Traveling to Mae Sot

I was totally wrong about internet connection.  It seems our resort has wifi so I will still be able to blog.  Woohoo!  I won't add the picture until we are back in Chiang Mai

January 11, 2011 6:15 Thai time

Yesterday we finished up part II of Peacebuilding.  Ajaan Mark went over a case study of the work he is continuing to conduct in south Thailand which is mostly Muslim and the conflicts that have occurred with the majority Buddhist rest of Thailand.  I was really glad that he explained that even though Thailand was never colonized that the country has been affected by colonization because of giving up land to the British and carving up other land with the British to shore up its own country is part of the conflict with south Thailand.   The people of southern Thailand are mostly ethnically Malay and are Muslim.  Fitting into what it means to be Thai is very different than a Buddhist from Bangkok.  He explained all the different attempts to resolve conflict.  I took copious notes so I won’t add them all here but if you are interested, I can get you a copy.  We left for Mae Sot in the afternoon.

Later on….

We have made it to Mae Sot which is on the Thai/Burma border.   It was quite an adventurous ride.  We are about 4 ½ hours southwest of Chiang Mai.  The further you get away from the city the less dual signs in Thai/English there are.  We have finally encountered Asian toilets.  The women in the group are none too happy.   I really like the toilet better because you don’t have to balance over a toilet seat.  If you want to know what an Asian toilet looks like you will have to ask.  Otherwise, I think that is just TMI for the blog. 

Driving towards mountains

On the drive we pass many rice paddy fields and sugar cane farms.  It seems that every little town has their ‘farmer’s market’ that is the center of the village life.  The drive through the mountains is quite exciting.  What I have learned about Thailand that lanes lines on the road are really suggestions on where you should drive.  No one really follows them, even when there are double lines saying don’t pass.  Our driver was passing trucks in the mountains even when you could not see around the corner to see if another car was coming.  I stopped looking forward for the drive and just looked out the side windows so if we died I would not see death coming.  As you can see I am still alive so I guess it is okay to drive in this crazy fashion because what I did not see is any car accidents.  I guess there is a kind of beauty to the driving in Thailand.  Jen and I sign show tunes for the last 45 minutes in the van to lighten the mood.  That was fun but I don’t think we will do this on the way home.

We are staying at this beautiful resort.  This is a 4 star resort.  Since we are close to where the refugee camps are located lots of folks who work for NGO’s stay here.  Upon our arrival you could see all the white trucks and vans that NGO’s seem to prefer for their work.   This resort also has the magic rock hard beds.  Slept like a baby but once awake you have to get off the bed.  We have this large sitting area where I am sitting writing this entry.  I am watching the sun come up over the mountains.  It is quite beautiful. 

This is the bathroom.  Shower is right next to toilet.

Our sleeping space.

This is the hallway where we all stayed.

Sitting area outside our room.s

This is our villa area.

The grounds

We have a really busy day today.  We will be going to Burma Issues at 9 am, then a quick lunch then over to that migrant worker health clinic, then we will head over to the Burma border (we are not crossing the border).

Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding (Part I)

June 10, 2011 8:15 pm Thai time

Kathy addressing the class

Sarah finally in a photo.  She normally is behind the camera.

Bryant doing his presentation to give Norman (traveling gnome) a new companion.

Don is the lucky recipient of Norman.  We have to see how gets Norm on tomorrow.

Today we started our lecture series in earnest.  We started off with Ajaan(teacher) Mark Timthai.  Our discussion today was getting an understanding of what Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding are from his understanding.  We were given the definitions used for the terminology used for the lecture so that we could have common understanding of what he meant when he used terms like confliction resolution or conflict transformation.

This was a great discussion.  Ajaan Mark is a great teacher who uses real life scenarios to illustrate the abstract concepts such as what it means to live together peacefully.  In this context he used two separate art pieces to illustrate the different views.  The first was the Peaceable Kingdom portrait where everyone lives together peaceably – lion and lamb with little children running around.  The other was a sculpture, The Spirit of Haidi Gwai.  There are 13 passengers on a boat, human and non-human.  The man in the middle is holding a totem of all the passengers on the boat. This shows that they all have a purpose on the boat even though each has a separate and unique function.  They are to co-exist and not destroy one another.  As long as they do this they have the possibility of getting somewhere.

From these two examples he moved on to tell us about the peace work he has been involved in Asia.  He exampled some of the techniques he used with different groups.  He talked about the process of preparation that good conflict mediators use to help with the process.  He stated that you must prepare, understand the cultural, political and sociological structures.  He gave an example that he used with Buddhists to work out conflicts with some Muslims.  He stated it was important to know each groups value systems so you know where places of commonalities are.  I am way over simplifying this wonderful lecture.  I am trying to get you the gest of this morning.

We then discussed 4 aspects of breaking the cycle of violence.  This lead to an interesting discussion the use of his language on that sometimes a culture can put you in a cage.  That even if the door to the cage is opened that people may not choose to leave that cage.  Lively discussion ensued particularly among the people of color in the room.

He also led a discussion on the Golden Rule.  Is the Golden Rule a solution or a problem?  His thesis is that the golden rule is ego-centric and assumes that everyone is like you.  He used the example of when he was invited to Denmark after the political cartoon was published to help mediate a discussion.  He stated that he and others from the Islamic community around the world were invited to this meeting.  They were told that a bus would pick them up after breakfast at 8:30 am.  They were ready for the bus but no one had come to tell them where the bus was or where they were to meet the bus.  Mark stated he saw a bus and went over to find out if this was there ride.  It indeed was.  However, by time they had figured this out it was very close to 8:30 am.  At exactly 8:30 am the bus driver closes the door even though everyone had yet to board the bus.  Upon getting to the meeting place they were told that they would be split in 3 groups.  They all waited around to find out where these three groups would be meeting.  The meeting time had passed but they had not been given a room assignment.  Again, they went looking for a person to find out where they were supposed to be.  They would told Danes who put the meeting together that they were giving you respect by not telling you where to go.  Danes find it incredibly disrespectful to tell someone how and where they should go for meeting.  It is their responsibility to figure it out.  They were giving their guests respect.  Some of the Islamic leaders turned on their heels and left immediately.  This was Ajaan Mark’s illustration where the Golden Rule had broken down terribly.

We discussed a little more about respect and aesthetics of peacebuilding but I really would like to discuss our afternoon practical application.  We met with the leader of Foundation for the Preservation and of Indigenous Wisdom.  Che was an amazing speaker.  He is part of an indigenous tribe who live along the Thai/Burma border.  I will work on getting my notes from the discussion up for reading by Thursday.

Next few pictures are of a northern Thai cultural center.

Bryant, Greg, Don and Sarah getting ready for discussion.

Che and Ajaan Mark

My roommate Gail 

Okay, I thought this was cute.

Today was a really good day.  All of this information provided us with lively dinner discussion on the dark side of missionary work; how conflict is resolved when the two value systems of those in conflict have no commonalities or can decide whether or not talk first or end violence first. 

We are traveling to Mae Sot on tomorrow.  This is in really rural Thailand.  I probably won’t have internet access until we get back on Thursday evening so I won’t have any posts until then.

Talk to you when I get back.

Random thoughts

June 10, 2011 5:55 a.m. Thai time

Yes, I am up early.  Actually, I have not slept much tonight.  That 4 ½ hour nap yesterday afternoon has really messed me up.  I have some random thoughts that I have forgotten to add to previous additions to this blog.  New paragraphs will mean that I am changing the subject.

Last night I hand washed most of the clothes I have worn so far.  There is a washing machine but all clothes are lined dried at this university.  There are rows of clothes lines to hang your clothes upon washing.

Beds – our beds are really firm, no I mean rock hard.  I made the mistake of plopping down on the bed the first night here.  Big mistake.  I have a bruise on my bottom as a souvenir for that costly action.  I am not complaining.  They are magic mattresses where if you place your self carefully on the mattress you will get a great night’s sleep.  However, once awake the mattress become rock hard again as if to say get up your done sleeping.

I have a super power.  It is not sexy like running faster than a speeding bullet or x-ray vision but it is practical.  My super power is the ability to find a public restroom on any crowded block.  I told you it wasn’t sexy.  My traveling companions are grateful though so I will not disparage this unique gift.

Speaking of bathrooms there is something in each bathroom that I have visited that I have yet to figure out why this particular item is there.  There is a spray hose in every bathroom I have visited, even public bathrooms.  What is it used for?  I have not found a delicate way to bring this up since all of leaders thus far have been men.  I can’t wait for Pam to lead our discussion so that I can pull her aside and ask her the question.  None of my traveling companions have figured out what those hoses are for either.

McDonalds – well unfortunately I have had to go to my old standby when I travel.  Being allergic to onions sure can make your life miserable.  Chicken nuggets are the standby when I travel and everything served has onions in it.  I have a few questions for the McDonald’s corporation.  Why are chicken nuggets in every country I have visited less greasy then in the states?  You figure out that problem and I would eat in your restaurant more often.  Also, there are so many great dipping sauces in other countries.  Why not have dipping sauces around the world promotion?  That would also get me back in your restaurant in the states.  The Thai version of the hot and spicy sauce is awesome.  The curry sauce is the U.K. is downright brilliant.  McDonald’s are you listening?

Donna – I have stayed to fast to not buying any clothes in Thailand.  So when you see the pictures from today don’t think where did she get that skirt?  Remember that purple skirt was in the back of my closet?  Remember how I packed it the day before I left?   I am really glad that I packed it.  Skirts really are a good option for this trip.  Did you really believe me when I said I wasn’t going to buy any clothes?  Oh, well…

There is a huge mountain view from my window.  However, I did not even realize that I had a mountain view until 24 hours after we got here.  I felt like I was the most unobservant person in the world.  I mean this thing is HUGE.  I have walked each morning for exercise and not noticed the mountain.  I have figured out why.   Each morning the mountain has been shrouded by clouds.  The mountain does not show itself until the afternoon.  We will be going into the mountains in a few days. I can’t wait.  I will try to get a picture one afternoon since it is a magnificent site.

Weather – it is winter in Thailand so to the Thai people this is the cold season.  We have seen people were winter coats.  It has been really mild like the low 70s.  In the evening I have been wearing a light jacket but most folks are fine without a jacket.  Also, it is overcast here but not in the same sense that we are used to.  The best weather term I can come up with is sunny with lots of clouds (as opposed to more sun than clouds).  That is the best I can describe of the weather.

It's time for a Bazaar

June 9, 2011 21:54 Thai time

What a day!  I should have not said it was going to be easy.

Church was an interesting experience.  The grounds and structure was absolutely beautiful.  It was an open air church that had a wonderful breeze off the river (I think it was the Pink River).  First Church of Chiang Mai is the largest Christian church in the city.  The church is set up in a semi-circle with a raised platform for the ministerial staff and alter; to the left of the alter was a youth orchestra that played all the hymns.  If you had to have translation of the service you sat on the ends of the semi-circle where you had to where headsets to hear the service in English.  I put my ear phones a little too early.  I was picking up a pop radio station so I thought I had the wrong station.  I was glad when the service started that the pop music stopped.

The service is very traditional – hymn, reading, hymn to Lord’s Prayer, scripture, sermon, hymn , offering, closing hymn.  The scripture today was Matthew 2:13-23.  The sermon was based off that scripture.  There was an anthem sung by two members of the music ministry.  One sang in English and the other in Thai.  That was quite beautiful.  However, it was all congregational singing and not a choir. 

I wish I could say more about the sermon.  The translator got a little lost in the middle of the ceremony.  I think the minister left her notes so the translator had to catch up with her.  It was interesting to see a female minister lead the sermon.  Even though it was hard to follow the sermon, you could fell from her expressiveness the essence of the service.  The other two pulpit ministers were male.

After service we traveled onto lunch in the city.  The food just kept coming.  There were vegetables and chicken, then two types of salads, then soup, a curry dish, then ice cream, then fruit to end the meal.  Of course this came with rice.  It was quite overwhelming.  Most of the food I could not eat because of onions but it was still a lot of food.

First Church Chiang Mai

Grounds of First Church

After this was came back to campus.  Some folks went shopping while others went off for a Thai massage.  I opted to stay and rest.  Jet lag has finally hit me.  I fell asleep at 2 pm.  I woke at 4 pm.  I thought I would sleep another hour but finally I woke up at 6:15 pm.  I now was late for dinner.  Dinner was a fish dish, kale, pork salad and rice.  The kale was very good.  I ate two plates of that.

Pat handing Norman (our traveling 

gnome) to Bryant

Bryant with Norman

The gang at lunch

Deloris, Charmaine and Kathy

Night bazaar

Greg, Jen, Regina and Sue figuring out what to buy next

Taxi ride home from bazaar

Street where bazaar held

We are now going off the night bazaar in the heart of Chiang Mai.  This is a huge flea market with everything you think you could possibly buy.  I have some pictures attached to help with perspective.  I don’t want to say everything I bought because so of those items are gifts.  However, I will tell you that I bought a bunch of stuff on only spent equivalent $15 US dollars.  I felt like I was getting over.

Tomorrow is a very busy day so I will only be able to post once in the evening. In the morning we start our work on Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding.  In the afternoon we will visit the Foundation for the Preservation of Indigenous Wisdom.  I am really looking forward to that.

Until then…

It's time for Church

June 9, 2011 7:53 Thai time

Up and ready for a new day.  I have been up pretty early since there was a dispute between two birds outside my window.  I don’t speak bird but I think it was domestic.  I was glad that I was not the recipient of the vicious squawking.

Today we are off to worship at the mainline protestant denomination in Thailand, Church of Christ.  It is a pretty easy day so I will have more to say later.