I have officially moved my life (which consists of two suitcases) to my new digs. Everyone's families helped them move in last Saturday. It was a bittersweet morning. After a photo session with the family, my Meh, Paw, and Fai (Fern had a class to go to) took me out to lunch-- and I was surprised when I found ourselves at the nicest restaurant we've been to so far. DELICIOUS. Then it was time to move in. We carried all my stuff up to my new room. My parents were so cute, they walked around checking to be sure everything was working: water, fan, AC, balcony door, drawers, everything. Turns out the AC was broken, so they waited around for someone to come fix it. I ended up having to move down the hall. The building we're living in is kind of a cross between an apartment building and a dorm. It's pretty close to Chiang Mai University so just down the street is a really great area full of trendy boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. Plus, there is a huge mall also in walking distance-- so the location is pretty great. I have a single room which includes a big armoire, a desk, a chair, a vanity, a fridge, a TV, and... a KING sized bed, plus I have my own bathroom. It's pretty funny though, all the furniture is just a hodge-podge of cheap stuff and varies from room to room. The move is definitely a step down in luxury, but a step up in independence.
We've finally been able to experience some Thai nightlife now that we are on our own. So we've all been busy scoping the scene and visiting the local bars, dance clubs, restaurants, bowling, etc. A couple of times, around 20 of us have all gone out together which causes quite the scene. 20 big, white farang (foreigners) marching into a local Thai joint always turns heads. But it's been really fun, especially when we meet some great Thai people along the way.
The new dorm has also brought about a new daily routine. I no longer feel like a 6 year old child being dropped off and picked up at school everyday. Instead, (mom, stop reading here) I willingly go on a suicidal walk every morning. Our school is about 25 minutes away from where we live by foot. But they are some sketchy 25 minutes. Most of it is along the "Superhighway". I don't know how to describe the driving here in Thailand except to say that it is utter madness. Traffic lights and lane lines are essentially inconsequential. The cars and motorcycles just continously weave in and out, unpredicatably and choatically. Plus, as the director of our program once acurately revealed, Thais drive on the left side of the road...usually. Unless it is more convient or more shaded on the right. So basically I walk along the side of this road with oncoming traffic zooming by at about 40-50 mph. But the few precious minutes of the walk spent on an actual sidewalk are a luxury. The vast majority is spent on the shoulder of the road. But 'shoulder' is really just another word for lane in the eyes of the Thai, especially those on motorcycles. So this zooming traffic? is passing inches away from me. But, I've managed to survive so far. And I've only witnessed one accident-- some dude just rear ended the guy in front of him when they were coming to stop at a light. It wasn't too serious but I did hear something shatter. But neither of them got out of their cars! Yesterday's walk was particularly dangerous since it was drizzling and the roads were wet. So the people on motorcycles would be holding the hood of their ponchos over their heads with one hand in a desperate attempt to keep their hair dry. Nevermind that they couldn't see where they were going, they would just lift the hood up a bit every so often to survey the scene. Then, one motorcyclist passed me driving with an open umbrella! But she's going like 40 mph so the thing is just making her wobble like crazy. All of this makes for a pretty exciting way to start the morning. But after school-- in the afternoon heat-- I usually take a rot-daang (pickup truck taxi thing) back home. So I'm really only risking my life once a day...
We also started our second course this past week: Agroecology. So last week's seminars were spent discussing modern agriculture and the crisis that it is in as well as solutions for sustainable food systems. But this means that... we leave on Monday!! for our first field course. So after just getting settled in to the dorms-- we move again. We will be gone for just under three weeks. Half of the time will be spent in this experimental organic farm close to the Burmese border. The other half of the field course is spent in a village where we live with host families and work with them on their farms. We'll be learning alot about (and doing alot of) actual sustainable farming practices. There's alot more involved in the field course but I'll tell you about it once I get back! We won't have any internet connection while we are out so it'll be a while before I can communicate again. And hopefully by then I'll have much to tell!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bangkok...Here I Come!
First off, I have good news: it looks like I will be studying at Thammasat University next semester! It's a university in Bangkok, and I will be there essentially as an international exchange student. The enormous capital is pretty intimidating, but hopefully I'll be fairly comfortable with most things Thai by then. So I guess it won't be till May-ish that I return to American soil...
Well, we had another Friday Fun Day at school last week. Instead of the usual black and white school uniform, everyone arrived in their hiking gear armed with plenty of water, bugspray, and rain gear. We were hiking Doi Suthep. If you remember, that is the mountain with the huge, beutiful Wat (temple) on top. We left school at around 9 in the morning and drove to the base of the hill. By this time, it had been raining for hours. Not a heavy pouring rain, but a steady light rain. This, however, was much preferable over the potential sun and heat. So basically 33 of us students plus 3 instructors headed up. The trail was obviously wet and therefore muddy and slippery. It was narrow with rainforest surrounding it on both sides and above. You often had to duck under or clamber over downed trunks, leaning branches, or draping vines. Walking over sheets of rock was especially slippery, and shallow roots often criss-crossed through the dirt path. Also, several rivers ran across the trail, necesitating some intricate crossings. Not to mention, the whole switchback thing is a pretty foreign concept, and the trail often headed straight uphill. Add it all up and it made for a fun, messy, and not quite leisurely trek. Plus, it felt so good to be outside moving around again. And we made a few stops along the way.
We had been following a stream up the mountain. As we rounded a corner, the stream widened and flowed thinly over huge sheets of rock. On the opposite bank, a collection of walls, staircases, roofs, and sculptures seemed to grow out of the woods. We had reached a forest Wat (temple). Many buildings made up the compound. Some looked very old, with moss and vegetation flowing out of the cracks in between bricks. The main temple was a newer looking room featuring an impressive buddha peacefully sitting at the front of the space. There was also housing for the monks who lived there. We got some time to explore and admire. It was great because there were no other tourists around. Only us, the occasional monk, and the undisturbed giant spiders waiting in their webs. Since the roots of Buddhism are so ingrained in nature, I feel like it only makes sense to seek enlightenment in such a natural environment.
Our next stop along the mountain was at a waterfall. It was almost as big as the one we had seen on our retreat, and just as beautiful. At the base of the fall, we had lunch. Everyone grabbed a package about the size of a head of lettuce that was wrapped in a giant lotus leaf. We opened up the lotus leaves only to find an apple alongside several other smaller packages wrapped in banana leaves. There were: 2 big pieces of chicken, sticky rice, assorted cooked vegetables (including a delicious pumpkin/squash thing), fried shallots?, and nam prik (spicy chili paste). Everything was SO good! And it was pretty cool to know that all of the 'waste' from our meal was not really waste at all-- we chucked it all in compst bins.
After the waterfall, the trail got a bit steeper as we continued uphill. But it seemed like every 4 turns we took, another roaring waterfall would present itself. It was beautiful, enjoyable hike; despite the occasional leech findings. Eventually we made it up to the National Park center on top of Doi Suthep. There, we changed into some cleaner, more appropriate clothes before our taxis took us around to the front of the mountain. Then, we got an hour to explore the temple. Not surprisingly, it was just as beautiful as the first time I saw it (even if it is a tourist trap). We all enjoyed some snacks and the free time after our long walk. And then, we enjoyed a luxury taxi ride back down the mountain to school.
The rest of the weekend was spent with my family. All of us girls went out to a Korean restaurant one night. Essesntially, there was just a buffet of raw meat and seafood which you then cooked at your table on this little wood burning stove thing. It was delicious and fun, as long as you are patient and don't mind the inevitable cross-contamination of raw and cooked meat. I also went to the zoo with Paw and Fai (she has been talking about it for weeks). It's a huge place and you have to take shuttles to get around, but overall it's not too different from our zoos-- just not as high-tech or clean. The weekend also involved many hours watching a DVD of a Thai popstar's concert, shopping for traditional Lanna (Northern Thai) clothing, discovering the political beliefs of my family, and eating some pig's blood. Unfortunately, it was the last weekend that I will be living my family. On Saturday, we all move into apartments. I'm excited to have alot more independence and freedom, but pretty sad that I won't be coming home to these fun, exciting, and helpful Thai people everyday. No worries though-- they're always asking if I will visit. My reply: Absolutely!
Well, we had another Friday Fun Day at school last week. Instead of the usual black and white school uniform, everyone arrived in their hiking gear armed with plenty of water, bugspray, and rain gear. We were hiking Doi Suthep. If you remember, that is the mountain with the huge, beutiful Wat (temple) on top. We left school at around 9 in the morning and drove to the base of the hill. By this time, it had been raining for hours. Not a heavy pouring rain, but a steady light rain. This, however, was much preferable over the potential sun and heat. So basically 33 of us students plus 3 instructors headed up. The trail was obviously wet and therefore muddy and slippery. It was narrow with rainforest surrounding it on both sides and above. You often had to duck under or clamber over downed trunks, leaning branches, or draping vines. Walking over sheets of rock was especially slippery, and shallow roots often criss-crossed through the dirt path. Also, several rivers ran across the trail, necesitating some intricate crossings. Not to mention, the whole switchback thing is a pretty foreign concept, and the trail often headed straight uphill. Add it all up and it made for a fun, messy, and not quite leisurely trek. Plus, it felt so good to be outside moving around again. And we made a few stops along the way.
We had been following a stream up the mountain. As we rounded a corner, the stream widened and flowed thinly over huge sheets of rock. On the opposite bank, a collection of walls, staircases, roofs, and sculptures seemed to grow out of the woods. We had reached a forest Wat (temple). Many buildings made up the compound. Some looked very old, with moss and vegetation flowing out of the cracks in between bricks. The main temple was a newer looking room featuring an impressive buddha peacefully sitting at the front of the space. There was also housing for the monks who lived there. We got some time to explore and admire. It was great because there were no other tourists around. Only us, the occasional monk, and the undisturbed giant spiders waiting in their webs. Since the roots of Buddhism are so ingrained in nature, I feel like it only makes sense to seek enlightenment in such a natural environment.
Our next stop along the mountain was at a waterfall. It was almost as big as the one we had seen on our retreat, and just as beautiful. At the base of the fall, we had lunch. Everyone grabbed a package about the size of a head of lettuce that was wrapped in a giant lotus leaf. We opened up the lotus leaves only to find an apple alongside several other smaller packages wrapped in banana leaves. There were: 2 big pieces of chicken, sticky rice, assorted cooked vegetables (including a delicious pumpkin/squash thing), fried shallots?, and nam prik (spicy chili paste). Everything was SO good! And it was pretty cool to know that all of the 'waste' from our meal was not really waste at all-- we chucked it all in compst bins.
After the waterfall, the trail got a bit steeper as we continued uphill. But it seemed like every 4 turns we took, another roaring waterfall would present itself. It was beautiful, enjoyable hike; despite the occasional leech findings. Eventually we made it up to the National Park center on top of Doi Suthep. There, we changed into some cleaner, more appropriate clothes before our taxis took us around to the front of the mountain. Then, we got an hour to explore the temple. Not surprisingly, it was just as beautiful as the first time I saw it (even if it is a tourist trap). We all enjoyed some snacks and the free time after our long walk. And then, we enjoyed a luxury taxi ride back down the mountain to school.
The rest of the weekend was spent with my family. All of us girls went out to a Korean restaurant one night. Essesntially, there was just a buffet of raw meat and seafood which you then cooked at your table on this little wood burning stove thing. It was delicious and fun, as long as you are patient and don't mind the inevitable cross-contamination of raw and cooked meat. I also went to the zoo with Paw and Fai (she has been talking about it for weeks). It's a huge place and you have to take shuttles to get around, but overall it's not too different from our zoos-- just not as high-tech or clean. The weekend also involved many hours watching a DVD of a Thai popstar's concert, shopping for traditional Lanna (Northern Thai) clothing, discovering the political beliefs of my family, and eating some pig's blood. Unfortunately, it was the last weekend that I will be living my family. On Saturday, we all move into apartments. I'm excited to have alot more independence and freedom, but pretty sad that I won't be coming home to these fun, exciting, and helpful Thai people everyday. No worries though-- they're always asking if I will visit. My reply: Absolutely!
Meet the Family
Two weekends ago, I met the family. It seemed like everytime I turned around there was a new family member to greet. It began Saturday morning, when Grandma and I were the only ones home. I was upstairs in my room reading when all of a sudden I hear a baby cry. Hmm... After much deliberation-- who are these people? Do they want to meet me? Should I pretend that I am sleeping? Do they know I can hear them? Do they speak any English?-- I went downstairs. There was a young couple with a small girl eating lunch, playing, and chatting with Grandma. I had no idea who they were. They did not know English. Thankfully, I occupied myself with eating the beautiful spread that was on the table. Soon, the rest of my family came home, and I immediately noticed the resemblance between the mystery woman and my Meh, after which Meh told me about her family. But there was little time to socialize because Meh, Fai, and I had to take off. We went to pick up Laurie, another student from DU who is living with Fern's best friend's family. Then Laurie and I were dropped off at Ban Tawai. It's an area with rows and rows of stalls and shops selling mostly wood carvings and products, and antiques. Some also sell other home decor items such as vases, paintings, pillows and tapestries; while some sell clothing or gift items. The stuff is really beautiful and the handiwork is really impressive. It makes me really want a private plane to bring back stuff in and a new house to decorate. So we spent a couple of hours happily looking around and picking up a few goodies and gifts.
Later that night, my family and I went out to dinner. The "restaurant", like many others here, consisted of a makeshift kitchen set up essentially on the sidwalk with a few small tables and plastic stools set out in front. With the cars zooming by on the four lane road 15 feet from us, we enjoyed the tasty food. When we returned home, more family! However, I wasted no time in recognizing the ears sticking straight out from the man's head-- definitely related to my Paw. The man was Paw's brother and his wife was there as well. It was late though, and everyone was showering and getting into their pajamas. People seemed to be gathering in the master bedroom, which was a pretty weird concept to me--socializing in my parents bedroom, so I retreated to my room. But soon, Meh came and got me. I joined my sisters, Meh, and my aunt in the big bedroom. The men were elsewhere. So the five of us hung aournd on the bed and mattresses, watching a Thai soap opera, attempting to communicate, and giggling like crazy. Slumber Party! And so much fun... When it came time to go to sleep, I noticed that the visiting Aunt and Uncle were not going to use the spare bedroom next to mine. Instead, a thick blanket was laid out on the floor in the big bedroom, next to my sisters' mattresses which are on the floor next to the big bed. I guess that's culture for you.
The next day, we had big plans. We were going to drive to Lampang, a province about an hour away from Chiang Mai, to see...family, of course! So in the morning we packed up the pick-up truck with plenty of pillows and snacks to make the long journey, and piled in (including Grandma). The drive was fun and we arrived before I knew it. We pulled up into the driveway of a house with alot of people gathered around the large front porch. After waiing and greeting everyone in sight-- I learned what was going on. This house, the one next to it, the one behind it, AND the one behind it but kitty-corner were all occupied by family (a common occurrence in Thailand). Apparently my Grandma is one of 7 children, and 3 of them live there in Lampang. Also, her mother lives there! I was told she was only 83 years old and she looks very well. I even wached as she hopped on the back of a motorcycle, side-saddle, and drove off with my Meh. Anyways, there were alot of poeple hanging around and I didn't always know the relationship of everyone. But it was really great to see my Grandma so happy. You could tell she loved being around her siblings and family. It's great that my family lives relatively close, since they are able to make this trip 2 or 3 times a month. No one knew English very well but Meh spent some time fascilitating and translating some basic conversation. And often I would hear my Grandma proclaim to everyone except me, "Pi Julie yadda yadda yadda blah blah blah." Which was always followed by a huge explosion of laughter. I don't think they use pronouns all that much here, so I can always tell when they are talking about (or laughing at) me, but rarely understand what is actually being said. I also spent some time with Fai playing with the giant chickens, bunnies, and dogs in the backyard. One of the family's houses had a "restaurant" out front, which is where Meh prepared our lunch.
Then, in the afternoon, Paw, Meh, my sisters and I went to an Elephant show! There is an Elephant Conservation Center only a few minutes away. The place has a ton of land, so when we arrived he hopped on a little shuttle that took us to where the elephants were bathing in a pond. After, we moved to the show grounds and watched as the elephants showed off their tricks. They kicked, pulled, and stacked logs. They played some musical instruments. They took bows and placed hats on poeples' heads. And they even painted pictures. The handlers would dip the paintbrush and stick it in three of the elephants' trunks and then the elephants produced immpressive pictures of trees, of flowers, and of an elephant. They are pretty funny animals and you definitely catch yourself wondering if they might actually know what is going on-- they seem very intelligent.
Anyways, it was a fun weekend and I got to learn alot about my family. I'm so thankful that they are so willing to share their lives with me and to welcome me into their family. This past week also brought about many adventures, but I do not have time to write about them now. So I will try to get that up when I can!
Later that night, my family and I went out to dinner. The "restaurant", like many others here, consisted of a makeshift kitchen set up essentially on the sidwalk with a few small tables and plastic stools set out in front. With the cars zooming by on the four lane road 15 feet from us, we enjoyed the tasty food. When we returned home, more family! However, I wasted no time in recognizing the ears sticking straight out from the man's head-- definitely related to my Paw. The man was Paw's brother and his wife was there as well. It was late though, and everyone was showering and getting into their pajamas. People seemed to be gathering in the master bedroom, which was a pretty weird concept to me--socializing in my parents bedroom, so I retreated to my room. But soon, Meh came and got me. I joined my sisters, Meh, and my aunt in the big bedroom. The men were elsewhere. So the five of us hung aournd on the bed and mattresses, watching a Thai soap opera, attempting to communicate, and giggling like crazy. Slumber Party! And so much fun... When it came time to go to sleep, I noticed that the visiting Aunt and Uncle were not going to use the spare bedroom next to mine. Instead, a thick blanket was laid out on the floor in the big bedroom, next to my sisters' mattresses which are on the floor next to the big bed. I guess that's culture for you.
The next day, we had big plans. We were going to drive to Lampang, a province about an hour away from Chiang Mai, to see...family, of course! So in the morning we packed up the pick-up truck with plenty of pillows and snacks to make the long journey, and piled in (including Grandma). The drive was fun and we arrived before I knew it. We pulled up into the driveway of a house with alot of people gathered around the large front porch. After waiing and greeting everyone in sight-- I learned what was going on. This house, the one next to it, the one behind it, AND the one behind it but kitty-corner were all occupied by family (a common occurrence in Thailand). Apparently my Grandma is one of 7 children, and 3 of them live there in Lampang. Also, her mother lives there! I was told she was only 83 years old and she looks very well. I even wached as she hopped on the back of a motorcycle, side-saddle, and drove off with my Meh. Anyways, there were alot of poeple hanging around and I didn't always know the relationship of everyone. But it was really great to see my Grandma so happy. You could tell she loved being around her siblings and family. It's great that my family lives relatively close, since they are able to make this trip 2 or 3 times a month. No one knew English very well but Meh spent some time fascilitating and translating some basic conversation. And often I would hear my Grandma proclaim to everyone except me, "Pi Julie yadda yadda yadda blah blah blah." Which was always followed by a huge explosion of laughter. I don't think they use pronouns all that much here, so I can always tell when they are talking about (or laughing at) me, but rarely understand what is actually being said. I also spent some time with Fai playing with the giant chickens, bunnies, and dogs in the backyard. One of the family's houses had a "restaurant" out front, which is where Meh prepared our lunch.
Then, in the afternoon, Paw, Meh, my sisters and I went to an Elephant show! There is an Elephant Conservation Center only a few minutes away. The place has a ton of land, so when we arrived he hopped on a little shuttle that took us to where the elephants were bathing in a pond. After, we moved to the show grounds and watched as the elephants showed off their tricks. They kicked, pulled, and stacked logs. They played some musical instruments. They took bows and placed hats on poeples' heads. And they even painted pictures. The handlers would dip the paintbrush and stick it in three of the elephants' trunks and then the elephants produced immpressive pictures of trees, of flowers, and of an elephant. They are pretty funny animals and you definitely catch yourself wondering if they might actually know what is going on-- they seem very intelligent.
Anyways, it was a fun weekend and I got to learn alot about my family. I'm so thankful that they are so willing to share their lives with me and to welcome me into their family. This past week also brought about many adventures, but I do not have time to write about them now. So I will try to get that up when I can!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I Ate a BUG
Yes, you read that right. But don't get too excited, I'm certain it is only the first of many. Nevertheless, it was the first and therefore noteworthy.
My entire family picked me up from school the other day and before going home we took a detour to Chiang Mai University. It's a pretty big, and apparently a pretty good, university right in the city. My Meh studied there, and so was excited to show it to me. We drove around the campus, weaving in and out of the motorcycles (the University students' vehicle of choice). The campus is really gorgeous. They have some old buildings in traditional Thai architecture, they have some new modern buildings, and everything in between. While there is no unifying style, all of the buildings were nestled amongst towering tropical trees and placed between gently rolling hills. On one of these hillsides, we watched a group of students sliding down the slope atop makeshift 'sleds' made from TV, pizza, and other cardboard boxes. College kids...
Anyways, we pulled over at the side of this beautiful lake. We were just gathered around the bed of the pickup admiring the landscape when my family decided to show me what they had purchased at the market-- which consisted of a large bag of large bugs. Large, creeping, crawling, ALIVE bugs. I started to panic thinking they would make me pop one in right then and there. But no worries, we'll just go home and fry 'em up for later. That night, I was bringing my dinner dishes back into the kitchen and found my grandma hard at work. She was drowning the bugs in water, then picking off the wings and pulling some of the insides out. It actually made me feel better that there was some preparation and care going into these poor guys.
Then, the next day, I returned from school to find the bugs fried and ready to go. They are around an inch long and maybe the width of an almond-- a serious critter in my book. My sisters dug right in. This species is a traditional food in Northern Thailand but only available seasonally. I watched as they picked off the legs and threw them into their mouths. I knew I couldn't delay the inevitable--I had to try it. So Fern prepared one for me and handed it over. I tried not to think about it too much and just popped it in. I chewed it up and managed to swallow it with only a small shudder. I was a bit surprised when I hit a juicy pocket, but even more surprised when I realized... it didn't taste bad. I mean, it was no molten chocolate cake, but it was just mostly crispy and salty. I even ate a second one. Plus, my family mentioned multiple times that Mae Hong Song has LOTS of bugs, which is one of the areas we will be spending three weeks at. So maybe by the end, I'll be laughing at my resistance to eating creepy crawlers, who knows?
My entire family picked me up from school the other day and before going home we took a detour to Chiang Mai University. It's a pretty big, and apparently a pretty good, university right in the city. My Meh studied there, and so was excited to show it to me. We drove around the campus, weaving in and out of the motorcycles (the University students' vehicle of choice). The campus is really gorgeous. They have some old buildings in traditional Thai architecture, they have some new modern buildings, and everything in between. While there is no unifying style, all of the buildings were nestled amongst towering tropical trees and placed between gently rolling hills. On one of these hillsides, we watched a group of students sliding down the slope atop makeshift 'sleds' made from TV, pizza, and other cardboard boxes. College kids...
Anyways, we pulled over at the side of this beautiful lake. We were just gathered around the bed of the pickup admiring the landscape when my family decided to show me what they had purchased at the market-- which consisted of a large bag of large bugs. Large, creeping, crawling, ALIVE bugs. I started to panic thinking they would make me pop one in right then and there. But no worries, we'll just go home and fry 'em up for later. That night, I was bringing my dinner dishes back into the kitchen and found my grandma hard at work. She was drowning the bugs in water, then picking off the wings and pulling some of the insides out. It actually made me feel better that there was some preparation and care going into these poor guys.
Then, the next day, I returned from school to find the bugs fried and ready to go. They are around an inch long and maybe the width of an almond-- a serious critter in my book. My sisters dug right in. This species is a traditional food in Northern Thailand but only available seasonally. I watched as they picked off the legs and threw them into their mouths. I knew I couldn't delay the inevitable--I had to try it. So Fern prepared one for me and handed it over. I tried not to think about it too much and just popped it in. I chewed it up and managed to swallow it with only a small shudder. I was a bit surprised when I hit a juicy pocket, but even more surprised when I realized... it didn't taste bad. I mean, it was no molten chocolate cake, but it was just mostly crispy and salty. I even ate a second one. Plus, my family mentioned multiple times that Mae Hong Song has LOTS of bugs, which is one of the areas we will be spending three weeks at. So maybe by the end, I'll be laughing at my resistance to eating creepy crawlers, who knows?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Introduction to the Rainforest
First, I need to apologize for my lack of pictures. Unfortunately, the whole computer situation here is not so good and I honestly don't know when I will be able to upload some pictures. So I'll try to figure out a way, but no promises. I am taking them, though, and will be more than happy to share at some point! But to the good stuff...
Finally, my first look into the true natural beauty of Thailand. This past weekend, ISDSI took us on a retreat to Mok-Fah National Park. It is only about an hour outside of Chiang Mai, but allowed us to get a glimpse of the vast wilderness we will be trekking through later on in the semester. Some of the weekend was dedicated to a few crash courses on wilderness first aid, some time was set aside for group activities, but much of the weekend was reserved for rest and relaxation.
One morning, some local guides took us on a hike through the rainforest, which was fantastic because the guides would stop us every ten minutes or so to share their knowledge of the area. We tried a little nibble of an edible vine, we identified a poisonous tree, we saw how nearby villagers come to illegally harvest bamboo shoots, we learned how to determine if a mushroom is edible or not, we discovered all of the usable parts of a banana tree, and we slid down some steep muddy slopes in the process. It made me really excited to get out to the villages and witness how the villagers live off of the land.
The namesake of the park is an absolutely breathtaking waterfall. Following a trail alongside a river, about 10 minutes from our quaint bungalows, the stunning feature suddenly emerges out of the forest: 50 feet of vertical rock carved out from the landscape with columns of water falling down from over its edge and then surrounded by masses of green. The bottom of the fall forms this great pool which then flows down into the rocky river below. So immediately, I dropped my backpack, hopped in, and swam back behind the waterfall. Leaning against the slippery rock face, I looked out at the perpetually flowing curtain in front of me. I looked up to see the blur of rushing water, surrounded by solitary drops that ricocheted off of the wall. The roaring thunder of the water drowned out any other sound. And I found myself in an interesting dichotomy: witnessing the power of nature was both extremely exhilarating yet at the same time also blissfully serene.
Finally, my first look into the true natural beauty of Thailand. This past weekend, ISDSI took us on a retreat to Mok-Fah National Park. It is only about an hour outside of Chiang Mai, but allowed us to get a glimpse of the vast wilderness we will be trekking through later on in the semester. Some of the weekend was dedicated to a few crash courses on wilderness first aid, some time was set aside for group activities, but much of the weekend was reserved for rest and relaxation.
One morning, some local guides took us on a hike through the rainforest, which was fantastic because the guides would stop us every ten minutes or so to share their knowledge of the area. We tried a little nibble of an edible vine, we identified a poisonous tree, we saw how nearby villagers come to illegally harvest bamboo shoots, we learned how to determine if a mushroom is edible or not, we discovered all of the usable parts of a banana tree, and we slid down some steep muddy slopes in the process. It made me really excited to get out to the villages and witness how the villagers live off of the land.
The namesake of the park is an absolutely breathtaking waterfall. Following a trail alongside a river, about 10 minutes from our quaint bungalows, the stunning feature suddenly emerges out of the forest: 50 feet of vertical rock carved out from the landscape with columns of water falling down from over its edge and then surrounded by masses of green. The bottom of the fall forms this great pool which then flows down into the rocky river below. So immediately, I dropped my backpack, hopped in, and swam back behind the waterfall. Leaning against the slippery rock face, I looked out at the perpetually flowing curtain in front of me. I looked up to see the blur of rushing water, surrounded by solitary drops that ricocheted off of the wall. The roaring thunder of the water drowned out any other sound. And I found myself in an interesting dichotomy: witnessing the power of nature was both extremely exhilarating yet at the same time also blissfully serene.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Would you like 3 or 4 Chili Peppers in Your Salad?
The other day, instead of Thai Language class, we... cooked! We were divided into gruops and sent to a local market with a shopping list. Imagine a group of American students, attempting to navigate the narrow aisles of a market, surrounded by local Thais, clutching a list of ingredients that we can't even read, and using the few Thai words that we know in what I'm sure are ridiculous accents. Quite the sight. But we were succesful and headed back to school. Then, each group worked with an Ajaan (professor) to make a traditional Thai dish.
I made Som-Dtam, or papaya salad. The base of the salad is shredded, unripe papaya-- which is nearly white and very firm rather than the juicy deep orange/red of a ripe papaya. The dish is very easy to make. All you need is a large mortar and pestle and some muscle. Grudually you pound together some garlic, chili peppers, string beans, palm sugar, the shredded papaya, lime, tomato, fish sauce, and dried shrimp. And as a finishing touch, sprinkle some roasted peanuts on top. Yummy! But beware, because those chilis are SPICY. I've had the dish many times since I've been here and really like it. Although once while at my neighbors house, we ate some that she had made. I took one bite and my mouth was on fire for the next half hour. My Meh and my neighbor were just chowing down, only taking breaths to wipe their running noses or take deep breaths through the sides of their mouths. These people are hard-core!
The other groups made: eggs that were boiled and then fried with tamarin sauce and garlic stuff on top, spring rolls, a pork and noodle dish, and a ground pork dish with lots of cilantro and other herbs. So we got to eat it all for lunch. It was DELICIOUS! Everything was sooo good. I'm hoping I can find these ingredients back in the states so I can make them at home! It was really fun to learn to cook with traditional Thai methods. Plus, I can't complain about missing a day of Thai class...
I made Som-Dtam, or papaya salad. The base of the salad is shredded, unripe papaya-- which is nearly white and very firm rather than the juicy deep orange/red of a ripe papaya. The dish is very easy to make. All you need is a large mortar and pestle and some muscle. Grudually you pound together some garlic, chili peppers, string beans, palm sugar, the shredded papaya, lime, tomato, fish sauce, and dried shrimp. And as a finishing touch, sprinkle some roasted peanuts on top. Yummy! But beware, because those chilis are SPICY. I've had the dish many times since I've been here and really like it. Although once while at my neighbors house, we ate some that she had made. I took one bite and my mouth was on fire for the next half hour. My Meh and my neighbor were just chowing down, only taking breaths to wipe their running noses or take deep breaths through the sides of their mouths. These people are hard-core!
The other groups made: eggs that were boiled and then fried with tamarin sauce and garlic stuff on top, spring rolls, a pork and noodle dish, and a ground pork dish with lots of cilantro and other herbs. So we got to eat it all for lunch. It was DELICIOUS! Everything was sooo good. I'm hoping I can find these ingredients back in the states so I can make them at home! It was really fun to learn to cook with traditional Thai methods. Plus, I can't complain about missing a day of Thai class...
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