Grace in Thailand

Grace in Thailand! (KA 2012)

Entry 1-May 8, 2011

Hi everyone. As you all know (or at least most of you), my name is Grace Gongaware and I am a junior here at Kiski. If you are reading this blog, I’m assuming that you already know of my trip to Thailand this summer. If not, here’s a quick update. This past winter I became interested in the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. It is an organization that is dedicated to promoting a deeper understanding of key contemporary international issues. Mr. Christie, one of my favorite teachers (hands down), nominated me for the scholarship. From there, I wrote a series of essays and had the most nerve-wracking panel interview of my life. However, it was worth it; TOTALLY worth it.

So here, this blog (set up by the one and only Mr. Smith) is meant to document my studies and growth of cultural awareness. And of course to keep you all posted, you lucky ducks! Hopefully, along with me, you will begin to view the world in a whole new perspective. Awesome.

Okay. Blog number ONE. Wootwoot. Today I got a few of the multiple vaccinations I need before the trip. I visited the Passport Health Services which is a travel clinic that helped suggest the possible shots I would need. So, on my lovely outing, I had the pleasure of getting the Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis vaccinations. For my trip, it was recommended that I get the

-Rabies

-Influenza (Including H1N1)

-Typhoid

-Hepatitis A

-Japanese Encephalitis Vaccinations

And -Malaria Medication

YAY. But hey, no pain no gain, and as soon as the plane touches down in Thailand, I’m sure I’ll forget how many times my arm was pricked.

Entry 2- May 27, 2011

Today is the 27th of May. In exactly one month, I’ll be on my way to Thailand. ONE MONTH.

Last night I attended the pre-departure orientation at the Rivers Club in Pittsburgh. The meeting was an opportunity to meet the other students traveling abroad to countries including Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy and others. We were also treated to a reception and a fabulous dinner. Directly after, we were given an overview to prepare us for the super fast approaching trip. The discussion covered what to expect when staying with the host family, what to do about converting American cash to foreign money, changing flights, and any other concerns. So now, I’m even more excited, if that’s even humanly possible.

But, the highlight of the evening was listening to David Murdoch, not only a partner for K&L Gates and an honorary consul for the Federal Republic of Germany, but also the chairman of the board of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh. He spoke of his trip to Germany as a teen and the historical importance of it with the creation of the Berlin Wall during his stay in 1961. Because of his experiences, he is a big proponent of foreign travel for teens. He believes that when one is immersed in and appreciates another’s culture, it is difficult to feel hatred or a need to go to war with them. Understanding others is an important key to world peace.

He also discussed how placing a value on foreign traditions and culture will be a benefit to the future of international relations. He summed up the importance by remembering five key “C” words when traveling; curiosity, courage, confidence, competence, connections. Hey David, you rock.

Entry 4- June 29

By now I have completely lost any comprehension of time. I feel like I’ve been here for a week even though it’s only the 29th of June. (The plane rides together just from Los Angeles totaled to over 22 hours.) Well anyway, I’m in Thailand and it’s beautiful! Flying into Chiang Mai, I could see temples and rice paddy fields from my window. I was so excited when we landed. We boarded these little busses called songthaew, which took us to our hotel. The hotel is like mini apartments that look like a tropical Sesame Street – with no muppets, though. After unpacking I was greeted by a giant cockroach in my shower. Welcome to Thailand.

We then had orientation in the local college where we learned some Thai phrases. Sa wat dee ka -- Hello. We had dinner at a restaurant called "Doctor." My group of travelers ordered different plates so we all could sample an assortment of specialties. For dessert we had toast smothered in chocolate syrup. Now we’re talking the same language!

Entry 5 - June 30

I just woke up in Thailand!!!

Entry 6 - June 30 (evening)

Day two is over. We started the day off at the cafe and breakfast was surprisingly American, with toast and eggs. We then traveled to an art and history museum. It was really cool looking at the dioramas and artifacts except I couldn’t understand anything! The tour guide spoke minimal English and we found it to be so frustrating. We wanted to know more but were limited by our inability to understand their language.

For lunch our group leader, Maren, gave us 50 baht (equivalent to less than 2 dollars) to find lunch. We set off through a section of town to find food and ended up stopping at a small restaurant. There, we each bought a full meal. For me, I chose Pad Thai, one of the country’s national dishes made from stir-fried rice noodles, sauce, bean sprouts, peanuts, and shrimp. Once we were finished, we headed to the markets. There, we were separated into groups of three and given a list of food items written in Thai symbols and the pronunciation. This task was challenging, but awesome. Trying our best to pronounce the foreign words and navigate through the markets was an eye-opening experience. It humbled us to know we had to be creative in communicating and were at the mercy of the community. We would basically point to the word, do our best to say it and then get directions. They were all so friendly and willing to help, a lot different from some places we’ve been to back home. After conducting the scavenger hunt we all came together to compare our prizes. We collected meatballs, pizza-flavored banana chips, and honey-pickled mango. By the way, I ate my first bug.

When we got back to the hotel we got dressed-up for our first traditional Thai dinner, khantoke style. The magical evening began at the restaurant -- it was awesome! The place was comprised of fancy huts with lights streaming across the walkways. We sat Thai style on the carpeted floors and they served us on little trays. The stage was raised a few feet off the carpeted floor where a traditional band performed first and the graceful dancers after. For one of the dances, the performers came into the audience and brought people on stage to dance. Yeah, that’s right.....I was Thai dancing...

Entry 7 - July 4 - Happy Independence Day!

We've been extremely busy here in Chiang Mai. But, we did get to celebrate the day by heading to a fair. There were games, music, balloon jumps, and.....surprise....American food! Now, I'm heading off for my two-week homestay and won't have access to a computer. However, I will have more time to devote to reflecting on and writing about my time here in Thailand. So, stay tuned.

You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words...

Entry 8 - July 22

We returned from the homestay a few days ago and I had an awesome time. However, it was very sad to say goodbye to my Thai family. We became connected and I felt so loved when we said our last goodbyes. The tears were flowing for all of us.

As I expected, the weather here is HOT. There are a bazillion bugs and they are all supersized. I found a cicada that was a little smaller than my hand (don’t worry, I didn’t eat it). And, there are lizards everywhere.

Like an earlier blog, I’m finding many awesome moments to savor. Last night we went to dinner, and when I was done I got up and walked to the open section. It was dark out and the river came up right next to the sidewalk. I sat down on the stairs and watched the lights and listened to the cafe music. It was beautiful and I think I can positively say you all would have loved it if you were here. As much as I miss home and am dying to see all of you, I am definitely going to miss this place.

Although I had plans to update my blog with much more of my writing, there is only one computer for the 13 kids I travel with. I am packing for my trek to the hill tribes. I'll be out for a few days, then head back to Chiang Mai, and then off to Bangkok. But for now, heres some pictures from the homestay!

Woop, elephant rides next...

Entry 9 - July 5

Here are some notes from my homestay two weeks ago. Sorry the dates are out of order.

Day one of the homestay at Ban Pa Sak Ngam: The drive to the village from Chiang Mai was only an hour long even though it feels as if we are in a different country with such a complete change of scenery. The trees became fuller and greener while the roads became rougher and worn out. At some points our truck would leave orange dust clouds trailing behind. The air also felt immensely cleaner. To reach the village we drove through dense forest areas, where everything is tropical -- the sounds of the bugs and birds, the bright blue sky, and the palm trees. It is amazing! We first arrived at the school where our names were called and we were met by our families. When it was my turn my mother came forward and she and I towed my luggage home on her bicycle. I seriously tried speaking the little Thai I learned in our Thai classes. But there was an obvious language barrier. We spent our mile walk back to her home in complete silence.

My homestay house is a single story home. The outside is covered with white plaster. It has wooden windows and a tiled porch with pink lotus flowers. Inside is simplistic. There is minimal furniture, having some wooden stumps for chairs. The bathroom is not inside the house. Instead, it is in a hut outside that has a washing machine, a shower head, and a toilet. I am the luckiest kid in my group for scoring the only house in the village with an almost shower and toilet. Most of my friends are stuck with the common squat toilets, which are exactly what they sound like. I was offered a bedroom separated by walls of cinderblock. I have no lights except for a small night light, and I have a pink mosquito net.

Upon arriving at the new home, I met my grandmother, too. While we were awkwardly eating our lunch, my host mother pulled out a picture of me which was sent by the travel group (Experiment in International Living). I then gave her the scrapbook that I had made detailing my life. Showing her pictures of my family stirred up pangs of homesickness in me. But, I found it endearing to watch her use a dictionary to translate the captions. She had a genuine interest in my life which made me more interested in hers.

Later, my group of travelers got together to tour the village and find each other’s houses. When I got home I met my twelve-year old sister for the first time. Her name is Kahn (Waan) and she was really quiet. Well, I guess that’s because we can’t speak the same language. Her father, however, is very friendly. He always carries a dictionary and attempts to say little words in English.

So far, the homestay transition has been both challenging and comforting. I’ll soon fall asleep. There are dogs barking outside my window, the church choir is singing from across the road, my fan is ticking, and the lizards are chirping while climbing my bedroom walls. Tomorrow I’m going to the waterfall with my group. Let another day begin.

Entry 11 - July 10

I think I’ve been doing pretty well adjusting to this climate. But come on, over 100 degrees is too much for anyone. Most days have been a balmy temperature in the 90s. After living in this heat for 5 weeks, I’m going to think the temperature back home is cold...

Today looked like it was going to be the same as yesterday until lunchtime when Maren and Pat (our group leaders) took us to the market for some time away. So, we managed to squish 17 people into a Ford truck for a 40 minute drive. It was quite the experience. One the way back from the market, we stopped at the most gorgeous temple yet.

Instantly I thought how the buildings were too beautiful to be real. They looked like they came straight from a movie or fairytale. The roofs were painted a rich, blue-purple and the pillars were a deep red orange covered in a design of the same color. Parts of the buildings were adorned with broken, colorful glass mosaics so that they glowed in the sunlight. In one of the buildings, wind chimes were arranged bordering the ceiling so that the breeze through the open walls created a symphony of ringing to complement the view.

Right now I’m sitting on the tiled floor of my house (cross-legged, of course). We just finished dinner. I’m getting used to the food and fortunately my family is holding back on giving me anything insanely spicy like in Chaing Mai.

Entry 12 - July 14

Since it is monsoon season it storms a lot, especially in the evening. So, the electricity is out and I’m writing in the dark.

I got stung three times today and I was swarmed with red ants. I’m one gigantic sore bug bite. Today was spent doing our community service at the village temple. We cleaned, primed, and painted the walls surrounding the wat (monastery temple). Because of the tropical surroundings, the walls were crawling with bugs, especially ants. After working from 9 to 5, I was so grateful to go home.

As soon as I got back, my host dad suggested that we all go fishing. So, he packed the truck with fishing supplies including the fishing rods that were just sticks with fishing line, and we drove off. Soon, we arrived at the lake….IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! It looked as if it was straight out of an Ansel Adams photograph. The mountains surrounding the water were covered with trees. We parked and fished for an hour before Kahn got bored and wanted to go play ping pong. I was really trying not to catch a fish since my mom was collecting them for dinner that night. I’ve fished ever since I can remember but I’ve never kept the fish I reeled in. Tonight was to be another first with my catch in Thailand.

And, although the beginning of the day was tough, the second half redeemed itself by me having a really cool family to spend time with.

Entry 13 - July 15

We finished our temple painting today, and it looks fantastic. Then, the day went back to our usual bike riding and ping pong. We are just enjoying the chilled lifestyle of the village. At lunch, our group got together to make lesson plans for the students at school. Tomorrow we will be teaching English to the children. It’s going to be interesting.

When I got home today, my mom and grandma had two shirts lying on my bed as a surprise gift. It was extremely touching that they went out of their way for me. I was holding the shirts up to show how much I appreciated them and Kahn ran to her closet, pulled a shirt out and gave it to me. It was endearing. Of course, I followed suit and went to my luggage and pulled out my white tshirt and gave it to her. She was so happy and she kept thanking me and even thanked me with a wai – a bow with her palms pressed together. We were just like sisters at home exchanging clothes.

Entry 14 - July 16

The morning began just like every day, I went to sit on the porch and say good morning to my family. Today I woke up to find my dad smashing bugs in a small bowl. He saw me, smiled, and held a big fat bug. “Beetle,” he said. Then, he placed it in the bowl and ground the remains into the rest of the mixture. Awesome. Dinner.

Just kidding. We ended up not eating the bugs, so I’m a little nervous for tomorrow’s breakfast.

We are leaving the village in a few days and it’s really starting to hurt. Of course my real family will never be replaced and nothing comes close to how much I love them, but living with my host family has made a huge impact on me. I love them in a way I didn’t know could be possible in a mere two weeks.

Today was another mellow day in Ban Pa Sak Ngam, with the same routine of biking, ping pong, and group meetings. This morning, though, we spent time baking at Monica’s host mother’s house. There is a ceremony tomorrow at the temple, and each family is bringing food for the monk. He will be one lucky guy after he gets our snacks. We made a type of dessert that was a ball of dough that we rolled into coconut sugar, then it was wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. When it was finished, the dessert was unwrapped, revealing a sticky sugary ball. It was seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten.

Entry 15 - July 17

Tomorrow is our last full day here. So today was a day of lasts -- last day of pickup soccer, last day of khantoke dinner at the village. It was kind of depressing. The only thing (or one of the few things) I won’t miss will be the electricity going out so frequently. For the past two nights, I’ve had to get my shower in the candle light.

Today I hung out with the younger girls of the village, Ann, Kahn, and Waa. These girls were so adorable. They were so open and fun. They braided my hair and joked with me. Waa would poke me and affectionately lean her head on my shoulder. She would have been great fun to live with like Kahn, but her family hadn’t hosted a traveler.

This morning my group and I built a dam on a stream in the middle of the woods. This dam will prevent water from overflowing to part of the village during the monsoon season. It was hard work. We made the outside of the dam by pounding bamboo spokes into the mud and filled that with rocks and dirt.

Although I’m excited to get back to more modernization, I’m definitely going to miss this calm lifestyle and its people!

Entry 16 - July 18

Today was the last full day here. The morning was spent at the school where they held a religious service where we received bracelets and listened to a man preaching and chanting. After that we were supposed to spend the rest of the day with our family, so my grandma took me to Emily’s house. It was kind of like the first day all over again. Our moms talked for a while and gave us lunch. When we went home I packed most of my clothes in my backpack. It was really sad knowing I most likely would never come back here.

After ping pong (AGAIN), we went to the school for our farewell ceremony. There we were given a dinner of Pad Thai, chicken, pineapple, and sticky rice. Then, three girls from the Thai high school danced to a choreographed song and in return, my co-travelers and I performed our “number.” Since the kids connected with us through music and specifically Jason Mraz and Justin Bieber, we decided to sing a mash up of “I’m Yours” and “Baby.” Then we ended with the goodbye song from “The Sound of Music.” We could tell that all of the kids liked that we picked their songs. It was a special thing we all had in common.

On our way back home, it was already pitch black, so Kahn drove the bike while I sat on the back. The night was so peaceful. No cars, no voices, just stillness. The temperature was perfect, too, with a cool breeze blowing as we round the curving bends. As I rested my cheek on Kahn’s shoulder, I realized how attached I had become to this place in such a short time. I had fallen in love with the mellow, contented life and its people. Even though we didn’t speak a word of the same language, the Thai villagers and I had created a special bond. Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have known that perfect strangers could become such a big part of my life. I consider myself to be lucky.

Entry 17 - July 19

The homestay is officially over. What a day. Waking up was so sad. I ate my breakfast of custard filled rolls and hot chocolate on the porch for the last time. You could tell everyone was upset. People would drift slowly around the house and no one talked much. I guess I was just as big a part of their lives as they were of mine. For the rest of the day, I did the usual village life routine. Ping pong, biking, and more ping pong. I then gave my gifts to my family during lunch. My last meal in the village was rice and a noodle/root soup.

When it was time, we all headed back to the school for our departure. There we were to say our farewells. I first said goodbye to my mom and she and I started crying. It was awful. My mom barely showed any emotions for the two weeks I knew her. She was always very controled. But when I looked into her eyes, I knew it was as hard for her as it was for me. I had to look around for my dad. He left the group to stand with the men who were holding back from the sobbing girls. But when I walked up to him I was surprised to see him crying, as well. I felt terrible. His eyes were red and he was trying to hold back his tears. He tried to clear his throat but when he said “Come back to Thailand someday,” his voice cracked. I just grabbed his arm, thanked him for everything, and gave him the biggest hug ever. My goodbye with Kahn was next. She was standing next to grandma with her arms folded. I swooped her up in a big hug and she broke down. We buried our faces in each other’s shoulders and sobbed. I was the big sister she didn’t have and we really were sisters by the end of the two weeks.

My dad helped me with my luggage and packed it into the songtow. Looking out the back I could see each member of my new family lined up crying. Riding in the songtow as it pulled out of the school’s lot was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. We drove past the temple and past the noodle shop and then we were gone. That was it for my stay in the village.

Back at the Sawasdee hotel in Chiang Mai, I needed something to do to keep my mind off my family, so I unpacked my bags. That night we had dinner at an American style restaurant. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet for 89 baht (about $3). There was steak, fish, chicken and French fries. It was good, but I realized how greasy it was compared to the food I’ve become accustomed to here. We ended the night with going to the market for another Thai massage. It was relaxing and a glorious way to end a pretty rough day.

Entry 18 - August 23

For all you blog readers out there, I’m home. I arrived back in Pittsburgh on August 4th , after a flight from Bangkok to Singapore( a nine-hour layover) then to Tokyo, then to Los Angeles (another nine-hour layover), THEN to Philadelphia, and FINALLY back home to Pittsburgh. It was a total of two grueling days of travel.

As a quick fill-in for the last 3 weeks in Thailand… After returning to Chiangmai from the homestay, my group and I spent a week exploring more markets and visiting temples. (I even treated myself to a few more Thai massages). One weekend was spent trekking to a hill tribe village where we stayed at the Karen house in Mae wang. First, we rode elephants, then we hiked to the house. It was a pretty long and steep hike, but it was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip because I could see the lush countryside up close. When we arrived at our hut, we left our belongings inside to go shower in a nearby river. We returned to eat a light meal of summer rolls and curry, and then we fell asleep on mats on the floor (of course surrounded with bug nets). After the night in the cabin, it was another trek down the mountain where we finished with bamboo rafting (also another favorite activity). One of the last days in Chiang Mai was spent zip lining through the treetops in the forest.

Then, we headed down to Bangkok, the largest city in Thailand in the southern part of the country. It was a long ten hour drive. When we arrived, I soon realized that Bangkok is A LOT different than Chiangmai. The buildings were closer, the roads were darker. Everything was more condensed, and traffic was crazy packed so we took the subway or train to get everywhere. The last week was spent going to the Pattaya beach, seeing the ruins of the city, Ayutthaya, visiting the Grand Palace, touring Wat Arun, and going to a Muay Thai boxing match (where we had front row seats and were on National Thai TV). For the final night in Bangkok, we had dinner on the 82nd floor of Thailand’s tallest building.

For the most part, it’s now nice to be back at home. I was glad to see my friends and family after five weeks and to slide back into the usual lifestyle that I had left behind. BUT, everything feels different. Not only are bugs smaller, and the temperatures cooler, but it seems like everything I know is changed and sadly, somewhat dull. Culture shock has hit. BOOM.

I miss Thailand more than I thought possible, and I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to travel. When I left, I was filled with doubts of why I would leave all that I comfortably knew to go to a completely foreign place. And, the answer is that it IS different than all I know because it’s new and interesting. Traveling to Thailand created an addiction for me to travel and learn as much as possible of different cultures, as well as share my culture with others. I want to experience everything and anything.

And that is where Mr. Murdoch ties back in to my blog. Previously, I mentioned the World Affairs Council’s farewell dinner we attended before leaving, and how at that dinner, Mr. David Murdoch reminded us travelers of five key “C” letter words; curiosity, courage, confidence, competence and connections. He predicted that our perspective in these areas would evolve. Before my trip, I thought that I had experienced and understood each trait. But I now know that I had not fully appreciated the meaning of each word. My experiences in Thailand have helped to develop a stronger meaning of important core concepts that will forever change me.

Thank you all for taking time out of your super busy lives to read about mine. Kap coon ka! Thank you!

More pictures of Grace inThailand .....