How curiosity and calm walked me through troubles?

23 July 2020

Good second evening in Chiang Mai!

This day does not have much of my physical movement but there are a number of things to practice calm. Calm is the one-name-fit-all solution for all of the issues. Other than that, I will include some pieces of backpack stories to give an idea of why Couch Surfing has shaped my travels lively in aliene places.

Every day seems to be normal but every day is different.

The only plan I had before coming to Chiang Mai is to spend the first 2 days with Kae’s family and the remaining on my own and with Couch Surfing community. It’s always like that in my travel itineraries. The time I went to Cambodia, I was hosted for 4 nights in a half Iranese girl. I searched event in Facebook Local and attended a Women Leadership event in Impact Hub, Phnom Penh. After that, each day I was accompanied with one interesting friend to explore around the city, universities, historical places and the suburb area. I got lost in the ferry back to her house because I couldn’t speak Kmer, and my phone had no money for calls. She brought me to a gay bar and we tried an Italian dish.

View from a Ferry coming towards Phnom Penh city (Dec 2018)

In Hue, I stayed with 2 hosts and they were helpful at best. I contacted to some NGOs through my Facebook and my friend’s network in advance so I could come into some highschool to observe the trash collection projects and educational environment in a romantic city. I was lent a bike to cycle around Hue streets and hills, had a farming day in an organic garden with the local, and walked around Royal Citadel with an England girl. Same time last year 2019, I backpacked to Da Lat for 6 days for a break from my first full-time work in HCMC and got myself reenergized for an intensive program in Singapore. I was hosted by a super lovely girl from Di Linh highland, Lam Dong. She was a police and a freelancing English tutor– and yes, a kind CS host. She was working in the daytime and brought me to drink hot soya milk in the evening, a delicacy of Da Lat. Would never forget the 17 degree C night sitting behind her motorbike over quiet streets of Da Lat. I walked through hilly roads, looking over Ho Xuan Huong, and happened to meet a hometown friend. We had a great conversation next to the pearl lake and caught up in each other’s life. The last day in Da Lat, the grabber could not figure out my location, she carried me to the bus stop in freezing weather that I didn’t miss my bus, and not miss my flight to Singapore. Wherever I went to, as long as, I was connected to Couch Surfing community, the trip went truly exciting.

I haven’t got the destiny with CS to be hosted since coming to Thailand. However, thanks to CS, I knew the Bang Krachao’s cycling group that has led me to stay with Kae in Chiang Mai at this moment. I actually don’t know where to start for this magical connection, where was the beginning knot or things are all connected in one way or another way. The first moment to know CS was reading the travel book by Huyen Chip, when I was 16 years old. I wish one day I will go around the world alone like her. Feel grateful for myself to give it a try almost 3 years ago. I didn’t immediately try it when first getting out of my comfort zone to stay away from home in the capital city. My breakup gave me the power to try crazier things to be the best of myself. Ever since, there are none called strangers to me. All it takes is to have conversations and get to know each other. What is different is perhaps whether we find each other amused or not, to continue the conversations.

Be Calm to review together…

I started my day by checking the writing review from my JUMP! manager. Then in mid morning I could go to the market with my host people. It must take my manager a certain amount of time to indicate many details of word choice and syntax for me. Also, she does not ask me to change any idea from my personal experience, but fully respected my own voice. I was naturally empowered by talking to her, and I realized my own writing gap. I ended my day by designing an image for my blog post. She gave me responsive comments so that I could finalize it shortly. Regardless of us being in different time zone and continents, we have smooth communications and work’s feedforward constantly. Geography is of little barrier, yeah?

The new day has come. It’s the birthday of my best friend. She will give birth soon! Next month, my sister is taking the National Exam into uni, my parent’s birthdays are coming, at the end of August, my brother is getting married. My close friends are all gathering side by side, except for me being floating all over Thailand, and within my mind. How hard it is to accept that I will have to miss all meaningful events of my beloved people. Kae is a police as well, she also studied 2 years in college in Chiang Mai then started a new school in Bangkok. She likes playing games and didn't join her mom cooking like me. But she can share sweet things to her Mom in other moments, which I am not good at. I could only check in with my mom from the most simple thing. I get pissed off easily being with Mom, and today I missed her so much as seeing Kae talking to her Mom. At least, I made it through the documentation trouble at peace and made Mom relieved. We got some transaction issues with the banking service and eventually turned to a private service to process things better. It took away my time for internship and travel, but indeed, it saved my time not to check over any procedures again.

My first hosts in Chiang Mai <3

I also had a lovely check-in call with Ella, my internship teammate. She came to C.M at the age of 13 already. She shared with me her little photo and her memories of the place. She asked about my plan and we expressed our opinions about the culture of treasuring temples in Thailand. She told me honestly that this week has been less productive to her, and I believe the essence of each project gives us a sense of productivity. Some writing tasks taken only 2 hours for completion yet is a world of fullfilment. On the contrary, such tasks as designing or technical check might cost us a day with no tangible outcome at all. This frames the way we think of our progress. The difference doesn’t seem to be our mistakes. We are trying little by little, for the long term sake of the organization, and for polishing ourselves. Thus trust that we are doing great work!

In between the day, I had involved in some other interesting acts like cooking, talking with Khun Pa, seeking fruits in the garden, talking to a friend about his Community-based tourism project, etc. When the time and emotions come, I will write stuff down. It's 1:00 and tomorrow I will be on hiking to Mae Kampong with a group of four people. I will have good sleep now and get up early tomorrow to wash my clothes and get ready.

Thank you for being consistent to this end. Be loving and love will find you.