Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Intersecting Impacts



Last night I escorted my sister to a taxi to take her back to the airport after a week and a half of being together. There were a few tears, and in my case, it was because two more months without her seems unbearable. She's spoiled me with her joy, fun, energy, hard work, and company.

I've decided that this post is going to be thorough, so I can remember everything in explicit detail that happened during her stay in Thailand.

When she arrived it was one of those slow motion moments, where we dropped our bags and ran to hug each other. The airport staff gently drew out attention to our bags cluttering the floor, and we collected ourselves, but I was totally overwhelmed by her being in Thailand I hardly cared.
The view from our room in Sirin House
On our way out to our first day of work together.

The first day, Thursday, Kaylin and I didn't take any pictures at work, but boy did we make up for it the rest of the week. We left work early, just after lunch as although she was too tough to admit it, Kaylin was tired of course! We relaxed and caught up for a few hours and then I took her to where us volunteers spend a lot of time, Major Hollywood. It's where we eat dinner, shop, and take the kids for ice cream.

That night I had to go across town to Nichada to help out with the middle school youth group, they were playing capture the flag and it was one of the leaders last nights. So Kaylin chilled at Sirin and slept, then went out for some Dairy Queen with the other volunteers in the house.

The next day was Friday and we went picture CRAZY at work.

Por and Krit
Tee, a favourite of mine, and now Kaylin as well
The kids absolutely adored Kaylin and would maul her at every opportunity. This is her with Lilly and Ploy.
Showing Kaylin how hilarious Ton's laugh is.
Kaylin helping Ton to walk
Making snow cones outside with the kids
Tee again, with his perfect little face.
Samon was absolutely THRILLED that someone else knew the songs her and I love to sing together. Most of them are from Catons bonfires. Kaylin sung with her like an old pro.
Singing "Old MacDonald" to Rasa.
Ton
Kaylin with Lilly and Aoy.
Watching Power Rangers with some of the Rainbow kids.

After work, I had signed out Samon to go on a trip with Kaylin and I. So away we went, to get Samon's favourite food in the world. Ice Cream! It was really great to have Kaylin get to know Samon. I've spent a lot of time with her, and she's become really special to me. The trip was a lot of fun! Ice cream and some dancing and Sirin House after, what could be better?


Samon loves trips, and because she is older (15) doesn't have high prospects of adoption. She's been such a huge piece of joy in my life; I absolutely love this young woman!

Saturday Kaylin, Charlotte and I went shopping at Chatuchak, the big market in Bangkok, and then in the evening went to see a movie!


Kaylin and I cringed the whole time. Violent seems insufficient in describing this film. We had a good time though, and enjoyed the refreshment of air conditioning and friends!
Mirror picture in the movie theatre bathroom
Julia, Kaylin and Charlotte outside of the mall where we watched the movie.

Sunday we went to church, and then went straight to the pool. Kaylin was hoping to come home with some sort of tan and I wasn't going to complain with getting a little sunbathing in, so us + everyone else made a day out of swimming at Nichada.
James and Lizzie chilling at the pool

That night Kaylin and I spent getting ready for the puppet shows in the upcoming work week! We crafted the night away!


Monday we booted it to Rainbow House and performed our first puppet show for the kids. It was really, hectic. The kids were bouncing off the walls and laughing and screaming and jumping up and down. I'm quite used to their ill-behaviour and inability to listen, so I was quite pleased about how the whole puppet show went. However; I think Kaylin was a bit discouraged by how crazy all the kids were and how they wouldn't always stay still to watch or listen.We had two more shows to go, both on Thursday in the government wards.

Monday night I taught English at Nichada so once again Kaylin got some much needed sleep and prepared for the long day ahead tomorrow.

Tuesday we had a sports day where all the CCD projects got together and participated in games and then ate lunch together. It was so great to see all of the kids from the different areas interact with each other. It was a hot, and long morning, but well worth the energy!

After a filled up morning, we took the kids for showers and then piled onto the Rainbow House bus to take us to an English School in the area "Harrow." It's a school for the rich of the population and they were putting on a play, Bugsy Malone, and invited Rainbow House and a few other organizations to come watch. So watch we did!

Wednesday morning Kaylin and I did some blacklight puppets for the kids at Rainbow. The few who got to see it loved it, and always attempted to touch the mouths, or sneak behind the stage to see how it was working! Kaylin and I had the masks on to cover our faces and the kids would always say they were scared before the lights went out and they couldn't see us anymore. Looking at photos, I can see why they might've been a bit terrified.



After lunch, us volunteers had a Thai Dancing practice. Our teacher wasn't able to make the practice and so she left the music in our not very capable hands and allowed us to make it ourselves. Kaylin watched as she wasn't supposed to be around for the performance, and snapped some photos of our pathetically productive practice.



After our practice, Kaylin and I got changed and went to get Bee and Ton for a trip out. I signed them out the day before, and Kaylin and I made plans to take them to see a 3D movie at Central Mall.
 




And of course, after the movie called for some ice cream.
Bee decided it would be hilarious to shove her face into her ice cream cone. Maybe it was a little. . .
Oh Bee. . .

Then it was Thursday and time for Kaylin and I to take the puppets into the government wards. The orphanages ran by the government are really strict with volunteers. Very few are allowed in, and they are typically only allowed to come in if they bring something special. I applied a week and a half early for Kaylin and I to go to Fung Fah, the orphanage for kids under the age of 7, and to Rachawadee Girls, an orphanage for girls over the age of 7.We were accepted and it was decided that we would go to Fung Fah in the morning and Rachawadee girls in the afternoon. There is no way I would've been able to pull off a puppet show on my own, and the only way to bring this fun time to the wards was to have someone who's just as interested in performing as I am.

Both the shows went great! We had so much fun doing it and meeting new kids, and the kids enjoyed watching it as well. The staff laughed as well and it became the perfect way to end Kaylin's work in Thailand.


The kids at Fung Fah all ready for the show


Playing "Pass the Talc" which essentially in Hot Potato but with baby powder







This little boy was constantly on giggle mode. It was hilarious to play with him. We don't have pictures of the show itself, but the kids really enjoyed it. They squealed with laughter as Kaylin brought up one of the puppets for the first time. After the show Kaylin and I spent the morning with the kids. We played with them and then fed them their lunch. The show at Fung Fah was so much less hectic than when we did it at Rainbow House, and I think that was a real encouragement to Kaylin.
This little boy used to be terrified of puppets. The puppet in front of him in this picture belongs to Fung Fah and was used to scare him. The staff found it funny to freak him out, so they used the puppet often. When Kaylin and I arrived at Fung Fah, Rachel told us that this boy was scared of puppets. We took him behind the stage so he could see the puppets with us, and touch them. After the show, the staff tried scaring him with the puppet and he would have none of it! Him and the puppet were new best friends much to the staffs' disappointment.

We had lunch with James, Rachel, Julia, and Lizzie and then carted all of our stuff off to Rachawadee Girls. This is an orphanage for girls over the age of 7, and it becomes quite a large age range. Many of the girls are older than I am, and some are in their 30's and 40's. Julia and Lizzie had applications sent to the orphanage in order to work there, and it is such a blessing that their applications were accepted! These girls crave and need love, and the job that these two volunteers do with these girls is incredible.

Julia was telling me after the show was over that there was one girl who was there that she was very surprised over. This girl has a mental handicap but is aware enough to follow orders and do what she's told. Because of this, she's become a type of slave where she constantly does the laundy, and the dishes and the cleaning and the changing. Julia told me she never gets to do stuff with the other girls because she's always doing the chores. However, she was at the puppet show, and her smile was a huge encouragement to all of us. It was great that she could escape for a few minutes to have some fun and recieve some love.
Playing a name game with the puppets at the beginning. Even though my Thai is pathetic for the most parts, I can communicate most of the time. The girls could never remember the puppets names, but they had fun trying!
These girls love to dance! So that's what we did a lot of. I put on the Fiesta! VBS Cd that I still have and we all danced around the room.
 (notice: I am totally aware that "puppets" is spelled "puppts" on our sign. That was a legit mistake. The "e" was under my leg while I was gluing. The "eh" was my idea. You know, because we're Canadians?! I thought it was a brilliant idea, Kaylin was a little less impressed, but humored me all the same.)

It was so great to spend some time with these amazing women. As soon as we walked into the day center they greeted us with hugs and smiles. A heart couldn't help but immediately want to get to know them better. I'm so thankful that Kaylin and I had the honor of going into their home and spending time with them.

After the show Kaylin and I brought out some of the props we used. We played and laughed with the girls until the day center closed up.

 This is Mai! She was such a cool and fun girl! We had a blast hanging out with her in the afternoon!
This was a fruit hat we made to put on the puppets during one of the songs. It was a hit among the girls. They all took turn trying it on. Rasa (pictured here) however thought it made more sense to eat!
This is Nid, a 10 year old girl who is spaced out, but absolutely adorable.
This is Rasa. She goes to Rainbow House for day care during the day until 2:00 and then she returns to Rachawadee Girls to live out the rest of her life. She often pops into the CCD daycenter set up at Rachawadee girls when she gets back from Rainbow House. I've really enjoyed getting to know this hilarious and fun 13 year old young woman. She loves the song "Old MacDonald" and this was taken as I was oinking for MacDonald's pig.
She's a big girl, but loves to be thrown around like most of the smaller kids at Rainbow. Sometimes I give in and struggle to swing her around. Even if her feet are only an inch above the floor, she loves it.

Thursday night we went out for a real Thai meal at a restaurant with Lizzie, Charlotte, Julia, Sethi, and Beer.
These are the staple Thai dishes we all shared.
Tom Yum Goong
Som Tam Salad
Coconut Green Curry
Minced and Spicy Duck

It was a fantastic meal spent with fantastic people!

Friday and Saturday Kaylin and I were headed for a mini vacation. We were off to Kanchanaburi! (Think "Bridge over the River Kwai", that's where we were!)I have a long blog post about my visit here with Julia. It was a lot of fun to do it with my sister. We had some hilarious and great experiences travelling together!
The cemetary for the POW's who worked on the railway under the order of the Japanese.
The Chinese Cemetary

Walking through some temple grounds

During Friday we spent a lot of time walking around the little town exploring and taking photos. In the evening we got a Thai massage (ouch!) and then went to the night market. We had a pretty early night, and slept all the way until the early morning we had ahead of us.
A photo of the acrobatics they call massage
Kaylin and I after the night market.

Saturday morning we were on our way for some adventure! We took a bus to Sai Yok Noi waterfall which is a waterfall mostly occupied by Thai's. We found this out the hard way as they swarmed us for photos. Funny, but a little annoying. We were just trying to eat our pomolo and look at the waterfall and next thing we know there's a huge group of Thai women with their children taking photos and close ups.
Pomolo, sort of like grapefruit.
A few of the women getting their photo taken with us.
This is an train from WWII used on the Death Railway
This sign is pointing us in the direction of a cave we spent hours looking for. We didn't find the cave, but we found a cool tree.
Walking along a dusty road, cows roaming around, no big deal.
We could've done a tour, like most tourists do. They have days set up with tons of things on the agenda to do. You pay your small fee, and then meet up with the group in the morning. Kaylin was convinced we were too cool for it, and maybe I let her get into my head a little. So we ended up roaming lots, but it was so worth it. Just the time we had exploring on our own was amazing, and better than any old cave/bridge/tiger/museum.
Oh yes we did. . .
This is what Thailand does to people!
And then we saw the tourist group coming along. We were quite pleased with ourselves for doing it on our own!
On the way back to Kanchanaburi to catch our bus home, we took the train. We slept through most of it, but we did see some of the beautiful scenery, and it was a real time to remember WWII and the POW's who built the track we were riding on. This is Kaylin looking to the River Kwai.
Going over the bridge
We've arrived! Time for the bus ride back to Paket and Sirin House.


Kaylin was supposed to leave Sunday morning, but her flight was changed to Sunday night. This was awesome because I had one more day to spend with one of my favourite people in the world. Sunday was Julia's birthday, so we all went out for lunch to Sizzlers. Kaylin and I got the salad bar, and I was so excited to eat potato salad! I've missed potato salad so much! We had a great time with Julia as well. Julia has been a great friend here in Thailand and I'm so glad she got to meet my sister and vice versa.
After Sizzlers we headed to the grocery store because Julia needed some bread. We stumbled across a huge crew of dancers on the bottom floor, obviously rehearsing for a show happening later. We had some fun watching them bring out their western style dance moves.
 All of these dancers are male. There's a huge population of "lady boys" in Thailand, and they're very accepted into the culture. It's not strange to see males in short shorts and long hair extensions.

That evening Rainbow House had a cultural exchange with a group of Japanese volunteers. We were asked to Thai dance, so Kaylin came along and watched the transformation and the humiliation!

 We were all meant to represent different parts of Thailand. Lizzie was North, Charlotte was South, Julia was Northest, and I was Bangkok. Bring on the BLING!
 Dark I know. It says "I love Thailand", cool right?

After I changed out of my costume I took Kaylin to her taxi. I miss her so much already and am so grateful we were both able to experience this incredible opportunity. I am really fortunate so have such an amazing sister and best friend.