I thought I'd check back in today after shirking on my posting duties. The truth is, I haven't felt much like writing recently because what I thought I would end up writing would be more negative than I actually felt or would want to convey. Today was a good day though, and we're headed to Laos tomorrow which is quite exciting.
Briefly recapping the past few days is probably in order, as we did actually do more than munch on bugs. Not much more and nothing as exciting, but probably worth a mention still. Two days ago we took a day trip to Chiang Rai, north of Chiang Mai. At least that's what we thought we were doing, as that's what we had been told it was. Unfortunately, as seems to be the pattern, things were not exactly as they were presented to us.
We got to the bus departure place at 7 AM and were put in a big 11 passenger van around 7:45. Over the course of the day, we visited a temple, the golden triangle (a muddy, nondescript region where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet) and several markets. Mainly, though, we sat in the van and drove. The temple more or less resembled most of the other temples we've seen and the markets were essentially identical as all the markets we were shown on our three-day trek. What it didn't do was actually go to the city of Chiang Rai, which was slightly obnoxious.
Thailand is currently trying to revitalize its tourism industry after the tsunami and coup, yet the picture it presents to tourists is that it is one giant market and all the visitors are simply walking ATMs. Surely that's a disservice to the country and I wish not every tour was so market-centered. Perhaps that's just the ones we've chosen, but I somehow doubt it.
Yesterday we rented bikes with our Wesleyan friend with whom we met up and just pedaled around the city for a while, getting away from all the gringos. We know we're on the right trail when our presence in a certain place causes locals to point and laugh. Or it could just be that I had sweated through my t-shirt, again. This country is hot. Although it was low-key, it was so much more enjoyable than the actual tours. A dip in the pool followed by dinner at the big outdoor night market completed a very pleasant day.
Today Andy and I took a 6 hour cooking course. It started at the local market where a guide took us around and explained all the local produce, which was definitely beneficial. Then, we learned about and assisted in the cooking (I say assisted because most of the chopping and prep was done for us) of 8 different dishes. Our instructor would repeatedly demonstrate something relatively simple, then ask the group "See, easy or not?" which I found hilarious for some reason, hence the title of the post. All in all, definitely a good experience.
That's enough recapping for now. To talk more broadly, I'm very excited for heading into Laos tomorrow but also a bit nervous. I've been struggling greatly with how much to give to beggars and street peddlers, and with whom to give. It seems necessary to have a system. Doc, a friend from Wesleyan, explained to us after refusing one particular person "She had all her limbs." It seems a fair statement, and I'm sure it will resonate more once I've spent more time in the other countries we're visiting.
So I'm just trying to deal with the guilt and figure out what I can do with it and how I should be dealing with all of it. It all relates back to figuring out what I actually want to get from this trip. Having some guilt and appreciating my immense privilege seems to me more of a means than an end, so I need to work through how to make it inform all of my actions/thoughts. Not easy to do, it would seem so far. Regardless, I'm looking forward to getting off the tourist track and hopefully we can delve a little deeper and go beyond the superficial traveling I feel like we've been doing to this point. I'm not actually sure that that means and what a 'real' experience would be in the relatively short time-frame we have, but I'd at least like to believe that the people I'm talking to haven't all rehearsed their lines hundreds of other times on other silly foreigners.
And on that note, that's quite enough rambling for one post. I should post more frequently so I don't have all these pent-up things. If you've made it this far and you're still reading, I appreciate it. If you have advice on how to deal with beggars and accompanying guilt and all of that, please leave it in the comments and I'd really appreciate it. Actually, if you've been reading the blog and haven't yet left a comment at all, it'd be great if you could, just so we know for whom we're actually writing.
Next update from Laos, inshallah
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3 comments:
For What It's Worth
I would just point out that there is wealth and poverty throughout the globe. We all know that the uneven distribution is one of the real social problems we face. It's indeed enormous and worthy of devoting a lifetime of work to. But your current problem seems to be your reaction to it as you face it, up close everyday, It's different from Chicago or pretty much anywhere else in the US where the beggar stands out and the norm is affluence. Here you are the exception and it's natural that that must bring huge discomfort.
You were fortunate enough to be born in one of the best-off areas of the world but besides us and Western Europe, the rest of the world is still catching up (or falling further behind, depending on which economic models you believe in).
It seems the solution to your current dilemma lies in the question you've already asked yourself: what is it you expected and now want to get out of this trip?
If it is to somehow attack this problem of inequality and deprivation, one beggar at a time, then you do have a massive task ahead of you. As wealthy youthsinasia you may feel like royalty lugging around the attendant weight of noblesse oblige, saving whomever you can along the way. But keep things in perspective: as two relatively impoverished -- by Western standards -- vagabonds, you can have only a very minor financial impact. Perhaps using the trip to gain a fuller and more nuanced understanding of this problem along with a greater appreciation of what the locals have to offer in lieu of and distinct and separate from the material wealth they lack. There can be real lessons here concerning the value of life, character, ability and all that gets hidden or lost when refracted through the distorting lens of money.
Learn what you can about how the rest of the world lives; give as your heart dictates; recognize your luck and resolve to use your own life in a worthwhile pursuit that always does "the right thing".
The fact that you're thinking about it indicates that you probably already have.
And, by all means, have fun.
Just so much rationalization?
Word I agree with "anon and freezing"!! When I was over there I actually went so far as to adopting this boy who was selling books in Hanoi. I mean "adopting" like he was a sweet kid and had a sad story so he and I walked around Hanoi for a few afternoons one week. I really felt that ache of Western guilt over his not having enough money just to buy pencils and paper to go to school. In the end I gave him like $30 in an envelope and he gave me some books as souvineers. I made up my mind then that if I really gave a shit about the situation of the people over there that I'd give money to a local charity when I got home. I agree that giving money to beggars is at once the most humane thing to do and also a five minute conscience massage that wears off too quick.
Brace yourselves for Laos and Cambodia though. They are the poorest of all the SEAsian countries and it's not going to be any easier to navigate through it. Especially in Ankor Wat where it's like a Disneyland for westerners in the jungle. Especially Especially in Cambodia where they have been the victims of Pol Pot where everybody is missing relatives and arms and legs from all the US landmines still in the fields over there. I found Cambodia to be really tough traveling.
On a lighter note... I'm off to Prgue next week which I'm pretty stoked about. I'll try to put one of these bloggs together so we can keep tabs even though you hardly know me. I hate to say it but ....
Czech you later!
dave
just keep some fruit with you, and give it to the kids, and throw the rest at the fat beggars.
toodles
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