I've had a really wonderful week of traveling, working, and being frequently reminded and amazed by where I am right now. How many people can say they are exactly where they want to be, or where they have worked to be? In recalling my week last night with a friend, I was reminded again by how lucky I am to have had these opportunities this year - being in the field so often, meeting such lovely people- co-workers, villagers, and foresters alike, researching and thinking critically, even more so than i expected, about the meaning of forestry, the meaning of cultural landscapes, the role of citizenship in society, community, responsibility, and even (ugh) office management… ha, I really could go on, which is a cue that I can take myself so seriously sometimes. I even felt embarrassed about being so self-indulgent later that night.
Although, I made a mental note that if people want, they can really take more ownership of where there lives are at (although I took another note to not say anything like this to people who are feeling not as positive about their lives because it comes off as self righteous, rude and probably something else). Anyway, the idea that I love is that you should be aware of the choices you have, and in return the choices you can make. Understanding what is in that boundary (of choices), helps me, at least, see more clearly what is possible and also encourages me to be accountable for my own life.
Anyway! This is not a self help blog - I helped organize a study tour of one of the communities in N. Thailand I visited two months ago. It was for the donors of the organization I work for, so it had to be planned in an executive kind of way, but what sealed the deal was the awesomeness of the community. To be honest, we're just facilitators (including the organization's work as a whole), we just lead the way, but everything to be fascinated by is always done by the community.
I also had my first opportunity to do serious translating, which was amazing. It wasn't only the experience of sharing what was said. It helped so much that I had visited the community before and spent a lot of time researching their history, which in turn helped me share a lot of ideas and nuances that would normally be lost in translation. What was amazing was to share these unique and significant nuances of the community with other people, and truly feeling like the bridge between two different cultures. So cool and nothing like it. It made me wonder if I should do translating for a living. Another note, in essence, I hope my photographs from Thailand can serve as that, a bridge between audience and community, or community and community.
The study tour, facilitated by 2 of my colleagues also, was over sat and sunday with some leisure time in Change Mai. I had one day of rest and then went into work on Tuesday for a surprisingly good lecture on current global trends and challenges in CF. I met an amazing Senegalese man, who I wish had more time to speak on the developments of CF in Africa! It looks like he does great work with the communities and the youth there. More specifically, his perspective on what a model forest is very interesting as it looks at the participation of the community differently than what I've been exposed to here. Also the first speaker, Dr. doris, was admirably articulate and a great debater (another mental note, i want those skills). She made great points that elevated my state of being!
By 2 pm, I was leaving for Khao Yai National Park, where my unit would be conducting a REDD+ and climate change training to Thai natural resource-related government officials. I had never worked with foresters before! It was exciting to be in a room full of them and to see the faces of so many people who have the responsibility of actually managing and maintaining forests. Surprisingly, only 4 out of 50 trainees interact or work with communities as part of their work. My favorite part of the training were listening to the questions trainees asked- its how you know what was or wasn't digested, or better yet, how it was digested. I got back last night, friday, from that trip. In addition to being my first training, it was a great co-worker building trip, as there were opportunities to gossip and get the scoop on love lives and go night safari-ing, where we saw wild elephants, a huge porcupine, an owl, poisonous snakes and more. They're all so sweet and cool even if they make fun of my Thai/are charmed by it. However, I'm starting to think that it's totally a legitimate way to speak because I'm having great fun with the language even if it means purposely using words wrong.
All in all, another great week in Thailand. It's taken me a little while to get back into my groove after being home. I've got lots of work, but couldn't be more happy about truckin' through it. More photographs to add to my CF series as well! I need to take about 6 more pictures before I can develop and show, but hopefully soon. Another trip out of town a week from now- yay!
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