The Journey Begins (5/22-26)

I had hoped to have this blog up and running before I left the States, but in the end-of the-semester whirlwind of finals, papers, move-out, an IRC orientation in New York, and pre-departure preparations...it didn’t happen. I flew out of JFK on Friday morning, May 22 (EST), and have now been in Mae Hong Son 3 nights. From my flight via Tokyo, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai to my arrival in Mae Hong Son and 첫출근 (first day of work), I’ve covered pages and pages of journal space, and it would be too tedious (for both you and me) to recount all my adventures and thoughts in that 5-day span. So here are just the highlights...

[A Brief Introduction]
I am a rising 2L (that is, a second-year law student), and I am working in Thailand this summer through a 10-week internship with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a non-profit organization that provides relief to refugee and post-conflict populations in the form of healthcare, education, resettlement support, development, sexual and domestic violence protection and prevention, and legal assistance.

I am living in the municipality of Mae Hong Son (MHS), a tiny town very close to the Thai-Burmese border in northern Thailand, in a province of the same name (clarification in case you want to Google it). The IRC has established a Legal Assistance Center (LAC) here to serve 2 nearby Burmese refugee camps with a total population of approximately 23,000 people and comprised of various Burmese ethnic minorities. My role as the Rule of Law intern is to implement and evaluate a Community Service Order (CSO) program, which seeks to offer an alternative punishment to detention by way of assigning community service work—as its name indicates—to perpetrators of minor criminal offenses (petty theft, drunkenness, domestic violence, etc.) This is one of several methods that fall under the label alternative justice or restorative justice (AJ/RJ) and should not be unfamiliar to most of you, as it is well-established in most Western criminal justice systems. The program will be piloted in the larger (and closer) of the two camps served by LAC. I'll talk much more about the camps in the coming weeks, so I won't get into details now. Some other projects by the Rule of Law team include writing up a camp constitution (which was concluded just this month!) and establishing a criminal code.

[Thailand in General]
For all of you geographically challenged folks out there (basically everyone who grew up in the States—myself included!), here’s a very basic map of the region.

Thankfully, I missed the summer months, when high temperatures average in the 100s, but I arrived just in time for rainy season, when you can expect brilliant, blazing hot sunshine one moment and a sudden downpour the next! I’ve learned to carry my umbrella with me everywhere I go. The heat and humidity can be oppressive—my first afternoon here, the sweat would run down the backs of my legs even when I was standing still--but my body is quickly adjusting, and my room and office are equipped with excellent fans and A/C units.

I was unimpressed with Bangkok, where I spent my first night in Thailand—the city is simply too vast, with its dingy, uninspired office buildings and massive concrete overpasses. But I suppose my perceptions are colored by my misadventures there, which involved a taxi driver who didn’t speak a lick of English and an ugly bruise resulting from a less than graceful entrance into the hotel lobby.

From Bangkok, I flew to Chiang Mai, which I absolutely loved—it is the perfect size for a city, balancing both urban sophistication and traditional charm, not to mention the fabulous shopping! Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take pictures during my two-hour layover there. As it’s only a 30-minute plane ride from MHS, I expect to spend several weekends there!

[Life in Mae Hong Son]
Contrary to what some of you thought, I am not sleeping under mosquito nets in makeshift tents! (The closer of the two camps is about an hour's drive from MHS.) The town of MHS is a fairly popular tourist destination, known for its temples and beautiful mountainous landscape. I’m currently staying in this guest house, which is simple but clean, well-furnished, and well-situated.

Based on my rather primitive map (which I have reason to believe is not entirely accurate), the town boasts one cute little airport, one hospital, one gas station, one car dealership (Isuzu), a handful of traffic lights, several 7-Elevens, and a disproportionate number of banks, guest houses, eateries, and cafes. I achieved the impossible by getting lost not once, but twice (in my defense, Thai street names are completely incomprehensible...). The town is so small that pretty much everyone knows each other, and the expat/NGO community is particularly close-knit. After dinner my first night in town, Sheila (my IRC supervisor) and I ran into quite a few of her fellow NGO friends and even stopped to have drinks with a couple of them at their favorite bar/hangout. The cost of living is ridiculously low—my meals here so far have ranged from 15-40 Baht, which translates into about $.50 to a little over $1.00! Places that are frequented by tourists are pricier, but we're still talking a couple bucks, tops! And the food is delish!

The town is unbelievably safe. Girls can walk around late at night without ever feeling threatened. I’m far more preoccupied with not stepping on the squat, fat toads hopping in and out of the street (or the ones that are no longer hopping after having met an untimely demise...); the giant snails the size of my fist, which also don’t stand a chance against the ubiquitous motorbikes; or the small geckos that dart about in a startling fashion, making squeaking noises and feasting on moths (think Kuzco in the jungle...). [Photo Caption: This little guy looks huge, but they're really only about 4" long.] They’re all harmless, as are the motley assortment of stray dogs that roam about and bark at late-night passersby, but I still have to gather up my courage before venturing out into this strange jungle world that emerges once evening descends. Mosquitoes don’t seem to be nearly as big of a problem here as the CDC made them out to be...I definitely didn't need the mosquito net I bought at R.E.I. back in the States, although I probably shouldn't have neglected to eat my malaria pill and put on insect repellent this morning!

The Thai language, a tonal language with five tones, is impossible. I managed to mangle the only 2 phrases I know: “Khap khun kha” means thank you, and “sa wat dee kha,” which is the standard greeting. The other night, I told the banana crepe (“rotee”) vendor “khap dee kha," which probably doesn't mean anything—doh! I just can’t seem to keep all the vowels and syllables straight. And I still haven't gotten the hang of wai-ing (Thai gesture of respect when greeting) instead of 인사-ing (bowing).

The other day, I decided to take a different way home (okay, so maybe the truth is I got a little lost...), and stumbled upon a gorgeous sight. Apparently, Jong Kham Lake and two wat (temples), which grace many a Thai postcard, are a couple minutes’ walking distance from where I live! One of the things I love most about Thailand is the COLOR. So many shades of pink and purple, orange and red...so many beautiful tropical flowers and lush green vegetation! This will be a wonderful place to go early in the morning with my Bible and journal and prepare for the day. ☺

[Work]
I am really enjoying the work I’m doing. My supervisor Sheila, a beautiful Indian woman from Canada, is simply wonderful. (Check back for pictures from her dinner party!) I couldn’t have asked for a more down-to-earth, genuine, thoughtful, capable supervisor! She’s given me a lot of independence and responsibility, while at the same time making herself very available should I need or want more support or guidance. As a result, I feel really invested in the CSO project, which I know is not true of many internship experiences. While there are a lot of (seemingly insurmountable) challenges to the success of the pilot program, I’m really excited to be involved in something so experimental. The IRC’s LAC project—to create an independent justice system within the refugee camp setting—is the first of its kind. My LAC colleagues, many of whom are Thai or Burmese nationals, are all very warm and welcoming.

The Thai people in general are so unbelievably friendly and open and generous and hospitable. Monday night, I ventured out on a quest for an umbrella, toothpaste, and dinner, and on the way back, I somehow found myself on the opposite side of town (which really isn’t all that far, but it was dark and rainy...). I stopped in a clothing shop and asked the girls there for directions. What I got was a lift home and a couple new Thai friends!

[Reflections]
1L at a place like HLS was a deeply humbling experience, and being a brand-new intern isn't completely unlike that experience. But being a deaf, mute, and ignorant foreigner is humbling in an entirely different way. Learning to laugh at myself more, not to take myself so seriously.

And I am learning to keep things in perspective, which is always a good lesson. Things like spilled milk (or spilled coffee, as the case may be!) are only bad if you let them get to you. I have much to be thankful for...for goodness' sake, I’m in Thailand!

Oy...this turned out to be longer than expected. Mind you, this is the distilled version—there’s much more I could have said! If you made it through, thanks for taking the time to read! I hope it was more or less clear, especially the law stuff. You’ll have to forgive me if this wasn’t very coherent—I’m writing this at 4 in the morning (local time), because I’m still suffering from jetlag. And if you just looked at the pictures, I’ll forgive you, so long as you promise to leave comments and keep in touch (unless you’re my mother or Rebecca, in which case, I expect you to faithfully read every last word!). ;P