Monthly Archives: March 2009

Monks

March 28, 2009 – 4:22 am
By Karis Kazuko Taylor | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

I used to see one every once in a while, in an airport or crossing the street, maybe talking on his cell phone. Shaved head, saffron robe, sandaled feet–holy men of a religion different than my own. They have always inspired a deep sense of reverence in me. What is it like to wander the world with a sense of enlightenment? I recall little Zen imponderables like: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” and imagine the answer settled somewhere in the still water of their souls. How could I understand, or relate to, or speak to such a man? Were I to engage a Buddhist monk, one or the other of us might evaporate. Would I be talking to a human being or a little glimpse of Nirvana? What is one supposed to do when encountering wisdom and belief so different from one’s own?

I have yet to have a conversation with a full blown monk, or Zen master, but here in Thailand I have met several novice monks. Six of them were children and I was told to teach them English. One was an older novice, 27 years old and he was told to teach me and my classmates about Buddhism.

I met the child monks first. Tira and I taught them Simon says and the hokey-pokey. We had them draw a picture on a random scrap of paper in the hopes of teaching them the English words for the objects they drew. They ended up drawing a man with a flaming head who might be some sort of Manga super hero, we don’t know. In the background there were mountains, clouds, flowers and a flying saucer. Nobody evaporated.

The other monk (his name was Domnan and he was from Cambodia) had been a novice for 14 years. He said he had become a monk because more than anything he wanted to learn. His favorite subject was psychology. The meaning of life, he told us, was to understand oneself. He talked a bit about how the root of all suffering is ignorance, and about the importance of balance. He said that real monks have both wisdom and morality, not just robes and a shaved head, confessing that the first two still eluded him. And he echoed the Buddhist teaching I have heard most often repeated on this trip: you come into this world with nothing and you leave it with nothing. Nobody evaporated during this conversation either.

So as usual I come away with more questions than answers.
What is holiness? What does it look like in someone from Cambodia and what does it look like in someone from the Maritimes? What is wisdom? Can a religion be judged apart from its followers? What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Even though Domnan told me that you can’t tell a real monk by his outward appearance, I still can’t help feeling some awe when I see a monk. But is it the man that I feel awe towards or the holiness he represents? It’s a mystery to me. I guess I still don’t fully understand myself.

Is becoming “green” a global idea?

March 27, 2009 – 7:16 am
By Lois Craswell | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

As a “Westerner,” I thought I knew so much about the importance of global warming to governments, schools, businesses and organizations in Canada. When I came to SE Asia and saw smog, garbage-filled everything, unnecessary burning, and just nothing noticeably “green,” I couldn’t help but think that “Westerners” were on a better track than SE Asia when it comes to “green” issues. Don’t get me wrong; coming here I did not expect SE Asia to be completely out of the loop when it comes to green issues, just not practising everything to the degree the “west” has. I have seen so many people, promotional commercials, ads, and articles telling the people of Thailand the importance in changing or learning how to adapt to these global issues. But are these ideas being embraced and practised? Just like in the west where we decided to make a change in our lives to help out with these issues but don’t really act on our words, the same applies in Asia.  But when I am here seeing countries that are economically not even close to Canada (like the Philippines and Thailand) doing what they can to try and improve the awareness that this world needs to change environmentally, I am encouraged.  For examples, in the Philippines we visited a beach that was dotted with the most beautiful and enormous wind turbines. North Western University has a green campaign. In Thailand we learned about the harmful effect that dams will have on water supplies and the whole country. We also learned about ways Thai farmers can adapt to the new changes in the weather. One of our guest lecturers, Jeff, who has an experimental farm, had a great answer to face this critical issue – learning to change the way people farm and view the land that will actually help the earth and environment heal itself. He does this by acting green and helping locals understand the issues at hand.

These sights and ideas have had a huge impact on me because if they take the first steps in their situations why can’t we help bring more awareness to our part of the world and to our daily lives at SSU. But there are huge issues that really hinder green movements from being more widely spread. Brianna and Lindsay did a news presentation about the upcoming world meeting on climate change. Thailand’s stance is not a very good one because they say they will not follow recommendations until the major first world countries do their part. Due to political instability in many SE Asian countries, I fear that there won’t be anything put in place by the governments that will help regulate the greenhouse gases or put in place any green movements.

By being in these countries where “green” thinking isn’t totally noticeable, I have been proven wrong. By having the chance to see many people and countries doing their part, I have learned that a part of my duty is to help spread the word about what we can do to help make our communities aware. If cause and effect actually works, then green issues can be spread around the world.

Conversations and “Conversations”

March 26, 2009 – 2:48 pm
By Raymond Funk | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

We are down to the last few days of our long trip in Southeast Asia and I honestly cannot say that I’m glad to be leaving.  I am looking forward to some of the comforts of home. The stability of staying in one place. Familiar foods. A place to take a rest from the realm of moving,waiting, engaging and engaging again with moments of cultural elation and cultural frustration. Though I’m not looking forward to completing the coming assignments I do look forward to the prospect of gleaning from my experiences.

There are a lot of things I could say stand out about what I’ve experienced of Asia: Bartering. Food. Interesting lectures on culture, politics, and contemporary issues. Rain forests. Mountains. Rats… the list can go on. I don’t want to sound idealistic or cliche but one of the best parts of this trip has been the relationships made with the local homestay families and local students. I’ve been invited into people’s homes, into their family and their everyday life. I’ve shared in their wealth or their lack of what my North American self would think of as normal standard of living. There is nothing else that has broken down my feeling unfamiliar with my surroundings like the genuine welcome and friendship of people I have met in the Philippines, Malaysia or Thailand… and it happened for me in each of these countries. The sharing of a name, a meal, of a conversation or the struggle through a conversation.

I’m becoming a greater believer in the idea of the “conversation”. It seems ironic to think of “conversation” when you have two people who are trying to talk to each other slowly and dumbly in two very different languages. But it’s more that we were there, we may have been laughing at each other but we were trying. Barriers seem to break down when people allow themselves to be vulnerable and open-hearted. The best conversations I had were simple. But they happened when I was willing to say “hello” or ask a name. Looking back, I hope that I will remember the hospitality and openness of the people who took care of me while I was a stranger in a far away place, and how even simple smiles and hellos can break barriers as wide as the ocean.

The Game

March 26, 2009 – 3:00 am
By Aaron Rasenberg | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

I should start by saying that I really love Asia. I mean what is there not to like, the food is great (even if i can’t quite imagine what it is), always an amazing landscape of ocean and mountains, the most amazing climbing trees only imaginable in my most euphoric dreams. And of course, the cheap everything that surrounds you on every side. At the market you can engage in a wonderful game they call “bargaining”. This includes many tactics that have been learned through on-the-street-practice and passed down to me through word of mouth by fellow bargainers.  I will say outright that I have never been a fan of shopping, but when you make it a game with some type of competitive edge, I’m all in! I can recall a few nights where some friends and I would spend a significant period of time haggering down some eager vendor to sell his or her goods for ridiculously low prices, not with the goal of getting a deal but just to see how low the price will go. That may seem like the same thing, but if I really don’t want to buy a noisy wooden frog, what the heck, “I’ll give you one Baht for that whole box”. They laugh at you and tell you they’ll give you a good deal, a “special price just for  you- 40 baht!”, 1 baht, 30 baht, 1 baht, “25 baht- no lower!”, ” ok, 2 baht”. No deal, they laugh and walk away realizing that they have been wasting their time. But it’s all in good fun, and even more so when I really do want to buy a certain item. It always involves a ritual, and both players know that for the most part its simply a formality. I ask the price, he/she gives me a ridiculously high starting price, and then the real game begins. I need to figure out its general worth and I need to play it smart and not ask too high a price. I usually start slightly lower then half the asking price and go from there. Here is where the seasoned veteran shines. The vendor offers me a special deal to which I will say ”too high!” and complain about how poor I am. This usually brings down the price considerably, but that’s not enough for me, I’m in the game to win. I remind the vendor that every other stall offers the same thing and they will surely give me a better price. The price goes down again. My competitive edge has kicked in and I start to walk away pretending I don’t care anymore.  The vendor comes after me pleading and begging me to buy their merchandise, they have had a change of heart and will give me another deal. I have suddenly regained my interest at a much lower price, if they give up on going lower it is often possible to ask the vendor to throw in another item to make it worth while for me. Or, in some cases it works to hold out an amount of money just lower then what they ask for and sort of taunt them with the immediate cash waving in their faces. This is pretty much victory for me, I have explained the ideal game play. But it doesn’t always go this way, sometimes I win and sometimes I may be taken in for an extorted price. But that is the nature of the game, and you get better at it, you trade secrets you have learned and learn new ones. Who knows, maybe I’ll come to Asia  someday and join the other team, see what it’s like to be a vendor. Man, shopping is so much fun : )

Blue Men, White Monkeys and Me

March 26, 2009 – 2:45 am
By Alicia Farnham | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

For the past two weeks I have been obsessed with the Ramakien, the Thai epic poem translated into English prose and based on the Ramayana.  I really cannot tell you why I have been so absorbed by this story but I have determinedly searched through at least twelve bookstores within walking distance in Chiang Mai just to find a copy of the legend and even ignored the hundreds of beloved and cheap Western classics!  On Saturday we, as a class, visited the Khon, a performance in honour of the 60th anniversary of the King’s coronation.  The Khon is a masked dance in which the dancers become glittering several-headed giant demons, monkey soldiers who yawn moons and stars, gods reincarnated as blue princes and gorgeous women equal to Helen of Troy.  It’s not fast paced.  Far from it! If you’ve ever seen The King and I, Tup-Tim’s version of Uncle Tom’s Cabin should give a fair idea of the Khon’s style.

A portion of the fascination, for me, lies in the fact that the Ramakien and its dance performance so ably embodies all I have experienced of Thai culture as I could never have expressed it myself.  For one thing, the miraculous and rampant spirit world of the Ramakien is no mere fantastical legend here.  Every large building, almost every home and even some vacant lots are carefully protected through faithful maintenance of spirit houses, tended by all ages of all sorts of Thais at any time of the day.  Elephants are presented at the shrine in the front entrance of the Chiang Mai University to give the student good luck on his or her exam.  Temples are more common than flies!  (Yes, that may be an exaggeration, but it’s slight!)  For another thing, during the experience at the Khon, as we sat en masse and struggled to follow what little of the epic poetry that could be translated into English, fully aware of just how much we were missing in the Thai narration, I found I could finally put my finger on what it was I had been observing with confusion and a certain amount of frustration for the past three weeks.  Even still, my words alone cannot adequately express it and I must rely on the translator of my copy of the Ramakien to do so:

Neither political, religious, nor social obstacles of an overt kind stand before the institutions, temples and homes of the Thai, and many Westerners, thinking that to see is to understand, gain the impression from having seen so much of the country and people that they understand it–and them–completely.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  For like the chameleon, the Thai have perfected the useful art of being fully in view and remaining almost invisible. (J. M. Cadet)

While I am very grateful for what I have experienced of Thailand and I mean no criticism of this beautiful kingdom, I have still that haunting feeling as I explore the streets and temples that I have missed something, some of the depth and meaning of Thailand.  I have never been smiled at or welcomed so enthusiastically or fed so well or respected to such an extent as I have been here but neither have I found out what is behind the smile or discovered what could make them want to smile at me, the rich Westerner who tramps through their temples as they venerate their religious leader and cheapen their handmade wares to ridiculously low prices.

Cadet conjectured that perhaps it was because, and I paraphrase dramatically, all the fairies were massacred long ago in the west while their wonderful species is allowed to thrive in Thai culture that we cannot bridge the gap.  Personally, in discovering the Ramakien, I feel as though I’ve found a window that slightly lessens the thickness of the transparent glass wall standing between “us and them.”  I’ll never know the beauty of Thai poetry, straight from the pen of King Rama I, but I can share with them in imagination, at least slightly. And that in itself makes the hour long walks to so many bookstores well worth the sweat and stink!

Truth.

March 26, 2009 – 2:30 am
By Crystal Ruis | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Today is the last day I will be in Bangkok, Thailand.  Tomorrow morning, at an excruciatingly early hour I will board a bus to the airport and from there a plane back to Canada.  I am filled with bittersweet feelings about the end of my Asia trip.  On the one hand I am excited to be reunited with family and friends, and on the other I feel as though I have only just touched the surface of the unlimited adventure, knowledge, and growth that Asia has to offer.

For me this trip has been a time of understanding.  I have begun to better understand those around me, both familiar and unfamiliar; close and far away.  I have also begun to understand who I am in relation to them and the commonalities between us that are intricately woven into the making of mankind.  The most striking similarity that I feel connects us all together is the undying need and search for Truth.  Over the past two months I have visited various countries across Asia, each one with a different dominating Religion.  Each Religion holds its own explanation of Truth and purpose that influences society, culture, and life.  In some cases these conflicting beliefs have even been the basis of hate, murder, and war.  What I have come to realize however, is that ultimately regardless of age, ethnicity, or faith we are all the same.  We are all aliens in our homeland forced to acknowledge our own existence and the mysteries that it holds.  How we choose to interpret and discover these enigmas is up to us.  I’ve witnessed the desperate search for answers on both individual and national levels.  What this solidifies in my own understanding of humanity is that there must be something more to this life that to just simply live.  I also believe that because of the innate desire for Truth that seems to be within all of us, there must be the existence of Absolute Truth.  Though this concept can be extremely intimidating and frightening, it also gives me some degree of comfort.  It tells me that there is a purpose to Creation and that part of the adventure of life is taking that journey to discover what that purpose is.

I definately do not know all the answers nor do I pretend to.  What I do know for certain is that Asia 2009 has been an amazing adventure and I cannot wait to see where my road will turn next and I am unafraid to take the next step forward on my personal journey to find Truth.

Sweaty Wats

March 26, 2009 – 2:15 am
By Laura Copping | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Though I have visited enough Wats to last me a lifetime and I’ve sweat more than any normal human being should, I love Asia.  In the Philippines I spent my time with some of the most hospitable people I have ever met.  Malaysia astounded me with its gorgeous landscapes (I climbed a mountain one day and spent the next snorkeling and relaxing on a fantastic beach).  Thailand however, is different.  Thai culture has been so hard for me to understand, my homestay was definitely less then ideal, and the language barrier made a lot of situations more difficult then they should have been.  Despite these things, Thailand has still been my favorite.  I have learned so much here in so many ways.  The classes were (for the most part) great and from them I have a much better understanding of Asian history, politics and art.  Not only did we have a few really good teachers but our class is full of students who ask some great questions (leading to some interesting answers).  Visiting ALL the historical places and Wats in Thailand (ok, so maybe not all…but sometimes it felt like it) helped in giving me a clearer idea of the history and religious aspects of Thailand.  In some ways it made Thai culture clearer, but mostly it brought more questions (which I think is great!).  Finally, I have learned a lot from the people I have been travelling with and the experiences we’ve  shared.

Today is my last day in Asia and I am still slowly realizing how much I have learned.  I am still processing Filipino, Malay, and Thai Culture and I’m still trying to understand the effects of them on my life.

Goodbye

March 26, 2009 – 1:28 am
By Bethany Grieco | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Thailand, never before had I thought of Thailand as a mountainous region filled with kind loving people, ready and willing to greet you, warm and welcoming. Known as the land of smiles I definitely have noticed the generosity and kindness the Thai people have to offer.
The Thai people are very proud, they are known in Southeast Asia for being the country that has never been colonized. As a tourist I am constantly reminded of this, seeing that every Thai person likes to mention this fact.
There is definitely something brilliant about Thailand. Unique from all the other Asian countries, I have found this country to feel the most safe and exciting.
After visiting many Buddhist Watts, participating in monk chats and having a practicing Buddhist looking after me I feel as if I am an expert on the Buddhist religion.
The Southeast Asian trip is coming to a close and I am feeling sad about leaving the country. I have grown comfortable with the Tuk Tuk rides and often running into elephants on sidewalks late at night. There is so much more to see here and I am sad that I will be leaving.
This travel term has been the best learning experience I have been on. Having two professors that both teach on history I feel that I have been able to learn so much. By seeing the sites and experiencing things first hand I will never forget what I have learned.

A disconnect in Reality

March 24, 2009 – 11:06 pm
By Nicola Gladwell | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (1)

Sometimes this is only an adventure, only pictures to display on Facebook, only an opportunity to gather exotic gifts. Sometimes I forget if this is reality. I am awakened by a Thai woman whose features strikingly resemble my Mom’s.

Is it for power? Is this rash display of wealth for power? meaning? hope? There are only a few Thais actually in here (only one of the perhaps thousands of Wats – temples – that speckle Thailand) the rest are Farang – Tourists. I want to be an ‘experiencist’ (as opposed to a tourist). Are these images only to create a tangible god to worship? A symbol makes it easier to unite under, not unlike a nation’s flag. Though the icon is so important to Buddhist culture, I feel that creating an image of Buddha is saying that his teaching wasn’t enough. I could speak of a thousand things, but this seems to be foremost on my mind; maybe Jesus and Buddha can sympathize, as we performed a similar gesture with his cross. I can’t help but think how many people could be fed if people were not giving money to build a temple in order to increase their merit, of how many rural daughters and sisters it took who work in urban brothels to send money back to their families  to build a golden Wat surrounded by rice paddies: a place for boys to get free education and a strict hand. Then I talked to older Monks- Monks who preach against worshipping Buddha, who’s favourite part of the day is meditating morning and night, and who simply by their peace and laid back attitude almost have me flying to Cambodia to become a monk as well.

I have found a lot of societal contradictions here in Thailand; they confuse me and I wonder if I will be privy to Canada’s own versions of these contrasts when I arrive back in Toronto. The world shown to casual tourists differs sharply to the real Thai world; the high morals expected of Thai women contradicts the slack attitude toward prostitution; in fact the hierarchical culture even seems to support it.

I want to be an experiencist… I don’t want to see old buildings and flashy tourist-traps if they serve to hide the triumphs and the plight of the people. I want to sit and understand. Upon coming overseas, I thought that the differences must not be so rash; in the end we are all humanity. Somethings, however, I don’t understand; I want to, but I don’t. In some ways this trip has pulled the world together, and in others it has blasted me with awareness of what a vast and varied world we live in.

As a tourist it is easy to detach oneself; it is dangerous to realize that you are entering into another’s life for a short time on the other side of the world and really recognize that they are just as real as you are. What would happen if I truly saw myself selling mango sticky rice for a lifetime, or blindly playing an accordion in the middle of a market? I am sitting in an internet cafe in Bangkok city and cannot weld this disconnect in reality– *sigh; one contradiction that I desperately do not want to add to the mounting list already existing in Thailand.

I hope to come back someday- Dichan my pen Farang; con Thai dee Kwa!

Sa wat dii Kha!

Goodbye SEA

March 24, 2009 – 10:53 pm
By Ariel Smith | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

It is my last day to have Thailand at my window in the morning and evening, to buy fried rice and veggies on the side of the street, and to witness the stunning Buddhist architecture and lifestyle which make up this rich culture.  I feel a sense of satisfaction and peace about this trip, but I anticipate a delayed reaction once I land back in Canada.  I think the shock of being back to familiarity will be harder to get used to than a new culture altogether.  I have already began my reflective process, as I have been soaking up every last bit of this incredible two month experience.

I loved the city of Chiang Mai, but more than the chaos and excitement of the city, I loved my little house in a village outside of town.  For two weeks I lived an hour away from the city, up the winding mountain, past the monkey, snake, and elephant camps, and on a small river overlooking mist, sky, and mountain.  My Thai family (Ma, Pa, Kip, and Koy) grew, gathered, and packaged vegetables beside the house to sell to Bangkok every morning.  This family poured so much energy in to making sure we were comfortable and welcome in their home.
I didn’t realize how exhausting communication was until I began living with my last home-stay family.  The motivation within myself to put forth enough energy and enthusiasm to communicate was draining enough, on top of the issues of using hand gestures and broken Thai to explain simple concepts.  I did all I could though, to ensure that our family recognized my gratitude for everything they did for us over those two weeks.  I miss the Thai jungle and my experience in Chiang Mai.

There is something very poetic and romantic about Thailand’s culture and the Buddhist faith.  I was at the back stairs of Chiang Mai University’s building one day between classes, looking at the gathering of endless trees surrounded by bright flowers on a canvas of mountains, and began to connect this sight with some of the principles of Buddhism which values simplicity, beauty and truth.  However, I couldn’t understand this landscape with the ideas of human independence and importance.  Beauty, simplicity, and truth are not man made, and human capacity could certainly not create the scenery I have seen, from the jungles of Thailand to the prairie plains of Canada.

I don’t know if I can pinpoint drastic and noticeable changes within myself from the first day in the Philippines to the last day here in Bangkok, but I know that my heart and mindset will continue to be molded and transformed by the experiences I have had during these two months in Southeast Asia.