Work and Play

I have gotten into this bad habit of leaving my purse at Sirin House. This means my purse doesn't get to work, which means my camera doesn't get to work, which means that the pictures I could take of what's happening at Rainbow House don't exist.

However I have a few things to share about the past couple weeks!

On January 9, all the volunteers were informed that we were taking a trip. Why? Because it was Childrens' Day of course! Thailand has this fantastic holiday, where the cause of celebration is children. When I was a kid, I used to always ask my parents, "Why is there a Mothers day, and a Fathers day, but no Kids day?" I think I probably asked this question every year as my parents semi-annoyed response repeatedly was "EVERYDAY is kids day." Which I suppose, if your a parent, is very true. But as a kid, a full blown party was the only thing I believed could be justified in receiving the title "Kids Day."

So my discovery was, that Thailand has "Childrens Day." We carted all the kids out and supervised for the morning and early afternoon as they rode small trains, bounced in bouncy castles, watched magicians and clowns, and ate and ate and ate.

Sombut loved the train

Tee loved the train more. An hour wasn't long enough to ride this piece of fun, he hopped on and off that train for two hours straight!

Sombut on the bouncy castle

The really cool inflatable slide!

This group were all wearing navy pants with yellow stripes. I automatically thought of RCMP pants. This is for you dad.

Childrens Day was funded by AIS (don't ask me what it stands for, I have no idea). They gave all the kids back packs and little water droplet keychains. This is Tee. If I could adopt any child, it would be him.

I was his carer at Rainbow Camp for three days and ever since then we've been really close. Recently, the Thai staff asked me who I would like to have at a camp coming up in March. Immediately, I thought of Tee, but then I decided I shouldn't take every opportunity to become attatched to him, or it will be harder in the end. I told them any child was fine and left it at that. The next day I looked at the list and saw I was paired with Tee. How will I ever leave him?

His "disability" is a burned foot and leg. His foot is doesn't really exist because it was burned off in a house fire. However, he has a stub that he can fully function with. He can run on it, jump on it, walk on it, and dance on it. It doesn't take much to be labeled as disabled. Tee is an orphan who has this label, and because of it, will not be viewed as an option for adoption as kids who are in a physically "abled" orphanage. The frustrating thing is, he's able.

Other fun things have happened! Like a puppet show, and a massive trip to KFC, but as I said before, my camera was MIA, and, I'm not much of a typer.

I also assume though, that if people are anything like me, they mostly browse blogs for pictures and captions. Lets be honest now.

Last weekend, a fellow volunteer and I took a bus to a ferry that transported us to an island. It was a really beautiful island, a cheap trip, and an opportunity to finish two books, and get a terrible sunburn.

The beach

Every morning I woke up way to early. The first time it happened I was frustrated I couldn't sleep in, until I walked to the beach and saw this. After that, I was grateful I was an early riser.

How I spent my mornings.

Vicki and I on our last night

And exciting news! Gaelle and Peterson are coming home this weekend! I really wish I was there to greet them with a Bonjou and a hug.

Next week I'm headed off to CCD project called CBR 3. It's three hours away so I will be living there for the whole week. The physiotherapist there is Thai, but speaks fluent English. I can not wait to take advantage of her physio knowledge as well as her Thai volcabulary! My camera will not stay at home either, pictures are going to be taken.

So as I sit here with my layers of after-sun coated onto my body, I wish you all the best for the upcoming week. I know mine will be great!

Because my Mom is an Excellent Updater

update on Gaelle and Peterson in Haiti-Mom's Blog

Thank you so much for prayers and concern. Please continue to pray for the orphanage, as well as my parents.

Kind of like the Easter Bunny. . .in January

While I was home in Canada, I received a generous donation from Steve Paddick for the kids at Rainbow House. It came in four boxes and is a commodity more valuable amongst children than most others.

Can you guess?

Candy!

It blows me away how supportive and interested people are in this orphanage and what's going on in Thailand, even though they may not know me. Steve Paddick is a friend of Gable's dad,Wade, who offered up this candy as a treat for the kids at Rainbow. Was it ever a treat!

Rather than just hand out the candy, I brought a popular carnaval idea back from Canada. A fish pond! (Which actually just translates into a curtain, with a fishing rod, and a person behind the curtain attaching goods to the hook) Simple, but a good time.

I put my jet lag to good use, got up early and strung the candy with a little paper fish.

Then Lynn and Emma helped me out as we just added the kids!

Chi-Cha fishing!

(Yeah okay, that's a plastic bat and a bungee cord but hey, you have to work with what you have right?)

Bee with her life savers

Anna chowing down

Samon smiling over her skittles

Ton waiing for his candy

Look-dow showing it off

The whole thing resulted in sticky hands and smiling faces.

Thank you Steve Paddick! Sometimes what these kids need more than physio, is a little bit of fun!

Holiday Loving

I am back in Thailand, ready to go for another 5 months. Being home over Christmas was really one of the best things my parents could have ever offered me this year. The encouragement and support from all of my friends and my family has really refreshed me and given me a new energy to tackle work with. I can not wait to walk into work on Monday and hug the kids. Their smiles will stick with me forever.

Before I left Thailand, I got to be a part of a Christmas party. All of the volunteers got to participate in the finale for the YWCA's Christmas show in front of hundreds of people. Doing what?

Nothing other than Thai dancing. Really. I Thai danced. As soon as they told us that we were expected to dance in the finale, I couldn't wait. I was really excited to learn this part of Thai culture. Dancing is a huge part of entertainment. Any festival, show, concert, ceremony etc. has their set of Thai dancers. Which is why, we got to perform. With two practices under our belts, we attacked the stage with smiles and our pathetic attempts to be Thai. Our purpose was entertainment. . .and that was definitely the outcome.

Us with our dance teacher, Mae Thim. (From left to right: Rachel, Lynn, Emma, Mae Thim, Me, Vicki, Julia, Holly, and Sarah)

The week before I left was also a good-bye to Jan, a former CCD long term volunteer who had come back for a month. She invited us all to join her at the saxophone bar in Bangkok for a final send off. We walked in to a live band, filling the restaurant with it's impressive jazz music. It was nice to get to say good-bye to Jan in a place she really enjoyed.

Nicola, Julia and I

James and Rachel, me, Jan, and Vicki

The night before I left for home the volunteers went to Nichada church to participate in a carol service! It was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit regardless of the 35 degree weather. Afterwards we all enjoyed finger foods courtesy of the generous Nichada ladies!

Holly, me, Jan, Lynn, and Julia. Eating western delicacies (you know, like. . .brownies)

And then I was home! Enjoying the company of my family and friends. Here are a few photos from my Christmas vacation.

This is one of my favourite things about Christmas! Our tree! It's covered in crafts from kindergarten, and cross stitch ornaments from my grandmother. I wouldn't trade this tree of childhood memories for pretty glass balls and tinsel ever.

This is the MASSIVE lobster my dad brought home to make chowder and sandwiches with. Needless to say. . .it was a meaty chowder.

Kaylin and I offered to make the apple pie. I wish I had a picture of the finished product. The recipe said 6 cups of apples. . .we put in 6 apples. And they were big. . .like this.

And that is how it earned the name "sky high apple pie." Kaylin and I stuffed it full, and then some. It looked funny, but it tasted amazing. Mmmmmmm

Kaylin trying to work out the crust

My job: the filling!

Here are a few more moments of fun and good times this Christmas break!

Learning a new board game, Settlers of Catan

Being ridiculous with Kaylen and Tiffany

Seeing my Bridgewater friends at Sarah's CNC potluck

Spending time with Sarah, Erin, and my sister in Halifax

My gift to my dad from Thailand!

Father, Daughter loving

Skype date on Christmas with the volunteers in Thailand!

Spending time with my grandmother

I have missed my mom's cooking so much! It was such a treat to have her rolls, bubble bread, gumdrop cake, pizza, rolls, sweet potato, rolls, peanut butter cups, did I say rolls?! Yummm

I also enjoyed spending time with my boyfriend Gable! I really missed him and it was great to see him after 4 months of skyping and emailing. Like the matching sweaters?

A huge highlight was the time I got to spend with my sister. She's my best friend.

And now I'm back in Thailand, after an excellent Christmas. I'm ready for work, ready for good times, and ready for heart break.