Monday 22nd December 4TH WEEKEND

STAFF PHOTOS

I'm sitting at my computer at home, and for the first time in a month I have been able to read the language on the computer screen. In Thailand it was all guess work until I worked out where to point my arrow to log on!!!.

Thanks for your lovely message Kirstie. I really appreciate your words.

My time in Thailand will be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It is hard for me to describe fully all my feelings. Many weeks before I left Australia I felt incredibly nervous. I knew I was wading out of my comfort zone into the unknown and wondered why on earth I was doing it. I later discovered that all the volunteers had similar feelings before they left home.

The first two weeks in my school were hard going. I was in a school which had never had volunteers before and an added complication that none of the teachers spoke any English. The teacher in my class only turned up a couple of times in the first two weeks, but I was determined that I would not give up. (I was given the option to move to another school- I turned the offer down.) How pleased I am that I did. The satisfaction I got at the end of my month was tenfold. "O" - nickname for the teacher in my class -started to turn up every day, and we began to work really well together. I could tell the children were learning. Oh what a feeling!!It was wonderful.

There was another side to my time here in Trang and that was the friends I made within the volunteer home base. It happens when lives are thrown together, share bedrooms and bathrooms, meal times and outings. It is the best feeling. I have met and made some truly remarkable people, not only the volunteers but those wonderful people who run "Home base". I cannot thank them enough for the effort and enthusiasm they put into their work.

Friday December 20th DAY 29

My final day in Trang, and what a day. Dale, Melissa and I went to offer robes to a Buddhist Monk. He took us to the house in which he lived. It was a simple room with very little in the way of furniture. I could see a toilet. I couldn't see a bedroom, so perhaps he slept in the same room. He blessed us and talked to us in Thai (Jack interpreted). We lit our incense sticks and he prayed. It was a fascinating half hour. We drove him back to the temple. A gathering of people saw us and invited us to take part in a ceremony of 2 novice Buddhist monks who were about to become full monks. Our timing was impeccable. These events don't happen often. We felt privileged, but it's the Thai way to be so generous and kind. Another amazing event.
Back at the ranch, it was time for Melissa and me to pack our bags. This done, "The Family" took the three of us out for lunch. (The other volunteers had all left for a weekend away.) Now it's 3pm. and sadly we leave in a couple of hours. Poor Dale will be without her 'buddies' as she is here for 7 weeks. She's been my best mate for a month, and it will be awful saying goodbye to her. I will see her again. She is going to England next year, so Glenda, (an ex volunteer who comes from Lincoln) Dale and I have promised to meet in York in June.
Still no photos, but I will add a few to the blog next week when I'm home.
This has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have so many memories of the people who work here, of the staff at the school where I taught, and of the children. I am so pleased I made the effort and took the plunge and "Just Did It"

Thursday December 18th DAY 28

My final day at school. Yes Col, where did all the days in the middle disappear!! But, sadly, they have gone. I have lots of wonderful memories though. This morning on arrival at the school, there was another HUGE photo session. Never mind the children! We took photos of the staff with the children, photos without the children, photos in twos, fours, combinations, you name it, we took it. I think we stopped taking photos at 9.15am. We started at 8.45!!!!!. Some will appear on the blog site eventually. I have downloaded hundreds onto an account in Kodak Gallery if anyone is interested. Needless to say, I had a lovely day, and tonight the staff are taking me out to dinner. It's hard for me as I can give them nothing. It's the rule of CCS. No gifts etc. for obvious reasons.
Last night all the volunteers were taken to a local restaurant, as we are once each week. Dale Melissa and I are quite the locals now. There were 19 round the table last night.
I haven't looked to check whether there is Coopers Beer here, but you are so right Bruce. A Thai meal and a super Coopers. Yessss.

Wednesday 17th December DAY 27

We had a real fun day today at school. Lots of games, a little English, and more games. The kids thought it was great, the staff joined in and they thought it was great too. Now the staff are coming up to me, wanting to learn pronunciation of English words so they can continue to teach English after I have gone. Hopefully, the school will be offered more volunteers in the coming months to carry on where I have finished. Some of the staff have taken my home address and e-mail. It will be interesting to see if they get in touch again. I do love them all, they are just so warm and friendly towards me. It seems they are taking me out to dinner tomorrow, not lunch. It will be a sad parting of the ways.
We are off to Tescos tonight to buy the children lollies (sweets). We are not allowed to buy gifts, so I can do nothing for the teachers. They can eat some of the lollies!!!!!
I have more photos, but they will go on possibly when I get home. The CCS house is so full of volunteers, that it's hard to get computer time now.

Tuesday December 16th DAY 26

Two shots with some of the staff, and one with "Teacher O" and the children.

Happy Birthday John. Your Christmas tree will be up and sparkling. Hope you received my present.
What a lovely surprise to hear from you Mees and Rob. You will hear all about my trip first hand soon. I look forward to seeing you in a few days.
Good to hear all is well at 42, Isabella street. It is sad but true- your boys will have more books than my school over here. It's the way of the world. Nevertheless, the children over here are happy children, and they are getting an education. Many of them will climb the ladder and go to further education, I'm sure.
Andrew and Joelle-your last message was deleted, as was your Dad's the same day. What on earth did you write!!! Yes, I can barter with the best of them now. I probably still pay too much. Who knows!!! Anyway, good to hear from you both. I will see you in a few days if you are in Melbourne.

I had my new volunteer helper at school with me today, though she was just taking it all in. As long as she knows what I am trying to achieve, all will run smoothly. The staff want to take me out for lunch on Thursday. I am soooo touched. They are just so lovely. They want me to stay and be the permanent English teacher. There can be no bigger compliment. Only 2 days to go.

MONDAY 15TH DAY 25

Two more photos of the children. I have a few!!!!

Thanks again for your messages. It is really good to hear from you all.
Liverpool might have been disappointed to have a draw Dave, but Hull would have been very happy I'm sure!!!
A lovely amount of rain has fallen in Melbourne. I hope it's falling in the right places.
My day in school today was delightful. We are taking lots of photos of staff and students. It is going to be tough on Thursday when I walk out of the school grounds for the last time. Everyone has been so kind. The kids are great, and I feel I have achieved some of the things that I have tried to teach. It's all very basic, but they are so young- the best time to learn.
The new Volunteers are settling in. They will go out to their placements for the first time tomorrow. I am sure they are just as nervous as we were on our first day.
This afternoon we are all going into Trang, and then off for a meal at a local restaurant. We 3 girls are doing a repeat of our first week. It feels as if we are the locals.

THE 3RD WEEKEND

It has been another lovely weekend for me and Dale. Friday morning,"the Family", all 10 of us, went into Trang at 7.30am for Dinsan-Thai Yum Cha, which was 'interesting'. Enough said! Then we all climbed into the mini bus, and set off for Krabi. Next on the agenda was another visit to hot springs which were in the most delightful setting in woodland under a small waterfall. The water cascaded over us. It was beautiful. By the time that was over it was lunch time, so off we all went to Tesco. Tesco is the main supermarket over here, and the one in Krabi is Enormous. Following a very pleasant lunch, we were in the minibus again, and heading to the very famous Tiger Temple. Melissa, Jack and I climbed to the top of the rock face to see the statue of the Buddha. There were 1287 steps in all. I believe it took us about half an hour, and the temp. was in the high 30's. There was a lot of perspiration flowing by the time I reached the top! But it was worth it, the view was spectacular. A guy from Bristol took a photo of us on Melissa's camera to prove that we had made it. (I had left mine back at home base) It was 4pm when we arrived down to the bottom of the steps. Jack then drove Dale and I into Krabi and dropped us off at the hotel where we were staying for the weekend, and drove Melissa to the Long Boats for her to go over to Railay Beach to meet a friend for the weekend.
Again Dale and I had picked a lovely place to stay. We decided on a quiet weekend. On Saturday we took the local bus into Ao Nang, and went swimming and a little bit of sun baking, some lunch, another swim, then back to the hotel. We walked into town for dinner, then back for a good nights sleep in another very comfortable bed. Today we did little again. Walked into town, had a coffee, then at midday, caught the bus back to Trang. It's a two hour bus ride. Now we are waiting to meet 8 new volunteers who arrived on Saturday. They have been to the beach today, which is just what we did 3 weeks ago. How time flies!!!