Hello everyone, who’s reading my first actual blog as a CAPI intern, I am writing this from the main classroom within the Karenni Social Development Center on the outskirts of Ban Nai Soi in Thailand. Over the past month and a half, my life has changed in more ways than I could have ever imagined, and it has taken me down many different paths that I wouldn’t have deemed plausible back in my hometowns of Victoria and Vancouver, BC.
With the upcoming journey being filled with so many uncertainties, there’s one thing I can say with utmost certainty: it is always a good thing to say yes. Whether you’re saying yes, scared, worried, or nervous, the outcome will always be a new experience, a new learning journey, and something to grow from, adding more pieces into the internalized mosaic that makes you, you. And to me, that is the most beautiful thing one can experience. That exact mantra ran through my head as I stepped foot off the airplane and into Narita National Airport, realizing that for the next 6 months, I would be living a life that I had been dreaming about since I was a kid, when my mom bought my first map of the world and hung it in my room. Those countless nights staring up at the map, learning the flags, and reading out as many country names as I could helped grow my fascination for this world, and all culminated in this moment of sheer euphoria that I have trouble capturing with words. Before arriving at KSDC, I had two and a half weeks of travel by myself, which I had been treating as an introduction to the next 6 months. A week in Japan introduced me to solo travel for the very first time, and a week in Chiang Mai solidified that this is kind of the coolest thing ever.
After taking a bus (which I heard was absolutely a supplier of car sickness) from the city of Chiang Mai, through the Thai Mountains and into the town of Mae Hong Son (MHS) (spoiler alert: I didn’t actually get carsick! I ended up sleeping the entire time), was the first time the realization hit that this is when the six months truly begin. After renting a scooter from the local shop within MHS, it was now my responsibility to get from this town out to the actual school, which lay on the outskirts of an even SMALLER town 40 minutes away through dense Thai jungles. However, in this moment, it dawned on me. Despite riding on the backs of countless Grab scooters, I have never actually driven one myself. So, in short, all that was between me and KSDC was a scooter I’ve never driven, bushes so thick with vegetation it was borderline unimaginable, and winding roads that contained more bends than an F1 track.
Oh, I forgot the rain as well (it occurs so much you kind of just forget it’s not a given). Regardless of these obstacles that made it feel like I was part of a Mario Kart race, I made it to the school in one piece. Quickly afterwards, I came to the realization that riding scooters through the Thai mountains is something everyone should do at least once in their life, and if they’re lucky enough, get to ride one every day for the next six months.
Despite the myriad of positives that have blossomed over the past month and a half, there have been a few negatives that I’ve been processing to overcome just as well. Whether it’s the inevitable rain and deciding whether to preemptively poncho or not, or the infinite number of bugs that live in my bedroom and the school itself, the worst for me has still got to be the heat. Listen, I’m aware everyone has a different level of durability to the heat, but to me, an extremely fair-skinned Scottish boy who has never felt the heat and humidity of an average day in Southeast Asia, it is, unfortunately, quite humbling. There isn’t a moment of the day when I’m not either sticky or sweaty to the bone (yes, even when it’s raining). But, at the same time, I realize that’s absolutely okay, as part of being at a placement such as KSDC makes all these unfamiliarities and discomforts feel almost like a gift of unpredictable chaos disguised in the shape of bugs, rain, and the heat.
One of my favourite moments throughout the past month and a half is one I couldn’t ever have envisioned happening, which is part of what makes it so special. One day, I was out exploring the nearby town of Nai Soi, going down back alleys looking for stuff to take photos of. While doing this, I stumbled upon a café, which led me to begin craving an iced coffee, something I have grown quite fond of over my travels. As soon as I entered, I was greeted by three older men who were clearly a little intoxicated and happened to be singing (quite well, I must add, it seems everyone in SEA has a voice on them) some karaoke. They invited me to sit with them, and, carrying the mantra from earlier with me, of course, I said yes. After switching out the iced coffee for an ice-cold Chiang and ordering some fried pork belly, one thing led to another, and after countless iterations of Thai karaoke and more Chiang’s than I’d like to admit, I began to take my leave. Turns out, I left a good enough impression on them despite the obvious language barrier, and I got invited to one of their daughters’ birthday parties the following day. Again, I obviously said yes. The next day, my fellow intern Julia and I took off on our motorbikes and rode off to the given address.
Not knowing if we were about to get attacked or actually end up at a birthday party was a little nerve-wracking, but we went anyway out of utter curiosity. Similar to the café from the day prior, we were greeted by an immensely powerful cheer from a variety of different Thai patrons, again, all clearly a little intoxicated. Despite it being an intimate event, it didn’t stop the locals of Nai Soi from treating us like absolute royalty. Throughout the night, tons of karaoke was sung (leading to me and the actual chief of Nai Soi singing Taylor Swift together), drinks were drunk, meals were shared, and most importantly, memories were made. Nights like these remind me exactly why saying yes (more often than not) is purely a beneficial thing that can not only lead to unforgettable nights like this but also to an improvement of your own personal worldview and mental well-being.
One thing that has served as an absolute throughout this journey so far has been the World Cup. Staying up for every Canada game despite them solely falling between the hours of 2-4 AM has been absolutely worth it, especially because it is now the farthest our country has ever gone in a World Cup – something I wouldn’t have missed for the world. Other than the fact that Canada is killing it on the world’s largest stage, the tournament has served as a very gentle reminder of where and who I was during the last one. To no surprise but my own, I am a COMPLETELY different person than I was during the last World Cup. Watching those games in the back of math class in grade eleven and thinking to myself where I would be in four years, it never would have crossed my mind that I would be given the opportunity to live abroad in a country like Thailand and work with a group of people who come from so little but have already given me so much. So, to younger Callum, you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing, and don’t worry, Canada is doing better than ever before. And, to future Callum, I hope during the next World Cup you’ve surprised us just as much as we have for this one. 🙂
