The Tour Guide of Chiang Mai

สวัสดี ครับ (Sawadee khrap!)*

Hello!

Thailand is a stunningly beautiful country with a very long history. Our adventure there in 1990 was memorable for many reasons. The beach in Huahin in the south was stunning (though we had to avoid stepping on or touching the jellyfish that had washed up on the shore). It was fascinating exploring the palaces and other attractions in Bangkok. One evening we ate at Tum Nak Thai, the largest restaurant in the world at the time (the servers used roller skates to get around).** The intricacy of their architecture blew me away. Though we didn't learn much Thai, the first thing we learned was ไม่เผ็ด (approximately pronounced "my pet"), which means "not spicy" (or "zero stars"). It is a very important thing to know when ordering in Thai restaurants and has been useful to know in years since when I've gone to Thai restaurants in surprising the servers. 😀 I've only had to translate into English for a server once in a Thai restaurant in the US.

Old Market in Bangkok

One thing I will always remember is the kindness of our cab driver in the northern city of Chiang Mai. If I remember right, his name was Wic. (I'm sure that's short for something.) We came to Thailand using frequent flyer miles, and we weren't with a tour group. I'm not sure how all the arrangements were made, as I was 12, but Wic became our official tour guide. He arrived at our hotel every morning and took us all over the place, in many cases to places that were not frequented by tourists, but were incredibly fascinating.

We got to ride samlor (สามล้อ), or tricycles (the word literally means "three wheels"). We also got to ride the similar tuk tuks (ตุ๊ก ตุ๊ก, not pictured - the main difference is that samlors are pulled by bicyles, and tuk tuks are motorized and have a roof over the whole thing). That's Wic standing on the right in the top picture. He took us to visit Buddhist temples. We had to take our shoes off at the door, and we marveled at the intricacy of everything. He took us to the Maesa Elephant Camp, where we got to ride elephants. I remember being surprised that their dung is green. (TMI?) They are majestic and highly intelligent animals. It was fascinating.

Perhaps the most fascinating part was when he took us to see the ancient ruins of the palaces. His English was limited, but he explained that Chiang Mai was once the capital, and the palaces were destroyed in an earthquake around 1000 years ago. The grounds were deserted when we were there. If we had gone with a tour group, we may not have gone there, and it was a highlight of the trip.

Chiang Mai is the home of many different kinds of factories, and Wic took us to many of them. The silk factory (he's holding a basket with silkworms in the lower left picture) had fascinating exhibits of the entire process from the silkworms hatching to the end product. The umbrella factory had incredible paintings on their very large umbrellas. There were factories for lacquer trinkets and sculptures, for jade sculptures, for statues, and several others. They were fascinating.

We could not have asked for a better tour guide if we had paid a lot more for an "official" tour. He was a cab driver, and he took it on himself to take us around for several days. Wic went way above and beyond the call of duty, and he made it a very memorable, educational and fascinating time.

My mom and a friend in Chiang Mai
(Said friend was much nicer than
another monkey I could mention!)

* The formalities in Thai are interesting. In Tagalog, formalities depend on the person you are speaking to, so if you are talking to someone older, you add po to what you are saying. French has two words for "you" depending on who (and how many people) you're talking to. English has "sir" and "ma'am", depending on who you're talking to. But in Thai, these formalities depend on the gender of the person talking. Males say สวัสดี ครับ (Sawadee khrap), and females say สวัสดี ค่ะ (Sawadee kha). That said, I just did a little more research on this and found they have other greetings that vary depending on how close you are to the person you're talking to. Languages fascinate me.

** A little research just now tells me that Tum Nak Thai is no more, and there is a Carrefour there now. I guess they aren't just in Europe, as I thought a few days ago!

A Faithful Dog

Daisy was a beautiful and loyal collie who lived on my great-aunt and great-uncle's farm in Montana. I wrote this poem in 2001, shortly after she was killed by a mountain lion. I'm not sure how long she lived, but I believe she was in her teens. My great-uncle passed away in 2000. Our whole family mourned his loss, and Daisy was no exception. She passed away the following year.

This is not Daisy, but she looked similar to this
Photo by Rita Kochmarjova,
Adobe Stock

She played among the daisies in the field
Beneath her master's watchful eye
She ran and fetched the sticks her master threw
And she stuck close to him
She was a faithful dog

When his visitors came,
She played with them
When his family came,
She played with them

She romped and ran and played and jumped
She loved everyone she met
She played with the children
And she played with the adults
And she stuck close to her master
She was a faithful dog

She stuck close when he was hurt
She stuck close when he was ill
She stuck close when he was well
She loved with all of her heart
Her heart as big as the mountains around the ranch

She and her master grew older
She and her master grew slower
And still she stuck by him
She was a faithful dog

One day her master was gone
Never to return

And she stuck by his chair
Her sorrow kept her there
But still she played
And still she loved
She was a faithful and playful dog

One day she was gone
Never to return

She played among the daisies in the field
Beneath her master's twinkling eye

The ranch where Daisy lived
I took this picture September 10, 2022.

"It's a Beautiful Day!"

"It's a beautiful day!"

It was a sunny day, and I had to agree with my classmate at BCTI. I don't recall his name, but his genuine smile and friendly greeting made my day.

Next day...

"It's a beautiful day!"

This time it was raining out, and the weather was nasty. The commute to school had been frustrating at times. But he wore the same friendly smile and joyful demeanor. Once again, it made my day.

Image from: Kraken images

Every day it was the same. No matter the weather, no matter what was going on, no matter how stressful classes were, he always had the same smile and the same friendly greeting that couldn't help but make me smile. "It's a beautiful day!"

It's true. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We miss so much joy and beauty when we focus on the rain and doom and gloom around us. Things are tough sometimes. But we can look at life with a more optimistic viewpoint, as this guy did. I wish I could remember his name. I hope he reads this, as he continues to inspire me over 20 years later, nearly half a lifetime ago. He taught me an important lesson in joy and optimism. We can't necessarily control our circumstances, but we can control how we respond to them.

His joy was contagious.

With a simple smile and a (sometimes unexpected) greeting, he had a way of melting any fears and tension away. I want to be like that when I grow up. If you are reading this, sir, I salute you and thank you for the inspiration you are.

Black and White Surprise

Shortly after my aunt and uncle got married in 1986, my aunt informed me that they had "a black and white surprise" at their house. She didn't elaborate, but it set my imagination running. What could it be?

The next time I visited their apartment was when I met Alley. She was a beautiful kitten and a fantastic feline cousin. My human cousins Annika and Andréa were born later, and they grew up with Alley. I wrote this poem October 20, 2004, shortly after their beautiful cat left us at the age of 18. She lived a good long life and brought a lot of joy to everyone she met.

Alley
1986 - 2004

They had a black and white surprise
What could it be?
A new piano? An episode of Lucy?
Perhaps a figurine set upon the mantle?
Or could it be...?

A black and white kitten!
A surprise and a joy
She pranced and pounced
She stood on her hind legs
As her front paws reached for that yarn

She purred and she played
A house became a home
As she welcomed new family members
The black and white surprise grew into a beautiful cat
As she played with a newborn baby, and then with a toddler
Soon came another baby
And the black and white surprise
Mixed her meows
With the children's joyful coos and squeals of glee.

She was there for all
A joy and a comfort
Always ready and willing to sit on a lap
And be lovingly stroked

And the black and white surprise grew old
As she napped in the yard
And purred on folks' laps
Always a joy
Always a wonderful, loving cat

But her health began to fail
She could no longer run and play
And one day she closed her beautiful eyes
For the last time

There she lies
Those sparkling eyes closed forever in sleep
And we can only remember
An adorable kitten, playful and sweet
A young cat, generous and loving
An aged and wizened feline, majestic and kind

And as always,
A black and white surprise.

Generosity and Advocacy

In late 2001, the world was still reeling from 9/11. I had a temporary position in September, which ended sometime after that. As finding a job has never been a particularly simple task, I was wondering if I needed to take more classes to gain more skills. I had majored in French at Seattle Pacific University, but without a skill to go with it, there's only so much you can do with a language degree. (Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful I took French, and it has come in useful! I have endeavored to keep it up in more recent years.) One day as I was leaving our local WorkSource, the local state-run centers where we can go to get assistance with the job search, someone was at the door handing out flyers for Business Computer Training Institute (BCTI). This intrigued me, as I have enjoyed computers, going back to the 80s, and most corporate fields involve computer knowledge to some degree. I looked into it and enrolled. The first half of the program involved studying computer programs, such as Word, Excel, Access and others, as well as skills in interacting with customers and colleagues, learning to train others, research, business letters, and more. I was recognized as Student of the Month at one point. The second half of the program involved the more technical aspects of computers, such as learning about the inner workings of the computer, as well as HTML and basic graphic design (just enough graphic design to get a taste of it and realize I loved it, but not enough to get a job in it...I would return to school in 2011 to get more in-depth design training). 

During my time at BCTI, I formed new friendships. That was also when I had a terrifying experience driving into the sun. But that's another story. Back to the friendships. The particularly memorable ones for me were Ofa, Belinda, Cliff, Michelle and Josh. I'm still in contact with most of them to some extent (or back in contact). I completed my studies there in 2003. In 2005, the school abruptly shut down, taking everyone by surprise. Students and employees arrived for work and class, and the doors were locked. It was a blow to everyone, current students and alumni alike. Many of us have mixed feelings about having gone there due to the nature of its abrupt closing, but personally, I am thankful for the skills I learned and the friends I met who have challenged me to be a better person.

Picture used with permission

One such friend was Belinda. She and Ofa hung out together. When we finished the first half of the program, Ofa made a Hawaiian shell necklace for me. At least for a while, I lost track of most of them (though not all). With the advent of Facebook and other social media a few years later, I got back in contact with some of them. I maintained contact with Michelle and Josh. In more recent years, I got back in contact with Belinda over Facebook. By this time, she had several children. I also got back in contact with Cliff after she reconnected us. She has always been one of the kindest people I have known, but she has had a difficult life. She has taught me a lot about kindness and patience in the face of racism and other forms of bigotry. I admire her advocacy and huge heart for racial minorities, LGBT and other marginalized communities. With her Asian and Latina heritage, she has experienced racism against both groups. She has actively worked with several organizations to provide food and other important stuff for many people who need it. She is one of my heroes.

A couple years ago, I posted a prayer request on Facebook because I was trying to get to sleep, and sleep wasn't coming. I was getting a bit desperate because I needed to be alert the following day. By posting, I was only asking for prayer and good thoughts. But Belinda messaged me and asked if I would like some tea to help me sleep. I was touched by the gesture. She ordered some from Amazon Fresh for me. In order to get up to their minimum, she also ordered other groceries that would be useful. They showed up on our doorstep the following day. I was overwhelmed. I have been able to return the favor a couple times since then.

Due to the COVID pandemic, Belinda's upcoming wedding would be in her backyard with only a few in attendance, and broadcast live on Facebook. I was invited to attend virtually, which I felt honored to do. I watched online and toasted the happiness of Belinda and her new husband:

Belinda also introduced me to a new friend named Michelle (different Michelle from the one mentioned above), who has a similar huge heart for assisting and advocating for others. She is also an amazing cook, and I have bought sweet potato pie from her two years running, for Thanksgiving. She also makes fantastic pumpkin bread. If you need either of those and live in the area, I highly recommend talking to her. 😀

It's people like Belinda who make the world a better place. She is a constant encouragement to everyone around her. She has had a very difficult life, but she has overcome many obstacles to enrich the lives of everyone she knows.

Zaphenath-Paneah

Joseph is one of my heroes. His story in Genesis has always fascinated me. He went through so many difficult trials, but he held on to his faith, however distant God sometimes seemed to be. He was thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into prison for years for a crime he didn't commit, and so much more. Through all of it, he clung to the hope that God would save him, and he was attentive when two servants of the Pharaoh, and later the Pharaoh himself, needed their dreams interpreted. He rose from prison to become Zaphenath-Paneah, Pharaoh's second in command, and he saved the nation of Egypt and his own family from a severe famine. He also forgave his brothers who turned his world upside-down.

Growing up in the Philippines has given me a perspective of living in a culture different from my parents'. Joseph was a third culture kid (TCK) like me, though our experience was obviously different. In some ways I can identify with the adjustments in being a part and product of the culture where I live and also that of where I'm from. Where even is "home"? One thing that gets me is a detail that I think is often overlooked... When Joseph was confronting his brothers as governor, he was speaking Egyptian, working through a translator. They had no idea he could understand them. He didn't speak to them in Hebrew until he revealed himself to them. The story evokes strong emotions for me, and I wasn't even there. I think one of the saddest parts of the story is that even though Joseph forgave his brothers, they never forgave themselves.

I wrote this poem October 10, 2010. In researching, I learned a few things:

• Zaphenath-Paneah is the anglicized spelling of the Hebrew approximation of his Egyptian name. Thus, scholars disagree on the exact meaning of his name. Here I used three possibilities from different scholars, in italics.
• It is likely that the -ath in his new name was the hieroglyph ankh (ቶ), the Egyptian concept of life, immortality and more. 
• I knew the meanings of some of the names, but I learned more when researching. In the poem, most of the italicized bits are the meanings of people's names. Joseph = "may he add"; Jacob = "he grasps the heel"; Potiphar = "one belonging to Ra"; Benjamin = "son of my right hand"; Moses = "drawn from the water"

I searched for more information on this painting,
but couldn't find any information on who painted it.
If anyone knows, I would love to credit the artist.

A dreamer of dreams

A boy with a promise of a bright future
Brothers bowing before him
Father and mother paying homage to their son

Joseph bar-Jacob.
May he add to the son of he who grasps the heel.

A young man hurled in a pit
Ripped from his parents
Sold and taken to a foreign land
A slave in the captain’s court.

Joseph, slave of Potiphar.
May he add to the one belonging to Ra.

Framed for a horrible crime
Thrown, innocent, into prison
Interpreting dreams for his fellows
Forgotten by the one released.

So much promise, dreaming, love
Such pain, betrayal, anguish
Forgotten for years
Wallowing in prison

Ankh slowed to a boring and endless crawl
God seemed silent and distant
Where was the hope of release?
Why such betrayal and slander?

Brought before the Pharaoh himself
New dreams to interpret
Seven years of plenty
And seven years of famine

And so Joseph, son of Jacob
Slave of Potiphar
Prisoner of Egypt
Received a new name.

Zaphenath-Paneah.

“The god sees, and he lives.”
Through all of it, God watched
God trained His child through love,
Through pain, through trials.
God saw Joseph, and Joseph lived.

“A revealer of hidden things and an opener of things to come.”
A man who, with the help of God, could reveal the meanings of dreams
Who foresaw his ascent, an execution, a restoration to service,
Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine.

“One who furnishes the nourishment of life.”
Suddenly pardoned and made governor
Stored wheat to preserve Egypt through the famine
Nourished and saved millions of lives.
One who so recently yearned for greater ankh
Suddenly named as one who provided ankh

****

Brothers who lived with the guilt of selling their brother
For all they knew, he could be dead
But just to be sure, they had killed a goat
And smeared the blood on their brother’s coat
Bringing a fictional tale of woe to their heartbroken father

Famine in Canaan
Few crops and dwindling herds
News of a surplus of grain saved up in Egypt
And so ten brothers left their father’s house
Leaving the youngest behind
And traveled to buy grain
From the exalted Governor of Egypt:
Zaphenath-Paneah.

Framed for spying on Egypt
Cringing in fear before the wrathful governor
Thinking the Egyptian governor could not understand,
They cried out in Hebrew
Regretting their treatment of their brother and father
And they wondered why the exalted Egyptian Zaphenath-Paneah ran out of the room in tears.

One thrown in prison while the rest were sent home
To bring their youngest brother
And prove their honesty

And so came Benjamin to Egypt
The imprisoned brother freed
And the son of Jacob’s right hand framed
For stealing a priceless golden cup.

Terrified brothers fell at the feet of Zaphenath-Paneah
In fulfillment of a dream, bowing at his feet
Begging to spare the life of their brother
And keep their father from dying of grief

And so the great Zaphenath-Paneah told all his servants to leave
The brothers wondered what was about to happen
When the interpreter, their only means of communication,
Walked out of the room.

And so for the first time, the great Zaphenath-Paneah spoke to them in Hebrew
And gave them news that filled them with wonder and fear
God heard, and Joseph was still alive.
God sent His child to reveal what was to come,
To preserve the lives of Egypt
And of his own family.

And so the children of Israel flourished and became a great nation
They lived in Egypt for 400 years
God saw them, and they lived
And God sent a new child, drawn from the water
To bring His children back to Canaan
And with them came the sarcophagus
Of Zaphenath-Paneah.

Photo taken at the
African Burial Ground National Monument,
New York, by Sean Ghazala
Public Domain

A Professor's Generosity

Hérouville Saint-Clair, Normandy, France (near Caen), August 1999. My study abroad program was going great! I was with a group of students from Seattle Pacific University and Wheaton College, with professors from both schools, in conjunction with the Jacques Lefêvre Institute in France. Our fearless leader was the head of the political science department at SPU, who taught a course in "Modern French Thought." The French classes were split between a teacher from Wheaton and a local teacher who was studying at the Sorbonne in Paris (which has a long history going back to the time of Thomas Aquinas).

Église Saint-Étienne
Caen, France

I was in the advanced French class taught by the excellent Dr. Grosh from Wheaton. This is not about my classes, but that is important.

Partway through my time there, I came down with some serious pain in my feet. It was bad enough that the leaders contacted a doctor who made a house call to the Cité Universitaire (student lodging where we stayed and held classes) for the Université de Caen. We went into a room where the two professors assisted. I was able to describe my situation and symptoms to the doctor in French, and Dr. Grosh helped to translate as needed when the MD asked me questions and gave me the diagnosis, as I wasn't as skilled at medical terminology. Dr. Grosh also assisted when I didn't know a word here or there. The MD prescribed medicine and other things I needed to do. Among those was wearing sandals to allow my feet some air. I hadn't brought any sandals, so we went to the local Carrefour, where I got some very comfortable ones. Carrefour is a chain of shopping malls throughout France, and I believe it's in a few other European countries.

On a boat on the mouth of the Seine
Between Honfleur and Le Havre, France
(I'm on the right)

I give this sculpture in Honfleur
a big thumbs-up!

Due to the issues with my feet, I missed our group's excursion to see the Bayeux Tapestry, but there was still a lot of walking that would be happening, particularly once we got to Mont-Saint-Michel and Paris later in the adventure.

The sandals were a huge help (along with other treatment). As Dr. Grosh and I were talking later, somehow the subject of me not having a lot of money came up. I don't recall how that even came up, and I wasn't asking for anything in mentioning it, but she told me that she and her husband had decided to give me "a small gift" to help with souvenirs in Paris. I was overwhelmed. Their "small gift" involved reimbursing me for the medical expenses and the price of the sandals!

Mont-Saint-Michel
(I need to go back so I can take better pictures)

The trip would have been an amazing adventure and memory whatever happened, but it was so much more amazing that I was able to walk everywhere without so much pain! Mont-Saint-Michel is an absolute must on any visit to France, but it involves a lot of walking, as the streets are narrow and winding, uphill and downhill.

Giverny is another important place to visit. This is me on Claude Monet's bridge that he painted several times.

Paris was very amazing, and it involved a lot of walking. I think the next time I did that much walking around one city was when I went to New York last year.

But it would not have been nearly as enjoyable or inspirational without the unexpected and generous gift from a teacher who continues to inspire me 24 years later.

Next question: How in the world is that 24 years ago this coming August?!

On the towers of Notre Dame
Some nice British tourists took my picture.
It was refreshing to be able to talk to someone in English!
😀

Standing on the Arc de Triomphe
with the Eiffel Tower in the background