Episode 2: Touched by a Monk, Lady-Boys, and Water Buffalo!

My Beautiful friends!

I hope this finds you all happy and well! I am almost compelled to write you guys everyday because, indeed, everyday is an adventure! OK, how to make this short and sweet and answer some of your questions, right!

1--Massage: those of you who wanted to know about my massage, no I didn't get the traditional thai massage yet because it looks like somethng out of a wrestling match and I haven't been that brave yet. LIttle Thai woman trying to turn a big body into a pretzel??? hmmmmm....

however, the place I went was AMAZING! It was absolutely beautiful with dark wooden paneling everywhere, wood carvings, golden buddhas reflecting the dim lighting and the scent of soft incense. This tiny little thing shows me to a room, points to the table and leaves. There's a towel and paper underwear that you're suppose to change into, and as I pick up the paper underwear a wave of panic overwhelms me -- these are made for little Thai butts! Oh dear! And all i could do was picture myself ripping the little thing to shreds and having to flash the little Thai women who only comes up to my belly button!

But to my relief, the little undrwear gave way to my African...heritage, and I lay on the table (didn't quite fit, but that's alright) to enjoy a TWO HOUR massage of first rubbing you with warm ginger and then followed by oil. All for $8 USD, yeah, it's a great way to start your day.

2 -- Yes, I have managed to hit the towna few times, my night started out GREAT with this taxi driver in his late 60's who made someone translate that Thai men love tall women who are firm, and have nice legs! ??? Ah, you don't have many of those here do you? And he smiled his big smile revealing the last of his three teeth and said -- I know.

Old man's got GAME!!!

He dropped me off at some bar and i heard this girl on stagewho sounded like she was imitating some monkey's mating call andall I could think to myself was --OH NO! I'm in a kareoke bar!!!!! AHHH! Butto my complete surpriseit was a band of Philipinos and Thais that were GOOD! We're talking JAMMIN! You name it, Ricky Martin, Linkin Park, Queen, Mary J Blige, Evansence--GOOD!!!
I mean what does a 5 foot nothing, 50 pound chick know about Bootylicious when she ain't got one??? But she had some attitude and was singing Beyonce like it was nobody's business! I had to dance, couldn't help myself. But then when this Thai guy tried to rap the Jay-Z part--oh, Bad! Bad Bad Bad, the man busted up my groove so badly I had to sit back down again and order another drink.

Speaking of Beyonce, that's what they call me here! And I ain't complaining, it's much better than calling my Godzilla like I thought they would.

And speaking of Godzilla, let's just talk about me and shopping for a moment. I love the markets here so much, in most places there's a night market that's just bustling with people and vendors and life, and it's justa great place to be. I just skip over the clothes cause well, there's just no need for me to put myself through that. But every once in a while a vendor will call me over and say, "Hey! Big size for you! Have BIG Size!." And I get all excited and come over, like the other night there were the cutest shoes that cost $1 and they were GREAT! and I was so happy! So she digs way in the back and pulls out her 'big size' and I slip them on, and my feet only hang off about two inches in the back. She gasps, "YOU! You very BIIIIIIG!"
And I smile politely and give her back her stupid, ugly shoe and go on my way! Do I EVER learn????



Speaking of learn (everything just fowing so nicely today), can we just talk about monks for a minute! I love them! I want one! I think it's turning into an obsession, I just can't get enough! I'm now in the north in the smaller city of Chiang Mai and they're everywhere!!

Everytime I see a flash of orange, me heads whips aroung, and then I discover it's just some fool in an orange shirt and I get angry. I mean, they're in the markets, or a bus full of baby monks (that's what i call the younger ones) will drive by, or they're just walking and doing they're monk things and I just can't stop staring. They're just majestic to me, I don't even know why. It just about makes my day when they smile at me, and I feel like I've done something right or something! Issues! I have issues!

And finally the other two I met these two monks form Cambodia who were so awsome!! They were SO sweet and so nice and they invited me to come sit and talk with them. They were so excited to practice their English, the older one was about 59 eventhough he only looked 40 (Asians got this aging thing DOWN), and he had this dark, curved wooden walking sit and a calm warm smile. The younger one was 22, and just didn't stop talking! He wa so animated and excited, i couldn't help but bit my lip to prevent myself form laughing sometimes.

The older monk pointed to a seat next to him on the bench, but out of respect I sat a little further away to make sure the was no way that I touched him or his robes. The younger one is just talking away and I;m having the greatest time, and he tells me how he wants to travel everywhere and when I tell him I'm going to Cambodia he takes out some paper and writes down the address of his Wat (temple) and his phone number and say I must visit.

Digits from a monk! Damn I'm good!
(just kidding it is not my intention to offend any of your Buddhists out there!)

And he's just talking away about his studies, and he's got these black, think-immed glasses, and a blad head, and nice dark skin off-set by his bright orange robe, and this brilliant, adorable smile....and well.....I'm going to hell anyway so i might as well tell you I was attracted to a monk! Attracted to a MONK!

Wat the HELL is WRONG with me????????


--------------- (here's where you take a potty break or grab a snack)

Anyway, as luck would haveit, yet again, I've connected with some Peace Corps volunteers here (give it up!)and this ex-volunteer offered to let me crash at her place when I came up north--so nice.

After a series of successful meeting in Bangkok, Imade my way on a 13 hour train ride, I didn't even fit in the bathroom--but that's another story altogether), and arrived in Chiang Mai. It's a very quaint old city with much of the ancient outer city way still intact, complete with a moat, however it's now an inner-city wall as the city has expanded in every direction. Little motor bikes scoot around everywhere and little red buses, kind of like a big pickup truck with a covering in the back,will take you anywhere in the city. Most of the buildings are small and are interupted by elaborate golden wats (temples) EVERYWHERE!

I had some great meetings and interviews with shelters and organizations here, and met some of the victims themselves and heard some of there stories. However, tomorrow I head further north along the Burmese border, I've been invited to spend several days with this one organization called DEPDC. I'll be working directly with the victims themselves and although I can't wait, I know it will be a challenge, many of them are extremely young kids and to put a face and a name with the stories and actaully industry may just break me for a bit. Yet, this is why we do it right? Without the name and face, a story just becomes another number, the number another statistic, and the statistic gets thrown around by really important people in really important governments half way across the world who sip their coffee, report on the lastest stastic, and then move on to the next agenda item while the little 8 year old gril whose virginity has been sold for $300 is lost in
a pile of papers and numbers, another statistic on a desk somewhere.

WOW, sorry, didn't mean to do that! But along with all of the complex issues that are enveloped in the world of trafficking and exploitation, I have uncovered many of the roadblocks these victims and anti-trafficking organizations face--and in a word, they are disgusting.

And I believe, I lack the ability to understand that mixed in with all of the beautiful things that people can do, and build, and be, there is an absolute evil that exists....

and I can't comprehend it.

I will write more on trafficking after this weekend, I think I will have a lot to say after I leave that place and those children.

but not to leave you on a dark note, i believe I won't be able to prevent that in some of my future emails, I shall leave you on a light one:

STORY TIME


So this other night on the town was one of the most RANDOM of my life!!

Hanging with the ex-peace corps people, we go out for a drink and that was ONLY the beggining! Went to one bar, met a bunch of travels who invited us out to another place, sure what the hell?! The other place was just a bunch of Thai guys rapping--BADLY, and and a very...ecceltic crowd bobbing their heads--ahhhh no! Cross the street to Heaven Beach, a bar with sand for a floor, bamboo furniture, and there's this crazy metalband with a guy playing congo drums with drum sticks and he SUCKS, but he's so happy. Right! What the hell! Just drink, everything's better when you drink!

Met this lady-boy, that's what thai's call them her, guess you'd call her a drag queen, and she looked good! I'm just going to call him a 'her' cause that's what she looked like to me! Met the most random group of people, they invite us to follow them,hey, live a little! End up at a thai dance club that's totally out of control, flashing lights, a smoke machine, ragging house music--I am CRACKING up! I'm walking around with my new girl friend Sarah, the lady-boy, and we're just having a great time, but all of her lady-boy friends at the club are just starring me up and down and have NO idea what to do with me! Am I a women? But women are only 5'5"! Am I one of them? They so confused and I just think it's great!

End up dancing on stage (you know me), end up surrounded by prostitutes, their pimp (an old woman) kept pushing me over to where her girls were, and i'm like HEY, i'm not for sale here. then she pushed her girls on me and i'm like HEY, i'm not buying here! then she pushed some dude on me and i'm like HEY, no deniro!! jesus! Let me dance!

Dancing up a storm to house music, get a ride in Sarah's truck somewhere else, and end up hanging out till 6 in the morning songs(she LOVES Tracy Chapman! heeeey), met some crazy people who all ended up being really cool, the drag queen just loved me--too funny!

and you know me, if it looks good i'll eat it, we were a little intoxicated late night and these people bought food and invited us to join. everything looked good so i just dug right in. i was CHOWING down when this one thai guy looks at me like i'm crazy and says YOU LIKE THAT? i'm like respond with an enthusiatic nod (too stuffing my face)! he makes this crazy face and then looks at me funny and says -- do you know what that IS?
i'm still eating it, "no."
then i get a little curious myself, what IS it, i ask as i swallow.


water buffalo intestines, raw!
how's that for yummy.

hehehe

and he' laughing in satisfaction like he thinks i'm going to be sick or something now that i know. he's just smurking!
and i just looked down at the plate, looked at him, looked back at the plate, everyone at the table is looking at me, and I just grabbed another handful of it, pop it in my mouth and said--HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!! in his face!
everyone just starts cracking up, some dude gave me a high five because a lot of people wont touch it i guess and i kept chowing.

i mean if i knew what it was, i might have hesitated, but it was GOOD,I swear!

hehehe

adventures in food to be continured!
:)

All the best my sweet little ones across the way!
Much love to you all,
South East Aisha