SE Asia 2009

bus rides and bobby pins

June 23, 2009 – 12:16 pm
By Kendall Kadatz | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (1)

Shortly after returning from the recent Asia travel study term, Nicola had an experience with someone that impacted him.  His blog entry below speaks of the importance of the travel study terms for both our students and the people they interact with.

Redemption

Nicola Gladwell gave me a bobby pin.

During a long bus trip this April, I got out the handwritten draft of a short story and my AlphaSmart Dana word processor.

I balanced the Dana on my lap, then realized there was no comfortable–or even uncomfortable–way to prop up the sheets so I could type them. On the back of the seat in front of me was a tightly screwed-on strip of plastic that held the chair cover in place. I tried forcing the edge of a page under that, but had no luck.

Bother.

It was then that Nicola, seated across the aisle from me, came to the rescue. She removed a bobby pin from her hair and handed it over. I was at a loss what to do with it.

“What do you suggest?” I asked.

She took the flat prong and worked it under the strip of plastic, creating a clipboard. I slid a few pages into the bobby pin and they held.

Brilliant.

Later on, we introduced ourselves and chatted a bit. She asked what I was writing.

“A newspaper column,” I said.

This was a lie.

The short story was an early draft, and I never talk about writing so new. It wasn’t much of a lie, however, because I planned to work on a column later on.

“May I read it?” she asked.

“Uh . . . no.”

I know better than to lie and was embarrassed that I have been instantly, though unwittingly, caught.

There was wireless internet on the bus, and she had her laptop open.

“Take a look at my website,” I told her. “There are things there you can read.”

I gave her the web address and she sampled a poem and an essay and said some very kind things about them.

“Now that I’ve read something of yours, you should read something of mine,” she said.

My Dana isn’t wireless, so I asked her to email me the link and promised I’d read it when I got to my hotel.

I have something to confess. Because Nicola is a college student–an undergrad, in fact–I had low expectations. Whatever it was she had written would be, I was sure, devoid of serious thought and lacking in decent craft.

The internet, as is often the case, had a surprise waiting for me.

Nicola wrote about a recent trip to Asia, telling how things that are of small consequence here, are valued and used there. Redeemed, if you will.

She gave as an example, painted car tires being used as plant pots in the Philippines.

She gave as an example, the Asian practice of eating all parts of a beast, including the snout and feet.

She gave as an example, a dollar-store toy that we would scorn in the west, having value in the hands of a Filipino girl.

She gave as an example, the scrap tin that is used in many huts in Manila and Bangkok.

I could appreciate what she was saying, for I’d seen the same thing in Africa.

In Kenya, a dirty, twisted piece of wire is not trash, it is something that can be cleaned and carefully pounded into an attractive pair of ear-rings, often with no more tools than a flat rock for an anvil and a discarded engine bolt for a hammer.

A useless piece of wire redeemed.

I could follow the path that her examples laid down, but was not prepared for where they led me.

“I loved Thailand,” Nicola wrote. “I could live in Chiang Mai.

“I would ride to work on an elephant and guide rafts on mountain rivers for a pitiful living, seeking wisdom from aged monks and taking a masters in sustainable living or linguistics at CMU.

“However. I have a problem. I can’t get it through my head — you have to help me.

“There are over two million prostitutes in Thailand. In [the province of] Chiang Mai, all of them are brought from destitute Burmese villages and trafficked through the village of Ma Sai on the border.

“I was in Ma Sai. I bought a pen. And a necklace.

“All Burmese teen girls traveling through Ma Sai leave without their virginity and thus their hope for a future and marriage, and almost half leave with an AIDS death sentence from their first few weeks in the industry.

“What does redemption mean to a sex slave in Japan, in Bangkok, in Kuala Lumpur?

“If I see so much of what we call garbage being redeemed throughout Asia, isn’t there a way to redeem the consequences of societal chastity, idolatry, obligatory merit-making, hierarchical systems, and poverty?”

I still have Nicola’s bobby pin. I am thinking of framing it and hanging it on my wall.

This will remind me not to judge the abilities and motivations of others.

This will remind me that the life we are blessed with here is not the life most people enjoy.

This will remind me that redemption is everyone’s responsibility.

This will remind me that Nicola, who was her way home for summer break, planned to visit with her family for a couple of days then head north to Ontario.

Ontario, you see, has set a goal of planting 50 million trees by 2020, and Nicola was going to help plant some of them.
http://www.johngovernale.com/articles/redemption.html

Where is the rice? Which means: where is the love?

April 25, 2009 – 10:49 am
By Alex Henderson | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

We are all back home from Asia. Though we only had rice twice in our SSU meal-plan diet! Yet it is obviously the most superior food on the face of the planet. In Asia we had rice with every meal, and this helps prove my superior-food point! They even made their desserts out of rice. They also had special rice dances, and even members of our team were moved to do our own rice-dancing.

Did you know that the USA Rice Federation on www.usarice.com says this about rice:

“[Rice] is nutrient dense and contributes over 15 vitamins and minerals including folate and other B-vitamins, iron and zinc”, “[Rice] is an energy food, supplying carbohydrates that fuel the body’s physical activity ” and, “Triggers the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain that helps regulate and improve mood”

I’d be impressed if I weren’t already.

Since we’ve been home in North America we have had wheat grains with almost every meal. Did you know this about wheat grains. According to youtube.com in a video titled “The FDA Conspiracy & Bleached Flour, Austin Nutrition” (here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg5x-zUS5N8):  “various chemicals are used in the bleaching process, one of which is floride dioxide…”

Floride dioxide you say? That seems like a hastle! Why bother bleaching our food my North American friends when rice is already white.

The conspiracy video also says bleached flour: “spikes your blood sugar” among other undesirble things. Needless to say wheat flour is an evil in North American culture.

The Business of Redemption

April 24, 2009 – 11:06 am
By Nicola Gladwell | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (2)

Mind-held Thai expressions tease my tongue. Each essay determinately engaging with the SE Asian sex trade…

I have had a line ringing in my mind since our return, mingling with the leftovers of Asian dialects:

In the business of redemption.

What does it look like to be in the business of redemption?

I am reminded of: plant pots made from painted car tires in the Philippines; a Malay man’s obsession with mundane rocks allowing him to find a wealth of value in his collection of unique stones: singing boulders, growing gems, and petrified wood; in eating meat, Asians use the whole of the beast: even if this meant finding pig snout on my plate in the Philippines and chicken feet in a Malaysian curry; a dollar-store toy that we would scorn in the west has found new value in the hand of a Filipino girl, as does the scrap tin finding its place in the sea of huts within Manila or Bangkok.

In the business of redemption. what does it mean?

Perhaps it means finding value in imperfection- in another’s garbage, setting it free from judgement and compartmentalizing snobbery.

I loved Thailand; I could live in Chiang Mai. I would ride to work on an elephant and guide rafts on mountain rivers for a pitiful living, seeking wisdom from aged monks and taking a master’s in sustainable living or linguistics at CMU. However. I have a problem. I can’t get it through my head- you have to help me.

There are over 2 million prostitutes in Thailand; in Chiang Mai all of them are brought from destitute Burmese villages and trafficked through the village of Ma Sai on the border. I was in Ma Sai. I bought a pen. And a necklace. All Burmese teen girls traveling through Ma Sai leave without their virginity and thus their hope for a future and marriage, and almost half leave with an AIDS death sentence from their first few weeks in the industry.

What does redemption mean to a sex slave in Japan, in Bangkok, in Kuala Lumpur? If I see so much of what we call garbage being redeemed throughout Asia, isn’t there a way to redeem the consequences of societal chastity, idolatry, obligatory merit-making, hierarchical systems, and poverty?

In the business of Redemption.

Thai vocabulary, redemptive ideas, thoughts of the summer, and efforts to summarize my year at SSU swirl around my mind. I feel reminiscient of a Hogwarts student awaiting the next school year, or Arnold buckling his seatbelt in the Magic School Bus. I feel like all my life I have been taught to stand on a gymnasium line or sit quietly without being told why, and now my experience has set my mind free from dictated learning. Let me ask questions, don’t break life to me gently, let me dive in and let me experience both the joy and the pain of humanity. What will I learn next year?

I think redemption would be a good business to get into.

There and back again, a student’s tale.

April 24, 2009 – 11:01 am
By Geoff MacNeill | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

So I thought the last post was the final and concluding one, so here’s to P.S’s…

Travel terms, yeah they are pretty great. I suppose they just kind of match my personality. I love being in airports, sleeping on uncomfortable chairs in the lobbies. The anticipation of who the heck is gonna be sitting next to you on the plane is usually exciting as well.

Side note* On the return journey from Bangkok to Hong Kong, I sat next to two young hip Jewish Israelites. One of them even recited from the Torah, or another piece of Hebrew literature, out loud (but somewhat softly to himself) during the flight. I thought they were pretty neat guys.

I also like getting on long bus rides and reading or listening to music, contemplating the events that had just happened and of the things to come. And then getting off and realizing that your earthly possessions can be packed into a suitcase or backpack. It’s pretty freeing.

And then there’s walking through foreign countries; sights, sounds, and smells are all new experiences these are also great aspects of traveling. It’s this I think I like most; the cultural exposure. Seeing how others live their life helps me understand my neighbor and their culture a little more, it makes them a bit more familiar and less like the unknown stranger.

And yeah, education.  This also helps with the understanding process. I left SE Asia feeling like I could emphasize and maybe even sympathize with their struggles and hardships. Some of this came from seeing injustices in the streets, but to get a better understanding of the root causes behind these social issues comes mostly from class room lectures.

My hardest struggle about traveling; meeting people. Kinda weird eh, sometimes I think I am a people person but most of the time I am not. It takes me a while before I can actually warm up to friends and new acquaintenances, I’m a bit of an introvert. I hope over time that this can change… but for now, it’s one of the aspects that makes travel a growing process :)

So now we are back, and it’s life as it was before, but I am thankful. I love traveling but having a home-base to come back to makes the uncomfortable airport beds/chairs all that much better and worthwhile. I know I have a roof over my head, great food, and a comfortable bunk bed to come back to! Although I really like traveling, I also love my culture and it’s familiarities. We have it pretty good in Canada, it’s a great “home-base”.

So maybe I’ll leave this blog by challenging myself and others. Canada isn’t perfect and terrible things are happening here that we have to address, but comparatively to other countries we are pretty much living in the land of milk and honey. So pray about it and try and see if God is leading you to spread His justice and love in places that are lacking it right now. Micah 6:8.

life on preservatives

April 22, 2009 – 9:10 pm
By Raymond Funk | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

I feel like I sometimes live life on preservatives.
I’m home. I’m back in north america, or what I used to know as home and hopefully still do.
I feel different but I don’t see different. I’ve been here for three weeks, trying to adjust my body to a different time, to different foods, and funny enough trying to adjust myself to what I had been used to.
what am I doing? I am trying to adjust back to what I am used to?! what am I used to?
I stop.
everything has changed but everything is the same. 3 weeks ago I was on my way to new brunswick from Bangkok, a place I guess that few people from new brunswick have been. 8 weeks ago I was in a rainforest, and I slept in a house with an old man who spoke only Malay and offered us nescafe 3 in 1 and cookies and biscuits. now I am in my room, checking facebook for messages and preparing for summer in alberta. time has lapsed 10 weeks since I was in my room, checking for facebook messages and trying to prepare myself for southeast asia.

3weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks. what does time do? I am still myself from one moment to the next. what I decide to do carries on with me into the next moment and continues, yet I am the same person who was here 10 weeks ago. but I am a different person. I’ve written assignments on what I’ve experienced and learned while on my term on Southeast Asia, and I have learned much about the history and culture of people and places that were previously unknown to me.

how has this changed me? how has this made me a different person? the history, the culture, the communities, the food, the homestays, my classmates. I have grown closer to people. I hope. I’ve been learning over the past few months that people are not something to be afraid of. but rather it is not knowing people that brings fear. I’ve also been learning that time is something to be less afraid of. it is through the passage of time that growth happens. rather it is not being available to live and grow in the passage of time that brings fear.

I’ve been finding new joy in the people around me and the days as they come and go. I have a greater appreciation for each person as I get to know them better. And I hope that I will find I’m learning to live less on preservatives. I don’t want to be kept in the same place and in the same state.

“As I see the day stretched before me

in all of its mystery and predictability

I give it to You

and ask that You would walk with me

through the minutes and hours

keeping me awake and available

to You

and to whomever will cross my path”

~ from morning prayer by Joel Mason

Re Entrance into the SSU Community

April 22, 2009 – 3:32 pm
By Kyle Jaster | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

My experience with re entering the SSU community was quite difficult. It wasn’t difficult because SSU had changed or the people had changed, it was actually quite the opposite feeling. It felt like everything was the same, and that was the problem. I felt like my life had changed so significantly because of my experience in Asia that in some way I didn’t fit in at SSU any more. I don’t think that it would be a fair statement to say that the people at SSU didn’t change because I’m sure they did too. The difference was that their lives had changed under the same contexts it had always been in and mine had changed in a completely different world, with different issues, different challenges, different thought.
At first it was kind of upsetting and uncomfortable. However, the dynamic of SSU and the people it inhabits made for an incredible re entrance into the community. The bond that all of us Asian students had built in Asia allowed us to lean on one another for support for the first little while, and then eventually when we were comfortable the rest of the community was there to accept us.
Now after being back for over three weeks things feel pretty comfortable and regular again. However, what I don’t want is to feel too comfortable, I don’t want to forget what I have learned in Asia. It is a good thing to feel challenged and a little uncomfortable sometimes. Getting back into the ‘groove of life’ or into the ‘routine’ can be a dangerous and easy place to be. Challenge yourself daily!

I Still Hate Potatoes

April 22, 2009 – 7:57 am
By Tira Ingersoll | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

For as long as I can remember I have detested potatoes. I still eat them, and do not complain when they are served, but I do in fact hate them. I was thrilled when we were heading to Southeast Asia, where potatoes are not a staple in every meal; I was looking forward to two months of a potato-free existence. Throughout the two months the only thing I ate that involved potatoes was the occasional plate of french fries when I found myself tired of rice or fish or unrecognizable foods. Though I did not love the food in Asia, I loved that I could eat freely without worry of eating a potato.

When we were in Asia, before we came home I remember thinking that I would be a very different person; that I would have changed drastically in the two months we were gone. I could not pin-point how I had changed and figured I wouldn’t be able to until we came home, but I knew that I was different. I remember feeling anxious on the bus-ride from Saint John, and especially as we turned the corner and our eyes met the familiar big yellow house on top of the hill. I remember looking forward to interacting with people who hadn’t gone on the trip so that I could see the change in myself. But as I stepped off the bus and began greeting people, hugging and talking to them, I could not see it. In fact I felt almost exactly the same as I did when I left. I was horribly confused. I had had so many great experiences, I had met so many interesting people, I had learned so many new and exciting things. Why could I not see the change in myself?

As the days went by, and then weeks, I could not see a drastic change within myself. And still after having been back about 25 days, I am not an entirely different person than I was two months ago. I know that I have changed, how could I not. I have seen things I had never seen before; I have met the most interesting people and learned from them; I have listened to lectures and to my peers and I have learned from that. I have become more aware of the world around me and developed a true concern and care for it. Even small things like my tastebuds have changed as I find myself enjoying spicy food now. All of my experiences in Southeast Asia have changed me, I am different, however, in spite of all these things there are parts of me that have not obviously changed. I still hate potatoes.

A Whole New World

April 21, 2009 – 7:31 am
By Alicia Farnham | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

I hardly know where to begin!

It seems like a lifetime ago that I stepped out of the Toronto airport and breathed the crisp and cold air of Canada again after two months of the perpetual sauna-soaked air of Southeast Asia: with glee, I spread my arms out, threw my head back, inhaled dramatically and refused the jacket offered me right off my aunt’s back.  The whole trip feels like a dream–even the heat!  And yet, the more time that slips by and separates me from that experience, the more I seem to absorb from it.  I can’t answer the demands from well-meaning friends to tell them about my trip; I can hardly remember more than one specific story at a time (such as the ill-timed story on how I took my relationship with squatty-potties to the next level: this went completely unappreciated by my mother, busily preparing Easter dinner!) but I feel the whole experience all in one piece as a completely indescribable…enlightenment?  That might sound really corny or implausible but I can only explain what it is that has changed for me, as a result of this trip, as a feeling.  To be more exact, I feel larger, not by physical measure but inside somewhere, deep down; there’s something new there that wasn’t there before.  Maybe it’s just things like being able to say ‘I know what a traffic jam reallylooks like’, or ’I've seen how people in a poverty-stricken nation can be rich without money or justice’, or ‘I know history that other people can only hear about on the news, where it’s unrestricted by government leaders’ (because it’s different somehow, perhaps more valuable, when you know lecturers to be risking their safety or their reputation to tell you about their country).  Or I can skim a textbook and get a chill when, upon glancing at a picture and receiving a strange wave of deja-vu, I realize I’ve stood in front of that very same ruin, seen it in colour and even taken a picture of it!

Above and beyond all that, however, I think what I feel most in reaction to Asia 2009 is merely the fact that I no longer have a dark void where all knowledge of Southeast Asia is concerned.  Dark voids are burdensome things and a person doesn’t even notice how heavy they are until they’re gone!  (And by ”dark voids” I suppose I mean ignorance or lack of knowledge.)  I am so incredibly gladI have had the opportunity to go to these three countries–even if learning about and experiencing them doesn’t make me an expert, I’ve learned so much more than just the politics of Thailand or the security issues in the Philippines or the day-to-day Islam in Malaysia, and I can boast epiphanies both personal, interpersonal, spiritual and even academic!  I can hardly believe there was a time I was anxious enough to consider not going at all!  In short, pre-Asia, in-Asia, and post-Asia are periods of my life that have opened up a whole new world for me and I wouldn’t dare close my eyes now!

catching the sunrise

April 20, 2009 – 8:55 pm
By Monica Kadatz | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (1)

I woke up, breathed in the brisk, cold, New Brunswick air and forced myself to get out of my sleeping bag.  I knew that if I did not see the sunrise I would heavily regret it.  I looked over to see my friends putting on their extra layers of clothing, fearing that we could miss the sun awakening if we did not hurry.  I exited the tent, ignoring the sudden shock of the icy air hitting my face and ran to catch the new sun rising.  I ran along with my friends to the clearing on a rocky cliff overlooking the lake above the trees and looked into the clear sky.  I had made it just in time;  good morning sun.

As I sat in awe of the natural beauty surrounding me I thought back to one of the first days on my trip to Southeast Asia.  I was in the Philippines and had woke up early to watch the sunrise on top of a mock boat beside the house I was staying at.  The utter contrast of that moment to the one I was experiencing now was astounding.  In the Philippines the air was so hot and humid you could taste it, and the sun stretched over miles of green rice fields and palm trees.  The differences between the two settings of Canada and Asia are undeniably different, but in that moment I was struck by the realization that I was watching the same sun.  All of the sudden I was connected once again with the land that I had left behind, and the world as massive as it is, had become small.

As human beings we are scattered across the globe, separated by geography, ethnicity, and religion but in reality we are similar to one another and  also connected by the very things that keep us apart.  A child in Malaysia has the same desires for friendship and family as a child born in America, and a faithful Catholic woman in the Philippines is driven by the same stronghold of religion as the man in Canada.  Everyone in this world holds the same human value as the other, and the sooner this is globally recognized the sooner things will start to move forward into much needed change.  My goal upon returning from Asia has been to never forget the things that I learned, the places I experienced and most importantly the relationships that I had built with the people of each nation.  There is so much to learn from one another in so many ways, and I am determined to continue to acknowledge the value and worth in all people, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they believe in.

One day I woke up, and I wasn’t in Asia any more.

April 20, 2009 – 1:06 pm
By Margaret Sider | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Ah! It seems like forever since we have been back from Asia! (longest three weeks in the world…

I have had to say this a million times already, but Asia really was a great experience. I loved it, and I learned from it. I was changed and challenged. And I really don’t want to lose everything in the craziness (or perhaps, the familiarity) of being back. Maybe it is just about taking the time to really process and think about everything. Intentionally.

I don’t just want to be changed by the experience, I want to know what has changed about me! I have to think about things and come up with some good realizations…

Dearest Asia trip,

Thanks for giving me some good days, and for putting up with me on my bad days. We all have our moments. Sometimes when we are traveling, everything is just way more intensified though. So thanks for sharing, taking, lending, borrowing, giving freely. Thank you for teaching me the richness of appreciation and the depth of gratitude. You reminded me of what is truly important in life and taught me how to grab a hold of it and make it a reality. I loved the mindset that you put me in. Aware. Thinking, or not thinking, learning, understanding, tired, vulnerable, perceptive, ready.

You were great, but now you are done.

And I’m going to need to figure out how to take all that I have learned back into regular life! A life too often lacking in the novelty and spontaneity you provided, where I sleep in the same bed every night and don’t always wonder what to eat, do, or say.

It is different. But, you showed me how to welcome change.

So thanks again.

Love,

one you have inspired and disrupted, for the better.

p.s. I miss you already.

“Once I was in Asia” or “The Last Blog”

April 20, 2009 – 10:00 am
By Karis Kazuko Taylor | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Once I was in Asia. Did I learn anything there that you might find enlightening, interesting or at the very least somewhat amusing? Yes. Allow me to summarize it all for you in 200 words.

That was a joke. I cannot give a general overview of the experience and if I tried to it would not keep your attention. All the goodness is in the specifics. Like that one time in a Malaysian hostel when I fell through the bottom of the top bunk almost killing Ariel Smith (if standing beside a tiny Asian person does not make you feel fat, falling through one of their flimsy beds will). Or that other time at the night market in Chiang Mai when I had not yet gotten the hang of bartering and I spent ten minutes haggling over ten baht which is the equivalent of thirty cents (boy, was that vendor lady mad at me). Or at the Maesa Elephant Camp when the elephant wrapped her trunk around me and blew snot in my face, confirming my childhood belief that I and the elephants of this world are kindred spirits. And in the Philippines, taking pictures of Tira Ingersoll dancing with stoic starfish and vexing waterlogged sea cucumbers.

The Asia trip, far more so than the Europe trip or the cumulative SSU experience, is a book of short stories. Perhaps there is a common theme to all the different stories: digestive problems, copious amounts of sweat, or pretty flowers. Honestly though, it is a challenge to find something cohesive about the Asia trip save this: once we were in Asia together, traveling the same road that past SSU students have traveled, and where future SSU students will one day journey–another chapter in the larger, fuller story of being a part of this school.

Bringing it Home

April 20, 2009 – 9:01 am
By Ariel Smith | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

North American culture has worn me down again, and I am sinking back in to familiarities.  It hasn’t, however, covered up pieces of Southeast Asian culture that I have intentionally taken from my experience abroad.  It was difficult to vocalize and express what these aspects of my experience looked like when I returned back to Canada, but in our final few plane rides I began to understand what I really value from my time in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.  I wrote this while sitting in the Bangkok airport, waiting for our flight home.

The clouded sky and broken trees have been on my mind,
and I’m stumbling for simplicity.
The mist and soil have imprinted my heart,
and I’m begging for peace in the eyes of war.

I’ve seen love here, and I can’t leave it behind.
I’m bringing hope with me and taking her home.

The trip to Southeast Asia was an extremely positive experience for me.  I found that the culture and people encouraged me to live in peace, and live a much simpler life than that which is promoted in the West.  My fear was that I would see this beauty and simplicity and not recognize it as I come back to a familiar place.  I find now, that I am often reminded of the heart that I encountered in Asia.  I am continuing to pray that this experience will connect with other aspects of my life, and that I can learn from it as I grow, spiritually and academically.

The Dangerous World of Politics

April 18, 2009 – 9:42 am
By Dan Snyder | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Politics has been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. During my time here at SSU, although there are no outright political science courses per se, I have managed to weave the thread of politics into many of the papers I have written in the multiple disciplines. Whether it is contrasting Aristotelian and modern political theory in philosophy, or discussing the social and political ramifications of James Joyce’s literature, as much as possible I like to find the “political angle” within my studies.

This past term allowed me to gain a new angle: discovering the world of Southeast Asian politics. I was excited to learn about the way governments operated in a different part of the world and what involvement the citizens had with their political system. It was fascinating to see the different influences on each of the countries that we visited and how they had shaped the country’s political history. The current government of the Philippines has been modeled mainly upon that of the United States with some evidence remaining of the previous Spanish colonization and the effect of the Catholic Church in that country. In Malaysia, the Islamic religion plays an influential role in the governance but there are also clues that point to the British presence there. Thailand is unique among the Southeast Asian nations for having never been officially colonized; there the role of the Buddhist religion and the institution of the monarchy greatly influence the politics.

When looking into the politics of this region, the majority of the countries in Southeast Asia seem to be rife with corruption, bid-rigging, ethnic conflict and military intervention. From a Western perspective, it was all to easy to approach these issues with a bit of a superiority complex, thinking: “Wow, it’s a good thing we don’t have it this bad back in Canada/the U.S.” I’ll admit, before I went on the trip and at the beginning of my time there, this is how I felt. By the end of the trip though, and after being home for a few weeks, I have come to a different conclusion. We in the West should not be so smug about our system: it is not perfect. Although in theory it looks good when compared to the blatant corruption of officials in some of these other countries, we would be kidding ourselves if we thought that there was no corruption over here. The fact is that it’s more covert and sometimes more insidious.

This conclusion was confirmed for me after I read an article just the other day that I thought could have been a page from one of my Southeast Asian textbooks. The headline was: “7 Ottawa tech firms charged with bid-rigging”. Now the difference is that in Southeast Asia this would be front-page news whereas in Canada (where this supposedly doesn’t happen) it is buried in the news. (Type “bid-rigging” into Google News and there are 2 results for this story).

Although we should be thankful for the relative peace that we experience in the West, we should not allow that peace to let us to slip into complacency but to always be striving for better, at home and abroad.

living and breathing and moving

April 18, 2009 – 9:37 am
By Brianna Kocka | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Being back from Asia (or anywhere, really); it is a strange thing. It is not that being back is strange because I am not in The Philippines, Thailand or Malaysia in particular, it is just strange moving from one thing to the next.

I was just thinking to myself that I have been away from home at university for two years now.

Two years.

That time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was deciding to leave Minnesota and come to this far off land called St. Stephen. But, time passed as it does, and what seemed long while in the process became quick.

The time passes and all of a sudden we are changed and we barely notice it.

This “almost-time-travel” mentality applies to my time traveling through Asia with St. Stephen’s University. When you are in it, you are in it; time moved slow throughout my trip and suddenly, after a long (yet remarkably quick) two day trek I was back in Canada, back in St. Stephen. And it seemed as though I had never left.

Life keeps moving when you are moving, even when you expect it to stop.

And, the days passed. The school work began to build up, the trip, the being there lost focus and the being back took over. And now, weeks after resettling I am beginning to recall the times I had, the hard and marvelous times I spent traveling. Memories I had already forgotten have begun to float back into my mind, to prove that I am alive, that I am living and breathing and doing.

And the time, it keeps moving.

The Adventure

April 18, 2009 – 9:34 am
By Lucas Walters | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Returning home to Canada has been very bitter sweet, I found my self standing in the airport in Toronto and having everything feel foreign to me, seeing so many people of the same race as myself. After coming home from Southeast Asia I found it very strange to be back and slipping into a routine. No longer needing to negotiate prices when I am at the store, being surprised at just how expensive things are. Life in Canada seems very easy compared to being abroad. I no longer need to worry about the quality of the water that I am drinking or drinking massive amounts of it.  I am still finding my self wanting to remove my shoes when I enter a house am amazed me at the amount of clothing that I am able to chose from each morning; I am no longer confined to just whatever is in my backpack. Being able to comprehend that I have just come home from the longest trip that I have ever been on has been interesting, it is still hitting me that I have just spent eight weeks on the road flying across the world to experience Southeast Asia. Swimming in the South China Sea, climbing the second largest mountain in SEA, or riding bicycles through thousand year old temple ruins has been quite a reality check. I feel very privileged to have been able to go to Southeast Asia and travel with awesome people and just experience new and wild things. This was a trip that would not have been on the top of my list had I had a choice in the location, but the more that I was there, the more that I was thankful that I was there living in the moment and experiencing such wonderful things.

Being home and seeing my family and friends once again has been so wonderful, but at the same time I have found it hard to relate to someone that has not experienced a trip like this. Trying to integrate back into what is considered normal life by North American Standards has been challenging. You are able to experience so much on a trip like this, then you return and life is the same as when you left. It is strange to return and know that you will be staying in the same place for more then a week and you will have hot water for  a shower and that it will be clean. You are not faced with the task of always guarding your backpack, passport and camera or at least the fear of misplacing it is much less.

Finishing up school and getting ready to shift gears into summer has been an exciting time. The tedious taks of searching for a summer job, trying your best to convince someone two thousand kilometres away that you are worthy of a position, and yet really wanting not to work for the summer but go on new adventures presents a challange.  But then reality once again hits you and you realize that being in school is almost like a vacation in that I was able to travel this semester and spend time on the beach and see and do so many awesome things that working for  a few months does not seem as bad. Knowing that I will be able to travel again soon enough, I look forward to that, once again living out of a backpack, sleeping on airport floors, long bus rides and not really caring where you are sleeping as long as it is warm. This is my personal expericne with travel and being in the best undergraduate program in Canada! (That is in my personal opinion, of course).

My Birkenstocks Won’t Let Me Forget

April 16, 2009 – 9:15 pm
By Lindsay McKay | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Every once in a while, I have moments of intense forgetfulness. This forgetfulness that I speak of has to do with forgetting about the Asia trip. Perhaps forgetfulness is not the correct word choice because believe me, I will not soon forget this experience. Every once in a while, a memory appears in my mind’s eye and I realize that I have indeed been to Asia. Sometimes, I look down at my feet upon which one can often find my beloved Birkenstocks. My Birkenstocks are very good at helping me remember.

Now, you may be wondering how shoes can possibly help me remember anything. You see, I wore my Birkenstocks nearly everyday while in Asia; they were good to my feet. Unbeknownst to me when I packed them in my suitcase in preparation for the trip, they have become one of my principle reminders of my experiences. When I look at them, I remember the places that they have taken me. Places like Philippine church, Paoay Church built in the 16th century by slaves to the Spanish crown. They lead me past cows and stray cats to a small mosque in a Muslim village in the interior of East Malaysia. These reliable shoes steered me through the sacred grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok; and they help me remember.

Every religion has icons. Icons are meant to be vehicles through which people remember the significance of something such as religion in their lives. For Christians one such icon is the cross and for Buddhists the image of the Buddha. Similarly, in a desperate attempt not to forget the places that I have been and valuable lessons that I have learned, I rely on familiarity to bring remembrance. I suspect that as the days and weeks turn into months and years, as I slip my feet into my faithful Birkenstocks time and again, I will remember the places that they have taken me and the things that I learned in those places. That, my friends is how my Birkenstocks will be one of my favourite icons of my trip to Southeast Asia.

Bridging the Gap

April 16, 2009 – 4:29 pm
By Laura Copping | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Our trip to Asia has been a truly enlightening experience. Not only do I know all there is to know about Buddhist temples and Southeast Asian history (ok, so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration), but I have also experienced cultures that have taught me extensively about humanity and have inspired me in my own passions through the various nuances of everyday life. I have learnt about sustainable living from one of our speakers, Jeff Rutherford, and about simplistic living from my Filipino and Malaysian host moms. While it is interesting to know about the many kings of Thailand and their history, it is the lessons on sustainable and simplistic living that will (hopefully) have a lasting impact on my life.
Asia has taught me a lot, but above all I have learnt about community. I know that our class certainly isn’t a perfect community but what my experiences in Asia have shown me is that we, as a class, are willing to strive for something deeper. We went into the Asia trip very divided, there were clear lines separating one group from another. As we travelled together, we learnt about each other; we discovered how to bridge the gap that divided our class into their two extremes and how to love (or understand, or have grace for, or be patient with) the individuals that just seemed so different from ourselves. It has been three weeks since we’ve been back and still I am amazed at the connectedness of our class.

My Asian Experience

April 16, 2009 – 1:59 pm
By Bethany Grieco | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

As the past few weeks have gone by and I have had time to reflect on my Asian experience, I think about the struggles and the ability to overcome, I realized what community truly is. It was the people I went with, my classmates, professors and my faith that challenged me and encouraged me to experience more.

I was encouraged by my classmates to try new things. They were always trying to help me get the full experience of Asia, whether it was trying disgusting foods or seeing the city when I just didn’t want to. They made the trip, a trip of a life time.

The next best thing on the trip was the ability to travel with my professors and leaders. They were incredible, challenging us to make the best of the trip. They were our own personal tour guides who knew so much. They encouraged us to dig deep and learn big, recommending us to research further into the areas we were interested in on the trip. They were always ready to have intellectual conversations or ready to crack a joke. They made the atmosphere light and easy for traveling.

One of the best experiences on the Asia trip was the growth in my personal walk with Jesus. As we traveled and experienced difficult times I was encouraged by my friends and professors to turn to the lord in our times of need, this was a necessity. We found a verse which we tried to live by in Ephesians four:

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord as you were called to one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Together with classmates, profs and the lord, it made my trip one of the best I have ever been on. I learnt what a Christian community is, always being there for each other. It was a wonderful experience I would do again and again.

There and back again…

April 14, 2009 – 8:50 pm
By Lois Craswell | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

Well I have been back in beautiful Canada for almost two weeks and sometimes it feels as if I haven’t actually left. But looking back at the past few weeks there is an obvious change that has happened in my life. Other than the fact that I am mufflerless, there are signifcant changes that have happened and to my surprise it is a spiritual change.  During our debriefings there was a sense of spiritual connectiveness as well as class connectiveness and even if we only had three Celtic prayer services there was a real spiritual community that was built while in Asia and when I came back there was that fear that I wouldn’t be able to find it. Brianna said it right that sometimes, or a lot of the time, the spiritual side of school gets pushed to the far corners of our mind which make us apathetic to the things around us and only caring for what goes on in our personal bubbles/circles. But I think one major thing that God taught me on the trip was to be open to other people that are outside of your normal circle and that as a traveling spiritual community you need to be open and willing to talk to “strangers” in the group. And I think that I did.  There are four beautiful girls, Crystal, Ariel, Cara, and Bethany that I have gotten the chance to get to know a lot better and see that they are beautiful, spiritual women and willing to be spiritually vulnerable. Also being home I have wanted to get to know the other people that weren’t on the trip that I have always been afraid to get to know because they were in a higher year or just not in my circle of friends, but there could be such great relationships made if only we step out of our comfort zone. Another fear is that while being home I will lose this “getting to know other people” attidude and fall back into the old way I meet people, which was take a long time and not even talk to certain people. But I think that there are enough people feeling the same way and our God is a good God and maybe it will be something that He places on the hearts of all of the students at SSU! Who knew it would take a trip to SE Asia to figure it out!

The Postscript

April 14, 2009 – 8:40 pm
By Katie Ironside | Posted in SE Asia 2009 Comments (0)

It’s been two and a half weeks now since our return to Canada after a long, but amazing, couple months abroad. There are times when I can hardly believe that I am no longer in Asia, and other times that I can hardly believe I was even there at all. In the span of seven weeks, my understanding of the world was challenged, my relationship with God reformed, my relationships with others deepened, and my memory-box of experiences filled to overflowing. I have learned so much about the peoples and cultures of Southeast Asia, but I have also learned a lot about myself. I always find that God does that- you know, teaching you something about yourself that you had never considered before, all-the-while you were expecting to learn something completely different. He’s sneaky like that.

Putting into words how I feel at this moment might prove difficult—mostly because I still am not sure myself—but I think I could be bold enough to make the blanket statement that my time in Asia has stretched me and enlightened me in more ways than one. I look forward to seeing how I will continue to grow and learn as the things I experienced really begin to sink in; however long that may take.

So, here’s to adventures with friends, old and new, and being brave enough to let myself learn in ways I would never have believed imaginable.

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 Monica Kadatz | 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.