The PIH Christmas party, it was a very cute rendition of an typical American Chirstmas party, it also doubled as our going away party. It was fun! I got to see everyone for one last time and have a few laughs with them.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
PIH Christmas Party
The PIH Christmas party, it was a very cute rendition of an typical American Chirstmas party, it also doubled as our going away party. It was fun! I got to see everyone for one last time and have a few laughs with them.
Until next time...
I could not have written this post any sooner—it would seem premature to reflect upon my time in Thailand, while still in Thailand.
Reflecting on Thailand in my rationalized mindset seems like a dream. Did I really go and live there for four months? Did I really experience and see all that I had seen and done? If I had to rate my rate of adjustment to a new cultural situation on a scale from 1-10, 1 being very poor and 10 being easily adapted in short amount of time, I would definitely be 10! I don’t know what it is or why it happens but any abroad experience I have whether relatively short or for a much longer period, when I come back its like I fall right into the groove of things again. We had an entire class on the issue of reentry and the ‘reversal culture shock’ that one often goes through when returning to their home country. But as of now, I have not experienced that.
I suppose in small way, actually, I have but not at the emotional or mental scale to which we discussed. Since I was already called to reflect upon my ‘story telling’ or ‘recap’ of my time in Thailand in class (you know the point at which all of your family, friends and acquaintances ask…How was Thailand? And you are expected to answer that in about a sentence or two…mind you a whole 4 months worth of time in a few sentences), I felt well prepared and have yet to be frustrated by it. Some things was how I gripped my seat when we turned right onto the busy road from the airport and I was expecting a turn left (from driving on the opposite side of the road) and was expecting a pull in the other direction, my body reacted funnily to being pulled the other way… Other small things like, not eating nearly as much rice, being told its odd to eat with a spoon and how suddenly everyone is much taller than I am. But in reality beyond those small differences, I really don’t feel all that foreign to here.
If anything one major feeling that was left out of our reentry discussion was that of just a longing for familiarity, whether it has to do with cultural or anything else, I lived in an entirely different place for four months. I have been missing my newly replaced home for the past four months along with what I ate there, who I saw and what I did. I am not entirely sure that it is even related to culture or anything like that, it is merely the act of having a certain life for an long amount of time and then just completely abandoning it for a entirely new life. I miss all of my friends, and what we ate and what we talked about. It hasn’t really being a shocking experience or a hard hit one, its more a feeling of loneliness and solitude than one of sudden upheaval.
The winter has been hard here, temperature wise it is freezing near Chicago, technically below freezing most days. It has been a huge contrast adjusting to the snow storms, ice and below freezing weather. And something that I wasn’t expecting to happen but memories of previous winters from my childhood has been flooding my mind. I hadn’t felt such coldness, and smelled or seen such sights for a long time and being away from that, then suddenly enter it has aroused the memories I hold of previous winters.
One thing I feel assured about, now that I am home and the homesickness has gone and is no longer fogging my mind, I feel confident that I will return to SE Asia some day. While in Thailand I already had an epiphany about my calling in life, those years on end of school was not f or me and I wanted to do volunteer work upon graduation. But especially now, more than ever I know that I will come back to Thailand some day. So this is not goodbye but until next time.
Reflecting on Thailand in my rationalized mindset seems like a dream. Did I really go and live there for four months? Did I really experience and see all that I had seen and done? If I had to rate my rate of adjustment to a new cultural situation on a scale from 1-10, 1 being very poor and 10 being easily adapted in short amount of time, I would definitely be 10! I don’t know what it is or why it happens but any abroad experience I have whether relatively short or for a much longer period, when I come back its like I fall right into the groove of things again. We had an entire class on the issue of reentry and the ‘reversal culture shock’ that one often goes through when returning to their home country. But as of now, I have not experienced that.
I suppose in small way, actually, I have but not at the emotional or mental scale to which we discussed. Since I was already called to reflect upon my ‘story telling’ or ‘recap’ of my time in Thailand in class (you know the point at which all of your family, friends and acquaintances ask…How was Thailand? And you are expected to answer that in about a sentence or two…mind you a whole 4 months worth of time in a few sentences), I felt well prepared and have yet to be frustrated by it. Some things was how I gripped my seat when we turned right onto the busy road from the airport and I was expecting a turn left (from driving on the opposite side of the road) and was expecting a pull in the other direction, my body reacted funnily to being pulled the other way… Other small things like, not eating nearly as much rice, being told its odd to eat with a spoon and how suddenly everyone is much taller than I am. But in reality beyond those small differences, I really don’t feel all that foreign to here.
If anything one major feeling that was left out of our reentry discussion was that of just a longing for familiarity, whether it has to do with cultural or anything else, I lived in an entirely different place for four months. I have been missing my newly replaced home for the past four months along with what I ate there, who I saw and what I did. I am not entirely sure that it is even related to culture or anything like that, it is merely the act of having a certain life for an long amount of time and then just completely abandoning it for a entirely new life. I miss all of my friends, and what we ate and what we talked about. It hasn’t really being a shocking experience or a hard hit one, its more a feeling of loneliness and solitude than one of sudden upheaval.
The winter has been hard here, temperature wise it is freezing near Chicago, technically below freezing most days. It has been a huge contrast adjusting to the snow storms, ice and below freezing weather. And something that I wasn’t expecting to happen but memories of previous winters from my childhood has been flooding my mind. I hadn’t felt such coldness, and smelled or seen such sights for a long time and being away from that, then suddenly enter it has aroused the memories I hold of previous winters.
One thing I feel assured about, now that I am home and the homesickness has gone and is no longer fogging my mind, I feel confident that I will return to SE Asia some day. While in Thailand I already had an epiphany about my calling in life, those years on end of school was not f or me and I wanted to do volunteer work upon graduation. But especially now, more than ever I know that I will come back to Thailand some day. So this is not goodbye but until next time.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving in Thailand: NO potatoes!
I have just come back from the PIH thanksgiving dinner. It was interesting to say the least.
So the evening started out with everyone dressing nicely. I certainly did not put an effort to but I did wear the same blouse as Tuti. So we all gathered around 5:30 downstairs, there were a lot of people a lot! It was the most full dinner I have ever seen at PIH. So we get there and see the tables all set up with table cloths and candles. The place looked really nice and festive!
So we all sit down for announcements, and a very lovely presentation on Thanksgiving by Emily and Sarah. We then get a speech from the president--which was very informative and thoughtful. It worried me and at the same time reinstated reality for me, as far as the dangers and reality of the danger in Bangkok coming possibly to Chiang Mai. It was a bit of a harsh opening to a celebration meal.
So we finally get to dinner and the line is long, reallly long! So after about 20-30 minutes of waiting we get there and there is Turkey!!! I can't believe my eyes, I am ecstatic. We get down the line and there are veggies, mac and cheese even stuffing...wait where are the potatoes? I don't see them. I start hyper ventilating, its not thanksgiving without potatoes! and then...(dramatic drum roll)...
Mee pumpkin pie, chai mai?
Mai mee, sid lao!
ahhhhh.
In the end, I enjoyed the conversations we had but it only made me more nostalgic for home and greenbeen casserole. ^^
So the evening started out with everyone dressing nicely. I certainly did not put an effort to but I did wear the same blouse as Tuti. So we all gathered around 5:30 downstairs, there were a lot of people a lot! It was the most full dinner I have ever seen at PIH. So we get there and see the tables all set up with table cloths and candles. The place looked really nice and festive!
So we all sit down for announcements, and a very lovely presentation on Thanksgiving by Emily and Sarah. We then get a speech from the president--which was very informative and thoughtful. It worried me and at the same time reinstated reality for me, as far as the dangers and reality of the danger in Bangkok coming possibly to Chiang Mai. It was a bit of a harsh opening to a celebration meal.
So we finally get to dinner and the line is long, reallly long! So after about 20-30 minutes of waiting we get there and there is Turkey!!! I can't believe my eyes, I am ecstatic. We get down the line and there are veggies, mac and cheese even stuffing...wait where are the potatoes? I don't see them. I start hyper ventilating, its not thanksgiving without potatoes! and then...(dramatic drum roll)...
Mee pumpkin pie, chai mai?
Mai mee, sid lao!
ahhhhh.
In the end, I enjoyed the conversations we had but it only made me more nostalgic for home and greenbeen casserole. ^^
Monday, November 24, 2008
Aloo Mutter
This dish is so delicious. I meant to take a photo of the one that I ordered, but me and Tuti devoured it within minutes! I completely forgot to take the photo. Lol.
Aloo Mutter
So tonight I caved in. Yes! and I ordered Aloo Mutter. Aloo Mutter is an Indian dish that basically consists of peas and potatoes in curry. At home me and my friend used to always go out to 'Bombay Grill' our favorite Indian place.
I think it is funny that now in my time of complete homesickness, not to mention my anxious stage (the closer I get to being home)that I am craving Indian food. Even though neither of my parents are Indian and I am not ethnically Indian, I had this craving for something familiar and delicious (aka not PIH canteen).
How strange that I should find comfort in a cultrual dish that is not from my own culture. Anyways, it is ahroy mak mak and I suggest anyone who has yet to have tried it--do!
I think it is funny that now in my time of complete homesickness, not to mention my anxious stage (the closer I get to being home)that I am craving Indian food. Even though neither of my parents are Indian and I am not ethnically Indian, I had this craving for something familiar and delicious (aka not PIH canteen).
How strange that I should find comfort in a cultrual dish that is not from my own culture. Anyways, it is ahroy mak mak and I suggest anyone who has yet to have tried it--do!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Rong tao
I love this tradition. Taking your shoes off before entering a wat, room, store sometimes. It is practical and symbolic. A sign of respect and clean...shoes are dirty, you walk in them every where outside, makes sense. This was outside a famous wat on our Sukkhothai trip. I am pretty sure this picture was in Lampuhn.
PI Jeaw. The song tao driver. The Buddhist
So I asked Pi Jeaw if I could interview him--originally for my Lexia research paper, but I thought it was an interesting experience that I would write about it for my 'interview a Thai' blog.
So I called him, and just calling him and explaining that I didn't want a ride, but to talk to him proved to be quite the ordeal.
"Hello Pi Jeaw, do you think I could interview you sometime, when you have time".
"Uh, where are you?"
"PIH"
"Where do you want to go??"
"Nowhere, I want to talk to you, an interview--is that ok?"
So we discussed what time would work for him and he said he would be free at 8pm. So I thanked him. Afterwards I realized what a great service he was doing me, and for free...gas costs money! Not to mention since being here in Thailand Pi Jeaw really has been a very reliable and friendly driver to me and my friends. So I panicked and looked for some token of my appreciation. I had no food or sweets on me, so I thought I would make something crafty. I made a thank you card, but decorated and crafted it elaborately. Then I thought to sneak in gas money inside.
So 8pm rolled by and I met Pi Jeaw downstairs. From the beginning he wanted to know if I would interview him in Thai, I told him that I couldn't but that we would take it slow and if he couldn't explain something he could write it and my research assistant could translate for me later--plus he could feel free to use his electronic dictionary. He seemed nervous but willing. So I launched into it, and while his answers were short, I could usually coax out his meaning and with the help of his dictionary, some of the larger vocab was understood. Overall I learned some interesting things about his views on Buddhism which will add greatly to my research.
After awhile, the mosquitoes got really frisky with our ankles and were biting non stop. So I suggested that we move to the study room, inside and mosquito free. He liked that suggestion, so we moved. It was much quieter in there than just sitting in front of the 'front desk'. I finished the interview, thanked him and gave him my card...he seemed please with my decorating and then opened it to find money slide out. Instantly he refused to take the money politely. I tried insisting, "Really for gas. Gas money! Gasoline can be expensive". But he still would not have it. Instead he told me, "No, next time you need my service you call me and I will come. Pay me then". So I assured him that money would be his the next time I rode with him. That and he requested another English lesson at some point to which I agreed to do.
We then said our goodbyes and concluded our interview. I really enjoyed speaking with Pi Jeaw he is a really insightful person, who when overcomes his shyness has a lot on his mind.
So I called him, and just calling him and explaining that I didn't want a ride, but to talk to him proved to be quite the ordeal.
"Hello Pi Jeaw, do you think I could interview you sometime, when you have time".
"Uh, where are you?"
"PIH"
"Where do you want to go??"
"Nowhere, I want to talk to you, an interview--is that ok?"
So we discussed what time would work for him and he said he would be free at 8pm. So I thanked him. Afterwards I realized what a great service he was doing me, and for free...gas costs money! Not to mention since being here in Thailand Pi Jeaw really has been a very reliable and friendly driver to me and my friends. So I panicked and looked for some token of my appreciation. I had no food or sweets on me, so I thought I would make something crafty. I made a thank you card, but decorated and crafted it elaborately. Then I thought to sneak in gas money inside.
So 8pm rolled by and I met Pi Jeaw downstairs. From the beginning he wanted to know if I would interview him in Thai, I told him that I couldn't but that we would take it slow and if he couldn't explain something he could write it and my research assistant could translate for me later--plus he could feel free to use his electronic dictionary. He seemed nervous but willing. So I launched into it, and while his answers were short, I could usually coax out his meaning and with the help of his dictionary, some of the larger vocab was understood. Overall I learned some interesting things about his views on Buddhism which will add greatly to my research.
After awhile, the mosquitoes got really frisky with our ankles and were biting non stop. So I suggested that we move to the study room, inside and mosquito free. He liked that suggestion, so we moved. It was much quieter in there than just sitting in front of the 'front desk'. I finished the interview, thanked him and gave him my card...he seemed please with my decorating and then opened it to find money slide out. Instantly he refused to take the money politely. I tried insisting, "Really for gas. Gas money! Gasoline can be expensive". But he still would not have it. Instead he told me, "No, next time you need my service you call me and I will come. Pay me then". So I assured him that money would be his the next time I rode with him. That and he requested another English lesson at some point to which I agreed to do.
We then said our goodbyes and concluded our interview. I really enjoyed speaking with Pi Jeaw he is a really insightful person, who when overcomes his shyness has a lot on his mind.
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