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!