Jamison’s Misadventures In Asia

Okay, so it’s been a few weeks since I last wrote, and I don’t have anything too exciting to share.  All the same, I think that consistency is important and posting every 2 or 3 weeks is a reasonable thing to do.  So… I’m stalling.  Here we go.

Last weekend I went to visit my dear friend Ryan at his site in the town of Ban Hong, Lamphun province.  When he visited me two months ago in Thoeng, Ryan tried to convince me that his site is smaller than mine and there’s nothing there.  Ryan is a lying bastard.  His town is slightly larger than mine, and it has a rocking karaoke scene.  At least it did last Saturday, when Ryan and I blessed the stage for two hours straight to an empty house, save Ryan’s Thai friend and the restaurant staff.  We burned through a blistering set that included ‘Eternal Flame’, ‘Live and Let Die’, ‘Against All Odds’, ‘November Rain’, ‘Island in the Sun’, and ‘Knockin On Heaven’s Door’.  Between songs, we would ask the staff if they we’re having fun, "Sanuk Mai?"  We were met with blank stares–not due to a language barrier, but instead a cold response to our aural assault on the staff that was happily watching television before we arrived.  Our presence was certainly not appreciated, but Ryan and I decided it was sweet justice.  Having spent the past five months listening to horrible Thai music and being subjected to countless hours of karaoke, we were giving the people some of their own karaoke medicine.  We were fighting fire with fire, and our fire won, thanks to our outstanding Axl Rose impressions. 

When that restaurant closed, we moved on to bigger and better things, namely the much cooler Karaoke bar up the street.  We squeezed in a three song encore just before closing, giving the people what they didn’t want to hear with ‘Island in the Sun, ‘We Are The World’, and ‘Knockin Heaven’s Door’.  By the time we were finished, the place was empty.  On our bike ride home, we did some freestyle biking and did a buzz through the market, where some Thai people were amused to see us at 1 a.m.  Our freestyle biking consisted of riding down three steps of stairs or popping wheelies.  Just before we got home, Ryan was feeling super extreme, and tried to make it over the street median, a five foot mound of grass with 5 inch curbs on either side.  He might as well have ridden into a wall (which he actually did one minute later). 

Back in Thoeng, things are going well.  While I continue to question the feasibility of our project model (co-teaching), I am finding motivation in other projects.  I am trying to become more involved in HIV/AIDS education, but that seems to be on hold for a little while until the Education Office has some sort of meeting this month.  I am also hoping to start working with hilltribes in the area.  See the Hilltribe Virtual Museum and Mirror Art Group links on the sidebar to learn more about hilltribes and one of the organizations with which I may work. 

On Thursday, I found out that the lack of good karaoke houses in Thoeng is being addressed.  By my neighbors.  Yes, my next door neighbors opened a karaoke restaurant last night.  Everyone in town knew it was opening, but nobody bothered to tell me.  It will be an interesting period of adjustment.

In case any of you think I’m culturally insensitive, check out Ryan’s blog on myspace.   http://www.myspace.com/ryangriffith

He makes me look like a saint. 
Also, in case anybody wants to send me a letter or stuff (new Ryan Adams CD, mac & cheese), here’s my address:

P.O. Box 52

Thoeng

Chiang Rai 57160

THAILAND