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Itinerary
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Module 1: Arrival and Adapt to Chiang Mai- Course Overview and Orientation
11/24 Saturday Arrival in Chiang Mai- Opening Night
Mountain View Guesthouse, meet instructor team, short orientation and dinner.
Drop students off at the Saturday walking market at Chiang Mai’s old city wall.
11/25 Sunday Chiang Mai Outings
Elephant Camp/Conservation Center
Early departure from guesthouse
Lunch en route
Wororot Market (Kad Luang is the traditional northern Market in Chiang Mai)
Group Dinner
Open for Night Bazaar/Exploring
11/26 Monday ISDSI Orientation and Seminar Day at the office
Ajaan Mark- orientation to ISDSI
Packing list and gear issue (packs, sleeping bags, etc)
Chiang Mai University- Hilltribe Musem and lunch
***pick up time at the guest house is 830am*** Be packed a ready to check out.
Depart to Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP)
UHDP runs an agroecology demonstration and research farm and works with local communities for the purpose of exchange and capacity building with regards to sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, agroecology, agroforestry, and other issues. The emphasis is on upland agroecological systems.
11/27 Tuesday UHDP Agroecology Activities
Spend the day engaging in activities around the UHDP farm with local staff
Module 2: Rural To Urban Transition- Chiang Mai to Fang District
11/28 Wednesday Van ride from Fang District to Mae Hong Son; City to Town Transition
Passengers (local people, foreign and Thai tourists) go from the Ping River Valley, to the most mountainous and one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in Thailand. We travel overland for the purpose of observing the changes in environmental and social landscapes over the trip.
Module 3: Urban to Rural Transition II- Getting to know Huay Hee & Nam Hoo Villagers
11/29 Thursday MHS and Local Development/Tourist Issues
Meeting with the Project for the Recovery of Life and Culture in MHS town
The Project for Recovery of Life and Culture (PRLC) is an NGO organized under the North-Net Foundation, a network of rural community development organizations based in the five upper provinces of northern Thailand. PRLC aims at improving environmental sustainability and quality of life of the people in Mae Hong Son by: helping to form and strengthen local community organizations and networks strengthening the capability and increasing the participation of the local people in the management of forest resources and local ecology, and encouraging self-reliance. PRLC currently has projects in community based natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, alternative occupations, promoting civil society, and youth leadership development. Community Based Tourism is a way to address the conflict between the goals of conserving the country's natural and social environment and promoting tourism development.
Group lunch
MHS city survey/independent exploring
Travel to Huay Hee Village; City to Village Transition
This afternoon is the very last time students will have ANY possibility of sending mail or email until December 20th. Please make sure your friends and family fully understand that you will be totally out of contact over the next 3 solid weeks.
Afternoon departure to Huay Hee via 4WD truck… meet our families.
The first Karen village to successfully set up community-based tourism (CBT) to promote their relationship with the surrounding ecosystem to the outsiders and supplement their income, Huay Hee is now a strong community that is committed to a sustainable livelihood. Despite the fact that the villagers receive tourists all year round, their livelihood remains primarily based on rotational farming on surrounded mountain slopes. With more than 200 years of settlement history, the population of the village is less than 150.
Student time with family/individual reflection and reading. Upon arrival in each village, students move in and spend the evening with local families. Students use this time to interact, help around the house, eat dinner, read and write reflections, etc. The following day is usually a family day.
Community Meeting- Village history, CBT, and Trail Building
11/30 Friday Family Day in Huay Hee Village
This is a “family day” and as with all family days you are expected to become an active member of your Karen family for the entire day. This means first and foremost that you are expected to adjust your sleep cycle to be synchronous with that of your family. Much of the work in the village such as pounding rice occurs before dawn, and you will benefit from these experiences by taking an active part, so wake up early! This is your chance to learn first hand about different ways of life, and it is up to you to take advantage of it. On a family day you may find yourself pounding rice, feeding the pigs, working in the upland or paddy rice fields, weaving, collecting or splitting firewood, or fishing. Be aware that Karen culture dictates that they treat visitors as guests, so it is your responsibility to convince your host family that you really do want to work. Take time during the day to conduct a village survey, be observant and take field notes, and interact with villagers to get to know them and to gain insight into their culture and way of life.
Community Meeting- Trail Building
Evening group meeting/seminar
12/1 Saturday Huay Hee to Nam Hoo Hike
Hike with villagers from HH to NH to get an overview of a trail that connects these two sister villages. Meet our families in Nam Hoo.
12/2 Sunday Family Day in Nam Hoo Village
Nam Hoo is a small village that consists of approximately 9 households and has a population of less than 50. Officially, Nam Hoo is considered to be a satellite village of nearby Karen village, Huay Hee. The village was established about 40 years ago, however, due to the migration of people into towns and bigger villages, the population of Nam Hoo has not increased over the last decades. Nam Hoo is a Christian village and since we are there for family day on a Sunday, the days’ events will revolve about their worship schedule.
Mid-day group meeting/discussion
Community Meeting- Village history, CBT, and Trail Building
Module 4: Trail Building with Villagers in Nam Hoo
Trail work days include group meetings and seminars that are scheduled frequently to meet course needs. Students also continue reading the course literature, write daily focused reflection assignments, and begin developing the theory and context essay due on December 6 or 7.
12/3 Monday Nam Hoo Trail Work- Day 1
Refurbishing of trail built by DU group from last year
12/4 Tuesday Nam Hoo Trail Work- Day 2
Farewell evening in Nam Hoo
Module 5: Hike and Homestay in Huay Koong Village
12/5 Wednesday Hike to Huay Koong Village
Hike down into the valley of the Mae Samad River while completing a forest transect.
The village of Huay Koong is a small Buddhist village with no direct road access, which limits the amount of tourists and money in the village. The villagers are dependant on paddy rice cultivation and fresh water fish in addition to hunting game and gathering forest products for their food security. The village of Huay Kung does not have an active school within the village and most children go to school in Mae Hong Son upon turning 4 years old. Meet our families in Huay Koong.
Afternoon time in the village
Community meeting on local perspective of life in Huay Koong Village
Discussion of possibly helping with some ongoing projects in the village.
12/6 Thursday Relaxed writing day in Huay Koong + possible village project
12/7 Friday Relaxed reading day in Huay Koong + possible village project
12/8 Saturday Hike to Huay Hee Village
Ascend from the Huay Koong valley floor then along a variety of local paths and roads.
Module 6: Trail Building with Villagers in Huay Hee and Integration of the Issues
12/9 Sunday Hang out with host families, overview of trail work to be done for the week.
Trail work days include group meetings and seminars that are scheduled frequently to meet course needs. Students also continue reading the course literature, write daily focused reflection assignments, and begin developing a presentation for the integrated final assignment on 18 December 2006.
12/10 Monday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 1
12/11 Tuesday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 2
12/12 Wednesday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 3
12/13 Thursday Doi Pui Hike: CBT, Wild Orchid Preservation, Nature Conservation
Standing 1,722 meters above sea level, Doi Pui is the highest point in the Mae Hong Son area and has been targeted by the national park for promoting mass tourism. The Karen people however have used small-scale, locally guided hikes and wild orchid preservation projects to contest the national park’s plan, and reestablish their local control and rights to protect their environment from being exploited by park officials. Students gain an understanding of how the ideologies and practices of nature conservation are being contested and redefined using local means of articulation.
*Evening group meeting and individual paper presentations
12/14 Friday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 4
12/15 Saturday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 5
12/16 Sunday Family Day in Huay Hee Village
Huay Hee is a Christian village and since we are there for family day on a Sunday, the days’ events will revolve about their worship schedule
Group Meeting/Seminar
12/17 Monday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 6 and OR
Rotational Farming System and Village School Afternoon
There has long been a debate between natural resource academics and forest “experts” whether agricultural practices on the forest lands are destructive. At Huay Hee rotational fields, students will learn from the Karen about their forest resource management and rotational farming systems.
Afternoon opportunity to teach/play at the Huay Hee Primary School to understand the organization and relevant issues within the rural education system.
12/18 Tuesday Huay Hee Trail Work- Day 7
Late afternoon paper presentations
Evening farewell night in Huay Hee
Module 7: Rural to Urban Transition and Program Closing/Wrap Up
12/19 Wednesday Departure for Mae Hong Son Town- 4WD transportation
Departure from Huay Hee Village
Arrival and check in to guesthouse MHS
Independent time for paper writing
Thursday, 12/20 Program Completion and Wrap Up
* Integrative Final Essay due XX om
Check out of guesthouse- move to wrap up location
Lunch and Afternoon Wrap Up Activities
Group Dinner and Final Activities
12/21 Friday Wrap Up Completion
Morning group meeting and breakfast
Afternoon checkout and departure to MHS Airport for return flight to Chiang Mai
Return to ISDSI for gear check-in and to pick up belongings left at the office
Check in at guesthouse
Evening open for student in Chiang Mai
12/22 Saturday Return Flight to Bangkok
EARLY morning pick up at guesthouse and transportation to Chiang Mai Airport
XX am departure Thai Airways flight XXX
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Last Updated
November 15, 2007
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