Emily - Thailand - Fall 2007

Sawadii ka.So i'm in Chiang Mai thailand and it has had it's good and bad things.It's interesting to be here while all of the stuff in Burmna is coming tolight in the world. It's about time, because those people have beensuffering for far too long. And also during the time of interestingpolitical issues being brought up in Thailand--like a new constitutionbeing voted on and the ousting of Thaksin.I've learned so much about SE Asia that i realize how little Americateaches about it in school. They have such a fascinating history which isnot very old at all. Right now i have some downtime before i go to my Thailanguage class. Which is long, but Ajaan Tik (prof Tik) is very funny, andis very good at her job (she better be, she teaches Thai to USgovernmental officals.) I have been having a lot of fun conversing mymonks at Wat Chediluang (where i volunteer) i have gained much insightabout the sangha and Buddhism in thailand, which is another blog untoitself. Tonight other IPSL students and i are going to the AllianceFrancias to see a video called "Sacrifice" which is on the issue of humantrafficking (which is a huge problem in the US as well as SE Asia, soeveryone should do some research on it) -Emily Nagle