New Blog!!!

Hey all,

It recently moved my blog to https://thereisfuninmypocket.wordpress.com/. WordPress is just a much better hosting service.

Thoughts on Occupy Wall Street from Afar

Thank the universe for Facebook, Twitter and all other social media. It’s easy to demonize social media, to point out how much wasted time we spend on it or how we use it to isolate ourselves from the real world. I have felt really lucky however, to have access to the information about Occupy Wall Street which has been clogging my Facebook newsfeed.

Even though I am in Thailand, hearing about what is going on in NYC and now other cities has been inspiring and transformative. To be completely honest I have felt defeatist and disillusioned about people’s movements for the last couple years, specifically about movements in the “developed” world and specifically in the United States.

This protest or movement has changed that.

Here’s two reasons why:

I’ve been impressive at how inclusive it has been. The failing or limitation of past social movements has often been a result of their exclusive nature. Just look at the green movement in the US which is divided along race lines between the environmental movement and the environmental justice movement. Why do we have two environmental movements instead if one? Because in its beginning, the environmental movement primarily addressed popular (usually white) environmental concerns and left out the concerns of colored communities. I don’t think this was always intentional, in fact I think it was sometimes just innocent ignorance, but it shows it is important for Occupy Wall Street to have everyone involved not just 20 year old white “radicals”. And it’s on the path of doing just that.

Of course it is easy to criticize its failings (e.g. it is not inclusive enough or its goals are too vague) and criticism is good, that’s how we get better. What I believe is different about this movement is the process it is using. It can respond to that criticism. It is using tools such as consensus, training facilitators, having truly open meetings. Just check this video:

CONSENSUS (Direct Democracy @ Occupy Wall Street) from meerkatmedia on Vimeo.

This is a truly democratic process. A process that can allow the movement to be dynamic and evolve. Since anyone can learn how to be a facilitator it is also anti-hierarchical.

I do not mean to over romanticize Occupy Wall Street. It may not last much longer, but it shows a new possibility for social movements in the United States.

New Home!

I decided to move closer to the Khon Kaen University Campus to be closer to my social community here. My previous living situation was on a lake in the city's center. I could hear monks chanting in the morning, and could escape the urban congestion by walking along the lake within its Chinese garden and temples. I'll be sad to say bye. The distance however, was too far way from most of my friends and left me by myself most days. The ability to sit and process my experiences with someone or to just be able to go out and have some silly fun has proved invaluable during this year. These two opportunities provide me with the ability to balance myself both mentally and spiritually and turn even the most challenging days into positive learning moments. I think of it as trading isolation for solitude. Those familiar with bell hooks will understand the comparison.

Now I just need to get my address to you all!

(left to right) Frig, tea station, small oven (for making cookies!), work station

Tea station

My urban mushroom farm

Bed!

View from front door

Apartment building

Morning Exercise Routine

Every Wednesday begins with some exercise routines. This particular Wednesday was cuter than normal with a visiting teacher leading the exercises...

Violence and Self-doubt

This week I watched as a grandmother pulled an 8 year old student of mine into our classroom and beat him with a four foot long cable. 10 minutes of plastic coated metal tearing the flesh. 10 minutes of me sitting. I did not know what to do. Two of my colleagues who are my superiors and were also in the room (both Thai teachers with communication capabilities) did not move or plead with the guardian to halt the violence. No, instead they offered clam conversation with the abuser from their seated positions.

I remained bolted to the ground by fear, confusion, uncertainty and it is fair to say- cowardice. I took the easy choice and did nothing and remained where I was. Would have it been culturally insensitive to intervene? It likely would have risked violence onto myself, the humiliation of my colleagues and the swift departure of their trust and respect of me. Yet to intervene would have been to adhere to my values...I find it difficult to live up to my values in this work setting.

The entire purpose of this year is to gain that elusive trust and slowly develop this classroom and the teaching styles used. Am I doing that? I feel broken.

Learning Together at Nam Pong

Our two day camp at the Nam Pong river began in silence. A slow meditative walk led us through bright green fields of recently planted rice shoots, the mud a carpet of earth pressing through our toes. Our walk wound us along the Nam Pong river, an important part of the watershed that feeds the city of Khon Kaen, including our class.
Our goal coming here was twofold; to create more comprehensive knowledge of our watershed by learning about villagers and learning and experiencing their way of life . Our second goal was for students to develop relationships with their peers. Two classes participated in the camp, M1 (14 year olds) and the Chinchara classroom (made up of high school level students struggling in a traditional classroom, including students with learning disabilities and autism). Happily we can say that we met these goals:


Students were formed into small groups for their homestays with villagers. By working together with new friends they had just met each group, used a map they were handed to find their homestay's location.


Meditation. Developing a tool to learn about ourselves, and to learn focus.

Planting trees in the community forest with our homestay families. Learning local wisdom and developing relationships.

Living together. Deconstructing a "stranger" and learning to love a stranger.

School or Fustrations and Whatnot

In quick succession, bruised fists bash another child's face, neck and chest. Two different teachers watch passively, observantly. The lesson in dominance continues for five more minutes. Once the beaten child gives up resisting the blows the teachers do not notice, having had returned to their respective arbitrary tasks four minutes ago. Upon his release the subuded child stands, tears painting his face with the hopelessness and constriction of not being able to secure his physical and mental safely.

Throughout hallways and classrooms short bamboo sticks make thick thuds as they collide with rebellious, anxious or bored children. In one classroom it takes a teacher one hours to approach a student and confiscate his plastic airsoft handgun, despite him taking aim at his teachers. Children with learning disabilities are herded into one classroom, undianogsised and given the "privileged" to spend half the day outside running around.