Say hello to cultural experiences. If you're looking to spend any amount of time in Thailand, just...don't do it in April. It happens to be one of the hottest months of the year, and I doubt you'll want to get in on all the Songkran Festival festivities (say that ten times fast). What is Songkran you ask? Let me explain.
Songkran is a nationwide festival that started out as a Buddhist holiday, where people would sprinkle a little bit of water on another person in order to bless them, as well as possibly mark them with chalk for blessing. Well, fast-forward a hundred years or so and it has turned into one huge water fight.
And this is where this blog finds me, squeezed in the back of a pick up truck next to a huge water tub and multiple people. This truck traverses the main streets of Chiang Mai, where drunks vomit and urinate in the same moat water that is being thrown at you from every possible angle. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Only to add that, blocks of ice are also being sold and submersed in various containers, so you get a nice icy blast to the face.
I've started to not care for Songkran so much.
But it was worth it. All because someone's mom decided that we all needed showers and hot spaghetti. Mmm.
And, shame on me because this blog is fairly outdated now. Songkran was about a month ago, and I forgot to finish this before I got too busy.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
I am now a rebel with a cause.
I made a little space for writing a new blog, because I knew that I would be partaking in a church youth camp the following week. And with that, I bring you the subject of blog numero tres.
I woke up that Monday morning and went through the usual preparation routine: frantically stuffing my bags to fill out the specifications of requisite items, forcing my parents to sign the permission slip and give me the money, and shaving my head.
Whoah, whoah, back up there. That wasn't the original plan. But that's how it all went down, and my stomach had to leave the house deprived of its precious cornflakes and my head deprived of its curly mop and possibly its sanity.
The camp was located in a small village on Doi (meaning mountain) Inthanon, the tallest lump of dirt in Thailand. This was a relief because right now we're nearing the peak of the hot season in Chiang Mai (with which comes Songkran, which I'll explain later) and it's obviously much cooler up there. What was not so cool was having to get up at seven o'clock in the morning and having to exercise after staying awake until at least one the night (morning) before.
The camp games progressed in familiar nonsensical hilarity: People got scared, sick, tired, and all with hefty amounts of goo. It's an unfortunate connection that I shaved my head on the day that I got put on the white team, meaning I could not shout 'white pride!' without any sense of guilt. Not that there was much pride to be had, as our team lost every single game. Every one. The problem was that no one on our team was the competetive type at all, and we ended up remaining fairly apathetic throughout the whole thing. It's not that we didn't like the games, but we always had fun whether we won or lost, which the latter we did quite a bit of.
The good thing was was that while points were adding for winning games, the major points to be won were in other categories such as teamwork, selflessness, and willingness to help out. And because of that, the white team won the day (as in, four), at the last minute.
Unfortunately with youth camps, I usually go in with the expectant attitude that God can and will do something major with my life, I'll have an amazing time with worship, fellowship, and prayer, and then after that everything will go back to normal. For the most part, that's held true. But not this time, and I don't think I'm on a God-high (stoned on Jesus, folks) because the last few weeks I've felt a little out of touch.
As I briefly mentioned in my last post, I struggle so much to maintain my own voice when I'm the creator, and this was exactly the message that I've been praying for. As per the title, the theme was Rebel With a Cause and dealt mainly with identity. I don't want to get you guys too overwhelmed with personal struggles, but there was much release in getting rid of all self-consciousness, and some not-so-pretty emotions that I'd been dealing with.
I've decided that I'm going to catch the ball for my generation, and God is going to be behind me. That's the teaser trailer, and you guys are going to have to wait for the final production. :)
The other interesting thing about youth camp, and this is where cultural differences come into play, was that we were mixed with some Thais from some of the boys and girls home that our church foundation runs. And despite barely speaking a few sentences of Thai, I find that although their outlooks are completely different, these Thais were shy, but on the whole incredibly friendly, and I'm glad that they were able to take part in it.
On a final note, I know that the Lord has a sense of humor because I made the mistake of not taking a shower (it wasn't so much of a shower as it was a sponge bath with water you might find at a glacial lake) after some of the games, in which I got completely soaked. I didn't get changed and was absolutely freezing, so I must have looked pretty pathetic in the evening service shivering and kneeling before the feet of God.
There's so much more that went on that I could tell you, but I feel that this right here is enough. I'm getting over my sleep deprivation, I'm finally clean, and it's good to have Mom's good home cooking.
Until next time,
Ben
P.S. There really is so much more to say here, so don't hesitate to ask questions and I'll be happy to expand
I woke up that Monday morning and went through the usual preparation routine: frantically stuffing my bags to fill out the specifications of requisite items, forcing my parents to sign the permission slip and give me the money, and shaving my head.
Whoah, whoah, back up there. That wasn't the original plan. But that's how it all went down, and my stomach had to leave the house deprived of its precious cornflakes and my head deprived of its curly mop and possibly its sanity.
The camp was located in a small village on Doi (meaning mountain) Inthanon, the tallest lump of dirt in Thailand. This was a relief because right now we're nearing the peak of the hot season in Chiang Mai (with which comes Songkran, which I'll explain later) and it's obviously much cooler up there. What was not so cool was having to get up at seven o'clock in the morning and having to exercise after staying awake until at least one the night (morning) before.
The camp games progressed in familiar nonsensical hilarity: People got scared, sick, tired, and all with hefty amounts of goo. It's an unfortunate connection that I shaved my head on the day that I got put on the white team, meaning I could not shout 'white pride!' without any sense of guilt. Not that there was much pride to be had, as our team lost every single game. Every one. The problem was that no one on our team was the competetive type at all, and we ended up remaining fairly apathetic throughout the whole thing. It's not that we didn't like the games, but we always had fun whether we won or lost, which the latter we did quite a bit of.
The good thing was was that while points were adding for winning games, the major points to be won were in other categories such as teamwork, selflessness, and willingness to help out. And because of that, the white team won the day (as in, four), at the last minute.
Unfortunately with youth camps, I usually go in with the expectant attitude that God can and will do something major with my life, I'll have an amazing time with worship, fellowship, and prayer, and then after that everything will go back to normal. For the most part, that's held true. But not this time, and I don't think I'm on a God-high (stoned on Jesus, folks) because the last few weeks I've felt a little out of touch.
As I briefly mentioned in my last post, I struggle so much to maintain my own voice when I'm the creator, and this was exactly the message that I've been praying for. As per the title, the theme was Rebel With a Cause and dealt mainly with identity. I don't want to get you guys too overwhelmed with personal struggles, but there was much release in getting rid of all self-consciousness, and some not-so-pretty emotions that I'd been dealing with.
I've decided that I'm going to catch the ball for my generation, and God is going to be behind me. That's the teaser trailer, and you guys are going to have to wait for the final production. :)
The other interesting thing about youth camp, and this is where cultural differences come into play, was that we were mixed with some Thais from some of the boys and girls home that our church foundation runs. And despite barely speaking a few sentences of Thai, I find that although their outlooks are completely different, these Thais were shy, but on the whole incredibly friendly, and I'm glad that they were able to take part in it.
On a final note, I know that the Lord has a sense of humor because I made the mistake of not taking a shower (it wasn't so much of a shower as it was a sponge bath with water you might find at a glacial lake) after some of the games, in which I got completely soaked. I didn't get changed and was absolutely freezing, so I must have looked pretty pathetic in the evening service shivering and kneeling before the feet of God.
There's so much more that went on that I could tell you, but I feel that this right here is enough. I'm getting over my sleep deprivation, I'm finally clean, and it's good to have Mom's good home cooking.
Until next time,
Ben
P.S. There really is so much more to say here, so don't hesitate to ask questions and I'll be happy to expand
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Bard
'So it is not with me as with that Muse'
I only wish this were true. We've created a vast subculture that in the striving to be unique, end up just like everybody else. It's those darn teenage hipsters again. I only have a sliver of hope in myself that I can rise above the horrible trappings of this and become truly unique, and as a musician, writer, artist, and poet, that's something I struggle with every time I pick up a pen and a piece of paper.
Any way that that goes, I've already gone way off topic from what I was originally going to talk about. I said this blog was going to be about actual life through my eyes, and not some psychobabble nonsense anyway.
The quote at the top of the page is from one of Shakespeare's sonnets, if you were paying any attention at all to the title, and I shall leave you to go discover that one if you're interested in learning more about what it's about.
The reason the topic is Shakespeare is because I have an opportunity that most missionary kids don't have. Through meeting some people at the local home school co-op, we have created a kind of Shakespeare troupe, and our on our way to performing our third play. I say on our way only due to the fact that we just started, and auditions are sometime this month. The play is Much Ado About Nothing and I have my very capable sights set on the role of Claudio. Oh, I can just taste the anticipation.
So why Shakespeare? Although crudity is the basest of humours, Shakespeare makes it hilarious and sophisticated at the same time. I doubt any modern day comedies can attest to this kind of wit:
"Is it possible Disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to Disdain if you come in her presence."
"Then is Courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none."
"A dear happiness to women - they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me."
"God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate scratched face."
"Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as yours were."
--
This small exchange between the characters of Beatrice and Benedick (in Much Ado About Nothing) is a drop in the sea of language to be found. And that's just why I love it so much. You could spend years studying his scripts.
I'm afraid I might be babbling on about something that not too many other people care about, or at least as passionately as I do, so I'll leave you with that. I'll let you know how auditions go, and will probably have another blog up by the end of next week.
Toodle-loo, I'm off to be or not to be.
-Ben
I only wish this were true. We've created a vast subculture that in the striving to be unique, end up just like everybody else. It's those darn teenage hipsters again. I only have a sliver of hope in myself that I can rise above the horrible trappings of this and become truly unique, and as a musician, writer, artist, and poet, that's something I struggle with every time I pick up a pen and a piece of paper.
Any way that that goes, I've already gone way off topic from what I was originally going to talk about. I said this blog was going to be about actual life through my eyes, and not some psychobabble nonsense anyway.
The quote at the top of the page is from one of Shakespeare's sonnets, if you were paying any attention at all to the title, and I shall leave you to go discover that one if you're interested in learning more about what it's about.
The reason the topic is Shakespeare is because I have an opportunity that most missionary kids don't have. Through meeting some people at the local home school co-op, we have created a kind of Shakespeare troupe, and our on our way to performing our third play. I say on our way only due to the fact that we just started, and auditions are sometime this month. The play is Much Ado About Nothing and I have my very capable sights set on the role of Claudio. Oh, I can just taste the anticipation.
So why Shakespeare? Although crudity is the basest of humours, Shakespeare makes it hilarious and sophisticated at the same time. I doubt any modern day comedies can attest to this kind of wit:
"Is it possible Disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signor Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to Disdain if you come in her presence."
"Then is Courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none."
"A dear happiness to women - they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me."
"God keep your ladyship still in that mind, so some gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate scratched face."
"Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as yours were."
--
This small exchange between the characters of Beatrice and Benedick (in Much Ado About Nothing) is a drop in the sea of language to be found. And that's just why I love it so much. You could spend years studying his scripts.
I'm afraid I might be babbling on about something that not too many other people care about, or at least as passionately as I do, so I'll leave you with that. I'll let you know how auditions go, and will probably have another blog up by the end of next week.
Toodle-loo, I'm off to be or not to be.
-Ben
An introduction
I've created this blog as a motivating tool to get myself to keep on writing. I love to do it, but I unfortunately can get all too lazy. Hopefully I'll provide whoever reads this with regular updates anytime something interesting happens. Chances are that in Thailand, that's going to happen a lot.
I'm not sure who I created this blog for though. I do, in fact, want people to read it, so it's not some selfish ego trip that I get to write all about me (trust me, I've done it this way before, and it's worthless), but is it for the people that I know and love (or even somewhat dislike), or is it for the people that have no idea who I am, that somehow manage to stumble themselves upon my humble scribblings. Anyhow, that's probably going to be a conflict of interest as I try and satisfy both parties.
But first things first, a proper introduction: Hi, I'm Ben. I'm sixteen years old, and I'm a missionary kid living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. If everything goes as planned, this should give you an interesting perspective on what life is like living in a foreign country, but more importantly (at least, for some people) you're going to get a look at life through Ben's eyes. I ain't no normal teenager.
Also, there's always room for questions/comments at the bottom of the page.
Always stay tuned for more!
- Ben
I'm not sure who I created this blog for though. I do, in fact, want people to read it, so it's not some selfish ego trip that I get to write all about me (trust me, I've done it this way before, and it's worthless), but is it for the people that I know and love (or even somewhat dislike), or is it for the people that have no idea who I am, that somehow manage to stumble themselves upon my humble scribblings. Anyhow, that's probably going to be a conflict of interest as I try and satisfy both parties.
But first things first, a proper introduction: Hi, I'm Ben. I'm sixteen years old, and I'm a missionary kid living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. If everything goes as planned, this should give you an interesting perspective on what life is like living in a foreign country, but more importantly (at least, for some people) you're going to get a look at life through Ben's eyes. I ain't no normal teenager.
Also, there's always room for questions/comments at the bottom of the page.
Always stay tuned for more!
- Ben
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