Humans in Chiang Mai

25 July 2020

Finally, I have a quiet night! The fourth night in Chiang Mai is very different from the first 3 ones. Another place, another environment, another host. A great trip to pick up Thai!!!!

Let see some brief stories I got from people in Chiang Mai! <3

Kae’s friends – Parn (a relationship person) and P Oat (a travel person)

Parn was my driver to Maekampong. He talked so much about his relationship haha. My Thai was enough to understand his questions and his story. :3 P Oat is my cycling guide up to Doi Suthep which will be told in the other blog (this detail is added during my review after the trip haha)

Kae and her Mom: (first time introducing Couchsurfing to friends who don’t really believe in strangers ~) I was a bit not sure but just told anyway regardless of what they think of me. They look so sweet when they talk with each other. I missed the chance to have massage from Kae’s mom but it was alright. We told stories of our travel, we had mangos, food, kanom, coffee, and laughters. She said she is not lonely staying alone. I hope it's real. They just had a nephew born yesterday so I wish the family will have more laughters.

Rick: my new host staying in Nong Hoi. He is a super kind man, he feels like guests coming to his house that makes his house lively. He has retired and chose to live in Chiang Mai because he finds the place comfortable for his age and affordable for his retirement subsidy. He had some years to be a teacher. Most of his life, he worked as a person who collected data of the dynamics of houses for an organization in California, the US.

I cooked Vietnamese vegetarian sprill roll for my host and friends

Leo: an artist, a long-term guest staying at Rick’s place who has a critical view of how the world functions. He was born in Chile whose political system is neo-liberalism. I asked him the significant cultural characteristic of Chile and he said his country doesn’t have a strong identity for it being colonized for a long time. “Social life and spiritual life” – spiritual life must be the lead to handle toxic social life.

P Kai in Library (some people) in the project. I happened to cross by this library on the way to Wat Umong but eventually, I didn’t visit the temple. I went for lunch and the thought of visiting the library was lingering on my mind throughout the meal. The thing that captures my attention was “National Archival” and some reviews of Google. I can’t sense any book spirit around Thailand so I like to find the book-related places. The most active rooms are a room for children and a room called Digital reading. The other areas are locked because of noone coming. There were some ladies around and I talked to her just say “I want to look around”. Then suddenly realizing they are having a project about preserving traditional handicrafts by organizing workshops to exchange ideas and skills for library visitors. I made a “swan” and a “flower” which represent their belief in the animal and something spiritual.

P Kai is in the middle who kept telling me being beautiful :3

P Klang: in Choeng Doisuthep Wildlife Conservation and Nature Education Center, my tour guide around the area. He is from a province that is near Laos which I forgot. I first just came in and asked him where I can park my motorbike. Then he brought me around into the mountain to see the old wat and taught be Thai about animals, religion-related words. He also like traveling alone. Initially he came to Chiang Mai to study and later he decided to work here. I didn't take any picture with him but I remember his warm smile and eyes.

Conservation Center that I happened to cross by among many touristic coffee shops

P Jamon (a funny person & freelancer) and P Chalay (a funny girl)- funny freelancers in communications and environmental-driven. We had a comfortable dinner in a restaurant next to Ping river. I was much more professional in driving the motorbike on the left on the way back. I felt I could control the motor more flexibly and freely. What is quite inconvenient is I have to stop to check map many times. Thai people don’t use phone when they drive like Vietnamese, while we event text during the drive. Their speed is incredibly killing. I had a couple of times being horned by some cars. I understood my stupid turns but I couldn’t do better. I am sorry for the bad!!!!

Not sure if I have a destiny to study the course that anh Sang and P Jamon and P Chalay studied in Chiang Mai. Let’s see how my destiny is. Still have a bunch of recommendations that I haven’t been to. Have to sleep now to prepare for tomorrow early getting up.

Goodnight. Thank you for today!