Cooking, Trekking and More

After our unforgettable first week in the colorful country of Thailand, the group embarked on a spiritual journey to the outskirts of Chiang Mai where we were treated to a silent Meditation Retreat lead by monk ‘KK’. Wearing all white from head to toe and unplugging from the outside world, the group gained many lessons both practical and spiritual from the 2 days of meditation and silent reflection. After waking up at 5am for morning gong and chanting we finished our last day of meditation lead by the monks and had group discussions on Buddhism before departing the temple. Everyone gained something from the retreat and it was obvious that the dynamics of body language and laughter are noticeably stronger within our group. It was a pivotal experience for all.

To break the silence, our Program Leader Kevin took our group out to experience some typical Thailand nightlife - we got to let loose at karaoke and then watch one of Thailand's famous lady boy shows. This particular performance was featured in Anthony Bourdain's television show 'Parts Unknown.'

The following morning we were honored to be students at Yui's Thai cooking school in Chiang Mai where we learned to cook Thai classics such as Pad Thai and green curry using some of Thailand’s renowned fresh, authentic and local ingredients. The group fangirled over Yui's talent, her history of television appearances with celebrity chefs and most importantly, the humility she has kept throughout it all. We perfected cooking with a Thai Wok and our taste buds acclimatized to the spice level of the food here. We finished up our cooking lesson in a local market where Yui talked to us about where local produce is sourced and which ingredients were used to create the flavors we had created in the dishes we had cooked. Attention levels were at an all-time high as we were eager to learn how to replicate the meals to impress our families once we return back home to the States.

The next morning as the sun rose over Chiang Mai, so too did the potential for bonding and creating memories as we embarked on our next adventure - a trekking trip through the jungle. We spent the next two days covered in mud, climbing the mountains in western Thailand. We learned about the local fruits, insects and flowers from our guide whilst trekking through picturesque landscapes of rice fields, forests and rivers. After 5 hours of hiking we settled in for the night in a Luha village of about 50 people at the top of a valley. The locals were so warm and welcoming to the group; feeding and accommodating us - everyone enjoyed playing with the local children! Despite the language barrier these people humbled our hearts and truly proved that people with less materialistic things in life are always happier.

The next morning after a tasty breakfast we trekked back to Pai for a day of rest, reflection and relaxation. We could not be more elated with the challenges we have overcome in the last 2 weeks and thankful for the lessons learned. Out next adventure is the long awaited week volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park - we couldn't be more excited!

Angela