Just a thought

If Thailand is half way around the world from my lovely home in the northeast and after May 19th I will have been here and back three times, and Europe is almost a nice half way point, at least for the European places I've been, and  I've been there and back two times (with my flying to california to fill in for any lack of miles) then I can say that I have, distance wise at least, travelled around the world three and a half almost four times. Who knew?

Songkran and Koh Chang

Songkran is Thai New years and it was last week. Its a three day festival where people are meant to anoint Buddha images, however, it turned itself into a city wide water fight at some point in time.  Magically a million more farang than you have ever seen before flood the streets. Water is everywhere, plastic bags are being sold at outrageously high prices so people can throw their wallets and cellphones into  a slightly more water resistant land, music is constantly playing from several directions and it is impossible to get anywhere on time let alone with out being soaked. 

People got excited early, the water throwing began on sunday before the official start of the holiday.  The first day we went into the old city people were throwing buckets of water into the Song Tao we were in. There were drunk Thai men screaming "welcome to Thailand!" and this was all I was able to see. The following day it seemed to be more of the same, we started at the south gate and wort our way west to Tahpae  gate, where we were the day before. and where the heart of all the action seemed to be taking place. However, this day a road was blocked of for a reason I wasn't able to discern at first. However, Around three in the afternoon a parade started with several Buddha images, people in traditional Thai dress and other things began to pass by, which served as a reminder to all the farang that there was a reason for the holiday, and a religious one at that. I decided I might as well make some merit and anoint one of the Buddha's passing by with water. But as I headed toward the procession of Buddha heads I saw bobbing up and down a woman stopped me on the way and gave me a bag of brown liquid which I later realized was a oily/watery substance of some sort that had jasmine in it. Someone else handed me an ahms bowel and I shared the bag of jasmine water as we tried to get the Buddha's wet. A harder feat than one might expect. 

On the third day, not many of us went into the city because we were leaving for Koh Chang that evening. We were worried that because of the protests that our trip via Bangkok would be less than safe, but everything worked out. We took a bus overnight from BKK to Trat to arrive at sunny sunny beaches. 

We got to Koh Chang around six in the morning on Wednesday. We checked into our bungalows at The Sunflower, a resort owned by a German man and his Thai wife. They had an adorable two year old daughter that was carried around by various staff members. No one seemed to have a specific job; one day you were the cook the next someone else was making eggs and you were raking the grass.

None of us escaped the island with out some sort of unpleasant aliment. I got a really bad head cold, most people had some sort of stomach or digestive issue and everyone got sunburned. (A first time sensation for me, and one I hope never to have to repeat.) But we all seemed to get through it with minimal verbal complaint because we were on a gorgeous island, where no one could understand our Thai, hard as we tried, and had nothing to do all day but rest and swim and eat. We swam one day, snorkeled the next, more swimming, more eating, and while we all had plans of the great stuff we could do, I think a combination of exgsatsian, sicknesses and general content allowed us to sit around all day.

 We did check out different parts of the island, but the water seemed clear in all the varying parts, it was warm and only slightly choppy. The jungle on the east side, that is now a national park area, was only quickly visited. We payed 500 Baht to be taken around all day to various other islands in the area that had good snorkeling (Meals, coffee and water provided). As I looked down I thought of various ways I could steal fish from the sea to show my brother, who has quite an extensive amount of pet fish. But reality  prevailed when I started to think about explaining to customs why I had big fish in my bag that I was trying to keep alive. I don't think they would look kindly upon that. 

Five days later, I found myself back on a plane headed from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The difference between the cities as seen from above at night are ridiculous and beautiful. When our plane took off all of Bangkok was lit up and looked like a living organism. It was as if I was staring somebody's veins and circulatory system all lit up by that radioactive goo they make you swallow in hospitals when they need to see your insides working. The streets where the veins but even than the random patterns of lights from shops and buildings seemed to be moving with a purpose I did not understand. Chiang Mai, on the other hand, looked like little LED lights had been placed very deliberately on a map, or on some sort of art piece. Every light was in its own little area for its own little reason. Even though it's Thailand's second largest city the difference is clear, even before you are on the ground and see the different kind of people who rush around you. 

Its crazy to think that I only have a month left before I go back to America to watch half my friends graduate and to reunite with the other half. I know that there will be a build up of work, but Ive been trying to think of how I can make this last month really count. I can't think of anything yet, and I'm sure I won't have time for half the ideas, but there is more to do, and I know I don't even know it. 

ICU: Relate yourself to Bennett's Ethnorelativism

Reversal. Bennett states that the role of "reversal" is not experienced by all who go through some sense of culture shock, but it is not uncommon. In this stage Bennett says that the individual is likely to find ways in which the culture which is not his or her own is superior to his or her own, but does so in a defensive way.

One way in which I find this stage applicable to my own experience in Thailand can be found in my roommate's and my relationship. I fear any serious confrontation. Thus, I find the Thai way of passively sending messages superior to the typical American say-what-you-mean mentality. I was, and still partially am, convinced that Americans are much more abrasive than they need to be and there is a better more subtle way to move through the world. And while I fully embraced my opportunity to be as passive as I like with Ploy in our room and being able to have her naturally pick up on the slightest hints, I found myself frustrated with nearly every other American student in the Thai Studies program for the first month and a half.

I could not understand why the other American students could not pick up on the Thai student's "hints" about what was culturally acceptable. I was determined that I was more privy to certain and specific Thai culture because of stories I heard from my mom, and the fact that other Americans could not pick up on these hints was proof that we, in American culture, are simply to used to being as brash as we like. And while I still prefer the more passive route (although, I am probably more American than Thai in terms of certain aspects of my passive aggressive personality), it took me far too long to even try get to know the other Thai studies students because they were "too American" in my head.