GORILLAZ...in Thailand

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I'm useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

.....

Every sprouting tree
Every child apiece
Every cloud you see
You see with your eyes
I see destruction and demise
Corruption in disguise
>From this f******' enterprise
Now I'm sucking to your lies

Randomly while helping a friend move into their new dorm room, I had the Gorillaz's Clint Eastwood stuck in my head. So for the next few days I listened to them on repeat. It wasn't until after looking up the lyrics to the songs I had been singing blindly for the past couple days that I realized how within them I could describe some of my experience here in Thailand. Within the first verse I feel like the conflicting nature of being unhappy (due to missing family back home) yet being glad (to be in an amazing country) perfectly describes the conflicting feelings I have.

And then in the second later verse I relate to those powerful words, although I didn't go on the Mae sa trip to the refugee camp. From the stories my friends have told me and the reality check I have had in general towards poverty and corruption in Thailand is like an awakening. It is not as if these themes are uncommon to me, I see these in America also but it is as if I am slowly transitioning from happy removed 'tourist' to observable inhabitant. I leave in about a months time, but it has taken me all of this time here to start to see some of the issues and problems here in Thailand. Despite my sudden state of awareness, I am in no way any less disenchanted with Thailand. The opposite in fact, I feel as if being here has encouraged me to contribute to some future change. Change as in a better Thailand, and even when I go back home change for a better America. Which considering the recent election results is soon on the way with Obama leading.