Thailand Land of Smiles

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^{“Bii Tiinung” means first year...}

   ...but in our case it feels more like continuing on yet another level of our circumambulating path. The time since we last wrote was one of relief and healing, sadness and worry, hard work and creativity and of waiting - as world events unfolded and as our own more circumscribed space took shape.

   In August 2001, healing nicely from our wounds, we settled at the foot of the Rockies in Fort Collins, Colorado. There was the cancer scare and Mom’s treatment. Then there was the sudden death of Norbert’s brother, Gerhard, our scheduled departure for Germany on 9/11, then watching and waiting - along with all the world - to see what would happen next. finding it impossible to separate our own personal grief from the collective grief. We returned from the visit with distant friends and family and a New Year began. 

   We built a home, with the help of two very nice guys - Ed and Jerry (Leivestad and Berkeley Builders), a true act of creativity and more healing for us. With all the losses and changes of the past four years, we were again, for the first time in a long time, feeling grounded and calm and open to whatever future was before us. We checked into resuming our work with the Peace Corps only to discover that we were a month too late for that. Doors closed...doors opened. There was a teaching opportunity in Chiangmai but not in Fort Collins (other than the less fulfilling work of substitute teaching.) There was the possibility of a long term visa and of finding tenants to live in our new house and support from family and willingness of Mom to join us for a few weeks of sight-seeing.

So, here we are again...in Thailand.

These are the stories of our first year - Bii Tiinung:

Saffron Robes and Baskin Robbins Chiangmai - The New City Yi Peng or Loy Krathong Roosters on Fence Rails Merry Strange Christmas To Burma and Back Living in Chiangmai From the Jungle Heat of the Battle

 

 

 

 

We divided our “New Journey” into two major sections, one for each year. BII Tiinung is Thai for first year and Tiisong means second year.