Dipabhavan Meditation Center, Koh Samui

Observations about my participation at the Dipabhavan Meditation Center, Koh Samui, Thailand.  February 2024

Dipabhavan Meditation Center is a branch of the Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery, Surat Thani founded by Buddhadasa Bhikku.  The type of Buddhism practiced is from the Theravada school. Link:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa

Expectations for the Retreat -

  • Silence - no talking during the 6 full days of practice.

  • No phones, computers or similar technology allowed when at retreat.

  • Attendance at all meditation sessions.

  • Eat two (vegetarian) meals per day.

  • Volunteer for one chore per day.

Mediation Practice -

Four 45 minute sitting meditations sessions and four 45 minute walking meditation sessions throughout the day.  In addition, there is an hour of yoga instruction in the morning and 1 - 2 hours of Buddhist and Meditation instruction from the resident monk and volunteers through out day.

Meals and free-time:

There were three two-hour breaks throughout the day.  Breaks included a meal time (breakfast and lunch) or in the evening (tea). We cleaned our own bowls and cups after meals. Everyone is expected to volunteer for a chore, I chose to clean and wipe the dining room tables after breakfast. This took about 20 minutes to complete after everyone finished breakfast.  Break times were used to complete hygiene and personal tasks, clothes washing, as well as rest.  We slept from 9:30 pm to 4:30 am.

My experience:

  • My meditation practice improved as time went on.  Best days were day 4 and 5.

  • I was very comfortable with the silence.

  • I found that it did not challenge me to have my phone locked up for the 6 days.

  • The biggest struggle was sitting for 45 minutes without pain and discomfort in my legs or hips.

This type of meditation retreat is not easy.  Your mind is like a wild animal needing to be tamed.  It wants to look to the future, reflect on the past or simply be entertained.  It wants to tell you you have an itch you better scratch it - NOW.  Or you have this feeling or thought, you have respond to it (vs just observing it).  I found it best to handle this with simple acceptance that my mind will wonder, and when you notice it running away, simply return to the practice meditation. As the practice improved throughout the week, I experienced immense calm relaxation.

Teachings -

Meditation Practice was taught by western volunteers, which included instruction on sitting posture, leg positions, and the meditation practice of breathing.  For this course, the instruction started with long breath, then moved to short breath and then focus and concentration on an object.  The concentration object was to focus on the tip of your nose and the in and out of the breath.  Instruction also included walking meditation, where you tried to be mindful of the foot and leg movement as you walked. There was additional practice information posted for us to read.  (I have included some below).

Three Marks of Existence  were taught by the resident Monk.  His job at the monastery is to help translate Buddhadasa’s teachings into English and provide retreat talks.

Three Characteristics / Marks of Existence that were taught:

  • Anicca - Impermanence (Everything changes)

  • Dukkaha - Unsatisfactory, Unease or Suffering.  That is, our attachments in the physical world are the cause of our unease, our dissatisfaction and our suffering.

  • Anatta - Everything is without lasting essence.  We are not self. There is no unchanging or permanent self or soul.

The monk spoke several times that the concept of re-birth or re-incarnation was never mentioned in the original Buddha’s teaching. (Buddhasdasa, the Wat Suan Mohk Thai Monk, also taught this).

The monk spoke about Anatta - as non-duality, that the self is not-separate from the rest of our existence. Conversely, when we experience the physical world, we are taught from a young age, about this duality.  Such as, this is me and self and that the other, over there and not me.  But the Buddhist teaching is that everything is impermanent, and therefore, there is “not self.” It seems possible that this is similar with other religious teaching, such as “God is everywhere.”

Ignorance is when you are not mindful or aware of these three essences or characteristics - Anicca, Dukkaha and Anatta.

We chanted in the Pali language. Chanting was historically started as a way for the Buddha’s teachings to be passed on from generation to generation.  The center provided chanting books, that had English translation, while the monk explained the chant in more detail.

The Monk also lead a Metta Loving-Kindness meditation after the chanting.  He cited Sharon Salzberg as an example of what he followed.  He referenced her several times as a source of this practice.

https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/store/p/lovingkindness-meditation

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In summary - my learning, the teachings and thoughts are:

A) To be mindful of the three Buddhists essences as I re-enter the physical world.  Meditation is the practice that will help clear the mind in order to observe the physical world with more clarity.

B) The experience at the meditation retreat was like living in a bubble.  But the bubble was porous and the physical world kept creeping in, as my mind would want to wander.

C) Going forward, I want to be mindful of challenging responses in the physical world.  For example when I experience anger, it is most likely a response to an attachment (Dukkaha). Being mindful and aware that it is not permanent (Annica) and that the anger will soon disappear as I observe it. Observing and being aware of difficult emotions as we live in the physical world, in my observation, is similar to many aspects of western mental health practice.

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Link to Dipabhavan Meditation Center - in Koh Samui.

https://dipabhavan.weebly.com/

Link to Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery and Organization

https://www.suanmokkh.org/suanmokkh

https://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/

This is a link to Santikaro - the American Monk, who taught at Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery, Surat Thani when I visited it in 1985.

https://cloudmountain.org/profile/santikaro/

Participants of the February 20 - 27th meditation retreat at Dipabhavan Meditation Center

Meditation Hall

Meditation Practice Instructions - presented at Dipabhavan Meditation Center

Questions from Battle Creek Elementary School Answered - คำถามจากโรงเรียนประถมศึกษา Battle Creek ตอบแล้ว

What do students do on weekends to help their families? นักเรียนทำอะไรในช่วงสุดสัปดาห์เพื่อช่วยเหลือครอบครัวของพวกเขา?

What type of food do you eat at school?   คุณทานอาหารประเภทไหนที่โรงเรียน?

Students at Ban Ton Phueng eat Rice with a curry or gravy put over the rice or Noodles often in a soup. - นักเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งกินข้าวแกงหรือน้ำเกรวี่ราดข้าวหรือบะหมี่ที่มักใส่ในซุป

1) Noodle Soup ซุปก๋วยเตี๋ยว

2) Rice with curry ข้าวแกง

3) Khao Soi - A Northern Thailand favorite - curry noodle soup ข้าวซอย - เมนูยอดนิยมของชาวภาคเหนือ - ซุปก๋วยเตี๋ยวแกง

Question - Students at Battle Creek Elementary have school spirit activities - does Ban Ton Phueng have anything similar? คำถาม - นักเรียนประถมศึกษาแบตเทิลครีกมีกิจกรรมทางจิตวิญญาณของโรงเรียน - บ้านต้นผึ้งมีอะไรคล้ายกันหรือไม่?

Every morning Ban Ton Phueng students play the national anthem and raise the Thai flag. They also have an morning school assembly. ทุกเช้านักเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งจะร้องเพลงชาติและชักธงไทย พวกเขายังมีการประชุมโรงเรียนภาคเช้าด้วย

Question - Do Ban Ton Phueng students play an instrument? คำถาม - นักเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งเล่นเครื่องดนตรีได้หรือไม่?

They also play school instruments during this time.  The three primary instruments are the melodica, xylophone and drums. พวกเขายังเล่นเครื่องดนตรีของโรงเรียนในช่วงเวลานี้ด้วย เครื่องดนตรีหลัก 3 ชนิด ได้แก่ เมโลดิกา ระนาด และกลอง

What is your school schedule? คำถาม - ตารางเรียนของคุณเป็นอย่างไรบ้าง?

Ban Ton Phueng school starts at 8 am and ends at 4 pm.  They have 6 periods per day.  There are 283 students that attend Ban Ton Phueng school - including Kindergarten thru 6th grade.   Plus they have 3 middle school grads - they are called Mattoum 1 - 3 which is equivalent to grades 7 - 9.

โรงเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้ง เริ่มเวลา 8.00 น. และสิ้นสุดเวลา 16.00 น. พวกเขามี 6 ช่วงเวลาต่อวัน มีนักเรียนที่เข้าเรียนในโรงเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้ง จำนวน 283 คน รวมทั้งชั้นอนุบาลถึงชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 6 นอกจากนี้ พวกเขายังมีผู้สำเร็จการศึกษาระดับมัธยมศึกษาตอนต้นอีก 3 คน เรียกว่า มัตตูม 1 - 3 ซึ่งเทียบเท่ากับเกรด 7 - 9

What fun activities do you do at school? คุณทำกิจกรรมสนุกๆ ที่โรงเรียนอะไรบ้าง?

Students at Ban Ton Phueng have day camps (similar to like boy and girl scout outings) where they go to a park and learn outdoor skills, they also have sports day where they will meet with other schools in the area and play games such as soccer (called football in Thailand), and volleyball.  They also take field trips - in the last year they went to a water park in Chiang Mai and they went to a  science museum in Chiang Mai.

นักเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งมีเดย์แคมป์ (คล้ายกับลูกเสือหญิง) โดยไปที่สวนสาธารณะและเรียนรู้ทักษะกลางแจ้ง นอกจากนี้ยังมีวันกีฬาสีที่จะพบปะกับโรงเรียนอื่นๆ ในพื้นที่และเล่นเกมต่างๆ เช่น ฟุตบอล (เรียกว่าฟุตบอลในประเทศไทย) และวอลเลย์บอล พวกเขายังได้ไปทัศนศึกษาด้วย โดยเมื่อปีที่แล้วพวกเขาไปสวนน้ำที่เชียงใหม่ และได้ไปพิพิธภัณฑ์วิทยาศาสตร์ที่เชียงใหม่

Do you have recess? คุณมีเวลาพักบ้างไหม?

Students at Ban Ton Phueng school like to play games and sports during their free time.  They also like to do crafts.  นักเรียนโรงเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งชอบเล่นเกมและเล่นกีฬาในช่วงเวลาว่าง พวกเขายังชอบทำงานฝีมืออีกด้วย

Typical games they like to play are: เกมทั่วไปที่พวกเขาชอบเล่นคือ:

Volleyball วอลเลย์บอล

Football (American soccer) ฟุตบอล (อเมริกันฟุตบอล) และเซปักตะกร้อ (เกมก็เหมือนเตะวอลเล่ย์บอลแล้วเล่นโดยใช้ลูกบอลรัตติกาล)

Sepak takraw. (Game is like kick volleyball and played with ratan ball).

Do you wear the same uniforms every day?  Yes. คุณสวมเครื่องแบบเหมือนเดิมทุกวันหรือไม่? ใช่.

Ban Ton Phueng students are provided uniforms for each day of the week. นักเรียนบ้านต้นผึ้งจะได้รับชุดเครื่องแบบในแต่ละวันของสัปดาห์

Monday - white school uniform วันจันทร์ - ชุดนักเรียนสีขาว

Tuesday - pink workshop uniform วันอังคาร - ชุดเวิร์คช็อปสีชมพู

Wednesday - sports clothes วันพุธ - ชุดกีฬา

Thursday - scout uniform (no photo)

Friday - traditional clothes วันศุกร์ - เสื้อผ้าแบบดั้งเดิม

Do you have books in your classroom? What things are in your classroom? What kinds of books do you like to read about? คุณมีหนังสือในห้องเรียนของคุณหรือไม่? ในห้องเรียนของคุณมีอะไรบ้าง? คุณชอบอ่านหนังสือประเภทไหน?

Ban Ton Phueng has a small library. The students have text books for the various subjects they have to study - for example - math, science, and language they have text books they can access at school. บ้านต้นผึ้งมีห้องสมุดขนาดเล็ก นักเรียนมีหนังสือเรียนสำหรับวิชาต่างๆ ที่ต้องเรียน เช่น คณิตศาสตร์ วิทยาศาสตร์ และภาษา มีหนังสือเรียนที่โรงเรียนเข้าถึงได้

What kinds of fruits, vegetable, and plants are grown in Fang, Thailand? ผลไม้ ผัก และพืชชนิดใดที่ปลูกในอำเภอฝาง ประเทศไทย?

Fruits: Orange, Strawberry, Longan, Lychee, Durian, Mango, Banana

ผลไม้: ส้ม, สตรอเบอร์รี่, ลำไย, ลิ้นจี่, ทุเรียน, มะม่วง, กล้วย

Grains and Vegatables: Rice Corn Potato Onion Tomato Chili Pepper Lettuce

ธัญพืชและผัก: ข้าว ข้าวโพด มันฝรั่ง หัวหอม มะเขือเทศ พริก พริกไทย ผักกาดห

Photos of a rice field and corn field ภาพถ่ายทุ่งนาและทุ่งข้าวโพด

How hot does it get in Fang? ที่ฝางจะร้อนขนาดไหน?

The hot season lasts from mid-March to mid-May with average temperatures in Fang above 91F - 32.8C and lows at night in the low 70 F / 22C. ฤดูร้อนเริ่มตั้งแต่กลางเดือนมีนาคมถึงกลางเดือนพฤษภาคม โดยมีอุณหภูมิเฉลี่ยในฝางสูงกว่า 91F - 32.8C และต่ำสุดในเวลากลางคืนที่ 70 F / 22C

The cold months are mid-November to mid-January.  January is the coldest month with average low of 56 F / 13.3 C and high of 81 F / 27 C. ฤดูหนาวคือช่วงกลางเดือนพฤศจิกายนถึงกลางเดือนมกราคม มกราคมเป็นเดือนที่หนาวที่สุด โดยมีอุณหภูมิต่ำสุดเฉลี่ย 56 F / 13.3 C และสูงสุด 81 F / 27 C

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Do you have to wear your hair a certain way for school? คุณต้องไว้ผมแบบใดแบบหนึ่งเมื่อไปโรงเรียนหรือไม่?

Girls can have long hair but it must be braided while at school. เด็กผู้หญิงไว้ผมยาวได้แต่ต้องถักเปียตอนไปโรงเรียน

Boys must have short cut hair style. เด็กผู้ชายจะต้องมีทรงผมสั้น

Other questions  - คำถามอื่นๆ  -

Do you have homework? คุณมีการบ้านไหม? Yes - teachers give students homework assignments. ใช่ ครูให้การบ้านแก่นักเรียน

Do you have iPads? คุณมีไอแพดไหม? No - but the students have access to a computer resource room. (iPads are expensive for Thai families - hence most are not able to purchase). ไม่ได้ - แต่นักเรียนสามารถเข้าใช้ห้องทรัพยากรคอมพิวเตอร์ได้ (iPad มีราคาแพงสำหรับครอบครัวชาวไทย - คนส่วนใหญ่จึงไม่สามารถซื้อได้)

Do you do yoga? คุณเล่นโยคะไหม? No - but students at Bon Tan Phueng school do practice meditation; they will listen to a Buddhist monk teach them about meditation. ไม่ แต่นักเรียนโรงเรียนบนตันผึ้งฝึกสมาธิ พวกเขาจะฟังพระภิกษุสอนเกี่ยวกับการทำสมาธิ

Burger Day - January 23rd, 2024

On January 23rd staff at Ban Ton Phueng School served burgers, fried chicken, french fries and soft drink to students at Ban Ton Phueng School plus students were taught to order in English. Below are photos from the day. The students appreciated the burgers very much.

Burger Day stall

Trip to Macron to purchase food for Burger Day.

Frying Chicken Wings

Preparing vegetables for Burger Day.

Providing instruction to make Burger order and make a purchase in the English Language.

Happy Students at Burger Day

Volunteering at Ban Ton Phueng School

In January 2024, teacher Brad and teacher Lee Hoon volunteered at a public school, named Ban Ton Phueng in rural Fang, northern Thailand. We were invited by the school director Sriwan. The school is located in a farming community where oranges, rice, corn and vegetables are the main crops. Most of the students come from families who have migrated from neighboring Myanmar (formerly Burma) to work in the agriculture sector in Fang. Almost all of the students speak Tai Yai and Dara Ang at home with a sprinkling of other languages such as Lahu and Akha. As such the Thai language is the second language and English is a distant third language for these students. The school has about 285 students in kindergarten through ninth grade. Our goal was to help the teachers with teaching the English Language to the students as well as show them a bit of American culture.

Morning Assembly for Students

Morning stretches and exercises for students

Teacher Brad co-taught with teacher Jome, Grades 6 through 9. He shared aspects of American culture, via a virtual tour of the Statue of Liberty and provided a brief history of two animal icons - the American Bison and Bald Eagle. He also taught how to use the phone applications of Google Translate, with the hope it might expand the students’ English language skills in the future. Brad also introduced the sport of “Ultimate” flying disc which the students enjoyed tremendously.  Thailand has a flying disc association and the students in Fang can now learn how to play this non-contact, fast paced game.

Teacher Jome and Teacher Brad with students during the first week of volunteering.

Students play Ultimate for the first time.

Teacher Lee-Hoon co-taught with two Thai teachers who teach English in Grades 1 through 5.  She focused on listening and speaking skills for grades one through three with Teacher Khimm. The main teaching strategy is active learning that incorporates movement through songs. For the fourth and fifth graders, Lee-Hoon co-taught with Teacher Auea focusing on reading and beginning writing skills.

Students learning the Hokey - Pokey (above) and Singing Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes (below)

Plus we were able to attend a few community activities - such as Children’s Day on January 13th.

Battle Creek Elementary student responses and questions for Ban Ton Phueng Students

Battle Creek Elementary School - Videos and Questions

Battle Creek Elementary School - วิดีโอและคำถาม

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Teachers - ครู

Two teachers - Mrs. Choulamontry on the left teaches fourth grade writing, social studies and health.  Mrs. Xiong teaches students who speak English as a second or third language.

ครูสองคน - นางจุลมนตรีทางซ้าย สอนการเขียน ชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 สังคมศึกษา และสุขภาพ นางซีอองสอนนักเรียนที่พูดภาษาอังกฤษเป็นภาษาที่สองหรือสาม

The students in this video have the permission of their parents to be recorded. Also, the students volunteered to speak and be video-taped.

นักเรียนในวิดีโอนี้ได้รับอนุญาตจากผู้ปกครองในการบันทึก นอกจากนี้นักศึกษายังอาสาพูดและบันทึกเทปด้วย

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Technology that students at Battle Creek use - iPad เทคโนโลยีที่นักเรียนที่ Battle Creek ใช้ - iPad

Gracelyn is 10 years old. She tells us that all students at her school have iPads. Gracelyn uses her iPad to draw and chooses colors for her drawings. She asks “Do you guys have iPads at your school?”

เกรซลินอายุ 10 ปี เธอบอกเราว่านักเรียนทุกคนที่โรงเรียนของเธอมี iPad Gracelyn ใช้ iPad ของเธอในการวาดภาพและเลือกสีสำหรับภาพวาดของเธอ เธอถามว่า “พวกคุณมีไอแพดที่โรงเรียนหรือเปล่า?”

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Yoga

Jaini’la is in fourth grade and she does yoga at school. She shows us her favorite yoga pose. She asks “Do you guys do yoga in your class?”

Jaini'la อยู่ชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 และเธอเล่นโยคะที่โรงเรียน เธอแสดงท่าโยคะที่เธอชื่นชอบให้เราดู เธอถามว่า “พวกคุณเล่นโยคะในชั้นเรียนของคุณหรือไม่?”

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Hmong boy asking about school spirit

เด็กม้งถามถึงจิตวิญญาณของโรงเรียน

Silas is in fourth grade and he talks about School Spirit Week where each day has a special theme. Silas is Hmong and on Culture Day, he wears a traditional Hmong costume that has many silver coins. These coins jingle when Silas moves. He asks, “Do you guys have Spirit Week at your school?”

สิลาสอยู่ชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 และเขาพูดถึง School Spirit Week ซึ่งในแต่ละวันมีธีมพิเศษ สิลาสคือม้ง และในวันวัฒนธรรมเขาจะสวมชุดม้งแบบดั้งเดิมซึ่งมีเหรียญเงินจำนวนมาก เหรียญเหล่านี้จะส่งเสียงกริ๊งเมื่อสิลาสเคลื่อนไหว เขาถามว่า “พวกคุณมี Spirit Week ที่โรงเรียนของคุณหรือไม่?”

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Putting on snow pants

ใส่กางเกงลุยหิมะ

Hope shows us how she gets ready to go out to play during recess. It is cold now and so Hope wears her snow pants before she goes out.

โฮปแสดงให้เราเห็นว่าเธอพร้อมที่จะออกไปเล่นในช่วงพักอย่างไร ตอนนี้อากาศหนาว โฮปจึงสวมกางเกงกันหิมะก่อนออกไปข้างนอก

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Information about Battle Creek

ข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับแบตเทิลครีก

Due Chia is 10 years old and she talks about her school. It has 550 students and there are three classes of fourth grade students.

Due Chia อายุ 10 ขวบและเธอพูดถึงโรงเรียนของเธอ มีนักเรียน 550 คน และมีนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 จำนวน 3 ชั้นเรียน

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Recess At Battle Creek Elementary

พักผ่อนที่โรงเรียนประถมศึกษาแบตเทิลครีก

These two video shows students sitting on swings, climbing rope ladders and running during recess.  You can see some snow on the ground. วิดีโอทั้งสองนี้แสดงให้นักเรียนนั่งบนชิงช้า ปีนบันไดเชือก และวิ่งในช่วงพัก คุณสามารถเห็นหิมะอยู่บนพื้น

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Field Trip   ทัศนศึกษา

Yusra is a fourth grade student and she stands in front of a yellow school bus. Yusra will be going on a field trip to an art museum.  She shows us the paintings and other works of art at the museum.

ยุสราเป็นนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 และเธอยืนอยู่หน้ารถโรงเรียนสีเหลือง ยุสราจะไปทัศนศึกษาที่พิพิธภัณฑ์ศิลปะ เธอแสดงให้เราเห็นภาพวาดและงานศิลปะอื่นๆ ที่พิพิธภัณฑ์

Yusra asks, “ Do you go on field trips and where do you go?”ยุสราถามว่า “คุณไปทัศนศึกษาไหม และจะไปไหน”

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Last image is a group of fourth graders dressed up in their Super Hero costumes.

ภาพสุดท้ายคือกลุ่มนักเรียนชั้นประถมศึกษาปีที่ 4 แต่งกายด้วยชุดซูเปอร์ฮีโร่

Australia - Overview

Australia is an island continent in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also a large country that is just a little smaller than continental USA. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through the middle of this big, relatively flat country.

On Australia’s eastern flank is the Great Dividing Range. This mountain chain runs from Cape York Peninsula in the north to Melbourne in the south. It is about 4,000 feet high in most places with the highest peaks at over 7,000 feet in the south. Rising in the Great Dividing Range is the Murray-Darling River which is Australia’s largest river system. The river flows westward toward the interior of the continent.

The great flat interior region of Australia is known as the Outback. It is dry and consists mostly of scrubland and deserts with a sparse population who are predominantly of aboriginal heritage. In the middle of the Outback lies Uluru (formerly called Ayers Rock) which is a massive red sandstone island mountain. It is two miles long and over one thousand feet high. Uluru is a sacred spot for the aboriginal inhabitants of the Outback but it is a major attraction for tourists from around the world. The town of Alice Springs is in the middle of Australia and it is two hundred miles northeast of the sacred rock, Uluru.

In the northeastern waters of Australia lies the world’s largest barrier reef. Extending for some 1,600 miles and composing over 2,900 individual coral reefs and 900 islands, the Great Barrier Reef attracts millions of tourists annually. Visitors sail, snorkel or dive to see corals, fish, and other marine animals there.

Politically, Australia has six states and two territories. They are Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and West Australia. The territories are Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. Ninety percent of Australia’s population is concentrated in urban areas located along its eastern, southeastern and southwestern coasts. Sydney is the largest city while Canberra is the capital of the country. Other cities include Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Hobart.

Australia has a many resources and its economy is diversified and productive. It has huge reserves of coal, iron ore, gold, copper, nickel and other valuable minerals. Data from 2020-21 show the main economic sectors are mining at 10.6 percent, manufacturing at 5.9 percent, construction at 7.3 percent and agriculture, forestry and fishing at 2.6 percent. The largest sector is services at 65.7 percent and this category includes professional, scientific, finance, insurance, education, health, hospitality, retail, media and other activities. Australia is the sixteenth largest economy in the world.

Only 26 million people inhabit this large country (2022 data) and vast areas such as the Outback are sparsely populated. The first peoples of Australia or the aboriginals make up less than 5 percent of the population. Nearly 85 percent of Australians have European heritage either from English colonialism since 1788 or immigration especially in the 1940s. Greeks, Italians as well as British arrived in waves to settle in Australia. Later in 1970s when the official whites-only immigration policies ended Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans and South Asians arrived in greater numbers. Today, many big cities in Australia are dynamic cultural and economic hubs with residents and visitors from all around the globe. Many languages can be heard in the larger cities but English is the dominant language.

Photos from the State of Victoria and South Australia

Melbourne skyline

Twelve Apostles - view along the Great Ocean Road

Coonawarra - Wine Region - South Australia

Sunset at Victor Harbor - South Australia

Photos from Tasmania

Ruins of the Penitentiary at Port Arthur, a former Penal Colony in Tasmania

Russell Falls - Tasmania Island

Cradle Mountain in the distance with Dove Lake in the foreground, Tasmania

Wineglass Bay - Tasmania

Photos from New South Wales and Sydney environs

Sydney Skyline - Sydney Opera House in the foreground

Sunrise over Sydney Harbor - Photo taken from Sydney Harbor Bridge

Three Sisters, Blue Mountains, West of Sydney

Manly Beach, North Sydney

Unique Animals to Australia

Australia is home to unique animals that are usually not found in other countries except in zoos. Well-known animals including the kangaroo and koala are endemic to Australia and they have adapted to the environment.

Koala - It is easily recognizable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large protruding nose. Koalas are designed for living high up on Australia’s eucalypt trees. These marsupials are herbivores and they eat only eucalyptus leaves from under 50 of over 700 eucalypt tree species. Koalas have strong cartilage at the end of their curved spines which allows them to perch comfortably in the forks and nooks of tree branches.

Koala - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.

Kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Kangaroos are marsupials and female kangaroos have pouches to carry and nurse their joeys (baby kangaroos) before they can be independent. There are several types of Kangaroos in Australia and the one pictured below is the eastern grey kangaroo.

Kangaroo - photo taken at Grampian National Park, Victoria, Australia

Wallaby are similar to Kangaroos but they are much smaller marsupials. wallaby species are smaller than four feet but some can grow up to about six feet from the head to the end of the tail. Wallabies use their powerful hind legs to bound at high speeds, jump to great heights and also to kick at potential predators.

Wallaby - this photo was taken at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia

Pademelons are small, furry, hopping marsupials found only in Australia. They are some of the smallest members of the macropod family. This photo shows a Pademelon in Tasmania. Note that the pademolon is carrying a joey padamelon (i.e. baby).

Pademelon with joey - in pouch.  This photo was taken near Launceston, state of Tasmania, Australia

Tasmanian Devils are nocturnal marsupials who are also carnivores. They have a squat, thick build with a large head and a tail. The Tasmanian Devil has the most powerful bite relative to body size of any other mammal. Their powerful jaws let Devils crush the bones of dead animals that they feed on. Devils are dying in large numbers due to a facial cancer and they are only found living in the wild on the island state of Tasmania.

Tasmania Devil - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.

Echidnas are the only mammal besides platypuses to lay eggs. Echidnas use their long sticky tongues to catch termites. The “spines” on echidnas are actually long, tough, and hollow hairs. The spines are the echidnas main line of defense when predators strike. When threatened, they roll up into a ball of radiating spines to protect themselves or dig into the ground for safety. Due to the loss of habitat and overhunting, echidnas are endangered in the wild.

Echidnas - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.

Fairy Penguins are also called Little Penguin.  It is the smallest of the penguin species. These slate-blue birds are less than a foot tall and weigh about 2.5 pounds. These aquatic animals feed on krill, anchovies, sardines and small squid, spending up to 18 hours a day in coastal waters. Males and females form monogamous pair bonds and share chick-rearing duties.

Fairy Penguins - this photo was taken on a night time tour of a Penguin Rookery in Bichino, Tasmania, Australia. Red lighting was used instead of white light as it scares away the Penguins.

Platypus is sometimes called the duck-billed platypus.  Platypuses are ancient mammals and they have been around for 100 million years! The platypus and four species of echidna are the only egg-laying mammals in existence. With a duck-shaped bill, otter-like feet and a tail similar to a beaver, the platypus baffled naturalists who first came upon it. These shy mammals are usually only active at dawn and dusk. They rely on their sensitive bills to find food that includes insect larvae, freshwater shrimps and crayfish. Platypus are small with males weighing at around 3.5 pounds and females at around 2 pounds.  They build simple burrows just above water level in river banks and live among a tree roots.

Platypus photo was taken from Wikipedia.  The video below was taken by a fellow traveler on a tour of Tasmania, Australia.

Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials that are native to Australia. They are related to koalas and kangaroos. Unlike other marsupials, the pouches on wombats face the rear. This backward-facing pouch prevents soil from getting in when wombats dig with their sturdy feet and long thick claws. Wombats dig multi-chambered burrows called warrens for shelter.

Wombat - photo was taken from Wikipedia.

Malaysian and Singaporian Street Food

Eating street food (also called Hawker Food) is one of the best experiences when traveling in Malaysia and Singapore.  Here are some more examples and descriptions of Malaysian and Singaporean street food.

Nasi Lemak is a Malay dish that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and aromatic leaf called pandan. It is served with cucumber garnishes, small fried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts and a hard boiled egg (or fried egg). It is considered a national dish of Malaysia.

Nasi Lemak

Roti Chanai is a South Indian flatbread usually served with a dal (yellow lentils) sauce. Often other types of sauces including a tomato-based spicy sauce or spicy sauces thickened with coconut milk and small pieces of meat are available. You can also order Roti Telur which means they will fry an egg with the bread.

Roti Chanai

Satay is a Southeast Asian dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat served with a spicy peanut sauce.  The meats that are used in satay can be chicken, beef, goat, mutton (lamb), or even pork.

Satay

Ais Kacang (Ice Kacang) means “ice with red beans.” It is a popular and traditional Malaysian / Singapore dessert where shaved ice is mixed with various ingredients. Red-colored syrup and often evaporated milk is poured over the dish. Ais Kacang ingredients include attap seeds (from a type of palm tree), red adzuki beans, sweet creamed corn, grass jelly, roasted peanuts and cubes of agar agar (almost tastes like gelatin but has a firmer texture).

Ais (Ice) Kacang

Curry Mee is a spicy noodle soup. It consists of yellow wheat plus rice noodles in a spicy coconut milk broth. Common toppings include chicken, prawns, boiled egg, tofu, cuttlefish, cockles and mint leaves, and often pork blood. Curry mee is usually served with a side of spicy chili dip.

Curry Mee

Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of poached chicken and seasoned rice served with chili sauce and cucumber slices and herb garnishes. It is considered one of the national dishes in Singapore and is widely available in Southeast Asia.

Chicken Rice

Bak Kut Teh translates as “Meat Bone Tea” and it is a favorite dish among the Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore. Pork ribs and other parts of the pig including trotters and intestines are slowly cooked in a broth with medicinal herbs. Bak Kut Teh is usually served with rice as well as cooked vegetables.

Bak Kut Teh

Murtabak is a pancake of thin layers of dough stuffed with bits of meat and onions. When browned from the heat, murtabak is then folded and cut into squares or triangles. The meats are typically chicken, beef, or mutton. It is served with spicy sauces and onion relish.

Murtabak

Popiah is a fresh spring roll filled with an assortment of cooked jicama, carrots, green onions, and bits of pork or chicken. The rice flour wrapper is not fried unlike typical spring rolls. The dish likely originated from the Hokkien people and it is popular throughout Southeast Asia. Popiah is usually served with a dipping sauce.

Popiah

Wan Tan Mee is a noodle dish of Cantonese origin and it is a common Malaysian and Singaporean street food. It is sometimes spelled “Won Ton Mee.” The dish consists of egg noodles served in a hot broth, garnished with leafy vegetables, roast pork slices and wonton dumplings. The dumplings are usually filled with minced pork and sometimes shrimp.  Chinese leaf mustard is the typical vegetable used for topping along with green onions. A dry version of this noodle dish comes with the broth on the side.

Wan Tan Mee

Dim Sum is a meal of various small dishes that is traditionally served for breakfast or brunch in Chinese restaurants.  It includes a large range of small dishes such as shrimp and pork potstickers, tofu, rice buns filled with meat, noodles and vegetables.

Dim Sum

Banana leaf rice is a popular and traditional meal in South India and Malaysia where the rice is served on a banana leaf. The long green leaves are laid down as a surface on which to eat, and white rice is served in the center, then side dishes that are typically vegetarian are added. Typical side dishes include dal sauces, coconut and mint chutneys and stewed cabbage and carrots in a spicy sauce.

Banana Leaf Rice

See November 3rd blog post regarding -

Hokkien Mee (Prawn Noodles), Pasembur, Dosa, Char Kay Teow, Chee Cheong Fun.

Thaipusam - a colorful festival of devotion

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival of prayers and penance. It is dedicated to Hindu god Lord Murugan who has millions of followers in southern India. There are many gods and goddesses in Hinduism and Thaipusam is widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu in south India, Sri Lanka and South East Asian communities with heavy concentrations of Tamil speakers.

Perhaps no where is Thaipusam a more exhilarating festival than in Malaysia.  It is in the cities of Penang and Kuala Lumpur where the glory of Thaipusam is manifested at its peak. At the start of every new year in Malaysia, Hindu Tamils express their devotion to Lord Murugan with riotous color, cacophonous music and uninhibited joy. For these Hindu devotees, Thaipusam marks the end of a fasting period to fulfill the vows they have made to Lord Murugan.

The largest Thaipusam festival in Malaysia takes place at Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur where it has been celebrated annually since the 1890s. More than a million people visit the temple complex within the limestone caves over several days prior to Thaipusam. On Thaipusam day, thousands of devotees, their family and friends, musicians and others are in procession from dawn until late morning.

Thaipusam is an intense, exciting and heart-pounding experience for most observers.  Its explosion of color, unfamiliar sights of pierced bodies, loud sounds and strong fragrances can overwhelm the senses. Many devotees of Lord Murugan carry a kavadi which is a heavy frame, usually circular, on their shoulders. The kavadi signifies the ceremonial burdens of the devotees. They are usually decorated with peacock feathers, flowers and streamers. Most kavadi bearers also have their bodies or cheeks pierced.  Body piercings are done with spikes, hooks, or small lances or spears called Vel in Tamil.  Often, devotees also attach limes or miniature pots on their backs and these are strung to the hooks and chains of the kavadi.

Some devotees, particularly women, carry a milk pot as their ceremonial burden. Others shave their heads. Devotees who had prayed for a child often give thanks to Lord Murugan by carrying their new baby up to the temple in a sling attached to several stalks of sugar cane.

Some devotees fall into trance as demonstrated by laughing, crying, grunting or shrieking as they carry out their devotion to Lord Murugan. Professional musicians and drummers accompany devotees as they dance and chant during the hours-long procession. Supporters of the devotees usually chant “Vel, vel Muraga” (Glory to Muraga) in unison along with the pounding drums, shrill flutes and blaring trumpets.

The Thaipusam procession of devotees, musicians and others walk and dance on the roads near the Batu Caves complex and then enter the main gates. There the devotees continue their prayers while chanting, singing and dancing with their milk pots or kavadis. Later, devotees walk up the 272 colorful steps into the limestone caves to the temple. They bypass a giant statue of Lord Murugan along the way up. At the temple, devotees finally unload their ceremonial burdens. Those with milk pots empty the contents and bearers of kavadi take off these heavy frames. Their annual devotional journey to Lord Murugan has ended and many are jubilant even as their bodies may be tired and even battered.

Devotees carrying milk pots.

Devotees carrying kavadi.

Devotees in trance.

Children along with their parents during the Thaipusam festival.

Other photos of Thaipusam Festival.

Malaysia - a cultural overview

Malaysia is located in South East Asia and its land area is divided into two sections - West and East Malaysia. West Malaysia occupies the peninsula that extends south from Thailand. East Malaysia occupies the northern part of the large island of Borneo. The South China Sea separates West Malaysia from East Malaysia. The combined land area of West and East Malaysia is about 330,400 square kilometers or 127,000 square miles.  There are eleven states in West Malaysia and two states in East Malaysia. The country has a tropical climate with temperatures of 22 to 34 degrees Celsius year round and generally high humidity.  Two monsoon seasons bring heavier rains and a slight drop in temperature depending on the geographic location. Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and The Philippines.

 

With its strategic location between the Western and Eastern parts of the globe, Peninsular or West Malaysia had attracted early travelers since the first century. Archaeological evidence of ancient Hindu and Buddhist artifacts have been documented in specific river valleys. Islam was introduced by Middle Eastern and Indian traders in the 1400s during the reign of the Melaka Sultanate (also spelled Malacca). The Sultan or King embraced the new religion and personally helped to spread it across the region. He also established trade with the Chinese Kingdom which gave rise to a small contingent of Chinese settlers in Melaka. The Sultanate’s prosperous trade in spices led Portugal to attack it in 1511 which ended the power of the Melaka Sultanate. The Portuguese brought Catholicism to the local population and later in 1641, the Dutch gained control of Melaka. With the start of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, Britain was looking for raw materials in Asia by the 1780s. The British intervened in local Malayan politics to secure trading ports and natural resources including tin and rubber for their factories. Previously independent Malay states were eventually brought under British control. In 1941, the Japanese invaded Malaya and ruled it until Japan surrendered at the end of the Second World War (1945). The British returned to a different Malaya that had an increasingly nationalistic Malay political class and populace. On August 31, 1957, the Malay States of Malaya freed themselves from British colonial rule and proclaimed independence. In 1963, Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah united to form the new country of Malaysia. (Singapore chose to leave the union in 1965 and it has been an independent country since then.)

Malaysia has been a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy since gaining independence in 1957. The head of state is the King and the government is led by the Prime Minister. The country is composed of 13 states and three federal territories with Kuala Lumpur as its capital. The official religion is Islam and Bahasa Malaysia is the official language. English is widely spoken and it is the common language of most urbanized Malaysians. Other languages including Mandarin Chinese, various Chinese dialects such as Cantonese and Hokkien, Tamil, Hindi, Urdu and Arabic are common among specific groups.

Malaysia is a country of diverse cultures and its 33 million people (2022 estimate) consist of three main ethnic groups - the Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Each group has long histories of occupying the land and they generally live in harmony.

At roughly 55 percent of the population, the Malays are the largest group. In its population census, the Malaysian government combines the Malays with indigenous groups, often called Orang Asli or “Original People,” that make up about 14 percent of the population. Collectively, the Malays and the indigenous groups are called Bumiputras, or “sons of the soil” and are accorded some special privileges by the government. The Chinese comprise about 23 percent while Indians account for about 7 percent of the population. Along with small percentages of mixed ethnic groups, the census figures seldom add up correctly due to the differences in how various Malaysian states consider Bumiputra status.

In the past, most Malays live in rural villages or “kampung” and the concept of family duty and mutual support of village life remains central to Malay culture. Despite recent mass migration to urban areas for economic opportunities, most Malays continue making special trips back to their family or ancestral village during important Muslim festivals. By law, Malays are Muslim.

For centuries, the Chinese have traded with the Malay sultanates and the first Chinese group to arrive in the 1400s settled in the port of Melaka. These pioneers gradually adopted many elements of Malay culture especially after generations of intermarriages with the locals. Called the Peranakan, this group combines Malay culture and Chinese traditions, speak a synthetic dialect and wear Malay-inspired clothing. The Peranakans follow the Chinese custom of ancestral worship and remain practicing Buddhists or Daoists.  During the late 1800s, large numbers of Chinese immigrants arrived in Malaya to work in the tin mines and rubber industries. These later immigrants preserved much more of their Chinese traditions, language and customs. They built schools, temples and community halls to transmit their cultural heritage.

Indians have travelled to the Malay sultanates for over two thousand years but did not put down roots here until the 1800s. Then, large numbers of Indians, primarily Tamils from the southern part of India, arrived in Malaya as immigrant laborers for the rapidly expanding rubber industry. Tamils came to tap the rubber trees, build roads and other construction projects for the British colonial government as well as administer and manage plantations. Most of the Indian immigrants are Hindus and they built temples and established schools to teach the Tamil language.

Malaysia is a dynamic developing country with strong connections to the global economy. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has successfully diversified its economy from one that was initially based on agriculture and natural resources to one that has robust manufacturing and service sectors.  It is a leading exporter of electrical appliances, parts and components.

About 78 percent of Malaysians live in urban areas. Malaysian towns and cities are well connected by roads and rail and air travel between the bigger cities is increasingly popular. The largest city is the capital, Kuala Lumpur, which is located in West Malaysia. Other big cities in West Malaysia include Penang, Ipoh, Melaka, Johor Baru and Kuantan. Across the South China Sea in East Malaysia, the bigger cities include Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.

Kuala Lumpur Skyline.

Masjid Jamek in central city of Kuala Lumpur.

Canals of Melaka. Melaka was an important and early port in Malaysia.

Rice field in Kedah - woman cutting rice seed for next years crop.

Khoo Kongsi - Chinese Clan House in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.

Historic Jetty in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia - with new condominiums in the background.

Return to Kampong Sedaka and Kampong Sungai Bujor in Kedah State, Malaysia

In 1981-82, I was a college exchange student in Malaysia where I attended the University Sains Malaysia (USM) on Penang island for an academic year. My home college was the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis-St. Paul, where I majored in Anthropology. At USM, my academic goal was to complete my senior research project and so I asked for help in defining an area where I could commute to easily and also spend time absorbing the customs of a rural Malay village. The community I was eventually matched with was located on mainland west Malaysia. So every week for about five months, I rode my Yamaha 100 cc motorcycle out to visit the villages of Kampong Sungai Bujor and Kampong Sedaka, in the district of Yan, in Kedah state, Malaysia. (“Kampong” in the Malay language means Village)

.Kedah is known as the “rice bowl” of Malaysia and it accounts for nearly half of all the rice produced in Malaysia.  Nearly 75% of the people in Kedah are Malays, who are Muslim by law and custom, and who primarily speak the Malay language.  My language skills back then were sufficient enough to carry on a simple conversation. Being that my research project focused on rice production, I followed my contacts around the village and talked to people about how they produced rice. My time in the village coincided with the early days of the introduction of mechanized Rice Harvesters as well as the broader use of chemical fertilizers. The new technology made rice production more efficient but it also significantly reduced the need for manual labor. While the fertilizer increased yields, residents noted a decrease in padi fish they were accustomed to include in their diet.

On January 18 -19 this year, I returned to visit the villages of Kampong Sedaka and Sungai Bujor to see how things may have changed and to see the places I stayed at. I was brought there on one of the days by Mr. Masri Abdullah, my former dormitory mate at USM and a member of the Malay family in Sedaka whom I had lived with in 1981-82. Mr. Masri grew up Sedaka, and had suggested his village as a place where I could stay when I was searching for a fieldwork area. Mr. Zakaria was an older brother of Mr. Masri and he was my primary contact for learning about rice production along with their father, Mr. Abdullah. During my trips to Kedah, I slept at the home of Zakaria’s parents-in-law whose grown children had moved out of the family home. I addressed Zakaria’s elderly parents-in-law as Pak and Mak Haji. In Malaysia, the honorific Haji (for men) and Hajjah (for women) are applied to people who have performed the mandatory Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. On this return visit, I learned that Mr. Zakaria Abdullah had passed away in 2021 and his children are pursuing careers in other towns in Malaysia. Also, the villages have more houses, the roads have been widened and rice harvesters are more evident on the rice fields. Two of Mr. Abdullah’s children still live on the land of their family home in Sedaka. While Pak and Mak Haji’s son, also named Zakaria, now resides in the family home in Kampong Sungai Bugor. The locals of Kampong Sedaka and Kampong Sungai Bujor remain as welcoming and warm as forty years ago. 

The rest of this blog post shows photos from 1981 / 82 and some photos from my visit in January 2023. 

Photos taken in 1981, 1982 and 1985.

Mr. Abdullah and Che Som Mahmud’s family at a gathering in 1985 in front of their home in Kampong Sedaka. My main contact, Zakaria Abdullah is on the far right. My dorm mate, Masri is second from the right with the mustache, Abdullah is in the back / left side of the photo with the white hat. His wife, Che Som Mahmud is the elderly woman in the center of the family photo. The rest of the people in the photo are Abdullah and Che Som Mahmud’s children or grandchildren.

1981 photo - Zakaria Abdullah in front of his house in Kampong Sungai Bujor. (The house no longer exists).

1981 photo - Abdullah enjoying fried fish and a fish curry with okra and rice in his home in Kampong Sedaka.

1981 photo of Pak and Mak Haji - in their home in Kampong Sungai Bujor, with their grandson, Muhammad Nizam (Zakaria’s son).

1981 Photo - Me - in front of my bed, with grass mat and mosquito netting. This photo was taken in Pak and Mak Haji’s house in Kampong Sungai Bujor.

1981 Photo - Zakaria preparing rice field for planting. He used a water buffalo to pull his tiller.

1981 photo - team of local workers (all female) transplanting rice seedlings.

Early 1982 photo - Che Som Mahmud, Abdullah’s wife. She was preparing harvested rice for drying.

Early 1982 photo - Me - offering to help with husking rice

Photos from January 2023

2023 photo - Mr. Abdullah and Che Som Mahmud family’s house in Kampong Sedaka. This is the same house in the family photo above from 1985.

2023 photo - On the left - Bashariah Abdullah (daughter of Abdullah and Che Som Mahmud), myself and Masri at the family home in Kampong, Sedaka. Bashariah Abdullah is currently living in the family home.

2023 photo - Pak and Mak Haji’s house. Pak Haji son, Zakaria, currently lives there. This is the home where I slept in 1981 (it has been renovated and so I could not recognize it).

2023 photo - Zakaria (Pak Haji’s son), myself and Masri at Pak & Mak Haji’s family house in Kampong Sungai Bujor.

2023 - Rice fields - view rice fields behind Abdullah’s family home in Sedaka. These are the same fields where Che Som Mahmud prepared the rice for drying in 1982 photo above.

2023 Photo - Rice fields near Sedaka - women cutting rice that will be used for seed planting in the coming year.

 

Lunar New Year 2023 in Malaysia

The Lunar New Year is the most important festival in Chinese culture. Often called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, this multi-day festival starts on the second new moon after the winter solstice. In 2023, the Lunar New Year starts on January 22 ushering in the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac which repeats every twelve years. It is a symbol of hope and peace.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated over fifteen days with rituals, prayers, meals featuring special foods and visits with family and friends. Many of the foods have symbolic meanings for wealth, happiness and long life. Homes are cleaned and decorated to welcome the gods to enter and bless their occupants. Doorways are decorated with red banners written with auspicious words. Almost everyone will wear red clothes to symbolize life energy and wish for a bright year. Families gather on the eve of the New Year to have a reunion dinner usually at a round table that symbolize family harmony and unity. Children often set off fire crackers in the evening to scare off the bad spirits and to welcome the new year.

There are different customs to celebrate the Lunar New Year but one common ritual is the gift of “Ang Pow” or red packets filled with crisp new dollar bills. Elder family members give these red packets to the younger, unmarried generation when the younger ones bow in respect to them and wish them a happy and healthy year ahead. Married people exchange well wishes with mandarin oranges which symbolize gold and other gifts. In many larger towns, the Lunar New Year is often celebrated with parades where people may dress as Lions or Dragons to perform dances accompanied by drums, gongs, cymbals and flutes.

To wish your friend a Happy Lunar New Year, you can say“Gong Hei Fat Choy” (Cantonese) or “Xin Nian Kuai Le.” (Mandarin).

Reunion Dinner 2023 - Ingredients for the Steamboat (similar to hot pot). These include various meat balls, seafood, meats, tofu, noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage.

Preparing Steamboat Reunion Dinner

A special treat of Cempedak, a type of Jackfruit on Reunion evening. Cempedak has a yellow / orange custard like texture and an intensely sweet taste and aroma.

Nephew Yang - saying “Gong Hei Fat Choy’ or “Happy New Year” in Cantonese!

Giving out red packets or “Ang Pow” or Red Packet - to nephew Jian

Red packet - Ang Pow.

A good luck tradition is to stir rice or noodle dish before eating; while wishing for good luck and prosperity in the coming year.

Experiencing Theravada Buddhism in Thailand

The historical Buddha is believed to have lived from 563 to 483 B.C. in northern India. From there Buddhism was founded and two major branches of Buddhism have developed - Theravada and Mahayana. In Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is dominant. Roughly 95% of the Thai population identifies as Buddhist. Theravada is the oldest tradition in Buddhism. It is relatively conservative and generally considered closest to the form of early Buddhism. In addition to Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is practiced in many Asian countries mainly Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (Burma). Mahayana Buddhism is more popular in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Korea, and Japan.

The principle teaching of Theravada Buddhism is that there are four Noble Truths -

  1. There is suffering.

  2. There is a cause of suffering.

  3. There is an end to suffering.

  4. The way out is the eightfold path.

On December 31st, 2022,  I entered a 10-day meditation retreat at Wat Suan Mokkh International Dharma Hermitage at Chaiya, southern Thailand. For ten days, together with 50 plus other participants from all over the world, I practiced silent meditation for 3 hours each session 4 times a day(with hourly breaks). We also had 3 longer breaks each day to during meals, to do chores, etc. We had daily Theravada Buddhist talks and did some chanting in the Pali language (with english translation available). We ate two vegetarian meals each day, breakfast and lunch. We only had tea for dinner. In addition we were required to be silent for the entire 10-day meditation retreat. We also surrendered our cellphones and other electronics so we would not be distracted from the outside world, and therefore could focus on the practice of meditation.

Lastly, the meditation retreat participants were required to follow the 8 Theravada Buddhist precepts:

1. Intend not to take away any breath(abstain from killing).

2. Intend not to take away what is not given (abstain from steal­ing).

3. Intent to keep one's mind and one's body free from any sexual activity.

4. Intend not to harm others by speech.

5. Intend not to harm one's con­scious­ness with sub­stances that in­toxi­cate and lead to care­less­ness (no alcohol, no drugs, no smoking etc).

6. Intend not to eat between after noon and before dawn.

7. Intend not to dance, sing, play or listen to music, watch shows, wear garlands, orna­ments and beautify oneself with perfumes and cosmetics.

8. Intend not to sleep or sit on lux­u­ri­ous beds and seats.

To summarize, I learned the following from the 10-day silent retreat:

- meditating on one’s breathing has been practiced since early human civilization.

- meditating helps you to pay attention to your breathing; to focus on the in and out of each breath as well as paying attention to both deep breaths and short breaths.

- meditation is an essential practice to gain insight regarding the challenges in life (or suffering). 

- the practice of meditating on the your breathing helps people feel a deep sense of calm and they experience their life more in balance and equilibrium. 

- meditation also helps practitioners focus on the “here and now.” In western cultures today, this is similar to the concept of “Mindfulness.” 

- practicing meditation is the essential way to have a deeper understanding of Buddhist teachings.

One of the many Theravada Buddhist Images from Thailand - not from Wat Suan Mokkh

Photos of Wat Suan Mokkh International Dharma Hermitage

1) Monastery grounds

2) Meditation hall

3) Sleeping room

A painting of Dependent Origination. Dependent Origination describes the Buddhist image of causality. The painting was created by previous practitioners at the monastery.

Travel in Vietnam - Culture and History

The history of Vietnam is one of domination by powerful countries and frequent wars to repel the occupying forces. Vietnam was a vassal state of China for over a thousand years which accounts for the adoption of Confucian philosophies, Chinese writing and administrative systems prior to the twentieth century. Through warfare, local lords regained territory in some regions and formed ruling dynasties such as the Nguyen of the Central region of Vietnam. The Champa kings, who were Hindus, also controlled Central and southern Vietnam for several centuries until they were pushed further south and west into present day Cambodia. The Chams built extensive religious complexes across the central valleys and plains including the area called My Son.

In 1877, France became the colonial master of Vietnam. With that, frequent warfare erupted as Vietnamese with differing political ideas fought each other and the French for independence. France was defeated at a defining battle in 1954 in northwestern Vietnam and soon relinquished political control. With the dominance of the Communists in the north and no agreement on a governing ideology with politicians from the south, an international convention was held in Geneva in July 1954 to decide Vietnam’s future. The agreement was to divide or partition the country at the 17th parallel into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.  Ho Chi Minh became the leader of the Communist government of North Vietnam while Emperor Bao Dai of the Nguyen dynasty became head of the government of South Vietnam. The plan was to hold a plebiscite in 1956 to unite the country but that did not take place. Civil war erupted between North and South and the United States of America soon allied itself with South Vietnam.  By late 1964, American armed forces were sent to fight alongside their South Vietnamese counterparts to repel the Communists of North Vietnam. The communist governments in China and the Soviet Union (bigger version of present day Russia) provided support to North Vietnam as it battles its countrymen and also Americans. North Vietnam overcame the forces of South Vietnam and the Vietnam War ended in 1975. A year later, North and South Vietnam were reunified and became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with Hanoi in the north as the capital city for the entire country. The big city of Saigon in the south officially became known as Ho Chi Minh City.  

Vietnam as we know it today is a fast-developing country with population of nearly 99 million (United Nations estimate, 2022), marking it as the 16th most populous country in the world. Its population is relatively youthful with the median age at 31. Education is a strong cultural value which gives rise to high literacy rates among the people. It is mandatory for children to attend nine years of schooling. Vietnamese is the official language with English becoming the predominant language of commerce. With its colonial history, French, Chinese and Russian are still used by some citizens.

Woman selling fruit (mangoes and oranges) from her bicycle on the streets of Hanoi.

The Forbidden City in Hue. This was the Imperial Capital of the Nguyễn dynasty. Construction began in 1803.

Woman selling chilis in the Bac Ha Market in northern Vietnam.

Vietnamese Farmers preparing the rice fields - Tam Coc district in Northern Vietnam.

Hmong woman selling herbs in Bac Ha market (Norther Vietnam). Woman is giving a “thumps up.”

The line that divided Northern and Southern Vietnam. Now a place for local tourists to get their photos taken.

Traveling in Vietnam

Vietnam is located in the mainland of South East Asia. It is a country that is shaped like an elongated “S” and its area and topography is similar to those of Norway.  From north to south, Vietnam measures slightly over 1,000 miles and from east to west, it is only about 30 miles wide at its narrowest part. Its land area is 128,000 square miles. As a comparison, Minnesota is about 87,000 square miles.  

Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, the South China Sea to the east and south and the Gulf of Thailand (or Siam) to the southwest. On Vietnam’s west are the countries of Laos and Cambodia. Vietnam has a mountainous spine along its western border. Its long coastline is marked by several river deltas and the most notable are the Red River delta in the north and the Mekong River delta in the south. Hundreds of islands that are composed mostly of limestone dot Vietnam’s northeast coast. Through erosion, these mostly uninhabited but picturesque islands have become a major tourist attraction.

The mountain range in Central Vietnam runs parallel to its coast and the coastal plain there is the country’s narrowest. In the 2000s, professional cave explorers and cave divers confirmed an earlier discovery of a huge cave complex near the Laotian border. First discovered by a local man in 1990, Hang Son Doong is the world’s largest limestone cave with a fast-flowing subterranean river system. This cave complex is so big that a block of skyscrapers 40 stories tall can easily fit inside. Hang Son Doong cave is part of the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park which also has several smaller limestone cave systems that are suitable for tourists to visit.

Vietnam has a tropical climate but its length means that weather patterns differ from north to south throughout a year. All regions of the country receive monsoons and central Vietnam is prone to typhoons. Vietnam’s northern regions have four seasons where early winters can be cold with cold air systems poring in from Tibet. The southern regions of Vietnam generally have two seasons, rainy and dry.

Rice Fields near Sa Pa, Vietnam. Sa Pa is northern Vietnam, near the border with China.

Ha Long Bay - featuring thousands of limestone outcroppings.

Hoi An River - in Hoi An, Vietnam. Hoi An faces the South China Sea and is a historical trading port.

Rural Village of Hoang Su Phi - in Northern Vietnam

Paradise Cave - near Dong Hoi, in Central Vietnam. Cave complex is part of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Mỹ Sơn - Champa Ruins of temple complex - in central Vietnam.

Hanoi, Vietnam - Capital of Vietnam. View of skyline across the Hoan Kiem Lake. Also includes the view of turtle tower.

Traveling in Northern Thailand - Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son

Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son are two large provinces in northern Thailand.  The names also refer to their respective provincial capital cities. Both provinces share long borders with Myanmar (formerly called Burma).

Chiangmai city was the center of the ancient Lanna kingdom founded by King Mengrai in 1296. Over the centuries, its people have used its natural resources to build a prosperous economy and rich culture. Today, the main economic activities in the province are agriculture, manufacturing, education and tourism.

The provincial city of Chiangmai is a top tourist destination particularly from November until early February when the weather is cooler. Moats enclose Chiangmai’s ancient city center and its many ornate wats or Buddhist temples enchant travelers. Many travelers also participate in colorful Buddhist festivals including Loy Kratong during the full moon in November. During this three-day festival, Buddhists and tourists release small floats with incense, candles and flowers onto waterways. Some devotees also release lanterns up in the air during Loy Kratong.  With its mountainous terrain and rivers, Chiangmai province offers many opportunities for outdoor activities including trekking, cave exploration, rafting and motorized sports.

Wat Chedi Luang - Buddhist Temple complex in Chiang Mai

The province of Mae Hong Son is located next to Chiangmai province and it is remote, mountainous and sparsely populated. Over 85 percent of the province is forested and until it was banned in 1989 by the Thai government, logging of teak and other valuable hardwoods was a major economic activity. During the logging decades, domesticated Asian elephants were used to drag the harvested timber down steep terrain to river towns. Since the ban, many of these large but gentle animals have been re-trained to interact with tourists at elephant camps.  Agriculture is the main economic activity today in Mae Hong Son province with coffee and tea cultivation becoming more significant. Mining is also important to the provincial economy.

The long and winding mountain roads of Mae Hong Son attract motorists who enjoy the challenge of riding on narrow roads with thousands of switchbacks. In November, blooming wild Mexican sunflowers cover several mountain slopes in central Mae Hong Son province. These wildflower fields attract thousands of local and foreign tourists. Its many national parks and extensive cave systems also bring adventurers to this province. The provincial capital of Mae Hong Son is small and the cultural dominance of the Shan or Tai Yai people who were originally from Myanmar are reflected in its main temples or wats.

The two provinces of Chiangmai and Mae Hong Son have a diverse and rich mix of Thai and ethnic minority populations. Large groups of hill tribes such as the Karen, Lahu, Lisu, Lua, Akha and Hmong live in the small towns and countryside of these provinces. There are also several towns in both provinces where the Yunnanese Chinese predominate. This group is descended from traders from the Yunnan province in southeastern China and also soldiers of the Chinese nationalist party or Kuomintang. These soldiers remained in northern Thailand after losing the Chinese civil war of the 1940s to the Communist Party which Mao Tse-Tung led.

Photo 1) Lahu Village 2) Mexican Sunflower Fields near Khun Yuam city - Mae Hong Son Province

Rice Fields near Mae Hong Son city (below)

Tomato Fields on the Mae Hong Son driving loop

Loi Kratong festival - Chiang Mai - November 2022

Typical Northern Thailand Food - sticky rice, steamed vegetables, grilled pork, egg and spicy sauce. Thai people usually eat with their right hand.

Grilled meat vendor in Mae Hong Son city

 

Teaching English in Fang, Thailand

Fang is a small city of about 35,000 people in the northern Thailand. It is located in a valley and the surrounding hills and mountains are some of the highest in Thailand. Fang is famous for its hot springs.

The people of Fang are a mix of Thais, hill tribes such as the Shan, Lahu and Akha, southern Chinese people from Yunnan, and also immigrants from Myanmar (formerly called Burma). The people are mainly Buddhists but there are large groups of Christians and Muslims too.

The main economic activities in Fang are agriculture and trade with neighboring countries. The growing of oranges and pomelos as well as fruits such as mangoes and lychees is made easier because of Fang’s fertile soil and cooler weather on the hills. There are also increasing numbers of farms growing tea and coffee. In the lowlands, rice is a big crop as is corn. Many of these agricultural products are traded with Burma and Laos as well as China.

A fun fact is that Fang has the first oil or petroleum field in Thailand. Since its discovery in the 1950s, oil has been continuously pumped up from the ground all around Fang.

Children in Fang can attend either public or private schools from kindergarten until high school. Students who want to attend college must leave Fang for higher education. The closest universities are located in Chiang Rai (two hours by car) and Chiang Mai (three hours away).

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We asked the some students from Ban Nong Yao school to teach everyone a few Thai phrases.

- Hello -S̄a-wat dee krup / kha - สวัสดี

- Nice to meet you - Yindee tidai ru chak - ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก

- I am sorry - Koh tod - ฉันขอโทษ

- Thank you - Korp khun krup / kha - ขอขอบคุณ

- How are you? - Sabai Dee Mai? - คุณเป็นอย่างไรบ้าง

Krup is used by male speakers - Khâ is used by female speakers)

Wai - is two hands placed together and indicates a level of respect.

Ban Ton Phueng School Students learn the Cha Cha Slide.

Photos of Ban Ton Phueng School and Students

Photos of Bang Nong Yao School and Students

School Exchange with St Paul, Minnesota elementary school

Photos from Fang, Thailand 1) agricultural field, 2) typical house, 3) irrigation over orange farm, and 4) sunset over Fang

Student photos from 2018 and this visit in 2022

Ban Ton Phueng School Student tells his story - in English.