As I’m standing on the terrace, looking out in the deep hills of Thailand, I can’t help but feel peace. My trip began only a week before. A long journey from London to Bangkok. A short layover in Hong Kong and an even shorter plane ride to Bangkok. The weather was stifling the moment you step out of the cool air conditioned airport. I was terrified. This world, asian world was so very different from what I was accustomed. Yes, I’ve traveled. I’ve spent my last two years traveling as much as I could. But this was my first trip to Asia. A country that I knew nothing of the language and barely of the culture.
Since I was young, I’ve dreamed of traveling the world. I dreamed of seeing far off places, places, I’d probably never see in my tiny New York bubble. Well, not that tiny but still. New York is my comfort zone. It also took a hell of a lot out of me, so why not get out? I always thought I’d volunteer abroad. I wanted to join the Peace corps but health issues always stood in the way. So as I spent my year In London, through my university, an opportunity to volunteer in Thailand showed up. I didn’t hesitate and signed up. I would spend a week teaching English in a Hill tribe and another week volunteering in an elephant sanctuary. I was excited yet fearful.
Traveling to any new country can be exciting but anxiety comes with it. Being halfway around the world without family or close friends is daunting. So many things can go wrong but at the same time so many can go right. Bangkok was strange. It’s a city that lives up to it’s name of debauchary and beauty. It has gorgeous temples that can bring joy and peace to anyone willing to experience it. I had many spiritual awakening and moments of pure thankfulness sitting upon the top of Golden mountain. You will experience this if you’re looking for it. I’ve spent many a years researching the ways of Buddhism. I was raised Catholic, but at the same time have parents very spiritually open. We all do not believe in organized religion and was only shown that path at a young age to find my own spiritualism. My grandmother had been very invested in the teaching of Buddhism so it only made sense that I would follow in that way. While religion is so deeply invested in this country, Bangkok also has a heavily partying nightlife. I’d be lying if I had said I had not partaken in this. An almost stolen stray cat and a horrible hangover the next day reduced my love of bucket alcohol significantly.
After my fateful hangover, Chiang Mai was the next stop on our destination before we embraced on our journey to the hill tribes. Chiang Mai is beautiful, much more peaceful then the congested streets of Bangkok. While still an easily accessible tourist destination it still has a uniqueness to it. Markets upon markets and the casual western fixtures like McDonalds and Starbucks line the streets. Everyone wants to sell memorabilia of elephants and buddha but it makes sense since it’s heavily religious influence.
Only spending a quick night in Chiang Mai, we spent the next day traveling up the hill tribes. I didn’t know what to expect which made my stomach turn more and more by the hour. Half our journey was in a normal van while the other was sitting on the back of pickup truck. Yes, on the outside of a pickup truck. I swear I didn’t cry (there may have been some tears). As we reached the village, it was beautiful. Basic and beautiful. Every house or maybe considered hut, wooden with no bottom floor but a top. Sometimes with farm animals underneath. We drove past to our accommodations. We were staying at the school. The school was a decent building but you could see how much lacked. The charity, FutureSense Foundation, has been helping to build it up and bring volunteers to help the kids learn english. An advantage they probably would have never had been given before. The accommodations were basic. The building was pretty nice. The girls rooms were above our eating area while our rooms were bedding on the floor surrounded by a mosquito net. It wasn’t the most comfortable but in perspective, we were living how they did. My only true complaint, which I got used to in the end, was squat toilets. Men have it easy. You need serious muscles to hold yourself above a squat toilet with no railing next to you. i managed and did not fall surprisingly with my balance, Bucket showered also were not my favorite but again you just roll with the punches.
Annoyingly my body thought otherwise. I had quite a few coughing fits and my stomach was never to be underestimated. Some days I had to not eat as much in fear of how my stomach would be react. I’ve heard to expect this but it did damper my spirits. I still carried on and was able to help paint the outside of the children’s lunchroom. It was a pretty calming experience. The most I got though was from teaching. My partner from the group and I taught the younger 7-9 years olds. That is in no way an easy task. Children are adorable but at the same time so hyper you don’t know what to do. Then couple with the fact that you don’t speak there first language is hard. The kids were sweet though. When they did pay attention they were eager to learn through games. It also was rewarding with the amount of hugs and smiling faces as we had our last day teaching. These kids just wanted to know us. It was beautiful but at the same time so sad because more then likely I’ll never see them again.
My time in the hill tribes came to a very fast conclusion. Yes, it was hard but the good outweighed the bad. I felt like a calmer, patience, and humbled person. It made me appreciate the life I led and the people in it. It made me appreciate my life and all the bullshit i’ve gotten though. It released a lot of my anger that I’ve felt. How mentally bitter I was allowing myself to become, How wrapped up in myself I had become and how I stopped being the person I wanted to be. I was becoming a person that thought who she was rather then doing. I have progressed through the years and I will continue my journey. This was just another beautiful step.
