Suddenly, everything went black. My eyes fought to adjust to the darkness, but nothing came into focus, not even my out-stretched hand mere inches from my face. All sight stripped away, I stood, unable to move. After receiving an invitation to join the Dialog in the Dark experience in Bangkok, I excitedly agreed, thinking it would simply give me an interesting, new perspective on the world around me. The outcome, however, was much more. Dialog in the Dark is an exhibition located around the world, where visitors are led by blind guides through a constructed, and completely darkened, space. The experience is meant to give a…
Expectations vs. Reality: Who Am I, Really?
One year ago… One year ago I moved to Thailand to undertake “Gospel-centred justice and compassion work amongst women in the sex trade.” It was a simple enough statement to say to my supporters, but the reality of life and work here is nowhere as simple as I had expected. Expectations are weighty and dangerous things, and I found that my expectations upon arriving in Thailand only added extra layers of confusion to trudge through in this unprecedented year of trying to get my bearings. Below are three of the realities I’ve had to embrace in order to understand myself…