Well..... wouldn't you know it, I'm back in North America. It seemed like this moment would never come. I wanted to updated in Hong Kong (for the novelty of it), but I simply didnt have suffecient time. So, this entry will be rather long, but for your convenience, I will break it up into manageable parts. The First part will recount my final days (Luang Prabang, Hong Kong, etc). The second part will talk about my final thoughts on my trip as a whole. So.... enjoy. All pictures from Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mae Sot, Chiang Mai, and BHSOH CAN be found on facebook (or you can wait until I show them all to you in person). Pictures from Laos and Hong Kong will be up eventually.... perhaps by the end of this week.
Part 1:
A. Luang Prabang
So, having seen pretty much all of the important sites and attractions within Luang Prabang on my first day, I decided to hire a bicycle for my second day in an attempt to explore the area. I was not disappointed. Just a short bike ride outside the tourists quarters unconvers and entirely different Luang Prabang. About 4 km outside the city limites, I found this tiny village (in very scenic countryside). The essense of this village is hard to describe in words, but fortunately, I do have pictures of it. I will never forget, however, stopping for a beer (fyi: Beer Lao is quite good) in this village. I had a horde of little kids staring at me the whole time. I started making faces at them, they started giggling, and then hiding (but still staring at me). That, I think, was the highlight of my time in Luang Prabang.... In my last entry, I might have suggested that I didnt enjoy Luang Prabang. I definitely liked it.... it was an extremely attractive place.... just not as interesting to me as Vientiane (where I wouldve rather spent the extra time).
B. Night Train On Saturday morning,
I flew out of Luang Prabang into Vientiane, where right away I took a cab to the friendship bridge. After immigration and all that jazz, I made it to the Nong Khai train station (this was about 16:00). I was all set for the 18:20 train. It was planned to take a bit longer than I expected. I had red that it was supposed to get into Bangkok around 4:30 am, and their estimation was 6:30. No worries, I thought... my flight isnt until 9:45. I started to get a little worried in the morning, when one of the "uniformed crew members" told me that we were due in Bangkok around 9 am! With Bangkok traffic, and regulations for intl flights, I was sure to miss my flight! I was starting to get really worried.... almost as a God send, I started talking to this Australian monk, who reminded me to save face, and that he had a funny feeling I was going to make my flight. On his advice, I got off the train a stop early- at Don Muang domestic airport- at 8:00. I ran to a cab, gave him 500B and told him to get to the intl airport as fast as he could. He drove like an absolute maniac.... and I was very happy! I told him he was superman. He got me there by 8:30, only for me to find a really long queue. I managed to get my boarding pass, go through immigration and security with only 20 minutes to spare before the scheduled depature time (the boarding pass says you must be at the gate AT LEAST 20 minutes before departure or "you may not be accepted for travel"). Ironically enough, our plane was delayed about half hour.
C. Hong Kong
We landed in Hong Kong around 13:30 local time (an hour ahead of Thailand). But by the time I went through immigration, got my luggage, left my luggage at a left luggage counter, exchanged money, found the city busses, and made it downtown it was about 16:30. So, I made the mistake of staying at the first guest house I found.... not to say it was at all bad (it, in fact, had air-con, which was a very rare luxury for me), but it was extraordinarily expensive. 200 HKD (about 27 USD) for one night. Oh well. My time in Hong Kong was still enjoyable. I found it to be a very modern, cosmopolitan, and clean city- all of which was a welcome change from being in the third and 4th worlds for so long. Some buildings were extraordinarily beautiful and the skyline (especially at night) was nothing short of spectacular. The food was also quite good. It was, however, not especially friendly. Hong Kong is also not the best city to be in alone, or to be in for only 24 hours. I made the most of my time there, and Im definitely glad I spent the day. I didnt get to do much, I spent all my time just wondering around... I wasnt even able to take the famous "peak tram". But, I still enjoyed myself.
Part 2. Conclusions **with additional commentary from 23 May '08**
A. Teaching
Teaching was a great experience, and one that opened my eyes. I saw first hand the situation of the Burmese people, which makes me appreciate it all the more. I felt absolutely touched by the warmth and generosity of the people, and inspired by some of my students. THere is nothing quite like students telling you how much theyve enjoyed your class, and what a great teacher you are, and crying because youre leaving, and living up to your high expectations. That is an unbeatable feeling. I would be lying if I said it was all glamourous. I was given no advice, no curriculum, no guidelines, no class roster: nothing. At first, I was quite awkward ("koyokaya"), and I don't think most of my students really respected me, nor should they have. Even towards the end, with the exception of my grade 9 class I felt like I failed my students. In the younger classes, I was at odds to figure out how best to challenge the students, while still keeping within their ranges.... I never figured that out. Finding something to do for every day, for the whole period occasionally proved challenging. I cant reiterate this enough: for all my grade 3-6 woes, my fantastic grade 9 class more than made up for it. Even in my younger classes, there were still some special people that I will never forget. People whose lives I've touched (Maung Soe, for example) and people who touched my life. And even outside the students, there are the spectuaruly people I met that I will never forget: teachers (Zin Dee, U Cheng, Lwin, Khine Oo Maung), volunteers (Karl, Stefan, Johann), students (Maung Soe, May Dar Li Maung, Sa Nay Tun, Win Thiri Soe, Lwin Lwin Mar, many others), students that weren't mine (Ko Phyo, Yin Shell) and Min Saw Thwin - all of whom I will never ever forget..... some of whom, I may perhaps see sometime in the future. Karl I will surely see again (*edit* I did end up seeing Karl in Jan '08).... Ko Phyo has an uncle in NYC, and plans to come over in 2008. Zin Dee dreams of coming to Canada by 2009, and Lwin Lwin wants to study in Canada. With only 10 weeks, I do feel like I was able to make an impact in the lives of a few people. If perhaps their speaking hasnt improved much, I can gaurantee you that their writing has (especially in grade 9). Besides that, did I change the world? Of course not. I also believe that the kids tought me more than I tought them- which is crucial to understand if you're ever going to do something like this.
B. Travelling
I will try to briefly summarise all the various places Ive seen.... upsides, downsides, and who I think should go.
i. Singapore
Highlights: Very clean, no language issues, very effecient, great food, the Gerber family
Lowlights: almost disturbingly sterile, neighbourhoods arent very interesting (picture 90% of the population living in boring towers that all look the same; the CBD is dead off hours, and thus quite boring), somewhat expensive (23-05-08 edit: only compared to the rest of SEA)
Recommended for: First time visitors to Asia; fussy travelers; clean freaks; people who don't want to learn a new language, food lovers
Not recommended for: Shoestringers; people who like vibrant street scenes, and interesting neighbourhoods; people who want to see an exotic country.
Highlights: Very clean, no language issues, very effecient, great food, the Gerber family
Lowlights: almost disturbingly sterile, neighbourhoods arent very interesting (picture 90% of the population living in boring towers that all look the same; the CBD is dead off hours, and thus quite boring), somewhat expensive (23-05-08 edit: only compared to the rest of SEA)
Recommended for: First time visitors to Asia; fussy travelers; clean freaks; people who don't want to learn a new language, food lovers
Not recommended for: Shoestringers; people who like vibrant street scenes, and interesting neighbourhoods; people who want to see an exotic country.
ii. Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
Highlights: Spectacular archetecture; reasonably clean; reasonably low language barriers; vibrant street life; colourful markets; just the right amount of chaos - in my opionion, a very balanced city
Lowlights: Hard to find beer; hard to get around (sprawling city...), pretty bad traffic
Recommended for: Travellers who want only a small dose of chaos; conosieurs of Islamic culture; city lovers; fans of archetecture
Not recommended for: Anti-Muslims; people who dont like hustle and bustle
Highlights: Spectacular archetecture; reasonably clean; reasonably low language barriers; vibrant street life; colourful markets; just the right amount of chaos - in my opionion, a very balanced city
Lowlights: Hard to find beer; hard to get around (sprawling city...), pretty bad traffic
Recommended for: Travellers who want only a small dose of chaos; conosieurs of Islamic culture; city lovers; fans of archetecture
Not recommended for: Anti-Muslims; people who dont like hustle and bustle
Note: These judgements come from only a few hours in KL- which were largely guided by Gerber. Hence, they may not be netirely accurate. That said, I ver much enjoyed KL and really want to go back.
iii. Myanmar (Yangon).
Highlights: Beautiful pagodas; very different from anything in the West; extremely friendly people; quite cheap; surreal effect of being transported back into time; good Indian food; you can send a post card to North America for 4 cents (US); "unspoiled" by Western tourists; no McDonalds, Starbucks, or 7-11s in sight!; decent amount of green space
Lowlights: Dire poverty; oppressive government (no matter how hard you try, any time you go to myanmar you put money into govt coffers), not very clean, major currency issues (exchange rates vary from 450 to 1300- you have to change in the black market), inconsistent electricy (although this perhaps adds to its charm)
Recommended for: open-minded travellers who really want a new experience; people who want to witness first hand the Burmes situation; temple enthusiasts; people who like interacting with locals; travel photographers; shoestringers
Not recommended for: fussy travelers who need luxury; people deeply disturbed by poverty; people who will fall for government traps (ie, staying at govt hotels, etc), people with any sort of health needs
iv. Bangkok (Thailand)
Highlights: Sky train (I can't really think of much else....)
Lowlights: Sex industry; excessive pollution, smog, traffic; not geared towards pedestrians; extraordinarily sprawling; many people living in poverty (squatters; rubbish scavengers); unfriendly locals trying to scam you; difficulties breathing; visually unnattractive
Recommended for: people who speak THai and know their way around the country; people who want to sleep with a 14 year old prostitute; 7-11 enthusiasts
Not recommended for: all sane people who don't meet the above qualifications
v. Chiang Mai (Thailand)
Highlights: City moat + walls; more manageable than Bangkok; somewhat exciting Night Bazaar (although they sell mostly rubbish); somewhat cooler than Bangkok (in terms of weather); surrounding mountainside temple (although its a bit too touristy IMO)
Lowlights: Aboslutely overrun with tourists; a clear segregation of locals and tourists, and no real middle ground; locals seem somewhat jaded; not a whole lot to do; not a very attractive city
Recommended for: people who want to go to Europe in Thailand; market enthusiasts
Not recommended for: people who don't have another reason to go; people who like to see less touristy places
Highlights: City moat + walls; more manageable than Bangkok; somewhat exciting Night Bazaar (although they sell mostly rubbish); somewhat cooler than Bangkok (in terms of weather); surrounding mountainside temple (although its a bit too touristy IMO)
Lowlights: Aboslutely overrun with tourists; a clear segregation of locals and tourists, and no real middle ground; locals seem somewhat jaded; not a whole lot to do; not a very attractive city
Recommended for: people who want to go to Europe in Thailand; market enthusiasts
Not recommended for: people who don't have another reason to go; people who like to see less touristy places
vi. Sukhothai (Thailand)
Highlights: well-maintained park with interesting budhist ruins; comfortable for foreign tourists, but far from overrun
Lowlights: not worth spending much more than a day here (not much else to do....); cheating tuk-tuk drivers (but thats all of Thailand.... and Laos too)
Recommended for: temple enthusiasts; conniseurs of Budhist/Siamese history; people already in Northern Thailand who could spare 1 or 2 days
vii. Mae Sot (Thailand)
Highlights: Somewhat off the beaten track, yet still relatively welcoming too foriegners; a lot of interesting (and mostly illegal) things happening beneath the surface; the charm of a small town; a hub for helping Burmese refugees; ethnically very diverse (Thais, hill tribs, Burmese Muslims, Burmans, Karens, Chinese, Westerners); relatively cool climate; lots of hidden nooks; Westerners are more well respected in a local place like Mae Sot than in Chiang Mai
Lowlights: not yet very modern (unless you have the money for the Central Mae Sot Hill Hotel, or a nice house); major language issues; street dogs; loud roosters; not much at all to do; not too accessible from most of the country
Recommended for: open-minded travelers who want to see a really interesting Thai-Burmese town; people who want to get somewhat off the beaten track- without going too far; people who want to help Burmese refugees; people who want to shop in a Thai market without getting the foreigner price; enthusiasts of Burmese culture + people trying to learn Burmese (or, to a lesser extent, Thai)
Not recommended for: people who demand luxury and Western familiarities (you won't find the latter here- for the most part); people who need to be in a large city; people who get bored easily; people uninterested by street scenes and local cultures
viii. Vientiane (Laos)
Highlights: relatively clean city with lots of nice buildings, monuments, and temples; reasonably friendly locals (except for food vendors and tuk-tuk drivers); world class beer, coffee, and bread (three things I really enjoy- but are lacking in most of SEA); you get a lot of bang for your USD (1 = 9500 kip); can change currency anywhere; can readily use USD or THB anywhere; interesting mixture of archecture; reasonably open to tourists, but far from overrun; have better knowledge of English (and in some cases French) then their Thai counterparts; good markets; clean and decent accomodation
Lowlights: Still a bit of poverty (they are rapdily modernising, but still have a ways to go); tuk-tuk drivers- too aggressive, and overcharge foreigners); generally poor food (except for the aforementioned beer, coffee, and bread)
Recommended for: almost anyone with an open mind; fans of temples and archetecture; beer/coffee/bread lovers; people who love to shop
Not recommended for: really fussy travellers; people who don't enjoy street scenes and taking in the athmostphere (not a WHOLE lot in terms of things to do....); people who don't want to walk (tuk-tuk drivers will rip you off); people who are looking for really good food (alas, you cant live off beer, bread, and coffee)
ix. Luang Prabang (Laos)
Highlights: aesthetically very attractive; French villas and cobblestone streets have an interesting contrast to the multitude of temples; surrounding hills are absolutely stunning; very easy to get around; pretty easy to get off the beaten track and explore the very differnet, but very interesting surrounding area
Lowlights: Again, food is not very good; very much segregation between tourists and locals (you need to make a small amount of effort to see local areas); some locals are a bit jaded (perhaps because the influx of rude tourists); quite lacking in things to do; lacks the vibrancy of Vientiane; temples are similar to each other and REALLY start to blend in after enough of them
Recommended for: temple enthusiasts; people who would find the juxtaposition of French and Lao styles very interesting; people open to exploring the surrounding area; people who love natural scenery; people willing to make some effort to get the most out of the travelling experience (ie, seeking a out a local to talk to him)
Not recommended for: people who need constant entertainment; people uncomfortable with the VAST contrast between tourist establishments (posh hotels; upmarket bistros), and the poverty which plagues 90%+ of the local population; people who are bloddy sick of temples!!
x. Hong Kong
Highlights: food; skyline; clean and modern city; great public transport; reasonably good knowledge of English; attractive natural surroundings
Lowlights: people aren't too friendly (especially not compared to Laos, Myanmar, and Mae Sot); some things (like accomodation) are quite expensive; somewhat overwhelming; hard to travel in alone and without someone to lead you along; cannot properly be covered on foot; suffers from Singapore syndrome: residential neighbourhoods seemed largely vertical and unnatractive; CBD is clean and modern, but disturbingly dead on the weekend; very international city: i felt somewhat like I couldve been in almost any country
Recommended for: people seeking a cosmopolitan, modern, clean city; people who appreciate a fantastic skyline; food enthusiasts
Not recommended for: people looking a quaint, friendly city; shoestringers; people travelling solo and/or with a very limited time (less than 24 hours); people who seek a truly Asian (and not global) city
***Begin Edit from 23 May 2008***
xi. Frankfurt, Germany
Highlights: Very clean, multicultural, navigable, nice architecture, a lot of museums, good public transport, easy (for me) to blend in with local pop and not stand out
Lowlights: Mild language barrier, things mostly closed on Sunday, very expensive, sort of blends in with the rest of Europe
Recommended for: People who love/ never seen Europe; museum enthusiasts; architecture nuts
Not recommended for: people who've already been to a major European city and aren't really interested in seeing it again; shoestringers/backpackers
xii. Marrakech, Morocco
Highlights: Djemaa El Fna; incredibly exotic atmosphere; impossible to be bored; shopping is an art form; close to gorgeous Atlas Mountains; most of the (male) locals speak French (advantage for people who can speak French); good food; mint tea
Lowlights: LOTS of tourists! AN incredible amount of hastle and wanna be scam artists; very easy to get ripped off; relatively expensive
Recommended for: Pretty much everyone. Sometimes a place with too many tourists loses its charm, but Marrakech has so many tourists for a reason: becasue it's fantastic. Being able to speak French/Arabic/Berber helps, as well as keeping an open mind.
Not recommended for: People who are easily culture shocked; people who want to stay somewhere familiar
xiii. Rabat, Morocco
Highlights: Kasbah, clean, modern, much less hastle than Marrakech
Lowlights: lacks the ancient charm of Marrakech; about 1-2 days worth of attractions and not much else
Recommended for: anyone already in Morocco: it would be a shame to go to this country and not see its well-maintained capital
Not recommended for: people not already in Morocco; ie, its not worth going to Morocco JUST to see Rabat
xiv. Casablanca, Morocco
Highlights: Some interesting architecture; very modern
Lowlights: Feels too much like Europe; not geared for the tourist- ie, very few real sites, and not much else to do
Recommended for: people already there for transit reasons (most int'l flights go into and leave Casa)
Not recommended for: anyone else
xv. My favourite? Not a fair question to ask, so I'll break it down into different categories:
Cleanest: Singapore
Dirtiest: Bangkok
Hardest to get bored: Marrakech
Easiest to get bored: Casablanca
Best food: Tied: Singapore and Hong Kong
Worst food: Vientiane
Best Beer: Laos
Worst Beer: Singapore (although I never got to try Moroccan beer)
Most hasstle: Marrakech
Least hasstle: Frankfurt
Cheapest: Rangoon
Most expensive: Frankfurt
Easiest to get by on English: Singapore
Most difficult to get by on English (or French): Mae Sot
Coolest skyline: Tied: Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong
Coolest religious architecture: Rangoon (Shwedegon Pagaoda)
Most developed: Singapore
Least developed: Burma
Where I most want to go back: Mae Sot, runners up: Marrakech, Rangoon, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok
Where I would most like to live: Singapore. runners up: Frankfurt, Hong Kong
Friendliest locals: Rangoon, runner up: Mae Sot
Least friendly locals: Hong Kong
***End edit from 23 May '08***
Part 3. My final remarks
What have I learned? I learned that I am capable of more than I sometimes give myself credit for. I learn that many people will (or will at least try) to live up to challenges they may face. I learned that many poor people don't demand pity- so why give it to them? I learned that people from differnet parts of the world have many of the same likes and dislikes (Football, forinstance, is a great universal language). I learned that, to my frustration, I shouldn't expect anyone in SEA to be punctual or dependable, and that no plan is certain to happen until it happens (as I said in French "on ne sait jamais que qqch va passer, jusque ca passe"). I learned to appreciate certain comforts of the West, while understanding that even in undeveloped countries, people can be happy. I learned that Americans are actually extremely rare (yet still somewhat respected) in SEA- as I was able to stop pretending to be Canadian. I learned that French is actually surpringly useful in SEA (despite what Jon says)- at least in Thailand in Laos. Not, of course, with any of the locals (with very rare exceptions in Laos), but with fellow travelrs- many of which are French (and in some cases in Laos, they were lao repatriated in France). I learned that these experiences do in fact change lives- particulary for those who undergo them. I learned some Burmese, and a few handy things in Thai and Lao (Lao is almost identical to Thai). I improved my chess and checkers abilities. I learned how to effectively teacn English to a class of older, reasonably motivated students.
WHat would I do differently? If possible, I wouldve liked to have spent an entire school year teaching. I wouldve liked to have had a house to myself: so I could host and cook - two of my great pleasures in life. I wouldve liked to have spent a bit more time in KL and in Vientiane. I wouldve liked to have seen more of Myanmar. Besides that.... not much.
Who do I want to thank? A lot of people. Firstly, I want to thank all my readers. I don't know how many of you read my blog, or how regularly you've been reading, but for those of you who have been- thank you! I apprecite it very much. I want to thank all of you who occasionally sent me emails (and even facebook messages)- all interaction was appreciated. I also have to thank my students (especially grade 9), the other volunteers (especially Karl and the Canadian girls), the other teachers (especially Teacher U Cheng; Lwin; and Zin Dee); Min Zaw Thwin; the American missionaries Neill and Diana, for entertaining me on occasion; Gail for hosting Bible study at their place on Tuesday nights. I want to give a special thanks for those of you who gave Jon birthday messages for me, and for Anna who sent me a very nice birthday letter that I only got this week. Thanks also to Sulin for the very much appreciated phone call and her very special birthday card. Thanks to Samara, Keharn, Sulin and Nithum for helping to introduce me to the Burmese situation (this may have been done unintentionally), and for their friendship in general. Thanks to Kathleen for sharing her Mae Sot experiences just before I left. Thanks to "Doctor Caroline" for when she really helped me that day I was sick. Thanks to my family (who will probably never read it)- especially my mom, for her somewhat consistent phone calls. I must however recognise one person in particular. That person is none other than Mr Jon Gerber, who I don't think even reads my blog (thats okay). Besides being an extrmely good friend to me, he has done so much for me, and so much for this trip, that I feel like I'll always be indebted to him. Firstly, he partially inspired me to teach, with his Cambodia film, and many stories. Secondly, he verbally prepared me ad noseum before leaving Montreal. Thirdly, he and his family took me into their home in Singapore- provided me with an exceptionally nice room, went above and beyond in providing for me, and did an overall spectacular job showing me around Singpaore and KL (and Melaka, ML). Fourthly, I was very glad that I went to Myanmar with him.... I witnesed how he interacted with locals in a 4th world Asian setting- and I modeled my future behaviour after that, which I'm sure very much helped me to enjoy Laos as much as I did. Fifthly, he called me more than a few times when I was in Mae Sot.... listening to me rant about my teaching stories, and providing his own input. Sixthly, he and his family sent a very nice package of supplies to me in Mae Sot.... although I didnt really use much of it (to be totally honest), the gesture was still very nice, i did get a little use out of it, and I donted everything to the school- so it was far from useless in the end. Seventhly (wow this is getting high), he gave me a short list of things to do in Hong Kong.... although I wasnt even able to do much of what he recommended (line for the Peak Tram was too long- i wouldnt have been able to do anything else), it was still a very much appreciated gesture. Lastly, the stunt he pulled for my birthday in Rangoon (getting all you guys to send me messages; buying me presents) was something that I will never ever forget.... and I plan to, in some way or another, pay back as best as I can. I really cannot overstate the blessing that this man has been in my life, and how he really, almost singlehandedly, turned this trip of mine into thie most it could be- and a truly unforgettable experience by any stanards. There is someone else I must also recognise: someone who doesnt get enough attention in my blog. I'm referring to none other than God. I am a Christian, but you might not be able to tell from my blog entries, as I tend to stay away from Christian rhetoric. But this masks the fact that GOd has truly been my keeper during this entire trip (not to mention, before and after). Although I don't pray as much as I should, and sometimes i got lackadazical in reading the Bible, I know that He was there for me all along. I had many close calls: the food poisoning, the bike accidents, the nearly missed transport connections; the awkward beginnings in Mae Sot.... yet He was always there for me. He made sure that nothing happened to me, and that I would be able to get everything I could out of my experience. With all of that said, I end this entry, and this series of entries. It has been quite a summer. Once again, thanks for all of those whove been following along. See you all back in Montreal!!!
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