the mae sot we love.

I really do love Mae Sot as a town. I love the diversity, the small town feel, the markets, the motorbikes and bicycles. And I have a love-hate relationship with the countless languages used in such a small space.

It’s changing quickly, actually. We can see it in all the little nuances that others likely wouldn’t notice.

Before we left town, we had a day off work. It was the perfect gloomy gray that I love and don’t see as often here.  Stephen went out to take some photos of some of our favorite details of Mae Sot.

Every town needs a little bit of graffiti, right? I just appreciate when it is in English and constructive.

…Love is a commonly used English word. I receive “I love you!” from strangers more often than I’m comfortable with.

This truck was parked down the road from Tescos about eighteen months ago. And it is now a part of the landscaping.

And these are my favorite buildings. A few years ago, they decided to expand this intersection and put a traffic light in. The buildings were simply cut off, leaving doors that open to a drastic fall and re-bar poking out over the street.  Oh, and they are still occupied.

And last, my absolute favorite:

First, for context, keep in mind that English is not the first language here. Or second or third, really. And “modify” isn’t commonly learned anyway.  And thus, it is an interesting graffiti choice.

But I love it.

It’s challenging, but subtly. It doesn’t ask you change the world, to revolt, or anything else that graffiti typically yells at you. That is exactly it: graffiti yells. But this simply states. Modify something.

In a very odd way, this sign is a comfort to me. It keeps me thinking. What can I modify? How can I better serve someone else or help our neighbors or be more like Christ?  But just through modification, not drastic changes or turn-around sacrifices. Just a simple change to make the world a better place.

I love it. And this town.