Thailand In 10 Photos
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Thailand In 10 Photos

What a 25-day trip to Thailand taught me about cultural understanding and person-to-person interaction.

12
Thailand In 10 Photos
Caroline Bodnya

"Not all those who wander are lost." - J. R. R Tolkien


In the summer before my very first semester of college, I felt as if it was my time to wander.

This summer, I went on a 25-day service trip to Thailand. The purpose of the trip was to let go of the idea of happiness as tied to materialistic possessions and embrace a lifestyle of living in the present and appreciating the non-material happiness in life.

I fell in love with the Thai culture, Thai customs, and all of the moments I was lucky enough to experience. This is a culture I believe shines through in the photos I captured, in the moments I was able to live both behind and beyond the lens.

Our journey started and ended in Chiang Mai, one of the largest cities in Thailand. On our first day, after 22 hours worth of flights and a 2-hour car ride we made it to this Buddhist temple. Thai Buddhist temples were hands-down my favorite part of the entire experience. It's not something I can necessarily describe in words, but there's something different in the air surrounding a Buddhist temple — and not just because of the fact that these temples are typically built on an elevation higher than the other buildings in the vicinity. We visited a total of 4–5 of these temples during our trip, and I valued every opportunity we received to learn more about Thai culture by way of their most practiced religion. When we returned to Chiang Mai at the end of our trip, we spent a night in the bustle of the city visiting a few night markets. After three weeks spent in more remote villages scattered in a loop around Northern Thailand, finding myself back in the bustle of a large city was a source of anxiety. Everything was so much louder, so much brighter, so much more congested; in my three weeks in Thailand, I managed to fall in and out of love with city life.


The first village we visited was up high in the mountains. That meant sunrises and sunsets like this every day, especially because this high in the mountains, the heavy rains hitting the rest of Thailand tend to stay away from the mountains. Life in this first village was initially difficult in many ways because it was the first moment when we completely became immersed in Thai culture and left a lot of the the more material concepts that we had carried going into the trip behind. But, I can say that there is no better lesson in being present than waking up at five in the morning, even after a hard day's work the day before, to stop, let time stand still, and watch nature take its course around you.


Mae Hong Son. Absolutely my favorite place we visited in Thailand. In size, I would compare Mae Hong Son to a city like Boston, maybe even slightly smaller. It definitely still has the feel of a city, but stands a little quieter, a little calmer. Our visit to Mae Hong Son was packed with visits to markets and temples — my two favorite parts of Thailand. Let me tell you: you've never truly experienced variety until you've visited a Thai market. Fruit and vegetable stands line the aisles alongside boxes of clothes not far from a fully-stocked meat market and scattered with vendors cooking ready-made food. Every day in Mae Hong Son was a new cultural experience, and every day was a new day in a city that I absolutely loved, in a city that taught me more than any other that it is still possible to present and remember the power of person-to-person interaction in a city-setting.


On my last days in a country, I always like to reflect on what I learned over the course of the journey. Upon leaving Thailand, here is what I took away:

When you go to a country, don't expect the world around you to assimilate to your language and culture just because it's the more "western" one. Embrace that country's culture: respect is as equal to your own, and that country will do the same. Before my trip to Thailand this summer, I had the word divided in my head as a world of "first world" developed countries, "second world" middle countries, and "third world" developing countries. I now realize that this last label is, more than anything, a construct created by western societies — societies that have more materialistic possessions but not necessarily greater richness in culture, history, or values. I've since revised my view of the world: the way to achieve true global progress and eradicate ignorance about other cultures is to forget these constructs, to not live in a world where countries are labeled primarily by economic indicators, and to forget the mentality of "them" and "us." The only way to truly learn from and work with other cultures is not by "helping" the one deemed "inferior," but by working alongside each other as equals united by our humanity. Because that, ultimately, is far more important than cultural differences.


"If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." – Lilla Watson


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

15082
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

945016
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

122059
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments