JUSTIN / 2552

BKK Murals

2009-10-06T17:05:00.002+07:00

Today I woke up, had some hot coffee, listened to "Impressions" by John Coltrane and checked out an art gallery in downtown Bangkok near National Stadium.

Here are some murals on display:

Bangkok City

2009-10-06T17:01:00.004+07:00

Photos from Chinatown and downtown Bangkok, 6/10/2552

Myanmar visa run

2009-10-04T22:19:00.008+07:00

Today I took a van to Messei (the northernmost point of Thailand) to reach the border of Myanmar for a visa extension.

The van driver only gave us an hour to go through immigration, cross the border, complete the whole procedure, and then come back. So I was in a rush, but made it happen.

Last month I met a guy from Oslo, Norway. He has been traveling for about 10 months; before Chiang Mai he spent time at an intensive meditation retreat in India.

We share a similar taste in music, and he ended up exchanging a lot of music (so I had a lot of new stuff to listen to on the van ride). He gave me some really good Scandinavian / European / American metal, jazz, folk, rock etc. Among the highlights are:

FAITH NO MORE, JOHN COLTRANE, EMPEROR, OPETH, DEATH (discography), JIM STARK, KAADA, KAADA / PATTON, BACH, DEAD KENNEDYS, AT THE GATES, etc. I especially like the albums "Individual Thought Patterns", "Symbolic", and Coltrane "First Meditations"

I move out of my apartment tomorrow, and then I'm headed to BKK on an all-night bus. Earlier this month I had a conversation with my Thai neighbor as she was leaving. She is a traveling nurse that relocates all over northern Thailand. Mostly she works with Burmese people and refugees in Thailand who are victims of landmines on the border of Myanmar.

I'm finishing up my time here in Chiang Mai. I feel good, confident that I'm making the right decision at this point in my life; but there are many things I will miss about Chiang Mai (riding my motorbike around the city, Northern Thai food, Lanna music school, my amazing students at AUA Chiang Mai, etc). I will always remember my time here, and I'm happy to be returning to California.

Transitions

2009-09-19T18:34:00.009+07:00

Tomorrow I will have my final piano recital at Lanna Music school.

I'll be performing Chopin and Rachmaninoff pieces (Etude in F minor, Revolutionary 10-12, and Etude 3 No. 2 in C sharp minor) alongside some really promising young Thai musicians like Nong June and Nong Fang.

This will be the last recital before I return to California, and before my music teacher Kruu Jeab moves to a new music school (after 12 years at Lanna).

This is definitely a turning point in my life. I taught my last weekday term at AUA Chiang Mai yesterday. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to teach these students. They are so bright, energetic, and joyful. My J2, L5 and L7 classes this term were awesome. I will always remember them.

I have mixed feelings, but overall I feel a sense of accomplishment, content with what I have and have done and ready to face what the future holds.

(Photo: Wat Rong Khun, Chiang Rai, Thailand)

Wat Suan Dok

2009-08-25T12:23:00.007+07:00

Yesterday morning I went to Wat Suan Dok on Suthep Road. Vivid white clouds shifted in the striking blue sky as I walked past the tombs of ancient royalty of the Lanna Kingdom.

An old monk in an orange robe led me into the temple. We selected two yellow candles wrapped with a paper scrawled with a prayer in Thai.

The monk asked me where I was from (his assumption was Germany) and then asked for the names of my parents and my family. He inscribed my family name on the candles in the ancient Lanna language.

The sky has been bright blue during most days the month of August this year, with giant pure white clouds.

But out of nowhere, it usually starts to pour rain on most days - tropical rain for about 10 to 15 minutes - which stops as abruptly as it begins.

The rain also localizes to certain areas - for example, the rain may have stopped near Nimmanhaemin while it's still pouring in the old city.

The electrical systems of Chiang Mai have been having a lot of problems these days. After a brief downpour of rain, the traffic lights at major intersections often go out. Occasionally a policeman jumps into the intersection to restore some semblance of order, blaring a whistle and giving directions by hand while the traffic backs up - but other times it's complete chaos, especially when the power goes out on the traffic lights at busy junctions like the intersection of Suthep and Canal Road.

This month was the birthday of the Queen - a major Thai national holiday. Her birthday is associated with the color blue, so there are still blue flags flying high next to most Thai national flags. The week of her birthday Huay Kaew street was draped with a canopy of cascading lights, which was very beautiful while cruising by on my motorbike.

8/6

2009-08-06T21:33:00.006+07:00

I just finished watching an interview with NEUROSIS on Swedish TV, and now I’m listening to Sigur Rós Ágætis Byrjun in my room.

This is a short break in between terms; I’ve been cruising around on my orange motorbike through the city, making some progress on the piano, and reading.

Driving down a busy road today I saw an anubahn baby Thai girl and her mother sitting inside a makeshift metal side-car crudely fastened with a few bolts to a motorcycle the father was driving. The baby girl was sitting in a small plastic chair not secured to anything, not wearing a helmet. It looked so dangerous!

My music teacher is going to be moving from Lanna Music to a new school in late September, and today I checked it out for the first time. It’s close to the Ping River, near the Nawarat Bridge. This is where Atsuko Seta – an incredible pianist from Osaka, Japan currently living in Chiang Mai – occasionally teaches master classes.

The performance room doubles as a Tae Kwon Do studio, with walls covered with full-length mirrors, padded floors, and Thai and Korean flags displayed prominently above the windows.

I practiced Debussy on the Yamaha baby grand piano. The delicate feel and dynamics of this piece are polar opposite to the dark intensity of Rachmaninoff Op. 3 No. 2; but I like the contrast.

(Photo: R. Zoey Setiawan)

Wat (Under Construction)

2009-08-02T19:40:00.004+07:00

This is a temple currently being renovated near the 3 Kings Monument in Chiang Mai.

121

2009-07-25T18:50:00.012+07:00

I'm listening to Miles Davis Milestones live in Berlin 1964. Lanna Music just closed, and I had some fresh kaow neo and mu ping from the vendor on Soi 8. The vendor's son used to always be in the neighborhood, but he was drafted to become a soldier and he's already gone to a new city.

I feel like I am gradually gaining a better understanding of the wider geography of Chiang Mai. Last week I took a motorbike adventure north on the superhighway up north to Mae Joe Plow. It was sprinkling rain in the morning. I was able to confirm my directions using basic Thai. Then I took a bike ride down Canal Road 121, riding around the lake as the clouds transformed from white to dark gray. Last night I rode across Suthep and went south on canal road and came back up to Sirimankalajarn past midnight.

The traffic can really be a headache sometimes, especially on busy roads like Nimmanhaemin. The traffic flows continuously and nobody slows down or stops to let you in if you are trying to merge into another lane or cross the street. It's extremely dangerous, especially with motorbikes bombing down the street without being aware of their surroundings.

Even if there were more traffic lights I don't think it would really solve the problem, because the red lights here seem to be the equivalent of yellow lights in the States, and even the police officers run them all the time.

On Huay Kaew the songtaews are the cause of most of my stress. The large red trucks belch smog and drive slowly, drifting into and out of lanes and occasionally driving into the middle of the street, stopping abruptly and without warning. Meanwhile motorcycles and the regular flow of traffic swarms around the red cars.

I'm going back to Sirimankalajarn to have a cold Singha and read Bukowski.

(Photos: R. Zoey Setiawan)

View of Doi Suthep - Day and Night

2009-07-12T19:36:00.009+07:00

This is the view of Wat Doi Suthep during the day and at night. The view is looking west out from my apartment on Sirimankalajarn.

Today skies were blue and it was warm during the morning. I got some coffee, jumped on my motorbike and cruised over to Lanna Music school. I practiced Rachmaninoff Op. 3 No. 2 through until the end and then took a break. Suddenly gray clouds started closing in and it started pouring rain, out of nowhere.

I went back to practice for another hour, and then rode out of the old city to Nimmanhaemin Soi 17 for my favorite kwoi tio tom yam gai noodle soup at Khun Mor. I had a cold Singha and listened to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew.

Op. 3 No. 2

2009-07-05T16:57:00.013+07:00

I'm taking a short break from practicing Rachmaninoff's Op. 3. No. 2 at Lanna Music school. I am about three-quarters through the sheet music (which can be a headache to read, with all the accidentals). I love the contrast in dynamics and the rising tension to massive, crushing chords.

The music is extremely intense. I've been listening to interpretations by a Russian pianist and a Japanese woman pianist. Both have tremendous grace and power.

I'm still putting the finishing touches on Chopin's Nocturne in F Minor. The arpeggios towards the end are the most challenging part.

It's rainy season again, so it's been pouring rain in Chiang Mai. I went to the temple across from AUA to purchase some hot cappacino from my favorite Sunday Walking Street vendor, which warmed me up.

There are traffic jams on Huay Kaew and Nimmanhaemin, because a Buddhist holiday is approaching and many Thais from other provinces are coming to visit the Lanna Kingdom. So riding a motorbike is a headache.

I just finished reading Miles Davis' autiobiography "Miles" for the second time. I deeply admire his conviction, and respect his outlook on life and music, his dedication to constant artistic and creative evolution.

I started a new book by neurologist Oliver Sachs about the correlation between music and mental and psychological processes.

I'm teaching 2 Level 5 classes, 2 Level 8 classes, and a Level 12 class (the most advanced level I've taught yet) at AUA Chiang Mai. The students are very sharp and motivated.

(Photo: R. Zoey Setiawan)

Pai

2009-06-11T11:12:00.006+07:00

The environment is always different every time I go to Pai, Mae Hong Son. The soil, rice paddies, mountains, and cloud formations all change with the seasons. The majestic clouds on the horizon even change depending on the time of day.

Zoey and I went to Coffee in Love, sipped espresso and sat overlooking the incredible view. A blanket of gray clouds covered the horizon, and an island of snow white clouds hovered in the sky. A veil of rain was transparent in the distance.

I read a chapter in Kerouac's Dharma Bums - he was scaling the Matterhorn with 2 of his friends.

We rented a Honda motorbike. It rode so smoothly through the rolling hills and countryside of Mae Hong Son. With Zoey on the back of the bike, we rode for about 20km past Pai Canyon, World War II Bridge, and to the temple on the hill.

This is where my friend Khun Alex from Stockholm, Sweden taught me to ride - and ever since, Mae Hong Son has been by far my favorite place to explore on a motorbike (gorgeous surroundings, and nowhere near as hectic as Chiang Mai city traffic).

We stopped at an art commune built into the surrounding nature; Thelonious Monk's “Straight No Chaser” was playing on old speakers. Paintings were displayed on the walls, including my favorite - a human figure huddled in the middle of a swirling red vortex.

As night descended we rode in the dark to the Chinese village. Eventually the night became pitch black and we could only see into the distance as far as the headlights, so we headed home. Crickets sang peacefully as we drifted off to sleep in our cabin inside the small town of Pai.

In the morning we had fresh coffee, eggs, and toast at the Muslim bakery and talked before taking one last cruise around Pai.

Currently listening to:

Beethoven - Emperor
Scriabin - Preludes
Rachmaninoff - Etudes

(Photos: R. Zoey Setiawan)

Wat Umong

2009-06-11T11:11:00.001+07:00

We took a songtaew to Wat U Mong to the east of the old city, a site that a monk from Laos described to me as the “forest temple”. The whole environment was much different from how I remember it from the dry season. Everything was lush and green, and jakkajahn insects no longer shrieked up in the trees.

Walking along the winding paths, we paused to read passages of Buddhist wisdom inscribed onto the trees. We continued through centuries-old tunnels with a damp musky smell leading to Buddha images surrounded with incense. Finally, we went to a pond where we fed popcorn and bread to the catfish and turtles.

Wat Rong Khun

2009-06-11T11:05:00.006+07:00

Finally, we went to Wat Rong Khun. It is famous all throughout Thailand, and I have been so anxious to see it.

It is one of the most epic works of art I have ever seen; unlike any other temple in Thailand. Every aspect of its construction is symbolic of human existence, from hellish despair and suffering to ultimate enlightenment.

The artist has been designing and building it for 12 years straight, and it's still a work in progress.

He considers it his life's work...he has provided a vast majority of the funding from his own finances, and even lives right outside the temple in one of the adjacent structures.

He claims that he will continue working on the project until his dying breath. He has even trained a group of disciples to follow on in his style on this and similar projects in the future after his death.

He has set a timeline until 2070 for all his plans...he wants to create 8 similar temples around the area.

Mae Salong

2009-06-11T11:03:00.002+07:00

We continued northeast towards Myanmar to a town called Mae Salong, a village of Chinese settlers who cultivate tea. The lush rolling green hills were spectacular, especially as the transparent mist of cool rain hovered over the mountains.

We sat down at a local tea shop, sheltered from the rain. I spoke Thai to the Chinese woman who was eager to pour us all kinds oolong, jasmine, and local Mae Salong tea. We sipped hot tea in the rainy morning air.

Chiang Rai

2009-06-11T11:00:00.001+07:00

We took a van to Chiang Rai. We got off near a market, where we walked around and explored. All of the fruit in Thailand is ripe this time of year, and the local “lang ley” Chiang Rai pineapples were sweet and delicious.

We continued on through the streetside markets of Chiang Rai. A woman was slicing up a durian on the side of the street, and I bought some. We split it up and shared it amongst ourselves, and then gave the rest to a woman begging on the side of the street.

As dusk fell we walked towards the Chiang Rai night bazaar. It was not very crowded, but many merchants were still out selling fresh food.

Gray rain clouds began to close in on us. We bought some som tam and even a hot pot, which we put in the middle of the table, adding vegetables and raw meat and making a delicious soup that kept us warm in the raging thunder storm.

Royal Gardens (Doi Suthep)

2009-06-11T10:57:00.003+07:00

Zoey and my parents came to visit me in Chiang Mai. It was great being able to show them around and give an idea of my lifestyle here.

We woke up early in the morning to drive up to Wat Doi Suthep. It was raining lightly, and the skies were blanketed with mist. First we went to the royal gardens, where the Thai royal family stays for vacations. The orchids and colorful flowers were beautiful in the damp misty haze.

By the time we got to the temple, the air was fresh and the skies were clear so the view of Chiang Mai was spectacular.

(Photo: R. Zoey Setiawan)

Lanna Music / Level 10

2009-05-03T22:08:00.015+07:00

Today was the Lanna Music School Chiang Mai solo piano recital.

I have never really played piano for a serious classical recital, so my heart was racing. Everyone did very well. The young Thai musicians - Nong Fa, Nong June, and Nong Fang were really amazing. They played very difficult Chopin, Debussy, Gershinn, and Bach songs with great expression and technicality! I played Chopin's Nocturne in E flat minor and Etude 10-12 "Revolutionary."

I replaced the inner-tube and back tire on my Yamaha motorbike and filled the tank with 91 gas, and now it rides smooth as I cruise on Moon Muang and around Chiang Mai.

Tomorrow I will perform at Kruu Book's house - some Chopin pieces for the intermission of his vocal performance.

I am also studying written Thai language more seriously. It is exciting to start to decipher words and understand the way the Thai system works. It is totally different than English! The written language delineates not only the phonetics, but also 5 tones and the duration of each sound (like accidentals). It's complicated but a beautiful, musical language.

I just finished teaching Level 10 at AUA Chiang Mai. It was the most advanced class I have ever taught. My first class was extremely sharp (especially Lien from Hanoi, Vietnam, Ting Ting, Nim, Tangmoe, Kik, and Jin). (Photo: Crystal {Philippines} and Lien {Vietnam}, Level 10)

During breaks Park and Au taught me the rules of mak hot (Thai chess), which I first played with saamanen in Singburi. We crumpled up some dried leaves and and picked up some small stones to create the playing pieces. On the last day of class I challenged Au. I came up with a strategy and had my first decisive victory!

Currently reading:
"If I Die in a Combat Zone" - Tim O'Brien

Currently listening to:
Bill Evans Trio - "Alice in Wonderland"
John Coltrane - "Crescent"

BURIALS - PDX 2009
MAJORITY RULE - Page 99 split EP / Interviews with David Frost / Emergency Numbers

Songkran

2009-04-14T11:57:00.013+07:00

Songkran 3

Thai people were crowded onto the backs of pickups with large barrels of water, driving down the street yelling and splashing water on cars and pedestrians and motorcycles in all directions.

On the corner of a sidewalk on Nimmanhaeman a young boy hid in a large metal barrel of water, body immersed in the water with only his head peeking out, jumping up, screaming in joy and soaking anyone passing by.

A group of people on the side of the street wandered into the middle of the road every time a motorcycle cruised up, obstructing the way and forcing every motorcycle to come to a halt, dumping bucketfuls of water over everyone’s head.

I went to a coffee shop on a Nimmanhaeman Soi where I was safe and dry for the moment, to read Invisible Man and listen to Eric Dolphy live at the 5 Spot in NY.

A group of people including a police officer huddled around a teenager collapsed and motionless on the ground. Apparently he got in a drunken motorcycle accident. Ambulances came blaring down Nimmanhaeman.

Antalai mak mak! Mao! exclaimed the girl in the coffee shop as she brewed some green tea (Very dangerous! He’s drunk!) Eventually he regained consciousness and drove off with two of his friends on the bike.

Songkran 2

Young kids on the side of Sirimankalajarn were laughing, splashing buckets of water over every car and motorcycle passing. An ambulance with sirens flashing came blaring down the street.

Book – a Thai musician who has performed for the royal family – allowed me to practice on the grand piano at his house. I rode to Soi 11 and worked on 10-12 and Nocturne in F Minor.

I jumped in a songtaew with some people from Bangkok to get to Wat Prasing in the old city, where I planned to meet my old friend P Tin from Singburi (central Thailand). Driving alongside the moat we were soaked with water from many people dunking buckets into the moat and throwing the moat water into the backs of songtaews and onto the cars. “Aaaa! Mai sa-aaht!” screamed a Bangkok transvestite from the back of the songtaew (the water from the moat isn’t clean!)

The old city was overflowing with people, and I felt claustrophobic among all the bodies; it took about half an hour just to walk from Wat Pra Sing to Wat Chedi Luang. But it was so good to see my friend P Tin, who drove 6 hours to see the festival in Chiang Mai. Last time I saw her was over a year ago in Singburi. We lit candles and paid respects at Wat Chedi Luang and then talked near Rajadamnern over fresh pad Thai.

Songkran 1

I’m listening to Thelonious Monk on Sirimankalajarn / Huay Kaew. It’s Saturday, the day before Songkran festival and the streets are already soaked.

During this holiday, Thai people release the bad of the previous year and welcome the new year (2552) by splashing water around the old city of Chiang Mai for 5 days straight; an epic water fight in which no one is spared.

Chiang Mai is the chaotic center of the festivities; the city fills up with Thais from other provinces and international visitors, but many of the Lanna people return to their provinces of origin during the holiday to visit their families.

Cruising on my motorbike past the 3 Kings Monument to pick up some fresh watermelon juice from a local vendor, a young girl squirted me with a water gun and laughed.

I went to Lanna Music school to work on Revolutionary 10-12 and practice Chopin’s Nocturne in F Minor, when it started pouring rain from out of nowhere, sky booming with thunder and lightning. The rain died down as quickly as it came.

Riding home out of the old city on my motorbike from Wat Chedi Luang along Moon Muang was terrifying. I cruised slowly and cautiously, in survival mode. The streets were not only slick and wet from the rain, but people along the moat were already filling up buckets of water and splashing them onto the street. People soaked me with bucketfuls of old water and laughed as I was riding my motorbike down Moon Muang.

According to the Bangkok Post thousands of people get in accidents and hundreds die every year during Songkran. I have vowed not to ride my motorcycle into the old city during Songkran…I don’t want to risk it!

Red Shirts

2009-04-14T11:54:00.006+07:00

In December anti-government protestors - sua luang (yellow shirts) occupied both Bangkok’s international and domestic airports, demanding that the prime minister step down from power.

Now the opposition party previously in power – sua deng (red shirts) are gathering in mass protests in Bangkok, red-shirt taxi drivers blocking the streets and masses of people overtaking democracy monument.

X-Prime Minister Thaksin, who faces serious prison time in the Thai kingdom of he ever returns for corruption while he was in power (he fled the trial for which he was convicted guilty) is supposedly encouraging the protestors through videos from undisclosed locations.

The situation seems to get more chaotic and violent by the day.

Most of the action is in Bangkok; but today I saw a red-shirt, grey mask concealing his face all except eyes and mouth, bombing down Rajadamnern on a motorcycle like a kamikaze, the Thai national flag waving wildly on the back of his bike.

Most Thai people I talk to (from various provinces of the Kingdom) identify with neither red nor yellow shirts - not wanting to take sides in the conflict, just hoping to see some semblance of peace and unity in the country’s government.

Dry Season

2009-03-25T11:41:00.009+07:00

We headed up to Mae Hong Son. It was pouring rain, the first of the season, which the locals welcomed in rejoice; the cold rain made the air fresh, cleaning out the toxins and washing away the smoke of the slash and burn agriculture pouring in from the surrounding hill-tribe villages.

After the rain died down we rented Honda motorbikes and cruised all around the surrounding area of Pai.

The first night we rode to a red canyon descending deep into the rocky soil below, silhouette of mountains on the horizon, as the gray sky faded to black. The next day we rode past the canyon, over WWII bridge and onto a dirt trail that led to the temple on the hill. We ascended the hill and reached the temple to see a view of the entire valley.

We returned into town and headed east, riding into a Chinese village. We climbed up a steep mountain, where many villagers lived and young children were screaming with excitement at the sight of a gang of fighting dogs. We drove off road through red soil,eventually arriving at a waterfall.

The next day we hiked for about 25-30 kilos through the mountains of Mae Hong Son. I was amazed at the contrast between what lay before me now and the way I remembered this environment; I walked through this terrain almost a year ago, during the rainy season when the jungles were lush and green, the rivers were high and it was pouring rain. It was a totally different environment now, during the dry season. Everything was hot and humid, and the effects of slash and burn agriculture left entire stretches of the forest burnt to the ground, blackened branches fallen into scorched ash. The dense smoke comes sifting down into the villages and down into the city Chiang Mai. Jakka-jahn insects shrieked in the trees.

T and P Manit led us into the cold darkness of three different caves on the outskirts of the tribal villages. Bats fluttered through the darkness as we entered into the caverns, tiny crystals in the stalagmites and stalagtites sparkling in the light of our candle / flashlights. One of the caves had a large wooden coffin in the center, which once contained the bodies of villagers.

We stayed at a tribal village, where chickens and pigs and stray dogs roamed. We drank whisky with some villagers and then ate tom yum mu, rice, and mixed vegetables before falling asleep on the bamboo floor with aching muscles.

We returned to Chiang Mai and watched KILL BILL Vol 1. and 2.

Atsuko Seta

2009-03-25T11:39:00.004+07:00

On Monday we saw a Japanese pianist named Atsuko Seta from Osaka, Japan perform at AUA. She was absolutely amazing. The first half of the performance was all pieces by Chopin. She even played two songs I have been working on (Nocturne in C# minor, and Etude 10-12 Revolutionary), and I really enjoyed hearing her interpretation of the music. She was very fluid and precise in her playing; her dynamics and command of the instrument were extremely inspiring.

The second set consisted of Japanese music. She played shamisen style music from northern Japan written during the aftermath of WWII, which she arranged for piano. She was able to produce a sharp staccato sound out of the piano, emulating the percussive sound of bachi against the strings of the shamisen.

Wat Umong / 3 Kings

2009-03-25T11:36:00.006+07:00

My friends from the Bay Area took the train from BKK to Chiang Mai, arriving on Saturday. The air was the worst I have ever seen it; everything was veiled in a dark gray haze, and the vast majority of pedestrians and people on motorcycles were strapped with surgical masks or respirators to filter out the smog.

Haggard, unshaven, and strapped with huge backpacks, they met me in front of Central Kad Suan Kaew; Kyle wearing an old torn and unwashed Dead Kennedys shirt, Teddie limping up the stairs, covered with wounds from swimming through the coral reefs of Koh Tao and burns from jumping through flaming jump ropes on Ko Pha Ngan. It was such a relief to see these familiar faces!

The next day we went to Wat Chedi Luang. We met a young monk from Laos who stays at the temple, and we proceeded to sit down with him and talk about his lifestyle and beliefs. In spite of the occasional difficulties of the language barrier he was very patient, and wanted to do everything he could to explain Buddhist concepts and guiding principles to us.

Later we talked to another monk from Laos studying at the school adjacent Wat Chedi Luang. He was preparing to visit America for the first time in early April, so he was asking us about the culture & pace of life in New York, where he plans on going after conducting an interview with the American Embassy in Chiang Mai.

The first monk told us about a temple in Chiang Mai called Wat Umong, which he described as a “forest temple”. Intrigued, we took a songtaew to this temple.

When we arrived, there was a loud constant noise that sounded like the grinding of a motor. The abrasive sound came and went in waves. I was confused about the source of this noise. Later I learned that it was coming from swarms of insects in the trees that Thais call jakka-jahn. These insects thrive in the hot and dry season. They are large and black, but usually remain unseen, hiding in the leaves and branches of trees. The only traces to be seen are in the vibrations of the leaves. Street vendors fry them and sell them on the streetsides of Bangkok.

Wat Umong is an expansive territory hidden in dense forest. We made our way through the many trees and Buddhist relics to a brick structure with large tunnels on the inside. We came to the entrance and entered the cold darkness. At the end of the tunnels, Buddha images were illuminated with the wavering light of candles. Smoke of incense filled the air.

We continued past an ancient tree with an enormous trunk and roots extending deep into the ground. He walked over a bridge towards a pond, where many people were sitting peacefully on an island and feeding bread to the catfish.

On Sunday we wandered through Chiang Mai walking street. As midnight approached we sat in front of 3 Kings Monument, where Thai kids were break-dancing to Wu-Tang Clan, skateboarding and doing tricks on a rail, and doing tricks on fixed gear bikes.

Air

2009-03-01T15:10:00.014+07:00

During this time of year people in the surrounding villages burn their crops (as part of the traditional process of slash and burn agriculture). Unfortunately it is common practice for villagers to scorch all of their trash, leaving bags of plastic and other non-biodegradable waste smoldering on the side of the road, creating terrible fumes.

As a result, the days are hot and the air quality is getting increasingly worse. Combine this with the stench of foul dark fumes constantly belching out of the exhaust pipes of tuk tuks and songtaews, and the conditions more closely resemble Bangkok (the Kingdom's capital city with air arguably worse than our own City of Angels).

Sometimes the air stings your eyes. At some points in the day the air is hazy and the visibility is not clear; sky blue turns to dark gray on the horizon. At night the moon is tinted a dark yellowish orange color from the toxins. Chiang Mai natives explain that the best indicator of the air quality is whether or not you can see the temple Doi Suthep on the mountain to the west.

A British man who has been living here 9 years told me that after a routine check-up at the hospital the doctor asked how much he smokes. He was not expecting this question, because he never smokes cigarettes; still, the impurities of the air have affected his respiratory system as if he has been a chain-smoker for years. Lately I have been feeling the effects too. Any serious aerobic exercise outside leaves you feeling dirty, with burning lungs.

Many people riding motorcycles are wearing surgeon masks or respirators to filter out the pollution, which is more characteristic of Bangkok conditions. I know one man who, after he puts on the racing helmet and respirator, looks like a Storm Trooper as he jumps on his
motorcycle and cruises down Rajadamnern.

On my motorcycle I now wear a combat helmet and an air filter mask like the guitarist in Tokyo noise / grind band Melt Banana.

I am at the midpoint of Term 2 at AUA Chiang Mai. The classes are going very well. I have a police captain (SWAT team instructor) in my first Level 5 class, which keeps me on my toes. He is older than the rest and a little more serious, but I like his character and I'm honored to be his teacher.

Last night I watched an amazing David Lynch film. I love the dark surreal atmosphere he creates. The dreamlike images keep repeating in my mind.

2009-02-26T13:57:00.003+07:00

Solitude is a hard-won ally, faithful and patient
-Henry Rollins

Wat Arun, Bangkok

2009-02-10T13:35:00.014+07:00

As the boat approached Wat Arun the ancient temple was illuminated with bright lights and there was music emanating from the shore.

The courtyards of Wat Arun were crowded with people. Nam prik and other Thai food was being sold in small kiosks.

Climbing up the steep stairs of the temple as the sun was descending over the city of Bangkok, the Chao Praya river was soaked in deep orange and crimson tones.

Loud music blared and increased in tempo as night fell and energetic Muay Thai fighters sparred outside the temple. The boxers were fast w/ reflexes like lightning. During some of the fights they used weapons like swords, bows, and whips.

During one of the matches a young girl dressed in sky blue was armed with nothing but a metal shield as 4 attackers with weapons approached her.

Screaming with all her force and gritting her teeth, she countered their strikes with speed and agility in a mass attack, overtaking them and rendering them defenseless.

Back in Chiang Mai, I am continuing to work on Chopin's Etude Opus 10-12 in C minor Revolutionary - a fast and powerful piece that is challenging me with syncopation, subtle melodic variations, and new techniques.

Currently listening to: DRAGON STRING ATTACK - God of Shamisen

Rama VIII Bridge

2009-02-10T13:30:00.003+07:00

I woke up Sunday morning and walked through the hot and humid Bangkok streets to Saphan Kwai BTS Skytrain station.

I met up with my friend Nay in a park near Rama VIII bridge. We took a water ferry down the Chao Praya river near Wat Prakeaw, and then crossed the river to get to Wat Arun temple.

Bangkok

2009-02-10T11:09:00.006+07:00

After finishing the most intensive term yet at AUA Chiang Mai, I decided to head down to Bangkok for a short break.

Saturday night I took a 9-hour bus ride from Chiang Mai into Bangkok. As the last hours of daylight faded and the bus disappeared into the night I drifted out of consciousness listening to the droning sounds of Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

The bus arrived early in the morning, the city sky still pitch black. Tuk tuk drivers got all up in my face begging to drive my somewhere, anywhere, as I was still struggling to wake up. Rats skittered across the streets and disappeared into gutters of the trash-strewn streets leading up to Sukhumvit.

Eventually I stopped near Saphan Khwai and got some sleep.

Lanna villages

2009-01-11T15:26:00.010+07:00

I just went on a beautiful bike ride through rice fields and small villages of northern Chiang Mai; expansive rice fields irrigated by the canal running alongside them, lush agricultural land bordered by the Ping river.

Central to all the small villages scattered among the fields are bright Buddhist temples.

Brad and I also passed a house with walls made of mud...the owner of this building has gained a reputation in the area for her work with victims of domestic abuse. The site is a retreat for spiritual healing.

Yesterday I was practicing the last half of Chopin's Nocturne 9 No. 2. The basic structure and themes carry on throughout the song, but the variations are complex with syncopation and ascending chromatic scales. After that I had ripe pineapples from Chiang Rai. Amazing, sweet and delicious.

I went to see some free jazz at North Gate jazz club on Moon Muang in the northeast corner of the moat. The guitarist was spazzing out like he was in the clutch of some trance during his incredible, crazy solos.

Now I am listening to Blues and Abstract Truth as Peppermint cafe closes and the streets of Chiang Mai fill with merchants of the Sunday market.

Back in Chiang Mai

2009-01-05T09:15:00.013+07:00

I feel like I just shifted dimensions...suddenly I am back here on Soi 8 in the old city of Chiang Mai, on the other side of the world.

During most of my conscious time on the 14hr flight from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan I read Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine" - and then zoned out to some Icelandic tunes.

Trying to get my mind adjusted to this place and time, I woke up around 8AM and went to Sailomjoy for some kaow neo ma-muang, pad thai gai kai dow, and hot cappucino. It felt good sipping my hot cappucino and thinking about my direction for the new year.

I had an amazing time back in California during my brief break in December. Highlights include: -Staying at a house my father designed on Stinson beach (and going for a beautiful hike w/ my family, overlooking the vast expansive ocean and the cityscape of San Francisco emerging from the fresh bay mist, with Mt. Tamalpais towering behind us)-Seeing Elijah, my close friends, cousins and extended family -Kicking it w/ Victor Dods at 99 Bottles and driving around Santa Cruz w/ Z listening to Estradasphere's Quadropus-Cruising around Cannery Row listening to Coltrane's Giant Steps and going kayaking in the Monterey Bay w/ Z, where we saw jellyfish and other forms of marine life in their natural habitat-Riding to the top of Mt. Diablo w/ my family on the first day of the New Year (especially the spectacular view from the top - pure white clouds stretching across the horizon).

Last night Jeab and I went to Wat Prah Sing to light incense and pay respects to the grandmother of Book (an amazing local musician and vocalist who regularly performs for the Thai royal family). Young children were playing percussion and traditional stringed instruments, the music echoing through the old city.

Suvarnabhumi clear

2008-12-06T19:41:00.004+07:00

After occupying both major airports in Bangkok for nearly a week, making it impossible for anyone to enter or exit Thailand, the anti-government protestors have finally dispersed. This is a huge relief to everyone in the country. The PAD's massive protests resulted in the overthrow of the prime minister and brought an end to the PPP - the political party that has been in power since Thaksin. Since I have been in Thailand, 2 prime ministers have been overthrown during long months of fierce protest in the capital, and Thaksin - the x-prime minister originally from Chiang Mai who was overthrown by the military in 2006 - is still in exile, and faces serious prison time if he ever re-enters the Kingdom of Thailand. I'm on my way to Moon Muang Soi 9 right now to grab a cold Singha, but I am just happy that the chaos in Bangkok seems to be coming to some sort of resolution for now...

Loy Krathong Parade, Chiang Mai

2008-11-14T00:09:00.004+07:00

Loy Krathong 2551

2008-11-13T13:17:00.009+07:00

In November, people in Northern Thailand celebrate Loy Krathong - a festival during the full moon in which people honor the river running through the city.

Explosions echo through the streets as people light colorful fireworks, firecrackers, and cherrybombs from the bridges.

Below, people float colorful krathong rafts with candles and incense down the Ping river. This tradition is meant to wash away the bad of the past year and welcome good in the future.

During this three-day festival, hundreds of rice paper lanterns - comb loy - are lit with bright flames and are released floating into the sky, soaring towards the full moon.

Unit Asia

2008-11-13T13:00:00.010+07:00

A high-energy fusion jazz group featuring musicians from Japan, Malaysia, and Bangkok performed an amazing set in Chiang Mai on Saturday, Nov. 8 for the last date of their monthlong Southeast Asia tour.

Hiroyuki Noritake - drums, Japan - was the backbone of the group; he kept perfect time in a variety of feels, occasionally breaking into solos over solid patterns on the bassdrum and hi-hat.

The sax player from BKK, guitarist, bassist, and pianist all had impressive technicality and great chemistry as musicians.

Doi Suthep

2008-11-03T14:01:00.004+07:00

Mae Hong Son

2008-11-03T13:35:00.016+07:00

It was the last day of the AUA term so I decided to travel to Pai, Mae Hong Son and spend some time with my friends from Stockholm, Sweden.

During the van ride up through the lush green winding mountains I listened to the atmospheric sounds of Amina (Iceland) and zoned out.

I met up with Alexander and his friends at a Thai restaurant in Pai about 3 hours later...we enjoyed some delicious gai pat met ma muang, tom yam gai, and bia Sing (for Alex: always bia Chang, mak mak)

The Swedes wanted to depart from Pai early to get started on the long treacherous motorcycle ride back to Chiang Mai before dark. I said goodbye and wished them a safe journey.

I decided to rent a bicycle in Pai and went on a beautiful bike ride through the hills of Mae Hong Son. I rode for about 16km, up to a quiet temple on the hill, and finally to "WWII Bridge". The sky was a deep blue, filled with clouds...and fresh mist clung to the mountains.

Nocturne / Dragon Style

2008-09-20T00:19:00.007+07:00

9/2551

It was pouring rain today. I was inside the music school as the rain pounded on the roof, practicing Chopin's Nocturne. The rain helped me get into the melancholy emotion.

Nocturne in C# minor is really challenging me - but I love the mood and style. The basslines create a fluid sound in circular motion, steady and legato. The melody is somber and expressive, in cantabile technique (smooth singing style) with many subtle changes, embellishments and variations.

The rain cleared up about 2 hours ago. Now I am listening to "Triumph" by Wu-Tang Clan and getting ready for a Kung-Fu lesson.

I am working on 7 forms and different combinations of punches and kicks. I am the only American at Kung-Fu now. Jet - the instructor of Kherliang Healing Arts Center - is Thai, and the students are German, French, and Swiss. Everyone is completely unique in their personalities, languages, and abilities.

Jet's a character - for some reason I assumed he was around 25, but it turns out he is just 16 years old. Still, he has been studying martial arts for 12 years; he says he was a "kung fu baby". He took over the dojo after his father died and the school was relocated to Chiang Mai. Jet is also a drummer, so we often talk music and sometimes compare martial arts forms to rhythmic patterns and drum techniques.

Kristof (from France) is very experienced in martial arts. After 90 minutes of training, when the lesson was technically over, he proceeded to teach Kevin and me some techniques with weapons, which was really exciting...the energy and fluid motion of the movements.

In Chiang Mai I am focusing on progressing as an individual, expanding my knowledge and discovering new approaches to music and life.

Myanmar

2008-09-03T22:56:00.004+07:00

I crossed the border into Myanmar. The streets were filled with poor mothers and children begging for change. Uniformed soldiers strapped with machineguns guarded the border.

In Chiang Mai I bought a publication of reports published by Burmese journalists in exile, describing the brutality and oppression of the military government.

It was really intense - especially details of the protests of 8/8/88, in which thousands of unarmed pro-democracy protestors were gunned down by the military - solely because of their beliefs and opposition to those in power. This is very reminiscent of the violent crackdown on protests in Burma led by Buddhist monks last September.

Cobra whiskey, Laos

2008-09-03T22:48:00.006+07:00

In Laos coiled cobras, scorpions, and reptiles are preserved in bottles of pungent whiskey.

Laos

2008-09-03T22:45:00.003+07:00

Wat Chedi Luang

2008-09-03T22:39:00.002+07:00

Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Rai.

This Buddhist temple has bright Buddha images in the Lanna (Northern Thai) and Sukothai styles.

The yellow bands around the ancient tree and stupa indicate that they are considered sacred.

The shining metallic poles leaning against the tree are changed in a ritual every Songkran festival (Thai New Years)

Golden Triangle

2008-09-03T22:33:00.002+07:00

In order to stay in Thailand legally, I had to exit and re-enter the country.

I took a minivan up to the northernmost region of Thailand - The Golden Triangle - which borders Myanmar (Burma) and Laos.

I was the only American in the van - the others were Italian, Australian, Malaysian, and Thai.

We drove through Chiang Rai, a city at the base of the lush green mountains of Northern Thailand.

We then took a motorboat across the river to a small island of Laos, and then crossed the border to Myanmar.

Doi Suthep

2008-08-25T15:01:00.006+07:00

Doi Sutthep, Chiang Mai

My cousin and I journeyed up the mountain to the west and reached Doi Sutthep - the ancient Buddhist temple overlooking the city of Chiang

Mai.

Kawila Stadium

2008-08-25T14:40:00.009+07:00

Very intense and high-energy fight at Kawila Stadium in Chiang Mai; boxers kicking sharply with legs fully extended and then snapping back while the crowds roar.

The boxers had vicious reflexes yet graceful dancelike movements in rhythm with the mesmerizing music, the tempo accelerating as the fight progressed.

Most of them looked only about 19 yrs. old and weighed only 44-55 kg - very small and compact but muscular and toned, with extreme capabilities of speed, agility, and precision.

Wat Lampoeng

2008-08-12T12:00:00.008+07:00

For Queen Sirikit's birthday, Pon, Fon and I went to Wat Lampoeng in Chiang Mai.

We gave gifts of candles and incense to the monks and then watered plants in the garden.

Lanna Music

2008-08-11T20:28:00.014+07:00

One of my favorite places in Chiang Mai is Lanna Music School - straight down the alley of Prapakklao Soi 8.

Across from one of the city's many shining temples, it is a small school where I can practice piano in seclusion for as long as I want.

This is Jeab, my piano instructor. She is an excellent musician, teacher, and a very inspiring person. She teaches me not only classical piano technique, but also Thai customs, the tonality of Thai language (including Chiang Mai dialect) and various lessons from her life's experience. Jeab has definitely become one my best friends in Chiang Mai.

Now we are working on Valse - a Chopin piece in B minor, with a transition to B major in the middle - focusing on the dynamics and phrasing, producing the best tone out of the acoustic instrument.

Outside of Chiang Mai, Jeab has played music in Bangkok, Phuket, and Hong Kong. She has performed music for the Thai royal family, and will play for the Queen in December.

AUA Chiang Mai

2008-08-03T12:11:00.010+07:00

I just started a new job teaching at AUA Chiang Mai - a school with curriculums in both English and Thai. The Chiang Mai branch is located in the heart of the city, and is very integrated into the community.

It is a respected, high-quality school. I am very happy to be working here. The other teachers are from America, the UK, and Canada...they are bright, interesting, and have been extremely supportive.

The students - mostly Mathayom 4-6 (high school age) - are very motivated and fun to be around. They have cool nicknames like Dream, Earth, Air, and Noize.

Occasionally we have students from Korea and other countries as well.

Two of the American teachers were previously teaching English in Nagasaki, Japan for two consecutive years through the JET program. A few of the British teachers have been teaching English at AUA Chiang Mai for almost eight years.

Last week two main directors from AUA Bangkok branch came up to Chiang Mai to give us a seminar about effective new teaching approaches. It was a very inspiring and helpful way to begin this new job.

I am also giving private lessons on the side at Triple E - a small school right down the street run by a charming Thai man named Mr. Chayaphon.

Here are some pictures of AUA Chiang Mai and its surroundings.

Chiang Mai "walking street"

2008-07-27T23:16:00.004+07:00

Straight down the alleyway of Phrapokklao Soi 8 -- behind the German restaurant I stay at -- the streets are alive with the sights and sounds of the Chiang Mai "walking street" Sunday market.

Across from the brightly illuminated 3 Kings monument, young saamanen (novice monks) pray at a Buddhist shrine.

In the middle of Phrapokklao a man and woman create a puppet dance production to traditional music.

Smoke and the delicious aromas of street vendors fill the air.

Street Vendors

2008-07-27T23:12:00.002+07:00

Some of the best Thai food in Chiang Mai is cooked fresh on the streetside at the Sunday night market...aroi mak mak...jing jing!

Street Musicans

2008-07-27T23:06:00.005+07:00

A young boy concentrates on his delicate hammer dulcimer music during the Sunday "walking street" festival in Chiang Mai.

Four blind street musicians sing, strum their acoustic guitars, and drum on buckets for change in the middle of the street.

This sign encourages people to donate money to the blind musicians.

Beijing Dancer

2008-07-27T22:59:00.003+07:00

Every Sunday evening, the streets of the central city of Chaing Mai are shut down for Talad Wan atit "Walking Street".

The city transforms into a festival, and the streets become crowded with the flow of hundreds of roaming people as street musicians, dancers, and street vendors cooking up all kinds of fresh Thai food take over.

This dancer on Thanon Ratchadmoen street is from Beijing, China.

Kan and Max

2008-07-27T13:06:00.001+07:00

Muay Sangha

2008-07-26T22:19:00.000+07:00

Muay Thai Sangha is a small martial arts school in Chiang Mai.

Ajarn Pedro (the instructor) is originally from Spain. He spent years learning Muay Thai and other martial arts disciplines in Spain and the United States. He moved to Thailand in 2002 to become a Buddhist monk and open his own Muay Thai school. He has taught beginning to advanced Muay Thai fighters from all over the world.

Muay Thai Sangha let me observe their lesson today. It is an extreme commitment to study here...the training is intensive and lasts for at least six hours a day, five days a week; it consists of various martial arts techniques as well as meditation and chanting exercises, with a strong foundation in Buddhist philosophy.

Shan tribe

2008-07-22T17:17:00.001+07:00

Expansive slash-and-burn rice fields spread across the mountains leading up to the hill-tribe village.

Here is the third village (The Shan tribe) which was very close to the border of Myanmar (Burma). Their dialect is much closer to Burmese language than to Thai.

We ate a meal of chicken and vegetables inside the tribal hut in the Shan village after hiking up to the top of a nearby waterfall.

This young boy is from the Shan tribe.

Aek - Fearless Leader

2008-07-22T16:59:00.000+07:00

This is Aek, our fearless leader.

Aek was a rebel fighter against the Burmese military dictatorship in the 70's.

He has many vivid stories from the Vietnam-war era.

He came to Thailand in 1974 carrying opium and jade in exchange for (American) weapons to fight the oppressive Burmese government in a rebel uprising.

Strangely enough, his father still lives in Myanmar and works for the military.

Ael speaks fluent English, Thai, Burmese, and is able to converse freely with many hill tribes in their various dialects.

He is 58 years old, but shows no signs of age. More agile than any of us, he hikes through the treacherous terrain of this jungle like it's nothing.

His knowledge and skills were crucial in our journey through Mae Hong Son. He also cooked for us (using ingredients he gathered from the jungle) and provided us Chinese "medicine" (rice whiskey) at the end of every night.

Our group also included 3 kids in their early 20's from Boston, MA and two members of the Karen hill tribe (from the first village) who helped us navigate through the dense jungle.

The Fathomless Depths

2008-07-22T16:51:00.000+07:00

On the way to the second tribal village in Mae Hong Son, Aek led us into a dark damp cave.

The crawl space was tiny - about 1 1/2 feet at the entrance - but the cave gradually opened up into pitch dark depths filled with stalagmite and stalagtite cave formations

Mae Hong Son

2008-07-22T16:38:00.000+07:00

I just got back from three days of hiking around the mountains of Mae Hong Son.

The mountains were unbelievable...towering majestic mountains with fresh mist rolling in. The altitude was so high that at times we walking inside clouds, which made the experience very surreal and dreamlike.

It is some of the most beautiful environment I have ever seen, but the trekking was extremely rugged and challenging...especially because it was raining on and off.

The greatest hardship was the blood-sucking leeches, which we cursed and pried off our feet in nausea every time we crossed a river.

We hiked about 10-18km a day through rivers, jungles, and mud...all the way up near the border of Myanmar (Burma).

We went to three different hill-tribe villages, and stayed in a bamboo hut in the second village for two nights.

Many of these backroads were used in the Vietnam war to exchange opium for weapons.

On the final day we decided to take a raft down the river for a few kilometers. Two men from the Karen hill-tribe led us for about an hour through knee-deep rivers and dense jungle.

They proceeded to make a raft from scratch solely out of bamboo and bamboo leaves; we watched them from the opposite shore in the pouring rain, doubtful if the raft would be stable in the strong current.

Sure enough, after launching off into the river we crashed hard into a log. One of the Boston kids fell out into the water. He was not injured, but soaking wet and pretty upset. The hill-tribe people led us back to shore, got out their knives and attached more bamboo to the raft to make it more structurally sound.

Pai

2008-07-22T16:10:00.000+07:00

After flying into Chiang Mai I took a mini-van for 150B about 3 hours northwest to a small village called Pai.

Pai is a small, relaxing town alongside a peaceful river. It attracts many international travelers. The atmosphere is very calm and laid back - similar to Santa Cruz, CA.

It is a great place to regather your strength after days of strenuous trekking through the surrounding mountains...

On my first day I had lunch at a restaurant owned by an Alaskan man who was a soldier in the Vietnam war. His hearing was impaired from flying helicopters for 28 years, and sometimes he had to strain to listen and ask people to repeat themselves. He loves living in Southeast Asia, but he said that after the war he refuses to go on any more treks through the jungle.

Full Moon

2008-07-22T15:59:00.000+07:00

The night I got into Chiang Mai was a major Buddhist celebration coinciding with the full moon.

The streets were vivid with lights, filled with music and chanting.

Chiang Mai

2008-07-22T15:35:00.000+07:00

I have spent the past week in the Chiang Mai province of northern Thailand.

Chiang Mai is in a valley surrounded by towering majestic mountain ranges in all directions.

The city is very unique and beautiful - it is clean, diverse, and very international. The city has amazing ancient Buddhist temples, yet it also has a very modern feel.

It is the second largest city in Thailand, but it doesn't have the chaos and pollution of Bangkok. I am very happy to be here.

The main roads form concentric circles around the city. The city center is surrounded by a moat, which was originally intended to keep aggressive Burmese invaders away when Chiang Mai was the capital of the north.

I have stayed with my friends Brad and Gun (and their dogs Max and Lemon) for a few days. They have been very kind and welcoming to me. Brad's words of experience from years of living and working in Thailand have really shed light on my own journeys here.

Now I am living in a room in the back of a German restaurant near Tha Pae gate (inside the moat) on Ratchapakinai Soi 8. Guten tag!

Moving North

2008-07-15T01:28:00.000+07:00

I had an excellent last night in Surat with my friend Tik.

We went to LaMoon - one of the best restaurants here - and had Tom Yum Gai and Gai Pat Met Ma Meong; two of my favorite Thai dishes.

Pet, prio, wan nit noi...spicy, sour, and a little sweet. Aroi!

Tomorrow I am heading up north.

With the money I made from teaching at Thida I was able to buy a plane ticket up to Chiang Mai (at the other end of the country) and a taxi to the airport.

I would have liked to stay for yellow-belt test in Tae Kwon Do, but I feel that it is best for me to move on to a new place.

The Tae Kwon Do team are some of the best friends I have made here. They have been really amazing for accepting me and training me. I have learned so much from them.

Rah-diisawatt, soi 18.

2008-07-13T19:57:00.000+07:00

This is my last night on Karunrat Soi 18.

Kicking back and having a few bia changs and ahaan thai with my neighbors and Porn (the older gentelman, formerly a school teacher at Surratpittayah)

Our conversations circle around the grey area between broken English and broken Thai, which can get very interesting.

There has been a strange and unexpected turn of events, beyond my control and comprehension.

It has been very rough and has taken its toll on me, though I am doing my best to recover.

I don't intend on staying in Surat Thani much longer. I am currently staying by myself at a cheap hotel on Chongkasem and Donnuk, determining my next course of action.

Yamaha

2008-07-11T11:07:00.000+07:00

I am studying classical piano at the Yamaha Music Academy on Talad Mai.

It is a respected school with excellent equipment. They allow their students to practice any time.

It seems that I am the only foreigner who studies music here. The teachers speak enough English to get the message across. They are very musically skilled and are good teachers.

I am so glad to have the opportunity to play music here. I want to study seriously, and improve my skills and become a more versatile musician. Piano was my first instrument, and I am really happy to rediscover it in Thailand.

The Yamaha instructors had me sight-read a piece to get a feel for my level, and I was pretty happy with my sight-reading ability. I worked out the piece slowly and carefully. The teacher found a piece that was just the right level for me; a piece by Chopin...sorrowful and beautiful.

My instructor introduced me to a younger student who is very advanced. Instead of speaking to me he sat down to play a classical piece with amazing precision, feeling, and dynamics. It was incredible and very inspiring.

In my free time I go to Yamaha, enter a solitary room and practice piano.

Tik

2008-07-11T10:51:00.000+07:00

This is my friend Tik. He has a print shop right across the way from me.

In my free time I like to visit him and his wife Goi, drinking refreshing Oishii green tea and listening to jazz.

Tik will smile and ask me "Justin...sabai dii mai?" After a very difficult day, he might not understand the problem but he will always cheer me up with his warm kindness and hospitality. "Mai pruh!" - No problem!

He says, "Justin...come eat rice with my mother!" inviting me to sit on the floor with his elderly mom and brother to enjoy a meal of rice and fish.

As life presents an array of unexpected complications, I have really come to appreciate the generosity of people like Tik. I have also learned the virtue of being able to adapt to any circumstance, creating a future and purpose for myself.

Round Kick!

2008-07-11T10:43:00.000+07:00

Sprinting, sparring, and power / speed kicking exercises for two hours a day has really tested my flexibility. I pulled a muscle in my left leg from the physically-demanding kicking exercises of Tae Kwon Do.

I am trying to stretch it out and loosen it up. Yesterday I had the most painful massage of my life...a high-pressure Thai massage digging deep into the soreness and tension.

I was able to communicate to my Tae Kwon Do teacher that I have pain in my left leg. He was very considerate and understanding.

During practice they let me favor my right leg and ease off my left, saying "Justin...chen gun!" (switch positions) and approaching me with genuine concern during round kicks..."Justin...jep mai? You OK?" (Justin...are you in pain? Are you OK?)

Tae Kwon Do has been an excellent discipline and release of energy for me, and has been an extremely important part of my life in Surat Thani.

Tae Kwon Do - Thailand 2551

2008-07-03T21:16:00.000+07:00

Never Retreat

Jakrayan adventures

2008-07-03T20:58:00.000+07:00

Aside from teaching, I spend most of my energy in Thailand practicing martial arts, listening to music and reading, and exploring my surroundings on jakrayan.

Making my way through the smog and chaos of traffic, I finally cruise over the bridge. I ride for hours into the lush tropical environment of the island as the sun sets.

Suai mak!

2008-07-03T20:53:00.000+07:00

Conga drums and loud amplified voices echo through the halls of Thidamaepra as the kids chant along with the rhythm

Tae Kwon Do!

2008-07-01T20:47:00.000+07:00

I've been practicing Tae Kwon Do 6 days a week...this ancient Korean martial arts form keeps me on my toes and mentally focused.

At first they sent me to the ground to do push-ups because my kicking reflexes weren't fast enough. I am still sii khao (white belt) but I feel like I am gradually improving every day.

In sparring tonight I got annihilated by a red belt (a woman at least 3X my size) but I beat a green belt in arm wrestling!

I am the only American in the class (the only foreigner to be exact) so I draw some attention, but everyone is very welcoming and respectful.

Last month they had me read the Tae Kwon Do precepts in front of the entire class in English, which was a real honor.

The class is taught entirely in Thai and Korean...so the best way to catch on is to watch the black belts...kinesthetic learning, by careful observation.

2008-06-27T21:19:00.001+07:00

This is my room...complete with snare drum practice pad and maps of the surrounding islands!

This place has been OK, aside from the bats in the ceiling that occasionally fly into the house late at night.

I need to move next month though, so I'm not getting too comfortable here.

2008-06-27T21:14:00.000+07:00

This is my street...Karunrat Soi 18. And yes, our traditional Thai-style toilet and bucket flush. (Don't worry...I swear that isn't my toothbrush!)

Peter insists that some people end up prefering Thai-style toilets over Western ones, but I'm not quite convinced yet...

Neighbors

2008-06-27T20:59:00.000+07:00

These are my friendly neighbors on Karunrat Soi 18...here we are chillin' after my Tae Kwan Do practice.

They always hook up the chalam (shark red bull) before work and the occasional bia sing (Singha beer) after a hard day's work.

Noodles

2008-06-27T20:55:00.000+07:00

This street vendor is my favorite! I always cruise over on my jakrayan after work, hungry and usually drenched in sweat.

They wai me as I kick the kickstand and lock my bike, and serve up some seriously delicious hot noodles.

Aroi mak mak!

Phil!

2008-06-27T20:51:00.000+07:00

This is Phil...my British friend, fellow teacher, and roommate.

He's from Oxford, UK. He used to be a trance DJ back in Britain, and when he was growing up he used to casually run into Thom Yorke while shopping at the grocery store.

He is master card-player and bia-sing drinker, and is an excellent teacher unless he has food poisoning.

He spent the last year traveling all over India on his motorcycle. Before that, he was teaching English in Korea.

2008-06-27T20:49:00.000+07:00

Crowds of kids disperse after a tug-of-war contest for "sports week" at Thidamaepra.

Bplaa!

2008-06-27T20:45:00.000+07:00

This is Bplaa (her name means "fish" in Thai)...she is a lifesaver! She bails me out when I'm lost and helps me navigate my way through the labyrinth of Thida (occasionally sending a little student to lead the way for me).

2008-06-27T20:43:00.000+07:00

Prathom 4, hard at work

2008-06-27T20:35:00.000+07:00

I mean honestly, how you could be intimidated by these kids?

The Kids of Thidamaepra

2008-06-24T22:20:00.000+07:00

Thidamaepra is the largest school in this region of Thailand. It has over 4,000 kids!

When I first flew into Surat Thani and started teaching here, it was beyond anything I had ever experienced. I found it to be chaotic and overwhelming.

But the kids instantly greeted me with smiles, wais, high-fives, and an endless supply of energy and imagination.

I am very happy to be their teacher!