Just go, C!
I'm Charity, a proud auntie, wine lover, semi-nerd, and dreamer who can't stay in one place for too long.
Yesterday, I was able to visit Sukhothai Historical Park in the Old City area of Sukhothai. It was incredibly hot, which is typical Thai weather, but it didn't rain, so it was the perfect day to explore a part of the country I'd been dying to see since I first arrived to Tak! A bit of history: Sukhothai was the first official capital of ancient Thailand, established in 1238. This was a very important period for Thailand. Many Thais consider this period to be the official beginning of their history. You begin to see documented historical accounts of religious and political events. The Thai language was officially established during this time. Art and Buddhism flourished during this time, often integrated with each other as is visible today in the Historical Park of Sukhothai. The kingdom didn't have a long life - it dissipated around 1350 when the beloved King Ramakhamphaeng died and the Ayutthaya Kingdom gained power and absorbed the former Sukhothai Kingdom. When you understand the history a little more, you really appreciate what remains today. Living in Tak gives me the convenience of being just over an hour's bus ride to Sukhothai. And, my apartment is only about a 5 min walk to the bus station, so what excuse do I have, really? The bus actually takes you to the bus terminal in the new city of Sukhothai (there is an old and a new Sukhothai), but for only 30 baht (about $1 US), you can take a public songtaew to the Park. It's about a 20 min ride which gives you an opportunity to look around you and enjoy the sights and smells of Sukhothai. Once I arrived at the park, it was around noon, so my stomach told me it was time to grab lunch. I stopped at a restaurant near the park that featured both local and Western food. I ordered what I thought was pork larb (a popular dish in the eastern region of Thailand known as Isaan) and steamed rice. Apparently I need to brush up some more on my Thai because while I did receive the larb, I also received another entrée that was a chicken and noodle dish with a coconut broth. Since I believed it was fate that ultimately decided my meal and not my terrible Thai speaking, I enjoyed both dishes. And, a yummy coconut shake to wash it all down. After I enjoyed my delicious mistake, I walked a short distance to a bicycle rental shop. There are several around the park. Another 30 baht got me a bike rental to enjoy for the full day. If you ever decide to visit the park, I would highly encourage you to rent a bicycle. It's not only cheap, but it's the best way to see the park, in my opinion. I spent the next few hours exploring the park, my mind being blown pretty much the entire time. Please enjoy some of the many photos I took while exploring Sukhothai Historical Park!
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Comparing the Thai educational process with the one in the States has been an education in itself. One major example of how the Thais view education and teachers is the Wai Khru celebration held annually in every Thai school. "Wai Khru" basically means "respect teacher". The day before the ceremony, the students at my school took the afternoon away from class to create their own flower arrangements designed with specific teachers in mind. Some of the creations were absolutely mind-blowing. On the morning of the ceremony, all of the students gathered together in the assembly area where authentic Thai music was playing courtesy of some of the students. All of the teachers were asked to go on stage while the students recited their previously-rehearsed chants of respect for the teachers and for the country. I didn't understand any of it, of course. And one of the students sang a song that was absolutely beautiful, whether or not I could understand the words. There was a processional of sorts where the students who created the flower arrangements came up on stage to present them to the applicable teachers. The whole thing was incredibly entertaining, but also very humbling as a teacher from a foreign country. Some students did give me flowers and asked for a blessing, which is common for teachers to do on this day. As an American, I couldn't help but think, "Wow, it would sure be nice if we had the same attitude toward teachers in my own country." In Thailand, the teachers are regarded very, very highly. They are viewed nearly as highly as monks. You don't see the teachers-are-glorified-babysitters attitude which (I feel) is common in the U.S. It seems to me that in the U.S., teachers are expected to do a lot but are heavily reprimanded if there is any kind of discipline or disagreement between the school and the parents. In Thailand, there is a partnership of sorts between the parents and the schools. The parents have the ultimate responsibility, but the expectation is that the children will behave at school exactly how they would be expected to behave at home, and if any issues occur, the parents trust the schools enough to take them at their word and handle the discipline at home. In many cases, the parents also trust the schools to handle the discipline themselves.
The Wai Khru ceremony was such a beautiful tribute to the teachers and it was very humbling to be part of this experience, and it was very gracious of the school to allow the foreign teachers the same experience as the Thai teachers. Just recently, I had what I consider to be my first real bout of homesickness.
Sure, I've gotten a little wistful every now and again since starting this journey, and I've had my share of WTF-am-I-doing moments, but this episode hit me a lot harder than the others. Honestly, it has caught me off guard. Why now am I finally experiencing this? It's been over six months since I left home. You'd think I would have had my "episode" by now. I don't think it was triggered by any one thing. I think it's been a combination of things, and it's all sort of snowballed. I think I've been so busy adjusting, especially to Thailand, that I haven't really had the time or energy to look behind me. I think I wanted the change SO badly that I forgot who and what I left behind. And "forgot" is probably a poor word choice - I think I've distracted myself from thinking about it/them. Right now, it's summertime back home. Around this time every year, I usually go camping, kayaking, road tripping, and winery visiting. I usually make it to one or two of my friends' backyard cookouts. I catch a few outdoor concerts. I bask in the joy of being able to wear flip flops on the regular. I put the heavy winter coats away by stuffing them into the nether regions of my closet, secretly wishing I wouldn't have to pull them back out in another 4 months. I miss all of that. I really do. Yes, it's hot here every.effing.day and I can wear sandals to my heart's content, but it's all of that anticipation and excitement for the change of seasons that I miss. My sister is going to have her 3rd baby in a few weeks. I won't be there for it. I changed my oldest niece's diapers when she was a baby. I will never forget the day that same niece, around 3 years old, handed me a sonogram photo and said, "That's my baby brother!" I visited my sister in the hospital after she had him and deeply sympathized with her after seeing how huge my nephew's head was. I won't be there for my new baby niece's birth, nor for her first few months, possibly years, of her life. I deeply miss my (former) dog. He is in the absolute best hands and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome for him. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss seeing his uncontrollable excitement whenever I walked in the door, or his snoring. The guilt that I had for leaving him behind has been incredibly hard to shake, despite how happy he is now. I'm watching some of my friends go through some really epic life changes. I admit that I tend to be an extrovert by day and an introvert by night, and can often be people-avoidant, but I still wish I could be there in person for some of them, to give them a huge hug, maybe shed a few tears with and for them, bake them some cookies and cupcakes... Speaking of which, I really... REALLY... miss having a kitchen. I miss being able to cook a meal for myself, and of course I miss baking, because truly that was my way of giving of myself to others. I realize this is all sounding like a sob story and I do not feel sorry for myself, nor do I want or expect anyone to feel sorry for me. The reality is, I have a lot of fucking cool things going on right now, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. But, I just want people... YOU... to know, that I do miss you. I miss talking to you. I miss being able to see your face while I talk to you. I miss laughing with you. I miss you laughing at me. This homesickness, I believe, is not about wishing I were back home living the old life. It's about really appreciating - no, loving - what I did have. I'm sorry I had to leave to understand that, but I'm still glad I'm understanding it now. PS. I really fucking miss Amazon Prime. |
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AuthorHi! I'm Charity. I'm from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I quit my job in October 2016 to travel the world. Archives
June 2022
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