Thailand 2/21/24 - Chiang Mai: United We Stand, Divided We Fall
02.18.24 Today was our last day at the school. Like yesterday, we greeted our morning to the beautiful mountain sunrise in front of us. We packed our bags and headed to the school early at 7:45. We began our program with more games, singing, and dancing. Then we had more lectures about the value of family, and the value of sexual purity, followed by activities relating to the lecture. After lunch we wrapped up our program talking about our experience, and it was amazing to hear how much the students were positively impacted, whether it was receiving the guidance or just the activities. We are so happy that we could give them such a great experience. Hopefully this becomes a seed in which these high schoolers can join the CARP members in Chiang Mai in the future. Even though our time at the school was short, we became close to them and many even were brought to tears as we said goodbye and started our long drive back to Chiang Mai. We are so grateful to be able to have this amazing experience. Not only were we able to receive so much love from the students but we were able to give them precious knowledge, experiences and memories.
02.19.24 Today was a very special day because we got to play airsoft. We left in the morning around 9:30 and we played until 4:30! We didn’t play airsoft just for fun though, we played it with the intention to build unity amongst ourselves, and to also exercise honesty, as getting eliminated relies on the honor system. We played a handful of rounds with different objectives like standard last team standing wins, set off the bomb (first team who sets the alarm off on the enemy side wins), and one similar to capture the flag. Although the temperature was in the 90s, we all were invested, and after each round drenched in sweat. While playing, we could relate on a smaller scale to how intense war is. Although we are just shooting plastic balls, which do hurt, we could appreciate the bravery and sacrifice from our soldiers around the world who fought for our freedom. Countless blood, sweat, and tears were shed in even the past 50 years due to war and conflict. This activity also made us realize the reality of war on a smaller scale and how we Americans take our freedom for granted. After many hours of playing, with a lunch break included, we headed back to the center to reflect and to have dinner.
02.20.24 After an exciting day yesterday, we woke up feeling sore but very excited for the day as we were going sightseeing. We left in the morning to see a Buddhist temple atop of a mountain. It was a good thing that we mostly drove up the mountain because some of us were pretty sore from yesterday, but that did not stop us from walking. The golden buildings were so beautiful and bright, and the view from the top of the mountain was breathtaking. Most of us don’t know much about Buddhism so it was really nice to experience Buddhist culture. After sightseeing at the Buddhist temple we drove to a nearby Hmong village. The Hmong people are an indigenous group in East and Southeast Asia. We actually have a GPA member who is full Hmong, so it was a really amazing experience for her to see how her ancestors might have lived. “Visiting the Doi Pui village was an experience that gave me a sense of home. Being in Thailand has been a constant journey of self-exploration and connecting with my own ancestry. Doi Pui gave me the opportunity to connect with other Hmong people and build relationships with others of my own ethnicity”. - Winona Vue, a 2nd year captain. We were also able to wear their traditional clothing and embrace their culture. After the sightseeing time we were given time to reflect on our experiences so far in Thailand, and redeterminations for the next half of our stay. We ended our day with the Chiang Mai center’s evening service, which the structure is very similar to Christian worship service.
Generation Peace Academy
Blogger, Thailand - Chiang Mai, Jason Marsal
