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During the week after graduation, I finally had some time to go to Doi Suthep.Doi Suthep is a temple and a mountain. It is that mountain I have shown in previous pictures that dominates the skyline west of Chiang Mai (as well as to the north where Legacy is located). The road up the mountain is just one switchback after another, seemingly forever. Once you get to the “entrance” there are many stirs yet ahead. Like le Mont St Michelle or any number of Italian hilltop historic towns near the Mediterranean, the way up is lined with places hoping to separate you from your money.
Then there is the long staircase that leads to the temple.
The staircase is graced by snakes on each side.
Some type of creature at the entrance to one of the rooms at the temple. Mom?
These little signs are all over, to recognize those who have donated to the construction and upkeep of the temple. There are plaques all the way up and down the huge staircase as well.
Doi Suthep had more bells and Buddhas than I have ever seen anywhere. There were many bells in special enclosures all by themselves, and several racks like this one. If they could ever assemble enough people to ring all of them at the same time, there would be quite a ruckus.
Being so high above Chiang Mai, the temple is known for its wonderful view. Not today. This being near the end of the cool and dry season means that everyone has been burning leaves (to clean up) and wood (for heat) now for many weeks. There is a thick haze everywhere, every day. So, here is the view.
It seems that one of the most common sights in Thailand is the scaffolding around temple spires. They all seem to be under repair, or waiting for repair- from the little one in Mae Sa Lauang, where the school is located, to the granddaddy of them all at Doi Suthep. There is a relic under this structure, which explains some of the importance of this temple.
More Buddhas than I have ever seen anywhere.
Buddhas and murals abound.
There was a constant stream of people who would walk around the structure under the spire (where the relic is located. Many would hold flowers, and others would kneel at the sides and light candles.
At Legacy, graduation is a BIG event. The students have been preparing speeches and music for many weeks…months, in the case of the original music that was composed especially for this occasion! On Sunday, preparation begins at the school with some last-minute rehearsing and the loading of all the sound equipment.
Graduation is at the Empress Hotel in /Chiang Mai (in the same room that Festival services are held, for those of you who have been there). Hotel staff had the hallway outside the room decorated with a tropical theme, complete with banana trees and thatched roofs.
There is much setup to do, so students and teachers arrive early. This being Thailand, everyone else arrives late. “Starting time” seems to be just a benchmark for westerners to calculate how late everyone else is. Elainea, Norah and Mahlulee are among the early arrivals.
The Empress Hotel is very good to Legacy, and they do a great job with everything they host for us.
While we were setting up, I gave Surachai my camera, and he took a hundred pictures or so. Here is a sampling. ... Setting up the video.
What’s a father to do?
Nathan at a rare moment without guitar in hand.
U Tai does not seem willing to pose.
La Nu Nan is always surrounded by electrical equipment.
David Beattie came to Thailand for graduation! When the Burmese students went back home the next Sunday, David went with them and spent some time in Yangon. Here, he shares a moment with Dola (Norah’s younger sister.)
Erika.
Jaseefu was involved in most every musical number. Like several others, he is at home with a guitar or a keyboard. ... I think it was after this photo that I took the camera back from Surachai.
Myo Zaw and “Auntie” Tumar. They are now back home in Yangon. The Burmese students are very close to this couple. All of them have spent time at their home on their way to Thailand. Seng Mai actually lived there for years while pursuing her education in the capital. She and Hkawn Din are like daughters to them.
Leon and Gloria have put so much effort into this evening- both the event itself, and eight years of work on the school, not to mention the time spent with the graduates. It is an emotional time. While Norah was giving her speech, she looked a Leon and teared up a little. The old softie that I am becoming observed this and teared up myself. Not only is this the culmination of 3 years of their lives, it is the last day that all of them will be see each other after spending 3 years living together. Several of them mentioned in their talks at graduation that they felt like a family…Thai, Burmese…Kachin, Karen, Mizo, Lahu, Chan, etc- all living together as one. It is a beautiful thing to behold.
Fon’s name is really Na Leh. I learned a lot when I looked at the graduation program. Names seem to be a bit more flexible in Asia than they are at home.
Hkawn Din and a better-dressed David.
While we’re waiting for everyone to show up, we take lots of pictures. Here you see the graduates and teachers.
20 or 30 minutes after the scheduled starting time, the place is still practically empty. The students continue to take pictures and entertain themselves. This is most likely the only Legacy graduation that has featured “A Pirate Looks at 40” as pre-ceremony entertainment :)
We finally begin! The first year students sang 2 songs in tribute to the graduates, including an original composition by Atiwat entitled “The Great Brother" In their Legacy uniforms, they reminded me of the Beatles in the early days! From left to right, Japur, Chalermsak, Wichai and Atiwat.
Jaseefu was busy at the keyboard. One of the songs was his original composition.
The teachers sang "My Wish" (a Rascal Flatts song)
Norah and Fon sing Jay's original composition "Love Is My Life" with Nathan on the guitar.
The Legacy choir performed 2 numbers.
“Doctor Penguin” and his partner-in-crime “Captain Treetops” (not pictured) provided some after dinner lighthearted magic and entertainment. They are 2 Farung friends of Leon who do shows for children to entertain and educate.
A thorn between 2 roses. This pose was at the request of the ladies. Notice Surachai, who managed to get into more pictures than about anyone…complete with bouquet here!
This picture tells you all you need to know about the personalities of Norah and her children. Mayulah is on the left and Mahulee on the right. Guess which one is always up to something? …You are right.
I am safe and sound and updating the blog from the comfort of MY OWN BED! I have many photos and comments from my last 2 weeks in Thailand, and I will get started with that later this week. For now, I want to share my initial impressions on returning home.The 2 flights were fine- Chiang Mai to Seoul and then on to Washington DC Dulles. That flight had a good tailwind and it seemed that they altered the route slightly to take advantage of it- as a result, we were well over an hour ahead of schedule on arrival!One of the first things I noticed at Dulles was the makeup of the lines at immigration. The line I was in was for US citizens (and green card holders). there was another line for foreign passports, of course. The interesting thing was the look of these 2 lines. In Thailand, a white, western foreigner like me is called a farung. There were more farungs (proportionally) in the foreign passport line than there were in the citizen line. This is the amazing thing about America. We are all foreigners who have come to a new land. In the DC metro area, expecially northern Virginia where Dulles is located, the population is cosmopolitan- reminds me of London. The workers at the airport, the US citizens in the passport line, and the people in the foreign passprt line had one thing in common- they were from all over the world, and they were now in America. This country has so much potential- all of these people have talents to share- but the more we depart from the God who has blessed us so much, and seek to serve ourselves at the expense of others, (including our children and grandchildren who will have to pay the piper), the less we will be America...and that is sad.It's great to be home- there's no place I'd rather be.
Then there is the long staircase that leads to the temple.
