Thailand Summer Programme - Crouched By a Waterfall

Water has always been the most absolute source of life, especially for me. It nourishes the earth we walk on, the plants we admire, and the fellow animals we celebrate. Rock has always been my primal source of humbling. When water and rock meet to create the imperial flow of a waterfall – I find authentic salvation. Ithaca, NY (where I attend University) was where I first discovered my sincere affection and serenity in waterfalls. However, here, in Thailand it is something much more profound. Could it be the band of Buddhist monks neatly nestled in the hillside behind me or the way this waterfall seems to effortlessly feed the bustling city of Chiang Mai beyond the forests canopy? With such mental and heartfelt clarity electrifying me to a pure existence, how am I to feel about returning to America? I can only hope that the heavily sought after and eloquently achieved wholeness I feel here will be carried along with my backpack, souvenirs, and bountiful memories home. Rachel Cohen