markets, muay thai and mosaic

There's a rather special market just outside of Bangkok. It's on a railway track. 
Either side of the tracks, stalls are crowded into the cheap space, and are cleared when the warning sound signals an approaching train. 
Not the safest arrangement, but it seems to work... 

The heat was crazy even in the shade, and I felt so petty thinking of some of my gripes about inconveniences or conditions at work. 

We waved goodbye to Ex and took a rest for most of the afternoon, in preparation for the next thing on our list of Firsts - muay thai boxing. 

I've never been particularly interested in watching people batter each other, but muay thai reminded me more of sumo wrestling than the bloody violence I've seen in snatches on TV. Each match was preceded by the ritual, praying and sanctifying the space, like in sumo. Most of the contenders were small and young (some of them rather too young).  

The fights ranged from playful to intense.  At least one of them was carried off on a stretcher, knocked out cold. 

The champion was a steely-eyed, serious Russian. 

We grabbed some sweet pakoras and samosas from a street stall for dinner, and spent the rest of the night smoking shisha; trying to stop Annica from screaming at teh large rat that kept approaching our table; and swapping life advice. (My fave being Annica's suggestion to sign myself as Dr Patterson on unofficial forms for better service!) 

These are the only two pictures I took of Chatuchak market, which we visited on our last morning in Thailand. It's a 35 acre rambling warren of stalls, shops and alleyways, and I was simply too busy bargain hunting and eating my weight in crepes and coconut ice cream. We decided on a meeting point and resigned ourselves to solo wandering in the labyrinth. 

The last temple we visited was perhaps the most atmospheric: Wat Arun or Temple of the Dawn. Thunder clouds gathered as we made our way precariously to the top.  

We had an evening to kill before catching our flight home, and decided to balance all the street food with some class at the Banyan Tree Moon Bar. 

Bangkok looked a lot cleaner and more modern from so high up, G+T in hand. As dusk fell we spied a bunch of stalls in a park a few blocks away and made for it in search of dinner. 

The King!

We wandered into the park thinking it was just another night market, and queued up for food with everyone else. Maybe Japan has made us too trusting of strangers and accepting of random boons like free food and good intentions, but when we realised no one was paying we grabbed a bowl and lined up for our share of curry and rice. 

It was only when we started talking to a local journalist that we realised we'd stumbled into a monarchist political rally. It was only when we had watermelon juice running down our elbows that he said we should probably leave soon. Days later the country was in the grip of a military coup. Just when we were feeling like well-seasoned, knowing old travellers! 

We left our lovely hostel late at night, in for a journey full of regrets at accepting dubious free food. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful trip and just what I needed as a break from Japan. When I came back, I missed the flavours and the smells and the exotic chaos of Thailand, but it felt like coming home. 

two island nations

A while ago I wrote a piece for the prefectural office in Miyazaki about the similarities between Japan and the UK and a few of my mishaps in negotiating them. It's finally up on the site so here's the link! 

another wee film - autumn in japan

As is my wont, I made another wee film using all my video clips from the past few months. This is autumn in Japan, in Miyazaki, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Miyakonojo. Music by Alex Winston. 

writing projects! ave a read

This weekend I skated at a snowy mountain outdoor rink, sat with my feet in an outdoor onsen, ate Mexican food in Fukuoka, shopped, and went to a kabuki (traditional Japanese theatre) festival. I’m exhausted, but it was great to get out of town and shake away the winter cobwebs.

Waiting to skate! 

In the quiet exam weeks at school I’ve been writing a couple of articles. One was for a local newsletter, the Miyakonojo International Association, about experiencing the turning of the year as a foreigner in Japan. The other was for an online magazine I used to edit at called Owl Eyes, about the various merits of teaching abroad. Check them out if you’re vaguely interested in either! 

gender divides in japan

One of the nice things of living in a foreign country as part of a programme is the network of friends just waiting for you when you arrive. It also means there's a strong support network and social committees, and it's easy to mobilise people when you have a project in mind. This month I got involved with the JET magazine and wrote an article about gender divides in Japan, focusing on the separation of men and women in public spaces. Check it out here! If you're a prospective JET the magazine can also give you an insight on what it's actually like to be one :) 

the collaboration club

It was nice this week to have some of my wee films featured on a new project called The Collaboration Club. I've known one of the founders, Johanna, since living in University Hall together in first year, and she recently did a turn as a street style photographer for my section of Owl Eyes. 

One of the things I've come to appreciate about St Andrews is how easy and fulfilling it is to make things happen - whether a magazine, an event, a society, a project - and to collaborate and find support for various ventures. The Collaboration Club is a relaxed space for artists and creators of all kinds to share their work and inspire each other: ah, the wonders of the Internet. 

busy days and new projects

The past couple of weeks have been cray-cray crammed with reading and new projects. I recently joined the committee of Scotland's International Poetry Festival, StAnza, which is held each year in our little town. It's going to be chaotic, but I can't wait to spend next Thursday-Sunday sitting in on readings, open mic nights and slams. 

I've also recently become Editor of the Informer Section of online student magazine Owl Eyes. I'm so excited to be finally committing to an editorial role in student journalism, and the magazine feels like for the right place for me with its mix of indie aesthetics and cultural articles. That said, I'm so looking forward to having a break at Easter and cooking on Saturday nights with my family.