What It Means to Be a Traveler.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
7:48 AM
By around 7:30 in the morning we were headed
on our way to our new adventure: Koh Chang.
Before I begin writing about our journey
there, I would like to write about our visit to the Monkey Temple yesterday
(1/16/16). The Monkey Temple is beautiful, monkeys everywhere (and by
everywhere, I mean on top of buildings, falling in the water and climbing onto
every single tree). The stairs at the temple were a major work out; I was out
of air by the time I arrived to the top. As a new tourist exploring the country
of Thailand, I will be encountering new experiences, some may be pleasant and
same may not.
What I witnessed happening at the Monkey
temple was not pleasant in any way. After visiting the temple at the top of the
stairs and coming back down, some Hamline students (including myself) noticed
another group of tourist feeding the monkeys. Of course, there is nothing wrong
with feeding them (you can buy a bucket of peanuts for 50 baht), but it become
a problem when they pretended to hand the monkeys the food, just to take it
away when they got close. These actions are rude (not only to the monkeys but
the Thai residents as well) and dangerous. At that moment, I was frustrated and
upset, I couldn't understand his actions. Not only was it cruel to the monkeys,
but it created a negative image of tourist. I started to think about my
professor and class group, what were people thinking of us? I made this comment
out loud and my professor talked to us about a different perspective. She
reminded us that some tourists are first time travelers, travelers who made not
have been able to travel before. This perspective didn't change my emotions,
but it did change my understanding of these travelers. It's true, traveling is
an experience from which we grow to adapt to different cultures, values, and
expectations. Some travelers may still
be learning how to be a good traveler (like myself).
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| Airplane View of Bangkok |
It's not easy to travel. It may sound fun,
but it's harder than many may think.
First off, I've learned to be prepared for
any delay such as a flight delay or rode traffic, or even a simple change of
gates. Which is what happened to our Hamline class today. Instead of boarding
from gate 1, we boarded though gate 2. No big deal; "mai pen rai."
While boarding the plane, I saw a section dedicated to the Buddhist monks. My
professor told me that monks were the first to board the plane. Meaning we will
have to wait and that's okay. This is a country that is hugely influenced by
its religion, respecting this is essential to understanding the Thai culture
and its people. Being flexible is key as a new, learning traveler.
Furthermore, I've learn to accommodate for
the long hours of travel, such as today. Taking an hour flight from Chiang Rai
to Bangkok wasn't bad at all, fairly simple and quick. Sleeping through it was
sure helpful, but other Hamline students listened to music or read books (class
readings). The real challenge was the 5 1/2 hours of travel on bus from Bangkok
to the ferry that would take us to Koh Chang. Personally, it wasn't rough for
me as it may or may not have been for others. I had my music and readings to
keep me company. Although I would suggest just plugging your head phones in and
looking out the window. The view was spectacular. By simply staring out into a
world I didn't know about, I've learned things about this world. How important
farming is to them (especially growing rice) by the numerous rice paddies all
around, the shrines and temples that proudly demonstrate their religion, the
markets that provide a form of income for many families in Thailand, and the
form of respect for each other by greeting with the wai. I've learned so much
by simple observing.
Second, I've learned that where ever we've
traveled, there were expectations; things that are acceptable and that are not.
In Thailand, showing the bottom of my foot would be disrespectful (the bottom
of an individual's foot is equivalent to showing the middle finger in the US).
When riding motorcycles, it's required by law to use a hamlet, but many Thai's
don't follow this rule very often. I've learned to bargain at the markets and
when I agree to a set price, I pay that set price because going back on my word
would be disrespectful. Most importantly, I've learned to greet the Thai people
with the wai as a form of respect and I've learned that as a female I must use
the words "Ka" at the end of my greeting (example: sa-wat-dee means
"hello", so I would say "sa-wat-dee-ka").
Third, I've enjoy this traveling experience
to the fullest. I've joined the culture through greeting, surpassing my picky
eating, and my growing admiration for their beautiful temples. Having arrived
at Koh Chang, I decided to go out went out for the rest of the evening and
explore the beach. Walking on the White Sand Beach was calming. A light blue
color with cold (but not freezing) waters, gentle waves that create a crashing
shore noise as they reach the rocks along the shore line. Absolutely stunning.
I've
learned a lot about the Thai culture, I've adapted and I'm currently still
enjoying it. After all, this is what traveling is all about: learning,
adapting, and becoming a better traveler.
