the country into a regular comedy. It’s not that what he was speaking about was particularly uplifting or humorous, but he chose the light-hearted route above the oh-so-serious option, and that is quintessential Thai. Our culture class has given us so many insights. Over the weekend, there were no group plans and so we were once again at the wonderful mercy of our Thai families. There was much SANOOK to behad by all. I, in particular, got to go into a cave in a place called Chiang Dao. We traveled in Thai style (as SANOOK as possible), which means that we stopped about every half hour for a snack. One hot-dog, one bowl of noodle soup, one plate of pad-see-yu and an iced chocolate later, we reached our destination (this was all before noon). I ventured in the cave with my older brother, Pi Jack, and we paid the $3 (100 baht) for the guided tour. The guide was wearing sandals, so I thought, how rough could this be? I’ve been in Carlsbad Caverns twice. I’m basically a spelunker. But this was WAY more SANOOK than Carlsbad. There was no lighted path…our guide had a lantern that I kept praying wouldn’t go out. We saw bats galore, and had to crawl through tiny and wet spaces in order to get from one cave ‘room’ to another. But the fascinating thing was that in the depths of this cave, there was a small temple. Pi Jack told me that monks used to come there over 300 years ago. I am sure many others could report on the heaps of SANOOK they found themselves in this past weekend. Just ask. It’s always a surprising time here in Thailand. But the SANOOK wasn’t over with the weekend.
Today, Tuesday, we had our Thai language final. In keeping with theThai-way, SANOOK was incorporated even into the test. This was no sit-down, be quiet, only look at your own paper type of test. We were given the assignment to write skits in Thai, with basically every freedom and most every person as fair game-including our Thai teachers, AjarnMike, and our Thai families and friends. If ever there was a SANOOK-ful way to take an exam, this was it. Each of the four groups really went all out… from a colorful “khitoi” (transvestite) impersonation to well-planned representations of Ajarn Mike’s idiosyncrasies, the amount of SANOOK in that room was record-breaking. We had a special lunchafterward, in celebration of the end our Thai language class. It included our dear favorites: sweet and sour chicken, spring rolls, and mangoes and sticky rice. The conclusion of our Thai language class is a reminder that our time here in Chiang Mai is coming to an end.
However, this is by no means the end of the SANOOK. We spent our free time this week planning for Spring Break. The group will disperse and scatter along Thailand’s most beautiful beaches and return a few shades darker (or redder, for some unlucky ones). It is hard to believe that Spring Break is just around the corner. Everything is flying by. It seems like just yesterday we were moving in with our Thai families, suffering through awkward introductions and countless miscommunication issues. We have now learned a considerable amount of Thai and have survived whatever adventure our Thai families have put us up to. I think it is true what they say, “Time flies when youare having SANOOK”. We praise God for the experience and we rejoice in His ability to uncover a sparkling gem from any situation. Psalm 136:1“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”
Lisa Brooks
SST Student from Pepperdine University
PS: Update on Shawn: We just wanted to give you an update on the Shawn Livingston, the student who had the fall on the waterfall on February 11. Last week Shawn was given the green light from the surgeon to fly home. He got out of the hospital on Tuesday, February 27 and he, his mother (Gwen), and one of his surgeons flew home last night from Chiang Mai. Shawn is doing very well--he is talking and joking with us, but we know this is a long process with many unknowns. He had a couple days the week of February 22 that were very difficult, but we found out that it was caused by a reaction to one of the medicines. Now that it is out of his system he is doing well. The prognosis is for a full recovery after his eye heals/is repaired. We consider this a miracle, and thank you all foryour prayers! Yesterday we had a big send off in class for Shawn and Gwen. This was followed by a Lunch with Karaoke, and a final hang out opportunity for Shawn and his friends. The plane left Chiang Mai at 9:00 PM and there were more than 30 people who came to bring their best wishes for a bon voyage and to send Shawn, Gwen, and doctor to America in style. We would appreciate your prayers during their flight--it is difficult even under good circumstances! I know Shawn's mother is very tired, and though they have had a lot of support here; she has had to deal with so much stress. It means to much to all of us knowing that you are holding them up in prayer.
Thanks, Ann and Mike
(look for pictures of Shawn's send-off--community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100).
This blog comes from Lisa Brooks, Sophomore Creative Writing Major from Pepperdine University. Lisa comes from Plano, Texas.
To all the ones we love,
The theme of the letter is ‘SANOOK’, which means ‘fun’ in Thai, and which has become a sort of a mantra for our experience here in Chiang Mai. I want to update you on the stunning events of week 8, which was packed with all the SANOOK you can handle. You see, SANOOK is the Thai way, and as my Dad so cleverly states, “It’sThai-way or the highway”. We choose the Thai way. Would you believe that even economics can be SANOOK? This little-known fact was actively proven to us this week through the lectures of Ajarn Chaiyan. He managed to make the economic ups and downs of the country into a regular comedy. It’s not that what he was speaking about was particularly uplifting or humorous, but he chose the light-hearted route above the oh-so-serious option, and that is quintessential Thai. Our culture class has given us so many insights. Over the weekend, there were no group plans and so we were once again at the wonderful mercy of our Thai families. There was much SANOOK to behad by all. I, in particular, got to go into a cave in a place called Chiang Dao. We traveled in Thai style (as SANOOK as possible), which means that we stopped about every half hour for a snack. One hot-dog, one bowl of noodle soup, one plate of pad-see-yu and an iced chocolate later, we reached our destination (this was all before noon). I ventured in the cave with my older brother, Pi Jack, and we paid the $3 (100 baht) for the guided tour. The guide was wearing sandals, so I thought, how rough could this be? I’ve been in Carlsbad Caverns twice. I’m basically a spelunker. But this was WAY more SANOOK than Carlsbad. There was no lighted path…our guide had a lantern that I kept praying wouldn’t go out. We saw bats galore, and had to crawl through tiny and wet spaces in order to get from one cave ‘room’ to another. But the fascinating thing was that in the depths of this cave, there was a small temple. Pi Jack told me that monks used to come there over 300 years ago. I am sure many others could report on the heaps of SANOOK they found themselves in this past weekend. Just ask. It’s always a surprising time here in Thailand. But the SANOOK wasn’t over with the weekend.
Today, Tuesday, we had our Thai language final. In keeping with theThai-way, SANOOK was incorporated even into the test. This was no sit-down, be quiet, only look at your own paper type of test. We were given the assignment to write skits in Thai, with basically every freedom and most every person as fair game-including our Thai teachers, AjarnMike, and our Thai families and friends. If ever there was a SANOOK-ful way to take an exam, this was it. Each of the four groups really went all out… from a colorful “khitoi” (transvestite) impersonation to well-planned representations of Ajarn Mike’s idiosyncrasies, the amount of SANOOK in that room was record-breaking. We had a special lunchafterward, in celebration of the end our Thai language class. It included our dear favorites: sweet and sour chicken, spring rolls, and mangoes and sticky rice. The conclusion of our Thai language class is a reminder that our time here in Chiang Mai is coming to an end.
However, this is by no means the end of the SANOOK. We spent our free time this week planning for Spring Break. The group will disperse and scatter along Thailand’s most beautiful beaches and return a few shades darker (or redder, for some unlucky ones). It is hard to believe that Spring Break is just around the corner. Everything is flying by. It seems like just yesterday we were moving in with our Thai families, suffering through awkward introductions and countless miscommunication issues. We have now learned a considerable amount of Thai and have survived whatever adventure our Thai families have put us up to. I think it is true what they say, “Time flies when youare having SANOOK”. We praise God for the experience and we rejoice in His ability to uncover a sparkling gem from any situation. Psalm 136:1“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”
Lisa Brooks
SST Student from Pepperdine University
PS: Update on Shawn: We just wanted to give you an update on the Shawn Livingston, the student who had the fall on the waterfall on February 11. Last week Shawn was given the green light from the surgeon to fly home. He got out of the hospital on Tuesday, February 27 and he, his mother (Gwen), and one of his surgeons flew home last night from Chiang Mai. Shawn is doing very well--he is talking and joking with us, but we know this is a long process with many unknowns. He had a couple days the week of February 22 that were very difficult, but we found out that it was caused by a reaction to one of the medicines. Now that it is out of his system he is doing well. The prognosis is for a full recovery after his eye heals/is repaired. We consider this a miracle, and thank you all foryour prayers! Yesterday we had a big send off in class for Shawn and Gwen. This was followed by a Lunch with Karaoke, and a final hang out opportunity for Shawn and his friends. The plane left Chiang Mai at 9:00 PM and there were more than 30 people who came to bring their best wishes for a bon voyage and to send Shawn, Gwen, and doctor to America in style. We would appreciate your prayers during their flight--it is difficult even under good circumstances! I know Shawn's mother is very tired, and though they have had a lot of support here; she has had to deal with so much stress. It means to much to all of us knowing that you are holding them up in prayer.
Thanks, Ann and Mike
(look for pictures of Shawn's send-off--community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100).
Thursday, February 22, 2007
February 20, 2007
This blogl comes from Marta Johnson, senior English Major fromWestmont College. Marta comes from Litchfield, IL (near St. Louis, MO.).
On behalf of everyone here in Chiang Mai connected to you, dear familyand friends, I send the warmest greetings (and they are, indeed,getting warmer by the day as temperatures continue to rise),We have finally hit the 6 week point for SST 2007. This means a numberof things.
a.) The students of our program have blossomed from cluelessforeigners into street savvy locals (well, almost, anyway). We aremaking progress daily when it comes to crossing the street withconfidence in the face of oncoming traffic. We are no longer justsilly farang (white people,) uninformed Westerners--an accomplishment,to be sure.
b.) Our Thai Culture midterm was last Thursday. We were each requiredto answer one essay question on the topic of Buddhism, and one questionon the topic of Thai history.
Additionally, we were asked to locate anumber of South East Asian cities, rivers, and countries on a map.(Say, Ajarn Mike, where is Luang Prabang, anyway?) And while not allof us will get by without seeing red markings in our blue books, I can say with certainty that we all know more about the Eight Fold Path andKing Rama V than we ever had before.
c.) Our language skills have improved dramatically, particularly sincemoving in with our host families just 4 short weeks ago. (A fewphrases that have been essential: "Please speak slowly." "Is itspicy?" "No, thank you, I am very full already. Very, very full.").and so forth...
Last Tuesday afternoon we enjoyed a fantastic buffet lunch at a CMUcamps restaurant in celebration of Valentine's Day. We were each givena handcrafted valentine, dark chocolate mint Kit Kat bars, and flowers.The meal was good (spring rolls, pad see yu, etc.), but the real gem was dessert--mangoes and sticky rice. It was a welcomed reminder that we are nearing the dawn of Thailand's prime mango season. Good news,truly. (Special thanks go out to Aj. Mike, Aj. Ann, and Phii Christina for ensuring that it was such a fun, special event--even the single among us were feeling the love.)
As this past weekend was the first of the semester that we did not have a group activity planned, it served, for many of us, as an opportunity for much concentrated quality time and excitement with our host families. As the Chinese New Year was observed over the weekend, and because the percentage of Thai citizens of Chinese descent is relatively high (an exact figure, I do not know,) a number of SST students were able to join their host families in C.N.Y. holiday festivities. My own Thai family did not specifically celebrate theChinese New Year. However, we did enjoy a full weekend of activity, including a day long visit from Grandpa and Grandma (Khun Yaay and KhunDa) who came up from Lampang on Sunday (about an hour and a half drivefrom Chiang Mai.) I was able to witness the universality of the following principle: Grandchildren exist in order that they may be spoiled by their grandparents--to everyone's great delight, naturally.The host families we are staying with now are so kind and caring, generally speaking--more than generous. They have really adopted us as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, extended family members. To illustrate: In the car one morning as we were driving to school, I told my host dad that I was thinking about the possibility of returning toThailand someday to teach English. His reply, "Yes, that is a good idea. And you know that you will always have your family here in Chiang Mai." And this weekend my Thai grandmother, whom I had just met that day, said during dinner, "You are all the same", as she gazed lovingly from across the table at her two 11 year old granddaughters and the blonde headed 21 year old farang (meaning "white person" inThai). Somehow in the course of that one day, I had become a part ofher family.
As we have learned from the monks, "The world is our classroom, everyperson in it, our teacher. Each moment is an opportunity to learn something new." Here in Thailand, this unfamiliar context, there are so many opportunities each day to see the world through a new set of eyes, to hear truth with a new set of ears. We are discovering what it means to be human from she, from he, who is often so different--yet no less worthy, no less good--than the human we know.
But enough philosophical musings for now...I think I see sliced pineapple on the kitchen table begging for an audience.We thank you for your prayers; we continue to witness God's goodnessand faithfulness daily here in Chiang Mai. We also give thanks for restoring health and good humor to our friend Shawn. Wishing you peace and, if it is possible, a bowl of mangoes and sticky rice from your nearest local Thai restaurant (if not for health, at least for the sake of cultural understanding),
Marta Johnson and SST 2007
For pictures go to: http://www.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100
On behalf of everyone here in Chiang Mai connected to you, dear familyand friends, I send the warmest greetings (and they are, indeed,getting warmer by the day as temperatures continue to rise),We have finally hit the 6 week point for SST 2007. This means a numberof things.
a.) The students of our program have blossomed from cluelessforeigners into street savvy locals (well, almost, anyway). We aremaking progress daily when it comes to crossing the street withconfidence in the face of oncoming traffic. We are no longer justsilly farang (white people,) uninformed Westerners--an accomplishment,to be sure.
b.) Our Thai Culture midterm was last Thursday. We were each requiredto answer one essay question on the topic of Buddhism, and one questionon the topic of Thai history.
Additionally, we were asked to locate anumber of South East Asian cities, rivers, and countries on a map.(Say, Ajarn Mike, where is Luang Prabang, anyway?) And while not allof us will get by without seeing red markings in our blue books, I can say with certainty that we all know more about the Eight Fold Path andKing Rama V than we ever had before.
c.) Our language skills have improved dramatically, particularly sincemoving in with our host families just 4 short weeks ago. (A fewphrases that have been essential: "Please speak slowly." "Is itspicy?" "No, thank you, I am very full already. Very, very full.").and so forth...
Last Tuesday afternoon we enjoyed a fantastic buffet lunch at a CMUcamps restaurant in celebration of Valentine's Day. We were each givena handcrafted valentine, dark chocolate mint Kit Kat bars, and flowers.The meal was good (spring rolls, pad see yu, etc.), but the real gem was dessert--mangoes and sticky rice. It was a welcomed reminder that we are nearing the dawn of Thailand's prime mango season. Good news,truly. (Special thanks go out to Aj. Mike, Aj. Ann, and Phii Christina for ensuring that it was such a fun, special event--even the single among us were feeling the love.)
As this past weekend was the first of the semester that we did not have a group activity planned, it served, for many of us, as an opportunity for much concentrated quality time and excitement with our host families. As the Chinese New Year was observed over the weekend, and because the percentage of Thai citizens of Chinese descent is relatively high (an exact figure, I do not know,) a number of SST students were able to join their host families in C.N.Y. holiday festivities. My own Thai family did not specifically celebrate theChinese New Year. However, we did enjoy a full weekend of activity, including a day long visit from Grandpa and Grandma (Khun Yaay and KhunDa) who came up from Lampang on Sunday (about an hour and a half drivefrom Chiang Mai.) I was able to witness the universality of the following principle: Grandchildren exist in order that they may be spoiled by their grandparents--to everyone's great delight, naturally.The host families we are staying with now are so kind and caring, generally speaking--more than generous. They have really adopted us as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, extended family members. To illustrate: In the car one morning as we were driving to school, I told my host dad that I was thinking about the possibility of returning toThailand someday to teach English. His reply, "Yes, that is a good idea. And you know that you will always have your family here in Chiang Mai." And this weekend my Thai grandmother, whom I had just met that day, said during dinner, "You are all the same", as she gazed lovingly from across the table at her two 11 year old granddaughters and the blonde headed 21 year old farang (meaning "white person" inThai). Somehow in the course of that one day, I had become a part ofher family.
As we have learned from the monks, "The world is our classroom, everyperson in it, our teacher. Each moment is an opportunity to learn something new." Here in Thailand, this unfamiliar context, there are so many opportunities each day to see the world through a new set of eyes, to hear truth with a new set of ears. We are discovering what it means to be human from she, from he, who is often so different--yet no less worthy, no less good--than the human we know.
But enough philosophical musings for now...I think I see sliced pineapple on the kitchen table begging for an audience.We thank you for your prayers; we continue to witness God's goodnessand faithfulness daily here in Chiang Mai. We also give thanks for restoring health and good humor to our friend Shawn. Wishing you peace and, if it is possible, a bowl of mangoes and sticky rice from your nearest local Thai restaurant (if not for health, at least for the sake of cultural understanding),
Marta Johnson and SST 2007
For pictures go to: http://www.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
This blog comes from Blythe Cherney, sophomore Sociology Major from California Lutheran University. Blythe comes from Visalia, CA.
Dear friends and family,Happy Valentine’s Day!! This update finds our group full of religiousmusings. As we have begun to prepare for this week's mid-term examination,we have all delved deeply into the study of Thailand's major religion:Buddhism. From the classroom to the wat (temple), we are learning moreand more about the religion that our host country reveres, and with eachlesson, we are discovering the amazing amount of similarities it holds toour Christian faith.Friday's culture class was arguably the most exciting yet, as it took us ona tour of five major wats around Chiang Mai, including both city and foresttemples. The beauties of the temples are second to none; the sacredness ofthe grounds is clearly felt, regardless of the throngs of tourists. Afterour tour we stopped for lunch at Krua Sawatdee (a buffet and Karokerestaurant). We really enjoyed singing our own songs and listening toChiang Mai's version of Tony Bennet (an amazing singer and the owner ofthe restaurant).
Saturday morning, we disembarked for a weekend of continued study and fun.We drove south to Lampoon, visiting two temples on the way. A highlight ofthe journey was the chance to explore an impressive cave, complete withhundreds of bats. By late afternoon we arrived at our final destination:the forest temple, Wat Doi Long Tham (The temple on the mountain behindthe cave).The grounds were stunning; truly a retreat from the business of everydaylife. That evening, we were participated in our first lessons in sitting,standing, and walking meditation. The only complaint was that it was tooshort. We were extremely fortunate to have two Buddhist monks from ChiangMai as our traveling companions, translators, and meditation leaders. (Both were interns in the English Department at Buddhist Universitylocated Wat Suan Dok where I am doing my internship.)Sunday morning, the group woke up at the unforgiving hour of 5:30am, inorder to go to the local market to buy food and give alms to the templemonks. Upon our return to the temple, we were able to offer the food tothe monks, and then enjoyed the plentiful leftovers for one of the bestbreakfast buffets in Thailand.The weekend stay finished off with another meditation class followed by anherbal sauna at the temple. Our time there had truly been full of, as PhraGabe would say, "body and mind food."
We send this week’s e-mail with best wishes to everyone we hold dear. Aswe hold you in our thoughts and prayers, please continue to keep ourstudents in yours, as we each deal with our own personal challenges andtriumphs.Mindfully yours,Blythe Cherney and SST 2007
See all of the pictures of this past week athttp://travel.webshots.com/album/557544127dUGPMd for Wat Tour and Lunch http://travel.webshots.com/album/557574208vBsIUW for Meditation
P.S. Shawn Livingston continues to improve. Today he opened one eye and tried to get out of bed. His mother was here to seethis miracle. He has a long way to go but every journey must begin with asingle step. Please keep him, his family, and our group in your thoughtsand prayers.
Dear friends and family,Happy Valentine’s Day!! This update finds our group full of religiousmusings. As we have begun to prepare for this week's mid-term examination,we have all delved deeply into the study of Thailand's major religion:Buddhism. From the classroom to the wat (temple), we are learning moreand more about the religion that our host country reveres, and with eachlesson, we are discovering the amazing amount of similarities it holds toour Christian faith.Friday's culture class was arguably the most exciting yet, as it took us ona tour of five major wats around Chiang Mai, including both city and foresttemples. The beauties of the temples are second to none; the sacredness ofthe grounds is clearly felt, regardless of the throngs of tourists. Afterour tour we stopped for lunch at Krua Sawatdee (a buffet and Karokerestaurant). We really enjoyed singing our own songs and listening toChiang Mai's version of Tony Bennet (an amazing singer and the owner ofthe restaurant).
Saturday morning, we disembarked for a weekend of continued study and fun.We drove south to Lampoon, visiting two temples on the way. A highlight ofthe journey was the chance to explore an impressive cave, complete withhundreds of bats. By late afternoon we arrived at our final destination:the forest temple, Wat Doi Long Tham (The temple on the mountain behindthe cave).The grounds were stunning; truly a retreat from the business of everydaylife. That evening, we were participated in our first lessons in sitting,standing, and walking meditation. The only complaint was that it was tooshort. We were extremely fortunate to have two Buddhist monks from ChiangMai as our traveling companions, translators, and meditation leaders. (Both were interns in the English Department at Buddhist Universitylocated Wat Suan Dok where I am doing my internship.)Sunday morning, the group woke up at the unforgiving hour of 5:30am, inorder to go to the local market to buy food and give alms to the templemonks. Upon our return to the temple, we were able to offer the food tothe monks, and then enjoyed the plentiful leftovers for one of the bestbreakfast buffets in Thailand.The weekend stay finished off with another meditation class followed by anherbal sauna at the temple. Our time there had truly been full of, as PhraGabe would say, "body and mind food."
We send this week’s e-mail with best wishes to everyone we hold dear. Aswe hold you in our thoughts and prayers, please continue to keep ourstudents in yours, as we each deal with our own personal challenges andtriumphs.Mindfully yours,Blythe Cherney and SST 2007
See all of the pictures of this past week athttp://travel.webshots.com/album/557544127dUGPMd for Wat Tour and Lunch http://travel.webshots.com/album/557574208vBsIUW for Meditation
P.S. Shawn Livingston continues to improve. Today he opened one eye and tried to get out of bed. His mother was here to seethis miracle. He has a long way to go but every journey must begin with asingle step. Please keep him, his family, and our group in your thoughtsand prayers.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Can you call this class?
Here are photos from class activities we've participated in... hiking up Suthep Mountain, learning how to cook Thai food and some shots from when we're in class.
Can you call this class?
If you would like to see the images individually, please click the link above
Can you call this class?
If you would like to see the images individually, please click the link above
Courtney's Big Win, Blythe's Birtday, and Shopping at Sangkampangn
Courtney’s Big Win, Blythe’s Birtday, and Shopping at Sangkampangn
If you would like to see the images individually, click on the link above
Update #4
This fourth e-mail comes from Elizabeth Gray, junior Sociology Major from Messiah College. Beth comes from Honey Grove, PA.
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Greetings from Thailand!
We have just started our 4th week of our amazing experience here in Thailand. Time is going by so quickly! We have been busy learning more Thai language, learning about Buddhism (the dominant religion in Thailand), learning more about the culture, and trying to spend time with our Thai host families. Our days are packed with Thai language and culture classes in the morning, followed by a quick lunch break, internships in the afternoon, and then we head home to be with our host families. The time spent with our host families continues to be that of varied emotions. The language barrier still remains a challenge for some of us, but then again, it gives us a great chance to practice our Thai. However, we are still in bonding mode with our families and I'm sure that the 4 short weeks we have left with the families will not be enough.
Despite our busy days, we have had time to spend together as a group. Last Friday evening, three ladies in our SST group had a chance to compete in the Miss International Flower Bloom Competition, which was part of the Flower Festival Celebration (see our pictures at www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100). The contest was for women who were not citizens of Thailand, but wanted to represent their respective countries. We had three representatives from our group: Sarah Cunliff, Sarah Brown, and Marta Johnson. The group gathered to watch our friends compete. The contestants introduced themselves to the crowd and had the chance to share a small talent if they wished. We were all so proud of the three that represented our group and the USA. The competition was fierce, and even though none of our ladies made it to the final three contestants, they're all winners in our eyes. :)
Saturday, the group gathered again to watch the flower parade, an amazing display of the beautiful flowers that are in Thailand. We were all impressed with the magnificent colors and grandeur of it all. After the parade there were many opportunities to practice our bartering skills with the local vendors. Some of the group even found a Mexican restaurant and fixed all those cravings for something that reminded us of home.
Since the weekend was off to amazing start, it had to finish off just as amazing! At six o’clock in the morning, Courtney Connors, ran a 13 K race from Chiang Mai University to the top of Doi Suthep Mountain. Courtney is a cross-country runner at Westmont College but her family decided that she should run the race and win a trophy for herself. Wow, that is pressure!!
Well, Courtney outdid herself. She took first in the 18 - 25 year old female runners and second for women overall. It was a race of 200 runners so this was an amazing feat.
After the race, some of the group met early to go to church. When we all gathered later that morning (11:00 AM), it was in honor of Blythe's birthday and we were going to celebrate her birthday and Courtney's big win! Ajarns Mike and Ann took us all to the Empress Hotel, one of the more elite hotels in Chiang Mai, for lunch. Lunch was an incredible buffet with food ranging from traditional Thai dishes like spring rolls and som tom (spicy papaya salad), to sushi, to something that reminded us of home:
pasta and mashed potatoes! And if lunch itself wasn't enough to satisfy us, we had an equally delicious dessert buffet as well. Homemade waffles, homemade ice cream, shaved ice with different flavors, cakes, and fresh fruits were on the buffet menu. I think it's safe to say that everyone stuffed themselves that day. With some difficulty with walking, we headed off to a local gem factory, where we watched a short video on gems, and then had the chance to browse the selection of beautiful jewelry and even buy some if we wished.
After spending some time checking out the jewelry, we went to an umbrella shop, where we had a chance to purchase beautiful umbrellas and even have items of clothing, bags, camera cases, even cameras hand-painted with different designs. Our last two stops were at hand crafted pottery shops.
The pottery and handicrafts were unique and beautiful.
Overall, we have been having a wonderful time with our Thai host families and with our friends and we look forward to this weekend's Wat stay. We hope that you are all doing well!
Sincerely,
Beth Gray
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Greetings from Thailand!
We have just started our 4th week of our amazing experience here in Thailand. Time is going by so quickly! We have been busy learning more Thai language, learning about Buddhism (the dominant religion in Thailand), learning more about the culture, and trying to spend time with our Thai host families. Our days are packed with Thai language and culture classes in the morning, followed by a quick lunch break, internships in the afternoon, and then we head home to be with our host families. The time spent with our host families continues to be that of varied emotions. The language barrier still remains a challenge for some of us, but then again, it gives us a great chance to practice our Thai. However, we are still in bonding mode with our families and I'm sure that the 4 short weeks we have left with the families will not be enough.
Despite our busy days, we have had time to spend together as a group. Last Friday evening, three ladies in our SST group had a chance to compete in the Miss International Flower Bloom Competition, which was part of the Flower Festival Celebration (see our pictures at www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100). The contest was for women who were not citizens of Thailand, but wanted to represent their respective countries. We had three representatives from our group: Sarah Cunliff, Sarah Brown, and Marta Johnson. The group gathered to watch our friends compete. The contestants introduced themselves to the crowd and had the chance to share a small talent if they wished. We were all so proud of the three that represented our group and the USA. The competition was fierce, and even though none of our ladies made it to the final three contestants, they're all winners in our eyes. :)
Saturday, the group gathered again to watch the flower parade, an amazing display of the beautiful flowers that are in Thailand. We were all impressed with the magnificent colors and grandeur of it all. After the parade there were many opportunities to practice our bartering skills with the local vendors. Some of the group even found a Mexican restaurant and fixed all those cravings for something that reminded us of home.
Since the weekend was off to amazing start, it had to finish off just as amazing! At six o’clock in the morning, Courtney Connors, ran a 13 K race from Chiang Mai University to the top of Doi Suthep Mountain. Courtney is a cross-country runner at Westmont College but her family decided that she should run the race and win a trophy for herself. Wow, that is pressure!!
Well, Courtney outdid herself. She took first in the 18 - 25 year old female runners and second for women overall. It was a race of 200 runners so this was an amazing feat.
After the race, some of the group met early to go to church. When we all gathered later that morning (11:00 AM), it was in honor of Blythe's birthday and we were going to celebrate her birthday and Courtney's big win! Ajarns Mike and Ann took us all to the Empress Hotel, one of the more elite hotels in Chiang Mai, for lunch. Lunch was an incredible buffet with food ranging from traditional Thai dishes like spring rolls and som tom (spicy papaya salad), to sushi, to something that reminded us of home:
pasta and mashed potatoes! And if lunch itself wasn't enough to satisfy us, we had an equally delicious dessert buffet as well. Homemade waffles, homemade ice cream, shaved ice with different flavors, cakes, and fresh fruits were on the buffet menu. I think it's safe to say that everyone stuffed themselves that day. With some difficulty with walking, we headed off to a local gem factory, where we watched a short video on gems, and then had the chance to browse the selection of beautiful jewelry and even buy some if we wished.
After spending some time checking out the jewelry, we went to an umbrella shop, where we had a chance to purchase beautiful umbrellas and even have items of clothing, bags, camera cases, even cameras hand-painted with different designs. Our last two stops were at hand crafted pottery shops.
The pottery and handicrafts were unique and beautiful.
Overall, we have been having a wonderful time with our Thai host families and with our friends and we look forward to this weekend's Wat stay. We hope that you are all doing well!
Sincerely,
Beth Gray
Friday, February 2, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Floral Expo of Chiang Mai & the play "Animal Farm"
2007 Flower Expo and Animal Farm Play
If you would like to see the images individually, click the link above
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Update #3
This third e-mail comes from Shawn Livingston, junior Cross-Cultural Communications student from Houghton College in Houghton, NY. Shawn is from Maryland.
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Greetings from Thailand!
We just finished our third amazing week in Thailand and none of us can believe how fast time is going. This week we started our new Thai culture class and internships. Our new class focused on the "short" history of Thailand, the history of Thailand was (usually) interesting but to most of us, did not seem very short.
We were all looking forward to our internships not knowing what to expect, hoping for the best. Although not everyone is doing what they expected to be doing, we are all pleasantly surprised at how much we are enjoying our internships. A few students are working at the Buddhist University learning about Buddhism, but mainly teaching monks English, others are interning at a local elementary school helping children to learn English.
A few students are working with an organization that helps impoverished children, they thought they would be playing games and helping them get on the right foot but ended up teaching English. A couple students are working at a Silver factory where they will make beautiful art and jewelry out of silver while still other students are interning at a hospital in Chiang Mai. Ajarn Mike and Ann have given us so many opportunities; it seems there is an internship for every type of person. The internships are another great way for us to experience Thailand and its amazing culture. (www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100 -- see internships
2007)
We have also finished the first week of our home stays. Many of us are sad that we do not live in a hostel together anymore, but on the other hand living with a family gives a sense of belonging. Home stays have been a trial for every student, learning new customs and a new way of life, learning to eat what is given us no matter how weird it may seem.
The host families are so caring, treating us like their own children, making sure we have eaten every meal and that we are safe and sound at night. Some of us have been blessed with families that can speak English while others are learning to communicate with their families with very few words. In both cases we are learning the differences between Thailand and our home cultures; this experience will truly stretch us emotionally but in the end will be extremely positive. Since we are not fluent in Thai
(yet) the first week with our families has been trying and we are all excited about learning Thai better so that we can communicate more fully with our families. (www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100 -- see Home Stays 2007)
On Saturday we all met at the University to go to the Royal Flora Expo, essentially an extremely fancy arboretum the size of Disney World built in dedication to the King because of his work in Thailand. There were seemingly endless gardens with flowers and plants from every country in the world. There were different exhibits stretching from South Africa to Australia to the U.S. not to mention the orchid, bug, and fruit exhibits.
This establishment is extremely appreciated by the Thai population, people come from all over Thailand to visit and appreciate the king's work. It was very hot but the park was still enjoyed by our group, some of us walked around all day while others played backgammon with Ajarn Add. In the middle of the park there is a huge building with a temple-like design adorned with gold and beautiful intricate patterns. On the inside of this building are beautiful murals of the king helping different people around Thailand, The centerpiece of the building was a huge tree with thousands of olden leaves, each leaf representing one of the kings royal projects.
Some students left at 2 PM while others left at 4 but a few of us decided to stay into the evening time when there was a huge program watched by thousands of Thai people showing the prosperity of the Thai people because of the Kings work. The Royal Flora Expo was indeed another reminder of how much the king is really loved by the Thai people, it is extraordinary.
On Sunday we had the opportunity to sleep in, or depending on our location, go to church. One of our Thai friends invited us to come to the university and watch him in his play Animal Farm (put on by the English
club) at 1 PM. Many of the students attended, and it was extremely enjoyed. Most of us spent the rest of the day with our host families continuing to learn about Thai culture. We look forward to every day, excited about learning and about what kind of new food we will eat next.
Love,
Shawn Livingston
SST 2007 Student from Houghton College
P.S. You're letters are greatly appreciated...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings from Thailand!
We just finished our third amazing week in Thailand and none of us can believe how fast time is going. This week we started our new Thai culture class and internships. Our new class focused on the "short" history of Thailand, the history of Thailand was (usually) interesting but to most of us, did not seem very short.
We were all looking forward to our internships not knowing what to expect, hoping for the best. Although not everyone is doing what they expected to be doing, we are all pleasantly surprised at how much we are enjoying our internships. A few students are working at the Buddhist University learning about Buddhism, but mainly teaching monks English, others are interning at a local elementary school helping children to learn English.
A few students are working with an organization that helps impoverished children, they thought they would be playing games and helping them get on the right foot but ended up teaching English. A couple students are working at a Silver factory where they will make beautiful art and jewelry out of silver while still other students are interning at a hospital in Chiang Mai. Ajarn Mike and Ann have given us so many opportunities; it seems there is an internship for every type of person. The internships are another great way for us to experience Thailand and its amazing culture. (www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100 -- see internships
2007)
We have also finished the first week of our home stays. Many of us are sad that we do not live in a hostel together anymore, but on the other hand living with a family gives a sense of belonging. Home stays have been a trial for every student, learning new customs and a new way of life, learning to eat what is given us no matter how weird it may seem.
The host families are so caring, treating us like their own children, making sure we have eaten every meal and that we are safe and sound at night. Some of us have been blessed with families that can speak English while others are learning to communicate with their families with very few words. In both cases we are learning the differences between Thailand and our home cultures; this experience will truly stretch us emotionally but in the end will be extremely positive. Since we are not fluent in Thai
(yet) the first week with our families has been trying and we are all excited about learning Thai better so that we can communicate more fully with our families. (www.community.webshots.com/user/ajarnmike100 -- see Home Stays 2007)
On Saturday we all met at the University to go to the Royal Flora Expo, essentially an extremely fancy arboretum the size of Disney World built in dedication to the King because of his work in Thailand. There were seemingly endless gardens with flowers and plants from every country in the world. There were different exhibits stretching from South Africa to Australia to the U.S. not to mention the orchid, bug, and fruit exhibits.
This establishment is extremely appreciated by the Thai population, people come from all over Thailand to visit and appreciate the king's work. It was very hot but the park was still enjoyed by our group, some of us walked around all day while others played backgammon with Ajarn Add. In the middle of the park there is a huge building with a temple-like design adorned with gold and beautiful intricate patterns. On the inside of this building are beautiful murals of the king helping different people around Thailand, The centerpiece of the building was a huge tree with thousands of olden leaves, each leaf representing one of the kings royal projects.
Some students left at 2 PM while others left at 4 but a few of us decided to stay into the evening time when there was a huge program watched by thousands of Thai people showing the prosperity of the Thai people because of the Kings work. The Royal Flora Expo was indeed another reminder of how much the king is really loved by the Thai people, it is extraordinary.
On Sunday we had the opportunity to sleep in, or depending on our location, go to church. One of our Thai friends invited us to come to the university and watch him in his play Animal Farm (put on by the English
club) at 1 PM. Many of the students attended, and it was extremely enjoyed. Most of us spent the rest of the day with our host families continuing to learn about Thai culture. We look forward to every day, excited about learning and about what kind of new food we will eat next.
Love,
Shawn Livingston
SST 2007 Student from Houghton College
P.S. You're letters are greatly appreciated...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Elephant Riding & Waterfall
We visited an elephant training camp, and the students enjoyed a morning of riding elephants, then floating down the river on bamboo rafts. We then went to cool off at a beautiful waterfall tucked into the mountains.
SST 2007 -- Elephant Riding and Waterfall
SST 2007 -- Elephant Riding and Waterfall
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Update #2
This second e-mail comes from Nate Tiller, sophomore social work student from Gordon College in Wenham, MA. Nate is from Sharon, MA.
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Sa wat dii khrap!
It's about 10 am on Tuesday morning. We've been in Thailand for 17 days now, but still each day is a new experience filled with bright colors, strange places, beautiful people, and of course, delicious Thai food.
You last heard from our band of adventurers right after we had come back from the Lahu village. We spent Wednesday through Friday continuing our intensive Thai language classes. We made it through page 122 in our 219 page text book. We have really learned a lot of Thai (how much we actually remember, that's another story...).
On Saturday we hiked up Doi Suthep mountain, which overlooks Chiang Mai and is the home of one of Thailand most famous temples. The hike was beautiful--exotic plants, serene brooks, and a pair of cats that followed us for awhile. At the temple, we saw a huge golden cheddi surrounded by hundreds of small bells at its base. People walk around it ringing bells to gain merit. It was an intriguing sight, one that challenged us to consider the concepts of merit and luck and how they pervade not only Thai society, but our own as well.
After the hike, we were treated to a 2-hour Thai full-body therapeudic massage (don't worry mom- we were fully clothed). The massage was truly amazing.
On Sunday, all of the students gathered in the lobby of our hostel. The air was full of excitement and nervousness as we prepared to meet our host families. We left sad that we would not be living together until next April. However, after our first night, we were all excited to spend more time with our host families and get to know them better.
On Monday, we began our internships. Internships varried in so many ways--working with Buddhist monks who are English majors at a Buddhist University, studying and translating Thai language, interning in a Thai hospital with Thai physicians, working with silver and creating works of art, and teaching English in a bilingual Thai government school. We have found that our internships will be exciting opportunities to interact with Thai culture, learn from local professionals, and offer some small service to our Chiang Mai community. We go to these internships every weekday after our morning classes of Thai language and Thai society.
We miss you, our friends and family back home, and we appreciate your prayers, communication, and support.
Nate Tiller
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sa wat dii khrap!
It's about 10 am on Tuesday morning. We've been in Thailand for 17 days now, but still each day is a new experience filled with bright colors, strange places, beautiful people, and of course, delicious Thai food.
You last heard from our band of adventurers right after we had come back from the Lahu village. We spent Wednesday through Friday continuing our intensive Thai language classes. We made it through page 122 in our 219 page text book. We have really learned a lot of Thai (how much we actually remember, that's another story...).
On Saturday we hiked up Doi Suthep mountain, which overlooks Chiang Mai and is the home of one of Thailand most famous temples. The hike was beautiful--exotic plants, serene brooks, and a pair of cats that followed us for awhile. At the temple, we saw a huge golden cheddi surrounded by hundreds of small bells at its base. People walk around it ringing bells to gain merit. It was an intriguing sight, one that challenged us to consider the concepts of merit and luck and how they pervade not only Thai society, but our own as well.
After the hike, we were treated to a 2-hour Thai full-body therapeudic massage (don't worry mom- we were fully clothed). The massage was truly amazing.
On Sunday, all of the students gathered in the lobby of our hostel. The air was full of excitement and nervousness as we prepared to meet our host families. We left sad that we would not be living together until next April. However, after our first night, we were all excited to spend more time with our host families and get to know them better.
On Monday, we began our internships. Internships varried in so many ways--working with Buddhist monks who are English majors at a Buddhist University, studying and translating Thai language, interning in a Thai hospital with Thai physicians, working with silver and creating works of art, and teaching English in a bilingual Thai government school. We have found that our internships will be exciting opportunities to interact with Thai culture, learn from local professionals, and offer some small service to our Chiang Mai community. We go to these internships every weekday after our morning classes of Thai language and Thai society.
We miss you, our friends and family back home, and we appreciate your prayers, communication, and support.
Nate Tiller
Monday, January 22, 2007
Friday, January 12, 2007
SST 2007 arrives in Chiang Mai and enjoys a traditional Northern Thai dinner!
SST 2007 -- First Week and Kontoke Dinner
if you would like to see the images individually, click on the link above
Update #1
This e-mail comes from Courtney Meijers, senior student from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Courtney is from Scottsdale, AZ and is majoring in Psychology.
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Dear Friends and Family:
When one receives an invitation to an event, it usually includes the phrase, "Come for Food, Fun, and Fellowship." If an invitation were sent for this Spring Semester in Thailand program, it definitely would include this phrase, but possibly with a revision such as, "Come for delicious, inexpensive Thai food, adventures, and long, mind-bending lectures!"
Where can one go to feed 7 people full, delicious meals and drinks for a grand total of $11 US? The Answer: Thailand. All of us have discovered that we can eat three meals a day for about one dollar a day or maybe two dollars if we splurge on extra snacks or any other new foods we want to try. On average, our lunch costs 15 baht, and we've grown accustomed to this (in the one week that we've been here) to the point that when we see meals for 60 to 70 Baht (around $2), we think that it's too expensive.
Ordering food is an adventure in itself in that we don't really know the language so we point and then just try whatever we get which makes every meal interesting. This has also been a bonding experience in that people just buy food, take a piece and pass the rest around. We already act like a big happy family in that way.
Eating food has not been the only adventure so far; it's truly amazing what we have been able to accomplish in a week. Some adventures have been as a whole group, like visiting the U.S. Consulate, the day market, classes, and the mall. However, most adventures happen in small groups where someone comes up with an idea and whoever finds that activity appealing joins in on the fun. These adventures have included hiking around a waterfall, trekking through the zoo, exploring Buddhist temples, attending a Thai/Korean Christian concert, and going to various night markets and experiencing the local culture. Every day starts out with class and ends with some adventure that makes the day spectacular as a whole and gives us an opportunity to apply what we've learned in class.
Everyday this week included some sort of lecture, either by the Dean, the President, or an Ajaan (professor). The lectures by the Ajaan were, of course, lessons in Thai, either language or writing. Tuesday was our first full day of class where we had three hours of Thai Language in the morning with a 5 minute break every hour, and after two hours a new teacher came.
At noon we had a lunch break for an hour where most of us would venture off to the cantine for lunch and then rush off to use the free, fast internet on the fourth floor of the Humanities building (where our classes are located).
same Ajaan that we had for the last hour of the first 3 hours before lunch.
By 3pm, most of us are completely exhausted and our brains are crammed with Thai words and various pronunciations. On Thursday, we had writing after lunch instead of spoken language, which presented a whole new set of challenges.
Even though we've only had a couple of lessons, of which most of them went by very fast, it's been fun listening to the other students apply their new knowledge and hear their excitement when they revel in the fact they can now order their favorite drink in Thai or finally be able to eat at a new place because they do not have to rely on their pointing skills; they can use their new vocabulary to try a whole new variety of food.
Now that we've been here for a week, I asked a couple of my new friends about their highlights of the trip thus far. I received a variety of answers, but my favorite part was how their faces lit up when recalling a specific memory and how they relished in that recollection. In just one week, many of us have accumulated memories of a lifetime. Some highlights that were mentioned are: learning Thai, being overwhelmed and confused by learning Thai, ordering Thai food, enjoying a local favorite desert: mango and sticky rice, wandering around the day market and getting a feel for the town, discovering and exploring Buddhist temples, attempting to speak to Buddhist monks and sometimes successfully conversing with Buddhist monks, running in the morning and observing the local culture as well as the monks' daily trek down the hill, and exploring the waterfalls while simultaneously soaking in the beauty of this region.
Stay tuned for future emails detailing our adventures at the village. Have a terrific day!
Sincerely,
Courtney Meijers
One of 30 students Living the Good Life in Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Dear Friends and Family:
When one receives an invitation to an event, it usually includes the phrase, "Come for Food, Fun, and Fellowship." If an invitation were sent for this Spring Semester in Thailand program, it definitely would include this phrase, but possibly with a revision such as, "Come for delicious, inexpensive Thai food, adventures, and long, mind-bending lectures!"
Where can one go to feed 7 people full, delicious meals and drinks for a grand total of $11 US? The Answer: Thailand. All of us have discovered that we can eat three meals a day for about one dollar a day or maybe two dollars if we splurge on extra snacks or any other new foods we want to try. On average, our lunch costs 15 baht, and we've grown accustomed to this (in the one week that we've been here) to the point that when we see meals for 60 to 70 Baht (around $2), we think that it's too expensive.
Ordering food is an adventure in itself in that we don't really know the language so we point and then just try whatever we get which makes every meal interesting. This has also been a bonding experience in that people just buy food, take a piece and pass the rest around. We already act like a big happy family in that way.
Eating food has not been the only adventure so far; it's truly amazing what we have been able to accomplish in a week. Some adventures have been as a whole group, like visiting the U.S. Consulate, the day market, classes, and the mall. However, most adventures happen in small groups where someone comes up with an idea and whoever finds that activity appealing joins in on the fun. These adventures have included hiking around a waterfall, trekking through the zoo, exploring Buddhist temples, attending a Thai/Korean Christian concert, and going to various night markets and experiencing the local culture. Every day starts out with class and ends with some adventure that makes the day spectacular as a whole and gives us an opportunity to apply what we've learned in class.
Everyday this week included some sort of lecture, either by the Dean, the President, or an Ajaan (professor). The lectures by the Ajaan were, of course, lessons in Thai, either language or writing. Tuesday was our first full day of class where we had three hours of Thai Language in the morning with a 5 minute break every hour, and after two hours a new teacher came.
At noon we had a lunch break for an hour where most of us would venture off to the cantine for lunch and then rush off to use the free, fast internet on the fourth floor of the Humanities building (where our classes are located).
same Ajaan that we had for the last hour of the first 3 hours before lunch.
By 3pm, most of us are completely exhausted and our brains are crammed with Thai words and various pronunciations. On Thursday, we had writing after lunch instead of spoken language, which presented a whole new set of challenges.
Even though we've only had a couple of lessons, of which most of them went by very fast, it's been fun listening to the other students apply their new knowledge and hear their excitement when they revel in the fact they can now order their favorite drink in Thai or finally be able to eat at a new place because they do not have to rely on their pointing skills; they can use their new vocabulary to try a whole new variety of food.
Now that we've been here for a week, I asked a couple of my new friends about their highlights of the trip thus far. I received a variety of answers, but my favorite part was how their faces lit up when recalling a specific memory and how they relished in that recollection. In just one week, many of us have accumulated memories of a lifetime. Some highlights that were mentioned are: learning Thai, being overwhelmed and confused by learning Thai, ordering Thai food, enjoying a local favorite desert: mango and sticky rice, wandering around the day market and getting a feel for the town, discovering and exploring Buddhist temples, attempting to speak to Buddhist monks and sometimes successfully conversing with Buddhist monks, running in the morning and observing the local culture as well as the monks' daily trek down the hill, and exploring the waterfalls while simultaneously soaking in the beauty of this region.
Stay tuned for future emails detailing our adventures at the village. Have a terrific day!
Sincerely,
Courtney Meijers
One of 30 students Living the Good Life in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Sunday, January 7, 2007
We're Here!
Hi all:
Just a note to let you know we landed safely and without problems here in Thailand. We met students in Los Angeles and spent the next 30 some hours in flight or airports, but we all(including our student coming from
France) and our luggage arrived safe and sound in Chiang Mai. A small but happy victory! We landed about noon, and the students checked into the hotel, took a shower, and walked around the University. After dinner downtown together, we all returned for an early bedtime (not surprising).
Our classes began yesterday at 9:00 AM (Sunday)--of course, we were up at 4, so being there at 9 was no problem. After a great guest lecture about the differences between American and Thai culture, we did some logistical things, had lunch and sent students shopping at the day market(with the help of Thai students) for clothes for the Northern Thai dinner tomorrow evening. Our Thai classes (5 hours per day) begin today and go for two weeks, and during that time we will also visit and finalize internships.
Things are very green here, and there are beds of blooming flowers all around. It is Chiang Mai University's graduation in a week and a half, and so they are preparing the campus and it is beautiful. We leave campus during graduation as the area is so crowded (the university has 20,000 students). This year we will visit a Lahu village north of CM. We will stay in simple housing with the villagers and it will probably be cold (not by Mn standards, but there is no insulation and only one blanket per person). We will do a service project there for the church in the village.
Well, I'm losing my email, so I'll sat goodbye. Miss you all!
Ann Leming
Director, Spring Semester in Thailand
Just a note to let you know we landed safely and without problems here in Thailand. We met students in Los Angeles and spent the next 30 some hours in flight or airports, but we all(including our student coming from
France) and our luggage arrived safe and sound in Chiang Mai. A small but happy victory! We landed about noon, and the students checked into the hotel, took a shower, and walked around the University. After dinner downtown together, we all returned for an early bedtime (not surprising).
Our classes began yesterday at 9:00 AM (Sunday)--of course, we were up at 4, so being there at 9 was no problem. After a great guest lecture about the differences between American and Thai culture, we did some logistical things, had lunch and sent students shopping at the day market(with the help of Thai students) for clothes for the Northern Thai dinner tomorrow evening. Our Thai classes (5 hours per day) begin today and go for two weeks, and during that time we will also visit and finalize internships.
Things are very green here, and there are beds of blooming flowers all around. It is Chiang Mai University's graduation in a week and a half, and so they are preparing the campus and it is beautiful. We leave campus during graduation as the area is so crowded (the university has 20,000 students). This year we will visit a Lahu village north of CM. We will stay in simple housing with the villagers and it will probably be cold (not by Mn standards, but there is no insulation and only one blanket per person). We will do a service project there for the church in the village.
Well, I'm losing my email, so I'll sat goodbye. Miss you all!
Ann Leming
Director, Spring Semester in Thailand
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