From Dublin to Chiang Mai, Swollen Ankles Included

Hi there! 

My name is Eniola, but called Enny by pretty much everybody. 

I was born in Lagos (Nigeria), raised in Waterford (Ireland) and studying in Dublin. I am supper bubbly, perhaps way too chatty and always with a smile. 

I am a 3^rd year General Nursing student of Trinity College in Dublin. I love the placement! Going home knowing I have helped someone in a vulnerable place, honestly is the best feeling in the world. 

What’s next? I have huge plans, I have big dreams! Slowly but surely I will make these dreams a reality. 

The first of which began in Thailand on the 7^th of June after being named the Thailand EIL Access Travel Award winner for 2015 alongside Maria and Melissa. 

Our 26 hour journey consisted of connecting flights from Dublin to London to Bangkok to Chiang Mai. It wasn’t until we were about to get off the 12 hour flight to Bangkok that I realised how ridiculously swollen my feet had gotten. My feet refused to budge and fit into my flat shoes and walking on it gave me pins and needles. Trying to get through security and immigration waddling in swollen feet was not a pleasant experience but it provided great humour for myself and the girls. I most definitely will remember to get Ted stockings in the future.  The excitement we shared is something that I will never forget as it was the farthest we had ever been away from home.

As we landed in Chiang Mai in one full piece, we were welcomed by Dan the Assistant Director of Cultural Canvas Thailand and a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. We arrived at the volunteer house and were welcomed by Sarah from New York and David and Claire from North Carolina.   

Since arrival, we have being orientated to Chiang Mai including awesome restaurants to eat, places that are a must visit, and our projects. The whole shebang really!

For more on that, look out for my next blog!

La gorn,

Enny

Let me introduce myself!

My name is Maria (far right) and I am studying International Development at UCC.  

Being a strong activist of rights; you can find me either tweeting or posting stuff on Facebook or going to talks, conferences, and demonstrations. 

I am an EIL Access Travel Award winner for 2015 with a real desire to make a difference. My interests range from gender equality to global conflict but what has been my main focus of study and research is sexual health. 

Sexuality plays such a large role in many people’s lives. It is a large determinant in their health and well-being, which is why I am such a strong advocate for the sexual wellbeing for all. With regards to developing countries, HIV has posed a large problem to many people’s sexual health and it is a battle many countries are still facing today. 

In the case of HIV, prevention programmes are essential to the health of the population, which is why I’ll be working with the M+Plus Foundation in Chiang Mai this summer on the topics of HIV education, prevention and treatment, as well as LGBT* activism. After all my reading, I am finally going to see the work that was being done, the impact that is happening, and I have never felt so motivated and driven. 

So far I am loving Thailand. The weather’s amazing, the food is delicious and you’ll find some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet (especially all the gang at Cultural Canvas Thailand and the M+Plus Foundation). 

I’ll be putting up a blog soon about my adventures in Chiang Mai and the amazing work at the M+Plus Foundation so watch this space! Be expecting loads of blogs, vlogs and photos from me and the rest of the volunteers while we document and share our time there! 

Until next time…

Maria

The Satellite Project 2015 - CCT / ARI Global Fundraiser... We Need Your Help!

Dear volunteers, friends and supporters of CCT and ARI,

For the first time in its nine year history Cultural Canvas Thailand and Art Relief International will coordinate a worldwide fundraising event campaign we are calling ‘The Satellite Project 2015’, which will take place from June 15 to August 15. The objective of the campaign is to raise funds for CCT and ARI via the coordination of various satellite fundraising parties hosted by previous volunteers, supporters, friends and family members at different locations across the world. 

Party hosts will assist party goers in making donations via the online donation feature on the CCT / ARI websites or via CCT’s PayPal, or the host will collect cash and then deposit it in to CCT’s bank account. This will enable CCT and ARI to achieve its ongoing goals through delivering further workshops, increasing volunteer programs, enhancing our marketing and communications, purchasing more art supplies and better managing ongoing costs. You will also be promoting our programs!

As you probably know, CCT / ARI is a very small, local non-profit and Non-Government Organisation, and therefore every dollar (or baht) we make goes straight back in to the organization, so we are able to continue to run art workshops and manage our volunteers whilst serving the most marginalised across Chiang Mai.

We are seeking individuals or groups who are willing to host a party or event any time between June 15 and August 15 to help us raise as much money as possible. Anyone is able to host a party – previous volunteers, family members, friends, organisations, artists, human rights advocates - as long as they’re passionate about our work, the people we work with and they are committed to creating a successful party. The party host who raises the most money will also win themselves an ARI Merchandise pack!

The party itself can be anything you want it to be, and we will try and support you as much as possible by providing you with event ideas and lots of information, by being available to answer any questions you might have, by sending you a party pack to assist with your organising and by facilitating a Party Host Facebook Group where ideas, hints and photos can be shared. It can be as big as a Thai banquet, a fancy dress party or a fashion parade, or as small as a morning tea. To keep the event on track we will also provide you with links to our various websites and social media platforms, numerous on-line videos and we would also love to host a live Skype session with you during your party.

So if you, or anybody you know, might be keen to host an event during the above mentioned dates and help us achieve our 2015 goals, then please contact Dan Hales at admin@culturalcanvas.com to register your interest and nominate a flexible party date. CCT / ARI will keep a log of all parties and check in before, during and after.

We are super excited to host The Satellite Project 2015, and perhaps even make this the cornerstone of our future fundraising efforts, and we would LOVE for you to join us in the fun!

We look forward to hearing from you, and we hope you are all keeping happy, healthy and arty.

In creativity and compassion,

The CCT / ARI Team

Using Art to Soar Like Birds

Earlier this month Cultural Canvas Thailand and Art Relief International were lucky enough to host seven students and one professor from a University in Utah, USA. The group are spending three weeks in Chiang Mai as part of a Global Studies Program which encourages students to visit a country outside of the USA to immerse themselves in a different culture and broaden their experience as global citizens.

 

The students had a very tight schedule whilst in Chiang Mai, and could only spare one day to spend with our team. It is generally quite difficult for CCT / ARI to do anything that demonstrates clearly the work we do with our partner organisations in such a short amount of time. We usually require even temporary visitors to undergo a solid orientation to our organisation, our mission and objectives, the population groups we work with and the methods in which we facilitate our workshops.  Given the issues our artists are experiencing, our primary consideration is always their wellbeing, and whether what we are doing with them is of benefit.

 

In this instance however fate intervened, and whilst considering what we could do with this group of American students beyond a typical information session, we received a phone call from the manager of Baan Nokkamin, a home for young girls who are either homeless or from unstable family situations, asking if we had the time and resources to help them paint a bright and happy mural on all four walls of their common room. This is a big project, but with extra hands we could potentially complete this in a day. We quickly spoke to the Utah student’s tour coordinator, who quickly agreed to assist us, and two weeks later all twelve of us crammed in to the CCT van and headed out to Mae Rim where the home is located.

 

After a quick introduction and ice breaker with the group and the twelve or so girls, we paired off the students with the artists and got to work by first drawing the mural on to the wall using led pencil, allowing for any mistakes to be quickly erased. The girls had requested birds, butterflies and other flying creatures, symbolising their new found hope and freedom through the support they received at Baan Nokkamin. It was no real surprise that some of the artists (and the American students) were gifted artists, and some of the drawings of birds, trees and flowers were very cute, typifying the feeling of the warm and welcoming home.

The final result, whilst possibly needing some very small and final touch ups (we did indeed run out of time, just), was absolutely beautiful, and the girls (and the manager) were very pleased. What was even more pleasing however, was the seamless way in which students, artists and ARI staff collaborated and worked together, sharing ideas, colours and smiles throughout the day despite the perceived language barrier. A big thank you to participating students from Utah, and of course an even bigger thank you to the staff and artists at Baan Nokkamin for hosting us and being so hospitable as always.

Dan Hales 

Hi from Laura!

I’m Laura, a new volunteer for Art Relief International! For the past 5 months I’ve been living and teaching in Sukhothai, Thailand. In my time here, I have learned a lot about this wonderful country I have come to love. I have always believed in the healing power of art, so I am very excited to spend a week as an *independent volunteer with ARI!

Ever since I was young, I’ve always been interested in making art. My experiences visiting different museums and learning the history behind the pieces led me to study Art History and Visual Arts at Fordham University. 

Since I was a sophomore in college, I have been volunteering with Free Arts NYC, a non-profit arts mentoring organization that works with underserved families and children in New York City. Free Arts NYC uses educational arts and mentoring programs as way to help channel these children’s energies into positive self-expression, resiliency, and confidence building, while also using art as a vehicle to develop stronger communication and problem-solving skills within families. Volunteering with Free Arts NYC completely changed my career path and my goals. I saw various families and children completely change their moods from the beginning of the session to the end of the session, because they felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in what they had created. 

I know how important it is to have the opportunity to creatively express oneself, and I am really looking forward to seeing how art inspires the participants in the workshops at ARI!

*Independent volunteers are volunteers who are already in Thailand and therefore do not require a volunteer package deal. They generally have their own accomodation and insurance and bring their own food to work. Instead of a package, they join the Art Relief Program for a minimum of one week for a small fee, but still get to plan and faclitate art workshops with our numerous partner organisations. Thanks Laura for joining us for the week!

 

A Weekend Outing to Chiang Dao... and the Shambhala Festival!

It was such a wonderful first week at Cultural Canvas Thailand, getting to know the individuals at CCT and visiting partner organizations all around Chiang Mai. As luck and timing would have it, I would spend my first weekend in Northern Thailand camping in Chiang Dao. It was a perfect way to reflect on my first week surrounded by breathtaking nature, creativity in various forms of art & expression, and positivity!

The volunteers at the house packed our bags and got ready to start our journey! Being only 1-1.5 hours away from Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao is easy to get to by bus / red truck or by scooter. Just be prepared to get comfy with your neighbor on the bus with three to a seat: a bonding experience! 

Before we had even arrived, we had heard so many varying accounts of what Shambhala in Your Heart Festival would be like. From what we could gather, it was an eclectic music and art festival that had significant influences from Japanese culture. In arriving, we learned that the origin of Shambhala in Your Heart was when two artists from Japan were inspired to create a festival for a community of musicians, artists, and everyone in between. We met people from all over the world who came to experience the uniqueness of the festival at Doi Luang Youth Camp. 

Throughout the weekend, I was almost always amazed at the overwhelming beauty that was around us. Doi Luang Mountain seemed impossibly close; the hot spring was incredibly relaxing; the stars seemed especially vibrant; even the butterflies seemed more beautiful and colorful. It was easy to lose track of time listening to music accompanied by a range of voices and instruments from acoustic guitar to didgeridoo, practicing yoga, reading in the library, meeting travellers by the campsite or bonfire, and watching artists create.

The feeling of community was so evident and could be seen in the kindness of interactions between friends and strangers alike. Shambhala created an open and creative environment where people could share their thoughts, passions, and talents. The CCT team returned back to Chiang Mai full of inspiration, happiness, and ideas for the weeks ahead. 

By Anna Kim