The primarily treatment at the drug rehab center is through a " daily vomit routine" ... I know sounds pretty disgusting and TRUST ME, it was not a pretty imagine to watch either. We had a tour by one of the Monks that manage the center and the tour included a demonstration of how the patients detoxed. The center makes a kind of medicine that is supposed to detox your body (which I had the pleasure to taste just a little). It tasted REALLY bitter and apparently it helps you vomit... not that I was about to try that. Any how, I was not expecting this at all BUT, the patients were lined up in a row sitting knee down. I thought " oh nice, they probably meditate together as part of their routine " OH no, the next thing I knew they were drinking the bitter liquid, and sticking their fingers in their mouth to throw up everything and anything they could. and we were JUST STANDING THERE WATCHING THIS HAPPEN. Honestly, I did not know how to feel a. part of me was like , " wait is it a good lesson like YEH THIS IS WHAT YOU GET IF YOU DO DRUGS " or " I don't think it should be appropriate to watch people throw their face out? " ... who knows anyways, it was out of my control ....I also met a guy from Ireland who was detoxing from Heroine and I got to the translator between him and my staff.
Second place we visited was the center for people living with HIV/AIDS; where we visited a room full of corpses, took a tour of the community and watched a traditional Thai dance by girls living with HIV/AIDS... one of whom was 20 years old. While walking around, one of the staff asked me " Are you scared?" I answered exactly how I felt " Scared of what? we all are dying someday ". I enjoyed watching the girls' dance a lot. Two of the girls were females and the other two were "ladyboys" who got the disease from their partners. I could not stop but to admire them for their strengths and courage to be able to wake up with a smile everyday, get on a stage, and tell whoever comes their story. Inside, they are probably crying, hurting and regretting; especially to know that one day they might go to sleep and be too weak to wake up the next morning....
After all that, we visited the nearby dam , took a beautiful ride to a big Buddha and went home. Here is the part that pissed me off the most, the bus ride home included loud a*ss Karaoke, and half of my staff either singing or drinking alcohol. I know Thai culture has become to a point where they are sort of " confused" ; not knowing how to mesh Thai traditional culture with modern Thai culture. And that 's where things get a little messy. Everyday, anytime time can be a party with alcohol. BUT you would think at least for today, they would think about everything that they saw and put aside the alcohol AT LEAST FOR ONE DAY!!! it pissed me off so much and I lost so much respect for people that I see as my supervisor!
No comments:
Post a Comment