Weekend Reflections

     The weekend was good for the group, nobody got too badly hurt and everyone came back healthy. Some of the things I really enjoyed about the english camp were how the people changed from the beginning of the camp to the end. In Thai culture it is not widely accepted to speak of personal things and feelings, but some of the people really began to open up in the camp environment, which was great to see because its unhealthy trying to act happy all the time when you're really not. While we were waiting to leave the camp, there was a monk in full orange robe on an iPhone 6, killing the flies around him (which is hilariously non-Budist).

     Coming back to Chang Mai actually felt surprisingly good, having coffee and being in a place that I kind of knew, without the bugs made me feel refreshed. The big activity today was going to the walking market. It was fun, and there were many beautiful things, but there was a lot of sadness in it. The beggars that were there were likely not there on their own accord and were enslaved by someone more powerful. It really showed the sad parts of Thailand with various types of slavery that we only saw a small portion of. 

      After the market I did something that really made me happy; I did something somewhat independent. Dependancy is something I struggle with at home, so leaving the taxi truck alone and walking into the market then bartering for a backpack (that I got for a decent price) and then going to get a coffee after that was different of me. The ride back from the market was exhilarating, first I should explain that the taxies in Thailand are a bit different. They are usually red, modified pickup trucks with passenger areas in the back with an area where you stand near the hitch. Those twenty minutes on the back that taxi were an incredible way of experiencing Chang Mai. I could see everything, and it was a magical experience. 

     At 9:30 we came back to the hotel and did our debrief, which I really like because I can talk honestly group and its usually hilarious (because I'm there).

by Aiden