In 2011, a desperate cry for freedom in Tunisia gripped the world. A fruit seller set himself on fire in protest against corruption in the police force and unjust treatment. Stories about the civil up raising flooded national and international media. The rest of the world was fixated on the Arab Spring.

We were very much like audiences in a movie theater. Seated comfortably on our velvety chairs, washing down freshly popped popcorn with a cup of ice coke, we watched the civil turmoil unfold on screens. New stories after news stories fed our curiosity. Will the underdogs defeat the evil government and take back their lost freedom and happiness? Can the collective voice of the suppressed be loud enough to bring about change?

Turns out it could. Using social media as their loud hailer, the people brought their governments to their knees.The rest of the world got the happy ending we were waiting for. The evil government was overthrown! The underdogs won! News about the Arab spring soon became sparse and sporadic, as we swifly lost interest in our heros. The rest of the world simply moved onto newer stories.

A few years later, I stumbled across an article that left me speechless. The Arab spring was not a success; it did not give the suppressed back their freedom. Apart from Tunisa, the rest of the countries were still trying to reconcile with the aftermath of that civil up raising. Most of the countries are still grappling in the uphill task of political reforms. The The Jasmine revolution was not the magical silver bullet the media touted it to be.

(View the http://thetriangle.org/opinion/arab-spring/ for an analysis on the Arab Spring movement)

This incident stired something in me. It changed my views of the world and the media. I realise that perhaps the world is too reliant on media to tell us the truth and what are the issues we should care about. We settle in a worrying complacency as we let the media to define our perspective of the world. We allowed the news to decide what is newsworthy and what we should care about.

Perhaps as a result of this epiphany, this OST programme meant more to me. It taught me how I can better understand the world. For the first time, I am stepping into the unknown to discover the truth for myself. I allow myself to define my perspective of the world.

This trip to Chiang Mai allows me to conduct firsthand research which I do not have much experiences with. Although slightly apprehensive about the language barrier , I am pumped up by the challenge. I cannot wait to see Chiang Mai through my own eyes and the eyes of the locals.

By the end of the trip I hope to be able to answer these questions I had about Chiang Mai. Can the creative Chiang Mai project really preserve the essence of the Thai culture while advocating so much changes? Can the past really coexist harmoniously with the future? Also, is the Thai culture portrayed in the media the truth or is it merely a carefully construed marketing ploy to develop their tourism industry?

I am excited to be able to interact with my Thai counterparts! How different is their lifestyle from ours? How similar or different will their college be as compared to NTU? What is their perspective of the world like? I am excited to make my first Thai friend too!

On a more personal note, this is the first overseas trip I am going without my parents! I am relishing this new found freedom and independence, which is the real test of maturity in my opinion. My first adventure in the world as an adult without the guidance of my parents. Also, this will be my first trip to Thailand! I have heard my friends raving about Thailand as a shopping heaven! I also can’t wait to see the majestic temples of Thailand for myself! (Rather than from Google images)

This Chiang Mai trip holds many first times for me. I hope that this reflection can remind myself to be in the moment when I am in Chiang Mai and to remember why this trip is important to me.

Here I come, Chiang Mai!
(With my half empty suitcase waiting to be filled with your goodies!)