In Thai Transitions II

The thunder cracks in the sky like a charioteer's whip and I am on our little couch struggling to keep my eyes open. Jet lag is trying to be a conqueror. And conquering at really strange times too, like 2pm, 3pm, definitely 4:30pm, making my body tired and my mind wired. For the past three days when I go to bed at 9 or 10 at night, I wake up before the sun. Well, hello three-in-the-a.m. Fancy to see you this early.

But the rain is great (it's hurricane season in Southeast Asia, hang on) and it cools down an otherwise very muggy and hot day. You drive into and out of relaxed Chiang Mai City and everything is draped in GREEN. Where we live is surrounded by rice paddies and the valley is encased by forested hills. You have never seen so many different shades of vibrant in your life.

Our home away from home is a Lahu Christian compound inhabited by the Lahu people, an ethnic minority group in Northern Thailand, situated in Doi Suket. The students take Thai, English, computer and bible classes during the day and worship in the night. And the morning. And the afternoon. You can hear their garage band concert in their sanctuary during all times of the day really. At 5am, they ring the bell. Wake up, eager open minds. It is (obviously) time to greet the day. You too, you American darlings. You hear our bell.
The other day, I took a corner around the staircase and nearly frightened two Lahu girls out of their skin. Sakes alive, jumping 6 inches into the air, shrieking, they rebounded from their fright by wai-ing and practicing their English.
"How are you?"
"I am fine." I smile. "How are you?"
"I am fine."
and they giggled away to tell their friends about the first black person they have ever seen in their lives stalking the stairwell.

Being African-American only becomes noticeable for me when, well, we go out in public. In Carefor (sp?), a French equivalent to Home Depot, I walked into the store and every worker stopped what they were doing. A white person is really no big deal but since African-American's don't tend to ever travel in Asia, blackness can be quite a spectacle. I take note because in Thailand and Asia darkness and skin pigmentation matter. In Mekong Region the darker you are, the worse you may be treated. Darkness is synonymous with ugliness, backwardness, and crime. You can see why I would be concerned about my skin color, the ultimate brown. Walking around in the flower markets with not-so-smiley faces looking my way, I began to internally hesitate. *whimper* Toto....

It wouldn't be such of a problem if I wasn't dependent on social validation (I'm addicted to being liked) but that's what goes along with [1] travel and [2] being Black. It takes an certain amount of grace and a stiff upper lip but what you get in return is often more than worth it. I woke up this morning with a hope of steel. If I smile and treat everyone with honor and respect, I can't possibly be responsible for bad perceptions. I might make a friend.

Markets are really fun in Thailand since they are incredibly packed with aisles of vibrant (indescribable)Thai things. The flowers around the edges of the market smell of a strong fragrant scent worthy of temple offering and the tropical fauna burst. Inside is everything you'd ever want (hot pink lanterns, here. Black gelatin with strange fruit in them, here). Um, Guys, I do think that bucket is moving. There in front of us were eels trying to crawl out for their lives and another basin with imprisoned toads. Ryan and I are hatching a plan to get (SAVE) a toad and turtle for GoEd pets. That's what Julia gets for not letting us have a puppy.

I walked Walking Street by myself while the others got massages and it was packed with distinction. Thais, Farangs (westerners), Chinese, Japanese patronized stalls and I wove through them and looked at all the intricate and interesting knicknacks, clothing, and textiles. Sawat dee Kahhh, sellers called out to entice us with welcome. Blind men, Hill Tribe, and Chinese musicians played in the middle of the moving sea of bodies. All I could see was a red color and all I could hear was the shrill, beautiful twang of traditional Asian instruments, the beats of drums. Street food crackled in the humidity. For the first time since I'd arrived, I felt completely at ease.
The students are in for some great classes:

• Exclusion and Exploitation (taught by Harvard Law Professor, Crista Crawford)
• Social Context for Development (taught by Dr. Dwight Jackson, Country Director for Rwanda)
• Thai Culture and Arts (taught by Dr. Michael Pucci, profound man extraordinaire)
• History, Religion, and Society of the Mekong Sub-region (taught by Payap University Faculty)

and Au di Surah will teach the students introductory Thai. Ryan will teach Julia how to buy a fantastic tea kettle on Ebay. Everything will be educational, even Julia's online buying mania. I'll let you know about those as they come along, of course, you can count on me. What's most important, though, is to spend a lot of my time reflecting about the culture, people, and environment here since we are American students in Thailand trying to make this place a little part of our souls; study abroad/internship is a tool to take this within ourselves and see the color of the market when we close our eyes even in old age.

I have gotten ahead of myself. Or have I?
The students are here.



Julia: "So Ryan. About this tea kettle."