Well the rest of my first weekend went like this

Tuesday:

School again. I went with Golee to all her classes and met more kids. I was excited to actually get to know the kids and work with them. After lunch I went to talk to Nawarat again and we went over my schedule again and talked about how I could help the school more. Turns out that he just wants me to stick with helping Golee with her classes for now. He also asked me to help out with the schools website, to update it and make it more useful and efficient. So I worked on that a bit for the rest of the afternoon until Golee was done with class for the day.

After school I went with Golee and P'Wee to Nanaphan Market down the street from our house. I bought bread and cereal and stuff for breakfast. I couldn't get too much because 1) I didn't have unlimited amounts of money 2) I have no room in the house to store anything (just one shelf in the fridge) and 3) There is no way to really prepare food at the house, people eat out mostly. So I walked around with them a bit.... tired and frustrated that I couldn't talk to anyone.

For dinner N'Pat and N'Miw went to the street market and brought back some food for me. By now I was already getting tired of the spicy curries and typical noodle dishes so I just had some simple chicken and rice. Later on I watched some of Memoirs of a Geisha, that I brought from home, with Miw and soon slept!

Wednesday:

We went early to school today because we had “gate duty” which means we stand at the gates of the school to welcome students as they come in. It was also sport day so we had to wear track suits. Sport day just means that in the morning for about 20 minutes the kids do some aerobics in the field before class. Class seemed really long today and I was very tired for some reason. At lunch I helped serve the kids again and sat with Golee while we ate and talked about Thailand. We went home after lunch because we had no more classes for that day. I was glad to have a day to go home and relax.

For the rest of the afternoon until the youth got home from school I hung out alone at the house reading and studying. When the youth came home they brought some “som tam” and we all dug in. It's customary in Thailand for everyone to eat out of the same dish, so that's what we did. Later on P'Wee came over and brought roasted chicken and sticky rice! Yum!! But later on that night I didn't do too good. My stomach got really messed up, as it turns out, by the “som tam” that I had had earlier. It was an awful night. I couldn't get to sleep and I had to keep getting up to use the bathroom! :(

Thurday:

When I woke up I was a mess. It turns out that Pat also got sick and Golee had to take her to the hospital early in the morning because she was throwing up and everything. I was glad that I didn't get that bad. But I was still really sick so instead of school I slept and slept ALL day. It was a really hot day and I just laid in bed feeling pretty awful. Pat was there too, feeling the same way. I just figured it was inevitable and that I was lucky I didn't have it THAT bad and this was the first time out of all the things I had eaten so far. The rest of the day I hung around the house, only getting up for trips to the bathroom.

Friday:

I was still exhausted and sick. Pat went to school that day but I was still a mess and way too tired. Golee was home when I woke up because she doesn't have class on Fridays (she's only part time at the school). Around 2pm I was feeling well enough to go to Big C with Jah and P'Wee. I just walked around and checked out the store as they shopped. I tried to get money out of the ATM again and AGAIN it didn't work. Very frustrating because I couldn't buy food and I was running out of money. That night I got really frustrated about everything. I wasn't feeling well and just sitting around all the time was really staring to bug me. Talking to people from home and hearing everything they were up to made me really miss everything and everyone. But I didn't allow myself to get too absorbed in those thoughts. I was determined to make it here, after all it's what I wanted and I am really happy to be here, maybe it's not the easiest thing I've ever done but I probably the most rewarding.

Saturday:

I woke up and I was feeling a bit better so I had a lot on me “to do” list but of course almost none of that could happen. I woke up and only had time to stuff down my breakfast before I was out the door with Golee, Arm, Pat and an Auxilary Board Member from Bangkok names Ayshia who had just come to visit. We went on “home visits”; visiting families of the kids who use to attend Sunday School. Turns out not too many of them were there but I tagged along and said “hello” and met a couple of new people and got a tour of the town.

In the afternoon I went with Arm and Golee to a Junior Youth Group of about 6-7 boys who had graduated from the Santitham School and were now studying a Baha'i book with Golee. I got to play some ping pong with them which was really fun. Some of them were really good, but of course...I could hold my own. I couldn't really do too much during the class, being that I couldn't understand what was going on really besides that they were reading a story. But I was glad to meet and hang out with the kids a bit and it was definitely better then being home doing nothing. That night I had dinner with Pat, Miw, Chom Pu, and Mook. Yum!!! :)

Sunday:

There was suppose to be children's class in the morning but none of the kids showed up. :( So that didn't happen. So over breakfast I talked to Golee and the other ABM, Ayshia about how I can help out with the community. The basically want me to work the the junior youth, go on home visits, teach English and teach children's classes. I hung out until around 2 pm when all the youth went to the Baha'i Volunteer house to clean it up in preparation for the Birth of Baha'u'llah celebration on Tuesday. After cleaning up they talked a lot about the community goals and what everyone needs to do to help out. That was a long conversation in Thai and I was getting very tired and hungry. We finally left and got dinner around 7pm. I went with Golee, Jah and Wee to the street market and had lots of good food!!! It was really good for me. I think I started to bond with them well and get more comfortable around them as I got to know them a bit better. I was glad to get home though after a long day.

First day of School (Santitham)

First day of school!!! I woke up around 7am, got dressed, had some oatmeal and left for school around 7:50am. It was about a 7 minute bike ride to the school from Golee's house. When we got to the school I met some of the teachers and students as we walked through the school grounds. All the kids were playing in the field before the morning announcements. I met with Niyana and Nawarat, the couple that runs the school. They were both extremely nice and comforting and I immediately felt very comfortable around them. This, I thought, was a good sign. During the morning announcements Nawarat introduced me to the school and I had to say “hello” and introduce myself to all the kids and teachers.

The first class I went to with Golee. It was one of her English classes. She introduced me to the class and since it was the first day back for the students after a month long break, we played icebreaker games which allowed me to learn some of the kids names. All the kids have funny nicknames that their parents give to them; things like Boss, Got, Arm, Fern, Meow, and Book. But those names are a lot easier to remember than their full Thai names, so I was grateful! :) We then had another class where we did the same thing.. more games, more introductions, more names. It was a bit hard for me to remember the names, even the English ones because they all have such thick accents and don't pronoun all the letters..so Arm is Ahm and Book is Boog. I just hoped that I would get use to it all. (Pat and Golee, everyone wears pink on Monday or Tuesday to honor the Queen)

Next it was lunch time around 12pm. Golee and I helped to serve the kids food before we got to sit down and have some of our own. I finally got to try “som tam” or papiya salad that I had heard so much about. It has chopped up shreds of papyya and carrot with tomato, green beens, garlic, lime juice, sugar, chili, and fish sauce ( a very popular condiment, it's like salty fishy tasting water). The “som tam” was very spicy but good. People eat it EVERYDAY in this part of Thailand...and it's good but I don't think I could eat it everyday. (Main walk of the school)

After lunch I sat and talked with Niyana and Nawarat. They told me a bit about the history of the school . It turns out the 15 years ago the National Assembly of Thailand asked them to move from North Thailand to Yasothon to help with the school after the founder died. Since then, they've been there working hard on maintaining and updating the school. There are about 700 hundred kids from age 1 to 10. They have a nursery and a Kindergarten separated into K1, K2 and K3. Then there are grades 1-6. They also told me a bit about the Baha'is in Thailand. They said that they have a problem consolidating the believers being that most people are very receptive of the Faith, but that after they declare they do not become active members in their Baha'i communities.

Then I talk to Nawarat about what my schedule would be like. He wanted me really to be a moral role model for the kids and also help a lot with teaching them where I can. It's very important to the school that there are international volunteers that come to help often because the Thai families that send their children to the school really like to see their kids getting involved with foreigners and learning English. So basically just my presence there at the school helps them out a lot. Having international youth at the school is one of it's major attractions and everyone know around town about the “Baha'i school with international youth”. (Grade 4-6 Building, where I am usually)

After talking with them Nawarat took me on a short tour of the school. There are 6 main building: Nursery, Kindergarten, Grade 1 and 2, Canteen (Cafeteria), Administration, and Grades 4-6. There are a couple other smaller buildings like a snack stand, and activity centers. The school is very nice. It's known as the cleanest school in Thailand. It's actually one of the more expensive schools in the area so most of the government officials and wealthier families send their kids there. The first day got me really excited to start working with the school and community of Yasothon!!!! The school was better than I thought it would be, the kids were all so cute, everyone was very nice and receptive of me and I felt very comfortable already on the first day!!! =D I couldn't have asked for a better “first day”.
(English class)




(Typical classroom)
That afternoon I got home around 3pm. I didn't get too much time to relax or study some Thai like I wanted because I had to go with the youth (N'Arm, N'Pat, N'Lookmee, and N'Mook) to P'Wee's house to set up for Feast that evening. “N'” stands for “neung” which means younger brother or sister and “P'” stand for “pee” which is the same but for people older than you. Everyone is addressed this way. (Most of the youth call me Pee Shadow). P'Wee is an LSA member in the community and she also works as a legal consultant so her house was really nice and she had maids, which is very common in Thailand. Anyways, Feast...being on Thai time, took a while to start and I was really hungry and a bit tired from the day so I got a little frustrated. When it actually started it lasted FOREVER too.. probably because I couldn't understand anything that was happening and they were deciding things about the Birth of Baha'u'llah celebration which obviously took a long time. But finally we had dinner and I got home around 10pm. I was exhausted but still excited for school in the morning!!!

First Weekend in Yaso

The rest of the weekend was okay. I started off Sunday doing a little reading. I was getting really frustrated that morning. All I saw people do was kinda sit around or sleep all day. I thought, “this is it?!”. I needed to be doing things, getting up and having a plan for the day! Luckily, Jah and Golee soon got home and we all went to lunch at this simple restaurant in town. It was good to sit down and talk to them and get to know them a bit.

After lunch we drove around town a bit as they pointed things out to me and then we headed to Big C! Big C is the new super department town in the area. Golee was telling me how the first week that it opened there was absolutely no one on the streets or in town, they were all at Big C! When we were there we got ice cream at KFC (something I didn't know was possible). We also kept running into people that Golee knew. Yasothon is a very small town and as Golee is very involved in the community, she knows everyone.

We drove around town some more after Big C. We visited some kids from Golee's childrens class that hadn't been showing up. I met more of their friends as I kind of just tagged along. I didn't say much more than “hello” to people but I was just glad to be out of the house and doing something. That night we went over the house “orientation” with Jah (23), Pat (17) my roommate, and Golee (30ish). It's basically like a dorm. Everyone is to help clean up and basic rules about respect and noise and all. Pat and I share a bathroom and we all have to buy our own food. We have to be in the house by 8pm and friends have to leave by 7pm. It's a bit early but at this point I really have nowhere to be besides home or the school so it's fine with me. There is also the dog, Mixie (4months). Everyone was really cool though, and I was really excited about living with them and not in the Volunteer House all by myself.

First Day in Yasothon

Okay sorry it has taken me so long to update! I been pretty busy adjusting to life in this new town. So my adventure to Yasothon, started when I left Nonthaburi the evening of Halloween (10/31/08). Vaughan, Yu and Mook and some of the younger girls drove me to the bus station. There was SO much traffic. It took us about an hour and a half to get to the bus station from Vaughan's house, usually maybe 20 minute trip. Insane! Anyways it took us a couple minutes to get through the bus terminal and drag my huge bags through the masses of people (Although, before I left Vaughan's house I repacked my suitcases and took out a bunch of stuff. I actually left my small suitcase in Nonthaburi, so I just had the two big suitcases).

So I thought the bus was going to be like a school bus or a public transportation bus, luckily I was wrong. The bus was like one of those expensive tour buses, thank god! So, of course, being on Thai time, the bus didn't leave the station until about 20 minutes after the said departure time, so all that previous stressing and running wasn't totally necessary, but I suppose better safe than sorry! I got on the bus, and I of course I got the usual stares from the entire cabin. The seat next to me was empty, and I hoped it wouldn't be filled but of course it was. (Golee's House)

On the bus they gave us water and a little box of crackers and a blanket. It was pretty much like an airplane. It was especially comfortable but better then most. I had my backpack at my feet too because it wouldn't fit overhead and plus I wanted to keep it close to me (as it contained all my important documents). We finally left the bus station around 8:30pm, and I sat up watching the city as we headed to the second stop to pick up more people, including the lady who would be sitting next to me the whole trip.

After that I slept all the way until the bus stopped around midnight for people to get off and use to bathroom and to get food. As part of the ticket they gave us a coupon to get food here. However, I was too nervous, too tired and too afraid that if I left the bus I wouldn't know when it was going to leave and be stuck in the middle of who knows where with no cell and no Thai to speak. So I played it safe and stayed on the bus and ate the snacks I had brought. Thankfully, a lady came on board and offered some juice to those of us who hadn't gotten off the bus to use our coupons. I felt very out of place on the bus though and the stuartess didn't seem to appreciate me being there at all. Also the old lady in from of me kept turning around to stare at me and give me funny looks. It's a very strange feeling to be completely foreign. (My Street)

We were soon back on the road and I was soon back to sleep, although it could hardly be called sleep. I tossed and turned for the night but got about a good as sleep as you can get. I woke up just before we got into the town. Let me tell you, this place was in the middle of NOWHERE! Talk about the boonies. Just fields and fields with the occasional hut. It was mostly grass and a couple trees. Being the kind of person who loves the city, and noise and being around people, I wasn't too impressed at this point.

Finally around 7:30am I arrived at the bus station. Golee was there to pick me up right away, which I really appreciated being that the alternative would be me standing around with two huge suitcases not knowing what to do or who to call in a new town where I stuck out like a sore thumb. But she was there, so we loaded up the bags and headed to her home (and my new residence) which was about a 2 minute drive. She showed me my room and around the house real quick but once she showed me my bed I was out like a light. I slept until about 3pm that day. (My Room)

When I got up my roommate Pat was around and she took me to Nanaphan Market to get something to eat. It was a short walk across the street and down the block a bit. We ended up just getting some fruit smoothies and heading back. When I got back I met Fon, Lukmee and Jah (other house mate). We all worked on making a fruit salad/drink thing for the devotional meeting that was going on that evening. We juiced oranges and passion fruits and cut up apples and put it all together; it was actually really good. Soon Arm and Mook showed up. Arm I had met at the Youth Camp so it was cool to have someone I already know around, although he didn't talk much to me at all. When Golee returned from a Junior Youth Group we had the devotional and at the salad. It was nice.

After the devotional I was still hungry so Fon took me on her motorbike to the street market in town. I didn't know what to get so I told her to get me whatever she got. Of course, that ended up being some noodles and beef. By then I'd pretty much given up being a pseudo-vegetarian, I couldn't afford to be picky at the camp when they served pork or beef so I had learned to love it. I had been eating chicken off the bone, beef and pork regularly. Mook, Pat and Mook's friend Chom Pu soon joined us. We all ate and then they showed me around the market a bit and then Fon took me to her Aunt and Uncles house. (The Kitchen)

Once we were there Fon and I watched some TV and then her Aunt wanted us to eat more! I was already so full but I couldn't be rude, so I had to eat more. They were very nice and invited me back to their house again for dinner. We hung out a bit and Fon tried to teach me some Thai. Finally, we headed home. But then I went to 7-Eleven with Jah and her friend for a quick trip. (My Shower)

Finally home! I was tired after a very busy first day and ready to take a shower and get to bed. Surprise! The bathroom contained no shower head. There was simply a big barrel of water and a scoop (the same scoop you use to scoop water into the toilet to flush it). Well, what can I do right?! So I took my first shower, via bucket and let me tell you it wasn't my normal 20min luxurious shower that I use to take at home, but hey I got clean.

First day: I felt really out of place here. I don't know how to be comfortable even though everyone is very nice. It's a strange feeling to be an outsider. Whenever I walked around in public, people would stare and kids would point. It's a good way to make someone feel akward, I don't know if it's because I'm doing something wrong or if I'm just different and interesting to them. I had gotten comfortable in the condo in Nonthaburi too, so I missed that now. No matter how akward or strange I felt I was looking forward to the days ahead. (Clockwise from left: Golee, Wee, Jah, Golee's friend, Pat) (below: Mixie)

Pictures of Nonthaburi

The first picture starting from the top is the Royal Tower condo building where I stayed with Vaughan. Next is a view of our street, heading to the condo from the street corner. Then, there is the 7-Eleven on the corner of our street where we'd get snack foods like custard bread and dried fish. Finally the massage shop where we got the full body Traditional Thai massages.

The Week after Camp!

Ok, several days have passed since my last update, so I'll just sum up the week in this post. Okay so the night we got home from camp, I met Lynne Holden. She would be my roommate for the next four days. I stayed up that night talking to her a bit and she had an amazing story! She was a pioneer that has traveled EVERYWHERE! About 20 years ago she built a steel sailboat, from scratch, with her husband and their kids and they then circumnavigated the world, traveling and teaching the Faith!! How cool is that?! She's been to almost every continent, originally from England. Now every year she spreads herself from Canada to Vietnam to New Zealand in order to teach and visit her son and daughter. I was completely fascinated by her life. She knew so much about travel and I learned a lot of little traveling tricks from her! :) Good person to know. (Lynne, Khung's son, Kay and Khung)

The next day, Sunday, Yu came by around 9am and we headed out the Chatuchek Market in downtown Bangkok. The bus ride was about an hour. This market was famous, huge, and awesome!!! There was no way we could have gotten through all of it in one day. It was set up like alley ways. You looked down one alley and you couldn't tell where it ended. AHH and you could get ANYTHING you wanted there. I ended up buying 2 shorts, silk sarong, silk scarf, 3 shirts, leather sandals, lunch and a couple snacks all for less than 50 American dollars!! Isn't that crazy?! Shopping heaven was what it was. After getting more coconut ice cream with sticky rice, we left the market aroudn 2pm. That night I watched Lynne teach an English class to some older students from around the condo...got some tips for when I go to the school. For dinner we all went down to the weekend market in town where I got Pad Thai and I tried oysters for the first time!! All good stuff!! After dinner I headed back to my room with Yu, Best and Klueiy to paint nails and eat pineapple. Soon after it was off to bed! :) (Picture of the lady who cooked my Pad Thai- Thai style fried noodles)

Monday, Lynne and I planned to go to MBK which is the biggest shopping mall in Bangkok, but I ended up waking up too late so instead we ended up eating lunch and going to Carrefore, the big department store down the road from the condo. Lynne took me around the store and showed me everything like a tour guide. She use to live in Thailand to teach English and she knew a lot about the area. It was funny how she talked to me like I was completely lost... I just let her go on and nodded at everything she said to be nice. I got some food for my room, things I could eat in the morning for breakfast, since I rarely got out of my room before noon. :/ After that we walked down to 94 coffee, a coffee shop like Starbucks but according to Lynne ws much better. Over my Chocolate Blitz we talked about traveling and the condition of Thailand. I never thought about the problems other countriesd might be having. Coming from America, One. I was still in awe of being in a new country and Two. I was completely biased, thinking that America was so worse off than all the other countries. But I learned that Thailand has a really big problem with "Sex Tourism" and they are builiding up there country too fast with no base structure. They try to throw money at problems but it all will end up falling apart. :( It's too bad, it could be an absolutely beautiful country. Later that night there was suppose to be a devotional meeting with the kids but that didnt happen! :( (View of the highway from an overpass on the way to Carrefore)

Tuesday was the first time I washed my laundry completely by hand and hung it out to dry on the balcony! The only downside is the dried clothes can take a while to dry and they come out all stiff and hard. I suppose it's worth saving on electricity. For the morning I hung around in my room and then for lunch I went to the restaurant downstairs all by myself! Not too big of a deal, the restaurant already knew me and ordering was easy. The food was good, as always. Around 5pm Yu and Lynne and I headed down to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Getting there was a nightmare. We took a van to the train station and then a train, this all took two and a half hours just to get there! The traffic into Bangkok was horrible! Anyways the market was absolutely insane!! It's a real tourist attraction so things were much more organized and glitzed up compared to tha Chatuchek Market. There was a huge area of hundereds of tables and a big stage at one end where there were live performances. On one side of the table area there was a row of restaurants and the other side was lined with beer vendors. Walking through the market was really funny. Everyone was trying to sell things saying "madam madam, i sell you good price!" while they threw scarfs and clothes on you. Yu and I had a great time laughing at all the sales people. The prices were outrageous compared to the other market, probably because it was a tourist spot. The only thing I got there were a pair of Birkenstocks for 8 dollars. Sweet! :) Luckily, getting back home didn't take half as long! I was ready for bed.

Wednesday I jumped out of bed at 8:30am. Lynne, Yu and two new friends Pak Pung and Khung and I were all headed into Bangkok again to go to another shopping mall. I was really tired from shopping already but I couldn't say no to them! We took a van and then a bus and then another bus into the city and to the mall. Bangkok is a HUGE city. On the way to the mall I felt a little sick, the first time I felt sick since I've been in Thailand. Luckily, it passed without an incident. This mall was huge too. I found the malls so tiring. This one was organized by floors (this one had 6 floors) and its not like American malls where there is one main hall way and stores on either side. They arrange them like like cubicals, so there are about 4 hall ways long-wise and then maybe a hundred little hallways that connect around the stores. I was so tired of shopping already. But Lynne helped me buy clothes that I could wear for working at the school. I was so shopped out and tired by the end of the day. We headed home around 3pm. That night I didn't get a chance to sleep. We had a Halloween party at the house of an American couple back in Bangkok. So we loaded up Vaughan's van and we all headed over. The party was cool and all decked out. I was happy to see that, I miss Halloween being away from home. That party was good but kind of akward. I didn't know anyone and I was a bit out of place not being able to talk to people. I ended up talking to some American people but I was really tired and so we were headed out soon.

Thursday, I had lunch with Khung and Lynne. Today was Lynne's last day so I helped her pack up and bit but mostly hung out in my room watching movies I had downloaded. Around 5pm Lynne was out the door. For dinner Yu brought me some chicken fried rice and we watch some movies. I was still really tired from the days before so I was in bed soon. (Me, Yu and Pak Pung at the Halloween party! ) (Klueiy dressed up and in the Halloween spirit! )

Last day in Nonthaburi! I spent the day washing clothes and packing up all my stuff that had managed to spread out across the room. Getting everything into just two suitcases this time was a bit difficuly but I got it done by some miracle. I still had a lot stuff I was taking though. :( Yu and I went to get breakfast, where I ended up leaving my cell phone! AH! Figures the day before I leave I lose my cell phone! Anyways for dinner Vaughan and Sunata invited me over and after we had a devotional witha couple of the youth. Then we were out the door to get me to the bus station. The traffic was again, AWFUL!! It took us about an hour and a half to get to the bus station, but we got there on time. The bus was nicer than I thought, it was like a Star bus. i waved good bye and I was off on an 8 hour bus ride to Yasothon, alone! AHH!! :/