The Joy of Motorcycles

Yesterday, Melanie offered to take me with her to run some errands in Chiang Kham. I was very eager because I'd only had the chance to ride the motorcycle the short distance to the primary school. I'm convinced that motorcycle is the perfect way of travel for Thailand. You just seem to experience more out in the open air. I rode a motorcycle once in Portland, but it was freezing cold. Here, it's so warm that the wind rushing in your face is a much more pleasant sensation, almost like pointing a hair dryer at your face but not as strong or hot. When I got off, my cheeks were numb from smiling and the power of the wind. I'd love to learn to drive by myself, but I expect you'd need a license. Oh well.

A Day in Burma

Unfortunately my camera isn’t working so there wont be very many pictures until I can get it fixed. Sometimes I might be able to use Siriporn’s camera. Anyway, this means I don’t have any pictures of my (brief) experience in Burma, so I’ll have to be all the more descriptive J. The drive to the border town of Maesa was 2 ½ to 3 hours. I didn’t mind the distance, because one of my favorite things to do while travelling is stare out the window at the unfamiliar surroundings. It’s incredible how much you can learn when doing this. I’ll tell you what you see when you look out the window in Thailand. On the road, there are many motorcycles. If you crash in to one, it’s pretty much automatically your fault. Actually, it sometimes seems like the only driving rule in Thailand is “try not to run into anything”. Oh, and they drive on the opposite side of the road. If you’re in a city or town, you’ll see various shops just off the road. Most of them have no wall facing the street, due to the heat I imagine.  The only “American” shops I’ve seen in this area are 7/11 and KFC. Cities only take up a short amount of the time. Mostly, you pass through farm land or small villages. In this case, there is almost always a ditch running alongside the road to keep it dry during the rainy season. Past this, there are small houses, a few traditional Thai houses (up on stilts) and ENDLESS fields of rice and corn. To someone who has only ever had a vague notion of how rice grows, these fields are highly interesting. Sometimes you will see people in their wide brimmed hats tending to the rice. HOB grows rice and corn as well, but the rice won’t be ready to harvest until December. Then, it will be sold to help pay for the girls who don’t have sponsors. We work in the corn fields on Saturday sometimes. It’s hot, hard work! We stopped at a noodle soup place for lunch, and then crossed the border. The difference between Thailand and Burma was striking. You can see it in the styles of the buildings, the goods sold at markets, and the people. I have no gift for describing architecture, so I'll let pictures speak for me when I go again in two weeks. As for the markets, they were...interesting. In Thailand, markets are about the most fascinating thing in the world. In all the markets I've been to in Mexico and Nicaragua, I always felt a little disappointing in the souvenirs. Not so in Thailand. If you go to the right place, you can find lovely handmade things. Burma's markets stood out in sharp contrast. Everything was either pirated or a cheap imitation. Siriporn and I walked through the market just a block from the giant arch that marks the border, and never did I see one thing that I might want to buy. The people were even more depressing. They lacked the friendly, gentle, and welcoming disposition that the "land of smiles" is famous for. Obnoxious salesmen followed us everywhere (alas, the curse of being obviously not native). Children and elderly people were begging. The street food was not safe to eat. I have known for some time that Burma possesses one of the world's worst governments, but I had not thought that the people's oppression would be so obvious to me after only a few hour's visit. I feel all the more grieved for the Burmese people's situation. I was relieved to cross the border once more. Thailand is better than Burma. :)

Ah, Music

I don't want you think I'm wasting my precious time here plugged into ipodland, but music does play a part in my day. Music doesn't change depending on where you are. So while the food, weather, and just about everything else is different here, I can listen to my favorite songs and they are the same as ever. When the girls are at school, HOB becomes very quiet and empty. In this time, I like to take walks through the rice and corn fields in one direction, or the village in the other (Don't worry I never go too far). Call me melodramatic, but anything I listen to in this time takes on an epic, movie soundtrack flavor :). So here's whats in my ipod right now.

1. Jack Johnson- I have three Jack Johnson albums and I absolutely love his songs. They all have a steady, relaxed feel to them. I love the lyrics and melodies, but they aren't the kind that scream out "pay attention to me!", so there's room for thought.
2. Adele- I love the album 21! Such beautiful songs and what a voice!
3. Vitamin String Quartet- I discovered Vitamin String Quartet a few weeks ago and got thouroughly overexcited, immediately buying eight songs. VSQ does tribute albums to various well known artists and bands in which they re imagine their biggest hits using only a string quartet. They are so creative, and play everything from the Beatles to Lady Gaga. My favorite song of theirs is U2's "beautiful day", although "Don't Stop Believing" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" are great as well.
4. Mumford and Sons- 21 is great, but Sigh No More is without a doubt my favorite album this year. Listening to it in a pastoral setting like I have here suits it better than my usual city life.
5. Coldplay- Coldplay will always be my go to band for a great song to get lost in. 
6. Eric Hutchinson- Pandora kept insisting that I listen to this guy. I obliged and was well rewarded. When I'm in a laughandsmileanddancealittle mood, the album "Sounds Like This" is great fun.
7. Les Miserables- I grew up on Les Mis. It's such a wonderful story about redemption and the songs are so beautiful and sad. Call it cheesy all you want but you won't talk me out of this one. 
8. Rachmaninoff- I usually reserve classical music for math homework, but I've really grown to love Rachmaninoff. His work doesn't sound fussy or over the top like many classical pieces (in my opinion). They are all beautiful in a romantic melodic way (think "Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini" from "somewhere in time" or "Groundhogs Day"). 
9. "Once" soundtrack- great movie, even better songs. They're the kind that start to haunt you.

I'm sure this is probably way more detail than you care about, but hey, I like music :).

Burma

It's hard to believe I've been here only a month! Time moves so slowly here. Anyway, I need to renew my visa before the 8th, so Pastor Sayan and Siriporn will take me to Burma day after tomorrow. Burma is about two hours away from Home of Blessing, so we'll come home on the same day. I have a special curiosity to see Burma after studying it in school and hearing about it from my Karen friends. I gave a 30 minute presentation about the genocide being committed by Burmese army against various hill tribes including Karen in one of my classes last year. Then in my History class the next trimester, we studied the 2007 rebellion and Aung San Suu Kyi's democratic party. Once so far from my thoughts, Burma has taken over my life! I am very exited to see a country I've heard so much about.

Violin Lessons

A few years ago, a doctor from Eugene gave HOB a 3/4 size violin. Siriporn prayed that someone would visit who could teach the girls how to play it, and then I came! I've taught violin before, but only one or two people at a time. Jaoh, a girl who stays here with her parents as staff members, also had a violin. She, and two other high school girls named Am and Malee wanted to learn, so I started lessons the very first week. Then we got the 1/2 size, making lessons possible for the primary girls. I started primary school lessons last week. Sixteen primary girls came! I split them up and merged the twelve year olds with the high school group because they could use the 3/4 size. Teaching violin has proved to be fun, but quite hectic! One violin shared among ten kids isn't an easy scenario. Malee and Am help me teach and after the class, I give them a private lesson. I only have four lessons left with the girls and I know I can't get very far. I'm hoping that I can train Malee and Am enough to teach when I leave as well as continue studying on their own with books. I teach a lesson for Malee, Am, Jaoh and six sixth graders on Saturday, and a lesson for ten primary girls on Sunday. The older girls come in pairs to practice for half and hour once a week as well.

Malee and Am

What I Miss Most

Strangely enough, I haven't had any serious struggles with homesickness. I think I've been too busy to feel uncomfortable about the new surroundings. There is only one thing I regret not having here (not including people). You see, I only brought the two movies I own: Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth) and Pride and Prejudice (with Kiera Knightly). While these movies are nice to have around, there's only so many times you can watch Mr. Darcy dive into a lake. Netflix and Hulu are barred from me. So I wish for one thing.

:'(
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many path and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

American Food

As part of my English lessons, I'm going to cook some American dishes with the girls. If you can think of any simple American recipes (that do not require cheese as it is no where to be found) please comment!