Thailand; meaning Land of the Free. That seems to be the pervading theme here. You are free to do whatever you want, but at your own risk.
After a month and a half here, I am still as excited about this country as I was after arriving. The people are full of smiles, and it is just easy to be a farang, or foreigner, in Thailand.
Project Terminator was a huge success in many ways. I dropped a lot of excess weight I had been packing on. I feel more confident with my fighting skills, and I am more aware of where I need to work harder. I met brilliant folks from all over, and really got to know some Thai people in the month I stayed in Phuket.
I still love Thai food! It’s funny, years ago I decided I didn’t like Thai food even though I had barely ever had it. Now with more exposure to it, I still want to eat it every day.
With so many new sights, sounds, and bruises that I found in Thailand, I was often overwhelmed and almost always tired… but I’m going to try and wrap some of them up with a brief, yet familiar, exit interview.
Q: What did you spend your money on?
New Shorts! After a year, I finally retired the shorts I started out with, as they had both been repaired numerous times and were quickly passing the point of no return. I certainly did not spend a lot on food. Food was cheap and delicious. Transportation was relatively cheap as well. We caught a bus across the country for 1/2 of what my new shorts cost.
Q: What is one thing you will never forget?
The constant laughter and smiles of the staff at Mama’s! It was a constant bolster after so much abuse at Tiger.
Q: Of all the places you went to, which did you enjoy the most and why?
Koh Lipe. Such a calm and peaceful place. Aside from the dog eating the frisbee, it was perfect. Snorkeling off the coast of Koh Lipe for Christmas is probably my best memory. So much fun, sun, and adventure in such a quiet setting!
Q: What did you learn about yourself?
I need to perfect my defense mechanisms. Both in the ring and out of it. Something to keep working on.
Q: What is one mistake you made in Thailand?
Going out for “a beer” with an Irishman. Ouch.
Q: What will you miss the most?
The constant endorphin high of training. Bruises, sweat, blood; all of that made me feel fantastic for the rest of the day.
Q: What frustrated you the most about Thailand or your experiences?
The Visa! When I entered, I came in through a small outpost on an island, so I was only given a 2 week visa as opposed to 2 months if I had flown in. Luckily, Zsofi thought about it and I caught it without needing to pay for overstaying, but I had to pay for visa extensions and make a Border Run to Burma to extend for another two weeks. It was an unnecessary hassle.
Q: What made you smile?
Being punched in the face. Seriously. Simon, Tiger’s resident Yogi, taught us that when great Thai boxers get hit particularly hard, they smile. So I took that into the ring. Every time I got my bell rung or knocked down (which happened more often than I would like to admit) I would smile as big as I could and get right back to it.
Q : What is your favorite smell about Thailand?
Chilis, garlic, sweat, and blood. There was this extremely weird smell on one walkway at the Tiger Muay Thai camp. Behind the kitchen, and between two of the fighting areas in the morning. Once the kitchen started preparing for the day, the seasonings would start to filter out and mix in with the smell of violence, old and new.
Thailand is really “at your own risk.” Cliff diving, boxing rings in bars, a distinct lack of handrails; you need to keep your head on straight. It’s brilliant, but you have to have a clear internal sense of when to ‘Stop’ because no one is going to impose a limit on you. Excess in almost encouraged here, so if you are not careful you will find yourself somewhere you may not want to be; i.e. in a ditch or in bad company. I have truly enjoyed Thailand; in speaking of the country as a whole, not necessarily about the certain areas of Bangkok we all have heard about, it has been one of the easiest countries I have seen in terms of getting anything you could want, getting around safely, quickly, and not getting ripped off.
This is coming from a guy who never thought he would go to Thailand. I thought it was all about prostitution and insane parties, but that is only the most talked about aspects. There was peace and quiet when I wanted it, social life to be had, exercise, great food, and friendship on every corner. Thailand is definitely on my Top 5. Do like I did and go see for yourself.
That was the noise that every one of the Muay Thai coaches made when I punched or kicked or elbowed the striking pads with particular force and accuracy. I can still hear the different versions of the noise and see the associated faces. I didn’t hear this a lot when I started.
In reflection, I remember early days where I was just going through the motions, and I remember the exhausted satisfaction that came from the later days where I gave it everything I had. I have not taken so many mid-day naps since I was a baby.
These trainers are tough. While a professional western boxer may have 50 fights by the end of his career, some of these coaches boast over 350 fights and still counting; they start young. When they get injured, their solution is to train harder. It’s unreal. The commitment level of these coaches coupled with their laughter and smiles kept me pushing my limits for weeks on end.
The weeks seem to have been distinct phases in themselves.
Week one was mostly making my body accustomed to the stress and ready for real workouts. I limited myself to about 4 hours a day of exercise. Then about 4 hours a day at the pool or beach.
Week two was where I turned up the heat. I pushed it out to around 7 hours a day and really just tried to put in the time and eat properly. By the end of week 2 I could physically see the change in my body; muscles appearing in my legs, gut shrinking. My energy level was increasing every day and I could work that much harder.
Week three was great. Energy level was off the charts, I could push it all day. My shoulders didn’t ache from swinging the sticks for hours on end. The bruises were healing faster. I was happier. Everything seemed to be coming together. After weeks with no alcohol, I felt like Superman.
Week 4 was short. As my Thailand Visa was expiring, I only got to spend a few days training, but they were great. I had acquired friends all over the camp and there was always a friendly smile to be had. The routine felt good. It was hard to leave.
The whole daily process could get pretty gross. I have never had so many other peoples sweat all over me in my life, aside from perhaps a California warehouse party. Showering simply became a necessity several times a day, as did Tiger Balm: maintenance.
I watched some of the other guys go out and sample the night life in nearby Patong and Phuket Town, but I just couldn’t imagine tagging along with them; I needed my sleep, and the stories they came back with were like something out of a comic book.
Living and training at Tiger Muay Thai was an experience like none other. It wasn’t a boring place. There was no complaining, no griping, no politics; it was just people who wanted to be there and were working their butts off for themselves and no one else.
Simon, Tiger Muay Thai’s resident Yogi, said, “This is not an ashram or a temple: life here is different. With the sounds and clatter of battle around you, you cannot fool yourself. You are not a monk. You are a warrior.”
Words had power there as much as fists. We would start every day with the words, directed at what the Thais call pran (the life force that surrounds us), “Protect me. Evolve me to the highest good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
This was possibly the best vacation I could imagine for someone like me. I would love to make this an annual thing. This was a move from apprehension to truth in much the way that this entire trip has been; it was the microcosm of the macrocosm.
When I paint the picture this way, the patterns come out.
This didn’t start easy; training at Tiger was a lot like this trip. Dangerous, intense, requiring a huge commitment and offering comparable rewards. It didn’t start easy. I fell down… a lot.
As things progressed, I gained experience. Things moved more smoothly, fists and feet started landing where I wanted them to. The sticks that were lead in my arms after an hour, soon became smooth graceful instruments as extensions of my arms.
Training at Tiger was good for me. Now, the daily routine is over, but so much of it stays with me. The friends I made, the coordination, the knowledge, the renewed sense of health and strength; all this I take away with me.
In times like this we learn and relearn that life’s challenges become easier and that when it is difficult, determination sees us through. Soon we are doing things that might have seemed like magic even a short time ago. If you can apply the formula of determination, commitment and consistency then experience will start to fill in the rest and soon, we are performing sorcery where we were stumbling just a short time ago.
This applies to anything in our lives; a huge trip around the world, learning a new martial art, or a lifetime with a partner. We just have to start, then stick with it. It gets easier and easier, and one day someone watching will simply mistake it for being effortless. You’ll just have to explain it to them.
For the end of week one of Project Terminator, rather than just type up some of my observations, I thought I would try something different and toss in a quick video journal. Is this something I should do more often? Let me know what you think.
For the month of January, I will be in Thailand training at a Muay Thai / MMA camp: Tiger Muay Thai. I’ll be training, 6 days a week, in Muay Thai, MMA, Jiu Jitsu, stick and knife fighting, and even yoga.
I’m calling it Project Terminator.
This is all in an effort to convert my travel worn body back into something of a specimen to behold.
I have a Thai number: +66 (0) 83-392-2967, and incoming calls are free, so skype me if you get bored. Also, if you know anyone in the Phuket area who feels like hanging out (or has a guitar) send them my way!
Each time I have a conversation about the trip, this phrase comes at me. Often followed by “one day…” or “but, I could never…”
This year, since I am living everyone’s dream, I thought it would be ungrateful of me to ask for anything for Christmas. As such, I’m making up more of a ‘Hope’ list for you, my friends, than a “Wish” list for myself this holiday season.
I hope you have the opportunity to fall asleep in someones lap.
I hope someone flashes you an American Smile.
I hope you stay out of the hospital.
I hope one person tells you they love you.
I hope someone kisses you on the cheek.
I hope you meet anyone as honest and true as my team.
I hope each of you wake up to a pair of sparkling eyes.
I hope that when you go looking for it, the Mistletoe finds you first.
I hope the only tears you cry are because you are laughing so hard.
I hope the next time you say “but, I could never…” you are filled the clear and certain knowledge that YOU REALLY CAN.
We are all capable of buying so much this holiday to show others what they are worth to us, but we can’t unwrap a whispered “I love you.” The few things that I want all of you to have this year are both free… and priceless.
From roller coasters to the Hilton, Kuala Lumpur was pretty fun.
Time to think: priceless.
In KL, you can find nearly anything you want. Big malls, skyscrapers, mosques, even Starbucks; English is the one of the official languages.
Ghostbuster towers
Though, not everything makes sense…
I really don't understand
I had some good food in the street; grilled stingray.
Stingray from the streets
Inside the mall named Times Square is a very strange theme park called Cosmo’s world. That’s where I made this.
Further proof that I need a camera man.
KL was not the goal, though. KL, serving as the headquarters for Air Asia, is a means to an end for anyone trying to reach nearly any place in Asia within a budget. With most international flights under $100 US, it’s hard to pass up.
If an island is what you are looking for, check out Langkawi. An hour on a very small plane with some great scenes and you’ll be bouncing around a little island with plenty of beach to keep you busy. Check it.
Langkawi Island was fun, no doubt. The roads through the “mountains” here are windy and fun and dangerous. I got carried away on my little scooter and started dragging hard parts on the pavement through the turns.
There are advertised white and black sand beaches, though after visiting both, I think the white sand was just a little more attractive.
Black Sand BeachWhite Sand Beach
Another reason to visit Langkawi is the ferry boat to one of my favorite places in the world, Koh Lipe. The Malaysian harbor is beautiful at sunrise; which is important because you need to be there early to catch the boat.
Langkawi harbor sunrise
It’s a quick was to get to Thailand, but make sure you can get a visa on arrival. Some members of the European Union cannot, and may be in for a shorter stay than they bargained for.
Awesome
Wrap Up:
Yes, the Hilton is still awesome. Yes, the Hilton is still expensive.
Roller Coasters are just as much fun as you remember.
Flights to Langkawi are cheap and fast. Much better than 3 hours vomiting on rough seas.
Arrange your Thai visa ahead of time if you need to. Koh Lipe will send you back to Malaysia with the next boat if you don’t.
I’m back in Istanbul for a couple weeks and will be taking some Turkish language classes and drinking my weight in Turkish coffee.
The new phone number is +90-0539-871-9069, so give me a ring if you are in the neighborhood.
I just attended a Couchsurfing.com group meeting tonight, ate gland & intestine sandwiches, and already have plans for the weekend and a snowboarding trip planned for Sunday. I truly appreciate the people of this city.
What’s not to love from a country that is famous for mustaches?!
This year, I am in Israel. A place I really never thought I would go. And now I am here… looking for some semblance of purpose.
This place is full of purpose.
The populace here is surrounded by problems. They live in the shadow of war and go shopping with assault rifles. They know people who have died and have friends in captivity. And they smile. They laugh and smile every day.
The cab driver that shuffled me home one evening said that when we have these huge problems, we can be truly appreciative of the other stuff; the parts that slip through the cracks: the way she raises her eyebrows when I talk to her, sometimes, like she hears me with her entire body; the silly moments at breakfast; a warm touch from a friend; inside jokes that bind us with secret emotions to our loved ones.
Spending this year as I have, owning nothing I can’t carry, and with friends for only days at a time, I like to think that I truly appreciate these things. I know that I crave them. I see my friends and loved one in my dreams. I smile when I remember these parts of my life that have formed me into what I am. Daily, I am struck by something that reminds me of how uniquely magical this life is.
I have relied on strangers for so much this year. I have no one with me, and I must ask directions, food, lodging, honesty, transport, and anything else I need to survive from complete strangers. Some of them remain that way, while others have truly touched my heart and become brilliant stars in my universe.
This year, I spend Thanksgiving on a military base, surrounded by kids with guns who all have stories of their own. Every place I go reminds me of how much I love the USA and how fortunate I am to have been born there.
I am thankful for American smiles, and all the doors they open.
I am eternally grateful for the memories I have that keep my heart warm in the cool and my mind focused on the goal and remind me that in order to have memories like this we must live everyday with purpose and love.
Hope: the belief that all this will lead to something even greater. The hope that I will create something great with my experiences and be able to give all that I have back to the world in some fashion.
Never take something for free. A very wise warrior told me this.
I try to go out of my way to tell everyone how thankful I am for their help. It is the people who enrich and affect my life daily that will help me to give back to the world around me. If I haven’t had the opportunity to take you by the hand and look you in the eye and express my thanks for the influence you have had on my life recently, then know that I am speaking to you now.
Thank you. Thank you for all that you do and all that you are and all that you have been to me.
In the USA, today is a day of Thanksgiving. Today, in this far off place, I give thanks to you; for you.
Let’s face it, we lose things every day. we lose socks in the laundry, money from our pockets and hours from our lives. What if by voluntarily giving up these things, in effect losing them, we could gain so much more in return?
I just lost three weeks in Israel. And in return, I gained amazing friends, new skills, and a pretty cool scar on my back. Ok, so maybe not everyone thinks the last one is cool. Story as follows…
Before this, Israel was never really high on my radar. Little did I know, with a little help from LLWorldTour.com, it was about to get a big upgrade. Lisa Lubin, the amazing woman from LL World Tour, wrote an article on Voluntourism. That was all I needed. I contacted Sar-El, the organization that coordinates volunteers for the IDF and bought a plane ticket.
I was warned that coming from Turkey and Morocco, I might be asked a few extra questions on my way into Israel. This is basically how it went.
Guard: Why are you coming to Israel?
Me: To volunteer with Sar-El.
Guard: Oh, cool. Do you know where they are putting you?
Me: Nope.
Guard: ok. have fun. *stamp*
Not much to it.
I skated through baggage claim, and met my contact Pamela in the terminal at Ben Gurion, and checked in. She told me a little bit about the program, I paid her the equivalent of $90 USD for my room and board for the two weeks we had agreed on, and wondered what to do with the next 6 hours until our bus left for the base I was to be stationed on: Beit Lid, a paratrooper base.
My first itinerary item was to find a cel phone chip; I have problems with payphones. This meant going into Tel-Aviv because there are no cel phone company stores left in Ben-Gurion airport. No sweat; this is fast and easy. Grab the train outside the arrivals terminal to HaShalom station for Azrieli Mall. It costs 14 sheckles and at least 50% of the populace speaks enough English to give you directions; never fear.
This was a mall like any other in the USA, aside from the fact that half the signs were written in Hebrew and half the 20 year olds were carrying assault rifles.
After some searching, I found the only company to sell pre-paid simcards is CellCom, and they hooked me up with a number.
Sunday evening approached and I returned to the airport to catch a bus with volunteers from around the world out to our base. Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, Canada, USA; people seemed to come from everywhere! On this bus we also got to meet our Madrichot, the IDF members assigned to help our merry band integrate the IDF; Lee and Romi.
That night we loaded into our army barracks. My roommate Aaron was alternately obsessed with smelling his passport and overjoyed to finally be here for the event that he had spent so long waiting for. We chose our bunks from the metal framework and racked out.
Not everyone got such nice sleeping accommodations.
The following Monday morning, we arose and had our first-of-many flag raising ceremony, picked up our snappy new uniforms, and got to work.
The next first week was hot, sweaty, dirty, very rewarding work. We emptied old warehouses, tore things apart, painted, built shelving and organized all manner of military kit. That doesn’t mean we didn’t have fun doing it; far from it! We had a blast talking to soldiers, teachers, officers, logistics workers and each other. The officers Alon and Rami were brilliant; truly good men with great hearts. The logistics staff were hilarious, making sure we were well caffeinated and always smiling.
Every night our Madrichot had an activity for us following dinner. Often these were lectures, guest speakers, games, or activities with the soldiers. The hard work that went in to these evenings was apparent and I made sure to tell the organizers every night how much I appreciated to effort. I know that being in the military can be a thankless job sometimes, so it’s good to take the accolades where you can get them.
The meals are all provided on the base, and the food is great. The cooks there really put their hearts into it, and you can tell. Everything from humus to schnitzel and a million vegetables in between. When we were there, someone was rather fond of cucumbers.
The weekend for the volunteers starts on Thursday afternoon, when we all jump on a bus and head back to Tel Aviv for the weekend. On the weekend, the volunteers have the option of staying at an IDF hostel, Beit Oded, in the city free of charge. It is right next to the beach and a movie theater and provides rudimentary meals and housing for the volunteers. As opposed to the base, the food in Beit Oded is enough to keep you alive; little else. One thing they don’t tell you ahead of time is that everyone who stays there has to clean up the bathrooms, rooms and everything before heading back to “work” the next Sunday morning. There is also a 12 midnight curfew. It is basic; you get what you pay for. It is exactly what you would expect of an Army hostel.
The second week, we were all a little more accustomed to the routine. The work was still hot and sweaty, but we were faster and more coordinated so it flew by. Ours was the first Sar-El group that the paratroopers at Beit-Lid had ever had and they weren’t quite sure what to do with us, so sometimes we found ourselves with nothing to do since we finished the days worth of work before the day was half over. The IDF officers didn’t want to work the volunteers too hard, but many of the volunteers came to do just that: work hard.
There was a good deal of self regulation among the group as a whole. The ones who tired quickly took more break time, leaving the ones who wanted to work… well, working.
Tuesday meant we took an entire day off from life in the service and put on civvies, civilian clothes, to go and visit a nearby city, Zichron, and see some of the history of the area and visit a refugee camp from WWII.
Not being Jewish myself, nearly everything I saw and heard was some form of revelation. I didn’t know about the origins of the language, the important events in the country’s history, or even important founding members of the government, so I constantly needed to be filled in by someone nearby.
One of the highlights of the week was a paratrooper named Lior. Not only was he just about the coolest soldier we met, but he showed us the workings of the m4 assault rifle, made us coffee and chai in a trench in a field over a small fire and under a starry sky.
At the end of the second week, I was supposed to be done with my initial commitment to Sar-El. That didn’t happen.
The sense of purpose and family I was developing with the people at the base and on my team was having a bonding effect. I wanted to stay and finish out the third week on the base with my group; each group only stays at a base for 3 weeks. I asked the Madrichot and the program coordinator if I could stick around and they quickly agreed I should stay.
Rarely in life is someone given the truth of themselves. It engenders a strength, understanding, and humility that draws people like a magnet. Doron was one of these people. Doron spent a great many years in the IDF, eventually stepping back from the line to become a trainer for the next generation. We volunteers were beyond privileged to have met him while we were there, not once, but several times as he made special trips to come and speak to us.
The third week was (surprise) more sweaty dirty work. The logistics officers had become more accustomed to our pace and were finding all manner of jobs for us to do. Unfortunately, as I said before, they weren’t fully prepared for us and sometimes they didn’t have the gear we needed to safely and effectively perform the work, so we had to find something else to do; like Krav Maga.
One afternoon in the final week of our engagement with the IDF, our Madrichot told us we were going to take a field trip. We all piled on to a bus, with the usual assortment of machine guns and handbags. After several hours of beautiful terrain, Lior informed us that we had arrived at his Kibbutz.
A Kibbutz is something I had only read about, and even then, I thought they had ceased to exist some time ago. They are something of a socialist living agreement between the people there and they do all manner of things for one another. They had horses, chickens, cows, a factory, a dairy, cars, a pool, and schools. We cooked pita over an open fire and played guitar and ate until will into the night before we had to rock back to the base.
As luck would have it, the final night of our three week engagement at Beit-Lid would also be the first night of Hanuka. I personally had never seen anything Hanuka related outside of a store front or television program which meant I knew 0.1% of what was involved.
The Tsanchanim put on a giant Hanuka dinner and invited we volunteers to come and be a part of it. It was awesome! We had tons of food, people wouldn’t stop handing out presents, I heard a Hanuka song and prayer for the first time in my life; but not the last. Everyone was having so much fun it was hard to believe that it was such a religious event. Most religious things I had been to previously have been a little dry and heavy on the boring. This was anything but…
I even got to show off a short video I made to thank our hosts.
Eventually, the night had to end, and everyone went to work cleaning up and putting away the party we had enjoyed all night. Embraces, handshakes, and non-stop goodbyes ate up most of the late night hours and the next morning. I had to promise Alon at least a dozen times that I would come and stay with his family when I came back.
Finally retiring our brown uniforms and donning our civilian clothes for a final time, we hopped our last bus and ate up the miles back to the city and my last weekend with my friends in Tel Aviv.
There are times, when I am away from life as I know it, that I realize how truly fortunate I am to have nothing. In place of my own life, I get to pick up other peoples lives, their responsibilities at times, and carry them for a while to see how it feels.
Giving up my life as I have, I get these chances to walk a mile in a pair of shoes that I didn’t know existed. I have the true pleasure of working and playing with wonderful souls on every portion of this planet and it does nothing but enrich my life and allow me to feel closer to the world as a whole.
While we may not all be able to drop our lives in a storage locker and go, we can find opportunities like this closer to home with all manner of volunteering; I’ve helped at hospitals for children, animal shelters, with the Boy Scouts and even churches I am not affiliated with. We can even make the plan and leave home specifically to do something like this. These are ways that we can multiply the rewards we receive for or efforts. It’s worth the time; so take it, and lose it.
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