Trade Aid Education Tour update #2

Greetings from Thailand!

We are now in Day Three of our visit to Thailand, based in and around Chiang Mai. It is about 35 degress most days with high humidity and that steamy tropical feel about everything. Out in the rural areas, the temperature reached an unrelenting 38 degrees today and we were all wilting badly.

The lushness of both the city and the rural and mountain areas has been refreshing after the dryness of the Delhi area.
We're also all enjoying a greater sense of order and cleanliness than we did in India and we delight in the fact that driving around seems a lot less of a risk to life and limb than last week's adventures!

We have visited Y Development offices and then travelled with them to see ceramics and paper producers. They treated us so well and in the evening, hosted a banquet dinner and wonderful traditional dancing, and we were all asked to join in.

The last two days we have been with Harry and his staff member, Nasi from Thai Tribal Crafts as we have travelled North from Chaing Mai towards Thailand's northern border. We visited two villages - one who worked on traditional embroidery and another who were weavers. It was in this second village (Mae Muang Noi) that we spent the night in one of the local's house - a bamboo pole house. We slept - (or at least tried to!) on mats on the floor and were not so gently serenaded to the sounds of village life - dogs, cows, roosters and cicadas. We were treated to food cooked by the local women - all from produce in and around the village.
We've all had an experience that the majority of visitors to Thailand will never get - a very genuine village stay which of course, included their loos and "bucket" bathroom! We were fascinated by their beautiful weaving and our many purchases have added to the village coffers!

We then went on to a village specialising in patchwork - fabulous intricate designs in wonderful rich colours. It is so encouraging that with the work of TTC, these traditonal and unique crafts are being preserved and also providing much-needed income to the rural people in this region.

We are nearing the end of our time here and it has all gone very quickly.
Over the next few days we head to the South East to visit two more villges
- one which specialises in weaving and then a group who are involved in
silver work. As with India, it is very hearetening to hear the stories
of these producers and realise that without the support from TTC and other Fair Trade organisations, these people are unlikely to recieve fair prices for their hours of work. Their very livelihoods and that of their families, depend on selling their handcraft work.

We will no doubt return next week with wonderful memories of fascinating people and rich expereinces, and all with a renewed sense of why we all do what we do in Trade Aid.

Sawatdee from us all on the Trade Aid Education Tour 2011!