Last Impressions.....

I wrote this at the airport, leaving Thailand. But I thought to share it anyways...

My time here in Thailand has been just a great experience. I say that with true meaning. Not because it was all fun or easy, it certainly wasn’t. But the dynamics of this trip were once again different from other trips I've taken. I learned a lot about myself, my limits, what I was capable of, learning again through landing somewhere completely on my own, working towards a goal and not just ‘touring’. And I learned a lot about and from other people, from the various angles on life. I picked up the Bangkok Post just now, for a last read, and as I see the world news, I realize that there is so much going on around that world that just seem like looming problems and tragedies. But as Ann on the train said, loss and hardship is a part of life. And in many ways it is. But its what we do with it, how we act on what we see and know, that counts. And that is something I have seen firsthand here.
I don’t know where I’m off to next, what my future holds. I’ve had many people ask me already. But I’m more sure than ever that I don’t want to get stuck in the bubble of ‘me’. And although I once said research wasn’t my thing, I have to say this trip has been an important part of me figuring out where my interests lie, to make more concrete where I may want to head into after I finish my thesis. I really enjoyed meeting so many Shan people, getting to hear their life stories, figuring out the puzzle of the dynamic political and social situation that they have fallen in and come from.
As for the Shan, I think in many ways I have come out of this with more questions than I came in with. I think I could answer my research question, but my own questions go much further than that. I admire their resiliency, their culture, their language, yet I wonder what their future holds. There is so much chaos, and lack of transparency mixed in with their social networks, its hard to grasp whether a good policy could be formed toward the Shan and other people in similar circumstances. But I do see the importance of people hearing about the Shan, about Burma, and giving that more attention. Hopefully, those who have followed this blog will grasp just a bit of how these people have been placed on my mind and heart, and will feel a bit the same. Thanks for the read peoplez!!