Travelling to Chiang Mai --- AJWS Begins

Since the last post we have continued to travel through Laos and finally moved into Thailand.  Pics are here.  We had a lovely few days in Luang Prabang before taking off on a 2 day river trip on the slow boat to the Thai border.  The trip was lovely, allowing for beautiful views and relaxation for two long (9 hour) days, soaking up the scenes of the river.  We saw small villages spattered on the hills with indigenous groups of ethnic Lao and Hmong residing atop the riverside hills.  These seemed to be primarily fishing communities, though there also seemed to be small groups panning for minerals (gold and gems) at the water's edge.

After two days on the river, we crossed the Mekong and entered Thailand.  This was a much easier crossing than we had experienced crossing from Vietnam to Laos and there were not too many surprises.  We arrived in a small city in Thailand across from Huay Xai, Laos and eventually found a bus travelling to Chiang Mai.  We were informed the trip would be about five hours, and seven hours later we arrived in Chiang Mai.  We headed for the already reserved hotel, one recommended by a traveller we met in Luang Prabang, and settled in for a night of exhausted slumber.

The following day we explored the old city of Chiang Mai, rested and then went to a touristy night market in town.  We returned at a reasonable hour and got ready for transferring hotels for the AJWS orientation.

The AJWS orientation began at 1:00 and I met the other ten people who are volunteering for the spring.  What an interesting group.  Most of the participants are 50 or older, some are retirees, and some taking a hiatus from work life.  There were three persons who are 20-30 age range who are also going to  volunteer.  The assignment locations range from Cambodia to the Thai-Burma border.  It all seems quite exciting  to meet all these committed Jewish Americans who really get tikun olam.  What a fantastic group to learn from and travel with.  The training lasts until Thursday evening and will be all day for the next 4 days.

At dinner this evening I met a social work PhD professor who lives in Cambodia and we are talking about having me come to vist his university in Battambang, where there is a new social work degree program.  I am looking forward to developing a relationship with this new program and see what types of linkages to Augsburg are available.