Looking up, edging forward
1. I knew it would take a long time to get around to a new post, but sitting here in a leather recliner in a internet place on campus, I realize that I am the only person out of one hundred that is not either killing wizards and mutated elephants or shooting balloons and killer fish with sharpened coconuts (from what i can gather, the thai youth love their video games). Adults seem to be more into karaoke and generally subdued Thai-style mayhem in between world cup matches.
My chameleon-like skin is thick and calloused(i just remembered that i could have bought one at the weekend market in Bangkok for $50), so i am able to successfully transition between demographics, which makes for a more interesting (if more perilous) experience.
I feel very safe now that I have secured a luxurious apartment with hot water, western-style bathroom, hi-speed internet, cable, and apparently a couple of foreign teachers down the hall (my sharp spanish wit will come in handy even here! goofing off and eating candy seems to be a global past-time (sorry Jimmy Carter, you're not the only one)) for only a little more than 100 dollars a month. considering that the price i will be paying for accommodation is more than the annual salary of most people in the region, i feel a little guilty (maybe i will remember these times fondly when i go broke and consider a career as a cane-harvester to support an ever-expanding family, but hopefully my education will pay off somewhere down the line!).
_-4 hour break in writing and final realization that the rain is not going to stop any time soon (no pictures this time, i WAS going to get my camera)-_
Today is Wednesday (soon to be Thursday(or Wan Pardoohaht in Thai(incidentally my favorite day to say emphatically))), which makes it 5 days here in Khon Kaen(I think), something like almost 2 weeks in Thailand, which has been enough time to realize that the logistics of my research are no longer worrisome(the execution of which will require the most energy).
The more time i spend with the Thais, the Laos (which is most often the 'true' ethnicity of Isaan people(the regional dialect is pretty much the same as Lao), the more i realize how strong the sociocultural mores really are. The Buddhist culture is strong throughout the country, especially in Isaan where some groups throw animism into the mix with tattoo and rice whiskey driven ceremonies ( i read it in a book and it had pictures to back up its claims), and even the deep south where there is a long running crisis being mismanaged by the central government due to a resurgent wave of violence by muslim separatists that is partially a reaction to the officially mandated predominance of Buddhism. need to do more research on the issues, but Thailand annexed the territory in 1902.
The rebels tend to kill police officers, government troops, and anyone involved with the central government (understandable), but some of their favorite targets are elementary and secondary school teachers (not cool) who now need to be escorted by the military to and from school. The reason why i bring this up because there was an article in the paper today about the murder of 4 local volunteers and one soldier who were killed while patrolling the highway to protect and escort schoolteachers. A roadside bomb blew their truck up, but they survived the initial impact only to be cut down by a hail of 300+ bullets (one volunteer survived and is in critical condition but the m-16 rifles and handguns carried by the volunteers and the soledier were stolen(probably going end up in hands of a 15-year-old, the preferred age of 'martyrs'(or disaffected, angry teens?) in this area)).
*unfortunately, i expected to talk about what i've been doing, but i digressed severely from my discussion of the northeast of country(Isaan). but I will published the list that i had previously made to include in my next discussion, and will modify it slightly now that i have my housing situation sorted out and am becoming acquainted with KKU's sprawling (by Thai standards?) campus.
I promise I will write more extensively tomorrow, i need to finish moving in or at least get on a more regular schedule (i could have just moved into this internet place, its open twenty-four hours and the plush recliners go back to parallel with the floor!) it looks like the rains slowed down so I'm going move like a fullback and make my cut before the window closes (i'll probably end up with a face full of mud regardless).
1. Watching World Cup (2 am kickoffs not going to be routine)
2. Sri Koon people drinking all morning/afternoon/night (muay thai sparring, rotating cast eating around a table with whiskey soda and water)
2. Whats with karaoke?
5. Going to see Mr. Pinyo(confused by directions, making stops at condos)(finding apartment)
6. Need wheels
7. finding monks and kickboxers (use force(Xtreme loving kindness) if necessary)
8. Friendliness, patience, (in)tolerance> of Thais?.
9. Immensity of Khon Kaen campus (freshman hazing)
10. It's going to take a while to achieve familiarity
My chameleon-like skin is thick and calloused(i just remembered that i could have bought one at the weekend market in Bangkok for $50), so i am able to successfully transition between demographics, which makes for a more interesting (if more perilous) experience.
I feel very safe now that I have secured a luxurious apartment with hot water, western-style bathroom, hi-speed internet, cable, and apparently a couple of foreign teachers down the hall (my sharp spanish wit will come in handy even here! goofing off and eating candy seems to be a global past-time (sorry Jimmy Carter, you're not the only one)) for only a little more than 100 dollars a month. considering that the price i will be paying for accommodation is more than the annual salary of most people in the region, i feel a little guilty (maybe i will remember these times fondly when i go broke and consider a career as a cane-harvester to support an ever-expanding family, but hopefully my education will pay off somewhere down the line!).
_-4 hour break in writing and final realization that the rain is not going to stop any time soon (no pictures this time, i WAS going to get my camera)-_
Today is Wednesday (soon to be Thursday(or Wan Pardoohaht in Thai(incidentally my favorite day to say emphatically))), which makes it 5 days here in Khon Kaen(I think), something like almost 2 weeks in Thailand, which has been enough time to realize that the logistics of my research are no longer worrisome(the execution of which will require the most energy).
The more time i spend with the Thais, the Laos (which is most often the 'true' ethnicity of Isaan people(the regional dialect is pretty much the same as Lao), the more i realize how strong the sociocultural mores really are. The Buddhist culture is strong throughout the country, especially in Isaan where some groups throw animism into the mix with tattoo and rice whiskey driven ceremonies ( i read it in a book and it had pictures to back up its claims), and even the deep south where there is a long running crisis being mismanaged by the central government due to a resurgent wave of violence by muslim separatists that is partially a reaction to the officially mandated predominance of Buddhism. need to do more research on the issues, but Thailand annexed the territory in 1902.
The rebels tend to kill police officers, government troops, and anyone involved with the central government (understandable), but some of their favorite targets are elementary and secondary school teachers (not cool) who now need to be escorted by the military to and from school. The reason why i bring this up because there was an article in the paper today about the murder of 4 local volunteers and one soldier who were killed while patrolling the highway to protect and escort schoolteachers. A roadside bomb blew their truck up, but they survived the initial impact only to be cut down by a hail of 300+ bullets (one volunteer survived and is in critical condition but the m-16 rifles and handguns carried by the volunteers and the soledier were stolen(probably going end up in hands of a 15-year-old, the preferred age of 'martyrs'(or disaffected, angry teens?) in this area)).
*unfortunately, i expected to talk about what i've been doing, but i digressed severely from my discussion of the northeast of country(Isaan). but I will published the list that i had previously made to include in my next discussion, and will modify it slightly now that i have my housing situation sorted out and am becoming acquainted with KKU's sprawling (by Thai standards?) campus.
I promise I will write more extensively tomorrow, i need to finish moving in or at least get on a more regular schedule (i could have just moved into this internet place, its open twenty-four hours and the plush recliners go back to parallel with the floor!) it looks like the rains slowed down so I'm going move like a fullback and make my cut before the window closes (i'll probably end up with a face full of mud regardless).
1. Watching World Cup (2 am kickoffs not going to be routine)
2. Sri Koon people drinking all morning/afternoon/night (muay thai sparring, rotating cast eating around a table with whiskey soda and water)
2. Whats with karaoke?
5. Going to see Mr. Pinyo(confused by directions, making stops at condos)(finding apartment)
6. Need wheels
7. finding monks and kickboxers (use force(Xtreme loving kindness) if necessary)
8. Friendliness, patience, (in)tolerance> of Thais?.
9. Immensity of Khon Kaen campus (freshman hazing)
10. It's going to take a while to achieve familiarity
posted by Max J. Karagnarok at 5:39 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home