From tourist to layperson

We left around 9:30 am to pick up the alum's friend and then headed to Nakhon Pathom. We stopped at a restaurant by the river and ate with the driver - it was a nice last meal before the monastery.

View from the restaurant

We stopped at Rama Park, which holds artifacts from Rama II. The palm trees and color of the buildings reminded me a lot of Florida.

The museum at Rama Park

Then we went to Ampawa's floating market, where I bought a couple gifts. Mostly locals go to this market, so it did not have great souvenirs, but people were selling traditional Thai food.

Ampawa Floating Market

We reached Wat Songdhammakalyani around 4:30 pm and several stray dogs greeted us. It made me sad to say goodbye to the alum and his friend. I could have easily stayed in Bangkok for at least another week. I felt like civilization was leaving me, but I chose to stay in a monastery after all. The samaneri in the front office was extremely nice and gave me some dinner. I think my hunger made it taste like the best meal in Thailand. I went to evening chanting and a former samaneri who spoke English showed me how to bow properly. She taught me other lessons regarding culture and Buddhism so that I could act respectfully in the wat.

Sign as we approached the monastery

Less of a tourist

I woke up at 8:30 am and relaxed in the condo until 11:30 am, when I went out to meet my friend from school at Central World. The alum gave me thorough directions, so I felt comfortable venturing out on my own. It takes 15 minutes to walk to the end of the soi, so I decided to try the motorcycle taxis (I think they're called motorbikes) for 10 baht. I have never been on a motorcycle before, so I felt pretty scared when he first took off, but once I got over my initial nerves, the speed became exciting.
After the motorcycle ride, I found my way easily to the skytrain station and bought my ticket. Unfortunately, I forgot my stop and thought that I needed to get off at the last station. When my friend called and reminded me, I got off the train to Mo Chit and took the other one to Central World. It was so nice to see a familiar face and I got to meet her cousin and friend from school. They treated me to lunch at a nice Japanese restaurant and then we got gelato from a stand in the mall. I felt so happy seeing familiar food like cupcakes and it looked much more modern than most American malls. Next, we went to another mall just briefly before heading to MBK (yet another mall). I bought my shampoo and other necessities for the monastery there and lots of souvenirs. I enjoyed seeing the contrast between the malls in Bangkok, but I definitely liked Central World the best.
I took the skytrain back around 4:30 pm and the alum and I went to Cabbages and Condoms for dinner. The name sounds weird and yes, the restaurant theme revolves around condoms. The restaurant aims to promote safe sex and support PDA (Population and Community Development Association), which deals with family planning. The restaurant is known for its statutes made out of condoms. The food was very good and I had taro ice cream, which I enjoyed a lot.

 Looking like a dork next to "Santa Condom" (both outfits are made of colored condoms)

Afterwards, we went to Raintree Spa, where the alum's daughter goes for massages.  Unfortunately, we had to wait 45 minutes, so we walked around for a bit until my session. Women lined the streets everywhere, which disturbed me because I had never seen such blatent well...prostitution. Some dressed surprisingly conservative; I guess I expected the stereotypical image of a prostitute with little clothing in my head. I am actually glad that I had to wait for my massage because it gave me the opportunity to see the issue of prostitution while in Bangkok.
I enjoyed my massage, of course...in fact, I think I fell into a light sleep during it. We got back to the condo after 11 pm and I finished packing my suitcase for the monastery.

Being a tourist

Today was one of the best days of my life. I went to bed at 3 am since I was trying to get wifi (with no success) and I woke up at 7:30 am to get an early start to the day. The alum's spare bedroom might as well be a hotel room. It has air-conditioning, a tv, a big bed, closets, and its own bathroom. We left at 8:45 am to go to the National Museum, where we joined an English tour group. Although the guide seemed to enjoy talking about history a little too much (thank goodness there are only 9 Ramas since each description was at least 5 minutes), I learned many cultural and historical facts about Thai. The museum had a great collection of Buddhist artifacts and relics from the kings. The ceremonial carriages that they use for royal funerals might have been my favorite part. Such care goes into their maintenance, it's quite impressive. The alum and I ate at the National Museum's restaurant, which was my first experience of Thai food in Thailand. The vegetable fried rice seemed similar to what I eat in America, only the rice tasted a little different.

My favorite building at the museum

Next we went to the Grand Palace, which was absolutely amazing. Wat Phra Kaeo houses the emerald Buddha, a must-see for tourists in Bangkok. The bot with the emerald Buddha was the most majestic place I have ever seen in my entire life. The king changes his clothing for each season and he wore a golden jacket and head-piece. A section of the floor reserved room for monks to sit and several of them were praying there.

 

Outside of Wat Phra Kaeo

The Grand Palace

At Wat Pho, I saw the largest Buddha statue in the world: reclining Buddha. We could take pictures in this room, so it was a bit crowded and chaotic.

 Reclining Buddha 

 Mother of pearl feet

I read in all of my tourist books to not trust Tuk-Tuks because the drivers will sometimes take you to his friend's jewelry shop and make you buy fake gems. Unfortunately, we told a Tuk-Tuk driver to take us to the river and he took us to his friend's canal ride dock. The guy wanted over 1000 baht (most cost 800), so we convinced the driver to take us back to our previous location. I learned that those drivers can even try to scam a person who speaks Thai and lives in the area.

Inside my first Tuk-Tuk (this one was a good ride)

We used a taxi to get to another dock, where we embarked on a 1 hour canal ride. That was easily the highlight of my day. Even though the boat seemed a little unsteady, the wind cooled us off from the long day. I got to see parts of Bangkok that I would not have seen otherwise and the contrast of living is startling. I saw kids running around in houses with crooked floors and collapsing roofs. If the house fell apart, the people and their belongings would actually fall into the river. Right next to some dilapidated buildings would be a large modern house that looked very out of place. No matter the condition of the house, most of them had spirit houses (shrines built to appease the ancestors of the land). I love the vibrant colors of the spirit houses, I wish I could bring one back with me. I doubt I could get it through customs though. The boat driver pointed out mini alligators along the canal and a boat vendor tried to sell us drinks.

Canal ride

Tried to take a picture of the alligators...it came out blurry

 Example of a Spirit House (this one is actually plain compared to many)

 Spirit house next to a house with a collapsing roof

The driver took us to Wat Arun, where the alum and I walked around for a bit. We planned to go out for dinner, but exhaustion hit me when we returned to the condo and I promptly fell asleep at 7:30 pm.

The tourist pose

Wat Arun

Strangers on a Plane

It's funny how you can have in-depth conversations with a person you just met when you know you will probably never see again. Maybe we open up because we know we will not have to face the person later. Well the plane to Tokyo and Bangkok were very different. The people next to me from JFK to Narita slept and listened to music, making sure to stick to their personal space. When I approached my seat on the plane from Narita to Bangkok, a guy around my age smiled and waved. It turned out that he was almost 19 years old like me, just graduated from a school in Idaho with a class of 3 (including himself), and had not visited his home in Bangkok for 2 years. Clearly we talked for a while, but then I feel asleep for most of the trip. We said goodbye casually as we left the plane and as I walked behind him, I realized that we never said our names. I debated asking, but did I want to know his name to validate the conversation we had? It would be weird to contact each other in the future, so the reason must be psychological. Perhaps the beauty of talking to strangers is the anonymity. Regardless, he gave me a good feeling about the people in Thailand.

Flying with the Sun

Sitting in the 14 hour plane ride to Tokyo: It's weird knowing that I can't contact my parents until I reach Japan or Thailand. It feels like I'm going to college after a break, only my school is halfway around the globe.
The only good part about the vegetarian meal was the bread, but at least I had something to eat. Delta shows better movies than the concord bus, I wish I knew where to plug my headphones in. This Angela Jolie and Johnny Depp movie is still pretty good without sound though. I should probably get used to not understanding what people say. Unless I can miraculously learn Thai before tomorrow.

Funny baby holder inside the bathroom in Tokyo

Sitting in the 6 hour plane ride to Bangkok: Wow, or Japanese. I've never felt so separated from the world before. I turned off my phone in JFK and I couldn't get free wifi there, in Japan, or in either plane of course. 15 hours after leaving JFK, I am in Japan for the first time and I can only use yen to pay for phone calls or internet at computer stations. The instructions to get yen were written in Japanese, why did they do that?! I guess I'll wait 6 more hours and hope I can get internet in Bangkok.

Luck

Small liberal arts schools always emphasize their alumni connections, so I thought I would test my school's out to see if any alumni live in Bangkok. Through the online database, I found 3 alums in Bangkok and their email addresses. I decided to send them all emails with the chance that maybe one of them would reply and give me some good advice about the city.
Much to my surprise, one alum responded the same day. He offered to pick me up from the airport at midnight, lend me his cell phone and wifi device, let me say in the spare room of his condo while in Bangkok, and then drive me to the monastery. Suddenly my trip was starting to fall into place.
For privacy, I will refer to him simply as "the alum".

"All the hardest roads we have to walk alone" - The Avett Brothers

A month or so after I received the Freeman Grant, my roommate's pandora played a song that caught my attention. In "Pretty Girl at the Airport", one of the Avett Brothers sings "for all the hardest roads we have to walk alone." I think these lyrics sum up my trip to Thailand, along with many other life experiences. During heartbreak, loss, and other rough times, we must overcome our situations by the strength within ourselves. Although support from family, friends, and other caring individuals can make a great impact, they can only help us get back on our feet. We must have the will and ability to stay standing and walk.
I thought these lyrics related to my trip because I know that this journey is one I must take by myself. My trip gives me time for exploration, but more importantly, it gives me time for self-reflection. I hope that I can conquer my fear of change and learn how to accept the instabilities of life.
I know that I will face obstacles throughout my stay in Thailand, but these obstacles will serve as valuable lessons. I will miss my family and friends tremendously, but this is a road I must walk alone.

 photo by Chelsea Rising

"The more open to possibility, the more possibilities open" - Somerville

On June 14th, I will be taking my first journey alone on a plane to Tokyo and then Thailand. There, I will be staying at a Buddhist monastery for nuns and helping out in the front office while participating in the daily monastic rituals. I decided to create a blog to document my trip and keep people informed on what I am up to in Thailand. Hopefully I will get internet at the monastery and have enough time to post frequently!


Well I think I'll start by explaining how I found this opportunity to study with Buddhist nuns - since that seems to be the first question that most people ask.


The seed was actually planted over seven years ago when I decided to become a vegetarian for ethical reasons. I started to believe that even though humans have the ability to kill other beings, we do not have the right to take away life from another living creature. The next year, I gave up my belief in God completely and in high school, I committed myself to a sober lifestyle. Without any intention of doing so, my beliefs slowly aligned themselves with the five Buddhist precepts.
I have struggled with depression for most of my life and in fall 2010, I sank into a deep depression that was exacerbated by the end of a long-term relationship. Dealing with the heartbreak reminded me that nothing on this earth remains the same forever. No object or person is invincible to change and impermanence. Even feelings that can seem so powerful at one point in time can fade away like water rolling out for low tide. This impermanence upset me, but I realized that my acceptance of it would be the key to a happier life.
Buddhists believe that all humans suffer, yet all humans want to end their suffering and achieve happiness. As an individual who suffers from depression, I strongly agree with this idea and I decided to fully pursue Buddhism. In January of this year, I made a goal to study with monks in an Asian monastery at some point in my life. Only then can I truly immerse myself in the religion. This may seem silly, but watching all three seasons of Nickelodeon's Avatar during winter break helped inspire me.


When I returned to school in February, my friend told me about the Freeman Grant, which provides funding for summer internship in East Asia. I immediately thought about my goal to study with Buddhist monks and suddenly, my far away dream became a nearby possibility. At first, I searched internships in which I would teach English to Buddhist monks. Unfortunately, most of these programs charged a fee, which Freeman Grants do not cover. Since 95% of the people in Thailand practice Buddhism, I desperately searched every monastery (or "Wat") in the country for contact information and internship opportunities. I sent a couple email to wats, but I never received replies.
Through Thich Nhat Hanh's website, my mom and I somehow came across the link to the only monastery for nuns in Thailand. After reading some articles and watching interviews of the abbess, Venerable Dhammananda, I learned that Buddhism in Thailand does not allow the ordination of women into monkhood and therefore, they cannot hold high positions in their religion. Ven. Dhammananda taught at Thammasat University in the Philosophy and Religion department for over thirty years as Dr. Chatsumarn Kabilsingh. In 2003, she was ordained in Sri Lanka, becoming the first ordained Thai Theravada Buddhist nun. She returned to Thailand with hopes to get more women ordained and started the Buddhasavika Foundation.
Her interviews inspired me so much that I decided to send her an email asking if she needed help in the monastery. To my surprise and great joy, she responded quickly and suggested that I could help transcribe and correct English articles for her newsletters and do other tasks in the front office. We exchanged many more emails, in which she wrote that I could stay at the wat and participate in the monastic rituals. Ven. Dhammananda's hospitality far exceeded my hopes and expectations. With an internship opportunity, a place to stay, and the monastic life I hoped to experience, I applied for the Freeman Grant in mid-April. My excitement while reading the email awarding me the grant paralleled reading my college acceptance letter to myschool. The grant amount would cover my air fare and expenses while in Thailand, making my dream truly become a reality.