Fye and I did puzzles of the Human Body and practiced English and Thai!
Have I mentioned that Khon Kaen is CRAWLING with dogs?
Buddhism is an integral part of culture here. I also liked the mural.
Meh working at her convenience store near the market.
*Disclaimer* This was written last week, but due to poor internet I haven't been able to post until now!
This past week I participated in my first homestay. I can already anticipate how difficult it will be to describe my experience, but I'll certainly do my best to give it justice. We were staying in the slums of Khon Kaen. Knowing this beforehand, each of us eliminated any expectations we had, and tried to remain completely open to whatever we would find in our community. We were all split up among various areas, but 5 of us were along the same road. We clambered out of our van and began walking down a dirt road, dotted with clusters of tin roof homes and stray animals. I was the first to enter my home, with a simple send off from our Ajaan and no information or translation whatsoever... I can honestly admit how nervous I was, and the panic that went through me as I acknowledged the severe language barrier. My hand was immediately taken by my Nongsow (little sister) Fye, who is 7 years old. She began yammering away in Thai and led me through her home, showing me where everything was. It turns out that my Meh is the community leader. Her home was beautiful, 2 storied with coy fish tiles. I had been expecting much less. Though the signs of poverty were still clear in other ways. Fye, Meh and I all shared a bedroom, and both parents worked long days in order to support Fyes education. Fye was the smartest little girl I have ever met. She is studying English, Chinese, violin, biology, art, and wants to be a singer. She was an amazing child, who really got me through the experience. I remember when I had foreign exchange students in my house as a child. I now realize why they were more comfortable talking to me, who probably spoke simple English and just wanted to play with my toys! Meh was a very feisty woman who loved to laugh. I could hardly understand her but she tried her best to guide me through everything. Luckily I remembered all of the Thai I have been taught so far, and my comprehension for what I have learned was high. But I did find that I was desperate to communicate my gratitude and discuss deeper issues, which I was not able to do until we had a translator present (later in the week). The most eventful part of my homestay was the first morning. My meh woke me up at 5 AM and handed me a pair of pink sneakers. I followed her to her motorcy and we hit the road. It was still dark and the moon was full, and we passed under a giant golden archway, zipping through central khon kaen. What came next was even better... We came upon a miniature replica of ancient Egypt, fully equipped with neon pyramids, lit up in their ridiculous glory. I was stunned, to say the least. We then proceeded to participate in a 5AM aerobics class outside, beneath the pyramids, listening to Thai remixes of Barbie Girl and YMCA! I was highly uncoordinated, to say the least. But all the old Thai women still said I was "suwy suwy!"(beautiful). The community we stayed with is currently at risk of losing their homes to a high speed railway. They have sought us out to work through CIEE to help their cause. Their sheer generosity and kindness is proof enough that no harm should come to these people. Each of my friends had similar experiences of loving kindness from the strangers who have now become extensions of our families!
My days could not be more jam packed. As I write this, I am currently on a bus to Khao Yai National Park, for a weekend trip with my friends. I have never planned so little in my life. We hopped on a bus with no plans, sure that adventure would ensue. I'm looking forward to hiking and deepening my friendships with the lovely, interesting women I am surrounded by!
Trust me, difficulty with WiFi has been a huge frustration for me. It was taking hours to upload a single picture. They recently changed something about our WiFi, I'm hoping it will be a bit better. Then I can post more often!!
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This blog documents my study abroad experience in Khon Kaen, Thailand Spring 2015