That’s a wrap!! My program has come and gone, Christmas has come and gone and my time in Thailand (for now) has come and gone. My last week in Thailand, I mostly put my camera away. I wanted to BE in Thailand and focus on my last week just living there. Week 5 was about continuing to practice and putting together all that we had learned. A few more sessions of giving and receiving 2 hour massages, another outing, a fun/filler day of experiencing more advanced techniques and graduation.
Our outing this last week was to a centre for special needs children. It was a wonderful experience. I will admit I was out of my comfort zone, but as the teachers pointed out, most of us had never done this sort of thing before, so it was not only a learning experience, but also an opportunity to share our newly acquired skills and give the gift of touch and compassion. In the morning, I started out with a 6 year old girl and ended up with a 14 year old boy. Two very different experiences. In the afternoon, I had a 10 year old girl who was quick to laugh and had a giggle fest with the girl on the mat beside us. She was constantly asking about all of our names, but couldn’t pronounce them, so I was “boxing” and my friend Yolanda who was massaging beside us was “landa.” Her laughter was contagious and it was pretty fun.
The week flew by, but it was good to be done and I think most of us were ready. We were given a CD of pictures that were taken over the last 5 weeks, so here’s a snapshot of my life over the last little while.
Ultimately, we ended up being a group of 12 that spent our days together doing things such as . . .
1) beginning the day with prayers, showing respect and gratitude to teachers, and meditating
2) classroom learning
– studying the energetic lines . . . .
. . . . . which included a song and dance
– suggestions for planning
– group discussions (are you surprised to hear that I always had a scarf with me because I was often cold in the air conditioning?)
– group work (check out that concentration!)
– lectures from the director of the centre
– a lecture from a professor from Chiang Mai university
– matching exercises (hey . . . this is the type of thing I used to make my ESL students do!)
– occasionally individual work with teachers
3) Having special event days
– learning about and making herbal compress balls including guessing what herbs were used
– cutting
– crushing
– putting the balls together and eventually using them for a treatment
3) Going on excursions
– to the seniors centre
– to a centre for children with special needs
My first 6 year old girl guinea pig . . . I like our matching shirts!
My 14 year old boy was a very different experience
My friend Yolanda on a mat beside me with her client who giggled and laughed with my client for the afternoon.
4) Eating and having banana breaks together
5) getting a few group shots together
On our last day, we did our final practicum of . . . . giving and receiving yet another 2 hour treatment. The day ended with a graduation ceremony with the people who were staying for just 1 week, us in the 5 week program, and the 10 week teacher training program.
This was everyone attending the school that week. The girl beside me (same, same) is from Calgary!
Saying farewell to the wonderful teachers.
A few of us met for dinner later that night to celebrate (it was also very easy to forget that Christmas was just around the corner!)
The next day, on Christmas Eve, I was reluctantly picked up by a taxi bright and early at 5AM. There are many things I will miss. I am generally comfortable in and love being in SE Asia . . . the weather, the food, the culture, the people, etc. I’m definitely not done visiting this area of the world anytime soon. Logistically, my flights worked out very well. I was able to get on my #1 choices, and the only waiting around I had to do at any airport was in Vancouver. About 18 hours in various planes going through three countries, a 7.5 hour hang out at the Vancouver airport (with my first airport lounge experience), and a 1.5 hour drive from Kelowna to arrive in Kamloops just before midnight and ready for the “main event” the next morning.
Luckily, Vancouver was sunny, bright, green and warm with its amazingly fresh, clean coastal air. A good way to ease into my return to Canada and remind myself there are some pretty enviable things about my country.
Nice to see and spend time with some of my peeps, and Santa even tracked me down to give me a present!
Don’t worry SE Asia . . . I can’t quit you!! See you next time! Best wishes to all my classmates/friends some of whom are continuing with their travels and some who are returning home. I got to meet some pretty wonderful people! And, here’s to sweet endings which will eventually morph into new beginnings . . . whatever that may end up looking like.
