I"m sure people have given up checking my blog, with so much time gone by and no news! Apologies - life has been full and busy, and internet connections have been slow, which perhaps is a reasonable formula for me being so out of touch! Anyway, a quick update - After leaving Mae Tao clinic, I visited Tat and Sert, two Karen friends in Doi Inthanon National Park. It was great to see them again after five years away, and their English had improved a lot over that time, so it was a bit like meeting old friends for the first time! They hosted me so generously, fed me and took me hiking, and gave me a peaceful hut by a stream under the stars in which to rest and think. Then, pendulum swinging madly to the opposite extreme, I headed to Chiang Mai for Loy Gratong festival - a celebration of light where flying lanterns are released into the sky and floating lanterns into the river. It is a magical festival - utter chaos on the ground, with fireworks and drunkenness and music and crowds taking over the streets, but then you look up and thousands of paper lanterns are rising gracefully towards the stars over the city, carrying the hopes and fears and prayers of how many strangers... It was lovely. Next, I made my way up to Muvikhi, the small Karen village where I lived and studied 5 years ago. It was quite emotionally intense returning there, as my last stay was both a difficult and life-changing period of my life. But people seemed really happy to see me, and pleased at the few remaining phrases of Karen that emerged somehow from the recesses of my brain. I was surprised at how little things had changed there, considering how much has happened in my life over these years. It was heartwarming to see all of the familiar faces, meet some new ones, and to taste again the integrity of that community, and the humanness of that quality and pace of life.
I"ve posted some pictures on picassa, which can be veiwed at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=100753240463516732655&target=ALBUM&id=5550420483100487057&authkey=Gv1sRgCPvE3sz0j-qILg&feat=email
And now, I find myself with my adventurous mother in India! The first two weeks here, we stayed at an ashram in Kerala, living by a strict daily schedule of yoga, meditation, sanskrit chanting, vegetarian meals, and "karma yoga", better known as "chores". It was a really interesting experience, living there with about 300 other people, from all over the world, and all walks of life. Some of the elements - such as the chanting - were uncomfortable for me initially, but I tried to approach these things openly and with humility and a sense of humor... and it turned out to be a great experience and a good glimpse into ashram life.
We are currently soaking in some sun on a beautiful laid back beach in Goa, before heading inland to Hampi for a few days (a UNESCO heritage site that is said to be pretty breathtaking), and then we're heading north to Amritsar and Dharamasala for the remaining almost two weeks before I fly home to Canada. Mom and I are proving to be good travel buddies, and I am continuously surprised and amused by our disorganized, relaxed, wandering way of traveling, and how it has seemed to work for us so far! We've met wonderful people, seen some beautiful landscapes, braved chaotic train stations and busy cities, made a spectacle of ourselves and been laughed at by locals, and even ate mayonaise from a food stall without getting sick - those Hindu gods must also be amused, and endeared by us.
I've also posted some photos of our time in India so far, at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=100753240463516732655&target=ALBUM&id=5550432833120975121&authkey=Gv1sRgCK2lmMDY_oPiqQE&feat=email
Writing this, I"m aware that these words and images are just the "bare bones" of my experience here. I"m not sure how to fill in the important parts - how my heart has been touched by people and places, how my senses have been assaulted and astounded by the smells, tastes, colors and textures, the questions I"ve been asking of myself and of life, the many lessons I"m learning... all of the little births and deaths and transformations going on inside me and around me. I hope we get to share those parts too - over tea or dinner, or on a walk sometime. And, as always, I'd love to hear from you...
with love, Laura
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