Attempts at some Updates, but mostly Processing the Election from Across the World

As always, writing about this adventure is proving difficult. But I was reminded that people really do read this thing, and care about reading my updates. My apologies if my updates aren’t as visual or enthusiastic today. As far as updates go, we are in Pai. It is beautiful here. The pace is much slower and calmer than in the cities. Tourism is an interesting thing here, definitely more tourists than locals unfortunately. But there is an interesting relationship between the tourists and the locals, one that doesn’t feel so intrusive. Given there are the people that come here purely to party, or go tipsy tubing lol. For some funny context tipsy tubing is where you pay about 300 baht (~10 USD) to be given a plastic water bottle of alcohol and a rubber tube, then about a hundred people float down a river while drinking and land at a river side party with things like tug of war, foam parties and DJs. This is a different kind of tourist than I am talking about, although that could be fun in its own right. I am talking about those who are creating intentional communities that are creating spaces like this place called “Dreamscapes” which is this crazy cool piece of land that is made up of a couple different structures, one being a giant dome that they host workshops and dance classes in, a performing stage area where they put on shows and ecstatic dance twice a week. And a covered area that they host classes in, have a kitchen and these giant netted hammocks that overlook the nearby rice patties and mountains. It is beyond beautiful and full of so many people that are looking to share in experience together while respecting the land they are on. We’ve been attending yoga classes and markets here, as well as a few fire shows which are insane to witness. I still don’t understand how they do not light themselves on fire… it’s pretty incredible. 

Oh! I learned how to ride a motorbike! I did have to lie and say I had experience in order to rent one… and seeing all the tourists with gauze rapped around their legs, arms, chins… that was a little scary. The first day was most definitely shakey, figuring out the balance, how to balance between break and gas, turning… took a second. But, with a few days practice I am feeling much more comfortable on that little zoomy thing. Trust me I will not be driving one in any kind of city, but country roads I think I can handle and will continue to handle with extreme caution. I may love tattoos but don’t think I need any travel markings of the road rash nature… Overall, I am really grateful to be within community and beautiful movement, especially in such a stunning place. 

While I am in this beautiful place with my beautiful partner, we are also mourning these past 48 hours. It is really interesting to be abroad during this election. The time difference played an interesting role…thinking about the fact that we are now 15 hours ahead with the time change, it meant we were in the middle of our day when the election was called. Waking up on our Nov. 6, 2024 was the evening of Nov. 5, 2024 for the states. Meaning all of the 6th for us was watching the polls go increasingly in a terrifying direction. Waiting for the red mirage to stop and the blue shift to come… but it didn’t. And when it didn’t I couldn’t talk to any of the people I love back home because it was the middle of the night for them. It feels so strange to be away from your home when you feel like it’s on fire with everyone you love inside. Thinking about how my longest friend just got his rights stripped away from him as a trans man. Thinking about one of my best friends being a young black woman that soon could be stopped and frisked for no reason whatsoever, legally. Thinking about another of my best friends and her girlfriend walking down the street and having a reenergized trumpy threatening them with violence for loving each other. Thinking about my little sister who is just entering being a teenager and may soon have less rights than I have ever known. Thinking about my family of immigrants that may be subjected to hate or even worse violence from ignorant people that believe that can tell us to “go back where we came from” because our soon to be 47th president of the United States promotes this language. Thinking about every woman in my life, every person in my queer community that I love so dearly, thinking about every black, brown, and indigenous body that is now in harm's way more than this generation has seen. Grappling with the question that nearly half our country is grappling with, what now? Do I stay abroad? Do I come “home”? If I leave, is that selfish? If every person who can afford to leave does, it is leaving the most vulnerable alone with the scariest kinds of humans that voted for the soon to be dictator? If I stay, what if I can’t love the woman I love soon? The fear of looking into the eyes of the person I love and knowing that the man that was just announced as the president elect wants to take away our right to love each other is terrifying. 

There are a lot of things to be learned from this Election Day… I don’t truly have the capacity to get into all of them but I know the people I love are on the same page. The hatred towards women is rampant. The hatred towards women of color, even higher. The lack of education in the states is astounding and I am genuinely fearing what is to come next. I know the fight is nowhere near over and we will be spread more thin than before but I believe in my communities to stay strong, we just have to look after each other with more tenacity than before. 

It’s been raining here ever since the election was called… it almost feels as though this is a kind of crying in solidarity to those that are being so astronomically wronged in this US election, I know I have shed many tears along with the sky. All of this to say being away from the ones I love at a time like this feels very foreign. Having people in our home stay sitting in the common area talking about “did you see what’s happening in America?”, “They just fucked over the whole world, say bye to Ukrainian, say bye to Palestine.”… having people literally give their condolences for being American right now, having one of the people running our home stay tell us about different ways to get Thai visas, having a tax lawyer from Sweden tell us he is working on a tax plan for American expats that want to move to Sweden after seeing the election results… I don’t know how to describe how that feels. 

I guess all I can say is many people have said it’s a blessing to not be there right now. And I agree in the sense that at least I am in a beautiful place, but being far from the people I love while the house is burning hotter than it was a few days ago… not great either. I am sending all of the love that I have to my loved ones back home. 

I miss and love you all more than you know. 

Love, 

Luna