by Vorleak, Michela and Amos
Where I [Vorleak] call home is situated close to the equator line, leaning more towards the Southeast of Asia, to name Cambodia. Home for me [Michela] is 20 miles north of Boston in Massachusetts suburbia. For me [Amos], from Narok, Kenya, the beauty of a place lies in how comfortable you are in it.
Chiang Mai is new to us, not so familiar as our hometowns and home countries, but so many of the sights and smells we interact with bring us back.
For me, [Michela], it is the plants along all the streets we wander through—the purple ones I grow in my living room, ivy growing up different restaurant fronts, bamboo shoots along the side of our program house. It’s being in the kitchen in the mornings, prepping breakfasts with each other and doing the dishes, and sharing meals at a big table which always has leftovers. We are less than a week in, but the language is already beginning to sound familiar—we greet & thank people without stumbling over our words.
For me, [Vorleak], Chiang Mai has reminded me of home through the good mornings and good nights I say to people whenever I enter or exit my room. It’s the smiles on the faces of my peers and instructors I see first thing in the morning that remind me of my parents and siblings. Being able to be in the kitchen and using the condiments we’ve picked up at the markets that smell exactly like home transport me back in ways I could not have imagined.
For me, [Amos], stepping into the program house for the first time, I was scared with how the future would unfold, but still held onto the hope of making worthwhile connections with my peers and finding comfort around them. Looking back a week later, I feel like it’s more than what I expected. I am very much appreciative of every single little moment we have with one another, because every day is a step closer to finding our nirvana.
No matter where our origins lie, we are creating new homes every day. So grateful to be here with these people in this place at this time. We look forward to our many tomorrows.
Love,
Vorleak, Michela, and Amos
Originally posted here.