Dog Island

On Saturday, after I have finished TOEFL test at my school, I did not want to head back home. It's too sunny and bright day to back and hide myself in a shell called house. I then drove straight and cross a bridge instead of turning left as I usually do to make my way get home.

A large 15-minute-away public park from my school was my destination. As being in a blouse, skirt and heels, I could not do anything much like riding bicycle or lying on a yard as I always do but only drove and took a look around the place where I never had chance to be there.

Before I could get to the park, I saw a sign which attacted my curiousness gland. Suddenly, I changed my destination and followed the sign to find out what it was.

Just follow the signs and let them lead you the way.
I was there because of the below sign only.

"Dog Care"

"What is it like?" I wondered to myself. Before I knew it and realized that it's a big place where easily for a silly person like me to get lost, I found myself was driving follow the signs. After many left and right turns and I was about to think whether the place really existed or not, I could make it there.

Dog island...

It was a stray dog shelter. Some were stray dogs originally while some..... were left by their owners since they didn't want the dogs no more.....

Why some mankinds could be cruel to their world best friends like this....

I took a look around and then I found that those dogs were caged in a large area surrounded by fences. Although there was space for them to walk and run but I was sure that none of them wanted to be there where they could not run with freedom or without someone to took care of them closely.

However, the dogs seemed to be together with peace, no fold-ear or upright-ear groups, no big-sized or tiny-sized teams, no red or yellow dogs neither.

Come take a look at them with me....

Hello?

Anything I can help?

Even the dog, she smiled with teeth to every visitors without any doubt....

What about you?

Can you smile to the world as big as her?

They liked bathtub, don't they.

While the other were getting rest, someone enjoyed hurdle race.






An introvert one.

Somehow I was wrong.... since even among dogs, there were classes.

Hi and Low classes....

The first class and the second class

Hmmm....

Oviously, the black ones were the higher class than the white ones, huh.

And....... Hooray!!
Brown type is a super VIP one!!

While the others were ignoring visitors,

this guy checked if there's anything wrong.


If you want someone to be on guard for your place, he was recommended.

Kinda................... Dalmatian???

Those feedstuff were donated.

Even there were a lot as you can see but, in fact, they exactly were not enough for the dogs.

Considering about the dog island, stray dogs and cats is always an important issue for Bangkokians (for the whole Thailand also). Every times there is Bangkok Metropolitan propretor election, this issue would be picked to be a policy which the candidates use for their campaigns.

After ones have won the election, I had thought they would do something more advance to solve this problem than trying to catch those street cats'n dogs and throw them here or to some other shelters.

However...... this is what you can see their primary problem solving.

However (again)....... I think the most important cause of pet abandonment is human.

But even though we know obviously what the main cause is, how to resolve that cause..... is the hardest thing to do.

Maybe those who call themselves "Human" have to learn to be more human-ish, huh.

On the way back, again....

I got lost... even in the park where there were only go-round ways...

The further I drove, the more I wondered.... "Where am I, huh?"

All I could do was just to follow a car in front of me

and finally, I could make my way out of there and back home before the sun set.

While driving fast back home on a main road, I thought about what I should do if there would be a stray dog run across the road and I couldn't crush down my brake in time.

Then I though of my uncle. He said once that if it would happen to him, he would crash it without any regrets!

As being stunned................. he gave me a reason...

It's because there were too many stray dogs in Thailand and what he has told me was a way to help the government solving street dog problem!!

How big your bag is?

As being a person who always carry a lot of things, I prefer big-sized bags than small ones. Besides necessary things, I can throw stuffs into my bag even useless ones.

When My friends or cousin and I go shopping together, they sometimes ask me to help them picking a new bag. They know that I usually pick ones that is bigger space more than considering about their designs.

The bigger the bag is, the more it can contain stuffs. The design and look are the lower qualifications I would think about, that's my opinion.

As well as our minds,

the bigger or more generous they are, the more we can sense things around.

The more we open our minds, the more we can see the world around us, the more we understand and care about them.

In contrast, the smaller or more shallow our minds are, the less we can see anything but only ourselves.

No matter how cute, handsome or sexy you are,

if your mind is not open wide to accept and understand things and people, then how you look like is just a peel which only cover a tiny empty box.

And there is not enough space to carry other things but only emptiness.

Useless, don't you think?

What about you?

How big is your bag?

Sign your name! I want companions.

According to this post, #4, I have added all of those places to my must-do list. I promised to myself that I would visit those places within this year and a couple ones were crossed out.

*

Phuket

Thanks for a sweet one who took me there. Phuket trip will be long lasting in my memory because of the time I have spent with him.

**

Pho Soi Dao

It's called Network Trip since everyone there were my friend, friends of my friend, my friend's colleague, friends of my friend's colleague and.... well.... doesn't matter whoever they were because, finally, we became a team.

A couple places were crossed out, so there's only one place left and is waiting for my visit. It's called Chiang Khan.

Chaing Khan

Pictures from http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=carlziess&group=3

Chiang Khan, a small district in Loei province in Thailand northern east. This small town has its charm. I want to escape from my busy life and spend some time in peace there.

I plan to go there after I already completely get rid of my thesis out of my life forever.

Hmmm..... maybe one place is not enough.... I should fill some more places in my list, I'm sure.

Let me think.... hmmm....

Ahh!! How about this one?

Mae Ya, Chiangmai

It's a great time to go there at the end of December. Himalayan Cherry or Yunnan Cherry will be abloom during December - February. And.. Yeah!! it's a camping trip again! :)

So.... at the time you celebrate your Chistmast, I would enjoy cool pink atmosphere in the north of Thailand.

Hey! And how about this one?

Huahin beach, not so far from Bangkok

Beautiful white sand beach and blue sea...

Right now, it feels like my body wants to increase its sodium rate...

Let's sea!!!

Well.... well.... well...

Waiting until I completely complete my thesis or the end of December may be too long.... I am not that patient....

And.... well.... This Sunday I am free...

So what you think?

Sign your name on my message box if you wanna join!!

Their Daughter

"Who is Mr.C's daughter?"

"It's me," I answered and raise my hand.

Mr.C and his daughter

I should have believed my mom - the world of this field is small.



My father is a community developer. When he's younger, he worked for the government to develop communities in rural area. My mom said that, at that time, he was one of the youngest leader doing great work for the government. Unfortunately, he quitted his job while his bright career path lied ahead of him.


"Why's that?" I asked mom.
"He didn't agree with a new policy which he saw it would take adventage from local people," replied her.


However, he still works as a community developer for an international NGO in the north of Thailand.


Also my mom, in the past, she worked as a community developer. (My parents met when they worked in upcountry while helping their organizations developed Thai local villages in northern east of Thailand. How romantic, huh?) But I guess, at that time, she became known as my dad's wife. After she has given born to me, she moved to Bangkok and shifted her field from an actor (a community developer) to a planner (an academician).


Nowaday, she works as a researcher, an academician and a planner to support and develop human rights in Thailand. Her work is various, depends on what organization she shifts to. In the past, her fields were hilltribe development, local community development, handicapped rights, children and family rights. Now her field is about gender status in Thailand.





The world of my dad's community development field is so small. My mom said there are full of networks, especially among old-generation developers. That's why if someone's name is said among people who work in the field, you would get "Ahhh, I heard of him" as a reply.


Similarly, the world of my mom's feild is small as well. As working in her fields, she has to coordinate with many organizations. She has her networks with many people in various places.


In my bachelor school, there're majors for us to pick. As a daughter of developers, my body was full of their blood and I was interested in community development at first. But later on, for some reason, I changed my interest to children and family development instead.





However.... one day during my field study in upcountry, one of my professor asked a question in a conference room where there were other professors there.



"Who is Mr.C's daughter?"

As being surprised, I slowly raised my hand and answered, "It's me."



I was brought into the professor group and heard them said something like...
"I once worked with your parents." or...
"He's doing great job when he quitted." or...
"Your mom was the tiniest developer girl there!" or...
"Are they still together?"


After I listened to them admired my parents for awhile, I heard them ended with...



"Are you as good as your parents?"



After that moment till I finished the degree.... ,well.... until now also, among those professors, I was not known as Khwan or Alisa or anything...


But I was known as "Mr.C's daughter" or "Mrs.A's daughter"...... and those names came along with expectation and pressure....

Mr.C, Mrs.A and their daughter

When I got out from my bachelor school, TU, I felt release since I would not be watched if I would do good job when I work in community field or if I would get good grade in research methodology class.


I felt release for I would not be seen as "Mr.C and Mrs.A's daughter" anymore.










I should have believed my mom....


The world of this field is so small....



Although I shifted my interested to human development in my Master degree and where I study is a different place. I had thought I could run away from what I was called.


Unexpectedly, "Mrs.A's daughter" still keeps haunting me here.


My mom's work has to be coordinated with the institute I study MD. All of my professors here know my mother's name and when they first saw me in orientation class, I was questioned whom I looked alike...

After I told them that the researcher team's head they were working with was my mother, they were surprised. And again, I was expected that my work would be great as my mom's.

That's why every times I complained about hard work with my advisor, she would say, "Mrs.A's daughter can do it."



............ Anyone tells me what I was gonna say.....

Mrs.A and her daughter

A few days before, my senior defended her thesis. Some of her thesis commission, 2 advisors, are the same as mine. When I saw her made her presentation in Thai language, I was glad. As we have the same commission, somehow my presentation could be thai also.


After she finished her presentation, I asked my advisor if I could make my own in Thai as hers.




"No, you have to make it in English."

"Why?" I asked.

"Mrs.A's daughter can do it," she replied me.




Huh!?!?!?!?!?!?




Can anyone tell me what kind of logic that is?!?!?!?!




.....

.....

.....

.....

.....



Today is the day I call "the judgement day" of my thesis.


After my presentation and discussion were finished, I was told to adjust and add some interesting content to my thesis.


While other students are getting about more than 30 days to adjust their project (some students get even 90 days!), I am offered only 20 days to finish the Thai version...





"Why I have only 20 days?" I protested to some of my advisors.

One of them turned to me, hit my shoulder gently to encourage and said,

"C'mon, Mrs.A's daughter can do it, I know."






Huh!?!?!?!?!?!?!?














Right now, I am looking at an agreement document which my advisors have signed on....


My eyes keep staring at some letters.... "20 days" while feeling the first time in my life....



I don't want to be my mother's daughter!!

A creature called GUY

I found Reader Digest magazine, September 2007 issue.


A columnist talked about guy's feelings and emotions. It's so interesting that I want to share girls and ask for some confirmations from guys.




Is it true?




They said,
one reason why guys are lack of emotional delicacy - that they don't know what is hidden behind when we look at them - is because of their brain system.

As a student studying a little about neuroscience, from many research I have reviewed, I know that men's and women's brains work different.


There's connection and transmission in human's left brain which control reason system and right brain which control emotions. The connection and transmission in women's brain work better than in men's, they said. (I guess girl's right brain works much harder than the left somehow, or what you think?)

There are some reseach insist that men would interpret non-verbal content, such as face expressions, actings and voice tone of their interlocutors, faultily more than women.


Also, guys would react to emotions less and forget faster than girls.





Hmmm..... That's why someone already forgot things I keep worrying or thinking of, huh?





Guys usually look staid, calm and less emotional, Reader Digest said it's because they have been tought since they were young.


As being a man, they have to be strong, patient and not to cry.


When we were born, boys and girls cried as loud as we could and smiled as big as it could be.

But when we grew up, by socializations and social environment, guys turn to be less and less emotional openly.


When being among people, girls tend to express to appeal the other's attentions (not me!!), while guys would use expressions as a tool to interchange information they're interested.


Girls would speak to release their minds while guys would think before saying anything. (Not everyone is like that, believe me!)


One of my friend complained about her boyfriend.
She said he would be silent when he was in trouble. She assumed that it might be because he was afraid of losing his face if he said something silly or, due to his emotion at the moment, he would say something wrong and it would cause mistakes.


Behind iron masks, there are weakness. Underneath indifferent peels, there are little emotional boys. They feel too instable to accpet themselves, also for their mates could expect.


Guys are like hermit crabs. If they would get more hurt when they speak their feelings, they would hide themselves in the shell and would not come out again.





And These are what girls should know, whether you are wives or girlfriends or not, suggested Reader Digest.





*
When you talk with them, be thier sides instead to face them.

Because confrontation makes them feel like they are irritated. When you argue with them, be by their sides instead of sitting opposite to them.





**
Do some sport activities with them

Walls in their hearts would be thinner and worries in their mind would flow out. Don't quicken them to speak.





***
Try watching guyish drama movies

Many movies relate guys to their backgrounds or philosophy. Some can make them speechless by being closed or similar to what are on their minds. And try not to criticize their childhood experiences. (Hmm... so it doesn't matter with girls, huh?)





****
Do not press them to talk about what they have faced when they have bad days.





*****
Do it but do not say it

Talking may be girl's method. But guys would speak their emotions and feelings non-verbally.
Instead of pressing them to talk, you would better try to speak their laguage.





******
Find some ways to let them know that you want to be encouraged

Guys are not that senseless. You just have to let them know what and when you want.





*******
Tell them how much they mean to you

When you are alone, try to let them know how good you felt when you met him.
Psycologist confirm that guys would be surprised or proud of themselves by hearing that.





Hmmm.....

Those are not only how to treat guys, I guess. Even girls need to be treated like that also.










So......

What do you think, guys?

Is that true?

Do you want us to treat you like that?






If you do, then let me ask you a question.


You want us to treat you that way,


Can you treat us that way also?

A great way to smile for the whole tired night.

Have you ever felt sooooo tired that you almost fall asleep while you're working?

As sitting in front of a boring computer for over 12 hours without going anywhere,

that's what I'm feeling right now.

Normally, if I feel tired, I'd go to a public park.

I'd ride on bicycle and bring a small mat to lay on a big yard.

I'd bring a book to read or maybe just to ride bicycle around and take a big deep breath.

Or I'd go to my university -- Thammasat.

It locates by the main river of Thailand, Chao Praya.

I'd sit by the river and quietly look at boats and people there

while feeling the wind blowing against my face.

Or if I can't do anything or go anywhere like this moment,

I'd just close my eyes and let myself lost in a dream for a little while.

I'd picture of when I was in the northern east of Thailand,

sat by a river, had a cup of English milk tea while watching the sun rise.

or picture of when I stood on a mountain and took a deep breathe

while feeling like I own the world.

or think of a breezy nice night

when I was at the top of the highest building in Bangkok

while having a great dinner with friends.

or feel a chill wind at a pier in one early morning

while waiting for a ferry take me to a destination where I'd never been.

or... think of when I laid myself on a seat by someone on a beautiful beach.

Those are what I'd do when I feel I need some rest but I just can't.

Now... as feeling this tired and sleepy, I'm ready to fall asleep anytime.

I still have a long night..... still have something to be done....

Oops...

There's something was interupting my work.

I then left the computer to pay attention to it,

feeling glad to find an excuse to leave my work for a moment.







Now I just get back...

"What are you smiling to?" my mom ask.

I give her a smile with no answer and turn back to the monitor.

I think I find another way to escape from tired moment

which make me feel great, less tired

and want to smile till the rest of the night is gone.

C'mon...

Let me be crazy for awhile.

While continue working on my thesis,

I hum Soulja Boy's song...

Baby, you know that I miss you, I wanna get with you tonight.

But I cannot, baby, and that's the issue.

Baby, I been thinking lately so much about you.

I really wanna kiss you but I can't

and that's the issue.

So won't you...

Kiss me thru the phone,

I'll see you later on.

How to stay slim.

I am tiny, I think you obviously see that.


The thinnest I used to be was when I was 2nd year in Bachelor school, it's 36 kg.


The fattest I used to be was after I came back from my internship in Karen village in Chiangmai, I gained my weight ~10 kg.


After that, it took about 5 or 6 months to got back to my normal weight.






There's a name that my Mahidol friends define me. It's "Khwan's full" which is what I always say after I ate A LOT but then I could eat more and more, even I've said ''I'm full.''


Amazing metabolism, huh. Since I eat a lot but I can stay slim as you can see.






Now, my weight range is 37-40 kg, except last month that my PMS made me broke my record in 4 years, 41 kg total.



And again, when my weight hit 40 kg, my amazing metabolism will make it automatically reach to the bottom, 37 kg., within a few weeks.





I have been being asked how to stay slim...


I saw my friends tried hard to be on diet and lose their weight. Those things never happened with me... On the other hand, I even tried to gain my weight...


So I couldn't find them any answers and I'd be complained that why I had to keep it secret...





OK...


They can ask me now, I have an answer for them.




For me, now, there's an idea to stay slim which really, really works...




If you want to stay slim or lose your weight,


Study MD and do thesis, then!!