The five days of orientation in Chiang Mai were chock-a block full with learning and self-exploration The days were filled with need to know information such as: safety planning, AJWS rules reviews, country specific information for volunteers in Cambodia and Thailand, values clarification exercises, Jewish texts around tikun olam, and introductions to the various agencies where we would be assigned.
The last two days of the orientation volunteers met with their agency representative/supervisors to develop work plan agreements, and learn about their placements more in depth. Unfortunately, the general manager of the Khmer foundations home was not able to get into Chiang Mai, as he was delayed in Bangkok, but fortunately the country liaison for Cambodia, Dararoth Ke, is also the volunteer executive director of the Khmer foundation and he an I worked together on making plans for my placement with the foundation. In the evenings we typically went out together for meals, strolls, etc. By Thursday night, we had developed surprisingly close ties, and were all somewhat saddened by the thoughts of leaving one another and going to our separate locations. The penultimate afternoon, we travelled as a group to a magnificent temple on a near mountain which houses the emerald Buddha.
It was a lovely excursion up a winding road into the cool of the mountain where we climbed an immense staircase with a railing made of ceramic mosaic tiles in the shape of two parallel dragons. It was stunning. The temple was massive, with several buildings, with amazing carvings and murals. It was an amazing ending to our adventure together.
On Friday morning we separated with five of the volunteers staying in Thailand working with Burmese ethnic refugees fleeing the tyranny in Myanmar. The other five of us were heading to Cambodia, three staying in Phnom Penh, one to the southern coast in Kampot, and me to Battambang after a few days stay in Phnom Penh.
Here are pictures from the week in Chiang Mai
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