Today we left the Lisu village, after a small ceremony of thanking our host families and goodbyes. We took the vans back to Chiang Mai and most of us slept the whole way back. Once we were back at Payap University, we all rushed to the showers, since we had gone 4 days without them living in the hills. After doing some laundry, and repacking to leave back to Bangkok the next day, we all met up for a reflection on our time in the Lisu village. We overcame the language barrier and we able to learn so much about this culture in such a short time. It was such a different experience from the rest of the things we had done in Thailand, but a very exciting one!
In the evening, we headed back to the Can Do Bar (for the third time..) and we we able to speak with a few women who worked there, along with a few members from Empower. Empower is an organization which supports women in the sex trade, and works for equal rights, education, and safe, fair working conditions. It was founded in 1984 a bit by accident; it started as a group of sex workers, meeting together to learn english in the alley ways. The group continued to grow and Empower was started. There are now 8 centers around Thailand that have education and health programs, and help sex workers become enrolled in the Thai social security system. The education that is taught is focused on language, GED equivalency, and Thai history, along with safe sex. At the Can Do Bar, there was a computer lab, an exercise room, and multiple classrooms on the upper levels for the workers. There weren't any actual rooms where women can take clients, however.
There is a lot false and exaggerated information out about sex workers and the sex trade in Thailand, and the conditions of the sex workers isn't as bad as we thought/had read about in our readings. In 1996, the laws in Thailand were changed, and police stopped extorting the workers, and HIV had killed off the bad slave owners and half of the slaves, supposably ending the slavery system. The women that we talked to didn't see themselves as victims or slaves. This was the life style that they chose, and even though their options are more limited than ours may be, they they seemed content with themselves. Each worker usually is able to support 5-8 other adults and have specific goals in how to use the money that they earn- such as buying a house. We also learned that the age range of sex workers is usually anywhere between 18 and 66 years old, and about 80% of them are already mothers when they begin working.
Overall, it was a very informative session with these women, and it was definitely a new experience for us all.
-Heidi and Ken
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Photos
Hi everybody,
I have posted a few photos from our trip- see my most recent post "Back in the States."
Thanks for reading,
Erika
I have posted a few photos from our trip- see my most recent post "Back in the States."
Thanks for reading,
Erika
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Mountain Top Vistas, Coffee Bean Processing, Pig Slaughtering, and Lisu Harvest Celebration: All in One Day
Tuesday January 10th was a really exciting day. It was our last full day in the Lisu village and we had many activities planned. After getting 12 hours of sleep and being fed green vegetables, spicy pork, eggs, and rice (of course!) 8 of us headed to the coffee fields with some of the Lisu men. This was not an easy adventure! It started with a downhill climb at an 80 degree angle, which some of us found was most easily accomplished by sliding on our butts. We walked along narrow dirt paths viewing ranges of mountains that were covered in rolling fog. We saw many men and women working in these fields, which we found amazing because they have to cultivate their crops on the very steep slopes of the mountain. These mountains have been stripped of trees and are now planted with coffee plants, corn, tomatoes, chilles, banana and papaya trees. Our guide, Ajan Gai, said that one of the reasons that Bangkok has experienced floods at such a large level (other than at monsoon season) is that the mountains no longer retain the water because of the lack of trees. This hike was beautiful, challenging, and educational.
After another hearty meal of more pork, eggs, gourds, squash, and rice, we headed to Doi Chaang where we learned about how coffee beans are processed for companies all over the world. It is a fair trade business and they have based their processing methods on what they have seen after watching ferets eat and digest coffee cherries. We walked around the facilities and learned that coffee farmers bring their cherries to Doi Chaang in 20 killo bags and receive about 25 Baht per killo - currently 30 Baht is equal to one dollar. The cherries, or the outside of the coffee bean, are saved and used for fertilizer. Civet coffee is actually digested by ferets and then processed and one cup costs 300 Baht (about $10). The companies that buy from this small mountain processing plant include Coffee Cuppers.com, Operaeqa Fair Trade, Specialty Coffee Association of Europe and America. It is fair trade and green trade certified and is USDA and organic farming certified.
After touring the coffee facilities, we stopped to buy coffee and take a break to reflect. During the reflection, we talked about our experience in the Lisu village. We discussed similarities we saw between other places we had been in Thailand and the Lisu village, as well as similarities between our home lives in America and the village. We also talked about the relationships between women and men in the village. Although many of us were shocked by the rustic feel of the village, we all agreed that it was good that we were staying for three days so that we could really get a sense of the Lisu life, even if it was through western eyes. Some of us even expressed interest in a longer stay. A challenging question for us was how our experience would impact us when we return home. We all hope that this experience will open our eyes and make us more wary of everyday interactions. We concluded by contributing one thing we are greatful for in our lives.
All of this happened before three o'clock. Three o'clock was the hour we had all wondered about and dreaded. It was time to watch a pig slaughtering. Sacrificing a pig is a great honor for the Lisu and is done in great celebration during the harvest. Our gift to the Lisu families that hosted us was to buy a pig in order to contribute to the celebration. We had the option to watch the slaughtering. Most of us agreed that the worst part was the high pitched squeel of the pig before he was slaughtered. The actual process was fascinating and done with skill. The ears, tail, tongue, head, and feet were prepared for a sacrifice at the spirit house. The men in our group were allowed to enter the spirit house, while the women (because of their monthly uncleanliness) were required to observe from outside. We returned to the village center where an offering was also made of the first rice. The first rice was given to the dog because of the importance of this animal in Lisu culture.
We returned to our host homes and were outfitted in traditional Lisu clothing. We went back to the village center after changing for the celebration dinner. There we ate pork curry, pork soup, vegetarian pad thai, and rice. The evening ended with traditional dancing with the villagers accompanied by the Lisu bagpipe and Lisu guitar. It felt like a long day and late night because we weren't in bed until after 9 pm. This was a shock to us because most nights we had gone to bed between 7:30 and 8:30.
-Abby and Nancy
After another hearty meal of more pork, eggs, gourds, squash, and rice, we headed to Doi Chaang where we learned about how coffee beans are processed for companies all over the world. It is a fair trade business and they have based their processing methods on what they have seen after watching ferets eat and digest coffee cherries. We walked around the facilities and learned that coffee farmers bring their cherries to Doi Chaang in 20 killo bags and receive about 25 Baht per killo - currently 30 Baht is equal to one dollar. The cherries, or the outside of the coffee bean, are saved and used for fertilizer. Civet coffee is actually digested by ferets and then processed and one cup costs 300 Baht (about $10). The companies that buy from this small mountain processing plant include Coffee Cuppers.com, Operaeqa Fair Trade, Specialty Coffee Association of Europe and America. It is fair trade and green trade certified and is USDA and organic farming certified.
After touring the coffee facilities, we stopped to buy coffee and take a break to reflect. During the reflection, we talked about our experience in the Lisu village. We discussed similarities we saw between other places we had been in Thailand and the Lisu village, as well as similarities between our home lives in America and the village. We also talked about the relationships between women and men in the village. Although many of us were shocked by the rustic feel of the village, we all agreed that it was good that we were staying for three days so that we could really get a sense of the Lisu life, even if it was through western eyes. Some of us even expressed interest in a longer stay. A challenging question for us was how our experience would impact us when we return home. We all hope that this experience will open our eyes and make us more wary of everyday interactions. We concluded by contributing one thing we are greatful for in our lives.
All of this happened before three o'clock. Three o'clock was the hour we had all wondered about and dreaded. It was time to watch a pig slaughtering. Sacrificing a pig is a great honor for the Lisu and is done in great celebration during the harvest. Our gift to the Lisu families that hosted us was to buy a pig in order to contribute to the celebration. We had the option to watch the slaughtering. Most of us agreed that the worst part was the high pitched squeel of the pig before he was slaughtered. The actual process was fascinating and done with skill. The ears, tail, tongue, head, and feet were prepared for a sacrifice at the spirit house. The men in our group were allowed to enter the spirit house, while the women (because of their monthly uncleanliness) were required to observe from outside. We returned to the village center where an offering was also made of the first rice. The first rice was given to the dog because of the importance of this animal in Lisu culture.
We returned to our host homes and were outfitted in traditional Lisu clothing. We went back to the village center after changing for the celebration dinner. There we ate pork curry, pork soup, vegetarian pad thai, and rice. The evening ended with traditional dancing with the villagers accompanied by the Lisu bagpipe and Lisu guitar. It felt like a long day and late night because we weren't in bed until after 9 pm. This was a shock to us because most nights we had gone to bed between 7:30 and 8:30.
-Abby and Nancy
Saturday, January 7, 2012
International Women's Partnership for Peace
For todays activity we went to IWP (International Women's Partnership for Peace) found in Ban Mai, a village of 120 households. The co-founders of the program are Ginger(with a degree in Internation Studies and Womens Studies) and Ouyporn Khuankaew. Ginger lead our group for meditation, lecture, lunch, and group discussion. The organization works in the community as being a nondinominational positive aid for women. While many of the practices of the organization emulates many Buddhist habits and beliefs, it serves as a location in providing workshops with NGO's, Youth Empowerment, Nurses, and community leaders, transgender and LGBT community. This organization mostly focuses on workshops from 7 days to 6 weeks in length. The IWP uses a triangular framework made up of three key ideas. The organization began 10 years ago and practices Spiritual Practice which cultivates mindfulness, self-care, meditation while practicing yoga. The next idea is Feminist Theory and Practice encapsulating anti-oppression activism. The last leg of the trianglular framework is understanding ourselves and society which creates the idea of how society effects ourselves. All in all combining these ideals creates changes that are both structural and personal. This change happens when we find clarity and then take collective action. These workshops are female orinented and are commonly all female. Though they have welcomed men to the workshops, the workshopd or strongly encouraged in being prodominately female.
During our afternoon at IWP we also played a game which required the group to be frogs. Pillows were placed in a small circle, while a some people were placed on the inside of this circle and the rest on the outside. White papers were placed on the floor in the center and on the outside. Ginger was a croodile while the group were frogs. Ginger would ring a bell, signaling that she had woken up and would eat any frogs not found on a lilly pad. The group later disscussed the ideas of what this game could represent in the real world. At the end of our disscussion the group came to the main idea of talking in depth about privilege. The community has comtinued to welcome the IWP since it first began 10 years ago. While the IWP is not religious based it is difficult to receive funding from US organizations. However, with all the the aid they provide, the IWP is having little trouble staying afloat, it is clear that they are here to stay.
Our lunch today was prepared by some of the local community members.It included two fantastic vegetable dishes, a hot chili paste, a soupwith ingredients such as pineapple and potatoes, then finally fordessert we had the usual amazing fruits accompanied by Milo, achocolatey drink, and coffee. The fantastic food was not the onlyinteresting part of lunch at IWP. We sat on the ground, with lowtables and had the first ten minutes of our meal in silence. Gingerexplained this as a meditative way to emerge yourself in theexperience of eating. This intense eating experience really helps toallow for each person to really contemplate both the food they areeating and how their day is going so far. Of course, following theperiod of silence, we were aloud to speak again and all 17 of us choseto sit and discuss the amazing weather and all that we had learnedfrom the earlier lecture. After our meal had completed we did asGinger asked and all politely went inside to hand wash our dishes. Itwas an interesting process. First, any extra food left on a platewould be placed in the "duck" bucket, which would be fed to localducks around the community in order to not waste the compost. Secondwe soaped the dishes and scrubbed them down. In the three consecutivesinks following the soapy one, there were different levels of rinsing.Obviously the first rinse got rather soapy, but as the lineprogressed by the end the dishes were clean and soap free, awaiting atowel and then a leisurely rest on the drying rack. Overall, we canprobably agree that the lunch experience we had today was one of manyfrom the trip that we will not forget.
-Liz and Anna
During our afternoon at IWP we also played a game which required the group to be frogs. Pillows were placed in a small circle, while a some people were placed on the inside of this circle and the rest on the outside. White papers were placed on the floor in the center and on the outside. Ginger was a croodile while the group were frogs. Ginger would ring a bell, signaling that she had woken up and would eat any frogs not found on a lilly pad. The group later disscussed the ideas of what this game could represent in the real world. At the end of our disscussion the group came to the main idea of talking in depth about privilege. The community has comtinued to welcome the IWP since it first began 10 years ago. While the IWP is not religious based it is difficult to receive funding from US organizations. However, with all the the aid they provide, the IWP is having little trouble staying afloat, it is clear that they are here to stay.
Our lunch today was prepared by some of the local community members.It included two fantastic vegetable dishes, a hot chili paste, a soupwith ingredients such as pineapple and potatoes, then finally fordessert we had the usual amazing fruits accompanied by Milo, achocolatey drink, and coffee. The fantastic food was not the onlyinteresting part of lunch at IWP. We sat on the ground, with lowtables and had the first ten minutes of our meal in silence. Gingerexplained this as a meditative way to emerge yourself in theexperience of eating. This intense eating experience really helps toallow for each person to really contemplate both the food they areeating and how their day is going so far. Of course, following theperiod of silence, we were aloud to speak again and all 17 of us choseto sit and discuss the amazing weather and all that we had learnedfrom the earlier lecture. After our meal had completed we did asGinger asked and all politely went inside to hand wash our dishes. Itwas an interesting process. First, any extra food left on a platewould be placed in the "duck" bucket, which would be fed to localducks around the community in order to not waste the compost. Secondwe soaped the dishes and scrubbed them down. In the three consecutivesinks following the soapy one, there were different levels of rinsing.Obviously the first rinse got rather soapy, but as the lineprogressed by the end the dishes were clean and soap free, awaiting atowel and then a leisurely rest on the drying rack. Overall, we canprobably agree that the lunch experience we had today was one of manyfrom the trip that we will not forget.
-Liz and Anna
More Thailand Images
The King and Queen are revered in Thailand. This is the monument to them in Doi Sotep. There are many such monuments that we have seen.
The Golden Pagoda at Doi Sotep. That really is gold leaf. It is about 20 meters in diameter and about 30 meters tall. 
Preparing to meditate at the International Women's Partnership for Peace and Justice in Ban Mai.
And the fields surronding Ban Mai.Friday, January 6, 2012
Climbing Mountains and then Some
Following our usual breakfast of pasta, rice, fruit and toast we had a class session. We focused on our most impactful experience of the trip thus far and how it connects to the larger theme of feminist theology. We looked at the relationship between experience, theology and religion.
Then it was time to get back into the songtaews for a quick ride to the mall for lunch. Songtaew (meaning two seats in Thai) are red trucks that have been retrofitted to serve as taxis. In the back are two bench seats facing each other. We have been known to fit 14 people in the back. On average they take up to ten. Needless to say it was not only a snug fit, but a great bonding moment. Our most frequent driver is named Tchu (pronounced chew). He is a Star Trek fan and greets us with the "live long and prosper" Spock hand sign.
The mall is like a large super center with smaller stores and kiosks that sell everything from ice cream to shoes and knock off purses. To buy food at the food court each of us needed to purchase a ticket, similar to a temporary COW card, that was used instead of money at twenty different food vendors that lined the food court. Depending on the price, money would be taken off the initial deposit on your card. It seemed like a system designed for frequent diners. Linda reports the French fries were crispier and the gyoza was excellent. Sarah thought that the chicken and rice was tasty, but the highlight of the meal was chocolate cake. Everybody's meal seemed to reflect that it was a collective "junk food day." After a full week of eating only Thai food, girls enjoyed a break getting ice cream or a smoothie.
After lunch we headed for Doi Suthep, the main temple in the Chang-Mai area. We knew it was going to be an interesting drive when our guide, Ajan Gai, asked if there was anybody who was easily car sick, fortunately there were only two who were able to sit in the front seats. The road was steep and very twisty. At points we could look out of the window and see the street below us that we had just driven on. This also provided great views of Chang-Mai along the way. We finally arrived at the top only to be greeted by a fairly steep winding path lined on both sides with booths selling food, souvenirs, or items related to temple worship. The path led to a steep staircase of over 300 stairs. The staircase was guarded by two dragons with seven heads. The dragon was being eaten by a large fish and its body spanned the entire length of the staircase. Once at the top we entered the main temple courtyard. We were in awe of the rich colors, red, blue, green and the gold leaf that covered significant portions of the temple complex.
On each side of the main temple there were rows of large bells made from what appeared to be cast iron and ranged in size from one to three feet tall. They were ornate with floral details and images of animals such as dragons. Our students, and many young and young at heart, enjoyed ringing them and striking the gongs. We saw many monks in their orange robes, but failed to see any maechi (the women who serve in the temples). We also had a great view of the city and saw many Buddha images including a beautiful jade Buddha. In the center of the temple was a very large, gold spire. Around the inside of the temple area was an extensive mural illustrating the story of the Buddha.
After our temple visit we went to a jade factory. We were able to see a short film on the two different kinds of jade and the processing from rock into art. We also saw the carving room where the jade Buddha that made for the 50th anniversary of the king's reign, which now resides in the grand palace, was made. Many of us had not known before that jade comes in several different colors including white, lavender and black (that glows green when held up to a flashlight). Closing out our trip many of us snacked on fresh strawberries or corn, or sipped coffee from a regional grower.
As we reflect at the midpoint of our trip, not only have we grown together as a group sharing everything from moving moments to colds, but we have grown as individuals in many ways. It is clear that the diversity of the group has enhanced our experience and learning as each of the members bring our own lens to the trip. As we look forward we are thinking about the immersion in the Luisu village with both anticipation and hesitation. This may be the most challenging part of our trip, as well as the most rewarding. Our hope is that what we have done to this point and what we have done together will help us appreciate and grow from the experience with our hosts in the village. Rest well, we know we will.
Linda and Sarah
Then it was time to get back into the songtaews for a quick ride to the mall for lunch. Songtaew (meaning two seats in Thai) are red trucks that have been retrofitted to serve as taxis. In the back are two bench seats facing each other. We have been known to fit 14 people in the back. On average they take up to ten. Needless to say it was not only a snug fit, but a great bonding moment. Our most frequent driver is named Tchu (pronounced chew). He is a Star Trek fan and greets us with the "live long and prosper" Spock hand sign.
The mall is like a large super center with smaller stores and kiosks that sell everything from ice cream to shoes and knock off purses. To buy food at the food court each of us needed to purchase a ticket, similar to a temporary COW card, that was used instead of money at twenty different food vendors that lined the food court. Depending on the price, money would be taken off the initial deposit on your card. It seemed like a system designed for frequent diners. Linda reports the French fries were crispier and the gyoza was excellent. Sarah thought that the chicken and rice was tasty, but the highlight of the meal was chocolate cake. Everybody's meal seemed to reflect that it was a collective "junk food day." After a full week of eating only Thai food, girls enjoyed a break getting ice cream or a smoothie.
After lunch we headed for Doi Suthep, the main temple in the Chang-Mai area. We knew it was going to be an interesting drive when our guide, Ajan Gai, asked if there was anybody who was easily car sick, fortunately there were only two who were able to sit in the front seats. The road was steep and very twisty. At points we could look out of the window and see the street below us that we had just driven on. This also provided great views of Chang-Mai along the way. We finally arrived at the top only to be greeted by a fairly steep winding path lined on both sides with booths selling food, souvenirs, or items related to temple worship. The path led to a steep staircase of over 300 stairs. The staircase was guarded by two dragons with seven heads. The dragon was being eaten by a large fish and its body spanned the entire length of the staircase. Once at the top we entered the main temple courtyard. We were in awe of the rich colors, red, blue, green and the gold leaf that covered significant portions of the temple complex.
On each side of the main temple there were rows of large bells made from what appeared to be cast iron and ranged in size from one to three feet tall. They were ornate with floral details and images of animals such as dragons. Our students, and many young and young at heart, enjoyed ringing them and striking the gongs. We saw many monks in their orange robes, but failed to see any maechi (the women who serve in the temples). We also had a great view of the city and saw many Buddha images including a beautiful jade Buddha. In the center of the temple was a very large, gold spire. Around the inside of the temple area was an extensive mural illustrating the story of the Buddha.
After our temple visit we went to a jade factory. We were able to see a short film on the two different kinds of jade and the processing from rock into art. We also saw the carving room where the jade Buddha that made for the 50th anniversary of the king's reign, which now resides in the grand palace, was made. Many of us had not known before that jade comes in several different colors including white, lavender and black (that glows green when held up to a flashlight). Closing out our trip many of us snacked on fresh strawberries or corn, or sipped coffee from a regional grower.
As we reflect at the midpoint of our trip, not only have we grown together as a group sharing everything from moving moments to colds, but we have grown as individuals in many ways. It is clear that the diversity of the group has enhanced our experience and learning as each of the members bring our own lens to the trip. As we look forward we are thinking about the immersion in the Luisu village with both anticipation and hesitation. This may be the most challenging part of our trip, as well as the most rewarding. Our hope is that what we have done to this point and what we have done together will help us appreciate and grow from the experience with our hosts in the village. Rest well, we know we will.
Linda and Sarah
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Youth Prison, Thai Massage, Can Do Bar
Yesterday morning we visited a youth prison in the outskirts of Chiang Mai. The prison holds over 600 youth from ages 7 to 17, who are all living there either because they have been charged with commiting a crime or are waiting to go to court. We met about 60 youth and only 4 of them were girls (part of an experimental program). The youth we met with were there for 45 days, at which point they would go to trial. Along with some theology students at Payap University, we sang many songs and played games with the youth. Most of the songs were in Thai, but the Wooster group taught everyone how to sing "head, shoulders, knees, and toes" as well.
We were surprised at how aesthetically pleasing the prison was. It felt more like a nice school than a prison, with a very sunny courtyard in the middle with nice plants and grass. There also appeared to be very little security, unlike a prison in the U.S. We wonder how this affects the behavior of those who are living in this prison compared to if they were living in a "gloomy" physical setting.
After our prison visit we went to lunch. Lunch of course included our new favorite activity, karaoke. Some of the Wooster students even sang with the Thai Payap University students. Heidi and Ana sang "Twist and Shout" and Erin sang "Way Back Into Love" with two Thai students. It was a big hit.
The afternoon comprised of our first official Thai massage, where we all spent 2 full hours in pure bliss (although sometimes painful bliss!) for what would be just a few American dollars. Some of us had very unique and fun experiences communicating with our masseuse via hand gestures and laughter. We also found out which members of our group are ticklish.
We then spent the end of the afternoon in group reflection and dinner. After dinner we headed into town to visit the Can Do bar, which we tried to visit a few days ago but was closed. The Can Do bar is owned and managed by sex workers from Empower, a sex workers union. It began in 2006 as a cooperative to support sex workers, but is also just a fun place to hang out and have a nice time. A number of us tried drinks such as "Sex on the Beach" and "Miss Can Do".
We spent the end of our day at Chiang Mai's night bazaar market, looking for gifts for family members and friends. It was a good chance to practice our haggling skills.
Hope everyone is having a nice January in the States or wherever you are in the world.
-Erika & Annie
We were surprised at how aesthetically pleasing the prison was. It felt more like a nice school than a prison, with a very sunny courtyard in the middle with nice plants and grass. There also appeared to be very little security, unlike a prison in the U.S. We wonder how this affects the behavior of those who are living in this prison compared to if they were living in a "gloomy" physical setting.
After our prison visit we went to lunch. Lunch of course included our new favorite activity, karaoke. Some of the Wooster students even sang with the Thai Payap University students. Heidi and Ana sang "Twist and Shout" and Erin sang "Way Back Into Love" with two Thai students. It was a big hit.
The afternoon comprised of our first official Thai massage, where we all spent 2 full hours in pure bliss (although sometimes painful bliss!) for what would be just a few American dollars. Some of us had very unique and fun experiences communicating with our masseuse via hand gestures and laughter. We also found out which members of our group are ticklish.
We then spent the end of the afternoon in group reflection and dinner. After dinner we headed into town to visit the Can Do bar, which we tried to visit a few days ago but was closed. The Can Do bar is owned and managed by sex workers from Empower, a sex workers union. It began in 2006 as a cooperative to support sex workers, but is also just a fun place to hang out and have a nice time. A number of us tried drinks such as "Sex on the Beach" and "Miss Can Do".
We spent the end of our day at Chiang Mai's night bazaar market, looking for gifts for family members and friends. It was a good chance to practice our haggling skills.
Hope everyone is having a nice January in the States or wherever you are in the world.
-Erika & Annie
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
HIV/AIDS organizations in Thailand
Today we woke up and had a nice breakfast Payap Univeristy. Then, we traveled to a Christian organization that “works alongside with people living with HIV/AIDS”, called CAM (the CCT AIDS Ministry, and CCT refers to the Church of Christ in Thailand). The organization has seven regular employees and engages in a lot of activities. They provide temporary shelter for people living with HIV/AIDS who need to recoperate or are not accepted by their families, visit patients’ houses to provide home-based care, counsel, train HIV/AIDS program staff, set up prevention programs at schools, and promote peer support groups, etc. The organization was founded in 1991 and is open to people of all faiths.
After sharing with us the objectives and nature of the organization, the organizers introduced several HIV/AIDS patients and/or their family member to tell their stories. Among them were women and men, of different nationalities. One HIV/AIDS positive woman lost both of her children and her hushand to HIV/AIDS. She initially contemplated suicide, but then employees of CAM helped her regain her hope for life. It was very inspiring to hear her story. Some other non-Thai citizens were able to get payments of their treatment from CAM.
After having lunch with some of the employees at CAM, at a Thai buffet (where some of the students performed dances with Karoke singers), we went to hear the story of a buddhist monk about how he helped HIV/AIDS patients and his community. It is rather uncommon for monks to be involved in such secular activites and spread his service to women, thus we were very curious about his achievements. The conversation sparkled discussions among students and faculties.
Next to the temple we visited, there was a workshop where HIV/AIDS positive women hand-sew clothes for a Japanese company. It was a bitter-sweet experience that on one hand we were glad to hear that the women had jobs , but on the other hand, it was questionable whether the company was taking advantage of them by paying rather limited wages.
In the evening, we had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Hope Antone again. She helped us built a better understanding of the spiral of feminist theology by asking us to relate the model to our own experiences.
Link to the blog of CAM: www.cctcam.blogspot.com
-- Rachel and Yujing
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Images from Chiang Mai
New Years Eve in Chiang Mai. Fireworks everywhere. It went on well into the night.
The group in Chiang Mai
A memorial park for the Queen King
One of the fields of Maeta
Given the honor to pay our respects to one of the villagers of Maeta who had passed away.
The group at Maeta
Bath time for elephants.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Payap University
Ken and Heidi here to tell you about our day!
Last night we had dinner at a Thai Curry bar in Chiang Mai. We had lots of delicious food with home made ice cream for dessert- very yummy. Then we took a long walk to the Can Do bar run by sex workers but not a brothel. It turned out to be nearly impossible to find, and after walking for almost an hour and then taking a taxi truck to the bar, it was closed. It was, however, still a good visit to the Night Bazar with lots of shopping and a few good purchases. We spent our last night at the hotel and early Tuesday morning we left for the international house at Payap University. It was about a half an hour ride in a "red truck", which is basically a truck taxi that fits everyone in the back of the truck with bench seating. Payap Universtiy has a beautiful campus out from the city. We'll be staying here for the next five days, so it's nice to unpack and do some laundry here. We settled in and had our first Thai class at 10 am. Our teacher, a very comical Thai man, told us about the history of the country, both political and historical. We then proceeded to learn to count to 20 in Thai, and learned very basic communication skills. After class we all were practicing saying these new phrases to each other as we ate lunch in the cafeteria. A few Thai students from the University then came and taught us a few new words as we practiced introducing ourselves and playing a game in Thai. The afternoon concluded with lots of singing, dancing, and clapping. See the video to be posted soon :) It's much easier to feel like a part of the Thai culture when you konw a bit more of the language. Tonight we have a lecture from a Philipino woman who is a religion professor here at the University. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow!
Last night we had dinner at a Thai Curry bar in Chiang Mai. We had lots of delicious food with home made ice cream for dessert- very yummy. Then we took a long walk to the Can Do bar run by sex workers but not a brothel. It turned out to be nearly impossible to find, and after walking for almost an hour and then taking a taxi truck to the bar, it was closed. It was, however, still a good visit to the Night Bazar with lots of shopping and a few good purchases. We spent our last night at the hotel and early Tuesday morning we left for the international house at Payap University. It was about a half an hour ride in a "red truck", which is basically a truck taxi that fits everyone in the back of the truck with bench seating. Payap Universtiy has a beautiful campus out from the city. We'll be staying here for the next five days, so it's nice to unpack and do some laundry here. We settled in and had our first Thai class at 10 am. Our teacher, a very comical Thai man, told us about the history of the country, both political and historical. We then proceeded to learn to count to 20 in Thai, and learned very basic communication skills. After class we all were practicing saying these new phrases to each other as we ate lunch in the cafeteria. A few Thai students from the University then came and taught us a few new words as we practiced introducing ourselves and playing a game in Thai. The afternoon concluded with lots of singing, dancing, and clapping. See the video to be posted soon :) It's much easier to feel like a part of the Thai culture when you konw a bit more of the language. Tonight we have a lecture from a Philipino woman who is a religion professor here at the University. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow!
Monks, Elephants, and Silk
Today we spent the early morning in the Eco-Village in Maeta. We woke up at 6:15 to be ready to feed the Monks, who started their rounds around the village at 6:30 with their food collection bowls. We were given various types of food like rice, fish sauce, eggs, and pork skin, as well as bottled water and juice boxes. It is traditional for monks to walk throughout the village to ask for food in every form of Buddhism and giving food is a way for the Buddhist people to gain merit. After giving the food, we were given cups of water to pour on the ground. This ritual is in respect for people we love that are both alive and that have died and grants them merit. The monks chanted a blessing while we thought about these people and slowly poured out the water. The ritual was for the earth and heaven spirits. After this ritual, we went into the gardens and picked greens that were fried for breakfast, which we ate with rice soup.
We gave our hosts in the village gifts and then departed for the Elephant Park created by the current Princess of Thailand to save injured and tortured elephants. We enjoyed being very up close to the Elephants. We got to pet them, kiss them, and were slobbered on by them. We saw the elephants being bathed and watched an elephant show. Then we went to the first elephant hospital where we saw two disabled elephants, one from trauma and one from disease, getting individualized care.
After our two and a half hours with the elephants, we were exhausted and departed for lunch, but first made a stop at a silk shop where we saw where traditional and expensive Thai silk is made and sold. We then had lunch at a roadside stand: pad thai, fried rice, and soup. The size of our group was somewhat overwhelming for the one woman and her wok.
We returned to our hotel in Chiang Mai and had time to rest and shower before our two hour group reflection. This reflection allowed us to discuss our views and ideas about the past day in the Eco-village of Maeta. With the reflection, we discovered that certainty often leads to uncertainty and uncertainty often leads to certainty. And most of us now feel very confused about our feelings and are excited to learn more!
We are leaving in a few minutes to join our guide and translator, Chuleepran, for dinner at a local Thai restaurant and will then go to the Can Do bar that has been organized by the sex workers union called Empower. We hope to begin our observation of this Thai industry tonight. We think that this view of Thai culture will be very different than the parts of the culture we saw today.
We are having a great time in Thailand and can't wait to continue our journey!
-Abby, Nancy, and the group
We gave our hosts in the village gifts and then departed for the Elephant Park created by the current Princess of Thailand to save injured and tortured elephants. We enjoyed being very up close to the Elephants. We got to pet them, kiss them, and were slobbered on by them. We saw the elephants being bathed and watched an elephant show. Then we went to the first elephant hospital where we saw two disabled elephants, one from trauma and one from disease, getting individualized care.
After our two and a half hours with the elephants, we were exhausted and departed for lunch, but first made a stop at a silk shop where we saw where traditional and expensive Thai silk is made and sold. We then had lunch at a roadside stand: pad thai, fried rice, and soup. The size of our group was somewhat overwhelming for the one woman and her wok.
We returned to our hotel in Chiang Mai and had time to rest and shower before our two hour group reflection. This reflection allowed us to discuss our views and ideas about the past day in the Eco-village of Maeta. With the reflection, we discovered that certainty often leads to uncertainty and uncertainty often leads to certainty. And most of us now feel very confused about our feelings and are excited to learn more!
We are leaving in a few minutes to join our guide and translator, Chuleepran, for dinner at a local Thai restaurant and will then go to the Can Do bar that has been organized by the sex workers union called Empower. We hope to begin our observation of this Thai industry tonight. We think that this view of Thai culture will be very different than the parts of the culture we saw today.
We are having a great time in Thailand and can't wait to continue our journey!
-Abby, Nancy, and the group
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Trip to Maeta
As we got ready to leave Chiang Mai we met our wonderful guide and interpreter Chulee. She is an absolute joy to be around, and is an amazing and knowledgeable help.
We started our trip to the eco-village Maeta by stopping at the shrine of a former Thai queen. Everyone paid their respects to her; some local individuals brought goat meat to the shrine, an indication that their prayer was answered. As we made our way to Maeta, we saw trees with orange cloth wrapped around their trunks; this indicated that they had been ordained (as monks, thus their orange robes) and couldn't be cut down. This act was a sign of peace between two warring nations close to a thousand years ago.
When we arrived in Maeta we ate a delicious lunch prepared by our hosts. We found out that there had been a death in the village of 800 the night before, so our plans changed. They still were going to host us for the night, but as everyone would in the village would attend the funeral, our host families would have been out late so we stayed in a lodge building instead.
After lunch we took a tour of the agricultural grounds, seeing the family plots in the communal gardens, as well as the frogs, fish, monkeys, and chickens. The frogs, fish, and chickens are part of the farm, and the monkeys are injured rescues.
This was lead by the head of the village. In the past 25 years he had turned his village around from a life of crime and the destruction of teak trees to a sustainable society. He was recently honored as one of the ten most influential people in Thailand of the year for his work with his community. (Chulee translated all of this for us.)
We took a quick ride over to a lake which we crossed on a raft which we pulled across. This was followed by a two hour jaunt in the woods where we learned about herbal remedies and foraged for food with the help of a knowledgeable man from the village. Near a river we saw a spirit house which the villagers had built to appease the spirit of the river which had been flooding. They bring offerings there yearly before the floods.
As we made our way back to the common area we approached the house of the newly deceased where the funeral was taking place. We were asked to stop there, and at first we all were uncomfortable, not wanting to interfere with their personal lives. However, they were pleased that we stopped and showed our respects. His casket was there, and everything was beautiful bright oranges, reds, and golds. His sister gave us incense to place in front of his casket. It was a really intense moment for all of us because we were in conflict between our Western beliefs coming in contact with another culture's ritual we were not familiar with.
When we returned to the main area we prepared to be visited by two monks who were going to welcome us to the village. The ceremony began with one monk chanting for a long time while we knelt respectfully. After he completed the chanting he tied white strings on to each of our wrists.
Dinner we ate seated on the ground in groups. As we ate we watched a performance of a traditional Thai dance consisting of several of the younger village girls in traditional costume. We also were serenaded by other children with both American and Thai pop songs in the form of karaoke. The night evolved into almost all of us trying our hands at karaoke and bonding a lot in the process.
We spent the night in a big room on mattresses with colorful mosquito netting strung overhead. Throughout the night we could hear the funeral. Buddhist funerals end with joy at the departed's journey to rebirth so there were fireworks, music, monks chanting, and lanterns flown through the air.
It's late here, so that's all for now.
Good night!
-Helena and Celeste
We started our trip to the eco-village Maeta by stopping at the shrine of a former Thai queen. Everyone paid their respects to her; some local individuals brought goat meat to the shrine, an indication that their prayer was answered. As we made our way to Maeta, we saw trees with orange cloth wrapped around their trunks; this indicated that they had been ordained (as monks, thus their orange robes) and couldn't be cut down. This act was a sign of peace between two warring nations close to a thousand years ago.
When we arrived in Maeta we ate a delicious lunch prepared by our hosts. We found out that there had been a death in the village of 800 the night before, so our plans changed. They still were going to host us for the night, but as everyone would in the village would attend the funeral, our host families would have been out late so we stayed in a lodge building instead.
After lunch we took a tour of the agricultural grounds, seeing the family plots in the communal gardens, as well as the frogs, fish, monkeys, and chickens. The frogs, fish, and chickens are part of the farm, and the monkeys are injured rescues.
This was lead by the head of the village. In the past 25 years he had turned his village around from a life of crime and the destruction of teak trees to a sustainable society. He was recently honored as one of the ten most influential people in Thailand of the year for his work with his community. (Chulee translated all of this for us.)
We took a quick ride over to a lake which we crossed on a raft which we pulled across. This was followed by a two hour jaunt in the woods where we learned about herbal remedies and foraged for food with the help of a knowledgeable man from the village. Near a river we saw a spirit house which the villagers had built to appease the spirit of the river which had been flooding. They bring offerings there yearly before the floods.
As we made our way back to the common area we approached the house of the newly deceased where the funeral was taking place. We were asked to stop there, and at first we all were uncomfortable, not wanting to interfere with their personal lives. However, they were pleased that we stopped and showed our respects. His casket was there, and everything was beautiful bright oranges, reds, and golds. His sister gave us incense to place in front of his casket. It was a really intense moment for all of us because we were in conflict between our Western beliefs coming in contact with another culture's ritual we were not familiar with.
When we returned to the main area we prepared to be visited by two monks who were going to welcome us to the village. The ceremony began with one monk chanting for a long time while we knelt respectfully. After he completed the chanting he tied white strings on to each of our wrists.
Dinner we ate seated on the ground in groups. As we ate we watched a performance of a traditional Thai dance consisting of several of the younger village girls in traditional costume. We also were serenaded by other children with both American and Thai pop songs in the form of karaoke. The night evolved into almost all of us trying our hands at karaoke and bonding a lot in the process.
We spent the night in a big room on mattresses with colorful mosquito netting strung overhead. Throughout the night we could hear the funeral. Buddhist funerals end with joy at the departed's journey to rebirth so there were fireworks, music, monks chanting, and lanterns flown through the air.
It's late here, so that's all for now.
Good night!
-Helena and Celeste
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