*groan. One of my new favourite writers is a recent graduate from my University; I had followed Ashley Burtch's blog this summer and make sure her writings get sent to my inbox. I am always so infused by her passion... but this time I went to a site that she wrote about: www.humantrafficking.change.org. I've just spent the last hour reading about trafficking around the world through real stories, criticisms and essays. Ashley... to avoid spewing all over my Thai bedroom, I think I will keep to your writing until my stomach gets a bit stronger...
Andrew Murray writes,
"Child of God! ... place yourself before His face and look up into it. Think of his wonderful, tender, concerned love. Tell him how sinful, cold, and dark everything is. The Father's heart will give light and warmth to yours".
I saw some friends at the market yesterday who are building a rehabilitation centre for trafficking victims just outside of Chiang Mai. They said they were driving to Mae Sot today (Monday) to pick of their first child: a little 8 yr-old Burmese girl, old enough already to have been sold, trafficked, enslaved, and rescued. So... what were you doing when you were eight? I was told Mae Sot also sees a bus of Burmese children pass through it's border each night on the way to 'factory jobs' and the like.
I was chatting with *Rorey again on Friday as we were planning our lessons for the orphanage. I think I might learn more from him in a few minutes than I do in a day learning TEFL. He was asking me what the biggest/only cause of human trafficking is. I felt like it was a trick question... so I tried to answer wisely because I want him to think I am smart... but, as I clearly proved I am more heart than smart (my friend and I were at the market yesterday and I bargained for two of one item to get a better price... thinking I did until I realized afterwards it was only twice of the first price.. oh nicola. this is what happens when you go to Bible College maybe...), he explained that the only real factor is economics. If a family has a choice to send a child away and recieve a higher wage, than that will be the reality. Even if they are told it is a 'factory job', chances are they are not so naive, and decided instead to turn a blind eye in favour of receiving more money. So- I wanted his opinion and what he saw as a 'solution'. Rorey said that modern Buddhism is too open for interpretation, and the pressure of making merit by donations too strong. He said that it is a rare person who would choose a lower paying job simply by morals or love for their child. I didn't expect his next thought and was caught of guard; I thought he might have numbers, a strategic plan of attack if only it would be adopted by NGO's, or something of the sort.
No, instead he talked about Jesus... he said that His love is the only thing powerful enough to convince people that there are more important things than making money- for the parents, the women, and the pimps. He said that following Jesus doesn't leave any room for abandoning your child, treating women as safety valves for the male sex drive, or enslaving and exploiting for profit.
Doesn't it seem too simple? What do you think? I just thought I'd put it up for discussion ;).
*sigh. "Tell him how sinful, cold, and dark everything is."
On a lighter note-- My friends Rachel Rauwarda and Amy Attas are visiting me right now on their way through SE Asia! It's so lovely to have them here... I don't want to say goodbye tomorrow night!
Blessings, and apologies for the somber thoughts... do we dare to hope for redemption?
Nicola
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
critical and liberating dialogue
I found this exherbt from Freire's 'Pedagogy of the Opressed' on the blog series 'inward/outward', and I thought I'd pass it on as the thoughts and struggling contradictions are very relevant to where my mind and my blogs are at right now. :)
Critical and liberating dialogue, which presupposes action, must be carried on with the oppressed at whatever the stage of their struggle for liberation. The content of that dialogue can and should vary in accordance with historical conditions and the level at which the oppressed perceive reality. But to substitute monologue, slogans, and communiques for dialogue is to attempt to liberate the oppressed with the instruments of domestication. Attempting to liberate the oppressed without their reflective participation in the act of liberation is to treat them as objects which must be saved from a burning building; it is to lead them into the populist pitfall and transform them into masses which can be manipulated.
At all stages of their liberation, the oppressed must see themselves as women and men engaged in the ontological and historical vocation of becoming more fully human.
By Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
Critical and liberating dialogue, which presupposes action, must be carried on with the oppressed at whatever the stage of their struggle for liberation. The content of that dialogue can and should vary in accordance with historical conditions and the level at which the oppressed perceive reality. But to substitute monologue, slogans, and communiques for dialogue is to attempt to liberate the oppressed with the instruments of domestication. Attempting to liberate the oppressed without their reflective participation in the act of liberation is to treat them as objects which must be saved from a burning building; it is to lead them into the populist pitfall and transform them into masses which can be manipulated.
At all stages of their liberation, the oppressed must see themselves as women and men engaged in the ontological and historical vocation of becoming more fully human.
By Paulo Freire (Pedagogy of the Oppressed)
chewing on my words...
Hi everyone! I have been thinking about my last blog post and feeling guilty that 'stupidity' was a bit harsh... I think I was a bit effected by some conversations I had that day as well, namely with a woman who did community development in Laos for many years. I can't even express how wonderful it is that people can see a need and take initiative to use what they know to meet some of that need. I had also heard my instructor say too many times that the place was, 'disgusting', 'such a mess', and that 'the administration doesn't ever change because one wouldn't want them to feel disrespected (in Thailand, 'losing face' is very grave)'. We don't know how to do anything else other than fix the noticeable needs that our western culture finds lacking. I'm not saying that I know how to do more; I just wanted to show that the world needs so much more than our money and the satisfied feelings we get when we think we are making their lives more and more... like ours? I'll try to talk to more experienced people about this and report to you later. I'll be chewing on this for a while. :)
I just sent out a (sort-of-weekly) e-mail, from which I will repeat a few things from it; if you've already read this, or would like to recieve e-mails, or are upset bc I forgot to add you to my e-mail list... I'm sorry, you'll have to fb me or e-mail me again :).
I went to an orphanage kind of place on Sunday and by the time I got there after Church, the rest of the TEFL trainee teachers had left bc 'there were no kids'... ahh... but I have learned that a football suddenly make kids appear out of nowhere! It’s like magic, seriously. Just appearing with a football on a garbage-strewn pitch somehow draws kids out of the woodworks. While I was playing with a couple of younger boys a handful of 13-yr old girls who had been gathering in numbers in the shade came over, "You, you!". Sweet! More players. Alas, my little boys ran off, only to appear with a stampede of 8-yr old boys a couple minutes later. "poo-ying!" "poo-chai!" ahaha... boys against girls... the pitch erupted into a mess of running bodies, garbage, and dirty bare feet. It was hilarious; flip flops flying everywhere and people piling up on top of the soccer ball. Cries of ‘poo-ying! (girls)’ and ‘poo-chai (boys)!’ and excited high- fives erupted each time a team scored. It was... hilarious.
A shy girl on the side lines ran over to deliver a sticky coca-cola candy to me while we were playing. I put my hands together and lifted them to my chin (chin for kids, nose for equals/adults, and forehead for monks); humbled I said thank you and made sure I told how 'arroy mak' it was (super delicious!). Ach, I am getting dangerously attached to these kids...
I also met my potential house-mate on Sunday night at the Sunday Market. She and her landlord/Thai teacher had come down for the weekend and had arranged to meet me. I got along really well with her and everything seemed to be going fine, but I think she has changed her mind and would like to keep living by herself. She said she swears a lot and wouldn't want to offend me as I'm 'religious'. *sigh. Anyway... so if she doesn't change her mind I have to find somewhere else to live when I get to Mae Sie; I'm hoping when I get connected to a Church there I can find a community-ish thing. I am so, so glad I have chosen to live with my Thai family while I'm in Chiang Mai. Last night we were making 'Moo Joom' for dinner, which consists of ripping apart lots of vegetables and stewing it in an electric wok. The pot simmers with ginger, bay leaves, and other things that I don't recognize and is added to and taken from constantly: pork, eggs, noodles, cabbage, etc. My job was to crush garlic and chilies in a pestle and mortar to make a spicy sauce (I was rubbing banana skins on my hand later... chili juice feels like a third degree burn I've realized), and my little brother Nong Tung was juicing limes. Tung said he thinks Moo Joom tastes so good because we make it together. Yes, Tung. I think life is a bit like that too... worth it, regardless of chili-juice ;).
Cheers! n.
I just sent out a (sort-of-weekly) e-mail, from which I will repeat a few things from it; if you've already read this, or would like to recieve e-mails, or are upset bc I forgot to add you to my e-mail list... I'm sorry, you'll have to fb me or e-mail me again :).
I went to an orphanage kind of place on Sunday and by the time I got there after Church, the rest of the TEFL trainee teachers had left bc 'there were no kids'... ahh... but I have learned that a football suddenly make kids appear out of nowhere! It’s like magic, seriously. Just appearing with a football on a garbage-strewn pitch somehow draws kids out of the woodworks. While I was playing with a couple of younger boys a handful of 13-yr old girls who had been gathering in numbers in the shade came over, "You, you!". Sweet! More players. Alas, my little boys ran off, only to appear with a stampede of 8-yr old boys a couple minutes later. "poo-ying!" "poo-chai!" ahaha... boys against girls... the pitch erupted into a mess of running bodies, garbage, and dirty bare feet. It was hilarious; flip flops flying everywhere and people piling up on top of the soccer ball. Cries of ‘poo-ying! (girls)’ and ‘poo-chai (boys)!’ and excited high- fives erupted each time a team scored. It was... hilarious.
A shy girl on the side lines ran over to deliver a sticky coca-cola candy to me while we were playing. I put my hands together and lifted them to my chin (chin for kids, nose for equals/adults, and forehead for monks); humbled I said thank you and made sure I told how 'arroy mak' it was (super delicious!). Ach, I am getting dangerously attached to these kids...
I also met my potential house-mate on Sunday night at the Sunday Market. She and her landlord/Thai teacher had come down for the weekend and had arranged to meet me. I got along really well with her and everything seemed to be going fine, but I think she has changed her mind and would like to keep living by herself. She said she swears a lot and wouldn't want to offend me as I'm 'religious'. *sigh. Anyway... so if she doesn't change her mind I have to find somewhere else to live when I get to Mae Sie; I'm hoping when I get connected to a Church there I can find a community-ish thing. I am so, so glad I have chosen to live with my Thai family while I'm in Chiang Mai. Last night we were making 'Moo Joom' for dinner, which consists of ripping apart lots of vegetables and stewing it in an electric wok. The pot simmers with ginger, bay leaves, and other things that I don't recognize and is added to and taken from constantly: pork, eggs, noodles, cabbage, etc. My job was to crush garlic and chilies in a pestle and mortar to make a spicy sauce (I was rubbing banana skins on my hand later... chili juice feels like a third degree burn I've realized), and my little brother Nong Tung was juicing limes. Tung said he thinks Moo Joom tastes so good because we make it together. Yes, Tung. I think life is a bit like that too... worth it, regardless of chili-juice ;).
Cheers! n.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
bare feet is a great invention...
Two things. Two people :). Just some thoughts.
One of my favourite people in my TEFL class is an American; he is Christian and his name is *Rorey. Rorey came here 5 years ago to teach english at a small Christian school and he is now expecting his first child with his wife, a Burmese hilltribe woman (I met her today... wow, she is so beautiful!). He and his wife and others smuggle themselves into Burma to work with his wife's tribe, called the 'Karen', who are mainly the tribes in the south that the Burmese army is targetting right now. The military wants complete control; the hilltribes want democracy and they will not comply, so the army is trying to corral the tribes into military-controlled areas, literally making them work for the army. If the hilltribes do not comply, the military hunts them down. Rorey and his group delivers medicine and rice to tribes on the run, and teaches in refugee camps (he speaks Northern Thai and a Burmese hilltribe dialect! I am so jealous). The army lays landmines and makes captured hilltribesmen walk in front of them to clear the way; they also lay them on trails and near signs; Rorey has friends that have died or are missing arms and legs from the landmines. There are many official UN refugee camps on the border of Burma, in Thailand. Many people run from Burma and end up in refugee camps, as migrant workers, the kids may make their way to orphanages (such as the temple dormitory school I am teaching at right now in Chiang Mai), but they can't speak Thai or English, and have no capital: everything they own they carry on their backs, and their villages have been desecrated and landmined by the army. In Chiang Mai (where I am right now), about 3 hours from the border of Burma, almost 100% of the sex workers are illiterate Burmese women and children. The sex trade is so massive and compled... it feeds off of poverty and war, and the innocent lives of hundreds of thousands of women and children. Ach.
second. Today I saw the caring stupidity of western compassion. *sigh. It is beautiful... but kind of redundant. A western man came to talk to us today while we were at the orphanage about how disgusting the place looked a year ago when he arrived for the first time: hundreds of boys slept in one concrete room with a couple folding mats, they had one computer in the school for a teacher to demonstrate on, etc. This man created a charitable organization to raise money in order to buy paint and bunk-beds, and later, mattresses. Now the big cement room has bunk-beds and a green wall... and the government has agreed to donate computers and projector.... which is lovely, but this is probably the first time these kids have ever slept on a bed: they are accustomed to sleeping on the floor with their families. Secondly, the new mattresses are sitting in a pile in storage, because, unless you you live a town house or in a hotel in Chiang Mai, you don't have a mattress (you should feel my bed... seriously). The monks taking care of them don't know what to do with them, or how to take care of them (I've just investigated my bed... I thinks it's a Styrofoam block... I am actually very fortunate). Yet, though they have bunk-beds and unused mattresses (though no mosquito nets) the orphanage is in shambles and the administration is terrible. There are four monks taking care of hundreds of kids; the children are left alone other than when teacher's come during school hours during the week. What it needs is teaching on health and sanitation, mentoring and counseling, awareness of child abuse (who knows what goes on in unsupervised dormitories), administration/organization skills, and a trained nurse on site.... *sigh, not mattresses. Thankfully, they are bringing in a woman to teach the girls how to comb lice out of their hair. Community development and sustainability among local people is so, so, crucially important.
I have been so stressed with school and Thai lessons this week... I am looking forward to the end of the course very much; I am exhausted. I have Monday and Tuesday off this week and am hoping to visit a rehabilitation centre some friends I met are building outside of Chiang Mai for trafficked victims through their organization called 'COSA' (Children's Organization of South East Asia). They currently have six girls waiting to come, as the half-way house these girls were staying at had been closed by the government.
Well... Cheers everyone! Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes!
with love,
Nicola
ps. Ah, nothing is better than having your feet stuck in shoes all day and then traipsing about it bare feet. Mmm... I went for a walk after school today and a man asked me why I didn't have any shoes on. I answered, 'Pra wa nii mai choop kha'. 'Because I don't like them'. And that's all there was to it :).
*I changed his name as he was a bit wary about telling me his stories; what he's doing is completely illegal... so just in case ;).
One of my favourite people in my TEFL class is an American; he is Christian and his name is *Rorey. Rorey came here 5 years ago to teach english at a small Christian school and he is now expecting his first child with his wife, a Burmese hilltribe woman (I met her today... wow, she is so beautiful!). He and his wife and others smuggle themselves into Burma to work with his wife's tribe, called the 'Karen', who are mainly the tribes in the south that the Burmese army is targetting right now. The military wants complete control; the hilltribes want democracy and they will not comply, so the army is trying to corral the tribes into military-controlled areas, literally making them work for the army. If the hilltribes do not comply, the military hunts them down. Rorey and his group delivers medicine and rice to tribes on the run, and teaches in refugee camps (he speaks Northern Thai and a Burmese hilltribe dialect! I am so jealous). The army lays landmines and makes captured hilltribesmen walk in front of them to clear the way; they also lay them on trails and near signs; Rorey has friends that have died or are missing arms and legs from the landmines. There are many official UN refugee camps on the border of Burma, in Thailand. Many people run from Burma and end up in refugee camps, as migrant workers, the kids may make their way to orphanages (such as the temple dormitory school I am teaching at right now in Chiang Mai), but they can't speak Thai or English, and have no capital: everything they own they carry on their backs, and their villages have been desecrated and landmined by the army. In Chiang Mai (where I am right now), about 3 hours from the border of Burma, almost 100% of the sex workers are illiterate Burmese women and children. The sex trade is so massive and compled... it feeds off of poverty and war, and the innocent lives of hundreds of thousands of women and children. Ach.
second. Today I saw the caring stupidity of western compassion. *sigh. It is beautiful... but kind of redundant. A western man came to talk to us today while we were at the orphanage about how disgusting the place looked a year ago when he arrived for the first time: hundreds of boys slept in one concrete room with a couple folding mats, they had one computer in the school for a teacher to demonstrate on, etc. This man created a charitable organization to raise money in order to buy paint and bunk-beds, and later, mattresses. Now the big cement room has bunk-beds and a green wall... and the government has agreed to donate computers and projector.... which is lovely, but this is probably the first time these kids have ever slept on a bed: they are accustomed to sleeping on the floor with their families. Secondly, the new mattresses are sitting in a pile in storage, because, unless you you live a town house or in a hotel in Chiang Mai, you don't have a mattress (you should feel my bed... seriously). The monks taking care of them don't know what to do with them, or how to take care of them (I've just investigated my bed... I thinks it's a Styrofoam block... I am actually very fortunate). Yet, though they have bunk-beds and unused mattresses (though no mosquito nets) the orphanage is in shambles and the administration is terrible. There are four monks taking care of hundreds of kids; the children are left alone other than when teacher's come during school hours during the week. What it needs is teaching on health and sanitation, mentoring and counseling, awareness of child abuse (who knows what goes on in unsupervised dormitories), administration/organization skills, and a trained nurse on site.... *sigh, not mattresses. Thankfully, they are bringing in a woman to teach the girls how to comb lice out of their hair. Community development and sustainability among local people is so, so, crucially important.
I have been so stressed with school and Thai lessons this week... I am looking forward to the end of the course very much; I am exhausted. I have Monday and Tuesday off this week and am hoping to visit a rehabilitation centre some friends I met are building outside of Chiang Mai for trafficked victims through their organization called 'COSA' (Children's Organization of South East Asia). They currently have six girls waiting to come, as the half-way house these girls were staying at had been closed by the government.
Well... Cheers everyone! Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes!
with love,
Nicola
ps. Ah, nothing is better than having your feet stuck in shoes all day and then traipsing about it bare feet. Mmm... I went for a walk after school today and a man asked me why I didn't have any shoes on. I answered, 'Pra wa nii mai choop kha'. 'Because I don't like them'. And that's all there was to it :).
*I changed his name as he was a bit wary about telling me his stories; what he's doing is completely illegal... so just in case ;).
Monday, October 12, 2009
Suprised by Grace
Mmmm... my me-ness is prodded alive as I proudly communicated a wall in my spiritual journey to a friend over e-mail just now... ah, it's like boredom sets in when I'm too lazy to reach inside; boredom and lethargy. It's good to take time and make friends with your insides. I think one's soul barely hints at its wisdom; it patiently waits until you dare to be brave, and then whispers of unity begin; when one's insides and outsides are talking about the same thing and you both agree that crowds and noise and busyness is quite over rated...
May we not be afraid that Jesus will leave when we are in his presence,
that we should leave before we give him the chance to abandon us.
May we face this risk of abandonment in trust,
by baring our heart,
'behold thee, I am thy little handmaiden Acceptance with Joy...'.
Show us your character,
and the thought of abandonment will cease to have meaning or relevance.
Ah. Today I made my first entire Thanksgiving meal ever. Well... as entire as a Canadian Thanksgiving feast can be replicated in northern Thailand ;). After arranging to cook at the only house I know with an oven, my brother Ad and I set out to go shopping for our meal! I had agreed with myself that no expense would be too much; that this was special and I would offer my thanks to my family and to God. Oh- how fun! Communicating to Ad in Thanglish is always an adventure. Most of the time he gives up and calls his girlfriend to translate for us over the phone. Terms like 'flour' and 'cooked chicken' are essential to communicate, yet one would be suprised how hard it is to do so... anyway, after we visited a couple grocery stores in order to find yeast to make bread, and I was overjoyed to find shortening for my pie crust, I set to work! By the time I was done at my friend's house, it was seven-thirty in the evening (I was a little confused about how to turn the oven on... and am really hoping I turned it off right!) and I had only two Apple Pies and two loaves of bread made. I, disappointed in myself, called Khunme (my Thai Mom) and told her that she would have to take the boys out to eat; I still had to buy and make the vegetables and it would make more sense for us to just have a Canadian dessert: 'My! (no!), We are very excited! It is okay! We had snack and we are my hue (not very hungry)'. Ad picked me up and after we went to buy vegetables and had cooked them, it was past nine when we finally sat down to eat... though I was disappointed in myself (it ended up being a meatless meal as well), it was the first time that we had more than two or three people around the dinner table, and the TV was actually off! All day I had been thinking how I would love to pray before dinner, and wondering if I could translate something in to Thai, etc. After I had explained why we have Thanksgiving in Canada, I looked at Tung (my littlest brother), on the other end of the table, and he folded his hands. Looking at me, I asked, 'yes?', he looked confused and started putting a sentence together in English but then was self conscious and stopped; Khunme put her hands together too- 'we will pray?'. Ach, I almost started to cry. Yes, I will pray. Oh, even as I write I cry. This is my God- who knows what I need and knows I am weak and a coward, who works through the heart of a child, and surprises me with grace.
Yes, I will pray. I thanked Him for the food and invited Jesus into this household. Yes please.
Oh, the joy of a table full of food and people is a great thing, isn't it? My home-made bread was devoured, and Tung enjoyed eating raw carrots for the first time, pretending he was Bugs Bunny... and after not being able to stop them from eating my Apple Pie as a first course as well, we enjoyed the ice cream along side the corn. This night was really special for me.
While we waited for the potatoes to boil in her electric wok, I was given grace even when I messed everything up. When I was late. When I don't know what to do about paying her for my room. When I need time for me and hole up in my room for the evening. She boasts about my cooking. 'Khunme, you make me feel so special.' 'Nicci! You! you make me very special too!'.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! :)
Nicola
'Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul. ~Montaigne~
May we not be afraid that Jesus will leave when we are in his presence,
that we should leave before we give him the chance to abandon us.
May we face this risk of abandonment in trust,
by baring our heart,
'behold thee, I am thy little handmaiden Acceptance with Joy...'.
Show us your character,
and the thought of abandonment will cease to have meaning or relevance.
Ah. Today I made my first entire Thanksgiving meal ever. Well... as entire as a Canadian Thanksgiving feast can be replicated in northern Thailand ;). After arranging to cook at the only house I know with an oven, my brother Ad and I set out to go shopping for our meal! I had agreed with myself that no expense would be too much; that this was special and I would offer my thanks to my family and to God. Oh- how fun! Communicating to Ad in Thanglish is always an adventure. Most of the time he gives up and calls his girlfriend to translate for us over the phone. Terms like 'flour' and 'cooked chicken' are essential to communicate, yet one would be suprised how hard it is to do so... anyway, after we visited a couple grocery stores in order to find yeast to make bread, and I was overjoyed to find shortening for my pie crust, I set to work! By the time I was done at my friend's house, it was seven-thirty in the evening (I was a little confused about how to turn the oven on... and am really hoping I turned it off right!) and I had only two Apple Pies and two loaves of bread made. I, disappointed in myself, called Khunme (my Thai Mom) and told her that she would have to take the boys out to eat; I still had to buy and make the vegetables and it would make more sense for us to just have a Canadian dessert: 'My! (no!), We are very excited! It is okay! We had snack and we are my hue (not very hungry)'. Ad picked me up and after we went to buy vegetables and had cooked them, it was past nine when we finally sat down to eat... though I was disappointed in myself (it ended up being a meatless meal as well), it was the first time that we had more than two or three people around the dinner table, and the TV was actually off! All day I had been thinking how I would love to pray before dinner, and wondering if I could translate something in to Thai, etc. After I had explained why we have Thanksgiving in Canada, I looked at Tung (my littlest brother), on the other end of the table, and he folded his hands. Looking at me, I asked, 'yes?', he looked confused and started putting a sentence together in English but then was self conscious and stopped; Khunme put her hands together too- 'we will pray?'. Ach, I almost started to cry. Yes, I will pray. Oh, even as I write I cry. This is my God- who knows what I need and knows I am weak and a coward, who works through the heart of a child, and surprises me with grace.
Yes, I will pray. I thanked Him for the food and invited Jesus into this household. Yes please.
Oh, the joy of a table full of food and people is a great thing, isn't it? My home-made bread was devoured, and Tung enjoyed eating raw carrots for the first time, pretending he was Bugs Bunny... and after not being able to stop them from eating my Apple Pie as a first course as well, we enjoyed the ice cream along side the corn. This night was really special for me.
While we waited for the potatoes to boil in her electric wok, I was given grace even when I messed everything up. When I was late. When I don't know what to do about paying her for my room. When I need time for me and hole up in my room for the evening. She boasts about my cooking. 'Khunme, you make me feel so special.' 'Nicci! You! you make me very special too!'.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! :)
Nicola
'Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul. ~Montaigne~
Sunday, October 11, 2009
What can I possibly write about? I haven't been able to write because the blogging instructions were in Thai and I only just found the button that allows me to make a new post :).
Ach, my heart breaks. For the past two days I was teaching 12-14 year-old girls at the Wat Don Chan orphanage. Today I taught for an hour in the morning, and then we played games; one hour of teaching again, and then one hour of games. I brought elastics with me and we braided each other's hair, and later in the afternoon I started a soccer game in the field. I love the look on the boys' faces when they see a girl play soccer. I want to break this stereotype; usually they don't let me play unless I actually start the game.
The only people I have ever been frustrated with in Thailand are 'Farangs', foreigners. My TEFL instructor is from Florida and he drives me up the wall! After warning us all week about Thai time (I'm on time for everything for the first time in my life!), how administration is terrible, how some Asian countries don't hire employees unless they have studied or lived in America for a couple years, and how we have to be super flexible--- he takes the liberty to tell the four monks who single handedly run the orphanage of 700 kids who have all different dialects from different hill-tribes, and who have been orphaned by HIV Aids, that they have lost face (lost respect, etc- a very serious offense in Thailand), because the kids were half an hour late coming back from lunch (which was late because all the meals are donated by people in the village- not an overly reliable system). He called the taxis and we drove back to the University rather than teaching and playing for the rest of the day. Ach! The only flexibility I had to practice yesterday was giving grace to a pompous, power-hungry, hypocritical Farang. And then having to listen to the older men in my class talk about Thai women, ach! Farangs drive me up the wall. Thais, I have no problem with and absolutely adore; the only people I clash with in this culture are those from my own side of the world.
Speaking of, I told my friend Ek last night that I wish I had dark skin so I wouldn't stand out; he said it is just because I am different. Farangs don't stand out in the city, but where I live on the backroads I stick out like a sore thumb! I feel like they look at me as though I managed to escape the nice confines of the tourist district... a place I avoid like the plague! I have to be thankful that the colour of my skin gives me opportunities in Thailand that other don't have: the ability to talk to the wealthiest person as well as the poorest; in a hierarchical culture, it is definitely on my side to not fit into a defined part of the hierarchy.
Nevertheless, currently I am frustrated. Frustrated at my inability to communicate with Thais, and frustrated with my own culture. I have joined an advanced Thai class at the university to make myself work very hard to catch up in between classes. I almost know all my letters! I can buy a Thai/English dictionary when I know how to spell, as all the dictionaries I have seen don't have the Thai in phonetics (not very helpful).
Lastly, I have tried to explain to my Thai family that tomorrow is a holiday in Canada because we are so thankful for the harvest and the food that has grown, and that we celebrate with a big feast. I have told them that I will make a Canadian thanksgiving meal for them and the workers at the math school my family owns. When I explained this to my little brother Tung, he replied, 'I no eat! my arroy! no spicy!'... 'Tung, but I make it for you!', 'ok. I eat. but I put lots of spicy!'. Ohhh my. Haha, I'll let you know how it goes. :)
Blessings!!
Ach, my heart breaks. For the past two days I was teaching 12-14 year-old girls at the Wat Don Chan orphanage. Today I taught for an hour in the morning, and then we played games; one hour of teaching again, and then one hour of games. I brought elastics with me and we braided each other's hair, and later in the afternoon I started a soccer game in the field. I love the look on the boys' faces when they see a girl play soccer. I want to break this stereotype; usually they don't let me play unless I actually start the game.
The only people I have ever been frustrated with in Thailand are 'Farangs', foreigners. My TEFL instructor is from Florida and he drives me up the wall! After warning us all week about Thai time (I'm on time for everything for the first time in my life!), how administration is terrible, how some Asian countries don't hire employees unless they have studied or lived in America for a couple years, and how we have to be super flexible--- he takes the liberty to tell the four monks who single handedly run the orphanage of 700 kids who have all different dialects from different hill-tribes, and who have been orphaned by HIV Aids, that they have lost face (lost respect, etc- a very serious offense in Thailand), because the kids were half an hour late coming back from lunch (which was late because all the meals are donated by people in the village- not an overly reliable system). He called the taxis and we drove back to the University rather than teaching and playing for the rest of the day. Ach! The only flexibility I had to practice yesterday was giving grace to a pompous, power-hungry, hypocritical Farang. And then having to listen to the older men in my class talk about Thai women, ach! Farangs drive me up the wall. Thais, I have no problem with and absolutely adore; the only people I clash with in this culture are those from my own side of the world.
Speaking of, I told my friend Ek last night that I wish I had dark skin so I wouldn't stand out; he said it is just because I am different. Farangs don't stand out in the city, but where I live on the backroads I stick out like a sore thumb! I feel like they look at me as though I managed to escape the nice confines of the tourist district... a place I avoid like the plague! I have to be thankful that the colour of my skin gives me opportunities in Thailand that other don't have: the ability to talk to the wealthiest person as well as the poorest; in a hierarchical culture, it is definitely on my side to not fit into a defined part of the hierarchy.
Nevertheless, currently I am frustrated. Frustrated at my inability to communicate with Thais, and frustrated with my own culture. I have joined an advanced Thai class at the university to make myself work very hard to catch up in between classes. I almost know all my letters! I can buy a Thai/English dictionary when I know how to spell, as all the dictionaries I have seen don't have the Thai in phonetics (not very helpful).
Lastly, I have tried to explain to my Thai family that tomorrow is a holiday in Canada because we are so thankful for the harvest and the food that has grown, and that we celebrate with a big feast. I have told them that I will make a Canadian thanksgiving meal for them and the workers at the math school my family owns. When I explained this to my little brother Tung, he replied, 'I no eat! my arroy! no spicy!'... 'Tung, but I make it for you!', 'ok. I eat. but I put lots of spicy!'. Ohhh my. Haha, I'll let you know how it goes. :)
Blessings!!
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