crowing at all hours. Also in trying to communicate to the landlady that the toilet leaks, but we are making progress on that one.
Chiang Mai digs & new village nursery
Most of this week was spent outside of Chiang Mai. I’ve seen the two main FORRU nurseries. One is a research nursery up in the nearby mountain National Park in evergreen forest. The second nursery is in an agricultural Hmong hill tribe setting (in the same NP) about an hour north which will have its official opening on 11th April. I stayed at a basic guest house in the village with the education staff and 6 university interns for 3 nights. We ran environmental modules for an international school from Indonesia. Easily the highlight for me was spending time in the hill tribe community, particularly in being escorted by some enthusiastic village kids to see “the sacred tree” growing high up on the hill overlooking the village. Sounds like I’ll be spending quite a bit of time here in Ban Mae Sa Mai over the coming year. Drove past an elephant camp on the way back – a reminder that there are plenty of touristy activities I’ll have to make a start on.
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FORRU Education Unit at new nursery, & hill tribe
In my job here I’ll be splitting my time with the researchers as well. Yesterday I headed an hour south, with 11 of us piled in a Ford Courier. Yes, it can be done, work friends. We counted resprouting seedlings in a burnt, rocky site in secondary deciduous forest. And it is hot over here – am very glad I didn’t come straight from a Goulburn winter. I’m scheduled to help GPS fig trees all over the national park near Chiang Mai later in the year – should be fun. The water festival has started already: we had water thrown at us 4 times on the way back to town – I wonder if the gleeful locals can keep up the enthusiasm for 2 weeks.
Everyone in the office (except for the English supervisor) speaks continually in Thai, so if I want to know what’s going on, I’m going to need to dedicate large amounts to memory – daunting. On another matter of adjustment, at the rate I’m going might be able to match the Windsor office boys in chilli-eating. Still getting used to chillies for breakfast.....
I’m looking forward to having a pretty quiet weekend and hope to get to a local church service and touch base with some local contacts. Maybe will even visit the famous Night Bazaar (street markets). Some other volunteers from Bangkok are heading up for the water festival next weekend, so it should be a big one.
I hope this finds you well,
Jen
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