Baan Unrak - Home of Joy

In life, we tends to "launch"' many complaints, however, we will start to cherish our everything we have once we noticed that we are more better than others. One of the beautiful and meaningful experience that I have had in this life is working as a volunteer for a children home in one of the Northwest rural area in Thailand - Sangklaburi. Sangklaburi - located along the Thai-Myanmar border. The region is home to immense beauty along with immense social problems.

A Community Without a Country
This area is also home to many refugees fleeing war, forced labor and poverty in Burma/Myanmar. Leaving family and community behind has destroyed the support network for families and exacerbated the immense challenges they face when relocating to a foreign country and culture.This area is home to many refugees fleeing war, forced labor and poverty in Burma/Myanmar. Leaving family and community behind has destroyed the support network for families and exacerbated the immense challenges they face when relocating to a foreign country and culture.

Upon arrival in Thailand, Burmese immigrants are restricted to living in a small region around the border where they encounter discrimination and a lack of jobs. Access to medical treatment and public education is minimal as immigrants face great barriers receiving social services without legal papers. Most of the children at Baan Unrak have either come from Burma or were born in Thailand but lack legal papers claiming their national identity.


Alcohol, drug and spousal abuse
Rampant alcohol and drug abuse are problems in our community. Tolerance of spousal abuse is also common in this area. Abandonment of children born in prior relationships is a routine occurrence in this region. Poverty exacerbates these problems.


HIV
HIV/AIDS is also a significant problem as many men travel to find work in urban areas where they visit prostitutes and become infected. Then, they transmit it to their wives and unborn children. Women are sometimes forced into prostitution due to lack of employment prospects making them at high risk to contract HIV. This leads to one or both parents dying or being too weak to care for their children.


When I worked in this orphan home, I found that myself are so lucky being born in Malaysia and raise in the family that provides me with education and sufficient foods. In the orphan home, most of the children were being sent to there due to the poor economic situation of their family that having too many siblings. Some cases, the child even being abandon in nowhere and being adopted by the children home. However, one valuable thing that noticed was most of the children in regardless of their background they always have the sweetest smile on their face and live at the moment of joy. Perhaps this is the true meaning as the name of the orphan home; Baan Unrak - Home of Joy

"If it's not good enough to eat, it's not good enough for your skin!"

Personally I prefer to use all-natural and organic skincare that do not contain any harmful chemicals. This means skin care which has no artificial fragrance or colour, no harmful preservatives, no harsh detergents such as SLS, no petrochemicals such as mineral oil or any other petroleum by-products and no animal cruelty.I agree with most of the organic supporter's believe that if the skincare is not “good enough to eat” as in safe enough to eat, it’s not good enough for your skin. Why? because our skin is the body’s largest organ. It is capable of absorbing whatever we put on it. On a daily basis, people are slathering on a huge amounts of chemicals on their bodies without even realizing it.

It is also our responsibility to create an awareness for people to think about what they put onto their skins on a daily basis. If we won’t put it in our mouth, why would we put it onto our skin? Or our babies’ skin? The skin is really the body's largest organ. If you don't understand the ingredients, should you be putting it onto your skin? Chemicals in skin care are mostly unnecessarily and are potentially harmful so why take the risk when affordable alternatives are available. I encourage everyone to read the labels and understand what it all means.

Below are some dedicated organic brand that I would suggest:

MUKTI

Mukti Botanicals was created in year 2000 primarily due to sheer frustration. Mukti (the founder) was desperately searching for a range of personal care products that were free from harmful chemicals and supported by a genuine philosophy of personal and planetary awareness, health and wellbeing. Her criteria was so strict and her desire so profound that she decided to create her own range. After ten years of research and study including: cosmetic chemistry, aromatherapy, herbalism and organics, she formulated a range of clean, green certified organic products.

Mukti (mooktee) has captured the spirit of liberation and freedom with Australian skincare products that are certified organic and in line with her philosophy - choose products that assist the body to release to toxins instead of absorbing them and, never put on your skin what you would not put in your mouth.

Partnering modern science with traditional herbal recipes, Mukti’s products are certified organic and made in Australia using 100% plant based ingredients to harness the best that nature has to offer. The formulations include optimal concentrations of pure essential therapeutic grade oils, certified organic herbal extracts, essential fatty acids, natural vitamins, plant based liposomes and antioxidants that all significantly contribute to moisture retention, oxygenation and cell regeneration.

Mukti Botanicals utilizes only the purest & highest grade certified organic and natural ingredients, therefore, a little of the product goes a long way. The products are handcrafted in small batches to ensure quality, integrity and freshness. All products have a guaranteed shelf-life of 18-24 months unopened.

Just Herbal

Just Herbal was created in New Zealand in response to a need for affordable, pure, simple, chemical free, natural and effective skin care products and after discovering that other "commercial" products were laden with harmful chemicals.The product range incorporates a wide range of wonderful natural ingredients, all of which feed, nourish, heal and compliment the skin. Just Herbal offers an extensive range of affordable natural face and body products.

BIGUINE BIO

Manufactured for more than 30 years in the beautiful Dordogne region of FRANCE, BIGUINE BIO products are made of 100% natural ingredients and are not tested on animals. The very potent and active ingredients such as essential oils, plants, fruits, vegetable and tree barks extracts, vitamins and minerals work in perfect synergy with your skin, with no chemical ingredients to lessen their efficiency, and enhance the natural beauty of your skin to give it the glow of perfection.

BIGUINE BIO products are:

* Organically grown without pesticides

* Plant, trees, flowers, fruits and vegetable based

* Plant extracts obtained by maceration

* Organically grown 100% pure essential oils

* Made with mineral trace elements (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, etc)

* Made with vitamins A, B, C, E & P (bioflavonoids)

* Suitable for vegans

BIGUINE BIO products do not contain any synthetic ingredients, petro-chemicals, animal products, AHA'S or Retin A, lanolin or GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms).

BIGUINE BIO products are Cosmebio certified (by certifying agency: Ecocert). Cosmebio certification requires that a minimum of 95% of all the ingredients are of natural origin, that 95% of vegetal ingredients are Organic, and that a minimum of 10% of all ingredients in the final product (including non-certifiable water, often in the majority) are Organic. These percentages are always indicated clearly on packaging, following the complete product formula.

BIGUINE BIO goes further than the Cosmebio obligations as BIGUINE BIO products contain 100% ingredients of natural origin.

19th Jul 2004, Fiesch, Switzerland

19th Jul 2004, Fiesch, Switzerland

The Cable Car To The Top Of The Mountain

On the peak of the mountain, far above the winding course of the glacier - meandering through the deep valley like the tyre tracks from God's Great Jeep .We sit in meditation, perched upon the edge of the great drop to the world below.

Meditation was somehow so natural up here. So easy to slip into a sublime flow. The air so pure and tingling with timeless wisdom.

...And then my eyes opened. Slammed in the face by the awe of the panorama that stretched from one horizon to the other. This point could have been any in the history of the world. The mountains seemed so eternal, so reliable. My heart felt reconnected. I could have stayed for a long while...

Local Tourism

Recently re-visit to Cameron Highland with a friend with the intention to show him more about Malaysia. He was pretty happy as CH is a totally new place for him and he enjoyed the Palas Tea plantation.

However, as a Malaysian being 4th time in CH, I pity the highlands people and feel sad about the spoiled environment due to the over development. Forest are being explored into a housing site and I am not too sure is that to serve the residential purpose for the local or being sold for business minded people for renting to tourist. The last time I been to CH was in year Oct 2007, just 18 months, the environment has changed a lot such as new housing area, and I noticed that Starbuck has also trying to penetrate the market there by having a new outlet in Tanah Rata.

Besides Palas Tea Plantation, I dont have the mood to show our friend around to other so called tourist area such as rose valley, Bees Farm, cactus valley and so on....Not any particular reason, just feel that not worth the time to spend in such a "copy cating" place and does not represent the true Malaysia culture. Worst, one thing I feel very funny was the reddish "strawberry" products that hang around the stalls along the roadside. Imagine the whole stall was filled with reddish products include ballon, pillow...everything. Just name it...all with the reddish colour. Our friend made a joke as he seen the phenomena " what is this strawberry nation !!" . Our laughter filled up the cold air and vibrated starbuck tea table that night.

I do hope that local can be more creative in term of doing business by diversify the products and can do something that could represent Truly Malaysia culture. In order to promote local tourism, we need to know our strength in our culture which is unique and only be found in Malaysia.