Office Outing

I've just returned from a 3-day excursion with 50 of my closest co-workers. Since our time was limited we crammed in as many activities as humanly possible. We traveled South for 9 hours on a two-tiered tour bus to Rayong Province on the Gulf of Thailand. On day two we took a 30 minutes day trip to Ko Samet Island for scuba-diving and relishing in the sun (actually only I relished in the sun because most Thai people are scared of getting darker). Day three, we headed back and stopped at the Cambodian Border in Sa Kaeo Province for some light shopping. It was beautiful, serene, overwhelming, and chaotic at the same time.

I'm happy to report I survived 50 + hours of Thai karaoke at a decibel that would stir anyone out of a coma. Not only that, but 3 days of debauchery--sometimes absurd to the point of hilarity--from 30 excessively drunk Thai men and a few saucy Thai women. This seems like one of those feats that deserves a t-shirt... and a medal... and my hearing back. Yet, while weathering the storm, I relished in the moment and the pampering. The misery of incessant karaoke was coupled with the company of time at the beach, beautiful sunsets, delicious seafood, scuba diving, and rum raisin ice cream. I cannot deny that I didn't have any fleeting moments of fun and joy because I did. It was one of those situations in which so many things happen in a short period of time that it became difficult to determine exactly what happened and if it was good, bad, indescribable.


Every year each SAO (sub-district administrative office) takes an office vacation. Actually, they call it a 'field trip' which, is just a tad bit facetious if you ask me. From what I gather, the origination of this trip is to allow the SAO workers and the village council members (each village has 2 representatives at the SAO) an opportunity to celebrate the hard work they've done while being able to build better relationships with one another and also to visit another, more developed SAO--as to improve their own effectiveness. Sounds like a reasonable intention. Although, whatever the original justification is for this trip, and the generous budget that's allocated for it, it is my contention that it is somewhat of a farce. Seeing as how from the field trip budget, bottomless supplies of booze magically appear and incoherently drunk people are gambling away thousands of Baht. When people start drinking at 4 AM and proceed until 9 PM, what sort of substantial field trip knowledge can one really retain?! I'm ignoring for the moment the observation that although, there is not enough budget to pave roads, there is enough to buy booze for field trips. More and more it seems like policies and written intentions are in a completely different, immaculate dimension than the messy, complicated real world. Just a little venting...


Okay, so not everyone was over the top and I shouldn't be so critical. It should read with the understanding that I have been here almost a year and I'm perhaps not looking at this with a fresh pair of eyes. Also, that these are my co-workers and friends--most of whom I feel close and comfortable with. We're obviously past the point of formalities. It goes without saying , I do get frustrated with them in certain instances.

On the whole, being invited on the trip and being taken care of makes me feel deep appreciation for my co-workers. I feel a little more immersed in Thai culture having swam in my clothes with my Thai friends and joined in on a few verses of karaoke while whipping out some Thai-style dance moves.