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Pam

It's June............

Greetings Everyone !!! I promised you that I would post a couple of photos from the China trip, that my daughter took me on in April. Well... at long last, here they are !!!!
Here we are standing on the great wall of China........... absolutely incredible!! I mean, we have all seen it in National Geographic or on Discovery Channel..... but here we were, standing and looking out at the Wall... as far as your eyes can see, the wall snakes its way up over the mountains, down into the valleys and up again. And you must Climb it.... it is steep and up up up. Now something you may not know.... the wall is lined with Vendors, yep, there are villages at the base of the wall where the vendor families live, and each day they carry their loads of stuff up the wall to their spot, where they sell to the tourists and then carry their loads back down at sundown. You can buy t-shirts, photos, coffee cups, small pieces of the wall with the Wall engraved on it, musical instruments, lovely paintings, postcards... you can even dress up in chinese costumes and have your photo taken. And you can meet people from all over the world coming and going on the Wall. It is an experience of a lifetime.... and You Were There !!!

This is the oldest Buddhist Temple in China (so we were told, anyway) this is in the city of Xi'an, which is located on the legendary Silk Trail... where caravans trekked across China to Turkey, taking silk and spices to Europe. It was very different from Thailand, where there is a buddhist temple just about on every corner! In China, the influence of communism is very prevalent, and the absence of religion is everywhere. we were told "people come here to make a wish".

Also located just outside of the city of Xi'an are the terracotta warriors. WOW, another incredible site to see. We learned that only ONE figure was found IN ONE COMPLETE ORIGINAL PIECE, all the others that you see in the pits have been carefully and painstakingly put together from the jigsaw puzzle mess of pieces !!! quite a job!! Many of the pits have NOT been opened yet, because they are waiting for better technology to use. the terracotta figures were all painted, but as soon as the air reaches them, the color disappers... so they wait for the future when they can open and preserve them better.

Here we are in the largest city in China, Shanghai. It is truly an old ancient meets new modern city. We are standing along the famous Bund.... the international banking district is in front of us, then the lovely river and all the modern skyscrapper/businesses behind us. We walked through lovely quiet ancient chinese gardens, shopped in an old Muslim market and emerged out into modern city. As a side note, my daughter Stacey will be going to school for her MBA for one term here in Shanghai next May 2009. she is excited to return to this interesting city.

My daughter and I were surprised by some very basic everyday differences from our life here in Thailand.

In China, everyone wears shoes, lots of different shoes, (in thailand... everyone wears flip flops and they are removed when you enter homes, temples and even many businesses)

the people do NOT smile when you meet them on the street, (in thailand people always give you a smile)

there are NO ATMS, (everywhere you go in thailand there are ATMS and money Exchange booths

the hotels had HEAT, (the hotels in thailand do NOT have heaters)

the bathrooms on the street were clean with flushing squatty potties and hot water to wash your hands and vending machines to buy toilet tissue, (in thailand the squatty potties have a tub of water beside them with a little platic bowl floating in the water, after using the squatty potty, you dip water from the tub with the plastic bowl and flush the squatty potty by pouring water into it. there is NO tissue, but if you bring some with you, you put it in the small garbage can by the door- never flush it. and never hot water in a facett anywhere but in hotels)

there is NO visible evidence of religion or faith anywhere, people are NOT allowed to speak of politics or religion, (in thailand most every home and business has a small or Large Shrine next to it for the house spirits to live in, and just about every neighborhood has a buddhist temple or two. even the grocery stores have a place to "make merit" offerings at. the people of thailand would never ever say a bad word about the King and his family or the government)

Well there you have it.... a little trip to China and some cultural lessons thrown in for FREE !!

blessings

Pam

Just Arrived..............

Announcing the arrival of my "new-to-me" Four Wheels of Freedom !!!

That's right. Here I am driving my, just purchased 1989 black Honda Accord !!

What a blessing.... a sweet little place to live, with a car in the carport !!!

This week I was able to purchase the school nurse's car. (she and her family are headed back to the states.) A special THANK YOU goes out to all you wonderful partners who

have made this purchase possible. What freedom. We are "at home" in our new land.

pam

And then there was RAIN............

One day it was hot, hot, and sunny........ and then the rains blew in!

And how it BLOWS !!! when it rains here, it pours. the rain bounces

when it hits the ground, it fills the streets, it stands in the fields. the rain

is SO LOUD that you can't hear regular voices. The leaves of the banana

trees are ripped to shreds, and some of the small banana trees are blown

right out of the ground.

BUT everything is so lush green. and I swear that I can actually

"see " the tall grass growing. :-)

oh, and did I mention that I am STILL sweating, melting. sunny hot or

rainy hot.... it's still humid and drippy.

gotta love it!!

This is a shot taken off the front porch where I am living right now.

Lots of rain.... brings beautiful green tropical plants!!!

our new home

Hello !!! on the way to our new home, we get to drive past rice fields and livestock. Here is a brahma calf laying behind some bushes.

Here is our beautiful livingroom, complete with new wicker funiture. Please note the lovely window bars. all homes (solid homes not made of grass and thatch :-) ) have some kind of bars on the windows for safety and decoration. Our home has lovely leaf vines.

This is the view out our font door. we have a nice covered porch and a pretty little neighborhood.

AND here is the front of our place !!!!

Hello and welcome to May!!

My roommate, Eileen, (from Roseburg, Oregon, ) and I have rented a new home. It is cute and cozy and brand new... 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom... and did I mention it is brand new, never lived in. It is in a different neighborhood (muubahn) from where I live now.. but not too far... but far enough that I am now looking for a vehicle to purchase. (whew). We get to drive through country roads of rice paddies and grazing brahma cattle, trees and yes, we've even seen a few snakes already. Please join with us in celebrating the fantastic little home that our Father has provided for us. and join us in prayer as we thank him for the delightful sweet affordable place to make into our new home. thank you.

Pam

Now THIS is Freedom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEP, that's right, Today I finally got to drive a car!! Oh my goodness, it was SO sweet and what a delightful sense of independence and "NORMALCY".
My roommates were blessed (by a couple from their agency who are going to the states until June) with a nice little car to drive until June!! Jeannie is out of town visiting friends until wednesday, and Eileen left town today..... So I get the car for TWO DAYS hurray!!!
I haven't driven a car since arriving here over 7 months ago..... so it was a real delight to go run errands ALL ON MY OWN today.
First, I drove up and down every street (Soi ) here in the neighborhood (Muuban). It is very odd to have to glance to the Left to look in the rear view mirror, and the turn signal is on the right. So at first I turned on the windshield wipers every time I wanted to make a turn! I am used to driving on the Left side of the road.... but I gotta admit, sitting on the right side of the front seat to drive is very unusual, and knowing where the "left-side: sense of the car is also interesting and different.
When I felt ready, I eased out onto the real road with all the traffic...especially MOYORCYCLES. And off I went. Motorcycles can pass you on either side and squeeze in to the smallest space.... but I was able to negotiate the roads and parking at the store.
Such a blessing..... so much FUN. And Pam drove a car in Thailand today !!!!

Songkran, Thai New Year

Songkran, Thai New Year... is coming this next week. It is NOT your typical USA one shot at New Years eve with fireworks and a toast at midnight. OH NO !!! this is a religious holiday... And a very commercialized holiday and it revolves around WATER WATER WATER. Which works out well, since this is the very HOT season. And it lasts 4-5 days or more. (after the photos, you will receive an explanation of Songkran.... but since I am still technologically challenged, you get what you get hahahahahaha.)

When I went to the grocery store today, I found that they had ALL my Songkran holiday needs to make a great celebration !! Here you see Hawaiian print shirts, for ONLY 79 baht... (30 baht to one US dollar... now you'll be able to figure out all the prices in the photos, if you are that kind of person, ha!) And behind this rack are racks of short-short levi shorts!! Very Festive!!

Down the main aisle of the store are displays of all the essential Songkran items:

Here you have yellow buckets filled with survival-items for the Monks at the temples.

It is filled with toothpaste, toothbrush, a bottle of water, inscence candles, laundry soap

and other things. People purchase these buckets and present them to a Monk when they

go to the temple. It is a one of the ways they can "earn merit" in the Buddhist religion.

Soaking People with water is "VERY important" during Songkran.... the best way to accomplish this is to fill huge garbage cans with water and put them on the back of your pickup truck and drive around town.... looking for ANYONE to SOAK!!! (and after the holiday, you'll have a new garbage can for your house!)

If you don't have room for a garbage can, then you can use a bucket and scoop. These are much easier to carry with you, so you can "chase- after -people" to throw water on them.... AND you can scoop water out of the river, stream, ditch or moat with your bucket.

And then of course , there are the various selections of shapes and sizes of water guns!!! You can't get someone as wet as with a garbage pail..... but these babies are so much more accurate! Do you want to shout someone who is in a car with the window down.... this will do the trick!!!


And Now.... the Story of Songkran.......... just like I promised.

This week during my first grade class's Thai language and culture class, the children learned about the upcoming Thai holiday, SONGKRAN, the Thai New Year.

This holiday is known for the HUGE city-wide water fights!! Yep, that's right. where ever you go, expect someone to squirt you with a water pistol, or soak you with a super-soaker water gun, or DRENCH you with a bucket of water from a garbage can on the back of their pickup truck. Now foreigners, or FORANG as we are referred to, are the favorite target... because we are often "unsuspecting" for the first dousing. After that, we wise-up and join in the fun, or avoid going anywhere for 4-5 days!!!

The children learned that there is a REAL reason for Songkran, AND for how the giant water fights began!

Songkran is a family holiday, where families gather together to eat and celebrate. Once the family is gathered, the elders sit in front of the room, and the rest of the family (especially the children) walk past each elder, pausing to pour water over their hands and giving them a blessing. Afterwards, the elders say blessings over the family. Water is used to show respect and also used as a symbol of washing away old ways and bad things and becoming renewed. Families go to the temples and pour ladles of water onto the buddha statues.

In fact, all the stores in the area have put up temporary buddha shrines and statues, so people can pour water and pray right at the store while shopping. (commercialism, it's NOT just a USA thing, ha!)

The children in class all got to line up and pour water over the teachers' hands and give us a blessing. But our blessings were... "God bless you, Ms. Thomas" and afterwards, we prayed over our children.

The children also got to learn a traditional songkran game to play. We all sat in a circle on the floor. A small cup with water and talcim powder mixed into a wet paste was passed around the circle while music was played. When the music stopped, whoever had the cup, got to draw a paper out of a different cup that had one of three things on it: 1. yourself, 2. person to the right, 3. person to the left. The person with the cup of paste gets to smear the paste on someone's face OR perhaps has to smear it on their own face. Everyone chants Yourself, Yourself.... while the cup person draws out the paper to see who gets smeared..... then on with the game. At first no one wants to be smeared, but as the game goes along, everyone wants it. There was lots of laughing and fun. In the end, we were all smeared.

We ended our celebration with Thai dancing. This is a circle dance, moving your hands from side to side (in a lovely graceful way, hahaha) as we walk around the circle . We had a FUN time learning about Songkran... AND how we can enjoy it without being Buddhist.

So.... If you come visit Thailand in mid-April..... be prepared to wear your hawaiian print shirt and short shorts, grab your bucket and join in the fun of SOAKING everyone.... it is soak or be soaked..... smile and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!! a nation-wide water fight !!!

Language Learning

Or as I prefer to call it................. paying someone to laugh at me in another language !!!!
I have a really great tutor that comes to my school classroom from 3:30 to 5:30 on Monday and Thursday. I am learning to speak and understand AND read and write in my new language. Now last week, I was able to write and read all the letters of the Burmese alphabet. I wrote words in burmese, recited a memorized 10 line introduction of myself, answered questions orally, identified vocabulary and made lots of strange and interesting new "sounds". When I write it down it sounds so very "impressive" ha, I feel like, Wow, I am really doing great!!! And then I play back the recording of my tutor and then me speaking. and suddenly I wonder.... where did that baby come from making all those strange and silly noises??? opps... that's me!
When babies learn to speak.... we all coo and giggle and smile and encouage them along. We clap our hands and sing-song with them. they are just so cute and sweet. but I've got to say that there is NOTHING cute and sweet about hearing me "murder" another language as I try to force new and unusual sounds out of my old mouth. And NO ONE, I mean, NO ONE has laughed, or giggled or clapped when I have said anything.... yet. (well, to be truthful, I think my tutor is really enjoying the fun of listening to me.)
But in all honesty, I AM getting better, every day. It IS hard work. but that IS my work right now..... to learn the language and be ready to move to a new land.
And so.... each day I open my book, look at flashcards, write words, and thank God that He is "teaching an old dog, new tricks" ....or a new language. Hurray !!! :0)

Six Months in Thailand......thank you !!!!

February 27th is my 6 month anniversary of my arrival here. This evening, the Bridges took me out for a dinner to celebrate my special date. (thanks for an awesome meal and fun evening!)

Thank YOU, each and every one of you that helped get me, that are helping to keep me here, that are traveling with me on this journey as we do what our father has set out for us to accomplish for his glory. Thank you for your prayers, they sustain me and lift me up. Thank you for your support, it feeds me and keeps me daily. Thank you for your e-mails and snail mail, and for cards and letters and packages, and all your LOVE. I am indeed blessed.

Join me in celebration, thanks and praise.

blessings,

Pam

Just another day in Thailand !!!

My room mate, Eileen and I went to the grocery store this evening. We rode our motorbikes to the front gate of our neighborhood and parked them. We walked out to the street and waited for a songteow to drive by. The first two were "too full", so we waited.... because, eventually, another one will come along. An empty one came along, picked us up and dropped us off across the street from the Big C, all for 15 Baht each. (33 Baht = US $1). I got money from ATM and went into the bank to have it changed into smaller amounts. We went into a Thai bookstore and Eileen bought a children's beginner Thai book and letter tiles. We ate dinner. We bought a few groceries and stopped in and had ice cream. As we were walking toward the main doors, we noticed that it was POURING RAIN !!!! "Guess those were rain clouds and not smoke from buring fields that we saw on the way to the store" hahaha. Luckily, this brand new store has a covered walkway from the store to the road. We stood with others, waiting for the next songteow, and listening to the rain as it pounded on the metal roof of the walkway. After 10 or 15 minutes, the rain let up, we walked out to the road and flagged down a songteow. A red truck drove up, the driver asked..."where go?" we told him, he shook his head yes, we hopped in and off we went. We smiled and congratulated each other, "wow, we didn't even get soaked!" And then the songteow pulled over..(we hadn't even gone a block yet) the driver got out, came to the window and said "get out, me go shopping, get out now". So we climbed out and there we were, standing alongside of the road on a dark street. Laughing, because..... it's just another day in Thailand!!

(by the way, eventually another songteow did come along, he drove us right up to our motorbikes, and we got home safe and dry..... except my bike helmet was full of water from the rain, hahaha)
Pam

Swimming by to say Hi !!!

HELLO from my side of the WORLD !!

Yep, that's me, out there enjoying the sun

and the lovely pool, today.

While most of you are experiencing the cold temperatures of winter, here in Thailand it was 85 degrees today and we were SWIMMING !!!!!!!!!!!! Grace International School has a HUGE fantastic pool and though everyone said the first step into the water was a "little chilly" we all braved the first chill and took the plunge for a wonderfully relaxing afternoon.

Are you tired of that winter chill ????? Come on over to the warm-side..... the water's great!!!

blessings, from cool and happy Pam

The detour

So we head out to drive to the doctor's office this morning (on an empty stomach so we can have some bloodwork done). As we approach the road that will take us in front of the office, there is a barracade and a policeman directing traffic to go left. Beyond the barracade we can see what looks like people and vehicles gathering...... this must be an early Chinese New Year Parade.
Now we are in bumper to bumper traffic with motorcycles weaving in and out between all the bumpers. At times the only things moving or the motorcycles and those walking!!! We snake our way up and down streets, all part of our own parade of vehicles..... about 2 hours later, We make a new plan. Let's eat breakfast!!
With great difficulty, we make our way to a place we can park, and walk back up the street to the restaurant. we sit out on the deck and can see and hear the parade crossing over the bridge.
Back out in the truck once more, we start the trek to go home. We take a right turn..... and we find ourselves "doomed" to one way streets with NO ESCAPE, and must drive right through the heart of Chinatown with everyone else. About 2 hours later, I am dropped off at my frontdoor, and sydney calls out.... "We'll try going to the doctor's office tomorrow!" and they drive off. What can I say...just another day in Thailand!
(but I did get great photos, and my advise to you...when you think you see a parade forming, forget what you had planned to do, park the car and watch the parade! hahaha!)

PHOTOS fun photos

Hey, Here I am on my pink motorscooter. Photo taken in september, but I am still loving my rides to and from school on my little bike. I must apologize..... Once again, I was NOT able to get my photos to publish with the write-up..... SOOOO first you get to see the photos and then, you can read all about the school I teach at in the next entry. I guess you can only "kinda" teach an old dog new tricks..... oh well..............

Here are some kids in my classroom exploring the many joys of Magnets!!!!

Here are some of the kids making snowflakes and stars!!! It NEVER snows here.

Here they are "posing" for a photo while listening to a story.

This IS the beautiful POOL. So nice, relaxing and just plain lovely, don't you agree??? No wonder, it is one of my favorite things to enjoy.

This is in the Lobby of Grace International School, Flags line all of the balcony.

Grace International School, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Are these some real cuties?? 20 first graders in two classes. that's me in the back!

Be sure to read the next entry titled TEACHING so you can learn all about these photos!!

Teaching !!!!

I teach First graders at Grace International School, here in Chiang Mai. It is a wonderful place filled with teaching staff and students who come from all over the world. The staff raise their own funds to work here (our salary is in the difference we make each day in the lives of children and families). The first half of the year I taught both first grade classrooms combined in the afternoons, but now that the regular teacher has returned, I have just 10 students, pretty nice!!

Most of my students hold US passports, but they have been born and raised overseas. They are a delightful group of children that have grown up with airports, immigration, metric system and NO snow as their typical lifestyle !!

My favorite part of my school day is afterschool when I can use the HUGE beautiful pool to relax and enjoy! I know that's NOT very politically correct, but, just check out the photos and you will understand..... its nice!!

Actually, just walking into the classroom is a real joy. I have a late start up time, so the children are already in the room when I enter. As I open the door, they always greet me with "Its Ms. Thomas!!" I NEVER get tired of that!!!

Same: we teach in English, though English is NOT the first language of all my children. (English, Thai, Korean, German in my room). we teach reading, writing, language arts, math, social studies, science, P.E. art, music. And we do have christmas break!!

Different: the children remove their shoes in the hallway, before entering the classroom and put them back on, before going anywhere else on campus. Lunch is Thai food served in the cafeteria, every student has Thai class 3 days a week to learn language and culture, we celebrate the Thai holidays here (so we have shool on memorial day, labor day and thanksgiving) we start the day with everyone singing the Thai national anthem. the hallways are filled with a chorus of Other languages, as children speak to friends and family in their native language.

Well there you have a little information about wher I spend most of my days right now.

PHOTOS and photos

Stacey and me, overlooking beautiful Hua Hin. Hua Hin is a small resort town about 3 hours drive SOUTH of Bangkok, on the Bay of Thailand.

Monkey Island, where we got to feed the monkeys. Are they cute, or what? FUN FUN FUN.

Monkeys !!!!!

While in Hua Hin, visiting my daughter, Stacey, we went to Monkey Island and FED the MONKEYS. we got a red plastic bucket filled with peanuts, banana pieces and slices of corn cob.... and the monkeys came to eat. big ones, old ones, baby ones. at first they would tug on my pant leg and reach for food with one hand and then the other hand. the older ones would sit right in front of me and eat and ask for more. The young ones would grab a peanut and scurry away to a safe distance to eat. Suddenly, I felt some weight on my shoulder, and a monkey was sitting there, tapping me and asking for food. One monkey jumped up on Stacey's shoulder, climbed down her arm to the bucket and gave it a shake, helping himself to a snack. What a delightful experience!!! And I am still smiling, just thinking about it!!!

Happy New Year!

Greetings... hey, I have a site to write!!!! Happy new year to each and everyone of you.

I am sitting here with my daughter as she is attempting to teach me how to do my very own blog. I have been blessed with about 2 weeks of wonderful rest and relaxation in beautiful Hua Hin. Some highlights for me, besides spending great time with my daughter and her two cats, Simone and Magelan, are Feeding Monkeys, watching Thai boxing, and exploring more of the sites of this lovely land.

Stayed tuned for more in the days and weeks to come.

blessings,

Pam