Spring Semester in Thailand » share the experience!

Blog Post #17 is written by Max Adamitis, Junior Sociology-Anthropology major from Messiah College.

This is the final update from the 2012 Spring Semester in Thailand group! We’ve very much enjoyed out time together.  After returning from the Karen and Lahu villages on April 14, we spent some much needed down time in Chiang Mai. This involved any of the following activities: eating, sleeping,  shopping, visiting our favorite spots, spending time with our Thai host families, enjoying our last few days together, eating Banana Rotee, eating our favorite Thai foods, and eating food.

In addition to all that, the yearly Songkran Festival was taking place as we returned.  We caught the last two days and had a boat-load of fun. Technically Songkran is the celebration of the Traditional Thai new year.

There’s more to it than that, though. For all ages Songkran means fun.  At the local mall, a 3 day non-stop concert series complete with fire hoses to douse the crowd rages all day. Everywhere in the city, there is a possibility of getting wet at any given time. Songkran gives people a chance to splash random strangers with water or drive-by assault them with a squirt-gun by motorcycle.

The last day of Songkran,  Aj. Mike rented a flatbed truck complete with three large water tanks.   The 24 Farang and Thai students climbed aboard and spent three hours circling the moat to participate in the largest water fight know to man.  There is no safety from cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, or trucks filled with people ready to splash water and get wet. It was the most fun one could ever hope to have.

After our Songkran fun we went to Ajarns Mike and Ann’s home and had a buffet dinner complete with Mangoes and Sticky Rice and our group’s favorite.   Then another day to relax and pack before it was time for goodbyes and return to America.  Bittersweet as always, it gave students a chance to say goodbye to each other.  It’s times like these that friendships and relationships are realized. We’ll miss each other very much and look forward to being reunited.

It’s hard to think that the semester is finally over but each and every student that attended has grown so much and is ready to face a new chapter in life. We will always miss our time together, Chiang Mai, and Thailand. But our lives will go on.

Who knows, maybe some of us will one day return to Thailand.

Thanks to Christian for making this video of our Songkran water festival/fight adventures – hopefully it will give you a little picture of what it was like!

 

Blog Post #16 is written by Kelley Dilliard, Junior Sociology/Pre-Med Major from Westmont College.

 

During the trek from the Karen village to the Lahu village we stopped halfway, in Chiang Mai, for lunch. The drive was long but suay maak (very beautiful). The village we were in first, the Karen village, was in an area that was full of pine trees and looked more like a forest in the mountains of Washington than of a jungle in Thailand. The village we are now staying in, the Lahu village, is located in the foothills along a river. It is a mixture of jungle and forest which is a strange combination. It is strange to see large leafed banana trees along side trees similar to pine or oak trees. The area is wonderful but sadly the style of farming they have adopted is destroying it. The hills are now black due to the burning that they do after every harvest. They mostly grow feed corn here on the sides of the hills because there is no flat land for them to grow rice. Because the rains wash away the top soil every year they have to add fertilizer. They use three pounds of fertilizer for every one pound of corn. This type of farming causes a multitude of issues:

1. The chemicals in the fertilizer are washed into the river during the rainy season
2. The soil is now hard and low on nutrients
3. They are only growing one crop which they can make a lot of money on but they do not see that it is ruining the environment and that there are better options with multicrop farming.
4. Health issues are also developing through the inhalation of the smoke during burning and the exposure to chemicals from the fertilizers and pesticides that they use without protection or knowledge of its effects.

There is a man here who has returned to his village with a vision and passion to change the way of farming in order to better his village but he has been met with views of disbelief and failure from his peers. Most think he is crazy and that he is foolish.  But many are coming to believe in him and follow him, including many of us!

There are so many children in this village and they are not shy at all. They will jump all over you at first sight. They have so much joy and love as well as an abundance of energy. They are so much fun to play with and to go swimming in the river with but if you let them, they can really wear you out!

Monday, April 2 and our first night in the village, was the killing of the pig. It is tradition that they kill a pig as a welcome and to use as part of our food for the time that we are here. It was sad to see but it was also quite impressive. The man was so precise but there was one small hiccup. After the second stab, the pig bolted and broke the rope that was acting as a tether and it ran down the road into the courtyard of a nearby house. It was a bit of an adrenaline rush to have a pig run in your direction. The killing was followed by the removing of the hair and cleaning. I must say that it has been delicious.

After dinner, we were given off to Lahu host families and lugged our bags to our temporary homes. I am living with Amanda (from Westmont College) and Kate (from Messiah College) in the home of an older couple that speaks no English and a very limited amount of Thai. It has been a learning experience to speak with someone when both of us are speaking a language that is not our first language. It has been a challenge but, with the help of hand signals and broken sentences, we have communicated effectively so far. We are sleeping on a mattress that is on the floor in the main family room while the couple sleeps in a separate room.

There are also some different animals here. I have not seen any spiders so far like we saw in the Karen village, knock on wood, but there are large lizards that move very fast and make some funny noises. They croak a little and then make a sound that sounds like f*** you and it catches us off guard every time. There is one that lives outside our bedroom and it is pretty funny to wake up to.

On Tuesday we went swimming in the nearby river with some of the children. Since they have limited clothing, they all go swimming naked and are all risk takers. They were jumping off rocks left and right into the shallow waters of the river. It was a little scary at first but then I realized that they probably do this all the time. We were also able to see how they make the purses here. I have noticed that all of the hill tribes we have seen so far do weaving to make purses, scarfs, and clothing. The unique thing is that each tribe has a different style and pattern. The Karen bags are woven as one piece with a thick strap. The Lahu bags have quilting work on them and are comprised of multiple pieces. The Akha bags are similar to the Lahu bags but have more sown designs rather than quilting and they have coins on the bags. All of the work is incredible and beautiful.

The other thing that we have had to do in the villages is a bucket shower. There is a room, usually by the toilet, that has a large bucket of water and a smaller bucket that is used to pour the water over yourself for the shower. Usually the water is cold but it is refreshing. The shower that is at my host families house in this village is a little more complicated. Since most people here are short, the walls of the shower are short as well which means that I can see over them. There are also designs in the wall that are about chest level which means I have to kneel on my shoes while taking the bucket shower so that I am not exposing myself to the people walking past. The other option would be to take a shower in the river which is a fun option but sometimes you come out dirtier because of all the mud on the banks and the dirt in the water.

Wednesday we had the opportunity to plant banana trees in Vitoon’s field. He is the farmer that I talked about at the beginning of this post.

Banana trees are great for a few reasons:

1. They are free. Banana trees sprout new plants naturally right next to the first one so all you have to do is cut down the shaft and dig up the bottom third of the tree and replant it somewhere else. If you don’t do this then there wont be enough nutrients for all the plants to live so they will begin to die or just wont produce fruit.
2. They can be planted on the hills and will protect against erosion from the rain.
3. The fruit can be sold for profit.
4. The banana trees provide shade for other plants such as coffee.
5. They do not need to be watered. The farmers just wait for the rain.

We were able to plant about 90 trees in his field so once those grow (they grow and produce fruit within a year) then he will be able to plant coffee and tea plants in that area. We also had to opportunity to go fishing with some of the people of the village. The men walk down the river with nets while the women have bamboo baskets and will try to catch fish or small shrimp along the shoreline. It was a lot of fun to watch as well as float down the river after them.

Another thing that has been interesting, mainly during our worship sessions, is that there are three language being spoken. For example, one person might be sharing and be speaking in English. The translator is able to speak English, Thai, and Lahu but sometimes he does not understand what was said in English so a third person will explain it to him in Thai and then he will share that in Lahu to the villagers that are present. It is very odd but incredible at the same time.

On Thursday, a few of us went to a wedding while others trekked through the mountains surrounding the village. The wedding was similar to the Karen wedding we say but it was between a Lahu man and a Hmong woman. They had the Mong ceremony the day before and were having the Lahu ceremony while we were there. They were a really sweet couple.

Friday brought a tour of the village and the different professions as well as some more banana tree planting. This time we crossed a river and had to carry the banana tree roots up the side of a steep hill in order to plant them on the slope to protect against erosion. Although it was somewhat tricky, it was a lot of fun. Afterward, we went for a swim in the river to clean off the mud that was caked on our arms and legs.

Saturday was an eventful day, just like all the others. We took a trip to the village cemetery and realized that all the graves are above ground. The caskets are entombed in a concrete case and they all face the east. Almost all of the days we have been here we have been able to interview someone. The first person was Vitoon and we were able to here about his dream. The second person was his friend, Phii Chay, who also shares in Vitoon’s vision of agriculture and the creation of a school in the village. The last group was Vitoon’s parents, sister, and grandmother. Everyone has incredible stories to share and are a great inspiration to me. Vitoon’s father recently returned from Taiwan, where he worked for 18 years in a factory to provide for his family and to provide for a great education for his children. He would come back once every two years to stay for about four months and then would go back to work. He said it was very difficult but he was able to put his children through college and is very proud of them.

A few of us also planted more banana trees. The ground was extremely muddy so we were sliding everywhere and were covered with mud by the end but it was so worth it. In total we have planted about 240 banana trees since coming to the village. Our goal is to reach 500 before we leave in a week. [Update: We did it!]  Every time that we plant banana trees, it will rain that night. It has not rain at all since we have been here except for the three days that we have planted. It is great because that will allow the trees to grow faster. It is definitely a gift from God.

Sunday. It is very strange that it is Easter. There was a lot of talk about how Easter is spent with family and although I was with new friends and a host family, I was not home which was a little sad. There were a few services throughout the day for the different age groups and the messages were good. A few people from our group also helped to distribute reading glasses for the older people of the village and a village nearby. It will allow them to increase productivity on their weaving by seeing the stitches more easily and will then allow them to earn more money and have a better quality of life.

I also made jam with David and a few others. There is a mulberry tree here that we picked berries from, took the stems off, and boiled them with sugar. It turned out great. It was an interesting experience because the lighting in the kitchen was poor so we had to use a flashlight and there was a growing crowd of curious villagers. It turned out to be more important than we thought. Vitoon was so excited about our jam because the people in the village didn’t really like the mulberry trees. They considered it to be child’s fruit and didn’t use them in any other way. Now he wants us to teach them how to make the jam and they may even plant more of those trees. The berries and products made from those berries can earn a lot of money in the city markets. It can now become a new form of income for them.

We went to a orphanage in a nearby Chinese village on Monday. We sang with them and did face painting as well as gave them some basic school supplies. The children were adorable and extremely welcoming. They also gave all of us a handmade coin purse which were all beautiful and very generous of them. I also made more jam with David and friends but we also tried to fry it with dough we made. We made something similar to turnovers and they were delicious.

Overall, the village has been a great experience and I have really learned a lot.  I have loved getting to know the villagers and being able to experience life with them.

Blog Post #15 is written by Kate Dagley, Junior Psychology Major from Messiah College.

We have been enjoying our time in the Karen village and learning quite a bit about this peaceful group of hilltribe people. One day while in the village we had a Karen Culture Day. We divided into groups depending on what we wanted to learn about.  One option was learning how to weave Karen scarves and bags, which was exciting because many of us later bought those handmade items from the people.  It made it that much more meaningful that we knew how they were made and how long it took to make each item! Another group learned to cook a traditional Karen meal including rice, chicken, pumpkin and squash (all of which we had fun chopping with a giant machete).  Another group learned how the Karen people make their own natural dyes and were able to dye their own T-shirts with natural indigo dye and wax to produce distinctive designs (similar to tie dying and batik methods).

While we were in the Karen village we were invited to a wedding.  This was such an amazing experience to be able to attend a wedding in a village in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains of Thailand.  The ceremony lasted about two hours and consisted of vows, singing, reading of scripture and people giving blessings and advice to the couple.  Afterwards we were treated to a delicious meal at the home of the bride — actually the pastor of the church.

For Palm Sunday we drove to another village for church.  The drive was long and well let’s just says it was like a scary roller coaster. But it was beautiful driving through the jungle–it seemed surreal.  In the village we got to stay at a traditional Karen styled house–the home of another Karen pastor.  Like the previous week’s church service, the church did two songs and we sang two songs, followed by the pastor’s message and then our own Justin shared a message.

We were all sad to leave the Karen village and all the friends we made, but our good-bye party lifted our spirits.  A group of children from the village performed some traditional Karen dances, which included bamboo dancing.  The girls from the center put on a great show that included singing and some dancing (which I think most of us will never forget) and a fashion show of Karen clothes.  Our Thai translators even performed a dance for us.  Overall it was a very fun night.

Click here to see more pictures!

SST 2012 Blog Post #13 is written by Emily Jackson, Sophomore Sociology major from Covenant College.

Friday, March 16^th, marked the start of our Spring Break! We loaded up in two large vans and made our way from Bangkok to the gulf coast in Rayong Province. After a three-hour drive we arrived at the coast. The speedboat dropped us off right on the beach of Koh Samed (Samed Island), and we were greeted with warm winds, white sand and crystal waters. It was as if we walked right into a tropical paradise, which is exactly what Ko Samed is. We jumped off the speedboat with our bags, found rooms in the closest bungalow, and immediately went swimming.

We stayed at one of two hotels, The Naga or Toke’s Little Huts. Toke’s Little Huts was by far the nicer of the two, with air conditioning, TV’s, warm showers, etc. The Naga, where most students chose to stay, was the very definition of “cheap.” Going for $4 a night, the three-person bungalow (“shack” or “hut” would also be an appropriate description) included one large bed, some mosquito netting, and one electric fan. We were living in style, to be sure.

The island was absolutely amazing! Everyday was sunny and warm, often with a breeze coming off the water so you never felt too hot. The water was clear and cool, perfect for swimming. Most days consisted of swimming, eating good food, and just hanging out on the beach. However, these weren’t the only things that occupied our time. Many students took part in a snorkeling trip around Koh Samed and some other small islands, taking the opportunity to see beautiful coral reefs and tropical fish close up. There were plenty of restaurants right on the beach offering a variety of food, including some American favorites. At night, some restaurants would have fire-dancers perform right on the beach.

We left the tropical shores of Koh Samed tan, happy and rested, but sad to leave so soon.  Everyone was at least a little bit sunburned, some more than others. Wednesday, the ferry took us back to the main land. From the coast we took a van to Bangkok, then the overnight train to Chiang Mai. The whole experience was an awesome, refreshing, and fun adventure we will never forget. Check out this video highlighting our Chiang Mai Farewell, the Field Trip and Spring Break! (Watch out for the monkeys!)

Click here for Spring Break video!

 

 

 

SST 2012 Blog Post #14 is written by Kelley Dilliard, Junior Pre-Med / Sociology major from Westmont College.

We returned to Chiang Mai from spring break on Thursday, March 22, prepared to leave again the next day for the village. We were confused when it was announced that we would stay an extra day in Chiang Mai and leave on Saturday. It was even more confusing when two of the students were pulled away from the group to be talked to privately. We were all imagining the different reasons for these strange actions but no one expected to hear that we were staying behind because one of the students on the program had just received news that her brother had passed away suddenly. She was going to fly home that night so we stayed to be with her during that day. It was an extremely sad goodbye and we all miss you Joanna.

The drive to the village was long and very curvy. It took about 4 hours to drive from Chiang Mai to the Karen Village but we were able to stop for a swim at a beautiful waterfall and for lunch.

There is a worship service every evening on the compound where we sing a few English songs and a few Thai or Karen songs. We also were paired up with Karen buddies. Most people were paired with one girl or boy but I was paired with two. They were a bit shy but warm and energetic children. They speak some English which was helpful and it was fun getting to know them. A few stories and verses were shared to complete the evening.

For church on Sunday most of the group borrowed traditional Karen tops to wear because that is what most villagers wear to Church and other important events. I found it interesting that there is a meaning to the colors of the outfits. Single women will wear simple, long white dresses while married women will wear a top and shirt that is usually a darker color or red. The men traditionally wear a red top with pants. You can tell a man’s shirt from a woman’s shirt from the basic fact that stripes on a man’s shirt are vertical while the stripes for a woman are horizontal. Some of the children and teenagers walked a little over a mile with us to the nearby church.

The service was somewhat like the worship service the previous night. The Karen youth sang a few songs, we sang two songs, Ajaan Mike gave a sermon, and the pastor spoke for the remainder of the time. I also noticed that the church is a location for community announcements. At the end of the service a few small events or updates were mentioned and we were invited to attend a wedding that would occur the following weekend.

For lunch we split up into smaller groups of four or five and were welcomed into the homes of families  in that village. The family that I was with served us rice, Thai omelet and a traditional Karen dish that tasted like Mexican food. It was all very delicious. We walked back to the compound after lunch and I ran part of the way with two of the younger girls living at the compound. The place where we are staying is a small village in itself and is run by Ajaan Tete. She has turned this compound into a form of hostel for younger children who have been orphaned in a variety of ways, or who live too far from a school to be able to attend otherwise. She supports over 400 children and tries to get them the best education possible so that they can follow their dreams.

Monday brought about the first day of classes. It was a combination of lectures from Aj. Mike and from important members of the community, such as a village headman and a man who works with community development. We are all writing papers about a variety of topics dealing with the effects of globalization/development on the village and have been able to interview the guest speakers as well as do interviews outside of class. We also discovered the swimming location of the village. It is a small lake near the compound. It is very cold but a lot of fun. Some of us also use it as a location to take showers.

Wednesday was an exciting day because we did a homestay! We were split into groups of 3 to 5 according to our paper topics and were sent, with a translator, to stay the night with a family in the nearby village. I, along with the other three pre-medical students, stayed with a local medicine man and his family. We were able to interview him about the types of herbs and plants he uses and what types of illnesses or problems they will work for. The herbs would be used for anything from a headache to a cut or even kidney stones. It was extremely interesting to share in his knowledge and way of life. One would usually boil the dried herbs and plants into a tea and drink it for their effect and that is exactly what we all did. The medicine man let us all have a cup of medicinal tea in the evening and again on Thursday morning with breakfast. I can’t say that it tasted delicious but it was definitely all natural and earthy tasting. The family was very welcoming and excited to talk with us.

Thursday also led to an exciting day. We went to a camp for dinner that is run by the sweetest Karen couple, Tetupa and Tetumo. The camp is for young men who are working to overcome addictions. At the same time, they have the opportunity to learn about the Bible, study Thai and English, and be trained to become church and community leaders. After dinner, most of the group went to a church concert while 5 of us stayed behind to interview the couple and some of the men at the camp. We sat around the campfire and talked for over an hour. It was an incredible conversation and I really learned a lot. We were able to talk to the men, ranging from age 16 to 37 about their addictions and how it has affected their lives.

The Karen village, so far, has been great. I have loved spending time with the people here, playing with the kids, and learning about their lives. They have been so gracious to us and have opened up their lives to us.