The journey begins at the train station in Chiang Mai, Friday at 5pm. We boarded the overnight train for Bangkok. We had bunk beds where we would sleep until 5am the next morning. I did not sleep too much on the train up to Chiang Mai, so I was determined to get a lot of sleep.
Here is the timeline for my trip back to Korea:
Friday - Overnight train 5pm - 6am
Saturday - 6am get off train and head back to original hotel to catch airport bus
2pm arrive at airport to board 5pm plane to Shanghai
9pm arrive at Shanghai Pudong and transfer to Shanghai Hongqiao
Sunday - 8:45am board plane from Shanghai Hongqiao to Seoul Gimpo
12:30 arrive in Seoul Gimpo
As you can see, I would need to be well rested to make sure I don't miss any details in this trip back to Korea. Thankfully, I was able to sleep until about 4:30am, when our guide woke us up to be ready to arrive in Bangkok.
We got to Bangkok late, around 7am. I went with the guide to purchase an airport bus ticket. I was told by the woman who sold me the ticket that the bus would pick me up at the 7eleven near the hotel at 11am. I wanted to make sure I got to the airport in plenty of time. It takes an hour by bus with no traffic to get there, so I wanted to allot enough time for worst case scenario and still have time to get through the detailed customs. Thailand has a lot of tourists, so their customs is a bit meticulous compared to Korea.
So I waited at the 7eleven....and waited....and waited. Eleven came and passed, so I called the company again to confirm the pick up location. They told me again "7eleven." I began to panic because they did not come and I needed to catch this flight. A note: there are hundreds of 7elevens in Thailand, if you have to catch an airport bus near a 7eleven, make sure you know exactly which one. I decided to walk down the main street, searching for other possible 7eleven candidates. Sure enough, there was another 7eleven. I called the bus again to see if it was the 7eleven on that street, it was the main street 7eleven, not the one close to the hotel. I waited again for the noon bus.
I arrived at the airport at 1:30pm, still plenty of time before my flight. I checked in and bought a snack before my flight. At 4pm it was time to board. I said "see you later" to Thailand because I hope to return one day. There is still so much I would like to see. I flew on China Eastern Airlines, which is one of the nicest airlines I have flown with. For the four hour flight they provided dinner and a snack before landing. I was able to sleep a bit on the plane before we landed.
I arrived at Pudong around 9:30pm. To enter China, you must have a tourist visa. I had a visa for my trip to China, but it was a single entry visa. I would need to transfer airports, but I did not have a valid visa. In Shanghai, the two airports are on opposite sides of the city. To get to the other airport, I would need temporary permission to enter the country. In China, if you are transferring airports in Shanghai, you are given a special temporary visa for 24 hours to change airports and leave China. I was given a special stamp in my passport that gives me permission to enter the country for 24 hours. It is a great system for a country that is so restricting on who can enter their country. It is a small step to China becoming more open to the world.
Once I went through customs, temporary visa in hand, I collected my luggage and proceeded to the airport bus. The two airports are connected by subway, high speed train, and bus. The bus is the fastest and cheapest way to move from one to the other. It also remains open until 11pm, so I would be able to catch a bus to the other airport. I found the bus station outside the airport, bought my ticket, and took it to Hongqiao airport. At this point, I was feeling pretty confident that the 7eleven issue would be the only hiccup in this trip back to Korea.
I arrived at Hongqiao airport around 11pm Saturday night. The airport was pretty deserted with a few people waiting for morning flights. I decided I would spend the night in the airport because hotels in Shanghai are so expensive and my flight was early. I did not want to miss it and be stranded in a country I was not allowed to be in past Sunday! The departure schedule was not listed because it was so late, so I decided to get some sleep and check the flights in the morning. I found an empty bench near the Starbucks stall in the airport and stretched out, with one bag under my head and clutching the other one. Being a Western woman traveling alone, I stayed aware of the people around me, you can never be too careful. I was able to doze off for a few hours. I also worked on a Sudoko, which I found to be difficult with only about six hours of sleep on the overnight train and three hours of sleep in the airport.
I woke up at 5am Sunday morning. My flight would leave at 8:45am so I wanted to make sure I knew the gate and check in information. I checked the departure information and discovered that it was all domestic departures. I saw a sign saying "International Departures" pointing down the terminal. I thought "Ok, there's where my flight will depart from," only to discover that part of the terminal desolate. I walked up to a security guard and asked here where to check in for my flight. She looked at the information and said "Wrong Terminal, you must go to the other Shanghai Hongqiao terminal, there the international departures leave."
I felt like I received a punch from Muhammad Ali in the chest. The other terminal?!? "Where is this other terminal?" I asked in as calm a voice I could. She told me "Oh about twenty minutes by taxi." It was now 7am. My flight would leave in less than two hours and I was in the wrong terminal! I thanked the guard and ran in search of the taxi station. The Domestic terminal on Hongqiao is very confusing. I asked a group of youth volunteer workers where to find a taxi. The poor things understood what I said, but could not find the words to respond. I felt so bad for them as they answered in Chinese very slowly enunciating every tone and syllable, but I do not speak Chinese by any stretch of the imagination, so I thanked them and moved on. I found another security guard, who was kind enough to take a frantic Westerner to the taxi station. I wouldn't have been able to find it if he didn't show me.
I then attempted to get a taxi. Of course, when you are in a hurry, there are no taxis in sight. I waited a good twenty minutes for a taxi, by now it's 7:30am. A few came, but seeing a foreigner who wouldn't speak Chinese, breezed past me picking up other people waiting. Finally, one taxi drove up and didn't have enough time to see that I wasn't Chinese before I ran up to the cab. He was a 50 something year old man, that when seeing me jump in his cab, shook his head and said something in Chinese that I could only imagine being "Why me?" I smiled and said "Shanghai Hongqiao airport." He looked at me, looked at the airport, and pointed indicating "Lady, you're at the airport." I tried to explain I needed to get to the other, showing him my flight information. He looked at it, mumbled something in Chinese, and proceeded to take me to the other airport. I wasn't sure if he knew that I wanted to go to the other Hongqiao terminal, not Pudong. If he took me to Pudong, there would be no way for me to make my flight. I continued to say "Hongqiao" and he would nod. I had no clue where this airport would be considering I did not know that there were two terminals separated by 15 miles. At one point, I saw a sign on a building saying "Hongqiao Airport" and said "Hongqiao" pointing at the sign. The driver stopped between the exit ramp and the highway with a puzzled look on his face. I then realized that this sign was a warehouse for planes, not the airport. I pointed at the highway and my ticket, to which my driver muttered something again in Chinese, probably along the lines of "This is what I get for being nice."
To my relief, my taxi driver knew all along what I had requested and brought me to the Hongqiao international terminal. I was so happy I gave him a big hug and tipped him for bringing me to the terminal so quickly. He was so patient, considering his passenger was a hysterical foreigner that made him stop in the middle of the highway. I proceeded to the check in counter. I showed the woman my flight reservation and her eyes got big. "Oh, you need to hurry through security, your flight is about to board." I looked up at the clock, it was 8:10am. The flight would close in 20 minutes! The line for security was short. The security process in China is very meticulous but quick. Every person is individually padded down after walking through the metal detector, but there are several people doing this part of the security process. I was able to get through security in 10 minutes. Of course, because I was in a hurry my gate would be the farthest from security. I ran to my gate, reaching it just in time to board. They hadn't even called last minute boarding by then! By this time I was exhausted. 3 hours of sleep combined with scrambling to find where my flight would depart is stressful. I had breakfast on the plane (once again China Eastern going above and beyond for a 90 minute flight) and was able to sleep a bit before landing in Seoul.
It's interesting, that Sunday morning marked 6 months of being in Korea for me. I found myself saying several times during this whole journey back to Korea "I just want to get back home to Korea." It was the first time for me to call Korea home. It truly has become that for me. Landing in Seoul, seeing Hanguel on the signs, hearing people speak Korean, and being surrounded by the fast paced technology inundated society once again was a comfort for me. Korea is home for me here in Asia.
Over this winter break, I went to three countries and had so many new experiences. It was the adventure of a lifetime to see so much in a short span of time. I hope this summer, I can travel to new cultures here in Asia and learn more about this incredible area of the world.
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thailand. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thailand Trekking: Day Three
Today, we had a delicious breakfast cooked by our guide. We packed our things and hit the trail for the last time.
The hike today was only about an hour. We hiked through rolling hills, very easy compared to the other two days. We hiked through several small villages and a few rice fields. We also walked through a small bamboo forest, which was lovely.
After the hike, we drove to a river where we took a bamboo raft ride down the river. After three days of hiking, it was nice to sit with our feet in the ice cold water. We saw a few children swimming in the river, some local women washing clothes in the river, and local farmers working in their fields.
When we finished the raft ride, we had Pad Thai for lunch at a local restaurant. Nearby the restaurant was a two thousand year old Wat and a Buddhist temple built into a cave. We were able to explore both temples. The Wat sent shivers down my back. It is amazing to see something that was built so long ago. This Wat has witnessed so many political and social changes, yet it remains unchanged. The temple in the cave was fascinating. As we walked farther into the cave, we saw more worshipers and larger Buddha statues. The few lights illuminated these bright images of Buddha and other protectors, giving it an eerie feeling.
It was time then to head back to Chiang Mai, back to civilization. When we reached Chiang Mai, we went to dinner together and spent the evening at a local dance club. Being only 20 and not able to enter most USA clubs, this was my first time at a club. Who knew that it would be in Thailand? We spent a few hours dancing and laughing about all the adventures of the week. Thailand is famous for its clubs and now I see why. For a conservative society, Thai people know how to let loose! We were the only foreigners there and there was a live band singing both Thai and English songs. It was funny to hear them sing Katy Perry and mess up every few words, really changes the meaning. After a few hours, I was ready to get back to the hotel. We would have half a day to see Chiang Mai before getting on our overnight train. I took a Tuk Tuk with Maggie back to the hotel, ready to sleep in a bed after two nights on bamboo mats.
The next morning, I went with the Australian sisters and the English girls to Doi Suthep, which is the most famous Wat in Chiang Mai. It is nestled on the top of the hill that overlooks the city. The Wat was magical, looming over the ancient capital of Thailand. It was a holy day in Thai Buddhism, so there were a lot of worshipers at the Wat. We saw a few of the ceremonies: a monk chanting with a group, people dropping coins in jars surrounding the complex, and people lighting incense. The smells of the incense and the sounds of the chants was incredible. Here are a few things I learned about Thai Buddhism: You never point your feet at the image of the Buddha, it is the most disrespectful sign in Thai culture. Women must never touch a monk because it will make them unclean. In Thailand, the main denomination of Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism mixed with pieces of Hinduism. At temples in Thailand, there are images of both Buddha and other Hindu deities. It is an interesting mix of two similar yet contrasting religions.
After we got back from the temple, it was time to pack up for the overnight train. We would be taking the train back to Bangkok, where I will be catching my flight back to Korea. Stay tuned for my next entry about the train and my flight, it will be epic!
The hike today was only about an hour. We hiked through rolling hills, very easy compared to the other two days. We hiked through several small villages and a few rice fields. We also walked through a small bamboo forest, which was lovely.
After the hike, we drove to a river where we took a bamboo raft ride down the river. After three days of hiking, it was nice to sit with our feet in the ice cold water. We saw a few children swimming in the river, some local women washing clothes in the river, and local farmers working in their fields.
When we finished the raft ride, we had Pad Thai for lunch at a local restaurant. Nearby the restaurant was a two thousand year old Wat and a Buddhist temple built into a cave. We were able to explore both temples. The Wat sent shivers down my back. It is amazing to see something that was built so long ago. This Wat has witnessed so many political and social changes, yet it remains unchanged. The temple in the cave was fascinating. As we walked farther into the cave, we saw more worshipers and larger Buddha statues. The few lights illuminated these bright images of Buddha and other protectors, giving it an eerie feeling.
It was time then to head back to Chiang Mai, back to civilization. When we reached Chiang Mai, we went to dinner together and spent the evening at a local dance club. Being only 20 and not able to enter most USA clubs, this was my first time at a club. Who knew that it would be in Thailand? We spent a few hours dancing and laughing about all the adventures of the week. Thailand is famous for its clubs and now I see why. For a conservative society, Thai people know how to let loose! We were the only foreigners there and there was a live band singing both Thai and English songs. It was funny to hear them sing Katy Perry and mess up every few words, really changes the meaning. After a few hours, I was ready to get back to the hotel. We would have half a day to see Chiang Mai before getting on our overnight train. I took a Tuk Tuk with Maggie back to the hotel, ready to sleep in a bed after two nights on bamboo mats.
The next morning, I went with the Australian sisters and the English girls to Doi Suthep, which is the most famous Wat in Chiang Mai. It is nestled on the top of the hill that overlooks the city. The Wat was magical, looming over the ancient capital of Thailand. It was a holy day in Thai Buddhism, so there were a lot of worshipers at the Wat. We saw a few of the ceremonies: a monk chanting with a group, people dropping coins in jars surrounding the complex, and people lighting incense. The smells of the incense and the sounds of the chants was incredible. Here are a few things I learned about Thai Buddhism: You never point your feet at the image of the Buddha, it is the most disrespectful sign in Thai culture. Women must never touch a monk because it will make them unclean. In Thailand, the main denomination of Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism mixed with pieces of Hinduism. At temples in Thailand, there are images of both Buddha and other Hindu deities. It is an interesting mix of two similar yet contrasting religions.
After we got back from the temple, it was time to pack up for the overnight train. We would be taking the train back to Bangkok, where I will be catching my flight back to Korea. Stay tuned for my next entry about the train and my flight, it will be epic!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thailand Trekking: Day Two
We woke early for a delicious breakfast cooked by our guide Gee. He made us eggs, toast with homemade jelly, and pineapple. It is winter in Thailand, so the days are hot and dry, but the night is cool, around fifty degrees. The morning air was cool and crisp, so we huddled around the fire while eating our breakfast.
After we had breakfast, it was time to hit the trail. Today will be the longest trek, about eight hours of hiking over six hills. We hiked our tallest hill today as well, which was around 800 ft. It will be a tough day, but the last leg of the hike would be on the backs of Asian elephants, so that was motivation for the group.
As we left the village, we immediately began a vertical hike up the first hill. When I say a vertical slope, I mean VERTICAL! We were on our hands and knees, clutching our bamboo sticks for support, slipping on the dry dusty trail. We hike uphill for about forty minutes before we reached a point where we could stand on our feet.
We then continued on the trail, hiking down beautiful valleys, pristine streams, and breathtaking cliffs. Even though it was the dry season, there was a lot of life in the forest and quite a few flowers in bloom.
On the last hill, we had to cross from one side of the top of the hill to the other. The trail went around the edge of the hill, which was extremely frightening! I was already slipping and sliding all over the place, to have literally six inches between me and a 500 meter cliff was very nerve wracking. Meanwhile, our guide was skipping along this narrow path, telling us to be careful and smile.
We descended from this hill to a group of locals who lead elephant treks through the hills. We had lunch there, resting our weary feet in the ice cold brook nearby. After lunch, we had the much anticipated hour long elephant ride through the hills. I have no words to describe this experience besides amazing, breathtaking, majestic, intriguing, and awe-inspiring. The elephants were magnificent gentle giants that seemed unfazed by the fact that they were carrying three people. To ride through the hills of Thailand on the back of an elephant is an experience that will stay with me until the day I die, it was more than anything I could have imagined. After a long day of trekking, to reach the village we would be staying in for the night by elephant was great.
The village we stayed in was a group from the Hmong tribe. It was a larger village than the Karen village we stayed in the day before. There were about 2,000 people that lived in this village. The Hmong people are not nomadic like the Karen tribe, so the village was a lot more settled and permanent. After a lovely dinner cooked by our guide Gee, we watched a group of the local children dance a traditional dance. They were absolutely adorable and looked exquisite in their traditional dress. We spent this last evening watching the stars in the clear sky, appreciating the seclusion we have here in this place from the rest of the world.
After we had breakfast, it was time to hit the trail. Today will be the longest trek, about eight hours of hiking over six hills. We hiked our tallest hill today as well, which was around 800 ft. It will be a tough day, but the last leg of the hike would be on the backs of Asian elephants, so that was motivation for the group.
As we left the village, we immediately began a vertical hike up the first hill. When I say a vertical slope, I mean VERTICAL! We were on our hands and knees, clutching our bamboo sticks for support, slipping on the dry dusty trail. We hike uphill for about forty minutes before we reached a point where we could stand on our feet.
We then continued on the trail, hiking down beautiful valleys, pristine streams, and breathtaking cliffs. Even though it was the dry season, there was a lot of life in the forest and quite a few flowers in bloom.
On the last hill, we had to cross from one side of the top of the hill to the other. The trail went around the edge of the hill, which was extremely frightening! I was already slipping and sliding all over the place, to have literally six inches between me and a 500 meter cliff was very nerve wracking. Meanwhile, our guide was skipping along this narrow path, telling us to be careful and smile.
We descended from this hill to a group of locals who lead elephant treks through the hills. We had lunch there, resting our weary feet in the ice cold brook nearby. After lunch, we had the much anticipated hour long elephant ride through the hills. I have no words to describe this experience besides amazing, breathtaking, majestic, intriguing, and awe-inspiring. The elephants were magnificent gentle giants that seemed unfazed by the fact that they were carrying three people. To ride through the hills of Thailand on the back of an elephant is an experience that will stay with me until the day I die, it was more than anything I could have imagined. After a long day of trekking, to reach the village we would be staying in for the night by elephant was great.
The village we stayed in was a group from the Hmong tribe. It was a larger village than the Karen village we stayed in the day before. There were about 2,000 people that lived in this village. The Hmong people are not nomadic like the Karen tribe, so the village was a lot more settled and permanent. After a lovely dinner cooked by our guide Gee, we watched a group of the local children dance a traditional dance. They were absolutely adorable and looked exquisite in their traditional dress. We spent this last evening watching the stars in the clear sky, appreciating the seclusion we have here in this place from the rest of the world.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thailand Trekking: Day One
Today was the beginning of our three day trek. We took a 1 1/2 hour drive out of Chaing Mai. We stopped for lunch at a small park halfway to our starting point for the hike. We had some delicious fried rice with some fresh fruit for lunch.
After lunch we reached the beginning of the trail. For the trek, we were going to hike through the hills to two different rural hilltribes. The first village we were going to visit were from the Karen tribe.
The hike was about three hours up and down a few steep hills. It was the dry season, so the dirt was like a fine powder, which made it easy to slip. Our local guide, Gee, was hiking in Crocs and jumping from rock to rock, saying "slowly slowly, smiley smiley." We were hiking slowly. We were not smiling because he was not hiking slowly. It was like a game of tag trying to keep up with him.
The hike was absolutely gorgeous. Once we were about an hour into the hike, all signs of civilization disappeared and we were surrounded by unbelievable hills. There is an amazing sense of peace when hiking through a place that is not often seen by others. You lose all sense of time and priority, replacing it with a focus on the small things: a beautiful flower, the warm breeze. It is something that reminds me how important it is to slow down and appreciate every moment.
We continued to hike until we reached the village. The village is home to about 200 people. The Karen people are nomadic, which means that they stay in one location about five years, after which they will move to a different area in the hills. Most of the people in the village are farmers. The Karen people are very conservative people. It is also the group of people that in some villages, the women elongate their necks with brass rings. The village we stayed in did not carry this tradition.
We set our backpacks down in our hut, which was a traditional home about two feet above ground. It was very cozy inside: several raised sleeping areas with mosquito nets. Before dinner, we walked around the village, meeting a few of the locals. We met an elderly couple and walked around their farm. Even though they were probably in their late 60's, they were a fiery couple, putting their very disobedient water buffalo in line.
For dinner, Gee made us a delicious pumpkin soup with a chicken stew. It was so good, especially after the hike. After dinner, we watched the sun set, and headed off to bed. The next day would be our long, difficult trek, so we wanted to get some rest.
After lunch we reached the beginning of the trail. For the trek, we were going to hike through the hills to two different rural hilltribes. The first village we were going to visit were from the Karen tribe.
The hike was about three hours up and down a few steep hills. It was the dry season, so the dirt was like a fine powder, which made it easy to slip. Our local guide, Gee, was hiking in Crocs and jumping from rock to rock, saying "slowly slowly, smiley smiley." We were hiking slowly. We were not smiling because he was not hiking slowly. It was like a game of tag trying to keep up with him.
The hike was absolutely gorgeous. Once we were about an hour into the hike, all signs of civilization disappeared and we were surrounded by unbelievable hills. There is an amazing sense of peace when hiking through a place that is not often seen by others. You lose all sense of time and priority, replacing it with a focus on the small things: a beautiful flower, the warm breeze. It is something that reminds me how important it is to slow down and appreciate every moment.
We continued to hike until we reached the village. The village is home to about 200 people. The Karen people are nomadic, which means that they stay in one location about five years, after which they will move to a different area in the hills. Most of the people in the village are farmers. The Karen people are very conservative people. It is also the group of people that in some villages, the women elongate their necks with brass rings. The village we stayed in did not carry this tradition.
We set our backpacks down in our hut, which was a traditional home about two feet above ground. It was very cozy inside: several raised sleeping areas with mosquito nets. Before dinner, we walked around the village, meeting a few of the locals. We met an elderly couple and walked around their farm. Even though they were probably in their late 60's, they were a fiery couple, putting their very disobedient water buffalo in line.
For dinner, Gee made us a delicious pumpkin soup with a chicken stew. It was so good, especially after the hike. After dinner, we watched the sun set, and headed off to bed. The next day would be our long, difficult trek, so we wanted to get some rest.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Valentines Day in Chaing Mai
We arrived in Chaing Mai around 7:30am, a little late, but we were told that the train is always late. We left the train and went to our hotel downtown Chaing Mai.
Chaing Mai is one of the oldest cities in Thailand. It is home to a lot of historical temples. It also has a city wall that is over a thousand years old. It is a much smaller city compared to Bangkok and it has an old laid back feel. We could tell the difference instantly. Chaing Mai doesn't have the river of cars, tuktuks, and scooters like Bangkok.
After checking in, I went with the Australian sisters and the UK girls to the Elephant Sanctuary. The Elephant Sanctuary was about an hour outside of the city. It is home to over 100 retired or rescued elephants.
One of the interesting things I learned while in Thailand is how much the Thai people have depended on elephants over their history. In Thai history, elephants were used by rural farmers and loggers to help with the work. Elephants were better fit for this work in the northern regions because they are sure footed, powerful animals that could carry heavy loads over rugged terrain. Elephants also form a familial bond with its owner, they will remain loyal to its master. For many families, a father and son would purchase an elephant together, because elephants can live for over eighty years. The elephant would get passed from one generation to the next. Raising the elephant together, they could share that bond with the elephant.
Sadly, when logging was restricted by the Thai government in the past century, many families were unable to continue their work. With a family and an elephant to feed, they were forced to either: 1. Abandon the elephant 2. Sell the elephant 3. Move to the city to try to make some money on the street with their elephant. One hundred years ago, there were over 70,000 elephants in Thailand. Now there are less than 5,000.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Chaing Mai is owned by the government to rescue abandoned elephants. They also house the only elephant hospital in Thailand, where farmers can bring their elephants to receive care. It is home to over 200 retired elephants.
It was so much fun to go to such a unique place and learn about these gentle giants. We watched an elephant show where they demonstrated some of the different jobs elephants would have working with farmers. We also got to feed a baby elephant (which thought I was a giant banana or something, so it tried to wrap its trunk around my waist) and we also went to the elephant hospital.
When we got back from the Elephant Sanctuary to Chaing Mai, we met up with the rest of our group to spend the evening together. We first went to the night bazaar, which was filled with all sorts of trinkets, spices, and souvenirs. After looking around, we had dinner on the roof of the tallest building in Chaing Mai. Being Valentines Day, we thought it would be crowded, but it was quite empty. I had some delicious Pad Thai, and we were eating dinner just as a fireworks show began in the city. It was a great way to kick off our three day trek, which would begin the next day.
It was a great way to spend Valentines Day: Visiting an Elephant Sanctuary, getting attacked by a baby elephant, and having dinner overlooking one of Thailand's oldest cities.
Chaing Mai is one of the oldest cities in Thailand. It is home to a lot of historical temples. It also has a city wall that is over a thousand years old. It is a much smaller city compared to Bangkok and it has an old laid back feel. We could tell the difference instantly. Chaing Mai doesn't have the river of cars, tuktuks, and scooters like Bangkok.
After checking in, I went with the Australian sisters and the UK girls to the Elephant Sanctuary. The Elephant Sanctuary was about an hour outside of the city. It is home to over 100 retired or rescued elephants.
One of the interesting things I learned while in Thailand is how much the Thai people have depended on elephants over their history. In Thai history, elephants were used by rural farmers and loggers to help with the work. Elephants were better fit for this work in the northern regions because they are sure footed, powerful animals that could carry heavy loads over rugged terrain. Elephants also form a familial bond with its owner, they will remain loyal to its master. For many families, a father and son would purchase an elephant together, because elephants can live for over eighty years. The elephant would get passed from one generation to the next. Raising the elephant together, they could share that bond with the elephant.
Sadly, when logging was restricted by the Thai government in the past century, many families were unable to continue their work. With a family and an elephant to feed, they were forced to either: 1. Abandon the elephant 2. Sell the elephant 3. Move to the city to try to make some money on the street with their elephant. One hundred years ago, there were over 70,000 elephants in Thailand. Now there are less than 5,000.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Chaing Mai is owned by the government to rescue abandoned elephants. They also house the only elephant hospital in Thailand, where farmers can bring their elephants to receive care. It is home to over 200 retired elephants.
It was so much fun to go to such a unique place and learn about these gentle giants. We watched an elephant show where they demonstrated some of the different jobs elephants would have working with farmers. We also got to feed a baby elephant (which thought I was a giant banana or something, so it tried to wrap its trunk around my waist) and we also went to the elephant hospital.
When we got back from the Elephant Sanctuary to Chaing Mai, we met up with the rest of our group to spend the evening together. We first went to the night bazaar, which was filled with all sorts of trinkets, spices, and souvenirs. After looking around, we had dinner on the roof of the tallest building in Chaing Mai. Being Valentines Day, we thought it would be crowded, but it was quite empty. I had some delicious Pad Thai, and we were eating dinner just as a fireworks show began in the city. It was a great way to kick off our three day trek, which would begin the next day.
It was a great way to spend Valentines Day: Visiting an Elephant Sanctuary, getting attacked by a baby elephant, and having dinner overlooking one of Thailand's oldest cities.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Thailand: With the Intrepid Group
So after a week of visiting Bangkok on my own, I met up with a tour group called Intrepid Travel. I wanted to travel to the more rural parts of Thailand, but I did not think it would be wise for me to travel there alone. I found this Intrepid online, and basically they organize tours that try to be as much a part of the local culture as possible. They use local transportation, eat at local restaurants, and tour places off the beaten path. For the tour I chose, we would stay in Bangkok for a day, travel to Chaing Mai, and then backpack for three days in the rural parts of northern Thailand. We would then make our way back to Bangkok by train.
I reached our meeting point, which was a hotel right downtown Bangkok. After checking in with the group, I wandered a nearby market, which sold a lot of lightweight clothes for extremely cheap. It was fun to see so many colorful clothes while eating fresh fruit and drinking coconut milk.
That evening, we had a group meeting. Another thing about this tour group that I really liked is that the group does not exceed twelve people. My group consisted of three girls from the UK, two sisters from Australia, an RN from Australia, a guy from Belgium who has traveled extensively, and an American girl who teaches in Korea.
The next day, we walked around a food market. It is interesting the similarities and differences between Korean and Thai markets. In both, there is an abundance of fresh fish (some still alive), fruit and vegetables. In Thailand, there was a variety of other interesting foods in the market including turtles, eel, and ant larvae.
After visiting the market, most of the group went to the Grand Palace. Since I went there a few days before, I went to a nearby fortress right on the river. I also visited a riverside park and two temples before heading back to the hotel.
That afternoon, we took taxis from our hotel to the train station for our overnight train to Chaing Mai. As we were driving to the station, we found ourselves right in the middle of a Red protest. For those who don't know, the Red party is the opposition party in Thailand at the moment. If you remember back to last summer, there was a lot of violence in Bangkok between the Reds and the police. Our guide told us that the Reds hold a protest twice a month, and it just so happened to be right as we were heading to the station. Our taxi driver was a no nonsense type, so he just drove straight through the protest. The protest was peaceful, just a bunch of people in the main square of the city dressed in Red walking around. There was a police presence, but they were just observing the protest. It almost looked like a carnival: people in bright clothes, people selling snacks and Red merchandise, and music being played in the background.
Once we reached the station, we had about an hour before our train. I went with a bunch of the girls to buy some dinner before boarding the train. I had some awesome Pad Thai with chili sauce. We boarded the train at about 5:00pm and were scheduled to arrive the next morning in Chaing Mai at 6:00am. It was my first experience on an overnight train. At about 9:00pm, the attendants converted our benches to beds. The train was air conditioned and quite smooth. It was nice to talk more with my fellow travelers and hear about what brought them to Thailand.
The Australian sisters, Yvonne and Kim, were here on a three week sister trip. Yvonne is the mother of three and has never traveled outside of Australia. Kim has traveled quite a bit, and wanted to travel with her sister.
The Australian RN, Kerry, has traveled quite a bit as well. She recently went to Nepal to backpack, and wanted to do some additional backpacking in Thailand.
The girls from the UK, Claire, Helen, and Ellie, were here for a holiday. They are friends from Manchester and wanted to escape the cold England weather to do something new together.
Jan, the guy from Belgium, has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He was on a three month holiday around Southeast Asia and wanted to see something new in Thailand.
Maggie, the USA teacher in Korea, was on the same holiday from school as I and wanted to travel somewhere warm. I think it's amazing the interesting places you meet people who share so many similar experiences. Maggie lives about an hour from my school. She was a music major like me, but realized that her passion was for Asia. She majored in Japanese and Anthropology, and is teaching in Korea for the year. We have so much in common, swapping marching band stories along with Koreaisms. Who knew that I would meet an American teacher teaching in Korea while on a tour in Thailand? We have stayed in touch since the tour and we're planning to travel in Korea sometime this spring.
I reached our meeting point, which was a hotel right downtown Bangkok. After checking in with the group, I wandered a nearby market, which sold a lot of lightweight clothes for extremely cheap. It was fun to see so many colorful clothes while eating fresh fruit and drinking coconut milk.
That evening, we had a group meeting. Another thing about this tour group that I really liked is that the group does not exceed twelve people. My group consisted of three girls from the UK, two sisters from Australia, an RN from Australia, a guy from Belgium who has traveled extensively, and an American girl who teaches in Korea.
The next day, we walked around a food market. It is interesting the similarities and differences between Korean and Thai markets. In both, there is an abundance of fresh fish (some still alive), fruit and vegetables. In Thailand, there was a variety of other interesting foods in the market including turtles, eel, and ant larvae.
After visiting the market, most of the group went to the Grand Palace. Since I went there a few days before, I went to a nearby fortress right on the river. I also visited a riverside park and two temples before heading back to the hotel.
That afternoon, we took taxis from our hotel to the train station for our overnight train to Chaing Mai. As we were driving to the station, we found ourselves right in the middle of a Red protest. For those who don't know, the Red party is the opposition party in Thailand at the moment. If you remember back to last summer, there was a lot of violence in Bangkok between the Reds and the police. Our guide told us that the Reds hold a protest twice a month, and it just so happened to be right as we were heading to the station. Our taxi driver was a no nonsense type, so he just drove straight through the protest. The protest was peaceful, just a bunch of people in the main square of the city dressed in Red walking around. There was a police presence, but they were just observing the protest. It almost looked like a carnival: people in bright clothes, people selling snacks and Red merchandise, and music being played in the background.
Once we reached the station, we had about an hour before our train. I went with a bunch of the girls to buy some dinner before boarding the train. I had some awesome Pad Thai with chili sauce. We boarded the train at about 5:00pm and were scheduled to arrive the next morning in Chaing Mai at 6:00am. It was my first experience on an overnight train. At about 9:00pm, the attendants converted our benches to beds. The train was air conditioned and quite smooth. It was nice to talk more with my fellow travelers and hear about what brought them to Thailand.
The Australian sisters, Yvonne and Kim, were here on a three week sister trip. Yvonne is the mother of three and has never traveled outside of Australia. Kim has traveled quite a bit, and wanted to travel with her sister.
The Australian RN, Kerry, has traveled quite a bit as well. She recently went to Nepal to backpack, and wanted to do some additional backpacking in Thailand.
The girls from the UK, Claire, Helen, and Ellie, were here for a holiday. They are friends from Manchester and wanted to escape the cold England weather to do something new together.
Jan, the guy from Belgium, has traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He was on a three month holiday around Southeast Asia and wanted to see something new in Thailand.
Maggie, the USA teacher in Korea, was on the same holiday from school as I and wanted to travel somewhere warm. I think it's amazing the interesting places you meet people who share so many similar experiences. Maggie lives about an hour from my school. She was a music major like me, but realized that her passion was for Asia. She majored in Japanese and Anthropology, and is teaching in Korea for the year. We have so much in common, swapping marching band stories along with Koreaisms. Who knew that I would meet an American teacher teaching in Korea while on a tour in Thailand? We have stayed in touch since the tour and we're planning to travel in Korea sometime this spring.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Grand Palace and Wat Pho
Today was a marathon day. I went to see two of Bangkok's most famous sights on the same day. They are very close to each other, and pretty far from my hostel so I decided to tackle them on the same day.
I left my hostel around 9am to walk over to take the river boat public transportation. In Bangkok, there are four modes of public transportation: Skytrain, Underground Metro, Bus and River Ferry. It was my first time taking the public transportation on the river, so it was great to see the city on the Chao Phraya. It was interesting to me that the river is quite uncongested with boats, and the roads are always at a standstill. I heard from one of the workers at the hostel that they are trying to encourage more public transportation on the river to try to open the roads. I felt very much in Thailand taking a longboat up the Chao Phraya river, seeing little houses right on the river and several Wats overlooking the city.
I first went to the Grand Palace, the home of the Thai royalty from the 1780's until a few decades ago. Within the palace grounds is also one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Thailand. It is called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, but it has been discovered that the Buddha is actually made of Jade. The palace was exquisite and the temple was intriguing.
The palace was built in both traditional Thai and some European architecture. Most of the buildings were ornately decorated, with intricate carvings and gold details. It was unbelievable to see such a magnificent palace. It is so different from the palaces I have seen in my travels around East Asia. It was a place that couldn't be missed and really showed me the extravagance of the Thai Monarchy. They are regarded so highly in Thai society, and this palace is evidence of that.
The "Emerald" (Jade in reality) temple inside the palace grounds was also quite beautiful. Like the Goose Pagoda in Xian, the temple was built for this relic, the "Emerald" Buddha. It was found in the northern parts of Thailand. At the time it was covered in a plaster, most likely to protect it from thieves. When a part of the plaster was removed, it was discovered it was made of a bright green stone. It was instantly (and falsely) identified as Emerald, so the name stuck. It was later, when the temple was already built in the palace, that the stone was correctly identified as Jade. Another interesting thing about this temple is that the Buddha has different dress depending on the time of the year. For each season (Cool, Summer, and Rainy season), the King of Thailand changes the dress of the Buddha from different gold outer layers. I have never heard of such a thing at any of the other temples I have visited thus far.
After visiting the Grand Palace, I went to the nearby Wat Pho. Wat Pho was a place of education in Thai medicine during the third King Rama in the late 1700's. Parts of the temple are still a place of education. It is also home to the Reclining Buddha, a 140 ft long gold plated Buddha. The temple grounds also consist of over a thousand images of Buddha (Hannah, I know you want to go see all these Buddhas!) I really like the more peaceful atmosphere of this temple after the huge crowds at the palace. It was nice to walk around, listening to monks chanting, trying to count just how many Buddhas are in this Wat (I'll just say there are TOO MANY!)
I left my hostel around 9am to walk over to take the river boat public transportation. In Bangkok, there are four modes of public transportation: Skytrain, Underground Metro, Bus and River Ferry. It was my first time taking the public transportation on the river, so it was great to see the city on the Chao Phraya. It was interesting to me that the river is quite uncongested with boats, and the roads are always at a standstill. I heard from one of the workers at the hostel that they are trying to encourage more public transportation on the river to try to open the roads. I felt very much in Thailand taking a longboat up the Chao Phraya river, seeing little houses right on the river and several Wats overlooking the city.
I first went to the Grand Palace, the home of the Thai royalty from the 1780's until a few decades ago. Within the palace grounds is also one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Thailand. It is called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, but it has been discovered that the Buddha is actually made of Jade. The palace was exquisite and the temple was intriguing.
The palace was built in both traditional Thai and some European architecture. Most of the buildings were ornately decorated, with intricate carvings and gold details. It was unbelievable to see such a magnificent palace. It is so different from the palaces I have seen in my travels around East Asia. It was a place that couldn't be missed and really showed me the extravagance of the Thai Monarchy. They are regarded so highly in Thai society, and this palace is evidence of that.
The "Emerald" (Jade in reality) temple inside the palace grounds was also quite beautiful. Like the Goose Pagoda in Xian, the temple was built for this relic, the "Emerald" Buddha. It was found in the northern parts of Thailand. At the time it was covered in a plaster, most likely to protect it from thieves. When a part of the plaster was removed, it was discovered it was made of a bright green stone. It was instantly (and falsely) identified as Emerald, so the name stuck. It was later, when the temple was already built in the palace, that the stone was correctly identified as Jade. Another interesting thing about this temple is that the Buddha has different dress depending on the time of the year. For each season (Cool, Summer, and Rainy season), the King of Thailand changes the dress of the Buddha from different gold outer layers. I have never heard of such a thing at any of the other temples I have visited thus far.
After visiting the Grand Palace, I went to the nearby Wat Pho. Wat Pho was a place of education in Thai medicine during the third King Rama in the late 1700's. Parts of the temple are still a place of education. It is also home to the Reclining Buddha, a 140 ft long gold plated Buddha. The temple grounds also consist of over a thousand images of Buddha (Hannah, I know you want to go see all these Buddhas!) I really like the more peaceful atmosphere of this temple after the huge crowds at the palace. It was nice to walk around, listening to monks chanting, trying to count just how many Buddhas are in this Wat (I'll just say there are TOO MANY!)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Reflections at Lumphini Park
It's hard for me to believe that about a year ago, I was sitting in my dorm at SEMO, completely torn about God's direction for my life. Here I am a year later, studying in Korea, with a new perception of what it means to trust God in everything.
Today, I went to Lumphini Park, the "Central Park" of Bangkok. It is a large park with beautiful lakes and greenery. I stopped by some local street food vendors and bought a picnic lunch, which included some fresh pineapple. I had my lunch by the lake, watching a very interesting swimming lizard doing laps around the lake. I also got to spend some time looking back at this past year, as this was the time one year ago that God changed the direction that He desires for my life. I don't think I have really shared this with a lot of people, but I pray that it will be an encouragement for you to trust Him in everything.
I entered SEMO last year majoring in Music Education. Music is a passion of mine, and I thought I would be happy teaching music. I wanted it to work, I wanted to be in complete control of my future. I presented myself on the outside that I was absolutely sure of my decision, yet inside, I was very conflicted. I prayed about it, and in the back of my heart, I felt this constant pull that this was not what God intended for my life. I set that aside, convincing myself that it would go away. If God has a plan, there is nothing you can do to stop it. There are hundreds of examples of this in the Bible, and my example is the same.
I always had a feeling that studying World Cultures would be God's direction for me. I have always loved studying History, World Cultures, Politics, and Sociology. While other kids may have been reading "Goosebumps" or "Babysitters Club," I would read "Differences in Major Religions" or "An Abbreviated History of China." My Mom cultivated my passion to travel, and my Dad showed me what it means to serve others in everything. I believe God placed my parents and these passions in my life to form me into the servant He needs.
So after a semester of Music Education, I was very happy studying music. I had suppressed my doubts for that semester, and I felt that this direction would work. The first week into the second semester, I experienced what I can only call a torrential downpour of uncertainty. The tug on my heart that I had experienced in the past became an all out pull. I remember when it happened: it was the first Music Education class, and I felt this unbelievable wave of doubt and uncertainty that had been accumulating up to this point. I left this class, asking God where do I go from here.
My parents were in Puerto Rico for their anniversary, so I called Josh. We talked for hours about what had happened and what was the next step. The one thing that really hit me and I'll never forget it was Josh said "You know, Rebecca, I had a feeling you wouldn't end up studying music. I knew you had this passion for people, especially those that are different from you. I think this is the right track for you." Also out of the blue, Stacy called me. She asked me how my semester was going, and I told her about this overflowing doubt. She also told me that I should look for other options, and to keep praying as I search. I first decided to talk with my Professor from my Communications class the previous semester. He was a great teacher and continues to be a good friend. We talked about some different options in the Communications department.
He also advised that I should look at some other departments that fit my interests. The one that stood out to me was the International Studies department. I met with several of the professors in the department, discussing the different programs. After talking with them about the International Studies Major with an East Asian focus, I felt the weight of uncertainty in my heart lift. I knew at this point that this was the direction God intended for me. Part of this degree requires you to study at least for a semester, a year if studying in Asia because SEMO doesn't offer the language requirements.
I met then with the Study Abroad department. I had met with them several times the past semester because regardless of my degree, I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point. I told them about my new program of study and that I would like to study in Asia the next year. My study abroad advisor said: "I have the perfect program for you." She told me about SEMO's sister school SCH. "It focuses on language and culture classes, but the one part that makes it unique is that all international students are required to tutor students in English. The school gives scholarships to the foreign students in exchange for tutoring students. Oh and the school is in Korea." At this point, I knew this was exactly where God wanted me to be. Here is a program where I will be able to study what I am passionate about, help fellow students through tutoring, and the school is in Korea, the home of my Korean brother and sisters.
God showed me what He desired for me to study: A Double Major in Communications and Global Studies with an East Asian focus. It would allow me to learn more about the part of the world that is most interesting to me while improving my ability to communicate my thoughts and ideas. By this point it is Friday, the day that I would need to change classes to fit these new majors. It is also the day that my parents arrived back in calling range. They were quite surprised! My Dad advised me to change all the classes that would not qualify for a Music minor (even after a semester studying music, I was more than halfway to a minor). I took his advice, and continued to pray constantly for God's direction to be made absolutely clear. I'm not too good with subtle hints, so I asked God to make it completely obvious. He sure did!
As the semester progressed, things began to fall apart on the Music side, but came together on the other side. There were also many times where conversations or instances made it even more clear to me that this was God's will for my life. There was a time where I was heading to a pit orchestra rehearsal with one of my fellow musicians. She is not a music major, but like me, she has a passion for music. At that time, I had not shared with her my concerns about continuing to major in music. While we were driving she said out of the blue: "I know that if I was a music major, and music was to be my profession, I would lose the love that I have for it." I don't know why she said this, but it was exactly the feelings that I have towards music. It is a passion of mine, but it could never be my profession. It was something I needed to hear at that time to confirm my decision to change majors.
Another instance that really showed me that this is exactly what God wants for me was the week before finals. I was still waiting to hear back from SCH about studying abroad the next semester. It was the Thursday before finals, and my roommate told me "You better check your financial aid." There was a bit of a misunderstanding about one of the scholarships I had been given, but we discussed the situation, and I was told that the scholarship would be awarded. I checked it anyway, to find out that it was not awarded. I was crushed! I needed to come up with the difference before the next week or the school could drop my classes. My parents lent me the money, knowing that I would be able to pay them back later that summer. I hit yet another low of the semester: "When would I hear from SCH? Was this really Your direction?" I was a mess that entire day.
The next morning, I decided to check my email to see if SCH sent me anything. I usually don't check my email before class because it takes me forever to eat in the morning (picture a Zombie eating Cornflakes), but I decided to take a look. There in my inbox was a letter from SCH, "Dear Rebecca, We are pleased to inform you..." I woke up my roommate screaming with excitement! It was one of the greatest mornings of my life, I had been accepted to study in an amazing program in Korea. God's sense of timing is unbelievable. All doubt and uncertainty about where God wanted me was gone at that moment. The day before I experienced one of the lowest lows, the next morning couldn't have been any better.
So here I am a year later. Do I have all the answers? No. Do I know where I will be one, five, ten years from now? No. But I'm okay with that because there is one Person who does have all the answers, and He has always given me the answers when I have been ready for them. I will continue to wait on God's timing.
Today, I went to Lumphini Park, the "Central Park" of Bangkok. It is a large park with beautiful lakes and greenery. I stopped by some local street food vendors and bought a picnic lunch, which included some fresh pineapple. I had my lunch by the lake, watching a very interesting swimming lizard doing laps around the lake. I also got to spend some time looking back at this past year, as this was the time one year ago that God changed the direction that He desires for my life. I don't think I have really shared this with a lot of people, but I pray that it will be an encouragement for you to trust Him in everything.
I entered SEMO last year majoring in Music Education. Music is a passion of mine, and I thought I would be happy teaching music. I wanted it to work, I wanted to be in complete control of my future. I presented myself on the outside that I was absolutely sure of my decision, yet inside, I was very conflicted. I prayed about it, and in the back of my heart, I felt this constant pull that this was not what God intended for my life. I set that aside, convincing myself that it would go away. If God has a plan, there is nothing you can do to stop it. There are hundreds of examples of this in the Bible, and my example is the same.
I always had a feeling that studying World Cultures would be God's direction for me. I have always loved studying History, World Cultures, Politics, and Sociology. While other kids may have been reading "Goosebumps" or "Babysitters Club," I would read "Differences in Major Religions" or "An Abbreviated History of China." My Mom cultivated my passion to travel, and my Dad showed me what it means to serve others in everything. I believe God placed my parents and these passions in my life to form me into the servant He needs.
So after a semester of Music Education, I was very happy studying music. I had suppressed my doubts for that semester, and I felt that this direction would work. The first week into the second semester, I experienced what I can only call a torrential downpour of uncertainty. The tug on my heart that I had experienced in the past became an all out pull. I remember when it happened: it was the first Music Education class, and I felt this unbelievable wave of doubt and uncertainty that had been accumulating up to this point. I left this class, asking God where do I go from here.
My parents were in Puerto Rico for their anniversary, so I called Josh. We talked for hours about what had happened and what was the next step. The one thing that really hit me and I'll never forget it was Josh said "You know, Rebecca, I had a feeling you wouldn't end up studying music. I knew you had this passion for people, especially those that are different from you. I think this is the right track for you." Also out of the blue, Stacy called me. She asked me how my semester was going, and I told her about this overflowing doubt. She also told me that I should look for other options, and to keep praying as I search. I first decided to talk with my Professor from my Communications class the previous semester. He was a great teacher and continues to be a good friend. We talked about some different options in the Communications department.
He also advised that I should look at some other departments that fit my interests. The one that stood out to me was the International Studies department. I met with several of the professors in the department, discussing the different programs. After talking with them about the International Studies Major with an East Asian focus, I felt the weight of uncertainty in my heart lift. I knew at this point that this was the direction God intended for me. Part of this degree requires you to study at least for a semester, a year if studying in Asia because SEMO doesn't offer the language requirements.
I met then with the Study Abroad department. I had met with them several times the past semester because regardless of my degree, I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point. I told them about my new program of study and that I would like to study in Asia the next year. My study abroad advisor said: "I have the perfect program for you." She told me about SEMO's sister school SCH. "It focuses on language and culture classes, but the one part that makes it unique is that all international students are required to tutor students in English. The school gives scholarships to the foreign students in exchange for tutoring students. Oh and the school is in Korea." At this point, I knew this was exactly where God wanted me to be. Here is a program where I will be able to study what I am passionate about, help fellow students through tutoring, and the school is in Korea, the home of my Korean brother and sisters.
God showed me what He desired for me to study: A Double Major in Communications and Global Studies with an East Asian focus. It would allow me to learn more about the part of the world that is most interesting to me while improving my ability to communicate my thoughts and ideas. By this point it is Friday, the day that I would need to change classes to fit these new majors. It is also the day that my parents arrived back in calling range. They were quite surprised! My Dad advised me to change all the classes that would not qualify for a Music minor (even after a semester studying music, I was more than halfway to a minor). I took his advice, and continued to pray constantly for God's direction to be made absolutely clear. I'm not too good with subtle hints, so I asked God to make it completely obvious. He sure did!
As the semester progressed, things began to fall apart on the Music side, but came together on the other side. There were also many times where conversations or instances made it even more clear to me that this was God's will for my life. There was a time where I was heading to a pit orchestra rehearsal with one of my fellow musicians. She is not a music major, but like me, she has a passion for music. At that time, I had not shared with her my concerns about continuing to major in music. While we were driving she said out of the blue: "I know that if I was a music major, and music was to be my profession, I would lose the love that I have for it." I don't know why she said this, but it was exactly the feelings that I have towards music. It is a passion of mine, but it could never be my profession. It was something I needed to hear at that time to confirm my decision to change majors.
Another instance that really showed me that this is exactly what God wants for me was the week before finals. I was still waiting to hear back from SCH about studying abroad the next semester. It was the Thursday before finals, and my roommate told me "You better check your financial aid." There was a bit of a misunderstanding about one of the scholarships I had been given, but we discussed the situation, and I was told that the scholarship would be awarded. I checked it anyway, to find out that it was not awarded. I was crushed! I needed to come up with the difference before the next week or the school could drop my classes. My parents lent me the money, knowing that I would be able to pay them back later that summer. I hit yet another low of the semester: "When would I hear from SCH? Was this really Your direction?" I was a mess that entire day.
The next morning, I decided to check my email to see if SCH sent me anything. I usually don't check my email before class because it takes me forever to eat in the morning (picture a Zombie eating Cornflakes), but I decided to take a look. There in my inbox was a letter from SCH, "Dear Rebecca, We are pleased to inform you..." I woke up my roommate screaming with excitement! It was one of the greatest mornings of my life, I had been accepted to study in an amazing program in Korea. God's sense of timing is unbelievable. All doubt and uncertainty about where God wanted me was gone at that moment. The day before I experienced one of the lowest lows, the next morning couldn't have been any better.
So here I am a year later. Do I have all the answers? No. Do I know where I will be one, five, ten years from now? No. But I'm okay with that because there is one Person who does have all the answers, and He has always given me the answers when I have been ready for them. I will continue to wait on God's timing.
Wat Traimit (2/7)
I thought Korea had a lot of Buddhas. Boy was I wrong! Thailand lives and breathes Buddhism. It is everywhere! And if Buddha isn't there, then there is a Hindu shrine, Muslim mosque, or a Sikh temple in its place. I have seen a few Christian churches, but they are few and far between.
Thailand is a very spiritual country. Walking down the street, I have seen little shrines built by businesses to different gods to try to bless their business. When walking past these shrines, many people will stop for a few seconds, fold their hands, and mutter a short prayer before moving on.
Not only are there these random gods in every nook and cranny on the streets, but the Thai people as a whole revere the King of Thailand as a deity. Thailand has a royal family that even today holds an important part in Thai society. At almost every official building and public place, there is a painting of the King with a small shrine surrounding it. It is so different even compared to Korean culture, so I have definetey gone through some culture shock!
I had heard from some people at my hostel about Wat Traimit. It is a Buddhist Temple downtown Bangkok with a solid gold Buddha. Downtown Bangkok, there are over fifty Wats (Buddhist temples) that are listed on my city map. I picked a few that I want to visit this week, so Traimit was the first. After taking the Skytrain (which is a fabulous public transportation because it gives you a great view of the city while travelling), I walked a few blocks to the temple.
The temple was a stunning pure white with gold detail, four level temple. It was so different from East Asian Buddhist temples. In Korea for example, temples are always green because green is the color of peace. They also share very similar architecture to the rest of the traditional buildings in Korea. The temples in Thailand are varied bright colors, usually with gold detail. They also appear completely different from their surrounding buildings.
After standing there for a few moments just soaking in the exterior of this temple, I climbed the stairs up to the fourth floor to see this gold Buddha. It was interesting to see so many similarities with this Buddhist temple and the temples I have seen. There was the usual bell that calls people to prayer, there were the monks wandering the temple complex, and there were a lot of people passing in and out of the temple. I can now say that they weren't kidding in my map that this Buddha is one of the most beautiful pieces of Thai art.
Thailand is a very spiritual country. Walking down the street, I have seen little shrines built by businesses to different gods to try to bless their business. When walking past these shrines, many people will stop for a few seconds, fold their hands, and mutter a short prayer before moving on.
Not only are there these random gods in every nook and cranny on the streets, but the Thai people as a whole revere the King of Thailand as a deity. Thailand has a royal family that even today holds an important part in Thai society. At almost every official building and public place, there is a painting of the King with a small shrine surrounding it. It is so different even compared to Korean culture, so I have definetey gone through some culture shock!
I had heard from some people at my hostel about Wat Traimit. It is a Buddhist Temple downtown Bangkok with a solid gold Buddha. Downtown Bangkok, there are over fifty Wats (Buddhist temples) that are listed on my city map. I picked a few that I want to visit this week, so Traimit was the first. After taking the Skytrain (which is a fabulous public transportation because it gives you a great view of the city while travelling), I walked a few blocks to the temple.
The temple was a stunning pure white with gold detail, four level temple. It was so different from East Asian Buddhist temples. In Korea for example, temples are always green because green is the color of peace. They also share very similar architecture to the rest of the traditional buildings in Korea. The temples in Thailand are varied bright colors, usually with gold detail. They also appear completely different from their surrounding buildings.
After standing there for a few moments just soaking in the exterior of this temple, I climbed the stairs up to the fourth floor to see this gold Buddha. It was interesting to see so many similarities with this Buddhist temple and the temples I have seen. There was the usual bell that calls people to prayer, there were the monks wandering the temple complex, and there were a lot of people passing in and out of the temple. I can now say that they weren't kidding in my map that this Buddha is one of the most beautiful pieces of Thai art.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Hello from Thailand!
I am blogging from my hostel in Bangkok Thailand! I left this morning from Seoul in below freezing weather to upper eighties here in Bangkok, quite a change! I arrived at 4:30 and took the Skytrain (Bangkok's public metro) to my hostel. The hostel is very modern with free internet (I can blog!). It is also right downtown, which makes it a great homebase as I tour the city.
After putting my stuff on my bunk I went with Natalia, one of my roomates, to an Indian restaurant a few minutes from our hostel. Natalia is from Russia and has been traveling all over Southeast Asia for the last four months. She was a travel agent in Moscow, but is on leave for a while as she travels. She is taking this trip alone, but as she says "I am taking this trip with everyone I meet." We walked around our hostel and came across the Indian neighborhood, we saw one of the Hindu temples as they were conducting evening prayer. We decided to eat at one of the Indian restaurants, little did we know what we were getting into. The place was not only an Indian restaurant, it was an Indian vegetarian restaurant with a giant Egyptian mural, and really annoying American soft rock music playing. I can definately say that I have never seen this combination in a restaurant nor will I likely see it again. It was nice though to hear about Natalia's travels and get some tips about visiting Thailand (she has been here for about three weeks).
Tomorrow, I am hoping to visit the weekend market, which is a giant open air market filled with all things Thai. I will have to see how tired I am considering the crazy week I had. I am also hoping to continue to blog about China and the week in Korea with the girls.
After putting my stuff on my bunk I went with Natalia, one of my roomates, to an Indian restaurant a few minutes from our hostel. Natalia is from Russia and has been traveling all over Southeast Asia for the last four months. She was a travel agent in Moscow, but is on leave for a while as she travels. She is taking this trip alone, but as she says "I am taking this trip with everyone I meet." We walked around our hostel and came across the Indian neighborhood, we saw one of the Hindu temples as they were conducting evening prayer. We decided to eat at one of the Indian restaurants, little did we know what we were getting into. The place was not only an Indian restaurant, it was an Indian vegetarian restaurant with a giant Egyptian mural, and really annoying American soft rock music playing. I can definately say that I have never seen this combination in a restaurant nor will I likely see it again. It was nice though to hear about Natalia's travels and get some tips about visiting Thailand (she has been here for about three weeks).
Tomorrow, I am hoping to visit the weekend market, which is a giant open air market filled with all things Thai. I will have to see how tired I am considering the crazy week I had. I am also hoping to continue to blog about China and the week in Korea with the girls.
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