For New Years Eve, a group of us met in Bangkok to celebrate. It's funny how jaded we get by being here; to us Bangkok is just an hour's ride away and no big deal, but a year ago, Bangkok sounded so foreign and exotic. We had to keep reminding ourselves where we were and to appreciate the experience. For the countdown, our group decided to go to a rooftop party on the 40th floor of a hotel. Unfortunately, it was "farang" central ("farang" are what all westerners are referred to in Thailand, a term that we are growing to resent, because we feel we are more than just tourists), but I guess that should have been expected. Regardless, we had a good time and did a proper job ringing in the new year.
It was awesome to be eye level with all of the fireworks.
Our relationship with Bangkok is what you could call "love/hate". The "real" Bangkok is alive, loud, dirty, beautiful, in-your-face, and exciting. But the Bangkok that you are most likely to encounter is glossed over and full of tourists. We've been here for three months, living and working in Thailand, so it's disheartening to be treated like "just another farang" when we're there.
So after having enough of the city and all of the tourists, our group decided to relocate for the rest of the trip. We had originally planned to go camping in a national park, but we had a spark of spontaneity and just chose a place out of the guidebook instead. It felt so adventuresome to literally choose a destination, pick up our backpacks and go to the bus station. That's the thing we've noticed about Thailand, there's no use in planning or worrying about not planning, because nothing ever goes the way you want it to anyways. But everything seems to works out in the end. You many not take the route you intended on, but you ultimately end up where you're supposed to be.
So we headed out to a small island south east of Bangkok, called Koh Sichang. The island is nothing that would be on a postcard, but it had an authentic atmosphere and we made up the majority of tourists. We spent the trip riding motorbikes, exploring the island, and eating good food. It was one of those times, when it's not so much where you are, but the people you are with that shape your experience. Our small, yet wonderful group hailed from all over the US and the world. With people coming from California, Texas, Philly, Manchester, and South Africa, the conversation and company were always of high quality. How we all ended up together on a small island in the Gulf of Thailand is an amazing thing.
There's a feeling I'm constantly having here that is much rarer to come by at home. It's hard to put into words, but it's an overwhelming sense that you are exactly where you are meant to be, doing exactly what you are meant to be doing, with the exact people you are meant to be doing it with. For that brief moment, everything feels right.
Lots of love,
Paige and Cyrus
"It's hard to put into words, but it's an overwhelming sense that you are exactly where you are meant to be, doing exactly what you are meant to be doing, with the exact people you are meant to be doing it with. For that brief moment, everything feels right."
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing and relieving feeling, isn't it? My life isn't nearly as exciting or seemingly carefree and exotic as yours, but there are days that go by where I am overwhelmed with how right things are. And you realize all those times you were anxious or nervous about what you were doing were right too, because they led you to the place (and people) you were meant to be. I'm so happy for you!
Good Karma...for some good people....you are doing it right.
ReplyDeleteJust be where you are...one day at a time....:)