Day 5

Dear Friends, family and strangers who are visiting this site.

I wish everyone could see and feel what we, this very large Carleton group, are experiencing.

I'm not entirely sure what day it is, nor do I know exactly what time zone I'm in, but I do know that we are having a wonderful time here in 'Amazing Thailand.'

I entered this country not knowing a single word of Thai and now I know enough Thai to haggle and bargain my way through a night market as well as communicate with small children and college students.

The events of the of the last twenty-four hours were very interesting. I'll start by telling a bit about our dinner at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. We ate dinner on a beautifully carpeted floor with large pillows supporting our backs. The Thai people demonstrated 'authentic dances' and there was sticky rice to boot. Andy (Jaynes) kept mentioning KFC and in the end Dave (Ricks) had impoved his flexibility (from sitting on the floor) so much that he ended up on stage during the 'audience participation dance.' The food is good, the people are nice and we are learning a lot about one another. It is wonderful to meet and embrace a new culture as well as bring a little bit of Carleton to our parents and brothers we have brought with us.

After dinner we traveled by van to play in a Custom-Made Taylor Shop and also the Chiang Mai (K)Night Bazaar. There is not much prostitution in the air, not as much as Bangkok anyway.

We mixed and mingled and learned words such as kee baht (how much?). Players bought skirts and boxes as well as bracelets from young girls with babies (screaming) on their backs.

Not many people are feeling in tip-top shape; three days of Thai food and travel don't make for happy stomachs, a small price to pay for what we are experiencing.

The morning brought several opportunities to learn about Chiang Mai. Half the group visiting with a former monk who MOVED our group with his lessons about educating the Thai public about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He has a grassroots system in place that utilizes the monks of the country to reach the common people. A few members of the group even asked if they could come back next summer to help him with his work.

I am so pleased that members of our group are being moved by what we are seeing. Parents and players are reflecting on our 'privileged lives.' People are making the connections that the children we help in the village may be saved from the prostitution we see in the city. We are also reflecting on who's right it is to stop the prostitution (seeing as it is deeply imbedded in the culture and poverty of the country) and the other factors behind the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We are certainly 'learning outside the classroom.'

The other half of the group went to the zoo to pet hippos and feed elephants. They were led by Lori (Lemming) and her Thai friend. Most of them mentioned the five foot fence between them and the Bengal Tigers as being . . . 'exciting!'

We are met up at the hotel (has anyone mentioned the talking birds in the garden???? They're Grrreeaattt!) and went to Sawasdees a Karaoke lunch buffet. What could be better? Karaoke with the 'Tony Bennett of Thailand and an all-you-can-eat buffet. My dad (Papa Exel) did an excellent rendition of 'Blue Moon' and won the prize of a two hour massage. The team sang 'Leaving on a Jet Plane,' which promptly mad most of us a bit sad for friends and family that we are often thinking about while so far from home.

The last event I will talk about is none other than our first basketball game. Eric Seegers (Bridgy's older brother who really wants to get his name on the web page) tells me the score was 45-21; our victory. As you may be able to tell from my non-memory of the score, the game was not about the point spread. We were far more interested in mingling and mixing with the Thai players after the game, than paying attention to the score. A good time was had by all (they served fruit and water-->free for the crowd and players at half-time, something Carleton might consider doing next year ;-) including the parents who played a quarter against their coaches and some other people. The teak floor was slippery, but I think we enjoyed seeing our fathers, brothers and coaches play just as much as playing ourselves. Something inside me knows that I am very lucky to play this game. It crossed my mind that if I had stopped playing this game at any point in my life (the going wasn't always easy) or for some reason I had missed Carleton, I wouldn't be here playing and more importantly learning right now. Yea for serendipity and whatever being you chose to believe in or not believe in above.

One last thing-->we always sing "The Gambler' after a win. A long standing tradition that not many people know about. We did by far our best rendition today in the back of a pick-up truck (a see-law-->completely safe to ride in. Everyone on the busy street was staring, but we sang our hearts out!

I'll be on my way now. Sarah will bring you news about our next dinner and day soon. Hugs for everyone. Enjoy the pictures, we'll be home soon. Much love, Kathleen