Mostly Reblogs

Once it hits midnight tonight I will have been in Thailand for 1 week. It honestly feels like ages though. Which is a good thing!! I have made many friends and learned so much already, both superficially and philosophically. 

I was in Bangkok for 2 days. I lost my camera there so I am missing some pictures, but pictures of the Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha can be found on my Facebook page. The Grand Palace was stunning. (Google it for some better quality photos.) I found my jaw dropping with every few yards that I walked, and that place is huge!! 

We also went to the floating market, which has now turned into a tourist attraction more than a way of trading- which it used to be. (I will find some pictures from my classmates and post them later.) The floating market is a market in a series of canals. you hop in a motorized canoe sort thing and cruise through “farms” of coconut trees- tooons of them, mango trees, banana trees (with really cool flowers), rose apples, jack fruit, etc. We also saw a 4 foot lizard hanging out on the side of the canal. 

We also went to this oblong market that is set up along railroad tracks and 4 times a day the vendors have to pick up their things and move them for the train to pass. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I recorded it on my camera, which was lost, so you’ll have to take my word for it. There is a siren that goes off to alert the vendors. When the alarm sounds the vendors pull in their umbrellas and awnings, a traffic guard comes out to the street at the end of the elongated market, and pulls down a gate to stop traffic. The train passes through the market and stops when it’s just pass the street to let out the travelers inside of the train. Immediately following the gate is raised so that the street is flooded with motorcycles, and the vendors replace their foods and awnings, and people go on as if nothing has happened.

We went a museum which was an interactive learning experience, pretty cool, except I was so exhausted that it was hard to continue to take in soooo much information. I the amount of information that our assistant director (who was our guide in Bangkok) gave us was overwhelming. I wish that I could’ve retained it all!! 

We also went to backpackers road (it’s exactly what it sounds like) which was cool because there were people from all around the world. I got fed a grasshopper from an Italian. Ah. Food. Our assistant director, Nooy, didn’t stop feeding us while we were in Bangkok. The fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs are to die for. The unique flavors are addicting too. My new favorite fruit is Dragon Fruit. (I will post a picture later.)

When we went out at night we walked down a street to find a place to get a drink and found quite a few brothels. Prior to getting to Thailand I was aware of the sex industry, and had heard that I was going to the sex capital of the world, but nothing could prepare me for seeing girls sitting outside in lingerie. Human beings sitting in front of me gave meaning to the words I had heard and the documentaries I had watched. I don’t know if I could’ve felt the impact that I did if I had not seen it up close. I was taken back and didn’t really know what to think. I still don’t.

To end on a lighter, happier note I will talk a little about the culture here in Thailand. Thailand is known as The Land of Smiles. Thais don’t often show discontent and will always smile at you. The director of the program kept telling us that sometimes there are too many smiles here in Chiang Mai. He finally told us a story of why he thought that…

“I ordered some chicken fried rice at a restaurant and when my dish came it had pork not chicken.

I told the waitress that I ordered chicken and not pork.

She just smiled at me. 

but I don’t want smiles, I want my chicken!”

This country has captured my heart already. After only a few days I knew that when it was time to leave I would be leaving a bit of myself. The fact that after only 1 week I feel this way is exciting to me because I have only skimmed the surface of my experience here. I will only learn more, meet more people, gain more knowledge, and experience more. 

The best is yet to come.