After travelling from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Bangkok, Ayuthaya, Vientiane, and Luang Prabang of three coutries, I came back to Thailand from the north border with Laos by jetfoil. I felt a little bit lonely after I left Jon, Basque Spanish, in Luang Prabang. We had met in Fat Camel backpackers in Auckland, New Zealand, met again in Kuala Lumpur, and traveled together. From Luang Prabang, however, I traveled with two Japanese boys and a Spanish guy, but we separated in Chiang Mai. Until I find a massage school here, I hadn't inteded to stay so long, although I was just thinking about an elephant ride there.
However, I had one of the greatest overseas experience in my life in Chiang Mai. In fact, I attended the Foundation Shevakakomarapa Old Medicine Hospital of Chiang Mai. The massage school was located close to Central Airport Plaza, where I sometimes ate lunch and dinner and watched movies. The reason to join them was to master Thai massage therapy, to make friends from different countries, and to learn English as well. The program lasted only 10 days and cost 4000 B (approx. 120 USD). I didn't know when the program started and so I visited their office directly. Then, very luckily, it would start from the next week. So I hurried to prepare some documents and photos for the immediate registration. In addition, I had to experience Thai massage myself in the hospital. The hospital was not as crowded as Wat Poh in Bangkok, which is famous for Thai massage and I experienced it in there later.
They had two classes: one was for international students and the other was for Thais. I heard that Thai class was harder than ours, because they were seeking for a job as a massage therapist, while we just wanted a good experience or hobby. However, a few of us were professionals of its kind: Dutch and Australian physiotherapists and a French Shiatsu Practitioner. The total number of the international students was about 15 including three Japanese. Our class nationalities were various, including Japanese, Thai, Ameircan, Indian, Spanish, Australian, French, Canadian, Dutch, and British. We studied from Monday to Friday, 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. and everyday they gave us easy homework like coloring the textbook. I stayed in a simple single room in Rose Guesthouse every night for 100 Bahts (3USD). There were a guesthouse with a laundromat, Internet cafe, and Chinese restaurnat conveniently located near my guesthouse. But I also stayed in Same Same guesthouse, because the owners of Rose Guesthouse changed and I had to be forced out for a couple of days. In front of the Same Same guesthouse, I took the Song Thaew of which I asked the driver to pick me up in front of the guesthouse every morning for 80 Bahts. At the beginning of school, we prayed in front of the father doctor of their school and, then, learned massage theory until 10:30. Then we started training sessions until four o'clock. Teachers were friendly and kind, but eager to teach. They were all good prctitioners as well as teachers. After school, I often went to get Thai Massage in a few different places in the city and before the final exam, I visited Taishi's guesthouse and practiced techniques together, althogh the exam was not so difficult.
while I was staying in Chiang Mai, I visited Wat Pharasat of Doi Suthep, Golden Triangle & Long Neck Village & Elephant Ride & Raft Ride, Thai Boxing arena, Night Bazzar, Sunday Market, Jade Buddha, and a few temples & souvenir shops with a samlor tour by Mr. Udon. But the most memorable experience was playing bowling and pocket billiards in Kad Suan Kaew with Anni, a German-Thai, and Taishi, a Japanese, on the last day of school. I was not good at both of them, but I had a wonderful time with the classmates from the massage school. After Taishi left, Anni and I had a tasty ice cream in a fashionable cafe. She was afraid of her father to find us, because her father was very severe. She was much younger than I, but very thoughtful. It was very hard to say good-bye to her in front of the shopping mall.
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