scootering around

I hired a scooter today with a scottish backpacker I've met, and we rode up Doi Suthep mountain to see a buddhist temple there. Doi Suthep mountain rises up at the edge of Chiang Mai, about 16km ride to the top, it has a great view of the city if the cloud isn't too low. The road was great, perfect road for motorbikes, winding up and down. Once at Doi Suthep, we climbed a billion stairs to get to the temple. I haven't been to a buddhist temple before, so I didn't have much clue about the significance of certain things. For starters, they wouldn't let me in until I covered my knees, so I had to wear a thai wraparound skirt-thing over my shorts. Then we spent almost an hour wandering around hundreds of golden statues, people holding incense and orchids and praying, wreaths of flowers and money boxes. It would have been better if I had someone thai and buddhist with me to explain the significance of it all, because it meant very little to me. Back in town in the afternoon, and there were a few short but heavy showers. I'm enjoying new independance with this scooter, I won't want to return it tomorrow!

On other news, I'm helping a thai woman get some specifics organised to start a cafe opposite the Chiang Mai Uni, and I'm learning how to use my camera properly by taking some photos of handicrafts made by thai women with HIV, that they might be able to use for promotional material. I feel pretty blessed to have connected with quite a few good people to show me around, take me around, let me stay, have a coffee, see live music, or chat! Gods looking out for me once again.

uploading

due to my natural patience with technology and overwhelming skill with programs and applications and what-not, I've decided to upload picys to facebook (its easier me thinks), had hoped to blog 'em but I think its all too hard. Besides, I've just spent a good few hours just to pick them, desize them and upload them....a selection that gives you a bit of an idea of Chiang Mai thus far.

I've moved out of Lighthouse guesthouse after 10 days there. Staying with my new friend Bui, who is a thai girl with a major aussie accent, guess you get that when you learn english from aussies! The americans I meet keep asking me if I'm a kiwi (sigh). Went to the Sunday night walking street markets yesterday. They are so huge! I spent a good amount of baht there, which felt so good, its been the first non grocery shop for me :P The thai seem to know how to do markets, its how they shop.

Chiang Mai is alive with colour at night. So many venues to hang out at, groovy bars, fantastic music, bustling with people. I'm so glad to have my new toy (sony a200) to try and capture it all. Haven't done too much of the touristy things yet, so will try and do that this week.

business4transformation

So I'm at the "business as mission" conference this week. There's about 80 people there, from various countries with all sorts of stories and experiences to share. I've chatted with a guy teaching business in Bosnia, a couple from the sunshine coast franchising TESOL, heard about people starting cafes and handicrafts businesses, running factories and doing community development. I feel somewhat out of my depth, like a newbie with not much to offer, but I'm pretty much there to learn and network. Hearing about how business is as much a calling as any other resonates with me. I'd love to see the church recognise and bless people in their vocations, rather than having people drawn to work in churches.

If I felt like there was not much business/community development opportunity to be found in Australia, it feels like the direct opposite here. I've spoken to a lady who wants to set up a cafe near Chiang Mai uni, particularly to create a safe place to relate with homosexuals and prostitutes. I spoke to a guy who's about to open a cafe in a village in China, and one of the speakers at the conference said I could visit his cafe in Peru and see what they do. Now, its like I've dipped my toe into a huge pool, where to go, what to do? I wish I had a business & community development plan of my own, that I could show all the experts at the conference, refine it and get it going, but I'm just not there yet.

I've also been reading some of Hebrews, which has overlapped with other things I've read and heard just in the last few days, funny how God does that. About how to walk in faith, like the ancients did, letting go of the weights that hold you back for journeying with God. Speaking of journey with God, I was encouraged today to do the things that I love and I'm wired for, and not get uptight about "is this Gods will or not?????", but to seek him first and trust him for everything and step out in faith doing whats in my heart.

24 hrs in Chiang Mai

So I've had a day in Chiang Mai! I woke up this morning thinking "What the hell am I doing here?" but as the day wore on I felt more relaxed about it. I think it was that I'm here on my own, away from the familiar. Its funny, I haven't been overseas since Chile 2.5 years ago, and now that I'm in another foreign country, the spanish phrases I knew are coming right back to me. I think "Gracias" rather than "Khorp kun kar", or "Hola" instead of "So wa ti kar". I really need to pick up some Thai! Its been great so far, riding around in Tuk tuks (built in bikes) and Sawngthaew (sitting in the back of utes with a canopy), pushbikes and on the back of a motorbike. We pay about 25 Baht per trip from one side of the city to another which is A$1. We usually eat a meal for about 30 Baht if its thai (western meals cost more, but who wants to eat western when you're in Thailand?). The guesthouse is basic but comfortable, and I'm staying here with a few Christians from other parts of the world (the UK, America, Nicaragua & Thailand). Its used mostly to accomodate people who are visiting Thailand or staying longer term to do mission work, like working with youth, sharing Jesus with the "lady-boys" or helping in an orphanage.

Today I dropped into the office of Create International (who make movies about Gods story for unreached people groups), my friend Jaz works there. And this evening we spent some time at "Won Generation" a youth hang out place near the uni (where they hope to start up the cafe). After that, we saw the movie "Angels and Demons", which was alright (I haven't actually seen Da Vinci code yet though) The thai are apparently pretty proud of their royal family, and at the movies we all had to stand while they played the Kings song, which was like a little mini slideshow tribute to the King! Pretty funny, but I best not say derogatory things about royalty if I value my life!

It's the start of the wet season, so its interesting to be in singlet and shorts in the rain, I'm not sad about this at all! I'm hoping for some sunshine over the weekend to allow for some rock climbing and hoping to do some shopping at the Sunday markets and meet up to chat with some people in business and community development. Looking forward to getting hold of a motorbike to get around. While I haven't been in peak hour traffic yet, the way the thais do it cracks me up. I think I could fit in alright over here. They just push their way through. Apparently, if you don't make any sudden movements, just go with the flow, people just drive along anticipating each other! Mo-peds and motorbikes are everywhere, without helmets (don't worry Dad, I was wearing one!) and often 2 or more people on each.

While at Create International, we watched a couple of dvds they'd made, to make people aware of social justice issues and what people are doing in unreached countries in the world. I was inspired by a canadian girl my age who is a midwife in the middle east, and a Perth boy whos been to Thailand and is part of a team trying to raise money and awareness to save children from being sold into sex slavery. The thing that both of them echoed was that "to live is Christ and to die is gain", which is out of chapter 1 of Philippians. Not meaning that we're better to be dead, but to allow God to have his way in our lives, instead of us concentrating on building our own personal success. Figuring out the things that matter most, that really matter most, the things that are close to Gods heart.

leaving sydney

While I wait (yes, I did have time left to wait) to board my flight to Bangkok, my heart is at rest! iT was a hectic 24 hrs getting ready to go. In my typical Sarah style, most things that could happen happened that I didn't have time for. Due to a lack of travel experience and not reading the fine print properly, I didn't send my original passport to the Thai consulate, and so they didn't grant me a 2 month visa! As I didn't want to be potentially stranded at Bangkok airport with no visa and no return flight, I booked a quick flight to Singapore in 30 days time, just so I looked legit. Then the vaccination script I had was Havrix and not Twinrex (oh well), then the nurse wasn't in that day at Macquarie Medical Centre, so I had to get shot up at Chatswood at 8:30pm. Then before hitting up the airport I fumbled my lock combination and couldn't work out the code (its ok, fixed now), so my bag was ingenously secured by Dad (and it did stay that way). Most people I've met along the way to pick up this or get that for my trip start shaking their heads at my last-minuteness, and I promise myself I won't put myself through this stress again (Dad records this statement). I must say a huge thank you to my amazing Mum and Dad, who helped me get my gear in order so I could fly out of the country. And thanks to all the friends who farewelled me this week, its been so fun. Now I have about 9 hours to learn some Thai and contain the excitment (Rob, I have already done one of those "crazy Georgia" poses trying to keep it in!) Is anyone feeling as excited as me?

2009....year of limbo

I've found my old blogspot page again. I didn't last very long with it last time (just over 2 years ago), but I've just bought a flight to Thailand today, and I thought I'd like to blog my journey that will be the next 2 months.

2009 has been a year of waiting for me. I've ben finishing up at Gloria Jeans for the last four months, but not sure whats doing next. I almost went through the NT by myself in a 4wd, then I tried for Thailand, and now after much waiting...Thailand is happening! I'm going to Chiang Mai in ten days to a business as mission conference. I'm hoping to gain some exposure to integrating business and community development in a developing context, and to meet people who already practise it; and hopefully work alongside them! I've never been to Asia before, so its an exciting adventure, that will likely involve some climbing, motorbike riding, meeting all sorts of people and who knows what else!?!

Its also been a bit of a journey for me and God. I'm not a patient person, and I'm fairly self driven, so I think God has used this experience to teach me a thing or two: namely, to rely on him alone, and be content to wait for his timing. I'm sure I'll relearn this lesson several times over in my lifetime. Realising also that ambition and self fulfillment have been subtly near and dear to my heart, and trying to let go has, and still is somewhat painful, but I'm getting there. Is this all too personal for a blog? Oh well, take it or leave it....