Convention on the Rights of the Child: What the Hell is Wrong with you America?!

While class has been a whirlpool of different cultures, viewpoints, and reasoning, as the American student – I am rather exhausted, frustrated and sick of my country.  While there are many wonderful parts of America (I think?  Although at the moment I am having a hard time remembering!), in the world of international development, equality and law – we aren’t the role models we pretend to be.

In our Human Rights course today, we learned about the Convention on the Rights of the Child – a treaty that 192 of the 194 member states of the United Nations have ratified.  Which two states might you ask have not ratified the treaty?  Somalia (which is unable to proceed with the ratification process because it does not have a recognizable government and has been in conflict for the past 16 years) and the United States.  I had known, from my work with the UN, that the US was one of these two states.  But sitting in a room with people from all over the world who suddenly turned towards me and asked, with total innocence and justifiable curiosity, “Well, WHY NOT?!” I realized I had no idea what our ‘excuse’ was.   

I choked on air – “I, I mean, I don’t know…I mean I know but I don’t understand the argument…I mean…”

Why might you ask, is the US one of two countries, or as many today argue, the only country that has the ability to ratify this treaty into law and has not done so?  

Article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits sentencing children under 18 years old to death or life imprisonment with no opportunity for parole.  In 2002, 22 U.S. states allowed for the execution of juvenile offenders. However in 2005, in the Supreme Court case Roper v. Simmons, the decision found juvenile execution unconstitutional as "cruel and unusual punishment."  The decision cited the Convention as one of several indications that "the United States now stands alone in a world that has turned its face against the juvenile death penalty."  Yet life sentencing to children is still possible within the US.  The 2010 decision Graham v. Florida limited the sentencing of juveniles to that of life imprisonment with no opportunity for parole to the crime of homicide.  There are currently 44 states in the U.S. that still approve of life imprisonment as a possible sentence for juveniles.  

Hearing myself explain to one classmate the justification as to why the United States could not ratify the CRC was infuriating.  I couldn’t believe I was explaining something so horrific and something that practically and morally, does not make sense!  I heard myself explaining the Constitution, and federalist powers.  “Well, the US claims that the balance between state and national government is very complex – and the federal government cannot interfere with state affairs, which is what this treaty would essentially do…”  It was like my mouth was moving and I could hear what I was saying, but the words were not my own.  

How can we, as Americans, promoters of democracy and participation, be one of TWO states out of 194, not to sign a treaty on the rights of children?!  I hate trying to rationalize why the US does these things…when they often do not make sense and I often do not agree with them personally.  In that moment, with all of my classmates looking at me – some in horror, others in disbelief and shock, I just wanted to curl up in a ball and say “What no, me?  Sorry, I’m Canadian.”  

World Cup Football: Thailand vs. Australia

November 15, 2011.  Thailand vs. Australia World Cup Qualifier Match…

3:20pm…I’ve already had class for 5 hours at this point and the anticipation is killing me.  3:47pm…ugh could this class be any longer?!  3:52pm…almost there.  3:53pm…or not.  4:00pm – Ahhhhh, it is TIME!!!!  We gathered our notebooks from class, raced down the hall to change, and peeled out the door on our way to National Stadium.  I’m in a neon yellow Thai national football jersey that cost me $7 US dollars – which was a little more than what my ticket to the game itself cost.  Attending a World Cup soccer match has been something I have wanted to do since I began playing the sport when I was five years old.  I couldn’t believe it, I had watched the World Cup my entire life on TV, but this was the first time I was stepping into a men’s FIFA World Cup stadium.  It was MASSIVE.  I couldn’t believe how huge the stadium was – and how PACKED it was.

Thailand team huddle

 As we inched close to the stadium, I could see the bright lights, flags, colors and hear the noise.  It was loud – it sounded crazy, and I was stoked.  As we passed some serious Australian fans with a flag that could fit a small village under it, I was trying to remember enough Thai to throw out an insult… next thing I knew, I turned a corner, and we were inside the stadium.  I was so enthralled with the big lights, perfectly cut green grass, and international superstars warming up on the field, I forgot the reason we had raced from class to get there so quickly: there was no assigned seating – my 200 baht got me an open seat anywhere on the second level and it was a free-for-all scramble to find the best seats.  Of course, with our highly educated group, we split up and spread out, in search of the perfect seat.  After signing across 50 yards of field to one another, we negotiated the best seats and all reconvened.  There were Thai flags everywhere, vuvuzelas, drums, horns, face paint and TONS of people. 

Boi Boi, Chi-han and I with the enormous Thai flag in the background

As we took our seats, none of us spoke to each other for the first ten minutes.  There was SO MUCH to take in and our brains were on visual overload.  There were flags that were passed around the stadium that covered an entire section of seats, there were Thai chants, drums, and horns, and then – there were the professional players – right in front of us warming up.

We sat for a half hour waiting for the game to start – admiring all of the events that were taking place around us.  Soon – a familiar song came on, and out marched the FIFA flags followed by the two teams, each player holding hands and accompanied by their adorable, tiny football child admirers.  We stood for each of the national anthems, and then it began.

My Thai ticket and jersey!

 Some people always told me that football is a very boring sport – it is very low scoring, you watch the ball go back and forth for 90 minutes and nothing happens, and there is too much drama around the injuries where players are seen more as actors than athletes.  While I can say this has certainly been the case in some games – Italy was not present, and as a result, the acting was kept to a minimum.  But the energy and excitement was there the entire game!  Within the first fifteen minutes we had all lost our voices screaming for Thailand – who had a few shots on goal in just the first fifteen!  Thailand was not in great standing – they were currently ranked third out of the four, and needed not only to win this game against the #1 ranked Australia, but they needed Saudi Arabia to lose.  So this was an all or nothing fight for Thailand.  And wow did they fight.

 

The best part of the game?  The entire game, I sat next to my classmate Tashi who is from Bhutan – and happened to play the starting goalkeeper for his National Team for several years!!!  The two of us relived our glory days in the game (although I never reached anything near the level of National Team!) and called out plays, mistakes, and fouls.  The only part I dreaded sitting next to Tashi was that when the Australians would make a move, a serious move that the Thai team was not prepared for, everyone would start screaming, including myself.  Tashi would scream “Danger Danger!”  As a goalie – he knew when the situations were incredibly serious and could tell when things were really really bad.  He only screamed this three times throughout the game – one of which was a goal for Australia.  So every time he would scream “Danger” I got nervous and closed my eyes because I feared another goal.

To my right, I had my close friend Carolina – who was raised in Colombia but moved to Germany when she was younger, so she has a serious passion for football.  We were screaming the entire time, swearing, and at cursing the referees when they made stupid calls.  The most interesting and often entertaining part of the game – was that the head coach for Thailand is German.  When a Thai player would make a dumb move – he would stop around the bench screaming, hurling his clipboard, and throwing his arms in the air.  He wore every single emotion on his face, and could have been a theatre act in himself he was so dramatic.  Compared to the very traditional Thai manners – with no conflict, yelling or even raising of your voice, it was hilarious to watch how the Thai people (both players and fans) reacted to this coach.  I expected them to be appalled by his behavior (as it is NOT tolerated in Thai society), but instead, they loved it.  They copied his emotions and were dramatic in their reactions to the game.  The Thai players would get a lecture from 40 yards away about their mistake (in English so both teams could understand) and they used this public embarrassment to channel their energy into the next play.  Who knew!

The entire gang.  Representing Taiwan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, Germany, USA and Bhutan

  

Final Score:

Australia – 1, Thailand - 0

I had a blast.  The experience was thrilling, the energy was unrelenting, and the spirit of the Thai people was heartfelt. At the end of the game, the Thai team did a lap around the stadium to thank all of their fans, and then collapsed on the field in upset.  This was one of the best teams Thailand has had for football, and many thought they would be able to go to the Cup.  It was very hard to watch these players collapse from the heavy burden of knowing they would have to wait another four years before they had the opportunity again.

Loy Krathong: Festival of Lights

The first krathong sighting on the lake at Lumpini park at dusk

10 November, 2011:  After class, the Evacuation 2554 crew (me, Carolina, Josje and Suba) went straight to Lumpini Park to prepare for what we were told, was a spectacular festival of lights, Loy Krathong.  We brought our homework, staked out a spot on the lake with the perfect view, and read away the afternoon waiting for it to get dark.  We took a break from our studies by going to purchase a few krathongs of our own and spent twenty minutes agonizing over which color flowers we should each chose!

We ate a delicious picnic dinner of curries, papaya salad, noodles and pineapple on the grass waiting with immense anticipation, for the action.

Thai Family lighting krathong together

Around 7:00 pm, little lights started to appear all over the lake.  People were lighting their krathongs and setting them afloat along the beds of the lake.  Carolina and I decided to walk around the lake and see all of the excitement.  In the first ten minutes of our lap around the lake, I spent every second trying to “document” what I was seeing with my camera.  Like a true unprofessional photojournalist – I had the naïve idea I could capture all of this on my camera…but with the low-lighting it was near impossible.  Frustrated – I angrily put my camera away, and it was really only then that I was able to see the beauty of the Loy Krathong festival.

Every krathong was different!

  Due to the floods in Bangkok, most of the events for the Festival of Lights were cancelled, but Lumpini Park was one of the few designated areas where people could let their krathongs lose – on the condition that instead of each individual having their own krathong, one family could send off one krathong.  It was beautiful to watch entire families, hunched over at the corner of the lake, lighting their krathong, saying a prayer all holding hands, and all placing the krathong in the water together to let it go.  I saw grandparents holding their grandchildren’s hands and father’s helping their children light their krathong.  Each krathong was special and unique – some with intricate design, some with sparkling candles, others with paper flowers…each one was different.

Placing my Krathong in the water

This was the first time since the floods, that I had seen so many people, and it was the first time since the floods, that I saw so many families.  Although we were told this celebration was nothing compared to past years and the poor turnout was due to the floods, I was so so happy to see so many people coming out for Loy Krathong and so so happy to see people!  Due to the flooding, Bangkok became a quiet, eerie, deserted town.  This was the first time it seemed full of life – and it was wonderful to see.

The most adorable couple on the lake that I couldn't help but stalk.  Truly beautiful.

Pictures Worth More than 1,000 words

Please find below, a few of my pictures that I was able to take of the floods while volunteering and wandering around Bangkok...

To me, these pictures speak much more than 1,000 words.

My First Massage...Ever

My first massage…ever.  I had never had the opportunity to get a massage – mainly because they are way too expensive, and also because I am so ticklish I thought I would cause a scene.

In Chiang Mai, the four of us had pounded the pavement to find the cheapest oil massage in town.  We each paid 150 baht for a one hour oil massage.  That equates to a five dollar massage, or about five cents a minute.  It was amazing. 

But, I was curious about the infamous Thai massage – which was an option in Chiang Mai of course, but it looked so incredibly painful, I didn’t think it would be a good starting point for my first massage ever.

But in Thoeng, I got my first Thai massage… and I loved it.  Yes – it was occasionally painful, and it was a little scary because they bend your body in ways I’m not sure it is supposed to bend, but I loved it. 

I am afraid I just unleashed another hobby that will shrink my bank account in the years to come…

Paralysis of the Tongue: Thai Cooking Lesson #1

Our picnic lunch next to the waterfall in Thoeng

Kwan with her SPICY som tum!

Well technically, the first words every person should learn before ordering food or cooking in Thailand is “mai pet” or “nit noy pet.”  Walking down the streets of Bangkok you can actually just SMELL the scent of chilies so bad; you will buckle over coughing for the next ten street stalls from the spice.  We had tried a sample of Kwan’s som tum (papaya salad) – and my tongue was paralyzed for the next 20 minutes.  I like spice – don’t get me wrong, but here in Thailand, this isn’t spice, this is pure torture.  

Second thing to note – sticky rice makes EVERY dish infinitely better.  Thanks to Kwan, Carolina and I are officially obsessed with sticky rice.  Each morning and every night – Kwan and her family make three batches of sticky rice – that’s 6 pounds of rice a day!  And trust me – they eat it all.  

 

 Because of our new-found love for sticky rice, Carolina and I were determined to learn the process by which to make it, so that we could take what we learned back to Bangkok.  My hope was to have sticky rice and mango every day – if I had it my way, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.    We were able to help each morning with the sticky rice, and all I can say is that Carolina, Josje and I have a new appreciation for the amount of work that goes into those little baskets!  You must let the rice soak, overnight, in water.  Then you have to cook it on the stove with this complex wok/vase pot where it becomes all sticky, mash it on this wooden device and then shove it into little wicker baskets.  For one little batch of sticky rice – you are looking at over 14 hours of work!            

The Cooking Crew - ready to take on Foster City's own!

Green Curry we made!

Over our several days with Kwan and her family, we learned how to make several dishes.  Kwan asked us what our favorite Thai dishes were, and we each took turns learning how to make our own.  My favorite is Panang Curry (of course!), Carolina chose Pad Thai, and Josje chose this minced mint pork which is also one of my favorites.  They.were.delicious.

Kwan told us that once we learned how much work went into Thai food – we would never want to cook it again.  I could not agree with her more.  And from that point on, every single chicken curry or sticky rice box I have eaten, I am extremely appreciative.