Over the Pacific

แอนดี้ขี้เกียจเขียนมากช่วงนี้ น่าจะเพราะว่ายุ่งมากด้วย ตั้งแต่ครั้งที่แล้วแอนดี้ไปเที่ยวเยอะคนเดียวและกับเพื่อนหนึ่งคนที่น่ารักดีๆ ผมไปถ่ายแบบซ้อมมวยและเจอครอบครัวเพื่อนด้วย เมื่อวานคือวันที่ดีที่สุดของเดินทางนะ น่าเป็นวันที่ดีที่สุดแอนดี้อยู่ที่เมืองไทยเลย ผมจะไปอีกเร็วๆนี้ ต้องไปอีกเร็วๆนี้

The last days were a blur, so much stuff. Here are thoughts on the highlights and some observations:

- Being a male model is fun/surreal. The photo shoot was at this insane modern house in a ritzy area that was actually two houses put together with an elevator and a pool. On my way to the shoot, I cut my head beneath my hair by walking into a low-hanging street sign. (Don't be tall in Thailand.) While absurdly timed on the one day of my life that my appearance actually mattered, the bleeding did not affect my innate ability to wear clothing in a decent manner. I ended-up making some new friends, a few new wardrobe editions and some cash as well. All good things. I'll check "international model" off my list now. lol

- My Muay Thai training ended in an ok manner. I was just kind of exhausted during the last week, but was still hitting 5 rounds per day, running and conditioning. Still, some skills need some more work and still aren't natural enough yet. Such is life. My trainer Tae was awesome and pushed me with extra rounds as time permitted. My last day was pretty solid, so I'll be happy with that. Progress is progress. Looking forward to next time!

- One-sided friendships are never going to work. Sharing with people who won't share with you never works, despite best intentions and endless efforts. There isn't any fault other than false expectations.


- You don't need to tie a bunch of knots to make sure the thread stays on your wrist. It will fall off when the time is right. Faded external reminders are good for knowing where you've been, but won't keep anything the same.

- Every moment is a preparation for the next moment. Everyone you meet for a reason. Not treating every interaction with consideration is an unfortunate means if self deprivation.

- Seemingly arbitrary actions lead to undesired outcomes. Undesired is not bad, though. Surprising things happen when things aren't planned. Meeting the right person at the right time seems to lead to right efforts and right outcomes actually building something beautiful.



- You can't leave a place entirely, ever. The interconnectedness of life insures this as fact. However, this year I feel like a more tangible piece of my heart is waiting for my return to Thailand.

- When you meet someone and a language barrier is treated with patience and acceptance, they are someone you should meet. When someone introduces you to their family and you are treated like part of the family despite obvious differences, they are someone you should meet.

- Leaving someone you don't want to be apart from is hard. But, knowing that they feel the same way is comforting. It shows real potential for communication and growth together.

- In America there is a clear separation of daily life and religious practices. In Thailand there is a continuum the blends the two. While I don't understand all the intricacies, the feeling is pervasive and contagious.

- Advice: Make sure you accidentally fall asleep on the floor at correct gate in the airport, or else you might hold-up the plane from taking-off. Not that I did that in Taipei, or anything. Luckily, my heightened awareness in the airport meditation room allowed me to realize the error of my actions.

เรารักในหลวง

A lot of things have happened in the past few days, including having to change accommodations, going to a really memorable street fair, meeting new friends and ascending into a celestial realm inside the body of a giant four-headed elephant. However, at around 4 pm today, the nation of Thailand will be forever changed. The King died today. The loving and beloved father of Thailand is gone. The sadness is immense. Images of the King continue to adorn all currency, public property, walls of private homes and shops, and dashboards of taxis, but the man is no longer here.

Yesterday, I rode a commuter boat past Siriraj Hospital on my way back to Pinklao to prepare my things to change rooms. The river is usually bustling with traffic, but it was eeriely silent. As we passed the hospital, the boat had to take a slightly different route to respect the tiny fleet of naval boats protecting the space around the ailing King. An unspeakable sadness crept over me as I witnessed the scene, feeling helpless to do anything other than listening for a breath or a heartbeat. I almost cried out of futility and realizing the realities of living and passing, both physically and symbolically.

Today, I took a friend to meet another friend at Siriraj Hospital for lunch after the second friend's appointment to prepare for an upcoming surgery. The hospital was bustling with doctors, staff, soldiers and pink-clad well-wishes of the King gathered to send healing prayers and chants. An air of sadness still lingered beneath the hopeful sentiments. My friend who accompanied me took photos of the scene and later thanked me for randomly inviting her, as she will remember this day for the rest of her life.

Tonight at 5 pm, someone came into the boxing gym and said that the King had died. Immediately, all of us tried to substantiate the news on our phones, but we couldn't. Later, while shopping with friends, I got a text about the King's passing. I checked a British news source and realized it was true. I showed my friends and had to explain it in Thai. They didn't believe me. They checked their phones. It was true. Standing in Big C, none of us knew what to say. Again, I thought about the weight of the passing of one man and almost cried. We tried to finish our excursion as planned, but again an underlying sadness permeated the rest of the night.

I got back to my new room and felt kind of strained talking to my parents about the news. I talked to the desk clerk here in the hostel and shared her sadness. I walked to the Hindu temple next door and prayed that compassion help all overcome loss. I sat outside wondering about existence without a soul.

My thoughts and prayers are with all friends and residents in and from my home-away-from-home. My thoughts and prayers are with those immediately affected with the loss of the King as a family member and beloved leader. My thoughts and prayers are with Thailand.

On the bus again

The last few days have been kind of a blur. I'll just make an uncataloged list of thoughts. Here goes:

- Trimming banana leaves off of wrapped sticky rice desserts for an hour may seem like some type of punishment, but in preparing for offerings at the temple, it was a good way to build concentration.

- After pushing yourself physically hard for a number of days and taking a rest, your first day back will not be your sharpest mentally or physically. In fact, it might be pretty unsatisfactory. Don't think too much and move on.

- Celebrations at all temples here are a big deal. I went to the Durga festival at Wat Vishnu yesterday and even in the early afternoon, there were lots of people. It was a good experience. Lots of both Thai and Indian people.

- I keep forgetting kick, then push kick. I am on the cusp of having a lot of things come together, but thinking gets in the way of the natural flow, still. (Fighting and language have this kind of correlation. Learning words and sentences isn't the challenge, its putting them into use naturally is what I am still figuring out.)

- For once, you might arrive at the pier in time for the last boat home, only to find out the boats stop running early that day. Then you end up having to take the bus that usually requires waiting a long time or that won't stop for you...and you don't have to wait because it stops for you.

- Even people who train hard and work hard don't end up winning all the time. I think the effort to work hard is more important than the final outcome.

- Everything has ups and downs. My speaking and interactions here are constantly in flux, but the floor is rising each day. From when I wake up there isn't much of an adjustment period to speaking. A few of my friends I can talk to really easily all the time, but some people take a little more effort. There are benefits and learning to be had from both types of people, though.

- Next year, I might try to stay in a different part of the city. It would give me a different perspective and also allow for more downtime and less travel time.

- Many of my friends I thought I would see a lot have been invisible and other friends have wanted to do a lot together. This reinforces my theory that making travel plans involving other people isn't worth the stress and allows for more spontaneous adventures. (I still have a long list of things I haven't done, which is fine and kind if comforting.)

- I think my body has adjusted to the water here. I've had drinks with ice in them twice and haven't had any fallout.

- Thai people are so generous, but in most circumstances will not take no for an answer. This leads to me having to throw away a ton of food or eating more than I want. I think this has caused me to not eat a lot on my own, since I am honestly tired of people forcing food on me.

- My friends think I am crazy because I love taking pictures of dogs and cats sleeping in dumb places/random positions. But, like, the animals here just do whatever they want. It is amusing, to say the least.

Today I am off to Lopburi, the city of ancient temples and monkeys. Should be interesting!

Good advice from a new friend

ตั้งแต่มาถึงอุบลแอนดี้เจอเพื่อนใหม่หลายคน คนที่นี้ใจดีและน้ำใจมาก เมื่อคืนเพื่อนที่เป็นเจ้าของร้านอาหารเจแถวโรงแรมคุยกับแอนดี้นานมาก เข้าบอกว่าถ้าคนเป็นคนที่ดีเขาจะเจอกับคนที่ดีตลอดเวลาที่ทุกที่ หลังจากเดินทางนี้แอนดี้เห็นด้วย 100 %

The owner of the vegan restaurant near my hotel talked to me for a long time last night. I understood all of the sentiment, but not all of the words precisely. She said that good people attract good people by doing good things. If you live like this, you will have good friends everywhere as well as putting good merit into the world. After this trip to Ubon, I think this advice is 100% truth. I came here knowing only two friends and over the course of five days met so many more good people that are now friends as well. Despite what is shown in the daily news, the world is a good place with good people who can overcome language barriers with kindness and respect.

Next stop, Bangkok (again).

More Time in Ubon Ratchatani

Lapse in Posting! Apologies. Busy week. Lots of training, new friends and some downtime. Here are more thoughts, etc:

In the city:

I took a trip into the city of Ubon Ratchatani on the other day. It was pretty awesome. The city is smallish and boasts a riverfront along the Moon River (which is pretty swollen at this time due to rain). Everything in the city area is walkable and people are very friendly.

- There are lots of Buddhist temples here and most are very quiet. You can effectively chill there and meditate or relax as your heart desires. Quite the opposite of most of the larger Bangkok temples.

Wat Tai in Ubon is toward the top of my list of temples I've been to here. It has perhaps the largest menagerie of Buddhist statues I've ever seen in one small place.


- The 'Tesagan Gin Jay' or Vegetarian Festival are in full swing, so finding food is super easy. I got super cheap food at a sort of convention center place with live musicians and then got free food at a 'san jao' or Chinese-Thai social organization. I made some new friends at the san jao, too. Chinatown in Bangkok has a lot of these places that are usually part shrine (which lured me into this one) and also (apparently) part humanitarian foundation (as my friend Op explained to me after he invited me to eat there.) All throughout the Vegetarian Festival many places like this offer free food.

- My speaking has been steadily getting better (with lapses), but I still fear talking on the phone. Luckily, when I had to call for a taxi to get back to my hotel, the man on the street that I asked for help was able to explain where I actually was. I apologized to the taxi driver as I explained my fear of talking on the phone.


Training @ Lamnammoon Boxing Camp:

- Since Monday morning, I have trained 6 times at the camp. I will train again this afternoon. Bummed that it will be my last time, but it has been an awesome experience.

- My trainer/friend is trying to get me to change my stance and  to stop hesitating with my left kick. Progress is slow.

- I have blisters on all of my toes, about half of my toes are wrapped with tape. The carpet on the floor of the gym ruins your feet, but is better than concrete.

- My right elbow started to split, so I am just taping it and wearing long sleeves, so no one gets concerned about it.

- I will have run about 28 miles in 4 days, along with around 16 hours of Muay Thai training.

-I clinched with an 18 y/o Thai guy yesterday morning for 15 minutes and tossed him 3 times. On Monday evening, I got destroyed in clinching by an English guy, but he gave me some good tips.

- The owner of the gym keeps trying to convince me to fight for real, at some point. I keep telling him I am an English teacher and not a real fighter. He laughs and asks again later.

- It rained super hard yesterday and then got insanely hot. Then during evening training was really nice and cool. I think I lose about 4 lbs a day from sweating. In the few days I've been here, my body looks different.

- A 19 y/o Thai guy chased me with a giant beetle in his hand during our run the other day. It was terrifying, but pretty funny.

- Between Tuesday and Wednesday we ran our 11 km run 5 minutes faster. So insane.

- My friend dropped me off at the hotel after training yesterday morning, but I forgot my shirt and towel, so I had to walk back to get it.

- Training at a pro camp is not glamorous at all, but it is definitely the best training experience I've had in Thailand. I will come back, for sure. I can understand why this camp is so well-respected.

- The other guys at the gym are super nice. The non-Thai fighters are all skilled and don't have any ego when it comes to giving advice. A few of the guys have upcoming fights in Thailand, Cambodia and Hong Kong.

- I think I am older than the oldest pro by about 8-10 years.

- Kru Yo (Ajarn Lamnammoon) is pretty amazing. He runs a great camp and is there to make sure things run smoothly. He can just look at someone shadow-boxing or hitting and pretty much correct their form and assess their strengths immediately. His interactions with everyone seem to be constructive and professional, but also like a stern older brother who is a master of his art. In short, he is a great person who cares for his students' well-being and personal improvement for both them and the reputation of the camp.

- No running this morning due to rain...kind of bittersweet, as I was mentally prepared for it, but physically probably didn't need to push it. I did bounce on the tire for 40ish minutes, so i guess that makes up for it.

Daily life:

- There is an outdoor vegan restaurant right near my hotel. The ladies who work there are all amazing and we have become friends. We have taken a lot of photos together and they constantly make sure I have enough to eat and will not let me pay for everything. I am grateful for their friendship and kindness. They have insisted that I return next year!

- I can't tell if there is a problem with the a/c in my room, or if my skin is just hotter from sunburn and brush burn from clinching.

- Laundry at the hotel is almost $1 per piece! So I bought a basin and detergent and have been laundering my clothing at a fraction of that cost. Probably $1.50 total for 3 washings!

- I have had a lot of time to hang out in the hotel room, which has actually been much-needed. This trip has been a good mix of socializing, solitude, reflection and physical exertion.

Tomorrow morning, back to Bangkok...

เดินทางมาอุบล

ไม่วานแอนดี้มาถึงหจังหวัดอุบลราชธานีที่อีสาน อยากมาซ้อมมวยกับเพื่อนที่เคยเป็นครูฝึกของผมที่กรุงเทพ เค้าแล้วอาจารย์ลำน้ำมูลมารับแอนดี้ที่สนามบินเมื่อมาถึง อาจารย์ใจดีมากๆ แต่ว่าเค้าคิดว่าแอนดี้้เป็นนักมวยอาชีพ 555 หลังจากผมอธิบายว่ามาซ้อมให้ออกกำลังกายอย่างเดียว เค้าชวนผมซ้อมที่ค่านมวยกับนักมวยอาชีพด้วย โชคดีมากๆ
ผมอยากเริ่มซ้อมเมื่อวานตอนเย็น แต่ว่าวันอาทิตย์คือวันหยุดให้นักมวยฝรั่ง ตอนแรกแอนดี้รู้สึกผิดหวังเพราะว่าอยากเริ่มซ้อนเร็วๆ
แต่ว่าเพื่อนอื่นที่อยู่ที่อุบลว่างเมื่อวานด้วย เค้าแม่เค้าและน้องที่ซนมากพาแอนดี้ไปเที่ยวที่เที่ยวที่สวยดี เราไปเที่ยวน้ำตกสร้อยสวรรค์ วัดถ้ําคูหาสวรรค์และแม่น้ำสองสี้มาแล้ว ผมถ่ายรูปเยอะมาก หลังจากนั้นผมไปกินข้าวที่บ้านเพื่อน แม่เค้าทำอาหารเจที่อร่อยให้แอนดี้ เวลากลับห้องแอนดี้เหนื่อยมากแต่ดีใจมากที่เพื่อนใช้เวลาเพื่อเลี้ยงดูแอนดี้ที่นี้ จะมาเที่ยวอีกแน่นอน

อุบลสวยมากๆ ชอบมาเที่ยว ขอบคุณมากเจี๊ยบสำหรับพาแอนดี้ไปเที่ยว สนุกดีที่สุด



I am currently in Ubon Ratchatani province in Isaan (NE Thailand). It was a 1-hour flight from Bangkok but the way of life is completely different. There is a small city, but most areas are semi-rural and very picturesque. I was lucky enough to get a private tour of some scenic locations yesterday by my friend Jiep. I also started training at the gym this morning, which is pretty awesome.

Random thoughts, in no particular order:

- I am staying in a hotel by myself, the solitude and general quiet is a nice change of pace. For $12 a night, this is pretty sweet. The front desk clerk told me that a housekeeper told her that I was handsome. I giggled and probably blushed.

- I think there was some sort of miscommunication between my friend who is a trainer and Ajarn Lamnamoon (who runs the Lamnamoon Muay Thai camp) that resulted in the belief that I am professional. Once that got cleared-up, I was offered to train at the gym like everyone else. Ajarn is really friendly and also runs an A+ camp. Just being there for one session made me see ways to improve my technique. My friend Arm is also a really good trainer. He told me that my skill is better than last year, I have more power, I am fatter and I am older. 50% good, right? lol.

This morning before the 11 km run, I was wondering what exactly I am doing sometimes. Like, why I am training here at a pretty famous gym in the midst of rice paddies in Isaan when I have no aspirations to be a fighter? However, after training once and being around a group of people determined to train hard to better themselves, I think I found my answer. One of the pros joked with me that I come to Thailand for soul-searching. I laughed because I already found my soul, just trying to see how it connects to everything else in life. Funny how running 11 km with a 19 y/o Thai pro boxer and making small-talk about random things along the way can shed great perspective on a lot of things.

- My friend Jiep always jokes about why I can't speak Thai clearly, but I can type really well. I asked if she ever met a non-Thai person who speaks clearly and she said no. This was a nice to hear. Good way to not have unrealistic expectations for myself.

As an aside, I think my speaking and understanding is steadily improving. I am more or less self-sufficient when I need to be and can understand a lot but still need time to process and answer more in depth questions. I did also get a 160 baht discount at Soei Sawan Waterfall because the ticket booth had a lizard crawling on the sign and I starting talking about the "jingjok" with my friend. A park ranger heard me and lowered the entry fee from 400 to 260 baht. I saw him several times in the park riding a motorbike and each time he would yell "jingjok" at me, smile and give me the thumbs-up. I also took photos of a group of ladies for them at the waterfall, then warned them to walk carefully. They were amused.

- Jiep saved the day yesterday when my friend told me that I couldn't train at the gym. She told me that if I filled-up the gas tank of her car ($15), she would take me to see some things here. We ended-up going to Soei Sawan Waterfall, Wat Tha Khuha Sawan (temple overlooking the Mekong and Laos) and Two Color River (where the Mekong meets the Moon River and the water is two colors).

Jiep's mom and her naughty nephew accompanied us on the trip. It was super fun just to hang out, listen to music in the car and meet the rest of her family. I have a standing invitation in the future to come back to visit her family after her husband and kids move here from Bangkok next week. Despite my lapses in language skills, it was an awesome, memorable day. I made a lot of dumb/funny jokes about Thai language and the variety of animals hanging out near the roads being my friends because I am vegan.

- I think I accidentally killed a fire ant today that was on my water bottle. I was trying to remove it humanely, but it moved when I tapped the bottle on the ground. I felt bad. The ants here are vicious, though. Still, a bummer.

- Dogs here are stupid. They seriously sleep on/near main roads, walk into oncoming traffic and generally don't care. I thought I saw a dead dog near the road yesterday, but it was just sleeping really soundly just inches from the road.

- International Relations update: Farting and burping are hilarious everywhere. I am not usually the offender, but they are a popular action and topic of everyday conversation.

A Few More Days

English only today :-( Will type Thai on the plane tomorrow.

I felt like I had a lot of astute observations that I wanted to write about, but right now a bunch of them are slipping my mind. Maybe this will alleviate some unnecessary details. Regardless, here goes:

Interpersonal relationships:

- People cancel plans all the time. This isn't a big deal, but when they randomly become free and I already have plans, they seem to be bummed.

- I think it will be good to go away for a week. I usually operate with little expectations of others, but that seems the opposite with everyone else. As a grown adult, I can fully appreciate the complete generosity of others, but I don't think I understand the accepted way to show it sometimes. Maybe someone should just tell me and it would be easier for everyone?

Training:

The gym has been awesome (aside from this morning, which was my worst training so far...headaches are not a training enhancer).

I've been clinching and sparring with a guy who has an upcoming fight and its actually been going pretty well. He is from Belgium and I guess is used to K-1 rules (no elbows and clinching), so it has been good for both of us. I think he will do pretty well in his fight. I am coming back from Ubon on Friday morning, so I can be there to see it.

The trainers are all really good and the rest of training has been hard. My legs are sometimes dead, but I think 10 days in this has happened the past two years. I just hope I get a little life in them when I go to Ubon to train tomorrow. Regardless, stoked to see my old trainer.

Transportation:

- If you are not Thai, buses won't stop for just you.

- Being a ticket-taker must be a stable job. I recognize the same people from 2 years ago and some of them remember me. Pretty cool.

- Riding in a shared van is the most terrifying form of transportation.

- Buses with no a/c are really not that bad.


Temple trip:

A friend took me to a temple in Nakon Phatom yesterday. It was really beautiful. There were lots of women there that are not nuns, but renunciants of some level with administrative and managerial positions (Thai Buddhism has no nuns due to rampant sexism.)

The temple had Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese shrines. Lots of people were there making merit and getting things blessed by the monks. Many people were carrying around what I thought were children, but were actually creepy dolls called Angel Dolls. I guess there is a belief that they are imbued with spirits and should be treated as people. My friend did not understand why I thought they were absurd/weird. It then became a game for me to identify real children being carried. Sadly, it was not as easy as I thought.

The head "mae chi" (renunciant lady) invited my friend and I on a walking meditation retreat that night up a mountain in some other province, which at first seemed like something I didn't want to do, then something I did want to do. Then someone explained that the times were different than initially stated and I wouldn't have arrived home until 4 am. So, I didn't go.

Fast forward a few hours through ladies trying to convince me to become a monk for a month, which I told them maybe 2 days and I got to meet the abbot of the temple. He is a very charismatic guy and only around 43 years old. My friend introduced me to him and another monk and when they found out I could speak Thai they were pretty stoked. I told them that I love Thai language and culture and my friend told them that I love Hanuman, especially.

What happened next was insane. The abbot called out into the abyss about a Hanuman Khon mask (the kind wore in traditional Thai drama) and one was produced in the time that it took for the assistant to bless two handbags. The mask was put on my head and blessings were chanted. Then... I was given the mask as a gift! My mind was blown. Photos were taken with the monks and probably posted on the temple facebook page. My friend insisted that this was a momentous event and that my luck is incredible. I am still in disbelief, honestly. Just another day. lol

On the way back home I had to carry the mask on its wooden holder while riding in the back of a motorbike through some semi-rural areas. I got some surprised looks, for sure. I can completely attest to the fact that the mask ensured our safe trip home. My friend I am staying with seemed nonplussed that it was in her condo. I just hope it doesn't meet the same demise as the leg lamp from a Christmas Story while I am away. Since it is like "a major award."

Exploring and Birthday

ครั้งนี้แอนดี้ไม่มีเวลาเพื่อเขียนภาษาไทยเยอะ ขอโทษนะครับ ว่าแต่ว่าช่วงนี้เพื่อนหลายคนที่มาจากอีสานอยากให้ผมเรียนภาษาอีสานด้วย ทุกวันแอนดี้เรียนรู้คำศัพท์ของหลายภาษา สนุกดีมากๆ

แอนดี้สัญญาว่าครั้งหน้าจะเขียนมากกว่า จริงๆครับ

It's been a busy few days. Lots of exploration of old and new places. I'll try to leave out a lot of the boring details and list the places and list
some thoughts.



MONDAY:

Places: Gym, Hindu Temples: Wat Khaek & Wat Vishnu, Mon Buddhist Temple, Chinese Temples: Guan Yu Shrine & Guan Im Shrine (finally, after two years of talking about going!)

Thoughts:

- I really, honestly think that planning can be too restrictive for some travel. Then again, I have the luxury of no strict timetables so aimless wanderings and getting sidetracked isn't a huge concern.

- When I am walking around and hear people obviously talking about me, I usually engage them in conversation. This is especially helpful when I am not lost, per say, but trying to hone-in on a location. Many side streets here have no names, so usually directions are based on landmarks or stores. [Note: There are about two 7-11 stores per block (not joking) so any directions involving 7-11 as a landmark may not be super helpful.]

- When I am in an area without a 7-11 for several blocks, I am actually mildly concerned. It is like going into some uncharted territory. I wonder what percentage of the job market is owned by 7-11? (Also, 7-11s here have a wide array of pre-mademeals. Many of which are vegan! I haven't tried any yet, though.)

- The two Chinese temples are located right on the river. They are really awesome. Both had music playing and were emanating heavy clouds of incense. They walked a nice line between excessive clutter and visual bliss. The Guan Im shrine took me forever to find, but was as serene and beautiful as described. I will return again on this trip, for sure.

- When you go to a Hindu temple here, they give you at least one tika on the forehead. It is usual to see people walking around with them all over the city.

- I think I walked about 10 miles, in addition to training. My dogs are pooped.

BIRTHDAY:

Places: Wat Kii Lek (local temple) & School, McDonald's (my friend who is a monk wanted to eat there, I had water), St. Louis Hospital (to visit a friend), Wat Yannawa, barbershop, gym, Wat Khaek, Shiva/Ganesha shrine, friend's restaurant.

Thoughts:

- This is the furthest away from home I've ever been on my birthday. Was nice to talk to my parents on the phone (before it was my b-day at home). This year was 11 hours shorter for me. lol

- From the first minute that I made plans on my b-day, I knew they weren't going to all happen. But...plans are overrated. No massage, no vegan restaurant for lunch. But, I wouldn't change anything! Here are a few things:

On my morning run near the temple, I saw a monk in his early 30s that I've become friends with. I told him where I was going and he was going somewhere close, so we decided to meet at 10 and share a taxi. At 10 am, however, I was invited to give snacks to a 3rd grade class at the school near the temple. I talked to the class a bit and then gave out the snacks (Which were sadly meager. Had I known, I would have brought a bunch of things.) Regardless, the students were excited and the teacher was super nice. We talked for a bit. The best part was that my monk friend told the class that it was my b-day. So, I was serenaded with the "happy birthday" song by 30 or so 3rd graders!

My friend J who I re-met on the street a few days ago and I had plans for lunch, but she was not well. So, I met her at the hospital after her acupuncture therapy and we ate there. I was able to order vegan food (which was quite good) and then she felt well enough to go to Wat Yannawa, which I went to last year but didn't fully explore. J knew a lot about the temple and it was cool just to spend time with her and talk. We made merit and wishes in the boat-shaped chedi.

I got a haircut. This was planned. I look good for a 37 y/o now. lol The barber was from NE Thailand so I tried a few Isaan language phrases that my friends taught me. He was amused by my attempts.

The gym was great. The new format is cool, because you can work with different trainers each time so you get to work different combos. Not that working with the same trainer doesn't have its benefits, but all four trainers are extremely competent and encouraging.

This was my first time sparring this trip. I sparred with an English guy who was probably about a similar level as me. We sparred 3 rounds with a good pace and not going to hard. It was really good. I have definitely improved and kept calm. the whole time. Thanks to Chris, I was able to see openings and landed some good punches. All in all, I have my sparring partner to thanks for having a good session. We joked about forgetting to breathe, because of over-thinking. Nice to know I am not alone in this club. lol

I bought some CDs, made friends with the vendor (again) and then went back to the village to meet my friends for dinner. They had bought a bunch of food for me and the professor gave me a Chip doll (from Chip N' Dale). lol

I am leaving out some details, but this is the general outline.

- It didn't necessarily seem like my b-day, but it was awesome to see/make new friends. Special thanks to J for taking me out and teaching me how to make wishes at Wat Yannawa.

- Going to temples and making merit is a really centering activity. I think it is just a good way to focus on intentions and not necessarily the outcomes of your actions. It was a nice way to spend the day.

- I see one dog with a deformed leg everyday on my run. She has to hop around instead of walking, but she is seriously so happy all the time. When I run past, she usually gets excited and follows me for a bit. At first this was sad to witness, but after thinking about it more, it made me happy that this dog is able to experience joy despite its physical limitations. Seeing this dog also makes me miss Laika.

วันพระและวันอาทิตย์

ตั้งแต่สองวันที่ผ่านมาผมต้องรอนานมากๆ ตอนแรกแอนดี้รู้สึกใจร้อนนิดหน่อยโดยเฉพาะเวลาสวดมนต์ที่วัดอยู่ แต่ว่าหลังจากนั้นทุกครั้งแอนดี้ต้องรอผมเจอกับคนที่น่าสนใจมากๆ ทั้งการคุยนี่ทำให้แอนดี้รู้ตัวหลายสิ่งเกี่ยวกับชีวิตของผมและของคนอื่น

ผมชอบอยู่ที่นี้เพราะว่าคนไทยส่วนมากใช้เวลาทุกวันเพื่อทำบุญ ปกติพวกเขาทำนี้ที่วัดหรือโบสถ์ของพระเจ้าอื่น ทำหย่างนี้จะขึ้นอารมณ์ดีทุกวัน

แต่ว่าผมคิดว่าคนทำบุญตลอดเวลาได้ ถ้าทำย่างนี้คนจะได้ความเมตตาเยอะๆ

I am going to continue with the format of my last post, because it was as random as most everything that happens here.

วันพระ ("Wan Pra") or Buddhist Holy Day:

Yesterday was a Buddhist Holy Day, which happens usually about 3-4 times a month. It involves special food offerings in the morning and chanting/meditation in the evening. Despite this seemingly routine ritual, yesterday was kind of insane. Here is a run-down of happenings/thoughts/mishaps:

- I got locked inside the condo from the outside and had to remove a screen from a window and just managed to undo the latch.

- This great escape (while awesome) made me late to meet my friends, so someone who was on the lookout for me on the alley ushered me onto a passing motorbike and I got to the temple almost on time.

- The process of arranging offerings for the monks and various subtleties of etiquette made me seem like a barbarian with 20 thumbs.

- I was feed vegan food until almost bursting and then ended up at a Home Expo in another province. At first I was kind of bummed, but it was actually cool to just see people doing normal stuff on a Saturday. Plus, the one lady with us (who's nickname translates to "Moon") knows a lot about Hinduism and Buddhism and patiently explained things to me when we were both trying to figure out why our friend had brought us there.

- We got back too late to train, so I took a solo walk to the local mall yo buy an English book with Thai writing for pronunciation to help my friends at the gym. I stopped at the Shiva/Ganesha temple on the way to pay respects.

- The evening chanting at the temple was like 2 hours. My mind melted. It was way too much. Then the abbot talked for a while and we did a 10 minute meditation in which I almost fell asleep 100 times. At this point, I truly felt the suffering of life that the Buddha taught about. However, then something awesome happened. There was a new Buddha statue in the temple and there was a quick ceremony of chanting and ritual washing by the abbot to instill the spirit and open the eyes of the image. There was a really magical feel in the air during this ritual. As corny as it sounds, there was palpable devotion in the air.

- It was pouring most of the time, so some nice lady gave us the short ride home in the covered bed of her truck. I was exhausted and fell asleep almost immediately.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday:

Morning - running, laundry, chill time.

Early afternoon - massage, boat ride and talking to an Indonesian guy that I met on the pier (not simultaneously). Food at the vegan place near the Hindu temple.

Afternoon - Training at the gym. Got there a bit early and talked to the owner Hel. He is a great guy and remembered meeting me a few years ago. I then chilled outside and read the first chapter of the Bhagavat Gita. lol

Training session was really good. 3 rounds of jump rope, 1 round of heavy bag, and hit 3 rounds (the last was 50 kicks each side and push-ups). Then around 12-15 minutes of clinching with the pro guy with the upcoming fight. The trainers gave me good tips and I learned a few new Thai words/made some jokes that were dumb but people laughed anyway. Maybe because I was a hairy, shirtless American telling them. However, I think I did better than last time, for sure.

I talked to the owner and some trainers again for a while before leaving. Gym has great people/vibes. Different than in the past, but excellent.

Evening - I was supposed to get dinner with a friend, but she canceled so I went back to the Hindu temple to make an offering before heading home. While waiting to cross the street, I randomly saw a friend I had met at almost the same spot last year. We had hung out a few times before and had kept in touch for a while, but her texting profile had problems, so we hadn't talked in months.

As luck would have it, this was the first time she had been to the temple in months. Sadly, due to health reasons stemming from neck pain and vertigo. Apparently, the ladies at the vegan food place had told her that they saw me today, because we met there last year.

We were stoked to see each other! She took me out for coffee and we talked for about 45 minutes. We both remembered a lot about each other. So cool! Then we went to the temple together. The ladies at the vegan place were happy that we met each other (again).

She was going to take me to a night market, but with her still on-going recovery, we postponed until my birthday. We will meet at the Vishnu temple and then go to the night market. So stoked! This was one of the best surprises of the trip!!!

Later evening - Missed the (last) boat, waited for the bus, tried to hail the bus, and was passed-up by the bus (because the only other person at the stop was a Chinese tourist and the bus driver obviously sensed this). Talked with the other denied passenger and then a Thai lady who was also going to have to wait. Turns out she and I were going to basically the same place and the Chinese tourist's destination was on the way. So, I suggested we split a taxi and we did. The Chinese guy was super nice and basically paid for everything, because he refused to take change. The lady and the driver were also really nice, too. Again pretty random and awesome!

Early night - Had to call PNC because due to a farting brain and possible dumb fingers, my online account was locked earlier today. My mom tried to help, but PNC told her that I had to call. So...after a fruitless search of how to place a collect call and trying to find a Thai payphone, I just called on Skype for free. My account now works, hopefully my brain does now, too. (P.S. - Thanks, mom.)

Later night - Arrived late to see friends to eat on the way home. They tried to call me a bunch of times during the PNC debacle. Was nice to see them.

Latest night - Still typing...

Today's final thoughts:

- The ups and downs of life and seeming randomness are magnified when traveling. Maybe due to a constantly shifting point of view/reevaluation of perspective.

- Meeting someone two times in the same place randomly is not actually random. I believe in the law of karma and this is definitely a result of positive results from something.

- I am just relaxing and going with the flow and it has helped all of my speaking/listening interactions. Expectations were the problem.

- It didn't rain today. My clothes (except socks) were almost completely dry.

- Daily interactions here never cease to amaze me. I feel like there are good vibes and openness from most people. (I have also started to be barked at less from the street dogs.)

- A thought on Buddhism: I always thought that the monks' precept on giving up luxurious beds seemed a little excessive. However, after personal experience and the Home Expo, I think it is a moot point. There are no soft/luxurious beds in Thailand.

- Every time I am walking around listening to the song "Revolution Rock" by Danny Ray (as popularized by The Clash) smiles seem contagious.

- Something fell on the balcony while I was typing and I seriously think it is a ghost. I got goosebumps and everything. Oof.

ฝนตกทุกๆวัน

ที่นี้ฝนตกทุกๆวันเลย แปลกมากๆ เพราะว่าเวลาฝนตกรถติดร้ายมากและคนส่วนใหญ่ไปถึงช้ามาก ให้แอนดี้มันไม่เป็นไรนะ ไม่มีกำหนดการจริงๆ แต่ว่าเลวาแอนดี้เขียนนี้อยู่ ผมไปเจอเพื่อนช้ามากแล้ว ไม่ดี ทุกครั้งรถเมล์ไปตรงนิดหน่อยทำให้ผมรู้สึกตกใจ อิอิ หวังว่าเราจะถไปถึงก่อนวันเกิดตอนอาทิตย์หน้า 555


I am trying to keep the momentum going, so this post might be more random thoughts on the past few days than anything else. Here goes:

Language Update:
- Yesterday a good friend took me to eat at the salad bar at Sizzler. It was great to see her and talk. However, yesterday was the day I started over-thinking all of my language interactions. This happened last year, too. It will take a day or two to get-over it. Just bummed, as it tested both of our patience. Luckily, she has an excess if patience.

-When I go places and talk to other people who are speaking Thai as a non-native speaker, we can understand each other just fine. But some Thai people cannot understand me at all when I say certain words. Pretty interesting.

Gym News:
-The gym has been awesome. I am going to start teaching a few if the trainers English on the off-mornings. It should be fun and will help me use Thai to explain things.

I clinch-sparred with two pros from Belgium at the gym yesterday (who didn't know each other until then) and did ok the first few rounds, then not close to ok for the last ones. I learned a lot and the fighters were gracious, but it was humbling to say the least. Turns out the one guy has a huge fight at a swanky hotel here next month. I watched him training today and was in awe of his regimen and focus. I will try to go see his fight if I am here then.

Shirt mysteries:
-One shirt I have makes me sweat profusely for no apparent reason.

-I massively stained a t-shirt I really like within the first two minutes if wearing it and I have no clue at all how it happened.

Life Realizations:
- This morning it was raining pretty hard, but I wanted to get to the gym to train so I hoped that I might not have to wait infinitely for the bus. Today, Ganesha was definitely on my team as I waited zero seconds to get the bus. But, once on the bus, it took a while to get to Silom.

At one point, the bus was stopped and I was looking out the window at an elderly man, standing in the pouring rain adamantly trying to kick all of the water out of a puddle. I noticed a few other passengers trying to mentally process his impossible actions. This moment of shared disbelief seemed pretty unreal, until I related a mental checklist of various things in my life that might be equally as fruitless but take so much effort. Not a sad thought, but some good perspective.

Wires:
Everywhere in Bangkok is seriously a mess of wires. It is pretty insane, but awe inspiring. Two random men were just 'fixing' the elevator button console on the first floor. I saw them working on it and when the panel was open, there was just about as much electrical tape as wires. They saw me looking and then stared at me like I might help or something. None of the wires were colored, so my expertise of watching MacGyver was of no help. After they left, I took the elevator for some reason and it worked. Now, 30 minutes later it is not working at all. Maybe I should have helped.

Transportation:
- Since arriving, I have travelled by elevated train/subway, taxi*, motorbike, tuk tuk and boat. Pretty cool. (*The difference between typing 'taxi' and 'taco' on this keyboard is slim.)

Laundry:
-There are no driers in Thailand. All things air-dry outside. This is good when it is sunny, but not when it rains. My drying clothes sometimes get redampened. Socks do not dry fully, which is actually ok. I sweat so much sometimes or have to walk in puddles that there is something comforting about putting on damp socks. It cuts out the middleman and at times makes me feel like I time travel 5 minutes into the future.

People:
- I am so lazy about planning things to do other than wander around aimlessly because meeting and talking to random people is really great. I find out so much about everything that way. I went to two Hindu temples and a Burmese/Mon Buddhist temple today. Too many memorable interactions to recount.

วันที่สองของเดินทาง

อ้อๆๆๆ ตั้งแต่มาถึงเมืองไทยรู้สึกแปลกดวลาส่อนมากนะ อยากนอนหลับตลอดและฝันแปลกๆด้วย เมื่อวานนอนหลับทังบ่ายมา แต่ว่าตอนคืนนอนไม่ค่อยหลับ หวังว่าจะดีขึ้นวันนี้ มี jet lag ร้ายเกินไป 5555

ว่าแต่ว่าเมื่อวานสนุกดีนะ ตอนเช้าผมไปวิ่งมาแถวหมุ่บ้าน หลังจากนั้นอาจารย์พาแอนดี้ไปซื้อของที่ตลาดและไปกินอาหารเจด้วย อร่อยมากๆ ร้านอาหารอยู่ที่โรงพยาบาลที่มีพยาบาลหลายคนที่น่ารักดี ตอนเที่ยงเราไปโรงเรียนที่วัดเพื่อคุยภาษาอังกฤษกับสมารเณร พวกเขาทุกคนตลกมากๆ ดังนั้นการคุยกันสนุกมาก หลังจากนั้นอาจารย์พาแอนดี้และสมารเณรสองคนไปซื้อของที่ห้าง ผมซื้อ sim ใหม่ที่ร้าน tru นะ เณร 1 คนซื้อ iphone ด้วยนะ เราไปซื้อของสำเร็จจริงๆ อิอิ

I've had major jet lag since I got here, including, but not limited to, generally feeling destroyed, the inability to sleep restfully and really weird, vivid dreams. I think if I make it through today without napping, it will be a victory and put me on the right track.

Cliff's notes of the Thai language writing about yesterday: The Professor took me out yesterday to shop, eat vegan food at a food court in nursing school, to the temple school to speak English with teenage novice monks, and finally shopping at the mall with two novice monks. Just another day in life here. lol. Despite the novices not knowing anything about where I was from in America, one of them randomly told me that he really likes Whiz Khalifa. I was able to use this as a cultural connection, where geography failed.

Today, I went to the gym to train for the first time. Since I didn't sleep last night, it was easy to make it on time to the bus at 6 am. I took a motorbike taxi to the pedestrian overpass and then only had to wait less than 10 mins for the bus! So awesome. On the 35 minute trip, I started typing this post!

I got to the gym at 7 am, which was on time, but apparently early. Only one of the trainers from last year is still there, but he is super nice and we decided that I will hive him some English lessons while I'm here. He learned English really well just from being around foreigners at the gym. Impressive! People's language-learning ability never ceases to astound me!

Training was good! They only do 3 min rounds now, but after jumping a weighted rope for about 15 minutes, I did two heavy bag rounds and hit 4 hard rounds with a trainer. All double kicks. I kicked through the pads a few times with my left kicks the first round. My trainer Lut was stoked, but my shins are bruised. I feel a lot better than last year, so I think I'll make good progress this year. There was only one other person at the gym, a really friendly guy from Japan. We talked a lot and are going to go do something after training on Friday. Also, apparently the gym was sold to a guy I trained with a few years ago. Pretty cool, as he seemed like a really honest and dedicated person.

After training, I went to my favorite vegan restaurant near the Hindu temple and then to the temple. A lot of the people around the temple remembered me, which resulted in lots of conversations and answering questions about my current trip. Additionally, I ended up with a free soup and desserts :-) People were stoked about the buttons that I made to give out!

The temple was excellent, too. It was less crowded than usual, so that helped. I was about to spend a bit more time. Something about the temple is just really enchanting. I can't really explain it, but get a good feeling just from being near there. I will go back pretty much everyday!

After that, I was walking to the pier to take the boat when I randomly tan into an American couple waiting to cross a terrifying intersection. A Thai lady was instructing them to not fear and just follow her. I assured them that crossing with Thais is as safe as it gets. We ended up talking after that and it turns out that they were from Florida and happened to be going to the same place as me. I took them to the pier and we talked a lot about cool things to do in Bangkok. After getting off the boat, I showed them to the temple and got some info for them about the temple dress code. Before parting ways, I gave them my email if they had any more questions.

Next, I went to the Wat Pho massage school to get a massage. I was hoping to see the awesome massage doctor from last year, and I did see her! She remember me. I think we were both temporarily shocked, but I was given a different doctor today. The massage was excellent, because my body is a giant knot from training and travel. The hour didn't seem long enough, but I feel a lot better now. I told my doctor from last year that I will be back to see her soon. We talked a bit, too, which was good as we talked a lot last year  during my massages.

The past two days, despite the lack of mental clarity and lack of sleep have been a good reminder of how things rise, pass and are reborn. Some of these actions being good, bad or both. Storms are always brewing here, it rains hard and often. It smells like rotting wood in some places and really clean in others. Dark clouds and thunder are constantly hovering, but not necessarily in a threatening way. So many things change each minute, but in over a year since I was last here, my friendships and acquaintances haven't faltered. They aren't the same, but there is still underlying curiosity and mutual respect with a lot of my interactions. It feels good to see change, but also familiar faces, as well as many new ones.

As I type this, I can see another storm rolling in over the Bangkok skyline. It feels good to be witness to this. I am not sure why, but analyzing the cause won't enhance the feeling.

p.s. - Yesterday morning I went running around the village and stopped at the temple to pay respects to a few giant Buddha statues near the canal. When bowing near one, I hear rustling under the altar and...was happily greeted by 3 sleeping puppies waking up. A cute surprise, indeed.

กำลังเดินทางไปเมืองไทยอีก

เมื่อวานแอนดี้ออกจากบ้านไปเที่ยวเมืองไทยอีกแล้วนะ แต่ว่ายังไม่ได้ไปถึง เดินทางนี้ใช่เวลามากๆเพราะต้องรอประมาณ 12 ชั่วโมงที่ los angeles แล้ว แต่ว่าการรอปีนี้สนุกดีๆ ตอนแรกกานบินไม่ได้ทำกระเป๋าหายก่อนไปถึง l.a. นะ เก่งกว่าเมื่อก่อนจริงๆ แล้วก็ที่ l.a. แอนดี้ไปเที่ยวกับเพื่อนที่เคยเป็นเพื่อนร่อมงานที่ห้องสมุด เราไปเที่ยวร้านขายหนังสือและวัดฮินดูด้วยมา แล้วก็เราไปกินข้าวและของวันที่ thai town มาแล้ว เจอเพื่อนและคุยกันดีมากๆ หวังว่าไปหาเค้าอีกได้ ตอนนี้ผมนั่งบนเครื่องบินไปไทเปเขียนอยู่ แอนดี้กำลังจะตื่นเต้นขึ้นสำหรับเดินทางนี้ เมื่อก่อนรู้สึกเครียดนิดหน่อย เพราะว่าทุกสิ่งที่ไทยจะไม่เหมือนกับเมื่อก่อน แต่ว่าเวลาคิดเกียวกับมันทุกสิ่งทุกอย่างเปลียนตลอดเวลา ดังนั้นไม่ต้องห่วงจริงๆ ไม่ต้องมีแผนเพื่อเจอเพื่อนที่ไทยให้สนุก โชคดีมากที่แอนดี้มีอีกโอกาสไปหาเพื่อนและส้อมมวยอีกครั้งที่เมืองไทย ผมจะใจเยฟ็นก่อนและไปเที่ยวให้สนุกนะ ;-)

I am not sure what day it is now, honestly. I am currently somewhere over the Pacific on the way to Taipei. I was already in Chicago for 1 hour and LA for 12 hours. I finished an entire book, read parts of a few others and...actually slept on an airplane for about 4 hours so far (despite drinking a few too many coffees). Weird, but true. I've also managed to get some meditative moments in on both the airplanes and a temple in LA.

LA was really fun. I rented a car and met up with my friend who used to be a colleague at the library. Due to various reasons, we never really hung out in Pittsburgh outside of work. Regardless, it was great to talk and basically just drive around Hollywood. We did go to the Vedanta Society temple and bookstore, as well as Thai Town to eat dinner and desserts! It was nice to connect and honestly talk about our various life-stresses and concerns. Her perspective and attention was greatly appreciated (I hope she reflects this sentiment and also hope my dumb jokes and random observations were appreciated.) If nothing else, my friend ended up with new towels from Target :-)

I have had mixed feelings about this trip for a while. I can't necessarily pin it on one specific concern, but it has a lot to do with a snowball of general stresses and new experiences from the last year. I am not sure how they have really shaped 'me' and won't really know until I'm out of my element completely. Until talking with my friend today, I was scared this trip might be kind of an escape from some cycles and situations that aren't/weren't ideal on various levels. However, that was just a matter of mental perspective; looking through some negative (maybe 'realistic') lenses that I've prescribed and worn at times recently. I think this trip will be an invaluable opportunity to evaluate some things with a bit of detachment as a result of immersion among different friends and in a completely different context.

Growth and change are inevitable parts of life. I don't know why this is something to be feared. Maybe it has to do with clinging to some sort of static/linear vision of life or thinking a plan will yield the most desirable results. If that is the case, then I think my overall lack of planning for this trip will be a good challenge to this theory. In the last year, the least planned things in my life were some of the most rewarding (even if they seemed negative at the time) and things I put my whole effort into didn't meet expectations. Seems like those Buddha and Krishna guys knew what they were saying. Tested; agreed.

Moving on from deep thoughts at whatever time it is where ever I actually am, I want to thank my mom & dad, Chris & Steph for being great friends and watching my baby girl (miss ya, Laika) and Charisma for making this trip awesome so far. Stay tuned for more!