Chiang Mai me.

My return to the "New City" has been more than enlightening.

The last time I visited Thailand, it was with an ISV (International Student Volunteers) tour group. ISV is a great program and I probably wouldn't have gotten the guts to travel to SE Asia at all if not for this program. However, there is a huge difference between traveling with a group and backpacking on your own itinerary (or lack thereof). Fortunately, many countries in SE Asia, especially Thailand, will bend over backwards for foreigners because their economy is so tourism-based. We have had many positive encounters with people here who honestly want to help us get from place to place, which counters my original Western perspective that everyone in developing countries is out to rip you off. However, there are always safety measures to take. Some major pointers for a first-timer:

• Never let go of your bags or their openings.
• If you ride on a bus or train, try to keep your luggage with you as opposed to letting staff put it in under carriage storage. Many times, people (planned or unplanned) will raid through your things.
• If you are alone or in a crowded area, it's a smart idea to wear a money belt. If you don't want to get caught wearing the brighter-than-neon tourist symbol around your hips, then cargo pockets are another solid option for you to store your cash, as they are less easy to pick pocket.
• Always travel with a lock and key. Many hostels will provide lockers but rarely have locks.
• If you take transportation (cab, bus, ferry) without a ticket price, confirm the cost of the ride before you take off.

When all else fails, use common sense, ask another foreigner, or follow your gut and you should be fine.

My stay in Chiang Mai has had me utilizing all my knowledge of safety I could draw on, but I also got to let my guard down and join in on the culture more than I have before on a typical vacation abroad. Chiang Mai is a beautiful city with lots of color, life and culture. Home to the cheapest massages around and with breakfast venues on every corner, this place is a paradise to foreigners and Thai people alike for its services as well as its industry.  Chiang Mai also has a plethora of Buddhist temples all around the city, which makes it kind of a love child between a beachy-style, San Fran wannabe and a Thai cultural hotspot.

Basically, I'm in love.


One note-able remark for staying in any city in Thailand (especially the big ones like Bangkok and Chiang Mai), would be to avoid elephant street begging. When you see these guys walking around the street asking for food and money, it is safe to assume they are unhealthy, stressed out and scared. Please do NOT support their business. If you really want to support the tourism industry here by seeing elephants, visit the Elephant Nature Park just outside Chiang Mai. They are a non-profit which supports elephants living free of abuse, and you can have the rare opportunity to see them in a large habitat, feed them, and bathe them in the river. By the end, you will probably even be besties. That's a MUCH more realistic and sustainable way to help our big friends and the Thai community, don'tchathink?

Our hostel in Chiang Mai has also been note-able. A Little Bird Guesthouse is amazing for its location and price (about $3 a night!), but aside from things being at the bare bare essentials (which is manageable), we had a rude awakening this morning when a new guest moved rooms at 7:30am because the one she was settled into wasn't satisfactory. Thus, I feel it beneficial to anyone reading this post to check out some tips on hostel guest etiquette:

• Do NOT wake the travelers. If it is 7:30am. If it is 2pm. If they are hungover. If they are jet-lagged. Do NOT wake them. Guests are paying to, above all else, sleep.
• Do not leave the doors of your hostel room open of there are guests inside who are sleeping/changing/picking their nose. Guests are, secondly, paying for some sense of privacy.
• Only take up the amount of space you are paying for. Got a private room? Throw your clothes and have a dance party. But if you paid for one bed, don't spread your things out with hopes nobody will show up. Odds are they will and then you'll have to go through the Shameful Bed Clearing ritual many backpackers are familiar with.

Those are just some basics. Like with safety, if you use common sense you're sure to be fine.

That's all for now. Tomorrow we are planning on heading out into the mountains for some more temple-seeing. then to Cambodia the next day!

Take care, wherever you may be!
Laura and Cheengu

Getting to Thailand: planes, trains and automobiles.

Minus trains, I am pretty sure Christy and I used almost every form of transportation we possibly could've to get to Koh Samui, and passed through neighboring cities and countries along the way. Oh, and we learned some amazing lessons too.

From Seoul, the trip started early in the morning as we took a flight with the cheapest airline possible (AirAsia-- not the nicest, but definitely the cheapest) through Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then onto Phuket. Aside from the extremely cold conditions of the airplane (causing us both to go into tourist hypothermia and hide under our blankets like fuzzy scared blobs), we also had the joy of experiencing some amazing turbulence that caused our plane full of Korean passengers to go into a screaming fit. At first, we thought this was due to the same panic we were feeling but later overheard the Korean expression for "How fun!". Some even went so far as to pretend they were on a roller coaster. In the middle of the sky. During dangerous turbulence.

Annnnnd this is why I'm going on vacation.

Once arriving in Phuket, we swam through the sea of tour agencies and cabbies to find a good deal on transportation to our hostel. A tip about transportation in Thailand: barter. Barter til you're blue in the face. Set your maximum price and stick with it, and you will find a good deal. Our hostel owner (Ananas Phuket Hostel) even bartered lower upon arrival at the hostel because she thought we were paying our young, fairly inexperienced driver too much.

The next day, we were off again on a 6-hour bus ride that finally let out on the other side of the southern arm of Phuket, namely Sura Thani. Our hostel also helped us set this up so that the bus ride was not only safe and reliable, but transferred directly to the ferry dock. From there, it was a 2-hour ferry ride to Koh Samui. Now, this is the low season for tourism because of tropical storms. We had our first encounter with a storm that night with rain so hard it forced itself through our cabbie's driver-side door. Fortunately, our next hostel is also extremely well-kept and we won't be worrying about any rain leaks while staying on the island.

The island of Koh Samui is pretty large, but the beach we are staying at, Chaweng, is made basically for tourists and will only hold our attention (and budget) for a couple days. All in all though, this place is heaven and we are thoroughly enjoying the fresh fruit, sudden rains, coconut juice, morning beaches and-- of course-- the cheaper-than-dirt shopping.

I'll keep you all updated at we continue along. Next stop-- Chiang Mai, Thailand's 2nd largest city.

-Laura and Cheengu

annnnnd 365 days later, another take-off.

So, in the spirit of offering travel tips and information, I thought I'd post my pre-traveled thoughts on what the tentative itinerary for SE Asia is. My travel partner-in-crime and I made this a pretty quick trip (20 days) through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam because

1) we've been out of our homeland for over a year and want to go home sooner than later,

and 2) have commitments at home that made for a time restraint.

If you wanted, you could spend several months traveling through this region of Asia, simply because it's seriously beautiful, cheap, AND transportation can take up quite a chunk of time!

However, if you are looking to visit Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in 3 weeks or less, feel free to keep checking this blog for more travel tips on what to do and not to do.

A couple notes:

We are leaving from South Korea, which gives us a little extra time and also will not account for jet lag that those from the Western world might feel upon arrival. If you will be on a serious international flight (which I consider to be 9 or more hours), give yourself 1 day to rest when you arrive to your final destination, especially if you are a first-time traveler. This does not mean to sleep that entire day. You should try to adjust to your new time zone as best as possible. However, take it easy. Don't sign up for a rock-climbing excursion on Day 1 or anything.

Some of our stops along the way are simply to save money in terms of flying. SE Asia can be incredibly cheap to get around if you have the time to do so. Especially in SE Asia, there is no high-speed train (unlike South Korea, China, and Japan), so if you want to avoid flying, just be aware that this will take a lot more time, but is by far the more cost-effective option. You can check travel forums to ask about specific bus rides and fares to see approximate times and prices, but just know you will have to have an overall more flexible schedule.

If you do want to fly, make sure to price check, and often! Kayak.com is a great source for cheap airline tickets, as is Airasia.com. In our case, we booked a few flights to save time, and although we had to get a little creative (by arriving in nearby cities and then bussing to our final destination) we came out with some really good deals while still saving time. It's all a balancing act.

The rough itinerary of our 20 days is as follows:

DAY 1-10 IN THAILAND
Day 1: Fly Seoul to Phuket
Day 2: Bus Phuket to Sura Thani, boat Sura Thani to Koh Samui
Day 3/4: Koh Samui, overnight boat back to Sura Thani
Day 5: Sura Thani to Chiang Mai
Day 5-10: Chiang Mai (including a tour to the Elephant Nature Park for a little volunteering and elephant-playing)

DAY 11-20 IN CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM
Day 11: Fly Chiang Mai to Siem Reap
Day 12/13: Siem Reap and Ankor Wat

After this, we kind of left things unplanned. The overall idea is to bus down to the west coast of Cambodia (Sihanoukville), eventually get visas into Vietnam and then bus and boat into Vietnam (in that order). We will fly out of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and back to Seattle as an end to this crazy journey.

I'll be posting as often as possible during this trip to keep friends and family updated, but if you're reading just for fun don't worry-- lots of anecdotes and travel advice surely await.

Intermission.

I couldn't think of a better word for my life right now. I'm going out there, but really everything's got kind of a "we'll be right back to your regularly scheduled programming" kind of feeling about it.

It's probably because I have 8 days til I leave Ulsan, the city I now know better than Seattle, and less than 10 days til I take-off for my trip through SE Asia. So aside from teaching for 3 hours daily and cleaning every conceivable corner of my apartment, there's not much to focus on besides getting-the-heck-out-of-here.

AND.... packing. Which, as any of my blog followers already know, I completely adore.

Packing for SE Asia in August is relatively easy because it's so hot... no winter coats or snowshoes in this bag. However, with this being my 2nd trip to that region, here are a couple of items I thoroughly recommend:

1. Plastic ponchos or a light (and I mean, light) jacket with a hood. Just because it's the rainy season doesn't mean it's cold. Truthfully, the only function of this albeit very important piece is to waterproof yourself or the important things you might be carrying.

2. Motion-sickness tablets. I know there are probably a lot of other important medical concerns people have when they think of Southeast Asia (like malaria or typhoid fever), but honestly unless you are going to be in extremely rural areas, not wearing any bug repellant and rolling around in the dirt while drinking unfiltered water, you will probably be fine. However, this doesn't mean to skip a visit to the travel doctor before you go abroad! It's better to be safe, just not paranoid.

Although I'm not prone to motion sickness, transportation in SE Asia can be kind of rough on a person: long bus rides on continuously winding, undeveloped roads... boat rides for hours... it's just the kind of thing you would rather be prepared for than not.

3. Passport-size photos. Apparently they are a requirement for entering Cambodia and Vietnam, along with copies of the front page of your passport. And some money. They wouldn't want me if I didn't have some of that.

Well, that's it. That's all you need.

No, just kidding. But those are definitely an overlooked top 3. If you'd like to know more about packing for an adventure, check out my Travel Kit 101 page and with that and some common sense you should be all set.

Sticking to the 'rolling stone' thing, because rolling kimchi just gets chili juice everywhere.

It's time to look forward, and time for another travel announcement, which always start the next chapter of the Playing with Elephants blogging.

In just 2 and a half months, I will be flying from South Korea-- leaving my now-second-home-- to travel Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, and a re-visiting experience to Thailand, my first love in Asia) for a few weeks. Then I will be coming back to the Seattle area. To stay put for a bit.

In the coming weeks, I'll post more information about the trip, including travel information I glean along the way. Don't worry; Korea posts will still commence in tandem with the other posting.

If you want to know when I'll be returning to the States, you can click on this handy-dandy countdown timer. You can check it every day if you want. Or every hour. I know you really miss me.

reacquainted, but not on repeat.

Hey everyone,

It's been a week since I've been home from my trip. Firstly, thank you for being my moral support through this crazy adventure (both before, during, and after my leave). I appreciate each of you for your interest, and will look forward to seeing you at some point in time if I haven't already!

The remainder of my trip was relaxing but still packed. We took a day to snorkel just South of Railey Beach, at Phi Phi Island. This was a unique experience because we could see the remains of many coral reefs destroyed by the tsunami that hit SE Asia in 2004. Broken skeletons of this marine ecosystem littered the sea floor. However, amidst the remains, much color abound: anemones, sea snakes, and fish of all colors swam about, and I had the opportunity to swim with schools of fish all afternoon.

Our last two nights in Thailand were devoted to Bangkok. During the day, we went on a temple tour, visiting the "must-see's" like the Emerald Buddha and the Reclining Buddha... basically, lots of various Buddhas. :) The architecture is so colorful, meticulous and ornate, it takes my breath away. Our evenings were full of city life, taking to the streets and seeing what Bangkok is really like. And when we saw enough of that ;), we took a trip down Khao Son Road, the hot spot for travelers in Bangkok. Tons of vendors, bars, and restaurants... and tons of tourists! All in all, Bangkok was a fun and exciting way to wrap up our tour; although it was hard to say goodbye to my new friends, and even harder to say goodbye to this beautiful land I now have a home with.

The return home and adjustment to Western culture has been surreal. It sounds cliche', but we are so fortunate in the United States: flush toilets, drinkable water, the quality of our education and the presence of our sanitation and recycling systems. But the Thai culture has so much to offer that we as Westerners often miss out on: the sense of community, strong work ethic, self-sufficiency and responsibility for one's self (even at a young age). We as a Westernized culture have the capacity for all of these attributes, but the systems we've created to make our lives easier need to be maintained by the very people they serve. We spend so much time worrying about the small stuff, when in fact it's the small stuff we should be enjoying. Life is too short and the world is too big to be full of anxiety about something that doesn't really make an impact. What I've learned to be concerned with is what kind of a local, national, and global impact I am making (because, like it or not, we all do make one), and find ways to ensure I'm being a positive influence on other people and systems. It's not something that comes naturally to our 'get-ahead' culture, but I think it's an important lesson to learn.

That's a wrap for this adventure. I will be keeping this blog for other trips, so look forward to hearing from me in the future, and I will look forward to hearing from you! If you have any questions about my excursion, or if you are going on a trip of any kind and want my listening ear or my prayers, feel free to email me at laura.hughes.a@gmail.com and we'll be in touch. :)

You can also see the rest of my public pictures by following this link to my online album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2014956&id=1579620073&l=f9c0d9e222

Love to you, from a soul with one foot in Thailand, and another forever at home.
Laura

Sun, sand...where's my coconut?

Hello to you from Railey Beach!

Over the last several days, our ISV tour has been quite exciting... and finally sunny. :)

After our canyoning adventure, I was sore and tired for rock climbing. However, with the excitement of cave exploration, repelling into crevasses and looking for stalactites, I perked up enough to power through. The most rewarding part, for me, was climbing my first natural rockface; I found this to be, so far, the most mentally challenging part of the trip. Getting to the top, I snapped some photos, let out a victory shout, and took in a deep breath of Thailand air. So rewarding... so tiring!

The next couple of days, our group stayed right outside Khao Sok National Park (where some of the few remaining wild Asian Elephants and tigers live!), down in Southern Thailand, Surathani. It was a beautiful, if not damp and wild, experience. During the day, we took an adventure tour inside the park itself, one of the largest preseres in Southeast Asia, and the oldest! Khao Sok is over 160 million years old, made from limestone formations. Aside from enjoying a longtail boat ride, I was able to swim in a freshwater lake in the middle of this oasis, and enjoy the first little bit of sun we've had for days. Back at the lodge, the animals attacked our bungalows at night. Mice, frogs, lizards, bats, and the threat of monkeys kept us from a full night's sleep... but I don't know what else we could possibly expect, sleeping in the middle of the jungle!

The last two days have been the most exciting part of the adventure tour: sea kayaking! Our group took to the water, from Phuket to Phang Nga Bay, where we traveled around islands, saw makaks (Thai monkeys) and mangrove forests up close, and took a ride through some amazing sea caves. It was difficult to suppress my desire to hum 'Pirates of the Caribbean' songs... so sometimes I didn't. :) Out on the water, the sun came out, which made the trip even more wonderful. I'm definitely going to be making time for kayaking and rock climbing when I return to the states.

I wish I had more time, but the beach calls. Tomorrow we will be snorkeling at PP Island, south of Railey Beach (NE of Phuket) and only have a few more days after that! I'll be thinking of you all from the beach, Bangkok, and on the plane ride home. Look forward to seeing you all!

With love and happiness,
Laura

waterfalls, monsoons, and elephants, oh my!

Hello from Southeast Asia!

So much has happened in the last several days, but I will try to pick out the most interesting parts.

Firstly, the elephant park. The Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is a lovingly established facility, dedicated to the safety and rights of the Asian Elephant, an endangered species in Thailand, where it is supposed to be held as a sacred animal. After riding elephants on my first day in Thailand, I would not be honest if I were to say that I do not have regret in my heart for doing so. What I learned at the ENP is truly horrific, that elephants here have the same rights as livestock (that is, no rights at all), and the domestication process is incredibly brutal, oftentimes fatal.

Historically, the Asian Elephant was used for logging work, but since the extreme destruction of forests, logging is banned in Thailand, and these "unemployed" animals, ironically, would not survive without working for tourists, typically for the revenue of the very-impoverished Hill tribe villages. As previously mentioned, Hill Tribes have virtually no protection from the government here, as many are refugees/immigrants from Burma(Myanmar). Using elephants for tourist attractions is imperative for these people, and the domestication process they use, although incredibly inhumane by US standards, is all they have ever used or known. However, this all is beginning to change with the coming about of the Elephant Nature Park.

Lec, the daughter of a Hill Tribe shaman, is the founder of ENP. She uses positive reinforcement to train her rescued elephants in the most basic of ways. They will not be juggling anymore, but thanks to the love and dedication Lec has put into ENP, they will not be begging on the city streets for tourism either. This new method to elephant training is the least intrusive to their natural instincts; hopefully some day, there will be enough forest regrown in Thailand to integrate these creatures back into the wild. For now, that is just a hope on the horizon.

This was a huge lesson for me concerning my role as a responsible tourist. I went into this trip with some (albeit limited) knowledge of domesticated elephant rights and treatment. When our group visited the camp to ride elephants, I thought not much of it, because the elephants had no outward sign of abuse; they were happy and healthy, as far as I was concerned. Our group also saw these specific elephants on a daily basis, taking personal time across the river from our project. Not to mention, many elephant camps, like the one we went to, supported a local Hill Tribe. At the time, I felt like I was doing the right thing. The reality is this: any domesticated animal which should be in the wild, has had their spirit broken at a young age and suffered through a tradition that about 40% do not survive. Even if the elephant camp was a decently-run facility, by supporting this endeavor, I consented that this type of abuse is okay. After extensive research and the experiences I've had, I will never be patron to anything like this again. However, the ENP is an amazing alternative for tourism, with positive outcomes for all.

Our group spent the day at ENP meeting each elephant (there are currently over 30 residing!), participating in feeding times, and bathing the elephants in the nearby river. On a beautifully sunny day, the mucky waters of Thailand did not even phase me as I splashed bucket after bucket onto our grey, wrinkly friends. This is an experience like no other, and one that, like the large animals we worked with, I will never forget. It's not every day you bathe with an elephant.

Moving from the ENP, we spent the night with the Lisu Hill Tribe at a beautiful lodge, and awoke the next morning to begin our 2-day trek through the jungles of mountainous Thailand. The day was hot as we arrived at the trail head, reaching upwards of 98 degrees, but the sweat we were all drenched in was soon replaced with rain. And more rain. And suddenly we were in a monsoon.

That is not a typo. We had out jungle trek through the middle of a monsoon.

I was giddy to put on my poncho as the sky poured buckets, but became soberly aware of our situation when we crossed waterfall after overflowing damn after waterfall of gushing water. This was the most crazy storm I have ever been in, feeling blessed to witness such amazing weather, literally hiking up through the clouds. Lightning, mist, and the sweet smell of the jungle... we arrived, accomplished and soaked to the bone, just before dark.

The next morning, we awoke to see the sunrise from the top of our Hill Tribe outpost, and began our trek back down. Fortunately, there was no rain for the downhill version of this hike, but the monsoon made our planned route unsafe to travel on, so we took to a dirt road instead. Typically, once finished with our trek, ISV would have sent our group on a white water rafting ride, but due to the wild rapids and high waters, we had to cancel this particular excursion. I was a little bummed about this, until we were informed that we could choose a replacement activity... so today, I went canyoning on the tallest mountain in Thailand.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with canyoning, allow me to catch you up to speed: canyoning is a ropes course which uses the natural environment to create an adventure experience. You begin at the top of a canyon, and work your way down using rocksliding, repelling, and swimming techniques. A typical canyoner will wear a helmet, knee pads, life jacket, wet suit top, gloves, and, my personal favorite: butt flaps, for sliding. :) For our group's adventure, we started small, with a practice repel, worked our way through the freezing (yet refreshing) rivers near the Mae Ping, and finished up our day with a 100-meter repel down the side of a waterfall. Due to the monsoon just 2 days prior, the waters were still pretty crazy, so we really had to pull our own weight as we crossed currents and slid down small rapids. I sit here in an Internet cafe feeling extremely accomplished and rejuvenated, albeit incredibly tired.

We still have a lot left to do on our tour, but tomorrow is our last day in Chiang Mai. After a full day of rock climbing and cave exploring, we will make our way to the southern regions of Thailand and partake in a sea kayaking adventure. After 3 weeks in the hills, I really can't wait for the beach. :)

Thinking about each one of you! Sending love to you from across the globe.
Laura

on an adventure: part ii of the travels.

My time online is limited, but here's a quick update for you all:

Our group finished our work with Mae Kok on Friday. Thursday night was a goodbye celebration, which turned out to be easily one of my most favorite parts of this trip so far. Aside from a cultural exchange, the Mae Kok children and staff all sang to us, and we exchanged many presents, hugs, and tears as we said our "see you later's". It is difficult leaving these kids and the family they have created, knowing how readily accepted we all were into their daily routine; the prospect of becoming a tourist at this point is still a bit unappealing with the knowledge that there are so many other ways I could be experiencing Thai culture. However, I am looking forward to testing my own personal limits and strengths with the second half of our tour, and can't wait to see what opportunities will arise (not to mention pictures!).

This morning begins our first full day in Chaing Mai, which is quite a difference from rural Chiang Rai (though only a 3 hour drive apart). There are many temples and restaurants here, and many more English-speaking people. This is both giving me a sense of relief and disappointment because I already miss the genuine feel of Thailand, as opposed to the 'luxury' feel we are given at the hotels and restaurants. All the same, I'm still enjoying myself. Thai massage this morning... such a wonderful way to work out all the kinks and strain from volunteering.

We're going to be in the Chiang Mai area for the next several days, stopping at an elephant park and trekking though the jungle to spend a night with local Hill Tribe villages. perhaps I will feel at home again. :) Our tour leaders are really energetic and knowedgable, so I'm looking forward to an eventful next couple weeks!

That's all for now! Hope you are all well!
Love, Laura

thoughts from an internet cafe.

Our group is having a blast on holiday. I write this to you from a cute internet cafe amidst the markets bordering Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), with a thai iced tea (or here, a milk tea) at my side. Here's what I've been up to lately:

Friday night, all the kids and staff at Mae Kok had a cultural exchange in honor of the Japanese students who came to visit. There was much celebration, music, dancing, and clapping. All of the children at MKF are a part of one Hill Tribe or another (most are from the Akha tribe), and thus performed traditional dances. I feel so blessed to have seen these dances up close in such an open setting. Sadly, many Hill Tribes sell their culture to tourists, charging admission fees to enter their villages. This cultural exchange was completely for the sake of teaching and learning, which felt so much more genuine. The girls from Mae Kok, who are normally quite shy, really seemed to shine in the traditional outfits they wore. The Akha tribe in particular has some amazing headdresses, strung with colored beads and metal bangles. For a young girl, I'm sure they are quite a headache, but watching them dance in this attire was a great opportunity to see a whole different side of them. Our ISV group participated in the cultural exchange as well, learning a summer camp dance from one of our UK group members. This, of course, brought me back to my days as a member of my high school dance team, and I found myself counting off the moves during our informal practices (much to the dismay of some group members). ;) With my unique talent of doing 'the worm', I was even given a short solo to show off for the kids. This is all to say that our dance was nothing in comparison to the beauty and integrity of the Hill Tribe dances, and made me wish that I had stronger ties to the roots from which I am created. Perhaps my next international trip will include stops to Italy or Poland... or any of the other dozen European countries my ancestors come from. After the performances, everyone from Mae Kok went outside with rice paper lanterns, lit them at the bottom, and watched with childlike wonder as hot air filled them and they ascended into the night sky. In the pure dark of rural Thailand, the lanterns floated gracefully to the stars, and I found myself wondering why my own US culture does not find more joy in these simple things.

The next day, we worked all day painting the boys' dormitory. Today was the day we were assigned to paint a mural on one of the walls, and due to my huge enthusiasm for drawing, coupled with my teammates' lack of desire to draw, I got to head up this project. :) We spent hours creating a scene with boys playing football (our Westernized soccer) with an elephant. I loved the joy each child got from seeing us put color on the walls. I had to work my way around the kids as I put my pencil to the building... they were so excited to see what we would do for them! Our work on the building will be complete tomorrow, when we put the finishing touches on the dorm. How great to leave my mark in Thailand, and to such a great cause, for such wonderfully resilient children. In the midst of danger and poverty, these kids still thrive.

That evening, we went to visit the night bazaar, and on our way back, we came in contact with such danger. A police officer stopped our van in the middle of a dark empty road, spoke to the driver and our group leader in Thai, and let us continue on our way. When we asked what happened, our leader, Claire, told us the officer was looking for drugs and human trafficking. Apparently, he had 4 men behind him with machine guns, and this is not an uncommon occurence. Reality struck me as we sped home, and once again validated my reasoning and passion behind my personal purpose for this trip. Behind the safe gates of MKF, it is hard to see the dangers amid the rest of Chiang Rai. However, trafficking is so incredibly common, and hidden so well, an average visitor may never know. It makes me sick to drive through the hills and see an orphanage or shelter next to a resort, but it exists much more than you would think. The world needs to be made aware.

Our holiday is great as well. So far, we have visited the White Temple (the product of a famous Thai artist) and the Black House (his house, with over 48 huts set in a Zen-like yard... with the nicest bathroom I will likely ever use in this country), a Thai tea farm (and had an official tea tasting!), the Golden Triangle (where a large amount of opium is transported between China, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos), taken a longtail boatride to Laos, and seen market after market after market. There is so much more to say, but little time and words. I will post pictures at the end of my trip; it is so beautiful here.

In terms of culture, I've also recently discovered that Thai people love Jason Mraz. So we have more in common than I thought. :)

Thinking about each of you as I continue my trip. My adventure tour begins on Friday, and I'm not sure how much internet I will have from there on out. I'll write as time and zest allows.

Much love from Southeast Asia,
Laura

Frog's legs: the new white meat.

The past few days have been so full, and so humid! I sit in the computer room at Mae Kok, waiting for the ever-looming clouds to dump buckets; it's been all day, and still no rain. Honestly, I have never wanted rain more than I do in Thailand.

Last night, we had quite a storm! The day began like this one, very hot and sunny, but progressed into thunderstorms as evening came, and by nightfall, we were surrounded by lightning and clouds like I have never seen. We stood outside, undercover, and took it all in. One ominous, coal colored cloud rose up from behind the hills, put on a show, and dissapated within a couple hours... but not before letting loads of rain down onto the earth! Luckily, I had already gone inside, but the deafening sound of tropical rain on the roof is unmistakable.

Needless to say, I'm hoping for another show tonight. I've only just gotten used to taking photos of lightning.

As for the rest of our time here at Mae Kok, it's been really productive. Our group is working on rennovating the children's dormitories still; we've spent this week painting the boys' dorm, which involves sweeping out large bugs, painting several coats of new color, and working the yard around the building. In the heat of the day, there are times I find it difficult to be at the top of my game, I'll admit. But these wonderful children... they are completely worth it. Not to mention, I've been so blessed (and so priveledged) all my life. Using a hoe, getting over my fear of large bugs, and peeling off layers of paint, sweat, and dirt at the end of the day hardly compares to the life these children have. Mae Kok is a pseudo-sanctuary for them, and I am honored to improve it for the kids who live and work here.

Mae Kok Foundation, as our group learned today, is the product of a 20-year project, started by AnuLuck's husband. Originally, it was a drug rehabilitation center for the Hill Tribe people (who all immigated from Burma and have not protection or support from the Thai government), but has now become a foundation strictly for children, most of whom, as I've stated before, have little to no family structure. With so much use of Opium, crack cocaine, and with human trafficking so predominant in these village societies, Mae Kok is an outstanding alternative to the lifestyle these children would otherwise be exposed or forced into. What makes Mae Kok so much more sustainable than other shelters is the value the foundation places on personal responsibility: each child has community chores (such as cooking meals, sweeping, and the like), as well as personal chores, such as laundry. From a Human Services point of view, this makes the prospect of transitioning into everyday adult life positively and autonomously much more viable over foundations who cater to the child's need, but do not instill values within them.

Aside from our volunteer work and education about Mae Kok, I've had some interesting experiences over the last few days:

The night bazaar in downtown Chaing Rai was amazing! Everything is so inexpensive (33 Baht is equal to 1USD!) and well-made, from dresses to artwork to jewelry to games and textiles. It all was amazing, and Thai culture is so much more pleasureable to shop in.... the locals are all much more gracious and happy to have you at their stand. This is especially true in comparison to my personal experiences in Mexico (the only other international shopping I've done), where the local feel is a little more pushy, as if you owe the community money. Thai culture is extremely polite and dilligent; all the products are wonderful, and I love the authentic feel of bartering in the marketplace.

Another market excursion we recently had was to shop for food. As part of our volunteer work, my friend Melissa and I went to the markets with AnuLuck. Although we made several stops, the one which stood out to me was when we went to get meat. Everything is fresh, and I mean fresh! We saw chickens de-headed and cut for sale, and fish, still flipping around in a basket, gasping for dear life, be pulled out, scaled, gutted, and cut for our dinner. The smells werer almost enough to make me queasy, but the topper was carrying the bag of cut fish out of the market, and still feeling it wiggle in my hand!... we had fried fish for dinner that night, if anyone is wondering. Along with our meat purchases, we picked up a couple specialty items: dried frog, maggots, and grasshoppers, oh my! For the first time in my life, I ate a new meat. Typically I only eat fish, but due to the incredibly rare nature of this meal, I decided that one frog really wasn't going to hurt. :)

The weekend is coming up soon, and out group gets to take a holiday on Monday and Tuesday... much more sight-seeing, food tasting, and a possible venture across the border if we are permitted.

Hope you are all well! Sending happiness your way from Thailand!
Love, Laura

sa-was-dee.

After 30 hours of travel (that's 3 flights and a bus ride), my new-found friends and I made it to Thailand! We are currently stationed in Chaing Rai at the Mae Kok Foundation. We are 30 minutes from civilization, in what first appears to be the middle of the jungle (right on the Burma and Laos borders). However, after staying here for only a few days, I can tell you there is much more.

This Christian-based shelter for Hill Tribe children is such a calm and safe environment, with a true family feel in a time when these children have none. It is amazing to be a part of this particular group, as less then 0.1% of the Thai population is Christian. I feel so blessed to be welcomed into this organization with the other children and staff; it is almost as if I was always living here. The director of Mae Kok, Anluck (we call her 'Mom'), hosts the volunteers, cooks, cleans, shops, instructs the children, and oversees all the projects completed here. She, in one word, is strong. So strong and amazing, and so very giving. I feel as if this community is so gracious it is difficult to give enough back... but we are all working hard in hopes to earn how welcomed we have been.

The food is amazing, and aside from a slight lack of appetite in the humidity, I've been eating quite well. Anluck and the children make all the meals, which are typically traditional Thai foods: Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle, Fried Rice, Jasmine Rice, Curries, and many others. There is always a vegetarian alternative to each dish, which makes me so happy! I cannot wait to help cook!

We also have the opportunity to try rare fruits I cannot even begin to describe, such as Rambutan (we called it "Angry Strawberry" before we knew the name), Asian Pears, and much more. Our first day in Chaing Rai, we visited the largest supermarket in town (which is nothing in comparison to a Fred Meyer or Hagen), and we were a little frightened to see these fruits on the shelves, all written in Thai. However, now that we are able to see and taste them in the context of a Thai meal or dessert, it is much easier to understand the culture... and there is so much to understand!

The weather here is incredible as well. Quite tropical and humid... one minute it will be sunny, in the upper 90's or low 100's, and suddenly the clouds will come billowing over the hills to give us a shower! I had concerns about not bringing a rain coat, but my ponchos are doing just fine. As predicted, the rain here is so extreme that it soaks through most jackets, making my poncho the envy of many in my group (thank you for the advice, Brian!).

Our volunteer activities include teaching English lessons off-site at 2 different schools, morning chores, building reconstruction/maintenence, and traveling with Anluck to the market. We have a schedule so each group member gets to do a little bit of everything, which is nice. Today, we painted the closet doors in the girls' dormitories, and later went to teach for a couple hours. I wish we had more time to work with the children at the school; they are so eager to learn but the school does not have enough teachers to go around.

In our free time, there is much we can do (surprisingly, due to our remote location!). Yesterday, we took a long-tailed boat across the nearby river and visited an elephant camp. I had mixed feelings about this tourist attraction at first, due to the rate of abused elephants in Thailand. However, the community in Chaing Rai is dedicated to the livelihood of elephants and puts them to work logging and giving rides to foreigners as a way to keep the elephant camp running, which is one of the best ways to protect them from poachers and other dangers. The ride was completely worth it, and something I will never forget: we saw rice paddies, local huts, and other beautiful sights of the lush atmosphere. Afterward, we fed our friends bananas, roots, and corn, and took a walk through the nearby village. We spent a couple hours at flea markets as well, where Claire, our project leader, helped us to barter with the local Hill Tribe vendors. How lucky are we to have a translator! Tomorrow we will visit the night bazaar, where my bartering skills will really be put to use.

So much more has happened, but it is time for me to go. Thank you all for your well-wishes and support; it really does mean so much to me. Sending love to each of you from Thailand!

Until next time,
Laura

I've got a 30lb pack, & I'm not afraid to use it!

Today, Laura is

1 part confident
1 part ready to regress into fetal position
Mix well with a sprinkle of butterflies and more Malaria medication
DO NOT BAKE. This is a recipe made to-go. :)



Thank you all for your well-wishes yesterday and today! I'm ready to rock!
Please pray for my safety and send kind throughts from your end of the world.

I'll be writing as I am able! Take care, everyone!

Love, Laura

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Five. That is exactly how many days I have until I take off for my big adventure.

Am I excited? You betcha.
Nervous? Yeah, sure.
Scared I'm going to see an bug the size of my head?!
Yes, very scared... Let's move on.

In all seriousness, I feel pretty good about my trip so far, and my 'To Do' list is narrowing down.
Let's see how things have been going:

1. Shots completed- check
2. Made it through all my medications without hurling (yet)- check
3. Purchased all my traveling supplies- check (I think; you know how last minute things always seem to fall from the sky.)
4. Copies of all my documents- check
5. Buy textbooks, finish work projects, etc. for when I return home - check

Okay, okay... not too shabby. Here's what I have left:

6. Put new music on my ipod
7. Pack the huge pile of what I've been calling 'Thailand stuff' taking up a corner of my room into an equally huge backpack
8. Withdraw enough funds to exchange for bahat (Thai currency)
9. Show up at the airport on August 20th

So... I guess all I really have to do now is show up, which is both gratifying and terrifying.

On another note, I wanted to share an article with you on the sex trade in Thailand. I recently received this article from a loved one; it is not only informative, but summed up many of the reasons I want to continue working for women's health and education:
http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=7479

With that said, I don't imagine our group leaders will take us through the red district in Bangkok.

Looking forward to taking pictures, discovering culture, and obtaining adventures to share with you all. Keep safe, keep happy.

Love, Laura

Drum Roll Please...

Yesterday, I opened my email to find a notice from ISV concerning my Project Overview. For weeks, I've been waiting to hear where my 2-week placement will be for the volunteer portion of my trip, so it was extremely gratifying to finally have something to dream about.

As it turns out, I will be working with a Hill Tribe in Chiang Rai (the northern-most region of Thailand) for the Mae Kok Foundation. This is the first time that ISV will be partnering with the Mae Kok Foundation; I'm looking forward to blazing a new path in Thailand. Mae Kok has several major components, but the basis of the project runs around preserving the culture of the Hill Tribes in Thailand, who experience extreme poverty and do not have enough land to farm on. The lack of resources has caused the native culture to be "demoralized and swallowed by the modern world", according to my project overview. Farming, education, and housing are built into the Mae Kok system of living, and encourages cultural development and sustainability.

In terms of volunteering, our team (7 in total) will be working on rebuilding the infastructure at the foundation (such as the girls' dormitories) and teaching English to the 32 children there, ranging in ages from 4 to 18. In addition, some of us may be working at the local schools in Chiang Rai.

Without organizations such as this in place, many of these children would be exposed to the cycle of drugs and sex trafficking that, unfortunately, is a large issue in Thailand. It is an honor and a priveledge to be working to keep these kids safe and prepare them for a hopeful future. This issue particularly tugs at my heartstrings because I intend on dedicating some of my career in human services to sex trafficking prevention and awareness. (For more information on modern day slavery, including sex trafficking, please visit iabolish.org).

From watching my friends volunteer in Kenya this summer, I know that bringing books and other school supplies will be something I want to do. Although I'm not sure how much I can physically bring with me, I will be taking any donations people would like to make for the Mae Kok Foundation, including a limited amount of the following:

Toys and games

Arts/crafts supplies

Pencils/crayons/colored pencils

Simple English books

Books for teaching English as a second language

If you are interested in contributing to children in this socioeconomically-challenged area of Thailand, please email me with what items you would like to donate, or how much you would like to donate and what you would like the donation to go towards, and we will work out the details. Remember, even a little goes a long way and will be truly appreciated and used.

I couldn't be happier with my placement. Elephant babies aside, I know this is the right place for me to be. I'll continue to update you as the need arises.

With love and gratitude,

Laura

Get ready, Get set.

My travel manual came in the mail the other day for my trip to Thailand. I'm traveling with International Student Volunteers (ISV) for a four-week excursion through Thailand, and even though I've been looking forward to this trip for well over a year, the reality hasn't hit me yet. This will be my first time overseas; what a shock this experience is going to be!

I was first attracted to the idea of traveling with ISV when I heard about it on Western's campus and decided to look into the program. A standard ISV tour includes 2 weeks of volunteer projects (conservation, community development, and research), followed by 2 weeks of adventure touring. All in all, an amazing month to look forward to!

I designed this blog to keep family and friends informed of my travels (Thailand and beyond), as well as keep a record of my own findings. Right now, I'm still in the prep stages, and looking through all of the gear I need to purchase/acquire is a little daunting, but I'm sure it will all work out.

If you would like to know more about my travel plans, take a look at ISV's website: www.isvonline.com. The adventure tour itinerary is laid out, as well as possible volunteer projects.

I'll be writing frequently before I leave, and as frequently as possible while in Thailand, so keep checking back in!

Take care, everyone!

Laura