In the spirit of Aloha

We've already arrived at our last day in this magical place of Hawaii and in the spirit of Aloha I write this post. Knowing that today is our last day, knowing that tomorrow is New Year's Eve, I woke with a sense of reflection.

The spirit of Aloha...

"Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain - it is my pain. When there is joy - it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian - this is Aloha!"

It was in June of this year that we all made the reservations for this trip, Fuad & I along with my parents. You see, we had decided to move to Chiang Mai, and we knew that my parents & I would need something to look forward to, a time and place where we knew we would see each other again. Hawaii being a mid-way point, Christmas break being the time, meant that it would be right around my parents 39th wedding anniversary and since they spent their honeymoon in Hawaii 39 years ago...Hawaii it was.

This has been a much anticipated trip. A few weeks ago I stated that really it could have been anywhere in the world, I was just so excited to see my parents...but I'm glad it was here. This island is magical and by far the best State in the US! One night at dinner we all listed the islands we have been to, (Roume, off the coast of Guinea, West Africa, Bali, Koh Samui, Mykonos...) and I find that they all have similarities...island life is laid back, island life usually involves lots of sunshine & shoreline views and contemplation while the sun sinks into a massive body of water. Islanders smile a lot and have a deeper connection to nature, there is a sense of respect for the natural beauty surrounding you and I am in love with all of that!

So, this morning I wake and I remember that it's our last day here in this magical place with my parents, I sit in the sun and remember that the end of 2011 draws near...I give thanks for the many blessings in my life and this amazing journey 2011 has been.

Chatuchak Bangkok Weekend Market

Looking for something?...How about some puppies, doggies, kittens, cats, rabbits, ducks, owls, pet squirrel ? Chinese fighting fish? How about a prize winning cock, snake, turtle, lizard? Need supplies to set up an entire aquarium, including maggots and larvae to feed the fish? They've got that too! Hungry from all your shopping? How about some deep fried frogs & insects? Fresh coconut, smoothies, any kind of Thai food, including a papaya salad made to order while you shop.
Can you say JEANS? Shoes, sandals, sneakers, hand made leather shoes. Leather goods, belts, wallets, purses, bags...knock off everything. Need some light bulbs? How about a zip drive? Rugs, sheets, furniture, antique Buddha relics? (I'm really only tipping the iceberg here.) Don't have enough scarves? Wraps, scarves, pashmina, sarongs...incense, essential oils, candles, art, handicrafts, wood carvings! Any garment you can think of made tie-dye (a personal favorite of mine) fishermen pants, Hill tribe crafts, silver, gems, BEADS & BEADS & piles of BEADS!
I'm exhausted just remembering everything that we saw!
Chatuchak, the weekend market in Bangkok is one of the worlds largest weekend markets! We saw the massiveness from the train, but I had no idea what I was in store for...within 27 acres of stalls & vendors is a city of narrow, winding paths and more than once we lost our bearing and ended up out on the sidewalk, once in the parking lot and a couple times we past stalls which we had already passed.
So we had a snack...and sat watching as women shopped for scarves...which was when I was able to articulate my new appreciation for the scarf. They are so much more functional than to simply keep your neck warm!
After stumbling upon a choir of Thai folks wearing Santa hats while singing Feliz Navidad in Spanish & English (in a predominately Buddhist country mind you...) we decided to head home.
Our haul for the day...
2 pairs of fisherman pants
1 small wind chime
7 pairs of earrings (gifts)
Citronella incense & ylang ylang essential oil (my favorite)
1 top & pants (for me)
It's confirmed once again, I love shopping!

These were some of the first puppies we stumbled on...just days old!

I think these are maggots? They were for sale near the fish & bird & reptile section, yuck!

I don't think I've ever seen such mature owls this close, it was sad because there was 3 of them tied up in a very small room which also had about 4 people in it watching television.

Mature lizard for sale.

Bags & bags & bags of all kinds of fish for sale.

I've never seen anyone with a pet squirrel, have you?

Prize winning Cock.

Stall-side papaya salad making, yum!

I think I forgot to mention live and silk plants/flowers for sale as well.

And of course... the clothes, beautiful & unique.

Hard to shop with so many shoes & people crammed into such a small space!

Exhausted from shopping & heat, we wait for the train after our adventure!

To everything there is a season...

We're quickly approaching the 5 month mark.

In the back of my mind, December has been kind of a milestone. I think this is because one of my colleagues, who was new to Thailand last year, told me that in December she started to feel normal, like settled in and I've been looking forward to that.

Living here where everyday is pretty much the same, I've become completely aware of how I have marked the passage of time throughout my life by the shift of seasons...

leaves change color, warmer clothes come out of the closet, snow falls, Holidays occur, snow melts, days get longer, flowers bloom, school gets out, swimsuits on at the beach, repeat...

But here, fall never came & neither has winter. (At least my idea of winter!) Don't get me wrong, there have been changes in the weather, but since I've never lived through an entire "rainy season" I don't have a feel for the context just yet. It has stopped raining and the evenings & night-time are cool, but it's still piping hot during the day (again, I don't have context, apparently piping hot will be relative when I experience my first hot season in the late spring.)

So maybe it's the "sameness" (each day with a little bit of cool & a little bit of hot & sunny)...and that's why it never really felt like Halloween, or Thanksgiving...and even though I just completed the Christmas Concert at school, it doesn't really feel like Christmas either (even with horrible recordings of Christmas music everywhere!) It's in December that winter usually starts to show itself, when I've always felt burdened down by the thought of having to endure another dark, cold, depressing season of snow. My yearning for that "settled in" feeling combined with the knowledge that snow will not be part of my winter experience this year made me turn over the calendar and welcome December!

I also welcomed December because I get to see my parents! We are meeting in Hawaii (where they had their honeymoon) just a few days after their 39th wedding anniversary, but really it could have been anywhere in the world...I'm more excited about seeing my parents then I am about seeing Hawaii, even though I've always wanted to go there!

And it's true, I am feeling here, now, present, settled in...but I still woke up the other day, opened my eyes and said to myself, "I live in Thailand now" and I smiled as I said it.

This tree in our yard was blooming on Thanksgiving Day.

Also on Thanksgiving Day, I discovered poinsettias for sale,

I have 2 planted in our flower box with another one on the way.

We bought a hammock and transformed our front porch space into a delightful seating area, Baxter & I hang out there often in the evenings now.

It's one of my new favorite things about our house here.

This guy burrowed himself into our yard, I only saw him because he was near the hose.

I became totally fascinated with him, he stayed there for almost a week!

I haven't seen him lately :(