Continued Ramblings

What to say ....

This was officially the last day of Summer Camp here at school - actually yesterday was my last class time and I am now found mourning the loss of my home-bound buddies. I mean I barely got to know them. Tears. I was so exausted today after staying up way to late last night journaling about my frustrations of life till one and then also filling my self with junk like skittles and pizza.

Yesterday was sort of a blast. I went to one of the student workers' homes and partied with the rest of my friends. Took a nice dip in the community bathtube (aka pool), at delicous Indian food and then had a pillow fight and intimate talk with my friend Calvin. One thing I have observed in my short lived life is that whenever I swim nowadays - like relaxing swim. It usually marks a turn in tides... so to speak.

It was a cool place - Shiva's home - but what I don't understand about this Thailand land is sometimes things seem to clash so much and yet it has a perfect order to it. It's confusing but attractive. For example their home consisted of items of gold fish, christmas lights, angels, porcelian dolls, just random stuff. Oh well I suppose I fit right in then.. I am somewhat random and clashing!

It was fun hanging out with Calvin and letting him ponder, as he hit me over the head with a pillow, where I learned my pillow fighting skills (apparently I can give a nice smashing with soft pillows!). I claim innocence but just one look of my face might demonstrate some incongruence!

I don't know if I am depressed right now but oftentimes the tears seem to flow lately. I think I might be experiencing some culture shock but it is hard for me to tell. Also there are different stress that seem to be pressing down on me so that lends some pressure I don't need. But as my friend Nadia reassures me God's up to some good in my life. That is a definite comfort that I continually need to hear.

At the beginning of the week I found out that my 'baby sister' is going to be getting married at the end of this month. Something I expected in the future BUT not the near future. I didn't even know that she was in contact with this young man anymore. Shocked ... to say the least. A cool oppertunity came out of it however, during this time when I 'discovered' this I became in dire need of having someone talk to God on my behalf and so walking around campus I found my friend Howard and my new friend Mr. Chu. I approached them and told them that I needed prayer and was wondering if they would pray for me right then and there. Well they said yes and then told me afterwards that they had just been talking about me. Hmmm... somebody's got good timing.

Another thing that has alarmed me is the attraction men here have towards me. Now I don't know that I am a peice of meat... actually I know I am not. But sometimes double takes and stares are more blantant than I expect. But God's timing is best... plus I can't speak Thai! Sorry boys... off limits!

Chaing Mai - The Hmong Village

The Birthmark

This last week has been quite an adventure... I love these. In some ways I have difficulty knowing how to describe what has happened. But I will begin by telling you something new I have learned that makes me special, unique, even more weird than before. A story.

I have a birthmark on my right cheek (my face - just to clarify for some!) and it is hairy like my eyebrows (and I would assume like 'yours' too). Often times little children everywhere in the world are enthralled, enraptured, allured to the black dot on my face. The arrangement of questions that rise are, "What's that thing on your face?" "Is that make up?" "Why don't you have one on the other side?" This makes me smile and wonder why is it such a curious sight.

Well, switching really quick. A boy in my class, Rugchai, is always claiming that I must be very rich. What? Me? Rich? More like middle class to poor I always insisted to him. I mean look at me... I've got no fancy-smancy cell phone! Apparently however it came up in conversation with 'the boys' (Rugchai, Anapat and Pitcharee- girl-) that in the Thai culture birthmarks are revered because they are a symbol of wealth even better is a birthmark with long hair growing out of it because it shows that you are even wealthier!

Wow! Not only is my birthmark a thumb print of God... it is also an 'talisman' of wealth! Little did I know that Rugchai had reasoning behind his claims of this 'maam' being rich!

The Fence and English

The whole purpose in going on our mission trip to Chaing Mai (or Doi Indathon?) was to build a fence and teach children English at a goverment school and this is what we did. However, still being attatched to my culture (Westernization) I struggle with the lack of effiency and preplanning that occurs sometime/often here in Thailand. Our kids did teach English and they did build a fence but not at the speed that I expected them to. I forgot where these kids come from they are well to do high schoolers who have always had someone else cooking, cleaning, working for them and never had the oppertunity or blessing to experience such things themselves. So the fence building was slow and ineffiecent but it happened... The kids complained that the bricks were to heavy, they didn't know how to balance on the scaffolding, did know how to make cement, apply to whatever they were building. But when they tried I was impressed and proud of them! I can't totally blame them I mean.. consider this if you have never done it how can you know what to do? I certainly don't!

My personal favorite was English and playing with the kids. The first day (we only 'missioned' for two days) I took Ratanporn, Pitcharee and Napat to classrooms, Kindergarten, 3rd, 5th and 6th grade and then the second day (Napat, Pitcharee and Anapat). They were so great at leading out. They would ask me, "Ma'am what should we do now?" Would you like to sing songs? Do you want to teach them English? (What is that called the Socrates Method? - Responding to a question with a question) An they gave it some thought and they followed through. Songs like, Deep and Wide, Peace Like a River, My God Loves Me and then games like Heads Up - 7-up, London Bridges, and Guess the Animal! It again made me proud to see each of them lead out... definitely some potential future teachers!

For recess - the times that I didn't help out with construction or English in class, I played. I certainly am a 'player' but not in the sense that usually comes to mind. I would walk out onto the red dusted playground and join girls for hopscotch. I taught them how I played it in the United States, they played it differently having about 20 rectangles in which they jumped. I also drew pictures in the red earth and attempted to tell them stories about raindrops and then another one about Jesus. Lastly, I tried to teach them duck-duck-goose but this didn't work so well because all the kids would be in a circle and when I went to touch their shoulders they would run away before I could (they were scared but curious enough to stand around and watch this farang). My favorite time was when they attempted to teach me how to play some form of tag but before you get tagged if you put your finger to your mouth and then say 'bet' the one 'it' can't tag you. It was so confusing because I couldn't tell who was it and who wasn't. Well I'm beat so will attempt to be more poetic then I was today some other time.

Vocabulary Compilation from World Stories - More Stories by my Students

Okay, yesterday's assignment was intended to integrate writing skills and vocabulary development. Here is what my students came up with.. I like it (I'm slightly bias)!

Battle Realm

Hafiz and Tapakorn

In the olden day warfare they was the war between two great kingdom. One kingdom was the Symphonia the most peaceful kingdom. The second kingdom is Titan the most powerful kingdom. Both kindom are very delicate bu also close friends. The war has make both kindom distinguished from each other. The people from both kingdom are suspicious each other. Titan was the outskirt land. Titan have powerful army and commander. The prince of Titan were very handsome and brave. His name is Pegasus he is son of king Lther the second and he also the guardian of his father. Symphonia was the peaceful city but no have strong army. The king of symphonia was very diligent. His name is King White Wolf the Second. King White Wolf daughter name Regina. Son and daughter were love each other but both die in warfare of the kingdom. After that the war end so they become one great kingdom name Battle realm.

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Rugchai and Chawapol

Once upon a there was a monkey named Hafiz. This Hafiz was distingish from the other monkey in the wood. He had a rouge color on his head, he was a very diligent man. Hafiz was good guardian for James the king monkey of the Jungle. But the problem of Hafiz was Hafiz never confess himself when he done anythings wrong. He was very talkative too, so you can't believe anything that Hafiz talk.

One day James was became so bored of Hafiz that he loved to vex him. So the King scolded Hafiz a "simpleton" and chased Hafiz out of the wood and live in the outskirt of the wood. Hafiz become very sad and slowly prowled out of the wood with his hand fastened on his bag. On his way out of the wood he feeled guilty of himself and he couldn't believe that his relitionship with the King will be this Delicate.

Three days later Hafiz was looking for his food in the outskirts of the wood. Then he noticed something that looked like a yellow bill that smell like a banana so he picked it up and smell it. After he smelled it he fall asleep, when wake up again he noticedh imself in a cobweb he tried to escaped from the web but it can't. Suddently a big spider lomm closer and closely.

Then he just woke up and Hafiz feeled so scared. Then he looked around him he noticed that he was till in the deep wood with James. After that Hafiz never lie again, he became very honest and faithly to James.

My Classes Word Art

Arun’s

Thongkorn is as tall as a building.
As big as an elephant
Is as desperate as a stressful man
Is as thin as an ant
Is as angry like an angry tiger
Is as lovely as a pet
Is as talkative as a parrot
Is as alert like al ion
Is as hansome as Hafiz
Is as cute as a cat

Thongkorn’s

My sister is as hot of a temper as a tiger
Is as cute as a doll
Is as tall as a building
Is as talkative as Arun
Is as kind as a cat
Is as mysterious as a ghost
Is as scary as a lion
Is as smart as Miss Renee
Is as white as cloud
Is as lonely as me
Is as friendly as Chawapol
Is as ugly as Hafiz

Rugchai

Hafiz is as funny as Charlie Chaplin
Is as silly as Arun
Is as stupid as buffalo
Is as agil as rabbit
Is as kind as Jesus
Is as greedy as dog
Is as ugly as snake
Is as naughty as monkey
Is as brown as wood
Is as active as super active kid
Is as small as ant

Hafiz

The sky is as big as a universe
Is as blue as a star ocean
Is as mysterious as a mysterious eye
Is as beautiful as a milky way
Is as cool as the Pacific Ocean
Is as peaceful as moonlight
Is as nice as Springfield
Is as warm as Bangkok city
Is as great as me