I forgot to mention in my last post that on Thursday, we were fortunate enough to have guests in both Buddhism and Gender classes.
In Buddhism, Ajan Alan brought in 5 monks who teaches at another university. They were each from a different country -- one from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, and Vietnam. It was very cool to see how Buddhism is represented similarly in five vastly different countries.
We split into groups and had two monks sit down and chat casually with each group. I was with the monk from Laos and the monk from Thailand. They are both 22 years old and have been in the Sangha for 10 years. We asked how long they plan to be in the monkhood, and they both couldn't give us an answer. The Laotian monk told us that his parents wanted him to leave, that they believe he has paid his time -- but he wants to stay. He also has a twin brother who is a monk, but practices in a Mahayanan Buddhist tradition (a great deal different than the Theravadan tradition here in Thailand). The other monk, thinks that he could probably be a monk forever.
Our conversation focused mainly on how Buddhism has been mainstreamed and has been adapted to modern society. For example, the Buddha recommended that monks never handle money. In our world today, that is nearly impossible. Monks buy food and have to pay for taxi rides and other things. They receive a lot of their necessities from laypeoples' donations, but are allowed to carry and use money. According to tradition, monks are lot allowed to touch women. This is still very much true, but there are exceptions as more and more women become doctors, for example. If a monk needs to be tended to by a female doctor, it is not a problem. Our monks explained that this particular principle is about intention -- an accidental or unavoidable touch by or to a woman is no problem.
We chatted about daily life in the Sangha, and we also got a taste of some Buddhist philosophy. This was a nice lesson because it put into context and reality so much of what I'm studying in a text book.
Later that day, in Gender, we had a visit from our professor's Kathoey friend named Remi. Remi is Thai and spoke to us about her experiences growing up and realizing she was Kathoey.
"Kathoey" translates to "third gender," and is a 'category' of people who straddle the traditional categories of male/female and masculine/feminine. "Kathoey" is most commonly understood by Westerners as a male to female transgendered person, and sometimes as a transsexual person if they elect to have reconstructive genitalia surgery. They are also called "ladyboys." But Kathoey are not what we understand to be transgendered; they are a third gender and it is very accepted in Thai culture. For example, Kathoey beauty pageants are very popular, especially further south.
In 2006, Remi agreed to be in a documentary produced by her friend -- an American named Rachel Clift -- about living as Kathoey in Thailand. The film, "Remi's Secret" focuses on her "secret" of if she ever has or ever will elect to have surgery. I tried to find the 8 minute film on the internet, but no luck so far. We watched the film with her in class and then she answered all of our questions. She spoke to how being Kathoey has complicated her life, but has definitely enriched her sense of identity and self-development. Remi also spoke to the phenomenon of Kathoey finding their niche in the sex industry. There are many Kathoey who are performers and/or sex workers, and it is common for them to find their way into such professions because they are discriminated against in most lines of work. There is a sense of contradiction in the reception of Kathoey in Thai society -- they are generally accepted and understood as 'normal', but only in certain roles (for example, as sex workers or in other 'feminine' lines of work), and yet they face discrimination and sometimes violence. Remi advocates for Kathoey to get out of the sex industry in order to be taken more seriously in Thai society.
Another unique and enlightening experience -- I am so happy to be squeezing literally every drop out of my time here! I'm starting to get nervous that I won't fit in everything because I leave for Cambodia in three weeks!!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Week 5 Recap
Hi All!
It's been difficult to post this weekend because our internet is out in our rooms; the only connection we can get is in the computer room downstairs. Even now it's pretty spotty! We've been having crazy thunderstorms every night, causing frequent power outages. Perhaps this is the reason I can't connect...hmmm...
Last Sunday (now a week ago...wow...time is flying!) I went with my dance class to Chiang Mai University to watch my professor perform. The dance and music showcase was part of a Southeastern Asian heritage exhibition going on at the university. Waew, my professor, is world-renowned for her style that blends traditional Thai Lanna dance with modern and contemporary styles. She was the assistant choreographer for the Black Eyed Peas music video for 'Boom Boom Pow.' Here are some pictures as well as the link to her website: Waewdao Sirisook
On Monday, I was invited to my Thai friend Aim's home to learn how to cool Indian food. My friends Lisa and Awa came with me. Aim is half Thai and half Indian; her mother is from India and obviously knows how to cook some killer Indian food. Lisa has complete photo documentation as we made a traditional and popular Indian dish called Chole Bhature -- a chickpea curry and fried bread.
Here's how we did it!
1. Boil chickpeas until tender; this varies depending on the method of cooking. We used a pressure cooker, so they took about 30 minutes. Boiling in a sauce pan takes at least an hour. We also had to boil the red chilies as to rehydrate them, about 20 minutes.
2. Making the curry: in a food processor, grind chilies until they are a thick paste; add fried garlic, fried shallot, 5 small tomatoes, salt, cilantro root, two kinds of Masala (a special ingredient used in Indian cooking), cumin and curry powder, and a little vegetable oil. Blend until thick and pasty.
3. In a large saucepan, get about 1/4 cup oil very hot. Add curry paste cook until the water is out. We learned that this is the most critical step in making this dish -- if you mess this up, it's disastrous for the rest of the dish. Aim's mom told us that the best way to tell when it's done is to watch the color. The curry will get to be a darker and more robust color of red, and the oil will start to separate out on the sides of the pan. When it's done, it will be very thick and heavy, like you could almost roll it into a ball:
4. Making the Bhature: combine 1 kg all purpose flower with 1tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar. Add 650 mL soda water (to make it fluffy!) Knead well, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. Finishing the curry: Add the boiled chickpeas (including the water!) to the curry and heat until it becomes thick and most of the water evaporates out. Garnish with fresh cilantro at the VERY end so it doesn't wilt!
6. Making the bhature: The dough should be one big ball. This next part is the most complicated to explain! The most important part, Aim's mother told us, is to keep your hands well oiled so that when you roll the dough out it is smooth and does not stick to your hands or to the rolling pin.
Break off small bits of dough, a ball about 1 in to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. There is a particular way to roll the dough in your hands so that it gets soft and smooth ("push, pull, fold" was our mantra as we were learning). Next, roll out each ball with a rolling pin -- they should be very thin, almost transparent.
7. More hot oil: heat about 1/2 c vegetable oil in the wok until scalding hot (now we're FRYING!). Place the rolled out dough in the oil and fry until golden brown. They will puff up and become very light and airy (delicious...sigh...)
8. EAT! I can confidently say that this was one of the top 5 greatest meals of my life...so far :)
The rest of the weeks' events (and food!) pails in comparison to that night. It was a very busy week of homework, but I did make some time to visit the Chiang Mai University Market (the CMU Market). This market is HUGE and it is very popular with students. It has lots of cute clothing and shoes, but everything here is so tiny! It's almost impossible to find shoes in my size, a 39 (or 8 1/2), which is pretty average for the Western world. Oh well! I need to be saving my money anyway.
On Thursday evening, we took our books and whatnot to a restaurant in the Night Bazaar to do some homework. I ended up getting distracted and took my 1,000 baht (about $30) to the streets instead. I bought some great souvenirs and gifts (which I'm sure some of you will be seeing when I get back!) Sometimes, I feel like it's hard to hold myself back. There's a lot of junk at the bazaar, but I found some great handmade and very unique things! When in Rome, I suppose.
The weekend was pretty calm; on Friday our gender professor took us on a field trip to a number of bars and clubs that are integrated into the sex industry in Chiang Mai. It was a very interesting and sobering experience. We visited a Karaoke bar, where you can pay the bar to take a girl home with you, as well as a brothel. At the brothel, us white women were not allowed back to see the girls on display because the owners were afraid of us intimidating the sex workers. I did sneak a peek as I went to the bathroom -- the weirdest thing to me was how normal all of this seemed. The sex industry is responsible for 20% of Thailand's GDP, yet it is illegal. It was sort of eye opening to visit these places and see how they work. Obviously, I don't have any pictures because it's illegal to take photographs inside mot of these places.
A very good week on the whole, and I'm getting excited for our field trip on Wednesday to Sukhothai and Ayuthya (two of the three Old Kingdoms in Thailand). I'll be gone until Sunday, and I promise to come home with lots of pictures!
It's been difficult to post this weekend because our internet is out in our rooms; the only connection we can get is in the computer room downstairs. Even now it's pretty spotty! We've been having crazy thunderstorms every night, causing frequent power outages. Perhaps this is the reason I can't connect...hmmm...
Last Sunday (now a week ago...wow...time is flying!) I went with my dance class to Chiang Mai University to watch my professor perform. The dance and music showcase was part of a Southeastern Asian heritage exhibition going on at the university. Waew, my professor, is world-renowned for her style that blends traditional Thai Lanna dance with modern and contemporary styles. She was the assistant choreographer for the Black Eyed Peas music video for 'Boom Boom Pow.' Here are some pictures as well as the link to her website: Waewdao Sirisook
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| Waew in an ensemble piece. The lights represent sacred lotus flowers! |
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| Another performer doing a dance which blends many different Asian and contemporary styles |
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| Waew performing her solo piece |
On Monday, I was invited to my Thai friend Aim's home to learn how to cool Indian food. My friends Lisa and Awa came with me. Aim is half Thai and half Indian; her mother is from India and obviously knows how to cook some killer Indian food. Lisa has complete photo documentation as we made a traditional and popular Indian dish called Chole Bhature -- a chickpea curry and fried bread.
Here's how we did it!
1. Boil chickpeas until tender; this varies depending on the method of cooking. We used a pressure cooker, so they took about 30 minutes. Boiling in a sauce pan takes at least an hour. We also had to boil the red chilies as to rehydrate them, about 20 minutes.
3. In a large saucepan, get about 1/4 cup oil very hot. Add curry paste cook until the water is out. We learned that this is the most critical step in making this dish -- if you mess this up, it's disastrous for the rest of the dish. Aim's mom told us that the best way to tell when it's done is to watch the color. The curry will get to be a darker and more robust color of red, and the oil will start to separate out on the sides of the pan. When it's done, it will be very thick and heavy, like you could almost roll it into a ball:
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| Just beginning to separate |
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| Getting darker... |
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| All done! Much thicker and darker! |
4. Making the Bhature: combine 1 kg all purpose flower with 1tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar. Add 650 mL soda water (to make it fluffy!) Knead well, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. Finishing the curry: Add the boiled chickpeas (including the water!) to the curry and heat until it becomes thick and most of the water evaporates out. Garnish with fresh cilantro at the VERY end so it doesn't wilt!
6. Making the bhature: The dough should be one big ball. This next part is the most complicated to explain! The most important part, Aim's mother told us, is to keep your hands well oiled so that when you roll the dough out it is smooth and does not stick to your hands or to the rolling pin.
Break off small bits of dough, a ball about 1 in to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. There is a particular way to roll the dough in your hands so that it gets soft and smooth ("push, pull, fold" was our mantra as we were learning). Next, roll out each ball with a rolling pin -- they should be very thin, almost transparent.
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| My sad attempts at rolling the dough the 'right' way! |
7. More hot oil: heat about 1/2 c vegetable oil in the wok until scalding hot (now we're FRYING!). Place the rolled out dough in the oil and fry until golden brown. They will puff up and become very light and airy (delicious...sigh...)
8. EAT! I can confidently say that this was one of the top 5 greatest meals of my life...so far :)
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| Our finished product: Chole (curry) Bhature (the fried bread) and a salad! |
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| Me, Aim, and Awa -- hot and sweaty from cooking, but very happy after a delicious meal! |
The rest of the weeks' events (and food!) pails in comparison to that night. It was a very busy week of homework, but I did make some time to visit the Chiang Mai University Market (the CMU Market). This market is HUGE and it is very popular with students. It has lots of cute clothing and shoes, but everything here is so tiny! It's almost impossible to find shoes in my size, a 39 (or 8 1/2), which is pretty average for the Western world. Oh well! I need to be saving my money anyway.
On Thursday evening, we took our books and whatnot to a restaurant in the Night Bazaar to do some homework. I ended up getting distracted and took my 1,000 baht (about $30) to the streets instead. I bought some great souvenirs and gifts (which I'm sure some of you will be seeing when I get back!) Sometimes, I feel like it's hard to hold myself back. There's a lot of junk at the bazaar, but I found some great handmade and very unique things! When in Rome, I suppose.
The weekend was pretty calm; on Friday our gender professor took us on a field trip to a number of bars and clubs that are integrated into the sex industry in Chiang Mai. It was a very interesting and sobering experience. We visited a Karaoke bar, where you can pay the bar to take a girl home with you, as well as a brothel. At the brothel, us white women were not allowed back to see the girls on display because the owners were afraid of us intimidating the sex workers. I did sneak a peek as I went to the bathroom -- the weirdest thing to me was how normal all of this seemed. The sex industry is responsible for 20% of Thailand's GDP, yet it is illegal. It was sort of eye opening to visit these places and see how they work. Obviously, I don't have any pictures because it's illegal to take photographs inside mot of these places.
A very good week on the whole, and I'm getting excited for our field trip on Wednesday to Sukhothai and Ayuthya (two of the three Old Kingdoms in Thailand). I'll be gone until Sunday, and I promise to come home with lots of pictures!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A Unique Opportunity
Last Sunday, I had the unique opportunity to attend a Buddhist funeral. Champ's grandmother passed last week, and in Buddhist tradition a funeral is set the night someone dies and lasts for the next three nights and four days. The first few days consist of family gatherings, lots of food, sacred chanting by monks, and making merit ('tham bun' in Thai) to the family and ancestors. On Sunday, the third day, we got to participate in a number of ceremonies and rituals that are unique to Buddhism and Thailand.
I did not bring my camera that day, as I expected it to be rude to take pictures while people are in mourning. But I soon realized that taking pictures is expected, normal, and encouraged! Luckily, Anna had her camera with her and all of the following photos are from her!
Our day began around 10 am when Champ picked us up -- Emma, Catherine, Anna and me -- and drove us to his house just outside of Chiang Mai, near Lampoon. I must admit that I felt both nervous (wasn't it the least bit strange to bring 4 farang girls to a sad family event?) and sort of excited (how many farang get to experience something like a Buddhist funeral?). But all my fears were quickly alleviated when we entered his house and his family received us with kindness and openness. First, we were asked to light a stick of incense and say a small prayer or wish for the family. Then, we placed the incense in a large clay pot with other burning sticks. This is the first step for anyone who comes to the ceremony. Next, Champ's dad brought out tray after tray of delicious food (including sticky rice -- my favorite!) and they all smiled at us. I felt very comfortable and I was happy to know that we were not imposing. Champ explained to us that Thai funerals are sad, but there is a sense of the celebration of life as Buddhists believe in rebirth. While there was a slight somber feeling, I got the feeling as if it were Thanksgiving at home. Everyone gathered around, chatting and smiling, loving one another and sharing bountiful food. Each member of the family was involved with different aspects of the day -- cooking, organizing ceremonies, moving the casket, etc. There was just a feeling of love and warmth all around.
After we met the family, Champ was feeling a bit overwhelmed. He decided to take the four of us to the temple at which he ordained as a monk. We arrived to a beautiful complex at Wat Phra Phuttha Bath Tak Pa, which roughly translates to "The Temple of Budda's Footprint and Dried Robe." We walked around through the monks' residence houses and Champ stopped to speak to a monk with whom he had been close during his ordination a few years back. It was beautiful -- there were hundreds of little cabins in a forest. It reminded me of camp and I felt the slight pang of home sickness. We wandered into the different temples on the complex and I practiced my wai-ing. This is the practice of kneeling and bending to place your forehead on the floor, repeated 3 times. Each wai represents respect to a different 'jewel' -- the three jewels are The Buddha, The Dhamma (teachings) and The Sangha (monks and followers). You perform this wai in front of each Buddha image in each temple.
Wat Phra Phuttha Bath Tak Pa is an expecially sacred site as it is known for having two imprints of Buddha's foot, as well as a platform where Buddha is said to have dried his robe on the stone, both having left an imprint in the earth.
Next, Champ drove us to the top of the overlooking mountain to the temple Amphoe Pa Sang, where we had a 360 degree view of the stunning landscape.
After the morning at the wats, we returned to Champ's house to experience a series of traditions and rituals. When we arrived, there were monks who began chanting as the family sat around. We were not asked to participate, but we watched from the other room. Then it came time to move the coffin from the inside of the house to the elaborately beautiful alter outside. The casket was opened and every guest and family member crowded around and placed different objects inside; small prayer cards, flowers, etc. A string was tied three times around her head, hands and feet. Everyone touched her -- there was no sense of distance or of being removed from death; no fear. Champ explained that this mentality also comes from the Buddhist tradition of karma and rebirth: we all die and go somewhere else, so there is no reason to fear death.
After the gifts, many men moved the casket to the alter which we then decorated with flowers and lights. Champ's cousins, which he calls his sisters and brothers, asked the four of us farang to help arrange flowers on the alter. I got all dirty carrying around the flowers and oases, but no one seemed to mind. Everything about the preparations was collective; each person helping out one another, the younger generations assisting the old. It was really beautiful to watch.
After the decorating of the alter, we had yet more food and drink in the living room. People were in and out, eating and chatting as five monks arrived to begin the different blessing ceremonies.
During the first ceremony, we sat on the ground in wai as each of the five monks said a different blessing. I practiced my meditation because I was feeling anxious (as anyone who knows me knows that I can;t sit still for very long without LOTS of effort!) We came to a part in the ceremony with which i was familiar with and I understood -- the making of merit through water offering. Everyone is sitting closely, and each person reaches forward to touch the person in front of him or her, as the person in the front fills a silver offering bowl with blessed water. A monk chants, and one must pour slowly as to last for the whole chant. This ritual has roots in animism, where the living ones give blessings and prayers for peace to the ancestor spirits through the offering of water. I witnessed this practice in Mae Chaem, and it is very common in most Buddhist rituals as making merit (paying respect) is significant to being a Buddhist. After this ceremony, the family presented the monks with gifts as a thank you for leading the blessings (another way of making merit)
We ate some more and then prepared ourselves for the next ceremony in which a monk presented a chant about a mother's love for her son. Mothers are highly respected in Buddhist tradition because as women are not allowed to ordain, the greatest merit a mother can make is to give her son to the Sangha. This chant was over an hour long and we were required to sit in wai the entire time. This was a particular challenge for me, but I'm glad I had the experience and that I pushed myself to understand something that was so foreign to me.
The day was very long and tiring, so I was elated to come back home and crawl into bed (during a thunderstorm, which is the best!). Despite challenges in understanding the chants and rituals (as they were in Pali), I am so thankful for my opportunity to participate in such an experience. Champ was so kind to open his home to us, and I know that this is an experience that is rare and is one to be treasured and remembered.
I did not bring my camera that day, as I expected it to be rude to take pictures while people are in mourning. But I soon realized that taking pictures is expected, normal, and encouraged! Luckily, Anna had her camera with her and all of the following photos are from her!
Our day began around 10 am when Champ picked us up -- Emma, Catherine, Anna and me -- and drove us to his house just outside of Chiang Mai, near Lampoon. I must admit that I felt both nervous (wasn't it the least bit strange to bring 4 farang girls to a sad family event?) and sort of excited (how many farang get to experience something like a Buddhist funeral?). But all my fears were quickly alleviated when we entered his house and his family received us with kindness and openness. First, we were asked to light a stick of incense and say a small prayer or wish for the family. Then, we placed the incense in a large clay pot with other burning sticks. This is the first step for anyone who comes to the ceremony. Next, Champ's dad brought out tray after tray of delicious food (including sticky rice -- my favorite!) and they all smiled at us. I felt very comfortable and I was happy to know that we were not imposing. Champ explained to us that Thai funerals are sad, but there is a sense of the celebration of life as Buddhists believe in rebirth. While there was a slight somber feeling, I got the feeling as if it were Thanksgiving at home. Everyone gathered around, chatting and smiling, loving one another and sharing bountiful food. Each member of the family was involved with different aspects of the day -- cooking, organizing ceremonies, moving the casket, etc. There was just a feeling of love and warmth all around.
After we met the family, Champ was feeling a bit overwhelmed. He decided to take the four of us to the temple at which he ordained as a monk. We arrived to a beautiful complex at Wat Phra Phuttha Bath Tak Pa, which roughly translates to "The Temple of Budda's Footprint and Dried Robe." We walked around through the monks' residence houses and Champ stopped to speak to a monk with whom he had been close during his ordination a few years back. It was beautiful -- there were hundreds of little cabins in a forest. It reminded me of camp and I felt the slight pang of home sickness. We wandered into the different temples on the complex and I practiced my wai-ing. This is the practice of kneeling and bending to place your forehead on the floor, repeated 3 times. Each wai represents respect to a different 'jewel' -- the three jewels are The Buddha, The Dhamma (teachings) and The Sangha (monks and followers). You perform this wai in front of each Buddha image in each temple.
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| Monks' residences |
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| Emma, Catherine and Me in front of one of the temples |
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| The blend of Buddhist and Brahmanistic/Hindu architecture and ornamentation |
Wat Phra Phuttha Bath Tak Pa is an expecially sacred site as it is known for having two imprints of Buddha's foot, as well as a platform where Buddha is said to have dried his robe on the stone, both having left an imprint in the earth.
Next, Champ drove us to the top of the overlooking mountain to the temple Amphoe Pa Sang, where we had a 360 degree view of the stunning landscape.
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| Making the climb up the hill -- which was entirely worth the effort |
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| Over 400 steps back down to Wat Phra Phuttha Bath Tak Pa |
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| Ringing the gong which is used to round up the monks and laypeople |
After the morning at the wats, we returned to Champ's house to experience a series of traditions and rituals. When we arrived, there were monks who began chanting as the family sat around. We were not asked to participate, but we watched from the other room. Then it came time to move the coffin from the inside of the house to the elaborately beautiful alter outside. The casket was opened and every guest and family member crowded around and placed different objects inside; small prayer cards, flowers, etc. A string was tied three times around her head, hands and feet. Everyone touched her -- there was no sense of distance or of being removed from death; no fear. Champ explained that this mentality also comes from the Buddhist tradition of karma and rebirth: we all die and go somewhere else, so there is no reason to fear death.
After the gifts, many men moved the casket to the alter which we then decorated with flowers and lights. Champ's cousins, which he calls his sisters and brothers, asked the four of us farang to help arrange flowers on the alter. I got all dirty carrying around the flowers and oases, but no one seemed to mind. Everything about the preparations was collective; each person helping out one another, the younger generations assisting the old. It was really beautiful to watch.
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| The incense welcoming and prayer station |
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| The alter lit up at night -- a truly incredible sight. What a beautiful way to leave this life and start anew! |
During the first ceremony, we sat on the ground in wai as each of the five monks said a different blessing. I practiced my meditation because I was feeling anxious (as anyone who knows me knows that I can;t sit still for very long without LOTS of effort!) We came to a part in the ceremony with which i was familiar with and I understood -- the making of merit through water offering. Everyone is sitting closely, and each person reaches forward to touch the person in front of him or her, as the person in the front fills a silver offering bowl with blessed water. A monk chants, and one must pour slowly as to last for the whole chant. This ritual has roots in animism, where the living ones give blessings and prayers for peace to the ancestor spirits through the offering of water. I witnessed this practice in Mae Chaem, and it is very common in most Buddhist rituals as making merit (paying respect) is significant to being a Buddhist. After this ceremony, the family presented the monks with gifts as a thank you for leading the blessings (another way of making merit)
We ate some more and then prepared ourselves for the next ceremony in which a monk presented a chant about a mother's love for her son. Mothers are highly respected in Buddhist tradition because as women are not allowed to ordain, the greatest merit a mother can make is to give her son to the Sangha. This chant was over an hour long and we were required to sit in wai the entire time. This was a particular challenge for me, but I'm glad I had the experience and that I pushed myself to understand something that was so foreign to me.
The day was very long and tiring, so I was elated to come back home and crawl into bed (during a thunderstorm, which is the best!). Despite challenges in understanding the chants and rituals (as they were in Pali), I am so thankful for my opportunity to participate in such an experience. Champ was so kind to open his home to us, and I know that this is an experience that is rare and is one to be treasured and remembered.
Monday, September 20, 2010
COSA
Last Saturday was Community Outreach Day at Payap. The coordinator for the IC (International College) organized trips to all sorts of NGO's around Chaing Mai. About 60 international students signed up, and we all got to choose different organizations to work with. It was a great opportunity to get out and see parts of Chiang Mai that I didn't even know existed!
I chose to go to an organization called COSA, which is the Chilren's Organization of Southeast Asia. COSA's mission is to take in and take care of children who have somehow been affected by sex trafficking in Southeast Asia. Sex trafficking is a huge problem in this region of the world, and many children are left homeless and parent-less when their mothers are taken. Some of the children at COSA have been rescued from trafficking. There are many different 'safe houses' or sites around SE Asia, and we were sent to a home called Baan Yuu Suk.
The home is locate about 40 minutes outside the city in a small village surrounded by mountains and lush forests -- a beautiful setting for kids who need a whole lot of TLC. There are 16 kids who live at the complex, and Mickey (the director) hopes to have 30 children at the home by November. Mickey was born in Thailand but grew up in Fairfield, CT (right down the street from where my Aunt Nancy lives on the beach!). He and his wife have three young children and they set up Baan Yuu Suk a few years ago. They welcome volunteers and coordinators to facilitate all sorts of programs -- teaching English and Thai, arts and crafts, sexual assault counseling and awareness classes, support groups and counseling, cooking and baking, hiking and outdoor activities -- everything. There is a sustainable farm on the premises, as well as a mushroom hut where they grow and harvest their own mushrooms. Mickey told us that they can harvest up to a kilo per day! (We ate some for lunch and they were delicious!). They can grow all their own fruits and vegetables right there at the complex.
There were about 10 students with me at the project, including a handful of Americans who study here as undergrads as well as a few new Thai friends. Our jobs for the day were to a. weed around the fence on the road and b. rebuild part of the fence that had been stolen. In order for COSA to keep their NGO classification as a shelter, it is required for the complex to be completely enclosed by a fence. The weeds growing around the fence on the road were pushing the slats apart, causing collapses in parts and generally weakening the enclosure. The most significant part of the day was rebuilding the part of the fence which had been stolen. Mickey told us that the previous section of fence was made of steel, which is a highly priced commodity here. One day they woke up and it was gone -- someone stole the 10 foot long steel barrier. We weeded most of the day and finally worked on the bamboo fence before we left.
It was a really great day, and I am continuously thankful for all of the unique and special experiences to which I have access here!
Here's the link to COSA's website if you would like more information (or if you want to donate -- I can tell you first hand that your money goes to a GREAT cause!): COSA Baan Yuu Suk
P.S. I know I've been slow on the bloggin' recently, but I promise I'll fill you in this week! SO much to write about and literally not enough time in the day!!
I chose to go to an organization called COSA, which is the Chilren's Organization of Southeast Asia. COSA's mission is to take in and take care of children who have somehow been affected by sex trafficking in Southeast Asia. Sex trafficking is a huge problem in this region of the world, and many children are left homeless and parent-less when their mothers are taken. Some of the children at COSA have been rescued from trafficking. There are many different 'safe houses' or sites around SE Asia, and we were sent to a home called Baan Yuu Suk.
The home is locate about 40 minutes outside the city in a small village surrounded by mountains and lush forests -- a beautiful setting for kids who need a whole lot of TLC. There are 16 kids who live at the complex, and Mickey (the director) hopes to have 30 children at the home by November. Mickey was born in Thailand but grew up in Fairfield, CT (right down the street from where my Aunt Nancy lives on the beach!). He and his wife have three young children and they set up Baan Yuu Suk a few years ago. They welcome volunteers and coordinators to facilitate all sorts of programs -- teaching English and Thai, arts and crafts, sexual assault counseling and awareness classes, support groups and counseling, cooking and baking, hiking and outdoor activities -- everything. There is a sustainable farm on the premises, as well as a mushroom hut where they grow and harvest their own mushrooms. Mickey told us that they can harvest up to a kilo per day! (We ate some for lunch and they were delicious!). They can grow all their own fruits and vegetables right there at the complex.
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| A tour through the garden |
There were about 10 students with me at the project, including a handful of Americans who study here as undergrads as well as a few new Thai friends. Our jobs for the day were to a. weed around the fence on the road and b. rebuild part of the fence that had been stolen. In order for COSA to keep their NGO classification as a shelter, it is required for the complex to be completely enclosed by a fence. The weeds growing around the fence on the road were pushing the slats apart, causing collapses in parts and generally weakening the enclosure. The most significant part of the day was rebuilding the part of the fence which had been stolen. Mickey told us that the previous section of fence was made of steel, which is a highly priced commodity here. One day they woke up and it was gone -- someone stole the 10 foot long steel barrier. We weeded most of the day and finally worked on the bamboo fence before we left.
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| Cutting down the bamboo shoots for the fence |
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| Assembly Required |
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| No knots, just twisted bamboo fibers |
We also got some time to play with some of the children, as well as eat a delicious home cooked meal. They really took care of us! A few of the students and I are trying to go back on the weekends because we had such a great time!
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| Lunch! |
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| My Thai friend Pang playing with a very shy little girl! |
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| Our whole group after a long day of work! |
Here's the link to COSA's website if you would like more information (or if you want to donate -- I can tell you first hand that your money goes to a GREAT cause!): COSA Baan Yuu Suk
P.S. I know I've been slow on the bloggin' recently, but I promise I'll fill you in this week! SO much to write about and literally not enough time in the day!!
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