Snippets

There have been several times over the past couple of weeks where I thought "ooop, I should write about that" and finally I am taking the time to do just that.

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We had a week of fireworks near the school culminating in a massive display several Friday nights ago. It turns out that for those that are well-to-do there is a huge sending off when they die. I heard, although could not actually confirm with my Thai students, that the fireworks are to guide the departed's spirit. I'm not sure where, exactly. But guide it did through both light and noise. Friday's display was beautiful, and it was fun standing with all the students in the yard, ohhhing and ahhhing, however, the week was a bit rough. They go on rather late (11 or so) and are very loud. It was a bit nerve-racking. Often the displays were accompanied by chanting, which I actually alternate between finding eerie and soothing.

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I have students from both Thailand and Burma/Myanmar. Some of the Thai students make a point to keep up with what is going on in the government. The village has a little kiosk where the newspaper is posted and I am sure they hear from others. The Thai students were (and still are) very interested in what happened with the coup and hoping that the former prime minister will not wheedle his way back into the country. (He's a tricky guy and very rich. He recently bought Manchester United - a soccer club - and they have been winning. Thailand loves soccer and can't help but follow this team.) They were also interested in the voting process for the new Constitution and additions and subtractions there have been to it, to ensure that the shady dealings of the past don't return. (The former Prime Minister Thaksin became very rich while in power. He made sure that rules were changed or relaxed to benefit his companies.)
The Burmese students also follow what is going on in their country. Burma's government is terrible. Recently prices have been going out of control in Rangoon (the capital) and many are short on food. The students at Rangoon University are also getting restless for change. Fortunately, those out of the cities are still able to afford the basics because they are more self-sufficient. There is a lot of corruption and the students often share stories about growing up that reflect this.

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Every weekend at church we get to hear the most amazing music. So many of the students are naturally talented and put their songs together the morning of. Usually they will sing in their own language (Thai, Burmese, Lahu, Shan,....), and every so often we will get a song in English. I personally really like their voices with the native music. The two meld so well, and it sounds and looks natural. When they sing in their own languages they get into the song so much more, which is no surprise since I am sure they are less nervous and the lyrics mean more to them.

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Now that I have directed a choir, I have a whole new appreciation for directors. Actually, this experience has given me a whole new appreciation for instructors of any kind. I imagine that generally when people teach, they are hoping to share something they take pleasure in, and are hoping those being instructed will too. If the instructor really cares, they put a lot of effort in to help. They are constantly trying to improve themselves, analyze the students, and find new ways of passing on knowledge. Well, I can say, then, that it can get very discouraging when others don't take advantage of the work.
I now see what past teachers and directors have done in a whole new light. I don't know why I never realized how disrespectful it was to not try my hardest when others clearly were. I suppose we assume that the teacher doesn't really care that we pass. Or, when it comes to choir, why should I try when the end result sounds good? Well, I can say from experience that when you see a sea of blank faces, yet you have given study guides, tutoring sessions, recorded music, conversation time, etc. etc. you really start to wonder why you are trying so hard and yet aren't seeing a lot of effort on the other side. Eeeks, to all those I have done that to I'm sorry! : )

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This past weekend we had a visitor come up from Bangkok. It was wonderful to have someone else around for a bit. We wandered through the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai and then went to the Riverside Restaurant to hear a live band play. We didn't expect much, but were pleasantly surprised when the Thai band began playing covers of songs by the likes of Coldplay, U2, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Considering that none of my students know who U2 is, this is a very cool thing. Not only did they play these songs, but they also sounded really good. I even liked a couple versions better than the originals.

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A few days ago, Stacey came in to say that she had seen some of the guys poking around in the yard and digging holes. When she asked what they were up to, they replied that they were digging for crickets that they were then going to fry. "Mmmmm mmmm," was my first thought upon hearing this. "I've gotta see for myself." So off I went to see the dying crickets in the plastic pop bottle. They were very plump, brown specimens - disgusting looking actually, with their long legs and huge eyes. However, I gamely went into the kitchen once they were fried. One of my other students was standing there and looked a little curious about the whole thing. I asked her if she had ever tried crickets to which she shook her head no. "I will try one if you try one on the count of three." I said. So we did. And they were actually pretty good. (Side note: They did not taste like chicken.) However, I don't think this will become a major staple of my diet. Thinking about those legs and those eyes kind of made me queasy. A welcome side effect of this cricket excavation was that the school is a lot more quiet. Those things make the most piercing noise.

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We are in the midst of finals week. Finals will be done on Thursday and after compiling grades first semester will be a wrap.

Laos: Vang Viang - Vientiane - and home!

After a week of getting back into the swing of things and eradicating yet another virus from my computer, I am ready to sit down and write about my recent trip.

Even though I am here on a year-long visa I am still required to leave the country once every 90 days. This is actually pretty great, because it gives me a ready-made excuse to see some of the surrounding area. My first visa run was to Laos.

After a somewhat hectic couple days of mid-term preparation and test-giving, Stacey and I waved good-bye to our students and walked off down the road. We opted to take the bus to Udon Thani (a 12 hour journey), another bus from Udon Thani to Nong Khai (1 1/2 hours) and then a van ride from Nong Khai to Vientiane (45 minutes). With all of that, plus waiting around at the border for our Lao visas, it was a long trip. Making it even longer was the fact that the bus was freezing and I had unwisely chosen the seats in front, making it seem extremely perilous as we careened down dark mountain roads. Many of the long distance buses have the passenger area raised higher than the driver, so you really get the full experience from up there. I still managed to get some sleep, which was especially helpful because then I was unaware of how much the driver was talking on his cell phone while driving.

Once we arrived in Vientiane (the capital of Laos) we bought bus tickets for the next portion of our journey - the four hour ride to Vang Viang. This actually proved to be an amazing trip. We passed through small villages and some of the most beautiful scenery. I didn't have any expectations starting out and then I began to find my window more interesting than my book. Going around each curve was interesting, once we saw a work elephant on the road, later a beautiful waterfall cascading down the side of a distant mountain.


Shot from video taken out the bus window.
Soon, we were crossing a large dirt field and found ourselves in what is aptly described as a backpacker haven that hasn't lost it's local charm. I found this description hard to believe until I saw it for myself. Actually, as I write about Vang Vieng, you will probably still find it hard to believe, as the description has "touristy!!!" written all over it. At any rate, we took a sawng tao to our bungalow "Le Jardin Organique", and collapsed gratefully on our surprisingly comfortable beds.

View from our bungalow.
After getting settled, we found ourselves at a local, nondescript, restaurant because it looked like they would have steak and I really wanted steak. We began to see that what we had heard about the town was true - almost every restaurant plays "Friends" - so the clientele can have a proper TV dinner. For our first night there, it was actually a relief. I allowed my brain to be numbed by the hypnotizing banter and numb to the idea that my steak was not what I had hoped!

The next morning we found our way to a little restaurant that served Lao coffee, and really good lime and honey crepes. With some food in our stomachs and a much-needed caffeine jolt, we were ready for the day. Our plans were not, however, ambitious. We put on our swimsuits and headed for our tubing trip down the river.

Along the river they sold cold drinks that they would hand out on a long stick. There were also several areas that had platforms you could pay to jump or swing from.
This turned out to be a lot of fun. It was extremely relaxing, the sun was out, and the water was clean and cool. It wasn't long however, before I found myself headed for an outgrowth of brush in the middle of the river. Unable to stop I swept into it and promptly got stuck - good-bye Stacey! Moments later another girl became stuck also, while her friend had managed to avoid the brush and continue down the river. She was a bit scared, but after some coaxing she got out. Sadly, in the process of moving her direction to help, I became even more stuck. Actually, I can't say I was too upset. As others floated past down the river their faces were a source of amusement. Eyebrows raised as they realized a person was "beached" and had become part of the scenery! Eventually I climbed slightly outside my intertube (carefully, of course, so as not to have it swept away without me aboard!), gingerly walked on the branches, and got my intertube dislodged. Ahhh, then my relaxing journey continued until I saw Stacey just up the river at one of the many bar/restaurants waiting for me. After a less than graceful exit from my tube, I made it to mats laid out above for good views of the river, and a nice Lao beer (which actually isn't bad, by the way). While there we met the other girl who had become stuck (who's "life passed before her eyes" or something to that effect!) and her friend. They were both from Israel and had been traveling extensively throughout SE Asia. We continued our trip down the river with them and arranged to meet up later that night.

Considering that we had had a lazy early afternoon we decided it was time for a little exertion. We had heard that we should go swimming in the Blue Lagoon. This sounded tempting, so we rented bikes and headed down the road. We had heard that the going would be rough, but soon it was jolting. We found our way to the "Blue Lagoon" while assuring the young boys who collected our fee that no, we did not need a guide. After a short hike, we found the cave and made our way in. This is where it gets interesting. We forgot a flashlight. Not wanting to abandon our quest, one of us came up with the bright idea (ha ha) of using the camera's flash to illuminate our way. This was okay, in that we saw the general direction to go, but frankly it was creepy. We decided that it wasn't such a great idea after all and turned around to see if the boys had a flashlight we could borrow. Outside the cave we looked at the pictures we had taken and had a laugh as images captured me almost falling (hey! it was dark!) and a Buddha! We hiked back, asked for a flashlight, expected to be asked for money, and were pleasantly surprised when the boys kindly handed it over. (This attitude seems prevalent in this little town, which is probably where it gets the reputation of still having charm!) We headed back into the cave and followed random arrows chalked on the wall. We navigated some rather harrowing holes and ledges, all the while wondering where this elusive Lagoon was. I also couldn't help but contrast this popular tourist attraction to those in the States. For example, I think we are used to having all of the seriously dangerous things roped off, steps carved to just the right level of danger for the average person to feel adventurous but not as if their life is threatened, and over-all hand-holding. All of this was lacking - that and the presence of any other people. Soon, we were climbing through smaller and smaller holes, and then we found ourselves in a tunnel that continued to become more and more narrow. For instance, I have now gotten to do the army crawl through mud, in semi-darkness. I was starting to think this was not headed towards the Blue Lagoon and Stacey was feeling the same. I also was getting slightly claustrophobic, thinking about getting stuck in there. We turned around and headed back, feeling slightly defeated for not having found the Blue Lagoon, but really good overall. We had a little adventure! And it was really fun! There were a lot of laughs, jumps of surprise (random bugs you've never seen before will do that to you!) and a sense of having done something we wouldn't normally have done. It did turn out we had entered the wrong cave. We never did have time to see the Blue Lagoon, but I can't say I feel much regret.

Scenery on the bike ride to the cave.

Just inside the cave was a Buddha statue.
That night we had a good meal at a local restaurant that amazingly did not play "Friends". Instead, we were distracted by the TV in back that was playing Thai soaps. I have never in my life seen a group of girls in heels beat a cowering young man with a rind of durian fruit. I probably never will again, but I'm glad I have. Later we met the two Israeli girls at the "Oh la la Bar" (these names...) and had a good chat. Then we turned in early and rested our weary bones.

Our final morning in Vang Viang lacked any real diversion. We went into a different breakfast place that had a very European air. I was thinking it would have amazing French pastries (Lao is known for it's French influence after all) but they were only so-so. After packing up we got ready for another bus ride, back to Vientiane.

In my opinion, Vientiane is unremarkable. There is not much to see or do and it was overcast and rainy most of the time we were there. However! - there are restaurants with amazing, and cheap, French food. And to me this is very important. Our first night in town, a Friday, we ate at La Terrasse. I had a tender steak that was cooked just right, amazing vegetables, tasty bread, good wine (wow - it does exist in this part of the world), excellent coffee and a tarte citron that was just how I remember - all for under US$15. I guess this was one of those extremely worthwhile splurges, and one I will not have again for some time. The next morning my taste buds were happy again as I had scrambled eggs, french bread, a croissant, coffee, and orange juice at the French Bakery. Sigh! It was so good and the bread tasted just right. We repeated this breakfast the next day. We also found a place that made very good pizza just north of Nam Phou Place and ate sandwiches at Le Croissant d'Or.

I stole the idea for this picture from a friend, but it mirrors my sentiments exactly!
We also checked out the morning market, Patouxai (a slight imitation of the Arc de Triomphe), Khop Chai Dew, and got massages.

Patouxai seemed like the only touristy thing in this city.
So, I would have to say it was rather relaxing. Sunday afternoon we started our trip back across the border on a direct bus from Vientiane to Udon Thani. After a quick "Pizza Hut" type dinner in Udon Thani we made it to the other bus station for our 12 hour ride home. This time around we sat a few seats back, and the air conditioning was reasonable. It made the fact that the vents dripped a little easier to take.

It was a good trip. I enjoyed seeing more of the world. However, it was so good to get back to my students and my job here. It just feels right!

CM slowly becomes familiar

I am warning you up front that this blog will be low on information and high on visuals. For some reason I feel tired today. It might have to do with the onslaught of computer problems, lack of electricity, and the deluge of rain. Does that sound sufficiently worrying? In all honesty, the lack of electricity was only for the evening, the deluge was nothing worse than one would see in Minnesota (and it made playing soccer a blast!), and the computer problems...well, I'll figure it out eventually!

This past Sunday I went to Chiang Mai to try and find a book (A Brave New World) and to check out the Sunday night bazaar again. I find that place fascinating. After being in a village all week, it is so strange for me to see all the tourists that surface in Chiang Mai on weekends. I get no end of entertainment from people watching - and then I am happy to come home!

I haven't discovered all of Chiang Mai yet - I'm sure not even close. But I have walked a good portion of the Southeast corner (my preferred way to discover a city). And now I will take you on my trip.

If I don't go to Chiang Mai on the motorbike I take a yellow Sawng Tao (literally means "two benches"):


This is just a pickup with a cover and a bench down each side (hence the name). They can get rather full, in which case people just hop on the back and ride standing up (people here must cultivate an amazing balance). This is not even close to as scary as I would have thought. In fact, it's fun, and there is less danger of touching a monk. (I did that, by the way, as I got on a Sawng Tao. I have yet to find someone else who has. Needless to say, I felt bad, as this is considered very offensive. In my defense, however, I was just trying to keep my balance!)

Continuing on.... I get off the Sawng Tao at Wawarot Market and head towards the old city.


It's not a bad walk and I enjoy looking at all the food and clothes. Sometimes, however, the smells leave something to be desired! There is a fruit here called durian that is actually banned from some hotels and some public places. I've eaten it and don't actually mind it, but the smell gets in the way and prevents a general approbation.

The Sunday night bazaar is full of tourist items, but there can be surprisingly good deals as bargaining is the norm.

Other than the bazaar, my walk in this part of the city is of interest to me because I enjoy getting my bearings, and I like watching the people and traffic.

The other part of Chiang Mai that I am familiar with is across the river. This is where they have their nice touristy restaurants. The nice thing about these restaurants is that they are right on the river, and while I can't say one gets really beautiful views, it is relaxing. An interesting side note is that they actually spray a light mist from fans in the ceiling. At first I found it annoying and then gave into my two-for-one spa/restaurant experience.

Stay tuned for more Chiang Mai adventures. This next weekend I intend to be in the vicinity of the University. I'm sure this little preview will have you coming back for more. : )