Day 63: Sometimes Priorities Get in the Way

ขอโทษมากที่แอนดี้ยังไม่ได้พิมพ์ภาษาไทย แต่ว่าตั้งแต่แอนดี้ได้เริ่มเรียนเกือบทุกวันผมมีเวลาว่างหน่อย ถึงแม้ว่าเรียนหนังสือใช้เวลานานมากผมชอบเรียนภาษาไทยมาก ช่วงนี้แอนดี้ไปเรียนกลุ่มอาทิตย์ละสามครั้ง ครั้งละสิงชั่วโมง บางวันผมก็ไปเรียนพิเศษด้วย เพราะว่าผมอยากตั้งใจเรียนเพื่อจะใช้ภาษาไทยเก่งขึ้น ในเดินทางนี้ผมคิดว่าแอนดี้พูดเก่งขึ้นเมื่อก่อนแล้ว หวังว่าจะได้รู้จักเพื่อนไทยใหม่พอผมกลับอเมริกา เพราะผมอยากฝึกต่อพูดบ่อยๆ

ช่วงนี้ตารางของทุกวันเหมือนกัน ผมชอบตื่นตอน 6 โมงเช้าเพื่อจะสวดมนต์ นั่งสมาธิ และเตรียมตัวก่อนออกไปฝึกมวยไทย ผมวิ่ง 2 km ไป-กลับยิมทุกวัน ปกติผมซ้อมมวยสองชั่วโมงก่อนวิ่งกลับห้องพัก หลังจากนั้นผมอาบน้ำก่อนไปทานข้าวที่ร้านอาหารเจที่อยู่แถวห้อง เวลาทานเสร็จผมกลับห้องอีกที่เพื่อทำการบ้าน ตอนเที่ยงผมออกไปโรงเรียน ผมชอบปั่นจักรยานไป เพราะว่าใช้เวลาแค่ 18 นาทีเท่านั้น แต่ว่าถ้าฝนตกแอนดี้เดินไป ทางนี้ใช้เวลานานมากกว่า ปกติเวลาเรียนเสร็จแอนดี้ชอบไปทานข้าวที่ร้านอาหาร J Station ไปเรียนพิเศษ หรือไปนวด ถ้าแอนดี้ว่าง ก็จะนั่งคุยกับเพื่อนหรือทำการบ้านที่ร้าน แล้วแอนดี้กลับห้องทุกวันช่วง 1 ทุ่ม ตอนเย็นผมต้องทำการบ้าน แต่ทุกวันผมก็มีเวลาว่างหน่อย ผมก็เลยนั่งอ่านหนังสือหรือพักผ่อนได้

ถึงแม้ว่าผมยุ่งมาก อาทิตย์ที่แล้วแอนดี้ไปหาเพื่อนที่กัวลาลัมเปอร์ที่ประเทศมาเลเซีย 5 วันมา เดินทางนี้สนุกมาก เพื่อนพาแอนดี้ไปเที่ยวที่เที่ยวเยอะ เราก็ไปทานข้าวที่ร้านอาหารเจเยอะด้วย เพื่อนที่ผมไปหาและผมเคยทำงานที่ CMU ที่เดียวกัน พวกเราก็เคยฝึกมวยไทยด้วยกัน แล้วตอนแอนดี้อยู่มาเลเซียพวดเราได้ฝึกมวยไทยกันอีก ผมดีใจมสกที่พวกเรามีโอกาศซ้อมมวยไทยที่โน่น ที่มาเลเซียผมก็ได้รู้จักเพื่อนคนไทยใหม่ที่ทำงานที่ร้านอาหารไทย เขาเป็นคนดี หลังจากผมกลับมาเชียงใหม่พวกเราเล่นไลน์ต่อกัน ดีใจมากที่มีเพื่อนใหม่ที่มาเลเซีย ผมอยากไปหาเพื่อนอีกแน่นอน หวังว่าไปปีหน้าได้ๆ พอแอนดี้กลับอ้มริกาผมจะเริ่มเรียนภาษามาเลด้วย 555 รู้วาผมชอบเรียนมากหรือยัง

So, here I am nearly a month after the last post. I would like to take this time to explicitly state that this trip has very few commonalities with what most people think of as vacation. The combination of training Muay Thai, studying Thai language and practicing/studying massage take up a lot of time! I would wager that on any given day, the first two of these activities accounts for upwards of 5-6 hours. Massage study will take up some more time in the next few weeks, but given my hectic workout schedule (2.5 hours most mornings) and studying (in a class or in private lessons) I just haven't had the time. These were the priorities of the trip, so they have gotten in the way of doing other things like hanging out much, walking around aimlessly and typing this blog, even.

Training has been really good. There are still a few things that are glaring weaknesses in my sparring game, but overall my training with some of the "pros" in the gym has upped my skill level. I am not frustrated by having things that I need to work on. After all, it is better to only have a few of these things than a lot (as was my problem before). One of my friends from the gym (who is from California) fought for the first time in Thailand last Monday. I went to watch, since I did a lot of training with him to get ready for the fight. He won by TKO in the first round...I think in less than 2 minutes. He was pretty stoked. He thanked me for pushing him a lot in conditioning for his training, so I was glad he ended up doing well. At the same time, it made me realize that if I wanted to, I could take a fight and do pretty well. However, it also made me realize that helping other people prepare is probably more satisfying than striving to claim victory at the expense of someone else. Seems a bit pointless to me in a lot of ways. Training is a way to see how far I've come. Sure, it can be frustrating, especially with some exposed weaknesses...but, this is what makes training applicable to life. I don't care if I win in sparring, I just want to leave the gym with a different perspective or better self-knowledge than when I started the workout. This is especially satisfying when time is taken to work on fundamentals. The gym has had a really good vibe recently. It feels kind of like a family, even with new people coming and going. I am glad I've invested so much time on the trip training there. The trainers are really nice and a few have become good friends as well.

I was lucky enough to study Thai language for two consecutive one-month terms here. It has been challenging, but really fun. As with my boxing, there are days with ups and downs of my speaking levels. Still, over the last month, the bottom has been raised, as has the peak. So, I have felt more confident in most speaking situations. I was even able to help a fellow American who stays at the apartment complex here report a problem she was having with her bathroom sink today...in understandable Thai! In order to complement my class study, I have also started taking private Thai lessons for a few hours a week. They have been super helpful. The teacher's approach to helping me correct my language use is really excellent. I am glad that someone recommended her. We basically converse on various topics and she pinpoints slight grammatical issues and then I write short homework pieces using new vocabulary. I might try to put in a few extra lessons than scheduled before I leave, because they have been so helpful!

I haven't had much time to study massage in the past few weeks, but I have been going to get massages for the pain that my sciatica has been causing. They have helped a lot, but it still flares up after sitting a long time or when I wake up in the morning. Regardless, I will taking a theory class for two days this upcoming week (taught in Thai) on the basis of energy lines in the body according to Thai medicine. In two weeks, I will take a 3-day foot reflexology massage course when my language class is over on September 12. I am looking forward to that. I was planning to take more Thai yoga classes, but given my sore leg, I think I will pass for now. It is probably for the best.

Speaking of changed plans, I did not go to Bali. After the earthquakes in that general area, I decided against it. Despite not being able to refund my ticket (which was thankfully one-way), I changed my plans and went to Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia for 5 days to visit my friend Pei who used to work at CMU, where we trained martial arts together. He moved back home to Malaysia about 3 years ago, so it was really cool to have a chance to see him. The direct flight to KL is only 3 hours from Chiang Mai, so that was great. He picked me up at the airport and proceeded to take me around KL for 5 days to various cool temples and great vegan restaurants. We even got to train Muay Thai together a few times, which was really fun and brought back a lot of memories. His hospitality as well as the overall vibe of KL insure that I will be returning next year!

KL is a really interesting city. Although the capital of a Muslim country, there was a huge mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese culture everywhere. Within the first day, I had seen and heard the most diverse use of languages that I've encountered anywhere. Luckily, Pei speaks about 6 different languages (including Malay, English and 3 dialects of Chinese) so it was pretty easy to get around. My basic study of Indonesian language also helped, as it is a version of Malay which shares a lot of vocabulary. By the end of the 5 days, I could understand some Malay and also read signs and menus. I bought a few Malay language books so I can start learning when I get back to Pittsburgh. Malay vegan food, especially the nasi lemak (rice with sort of curried dishes) that I sampled at a few places. It is probably one of the tastiest dishes I've had on my trip...and I've had a lot of good food! (I also ate durian for the first time in 3 years in Kuala Lumpur...it was delicious!)

Overall, KL is full of palpable spirituality, too: Muslim prayers dominate the soundscape 5 times a day, Hindu temples serenade the surrounding streets with chanting, bells and music, while the scent of incense wafts into lanes adjacent to local Chinese shrines and temples. It was a full assault on the senses that left a deep impact on me. It was a near constant reminder that there is something more to life than just what is seen; even the height of modern skyscrapers yields to the lower roofs of mosques and temples to concretely express something beyond the human hands that gave rise to the city's skyline. It was a unique feeling that is echoed each time I see the sun setting over the tiered silhouettes of Chiang Mai's temples each evening...but on a much grander scale.

I have been reading recently, too. I finished an amazing book on Jain meditation techniques that I previously introduced in the last post. It was so simply written, but the observations were so profound. Basically, it is a handbook to the application of Jain philosophy to connecting with the true self through breathing, mantra chanting and visualization. In the past, I have had a problem with a busy mind during meditation, but after employing some of the techniques I have found myself to be more focused while sitting for the 24-minute meditation (a minute for each hour of the day) and during my daily routine. The book also introduces the famous non-violent practices of Jains and how understanding of them is a natural result of gaining control of the Self and thinking positively. I just started another book called Beyond Violence that I found in a small Hindu bookshop in KL. It is a collection of essays by the famous Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti about how to overcome ingrained violence to positively affect the outer world of universal life. I look forward to delving more into this as time allows.

I guess that is pretty much it. I will make another post really soon, as I will have a lot to relay after I start studying massage again this week!

Day 37: Weekly Update (A Bit Late)

Today is August 7th. It is the one year anniversary of Laika's passing. I called my parents on Skype this morning and we had an international memorial service with some candles and photos. It was a nice way to remember Laika and share a few of her memories together. It is weird, because not a day goes by that I don't think about her and the struggles we went through and the bond we had together. Sharing over 10 years of my life with her and then sharing the memories with others through this blog was such a wonderful experience. I still meditate daily on the selflessness and love that I learned throughout the good times and the hard times. I still miss having her physically near and being able to enjoy the comfort of her constantly wagging tail, but even one year later her spirit and lessons are still with me as strong as when she was laying by my side...and will continue to be with me for the rest of this life. Thank you again, Laika.

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I meant to write a post a few days ago (and a post in Thai sometime last week), but, in addition to the hectic schedule of preparing for class and a bunch of other stuff, I got kind of ill from something I ate on Saturday and spent the better part of Sunday evacuating various states of matter from my digestive tract. Luckily, I had some antibiotics and Pepto to calm the mutiny in my bowels. Also, I was lucky to randomly be sitting on a towel on my bed when the ambush began. Not to go into any details, but the warning-shot did result in an unplanned load of laundry!

So, I am better now. I also just ate my first meal that wasn't plain rice, plain noodles or bananas since Sunday afternoon. I tried to buy crackers and bread at a few places yesterday, but for some reason there is probably a better chance of me winning the lottery than finding any bland foods in Thailand that do not contain milk, eggs or butter. I made sure to stock-up on plain cookies and noodles at the vegan restaurant today, so I can chill on the spicy food for the time being. Not that I eat spicy food all the time, but at the restaurants with pre-made dishes you don't really have a choice. Anyways, I am going to stick with the hot noodle dishes for the next few days as they might be better for my belly.

I have also been suffering from a bout of sciatica in the past week. I was about to start taking anti-inflammatory meds when my body (actually) crapped the bed! Luckily, in Thailand you don't need to see a doctor for prescriptions. So, I randomly walked into a pharmacy on Saturday night and the lady working there had previously been an au pair in New York and had visited Pittsburgh before! Pretty cool! Regardless, we have become friends and she has been very helpful in finding meds and herbal remedies for me that are as vegan as possible. Her parents are the owners of the pharmacy and they started talking to me a lot the second time I went. She said that they almost never talk to foreigners, but since I can speak Thai (a lot better now than when I arrived) they were excited to talk to me. It was nice. So, a random trip to the pharmacy not only helped me with my dumb nerve, but also was an opportunity to make some new friends!

I have to read the news a lot to prepare for class. Back in the US, I read the news pretty frequently, however, it seems that the news recently has been especially depressing. SE Asia has been fraught with so many natural disasters that it's been hard to keep track of...flooding in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, several earthquakes in Lombok and Bali, landslides in many places and oppressive heat others. (Not to mention the wildfires that are raging in California.) There is something going on in the world right now...it seems like everything that humans have done to the environment is finally coming to a head. Despite all of this, there has been a lot of people here in Thailand putting forth efforts to help those in need, both at home and abroad. In the current climate (no pun intended) of the world, this is reassuring to see and be around.

In relation to these events, I have thought it best that I will change my plans to visit Bali this month. My friend in Indonesia said that for the next few weeks there will probably be more earthquakes of note in the area. I was really looking forward to going to Bali, but it is not worth my personal safety to risk the trip. Sure, disasters can happen at anytime, anywhere, but given the current tectonic activity and relatively recent volcanic activity in Bali it might be best to put off this experience. I did email the people who owned the place I was set to stay and they are all doing well, thankfully.

In an effort to find another destination for a short trip, I emailed a friend who I thought was living in Singapore. However, he is now back at home in Kuala Lumpur and invited me to visit and stay at his house! It seems like a really great trip, actually. Not only will I get to see my friend, but Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur is only a 3 hour direct flight. I hope to go for 5 days and explore the city with my friend. I will also see what my friend in Jakarta is up to. I could maybe go there as well. However, It might be better to wait until next time and combine it with some other destinations in Indonesia.

Since I will only be going away for a shorter period of time, I am thinking about taking another month of Thai language courses. So far, I have felt vast improvements in my speaking and vocabulary use. Sure, there are times in class that are a challenge, but that has been really good for me. Daily conversation has been a lot easier and more fluent now. Yesterday, I took Grab to and from class (mainly due to being too far away from a toilet for too long), and I not only understood like 95% of the conversations with the drivers without needing clarification but I was also able to give directions for a shortcut. It was nice!

Once I have some details hashed-out, I will figure out my plan for studying more massage. Given the pain in my leg, I am not sure about studying more Thai yoga. If there is improvement, though, I will definitely study 30 more poses. Additionally, I will studying the foot reflexology. I am looking forward to it! The other day I gave a full massage for the first time since my test. The woman who was the model for the message said I did a really good job and gave me a few tips. I didn't forget any of the steps completely, which was reassuring as well. I am excited to practice and learn more techniques in the future!

Alright...I am going to peace out and finally respond to some emails. I will actually and honestly write a post in Thai in the next few days...especially since I have my classwork prepared until next week already! :-)

Day 28: Weekly Update (Apparently)

I have officially been here in Chiang Mai for over 3 weeks now. As with all trips, it has been a mixed-bag of experiences thus far. My listening and understanding of the Thai language has certainly increased, but I am still having struggles with speaking. I think most of it comes from the fact that I am not interacting as frequently with native speakers in my living arrangements. Last year, I would have an opportunity to speak Thai pretty much anytime I left my room as there were lots of people at the guesthouse all the time. This year, it isn't really that way. I like where I am staying, but I feel that as far as speaking, my daily routine involves pretty much the same type interactions. I am still going to be here for over a month more, so I am thinking of ways that I can increase my language usage in varied situations. I heard that there is a YMCA here that offers language programs, so I may see if I can just stop by and chat with people or I might just try to find a decent coffee shop and start doing my homework there. Maybe I can meet some new friends that way.

Speaking of friends...it seems like most trips start the same way and end up the same way, as well. My friends here offer to do things to help me or mention that they are excited for me to come visit, then when I arrive barely anyone comes through (save my friend that picked me up at the airport and took me computer shopping one day). The rest of the people I've met in the past few years have been either too busy with work or their own pursuits to take the time to hang out at all. So it goes, I guess. I mean, I have been invited to bars a few times, but given the lifestyle of the people who invited me I thought it would be best not to go. One of my friends even told me that they party every night and they were sorry they couldn't make time to hang out. At least they have their own priorities, but since they don't overlap anywhere in the same universe as mine, I will start employing other means of meeting people (as noted above).

I do not feel uncomfortable here at all, I am just trying to gain confidence in social situations and with my speaking. It seemed like things were easier the last several trips. However, given my goals in various things on this trip, like massage, language and Muay Thai, it has given me a less carefree attitude. It isn't that I am stressed at all, either. It is just that I have maybe had some expectations that are getting in the way of actually connecting with the process of learning in training...especially in speaking. Like, when I am relaxed mentally, my speaking is way more natural. But, for some reason, I am worrying too much about verbal interactions which severely limits my responses and makes it seem like I can't even functionally use the language. Totally weird, but apparently not unheard of with second language learners/users. With my month left (plus time after Indonesia), I am on a mission to just speak and not worry at all. I have achieved this more at boxing, I just need to lose the ego/fear and do what I know I can do. Like Hanuman, I forget my unlimited abilities from time to time, but that shouldn't be masked by fear. I should cherish this opportunity to take risks and improve myself through actual experience.

My language studies have been good, though. I actually finished 1.5 Thai language textbooks on my own already. They have been helpful to seeing way more grammatical forms and vocabulary in context. I am not so worried about memorizing the vocabulary, but I have been taking a lot of time to practice reading aloud (which helps speaking) and writing sentences to employ newly acquired forms and phrases. My mind is just getting around to integrating them. I think in the next week, I should feel more comfortable. I mean, on this trip, I still have about 6 weeks left in Thailand...which is still longer than my longest trip here. Adjustments included, this is time to make real strides in my skills! 

Speaking of experience, learning massage has been great. Having learned the Thai Yoga (Reusii Datton) last year, I can see how it plays into the practice of working on someone else's energy. Additionally, having studied a bit of Alexander Technique, I have been able to integrate much of that into the movement of giving massages to make sure that my body is not being strained through incorrect muscle exertion. As a result, I have found that giving a massage is almost as invigorating as receiving one. Additionally, as I have focused less on the technical aspects (remembering the steps) and more of the feeling of the massage, it has been an exceptional means of meditation as well. I am glad I am not trying to learn as many massage "routines" as possible this year. I think the Basic, full-body massage and Foot Reflexology Massage will be enough to keep me busy until I can return to do the Professional and Stretch Massage techniques at a later date. I was also thinking of learning more of the Thai Yoga poses. There are 60 of them left to learn, but I am going to see if I can do just 30 more, so I can take the time to learn them well like I did with the first 30 that I studied last year. Given that I have expressed interest in returning to complete many more levels of training, I think the staff at the school will be receptive to my request. I am not in a race to complete everything like those that have limited time in their studies here, and I think there is a general understanding that my path isn't as linear as others who are already massage or bodywork professionals.

I have been reading a lot more recently. It has been really good. I finished the karma yoga book that I mentioned in my last post at a very fortuitous time...right before one of the biggest Buddhist festivals here (Kaopansaa), which signals the beginning of lent which last 3 months. Coinciding with the "rains retreat" for monks, this is also a time for Thai Buddhists to take vows of purity and charity. I saw much of this in action with various fundraisers for the flood victims in Laos over the past week. (One of the fundraisers even featured several soldiers singing karaoke of Thai country songs in a large public area near the old city. Luckily, I had my digital recorder with me and was able to record a few clips of the performances that I will post!) According to the practice of karma yoga, selfless action and detachment from success-driven motives are key to severing the spiritual bondage to karma (which is a seed of a good or bad result created by any mental, verbal or physical action that will eventually germinate in this life or a future life). The Buddha is the perfection of karma yoga. The 8-fold path and various mental practices he taught serve as the manual for rediscovering the true nature of the Self (or the not-self as many Buddhist might argue). In the context of learning massage and improving my language use, I can already see how the fundamental teaching of doing good and being in the moment without attachment to specific results is the best way to learn and be free from worry about success and failure. It is with this in mind, that I should work to employ the message of this text and the Buddha in my daily activities.

I also just started rereading a book called Realize Who You Are: The Dynamics of Jain Meditation. I started this book last year during my difficult move and the last month of Laika's declining health that we were able to share. It wasn't the best time to be undertaking a new method of spiritual practice, but a few of the meditations (especially the visualization practice of a single candle flame) did stay in the back of my mind. After (re)starting this book the other day, what hit me really hard was the simplicity and universality of the idea of meditation as a practice for stripping the unnecessary and self-imposed unhappiness away from life. Just thinking about how the mind creates experience and how the mind can be restored to a natural state of peace and compassion is inspiring in itself. Additionally, given the views of the Jain author, the book presents not only the universal consciousness of the human experience, but that of all living beings...which forms the basis of compassion to all (starting with the Self). This book is so clearly written and the practices so simple and well-explained, that I am going to restart my attempts at this form of mediation. I know that books and even the words of others cannot give rise to realizations within ourselves, but I hope to gain experience through application of these practices which will be beneficial to the future of my path.

Ok, this might be too much for this installment, but I started writing and kept writing...until I am now stopping. Thai language post on the way...

Day 22: Back After a Long Absence

ขอโทษมากที่แอนดี้ไม่เขียนในบล็อกมานานมสกแล้ว ตั้งแต่ครั้งที่แล้วเกิดปัณหาสำหรับโทศัพท์และคอมพิวเตอร์ด้วย ทั้งสองเครื่องพังแล้ว สองอาทิต์ที่แล้วแอนดี้ไปซื้อมือถือใหม่ ชอบมากเพราะว่าตอนนี้ใช้บริการ Mobike ได้ หลังจากนั้นแอนดี้หาไม่เจอคอมพิวเตอร์ใหม่ประมาณ 5 วัน แต่ว่า 3 วันก่อนผมไปได้ซื้อคอมพิวเตอร์ Asus มา มันไม่แรงมากแต่ว่าผมชอบเพราะเล็กและใช้ให้สะดวกมาก

ตั้งแต่การเขียนที่แล้วแอนดี้ก็ย้ายมาห้องพักใหม่ ห้องแรกโอเครเฉยๆ แต่ว่ามียงเยาะๆ ภายในก็มืดมากๆด้วย ห้องพักใหม่ดีมากกว่า มันใหญ่กว่า สว่างกว่า แลก็มีวิวภูเขาที่สวยดี แอนดี้ดีใจแล้วที่ได้ย้ายมาเช่าห้องนี้

นอกจากนี้แอนดี้ก็ยุ่งเรื่อยๆ อาทิตย์แรกแอนดี้อยู่ที่เชียงใหม่ผมไปเรียนนวดไทยที่โรงเรียนอ่องแล้ว เรียนจบนวด Basic แล้วด้วย การเรียนที่นั้นสนุกมาก เพราะว่าครูทุกคนใจดี สอนให้ดี และเป็นคนตลกด้อย หลังจากเรียนจบพวกเขาชวนแอนดี้ไปฝึกนวดตอนเวลาให้สะดวกผม หวังว่าแอนดี้จะมีเวลาว่างเพื่อจะไปฝึกอีกหลายครั้ง ผมก็มีแผนไปเรียนนวดเท้าวันหวังด้อย

แอนดี้ก็ชอบไปฝึกมวยไทยเกื่อบทุกวัน ผมคิดว่ายิมที่นี้ดีมากๆ ครูฝึกทุกคนสอนให้ดี ชอบคุยกับพวกเขาด้อย แอนดี้รู้สึกว่าปีนี้ชกเก่งขึ้นแล้ว แต่ว่า 2 วันก่อนแอนดี้เหนื่อยมากๆ แล้วฝึกชกกับคนอื่นไม่ดีมากๆ สงสารแอนดี้จรืงๆ เมื่อวานผมพักผ่อนเพื่อให้ร่างกายผมหายได้ ผมจะไปฝึกอีกวันนี้ตอนบ่าย

แอนดี้ก็ว่าเริ่มไปเรียนภาษาไทยมี่โรงเรียน TSL แล้ว ผมเรียนชั้น Advanced ที่สุด ตอนแรกแอนดี้กลัวว่าไปเรียน เพราะไม่เคยเรียนหนังสือจริงๆ แต่ตอนนี้ไม่กลัวเท่าไหร่ ครูผมเป็นคนสนุกและใจดี และว่าเขาสอนเก่งมากๆ แอนดี้ดีใจว่าที่มีโอกาสเรียนด้วยกับเขา

แอนดี้สัญยาว่าผมจะเขียนบ่อยมากกว่า โดยเฉพาะการฝึกอย่างนี้จะช่วยให้ผมใช้ภาษาไทยเก่งขึ้นด้อย

Ok, so I am officially back in the saddle with writing in this blog. Due to a string of technological mishaps that left my Macbook Pro and Thai smartphone unusable, I was without the proper technology for writing posts until a few days ago. I think I could have maybe taken the laptop to be fixed, but given the fact that it was just rebuilt and was exhibiting pretty bad symptoms (such as randomly/continually restarting itself and running hotter than usual), I decided to just buy a new computer. I settled on an 11" Asus notebook that, while isn't super powerful, does everything I need it to do and is super light and easy to carry around. Not bad for like $240. I also got a new phone, which is nice, because I can actually use the bike sharing app Mobike, which means I can go out by bike and if it rains really hard, I can just leave the bike wherever and walk or take some other mode of transportation home. Not bad for around $8 for 3 months of bike use!

So, since the last post a lot of things have happened. I was in a funk with my Thai language (which is quite common for the 2nd week of my stay here), but in the last few days I have not only started taking an advanced-level Thai class but I have also been trying to converse a lot more. It helps that I made a new friend at the massage school who is a native Thai speaker and speaks very little English. So, it makes me have to become more comfortable with explaining things in Thai, or trying to at least. I still have like 5 weeks here, so I think with proper effort I will see great improvement.

Here are some highlights/random thoughts of the last two weeks:

• I finished the Thai Basic Massage course at Ong's Thai Massage School a bit over a week ago. My partner was a sports therapist from Japan and he was wonderful to work with. I think studying with him was one of the main reasons that I did so well remembering the routine during our exam. I scored a 97% and after passing was told that I could return to the school anytime to practice. I've gone back a few times and helped other new students with parts of the Basic Massage routine. I still have yet to do the whole massage on anyone since my test, but I will try to go one day this week to practice with an instructor. I plan to take the foot reflexology massage course and the remaining 3 days of the Thai yoga before I return to the USA. I am glad I picked Ong's Massage School. Everyone there is very friendly, fun and professional. It is a great atmosphere to learn in.
• I have been training a lot at the Muay Thai gym here. I have felt a lot of improvement over the last few weeks, but I have also learned my limits. After a few days of training hard, I need to take a day off. Last Thursday I did really well and felt really confident, but really tired. I made the mistake of going back the next morning and sparring with a very good French kick-boxer. His skills and control were amazing, but I had nothing in the tank and, thus, my performance reflected it. Kind of a bummer, which I am trying not to think too much about. However, I did pick up some things that would be good for me to work on from the skills displayed by my training partner. Sometime during the training, my lip got a little ripped by the velcro of a boxing glove. I hope it heals soon. I've been keeping it clean and putting ointment on it. I will go back to the gym today, though. I prefer mornings, because I am sometimes the only one there and get to train more or less privately. However, since today is Sunday, the earliest time is 2 pm.
• The first place I stayed here wasn't so great. I mean, the place was clean and livable, but was kind of isolated, dark inside and had a lot of mosquitoes. So, I have relocated to a really nice studio condo in the area that I stayed in last year. The person I am renting from is an American who lives in China most of the year. He and his partner live on the same floor and he has been an excellent host. The room is large, bright and clean. It also has a balcony to hang laundry and stinkables from training as well as having a nice partial view of the mountains surrounding Chaing Mai city.
• I've met some really cool people so far. In my language class are a retired Australian guy who is also vegetarian, a Canadian man and my friend Kim who I met last year. She is from Korea, but speaks many languages quite well. Her skills are impressive! I am happy that she asked me to join the class with her and the other two. I also randomly met an Israeli woman at a vegan restaurant and have since seen her randomly a few more times. She is very interesting to talk to, so I haven't had to dine alone as much! I've also met a Thai lady and her American boyfriend from the language school and we have hung out a few times and are planning more things for the future. Finally, I met the lady at the massage school (mentioned above) who is really fun to talk to.
• At the massage school, I have been a "model"/dummy for several kinds of massage. It has been really interesting.The other day I got volunteered by the owner of the school to be a model for some upper level/teaching training massage that turned out to be...genital massage. It is not what one might think, as it is very clinical and based on Chinese medicine. Regardless, a nice middle-aged Japanese lady poked and prodded my bathing-suit area for about an hour. (Taken out of context, this seems like it could contain adult content!) I think if it were used for actual healing, it would have been a bit different, but the purpose of my modeling was more for the massage therapist to practice the routine and become familiar with the points to use. I keep almost forgetting that I did this, so I wanted to write it for the benefit/amusements of others.

I think there are some more things that I am obviously missing. But they will come back to memory sometime...if not, I guess they weren't necessarily remembering. I am looking forward to some more adventures...so I'll see what presents itself in the next few days and report back.

In the last few days I've gotten back into the habit of reading and I'm almost finished with Swami Tyganananda's book Walking The Walk. It is a really excellent and condensed presentation of Swami Vivekananda's theories on karma yoga and applications to practice. Karma yoga, in this respect, is about working selflessly or in service of the divine in all things. It is a way to refocus goals and motives on the path of dharma and doing good for the sake of good...not simply working for material gain, happiness or success. I really like the clear presentation in the book and it has given me a lot to think about and reaffirmed my faith in striving to do good regardless of recognition or thanks. I feel that this especially relates to the book about Hanuman that I finished on the way to Thailand, given that he is seen as the embodiment of devotion, selfless service and empathy. Combined with the healing methods I am learning in the massage school, I think I can find a good way to integrate all of these ideas and practices into my path each day from now on.

It is now 5:18 pm on Sunday July 22. I was supposed to go to train Muay Boran at a gym in Pai (in another Northern province) today, but canceled due to the dates being changed for my language class. The owner of the gym never emailed me back. Things change all the time on trips, so I am not sweating the monetary loss. I have more to learn here in Chiang Mai, it would seem. Over prepare and then go with the flow, right?

A temple dog at Wat Umong (tunnel temple) enjoying his favorite perch.

A photo of the author taken at a Ganesha shrine here in Chiang Mai. 

Day 6: In Chiang Mai

I will keep this solely in English again, because, well, I am still trying to figure out how to effectively use the Thai keyboard on this computer and things are very slow-going. Next time, I promise I will have figured it out (or typed something on my phone to email to myself and post).

So, today is the second full day I've been here in Chiang Mai. The trip from Seattle was pretty good and I actually slept for about half of the first flight. I rarely do that, but it proved to be an excellent plan. Despite the two airplane transfers and some waiting, I have no complaints about the travel. In fact, one of my friends actually picked me up at the Chiang Mai airport, took me to my rented room and then we went out to dinner! I thought she was working for Uber (or Grab as it is called here), but she wasn't and just took the time to make a special trip to get me! Pretty excellent! It was comforting to see her and my friends at the vegetarian restaurant more or less on arrival!

Since I arrived in the evening, I had time to just chill a bit and also randomly fall asleep. This allowed me pretty much a full-day yesterday. Here are the highlights:

- Waking up sort of early to do mediation, then a 10 km run, then arranging stuff in my room
- Eating at the closer vegan joint (which was really good!)
- Walking to the Thai massage school to find out about class (I start tomorrow!)
- Walking to the other side of the city to find out about language lessons (I start Tuesday evening!)
- Walking home with a giant bottle of water
- Taking a nap for too long
- Getting rained-on during my walk to eat dinner
- Stopping in a quiet temple in the old city for some time on my way back to my room
- Coming back to my room and randomly falling asleep

So, a lot of walking! But, it was nice to get out and be enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. There are seemingly less tourists due to the rainy season, which is odd, as I have not been here around this time before. I figured there would be tons of people.

Today was pretty full, too. I went for a shorter run, did laundry at a really small/clean laundromat a few blocks away. While the laundry was in, I rented a bike from a place about half a block away from where I am staying, which I will trade in tomorrow for a different/bigger bike that was in need a of a new tire. After that, I did some random errands (including eating) and then went to train at the boxing gym. It was nice to be back, but I feel like I have done better. I did some drills and sparring with one of the trainers. Let's just say, the good thing is that I have a lot of room for improvement...I was not displeased with anything, but as usually with the first few training sessions, it was more of a mental block than anything else. Finally, I went to dinner at the closer vegan place and met an American who spoke some Thai. He was definitely and interesting guy...in his 60s, a jazz musician who apparently jammed with Pharaoh Sanders and was generally pretty "out-there." We talked for a while and, as conversations with other Americans usually go, it grew from talking about observations of being back home to some sort of cosmic/universal themes. I mentioned that I had a new sound recorder that I've been trying out, so I might go to this guy's upcoming upright bass/bamboo flute gig and record it for him. Pretty cool.

Speaking of the sound recorder, I just started playing around with it today. It is pretty cool. I made some random recordings of walking around the alleys here as well as outside and inside of a large temple during the evening chanting ceremony. Doing this made me think about all of the aural things I rarely pay attention to in my everyday environments. Additionally, it made me realize that in our sometimes visual-heavy society the undocumented sounds of experiences are sometimes lost in the shuffle as we strive for the perfect image...which most of the time doesn't depict how something truly is. In fact, these audio recordings I've been making are full of blemishes, but I feel are more accurate in their representation of contextual environment and experience than just seeing a photo. As I get more familiar with the recording device, I will definitely be posting some combination of images and sounds to try to give a clearer representation of these fleeting sensory experiences.

With that said...here are a few photos that I took. Matching sounds to come.

Day 3: Onward & Upward

I am currently waiting in the Seattle Airport for my flight to Taipei and then on to Bangkok and then on to Chiang Mai. All told, I think this will take around 25 hours. Since I've done this before, it somehow doesn't seem like a big deal. I am excited to have some time to just chill on the flight and get some reading and other stuff done. I ended up with an emergency row seat, so at least I will have ample leg room and the ability to stand up and move around without disturbing the hordes of sleeping passengers (which I am never one of).

Coming to Seattle was a great way to start the trip. It was relaxing and fun to just visit with friends I haven't seen in a long time. I stayed with Jensen and Christina, their son Frank and their aging, but still excitable dog Henry. I was able to go running near the Puget Sound (pictured above) each morning and eat several meals with my hosts. Christina is a really good cook! She made some great dishes that took into account all my dietary restrictions. Two days ago, our other friend Lauren and her husband Finn came to dinner and we ate delicious kebabs. Yesterday, to celebrate the 4th, Christina made potato salad and a peach strawberry cobbler that were also quite tasty. Here are some photos:

Additionally, I helped Jensen assemble some of his record shelves and went grocery shopping with him about 4-5 times. After the first day, Frank warmed-up to me and wanted to play ball and interact with me more today. Despite nothing too notable happening, it was a good visit! I did get a short tour of some places I had never been, including Bruce Lee's grave and a small park next to Kurt Cobain's house, between the various trips to the grocery store! (We even unknowingly discovered an illicit nude beach when we parked near the Kurt Cobain house...or, maybe it was just a random naked guy hanging out near the lake.) Today, we were able to take the '69 Malibu out for a spin, too.

I definitely want to come back to visit again sometime soon. I think the last time I was here was about 10 years ago! The weather here was more or less perfect. It was also great to reconnect with my friends and meet their son. I am glad that Henry is still doing ok. (He is rivaling Laika for amount of medical procedures in his life!) Yesterday, he was pretty stressed from all of the fireworks being shot-off all day long. It made me miss Laika, who used to have similar reactions to the "merrymaking" around certain holidays. Regardless, it was nice to spend time with him despite his distress.

Thanks to all of my friends here, who took the time to let me enter their daily routines for a few days. It allowed me to start this trip off right; sharing time with others without doing anything extraordinary. I hope the rest of my trip takes a similar path. I am not looking forward to anything in particular, other than shared experiences with old and new friends.

Day 1: "Over prepare, then go with the flow"

The last few months have been a complete blur...finishing things up at work, moving all of my possessions into storage, and planning this trip to Thailand and Indonesia. It was as if I didn't really have much time for anything except working toward the start of this trip. But, the day has finally arrived! I have also been meaning to write in this blog again for months....so I will not put it off any longer, either.

I am currently sitting in Chicago Midway Airport, waiting a few hours for my next flight to Seattle. I am excited to start off the trip with a few days visiting a friend and his family over the upcoming holiday. I have been told that the vegan food in Seattle is more than plentiful, so I am looking forward to sampling various things that Pittsburgh doesn't really offer. Plus, it will be nice to just chill with friends before heading off on the grueling 30-ish hour trip to Thailand early Thursday morning.

Since I've made this similar trip a number of times in the past, the excitement for the journey isn't as great as in the past. However, I am definitely looking forward to making the most of my travel time to read and relax before arriving in Chiang Mai. I have a lot of things planned to do after I get adjusted to my new surroundings (which are still somewhat fresh in my mind after staying there over 3 weeks last year). It will be good to reconnect with many of my friends there, while I start to learn new things like Thai massage and improving my language. (Subsequent posts will involve Thai write-ups, for certain).

On the way here to Chicago, I started reading a book explaining the context, history and practice of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa (a 40-line Hindu poem about the monkey-god Hanuman). As a devotee of Hanuman, it has been very interesting to delve deeper into the meaning hidden beneath the words. Having just finished MK Gandhi's "Vows and Observances," gaining understanding of various practices and how they can be integrated into life is at the forefront of my mind. I don't like to make overarching "success"-type goals for my trips, because, well, that is not how I operate...but, like most previous trips I will consciously work toward attaining a greater level of awareness through my various experiences; basically, trying to find meaning in all happenings and meetings (no matter how chance or random they may seem). So, learning more about Hanuman is a good way to start. He is the greatest hero and also greatest servant. Here is a picture of me wearing a Hanuman mask that a monk gave to me several years ago in Thailand:

In Pittsburgh, I found a cellphone that one of my flight-mates had left on their seat at the gate when they went to wait in line. They were very relieved that I found it and, as it turns out, he and his wife are returning home to Seattle. So, I will at least know someone else on my flights today! I feel like this is an auspicious way to start my trip, since at least if I misplace something, there is a good chance it will be returned to me!

The title of this post is going to be the credo for this trip (and life). It comes from a very fortuitous fortune cookie that I received last week...talk about words to live by. I can do this!

Thanks to everyone back at work who will be helping out in my long absence. I appreciate everything you will be doing.

Special thanks to my parents who helped me in the home stretch of moving and also constantly support my various journeys and travels (despite maybe not understanding my motives). I feel blessed to be so supported in all my endeavors.

p.s. - The internet in Chicago Midway was not so good, so I am now posting this in Seattle.