New Volunteers and Unpleasant Disease

Monday, late afternoon, a whole team of volunteer girls showed up on Sirin's doorstep.

It was so exciting! I could not wait to show them around, talk to them, share with them all my exciting stories and hear their own, etc. When they arrived it was kind of a shy, awkward meeting. There were five girls, all from England except one, who was from Ireland.

First thing was first, me and Linda hearded them off to a farewell supper for the three Australian girls. We piled into two taxis and I took the role of directing them. We went to a bbq, where you take your own vegetables, and meat, and make your own soup/noodles.

It was fun, but not very tasty! I realized how much I rely on the Thai's good cooking skills for a good meal. When it's left up to me, to cook Thai style, I end up with burnt fish and soggy vegetables. But it was an experience to be had for sure!

When we came back to Sirin house, me and Nicola decided to barge in on their unpacking process and this is what I discovered.

CHOCOLATE.



So much chocolate. Top priority was loading it into the freezer and I couldn't help but take a photo. Mind you, the photo was taken two days after the chocolate was thrown in there, so the heap was even LARGER before.

The next evening after work we went to Chicken Sate night with the rest of the volunteers (really though, it's pork, I KNOW it) and then booked it to Nichada for a bible study. The bible study is run by a really nice Canadian couple who I enjoy reminiscing Canada with. At this point, the Oasis team, Nicola and I were starting to hit it off and by the end of the night we were laughing and goofing around like old friends.

(Notice: I am wearing JEANS. In 30+ degrees. Impressed?)

I am so excited to have this group here!

This week at work has been a fun and crazy one! Fun, because of the new volunteers learning the ropes of Rainbow house. It's kind of nice not being the newbie anymore, now I can act as a minimal translator and guide.
I really feel like I'm developing relationships with some of the kids. There is a girl, Samon, who I am quite close with. We spend the majority of our time singing, snapping fingers, and clapping. She loves to dance and be crazy, and since I am quite a fan of doing that also, we are quite good friends. Everytime she sees me she starts to try to snap her fingers, and that's my cue to pull out some silly camp song, or do the hokey pokey.

Samon!


I am also getting quite close to one of the Thai staff that works at Rainbow House. She is always honest with me, and always helpful. Our relationship was a little rocky weeks previous, as she was convinced I was not enjoying myself, and it made her upset, but now, we just laugh and have good fun together!

Phii Nok!


As my Thai picks up it really helps to deepen relationships with people here. I'm trying so hard to learn the language so that I can do that. The most frustrating thing for me when I went to Haiti was not knowing creole, and it's the same here.

I am learning fast though! I had a Thai lesson with one of the volunteers here and she was surprised at the amount I already knew. Which felt good, and I'm glad language isn't as much of a difficulty for me as I imagined it would be.

The last couple days of work have been crazy however. There is an epidemic of Dtaa Daaeng going around, or PINK EYE. The doctor came in on Wednesday and instructed that the kids leave the area and the whole staff spend Thursday and Friday THOROUGHLY disinfecting and cleaning everything. Rainbow House camp is coming up, a three day camp in Pattaya, and the director of Rainbow really doesn't want all the kids to get pink eye right before we leave.

So we cleaned. I was paired with Phii Nok and we scrubbed and scrubbed the bathroom for hours. By the beginning of the afternoon, her eye started getting bloodshot. . .and by the end of the day, it was pink, and infected.

That's the thing about getting rid of pink eye germs, you know? You're likely to pick it up yourself.

So now I'm here, sent home from work today because I have pink eye.


It hurts a bit, but I'm feeling okay! I just wish I could go to work! I biked the long 4 mile trek to Rainbow only to be told to bike back home.

But all is not lost. For lunch, I made a special treat. . .


I bought a box of eggs, buy 10, get one FREE, for 42 baht. . .or aproximately $1.32.
So it has been sort of my suppers for the last little while. Boiled eggs. Yummmmy!!

Tonight is Friday night, and normally you could find me in Bangkok, doing something exciting. But since I look ogre-ish, you will probably find me sitting in front of fans, watching friends.

Oh to have pink eye on a weekend!

Oh well, it gave me a chance to update my blog! And next week is so exciting with RAINBOW CAMP ON WEDNESDAY! I can't wait!