Back in November, we had an innocent conversation with our Saigon couchsurfing host about a cool sustainable living community in Northern Thailand. Fast forward 4 months and we have changed our entire itinerary, exchanging our guidebooks for garden hoes and moving into a mudbrick house 50 kilometers north of Chiang Mai.
Pun Pun started out as simple organic farm, founded by Peggy and Jo so they could have a place for themselves away from the hectic outside world. Peggy, from Colorado, moved to Thailand eight years ago after a study abroad program in college. Pi Jo is a farmer from a small village in Northeastern Thailand, where after a trip to the US, spearheaded the mudbrick home building movement in Thailand. Since its founding six years ago, Pun Pun Organic Farm has evolved into “an unintentional community” as westerners and Thai alike have tracked the couple down to learn more about self-sufficiency.
When we read about Pun Pun’s 7-week internship in sustainable living with an emphasis on organic farming and natural building, it took us about 10 minutes to decide it was exactly what we where looking for. After months of travel, the prospect of putting our bags down for a while and learning about something we were already very interested in was too tempting. When your brain is only used for repetitive functions like how to get from A to B as cheaply as possible, or what to eat for lunch today, you strive for additional stimulation.
We’ve been on the farm for 4 weeks now and already had our expectations blown away. Our knowledge now includes interesting tidbits like how to build mudbrick arch; how to grow radishes in an tropical environment; how to make bread in an earthen oven; and what ailments can be cured by drinking your own pee. Everyday we’re here, the 9-to-5, consumer lifestyle back home seems further away. Okay, that sounds a little hippie-dippy, but the longer we’re immersed in this “alternative” lifestyle (which most people today live by) the more a fulfilling and appealing a simpler way of life seems to be. Regardless, we are still weighing our options – A) Build an earthen home and start our own self-sufficient community B) Go back to our corporate jobs, make good money and buy lots of shit C) Somewhere in between. We’ll keep you posted.
I foresee option C, with a healthy mix of A and just a sprinkling of B.
Um,”what ailments can be cured by drinking your own pee”? DO TELL.
What would be more fulfilling both of U?
Sounds good to me. I wish I knew how to make a mud brick arch. Nice blog too, by the by.
Wow! That sounds so amazing. I remember you guys mentioning this when we met up in Vietnam. So cool you decided to go for it. I wanna eat that tomato!! Looks so good. And dang, Kim is so tanned. Looking good!
If you choose option A can I become part of you community??? I can be the community cook.
simply put:
awesome