Chiang Mai is a professional student's paradise. There is probably a teacher willing to give you a lesson for anything you want to know here. Thai massage has made a home in this city, and I think there are more than seven schools that have programs--all with different personalities and focuses. The one that I am attending is called Sunshine School of Thai Massage and it style is a combination of yoga and therapuetic work that relates to the meridians (Sen in Thai) of the body. It's a perfect match for me, and like I expected this massage is an art that suits my abilities very well.
There are four of us in the class, and Ahm (pronounced Om) is our teacher. Blandine is Parisian and every bit as glamorous as one would expect from a native of the French Capital. Jo Jo is from the french countryside and grew up on a farm. He has been travelling in Australia, Cambodia, and Thailand for the last two years and is returning home in a few weeks. Sandra is from Barcelona, but spent 23 years in france so her mannerisms and accent are more French than Spanish. She now lives outside the Barcelona in a small farm town. I wish I could say that all of my years of French were being put to use. The conversations moves between English and French, but I speak only english. Maybe this will be one of my dares while I'm here.
I really lucked out with this group. Jo Jo and Blandine have been taking Thai Massage courses for a while and Sandra is a Massage Therapist so Ahm fits in as much as possible and works way above a beginner level. I feel like I'm getting a beginner and advanced class in one. Even after three days I am able to give a 1 1/2 hour massage and that is just working on the feet and legs!
With my jetlag subsiding a bit my focus is better too so the material is beginning to make sense and I am absorbing the it all quickly. The first two days I was feeling worn down and not so excited about spending so much of my day using my brain and doing body work, but now I look forward to the last 7 days of this course. I'm even going in early tomorrow to practice with Sandra. :)
