November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Tripping Through Thailand

(Page 4 of 4)

Utne Reader July / August 2007
Sarah Turner Event 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

November: Undone
You can't see a thing. Tightly blindfolded and being pushed, roughly. Stumble. A voice whispers in Burmese, 'Ma pio neh,' don't speak. You imagine, for a second, being buried alive. Then arms pull you to a stop. You hear voices, giggles. Fingers fumble with the knot of your blindfold. See that you have been brought to beauty.

RELATED CONTENT

Claudia's outdoor kitchen is filled with tiny candles: hanging from the trees, melted to the floor, on every tabletop. Friends grin at you from around a table covered in food. Aht pops a bottle of champagne--you haven't seen champagne in a year. Pom makes a toast. 'If you go, na? If you go, don't forget us.' He is still using the conditional, as though your flight weren't tomorrow and your bags weren't packed. Your heart lurches at the thought of going.

A friend takes you aside to tell you this: in Pa-O, his language, good-bye translates to go home slowly. Know that you will savor these words.

December: Home, Not Home
At Tim Hortons an old friend asks about your trip. Stare at the table, search for words. Stay silent so long that she asks, 'How was the food?' Tell her you'll cook for her. That's as close as you can come to translation.

At home in your room, look at the four straight walls, the airtight window, the door on its hinges. You have unpacked your bags, placed photos from Thailand by your bedside. Look at yourself, so strangely clean, and wonder if you ever left at all.


Reprinted from Event (Vol. 35 #3), the literary journal of Douglas College. Subscriptions: $24.95/yr. (3 issues) from Box 2503, New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2, Canada; http://event.douglas.bc.ca.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

We’d like to know what you think. To comment, please use this form. E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments. First time registrants: You will receive an email confirming your email address. Once you confirm, your comment will be posted. Questions about our comments policy? Click here.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Utne Reader?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save $6!
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Want to gain a fresh perspective? Read stories that matter? Feel optimistic about the future? It's all here! Utne Reader offers provocative writing from diverse perspectives, insightful analysis of art and media, down-to-earth news and in-depth coverage of eye-opening issues that affect your life.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 6 issues of Utne Reader for only $29.95 (USA only).

Or Bill Me Later and pay just $36 for 6 issues of Utne Reader!