Author: Sarah McCabe

The last few days have been absolutely magical and breathtaking, No words, phrases or photos can capture the mere beauty and aura that surrounds Thailand. To start off with, the 8 other individuals that constitute the group that will be accompanying me in the TESOL course to become certified english teachers, are truly all inspirational to me in their own ways. We all come from different parts of the United States, different colleges, different religions and different backgrounds. However, we all have this amazing ability to connect so personally and deeply with the other person. Its a breath of fresh air; we are all actually acting like young adults who aren’t consumed in drama and only consumed in relishing in each others presence.Today (Tuesday here in Thailand), we went to the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai, the tunnel temple and learned traditional muay thai. The Wat Phra Doi Suthep temple was, as my title suggests, indescribable. In order to get there, one must drive up the Doi Suthep mountain in the Chiang Mai province and walk up a flight of 300 stairs adorned with dragons as railings. I honestly do not know how to describe in words the tranquility and beauty of the temple. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. After, we drove to the tunnel temple where we had the opportunity to sit with a monk inside a temple and follow as he lead in a short period of mediation. After, we were blessed by the monk and were free to explore the tunnel temple and the surrounding area. Due to the long 15 hour day I had today or that fact that I really cannot put into words how incredible breathtaking the tunnel temple was, I will once again let the picture speak for themselves. After, we were transported to  a muay thai studio (literally in the middle of nowhere) and was taught traditional muay thai. At this point in the day, we were all thoroughly exhausted and couldn’t communicate with the very nice men who were teaching us. However, we pushed through our exhausting and frustration and ended up having a  fabulous time.As I reflect on such a  magical experience, one of the things that truly stuck out to me was something the monk said to us after mediation: “anger is like junk food for the mind; it is toxic”. I have a lot of things to be angry about in my life right now, (like the fact that my sweet, loving mother has cancer and will always be battling cancer), and have surrendered myself many of times to my anger. However, every time I am angry with my situation I will always remember what the monk told us.

Wat Phra Doi Suthep Temple:

 

Tunnel Temple:

My road to Chiang Mai from San Diego was grueling yet fabulous. Sitting in a sedentary position for a full day and half really does a number on your back no matter how young or in shape you are in.  However, it was a complete adventure. My plane to Thailand was called the Hello Kitty Jet and was meticulously decked out with all things hello kitty, including the toilet paper. I was loving it! Oh and thank god no one was sitting in the middle seat, who knows what kind of condition I would be in if I didn’t have the extra 3 centimeters to stretch my legs out… When I finally arrived to Chiang Mai, the program that I am teaching english through was not there to pick me up. To say that I began having a minor heart attack is a mere understatement. I was freaking out. After several minutes wandering aimlessly around the meet and greet area of the airport, praying that I would somehow bump into the people picking me up, I decided I needed a plan B and fast. Unfortunately, I had not converted any US dollars into Baht yet. However, the pay phones naturally only took Baht. How was I supposed to know how many baht coins it took to make a call on the pay phone? Hell, I didn’t even know how to use a pay phone considering I never have had too thanks to the 21st century and cellphones. With the help of a very nice woman working at the tourist center, I was able to get ahold of my program and they were able to contact the driver picking me up. After an hour and half of thinking I was going to be stranded in the Chiang Mai airport for the rest of my life,  I was finally going home!!

Like the title suggests, if Tijuana, Mexico and Kaui, Hawaii got together and had a love child, Chiang Mai, Thailand would be it. The main roads leading from the airpot to the condo I am staying in was filled with trinket markets on the side of the road, crazy drivers with children and adults sitting in the trunk of trucks ( just like Tijuana)  and lush green foliage engulfing the city like it was eating it ( just like in Kaui). My fear and anxiety was instantly eased because it reminded me so deeply of two places I have already been too. Once I arrived at the condo, the girl who managed the building drove me to the grocery store. Despite terrifyingly different food products (like sushi flavored chips and god knows what else because I can’t read Thai), the store carried almost every american brand of beauty and toiletry products. I was astonished to say the least. Blame it on the fact that I am embarrassing uncultured or that I have never ventured across the globe, I was pleasantly surprised that they carried the specific american brands I am so accustomed too. Now, tt is Saturday at 6 in the morning here in Chiang Mai, and I can’t wait to see what the day ahead will bring me. 

AHHHHH!!! For anyone who knows me, they can hear that earth shattering scream loud and clear. I am officially freaking out. I am sitting at a bar in the middle of the LAX airport trying to wrap my head around the fact that I am actually going to Thailand. I remember the day I decided I wanted to travel after graduating from UCSB.  It was December, I was sitting in class obviously not paying attention, and I had come up with the brilliant idea that I was going to skip out on starting a  9-5 job and instead, take a major risk and go traveling by myself. Did I know how I was going to pay for it? Hell no! Did I think I was actually going to go and follow through? Def not! But somehow, some way I did it, and now I am  in the airport waiting for my 19 hour flight to Bangkok. I feel like I am in some crazy dream that totally isn’t real. As cliche as this sounds I actually pinched myself to see if it was real. And yes, it was because it hurt like hell. I can not wait to see what the next few days and months will hold and I would not be here without the support from the most amazing friends and family a girl could ask for.