We don’t usually think about overcrowded slums and packed out apartments when we’re discussing going green. However, ISOS is proud to announce it’s first “green” project to assist the urban poor.

Project Managers: Dwight Turner, Hy Martin

Target: The urban poor (Bangkok’s poorest residents including Thais, refugees, and Burmese migrants).

Goal: Make a garden accessible in poor communities to educate residents, supplement their diets, and instill proper care for the environment.

Benefits: More discretionary income. Gardening is highly therapeutic, educational and the activity will encourage the interaction of foreigners and Thais without requiring much translation.

Potential Sites: Khlong Toey Slum, Bangkok Refugee Center, and if the budget allows we hope to add additional locations.

Activity: “Play In The Dirt Day”

• We will arrange a day for volunteers and the local community to join hands and “play in the dirt” by building a garden in an area accessible to the urban poor.
• Upon completion everyone will have lunch together and community residents will return home with seedlings to nurture.

Need: Appropriate space for a garden. Materials, gardening tools, and a group of carefully selected species to plant. Also long term community support to insure gardens reach full potential and are properly cared for.

Cost: ISOS events and donations from volunteers will fund this project. Sponsorship is desired. Please contact us to sponsor a garden.

Check out the original Urban Garden Project website and imagine the impact similar activities can have in Bangkok. Thank you for previewing our concept and make suggestions by leaving a comment.

This is the idea behind Mark Wien’s Migrationology.com which questions, “Why vacation when you you can migration?” I pondered my personal migration and came up with this equation:

Vacation + Micro-philanthropy = Migrationology

I’ve realized that Migrationology is where vacation + micro-philanthropy meet. Because of this I wanted to offer Mark, his readers, and you 7 steps whereby you can transform your vacation into a migration. These ideas are powerful because they are small and rewarding steps that all of us can take, despite our destination. Please add to these suggestions and share your experiences by commenting below.

1 Attitude Adjustment – This one is clear after traveling with Mark for a short time. Don’t think of yourself as a tourist, think of yourself as a contributor-an investor. The secret to having a more rewarding vacation is simply to visualize your excursion as not only a getaway for you, but an opportunity to make real, sustainable change occur in smaller, less affluent economies. Ask yourself: How will my money be used in this community after I leave? How can my goals to relax and have fun merge with efforts to improve this community?

2 Educate Yourself – This is the easiest way to make an impact into the communities you enter. What issues plague the places you plan to visit? What are the strengths in these communities? What local initiatives exist? Are they sustainable? This knowledge will help you decide how best to give what you can offer and will serve as an arbitrator when you’re making your travel plans.

3 STOP Conquering – Travelers and tourists as a community have to end this mindset that we can travel to a place in a few days and consider ourselves as having “done” that city/country. This is incredibly naïve and arrogant. Evaluate your trip by different standards. You’ll notice that the most rewarding trips are not those where you moved to divide and conquer, seeing and doing as much as possible. On the contrary, they are the places you dreaded leaving and long to return to. Make sure this factors into how you perceive your migration.

4 Avoid the “lonely planet” mentality – This epidemic is closely related to the above mentioned “divide and conquer” mentality. Don’t fall into this trap. Use guidebooks as you would a guide, not a religious text. Using them loosely will allow them to be the doorway, not the pathway to your migration.

5 Go loco for locals – This is often your most untapped resource. This combined with the research you’ve done and what you know you can expect from your guidebook will lead to an adventure. If you’re doing it right, they’ll be plenty of confusion, ambguity, and laughter. Don’t worry, you’re prepared to manage language barriers and suppress your own cultural norms to really experience the people where you are.

6 Be frugal, not cheap – Being frugal means looking for ways to do things more affordably. This will allow you to devote a greater amount of what you planned to spend to invigorating local economies. When you’re out and about or hanging with the locals, be prepared to recognize ways that you can invest directly into the community. This may mean buying better school supplies or a bicycle to get to school. Everyone’s migration is different.

7 Brag – Tell others and don’t hold back. You’re allowed to embellish a little, but not too much. Mention how your once in a lifetime, never to be duplicated, off the beaten path, life enriching, philanthropic thriller of a migration has changed you and your perception of the world. Post updates on your blog. Submit it to be shared here also. Lets tell the world together.

-Dwight Turner
Editor, In Search of Sanuk

If you enjoyed this aricle please see our guest blog One Thing Leads To Another by expert micro-philanthropist Marc Gold.

Myth #1: “You can’t help everyone.”

Friend, mentor, and inspiring humanitarian Marc Gold once asked, “If the ship is sinking and you can swim, who would you save?”

Naturally, I answered, “I would save whoever I could.”

“Then do that.” He said solemnly.

Think about that. Would Marc ever perpetuate this myth?

Look closely and you’ll see that what Marc was doing was giving me a brief lesson in setting goals to scale. Help who you can first. He by no means meant to imply we should acquiesce to hunger, poverty or other forms of the world’s ailments. This is clear enough if you’ve seen his work.

But how many times have you heard this? Is it the truth? How would conversations sound if we replaced “You can’t help everyone.” with “Did you try your hardest?” or “What could we have done differently to be more effective?

Lets not fall for this line. The world in in chaos–lets join together and collaborate, we can stop for tea and talk philosophy later.

-Dwight Turner

Editor, In Search of Sanuk

Click here to see the original invitation in Thai and English.

More Art + More Wine + More Prizes = Sanuk

Here’s why you don’t want to miss next Saturday’s party:

• Exhibition – The exhibition includes many works done by refugees and asylum seekers at the Bangkok Refugee Center. Most the artwork was done by children. However, some of the smallest children have experienced more turmoil than most of us can imagine. Come and support them and have a chance to see special donated artwork from artists in Thailand, Japan, and the United States. We’re joining forces!

“Have a chance to see special donated artwork from artists in Thailand, Japan, and the United States. We’re joining forces!”

• Wine Tasting – Remember your admission includes wine tasting from 6-8pm. Be there early to enjoy the wine as you place bids on the pictures made by refugees and the special guest art. By your request we’ll have a chilly surprise waiting for all the wine connoisseurs.

• Raffle – As with the Grand Opening there are many things we’ll be giving away that evening. They include art done by the refugees, art lessons with Chalit Nakpawan, gift certificates for beauty products and other surprises.

“No fighting in the streets or breaking bottles over anyone’s head to walk away with what you want. Just make sure you’re the highest bidder at the end of the night!”

• Silent Auction – Make sure you participate in our silent auction. For a this type of auction all you have to do is find the form of the painting you want and make a bid on it! No fighting in the streets or breaking bottles over anyone’s head to walk away with what you want. Just make sure you’re the highest bidder at the end of the night! Give your registration # and contact info and the price you want to bid.

“This project will be the beginning of many more because of you!”

• Great Company – Come mix with people volunteering for the BRC, working for the UNHCR or working on all kinds of various projects to create change in our community. Jump in! This is what ISOS was created to encourage. This project will be the beginning of many more because of you!

See you there at 6pm and here’s the map again so you can be sure you find us:

Click To See This Larger

To see the original invitation in Thai and English click here.

Registration begins at 6pm. When you come to the gallery and pay to enter, you will be registered to buy art, have a chance to donate volunteer time to the BRC, and be entered in our raffle.

ISOS Raffle. As the night goes on we’ll give away pieces of art made at the Bangkok Refugee Center, art lessons from Chalit Nakpawan, wine, and more! Drawings will be made by influential artists like Kongpat Sadapitak and some of Thailand biggest hearts like Anchanida Premchaona, owner of Boungiorno Coffee & Wine Bar, and others!

Welcome! Around 7.30pm, hear from Dwight Turner, Founder of In Search of Sanuk and Chalit Nakpawan, Artist and Owner of Moddy Restaurant and Gallery.

The Cause. Next we’ll take a minute to remember the purpose of this big party: to help  asylum seekers and refugees. We’ll lend our ear to Arthur Mangan, Director of the Bangkok Refugee Center and Rufino Seva, the Project Manager.

The Gallery. Most of the art featured was made by refugees at the Refugee Center. You will notice that not all of the art is happy or optimistic. We hope this will give you a chance to reflect on how lucky we are to be from stable countries like Thailand and the US and use our good fortune to help these refugees from all over the world. Especially with the recent ugly news about treatment of refugees, we can no longer afford to look away. Explore the gallery and prepare your heart to make a contribution.

Wine Tasting from 6.30-8pm. Are you already adjusted to Thai time and know you’ll be late? Leave early and get there for the free wine. Don’t worry, after 8pm, you’ll still be able to buy a cheap glass of wine (120B) or a cheap bottle (800B) and benefit the refugee center.

Sick Friday. For everyone calling in sick on Friday, the party will continue to 11pm, but we encourage you to come early and have time to take in everything.

Map. Finally here’s a detailed English map with instructions. Some of our volunteers got lost and thought this would be helpful for everyone coming to the event. Take a look and see you there!

Click To Enlarge (ภาษาอังกฤษ)

Picture From My Mind
Depictions of Hunger, Homelessness, and Hope

InSearchofSanuk.com and the Bangkok Refugee Center invite you to experience an exclusive art exhibit benefiting Bangkok’s urban refugees and asylum seekers. Exhibition starts Feb. 16th – 28th, 2009 from 17.00-23.00 (free of charge)

Join us Feb. 19th for the Grand Opening Party and join the Finale Party on Feb. 28th from 19.00-23.00 to take part in the silent auction.

Arrive early for wine tasting on those days and have a chance to win art lessons from Bangkok’s own Chalit Nakpawan and other exciting prizes! 200B Donation for entrance.

Moddy Restaurant & Gallery
18 Ari Soi 4 North
BTS: Ari Station, Exit Door 3 toward Soi Ari
02-617-0108 www.moddybangkok.com
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Click to Enlarge (ภาษาไทย)

Picture From My Mind

ความหิวโหย ไร้ที่พักพิง และความหวังอันเลือนลาง

InSearchofSanuk.com ร่วมกับ Bangkok Refugee Center
เชิญชมนิทรรศการงานศิลปะภาพวาดฝีมือผู้ลี้ภัย และงานจากศิลปินอิสระอีกมากมาย งานนี้จัดขึ้นโดยความร่วมมือของศิลปินชื่อดัง คุณชลิต นาคพะวัน เพื่อช่วยเหลือผู้ลี้ภัยที่อาศัยในกรุงเทพฯ งานนิทรรศการเปิดให้เข้าชม ตั้งแต่ วันที่ 16-28 กุมภาพันธ์ 2552เวลา 17.00-23.00 น. (ไม่มีค่าใช้จ่าย )

ขอเชิญทุกท่านมาร่วมงานเปิดตัวนิทรรศการในวันที่ 19 กุมภา และงานเลี้ยงขอบคุณ วันที่ 28 กุมภา เวลา 19.00-23.00 น. ภายในงานมีการจัดประมูล, ขายภาพศิลปะและทดลองชิมไวน์ จากทั่วโลก ค่าเข้าร่วมงาน 200 บาท รายได้ทั้งหมดเพื่อสนับสนันศูนย์ผู้ลี้ภัย

สถานที่ ร้านอาหาร Moddy Restaurant & Gallery
เลขที่ 18 ซอยอารีย์ 4 เหนือ ถนนพหลโยธิน 7
BTS: สถานที่ อารีย์ ประตู 3
โทร 02 617 0108
www.moddybangkok.com