Chapter 4: Songkhla

I’ve relocated again, this time to the very south of Thailand, almost Malaysia.

I know I moved to the right place because I feel free. I could tell even as I was flying over the region and observing the openness of the terrain.

I know its right, because when I walk along the beach in the morning I’m totally at peace; because I’ve already made connections with people here that vary, of course, but are each valuable in a different way.

I know because I have more responsibilities than I did before, more work to do, but I’m motivated by all of it.

Not to say I was in the wrong place before. Everything leading up to moving to Songkhla was a necessary part of my journey. I’ve learned so much in both of the locations (all three, if you include Hua Hin), and also had the rare opportunity to live in every region of Thailand, except for Esan.

It’s a different type of feeling, though, when you’ve grown so much and arrive somewhere that you can actually thrive. I’m beginning to understand the part of my nature that is just movement. I’m always shifting and evolving energetically, and that is increasingly reflected in my surroundings. The way I can move through change is powerful.

I’ve been here for two weeks. It was an odd time to move, considering the state of the world right now. The majority of foreign teachers in Songkhla have gone home due to COVID, so for a while I was exploring alone. Thankfully I’ve already lived in Thailand for eight months, so navigating through daily life isn’t a huge obstacle.

Also, the people here are very friendly! I know this is a generalization, but in the North I didn’t feel the same type of warmth that I’ve gotten from complete strangers here. It may be due to the fact that there are quite a bit of foreigners in the area, and also English seems to be more widely spoken in comparison to in Sukhothai especially.

I’ve been fortunate to have three students to tutor during the week while the schools are closed, and also that I’ve been able to make friends so immediately. In fact, I was sort of adopted by a Thai family that just saw me walking down the street. They’ve been extremely welcoming, have brought me to their home on Koh Yo, the small fishing island off of Songkhla, and also all around the province to different temples and scenic spots.

Having Thai friends is definitely handy, I’ve been introduced to more foods in the past couple weeks than I have in my whole eight months of living here. I learned that Dim Sum is eaten for breakfast, and there’s a place right next door to my apartment, so I’ve been doing that when I can. I’m trying to dive more into the authentic cultural aspects, because Chon Buri was quite westernized, and it was easy to coast. Perhaps part of the reason I wanted to move was so that I’d have more of a challenge.

I’ve spent lots of time exploring on my own, too. Riding up the coast on my motorcycle, hiking the various hills and mountains around me, wandering the markets. I love the hidden gems here. There is a section of the city called Old Town, and there is so much street art and many little art cafes hidden around every corner. A popular pastime is going to cafes to take pictures. Most Thai people here who I’ve asked about their hobbies have listed that as one. It is absolutely an art form, but also, just look at how beautiful…

One of my favorite spots is called the Blue Smile Cafe. It’s a really cool place owned by a Canadian guy with homemade kombucha and pickles (!), lots of art, and a wonderful book selection that’s right up my alley (including some works by Pema Chodron and Chögyam Trungpa).

I was hanging out there a few days ago when I saw some other foreigners and approached them. It turns out–they are my people! Both vegetarians and into yoga. We had lunch together and then decided to take a little trip to Koh Yo on our bikes to visit another cafe (I’m telling you cafe hopping is one of the best excursions) so we could get cake.

This cafe was waaaay up a steep mountain. My bike didn’t want to go all the way to the top–its super heavy so I was afraid I might fall and get crushed by its weight– so we ended up hiking up the mountain, which was a hell of a workout.

At the top we found a temple and monastery, but no cake! We wandered around confused for a bit until asking a Thai couple where the cafe was, and it turned out to be on the other side of the mountain. So we went back to get our bikes, drove down the mountain (which was even sketchier than driving up it), and eventually found our spot. Cake tasted so good after putting in all of that work.

It’s been a ride, my whole experience here has. The collective grief and trauma that is being processed now has informed how I’m adjusting to a new place, as well. There’s a lot to move through right now.

But I can say that the moments of clarity are increasing. I’m in a place where I’m listening to my own voice and really understanding the difference between what’s mine and what’s not. Being near the ocean is so healing for me. The sense that I’m in the right place and that so many good things are coming is allowing me to float peacefully, in my true calm nature, throughout this bizarre windy river called life.