For some of us the trip is coming to an end. We are in Bangkok now and thankfully off of the night train. Jay and Hank took us to the Rose Garden Riverside Hotel. It is beautiful. What a great way to get a little R&R after all of our hard work and travels. I think we have a learned a lot here and feel like we had some impact on a few people's lives. Cambodia and Thailand has for sure had an impact on all of us.
We saw the Thai Cultural show and and elephant show while at the Rose Garden. It was really cool. Joleen wants an elephant for her farm (and a monkey, and a water buffalo). We have lots of great pictures to share.
Tomorrow we are off to the International church and then to a new hotel downtown Bangkok. Fill ya in later...
Saturday, November 1, 2008
October 31, Day 14
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Today we made the four hour trek back to Udon Thani. Along the way we stopped at several markets. We ate supper with John and Joy and Jim and Cathy (all missionaries). Then we boarded the night train for Bangkok. Thankfully we splurged for first class because second class looked a little sketchy. This experience is really only something that can be explained in person, words don't capture it. Just a note... this was not North American first class so don't think we were spoiled. Ask lynn about the cockroaches :)
Today we made the four hour trek back to Udon Thani. Along the way we stopped at several markets. We ate supper with John and Joy and Jim and Cathy (all missionaries). Then we boarded the night train for Bangkok. Thankfully we splurged for first class because second class looked a little sketchy. This experience is really only something that can be explained in person, words don't capture it. Just a note... this was not North American first class so don't think we were spoiled. Ask lynn about the cockroaches :)
October 30, Day 13
Today we split into two groups and some went back to the prison and the rest went to a middle/high school to teach English. The highschool has 2000 students so the group split into five small groups. We taught grade 8, 10 & 12. Brent was asked to take 9 students and teach them about Halloween. Donna had a group of grade 12 students who spoke very good English. This school is well known for promoting English and wins English competitions. All of the teachers spoke very good English, which Stacey said is quite rare. The class sizes are around 45 students so it was a bit intimidating but lots of fun.
The group that taught at the school went back to the church in the evening to teach a group of adults and small children. Word got around and this night we had 32 kids and over 20 adults. The church is out in the country so there are a lot of BUGS. Donna said at one time she looked at her feet when she was in the church and they were all black (she thought they were dirty from not wearing shoes) NOPE... they were covered in bugs. We all had bugs in our hair and clothes.
Lynn video tapped Brent teaching the children at the church the Hokey Pokey so that we can all watch in on the big screen at the Christmas Party. Honestly, he looks like Shrek it is hysterically funny.
When we get back you need to ask Donna to explain how she taught the students about Jack O Lanterns. We were so impressed at how Donna knew the history of a guy named Jack.... Hopefully they don't google it!!!
The group that taught at the school went back to the church in the evening to teach a group of adults and small children. Word got around and this night we had 32 kids and over 20 adults. The church is out in the country so there are a lot of BUGS. Donna said at one time she looked at her feet when she was in the church and they were all black (she thought they were dirty from not wearing shoes) NOPE... they were covered in bugs. We all had bugs in our hair and clothes.
Lynn video tapped Brent teaching the children at the church the Hokey Pokey so that we can all watch in on the big screen at the Christmas Party. Honestly, he looks like Shrek it is hysterically funny.
When we get back you need to ask Donna to explain how she taught the students about Jack O Lanterns. We were so impressed at how Donna knew the history of a guy named Jack.... Hopefully they don't google it!!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Day 10,11,12
Sorry no word. We traveled a long way into NE Thailand. We are on the boarder of Laos. We visited a prison on Monday (Swang Daen Din). We taught some English and heard some stories from the prisoners.
Tuesday (day 11) 9 of us left early on the bus to travel to Sakon Nakhon Prison about a 1hr drive. We were in pairs and we taught at five stations for 30 min in am and again in the afternoon. It was so much fun. The rest of our group went with Stacey and toured around the country, harvested some rice and visited some local people. Then they taught ESL at a church from 5-7. It is very hot here. The group of 9 who taught at the prison got to stop at an aquarium on the way home that has all different types of fish found in the Mekong River... creepy and prehistoric to say the least.
Wednesday (day 12) all of us traveled to the prison to teach again for the morning. A different group of five left with Stacey to make the trip back to Nakhon Phanom to tour an abandoned prison (what they used to be like) and to teach again at the church.
We have traveled a long ways in the past 12 days from Phenom Penh Cambodia to Siem Reap (by bus...) Cambodia. Flew over to Bangkok and then flew up to Udon Thani. Then in the bus to Sakon Nakhon and then to Nakhon Phanom (about 2.5 hours from Udon Thani). After we make it back to Udon Thani we will board the night train to Bangkok. It really feels as long as it sounds. But what a great time. We are seeing and doing things that the average tourist does not get to see. We have had great hosts along the way and very appreciative of their ability to speak the local languages.
Talk to you soon and take care.
Tuesday (day 11) 9 of us left early on the bus to travel to Sakon Nakhon Prison about a 1hr drive. We were in pairs and we taught at five stations for 30 min in am and again in the afternoon. It was so much fun. The rest of our group went with Stacey and toured around the country, harvested some rice and visited some local people. Then they taught ESL at a church from 5-7. It is very hot here. The group of 9 who taught at the prison got to stop at an aquarium on the way home that has all different types of fish found in the Mekong River... creepy and prehistoric to say the least.
Wednesday (day 12) all of us traveled to the prison to teach again for the morning. A different group of five left with Stacey to make the trip back to Nakhon Phanom to tour an abandoned prison (what they used to be like) and to teach again at the church.
We have traveled a long ways in the past 12 days from Phenom Penh Cambodia to Siem Reap (by bus...) Cambodia. Flew over to Bangkok and then flew up to Udon Thani. Then in the bus to Sakon Nakhon and then to Nakhon Phanom (about 2.5 hours from Udon Thani). After we make it back to Udon Thani we will board the night train to Bangkok. It really feels as long as it sounds. But what a great time. We are seeing and doing things that the average tourist does not get to see. We have had great hosts along the way and very appreciative of their ability to speak the local languages.
Talk to you soon and take care.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Day 9 - update
After church today we came back to the hotel to have orientation with Stacey. She gave us a couple of books, one explained cultural facts and the other some Thai words to get us by on our short mission. Some of the things we had planned have fallen through. As Stacey says "You need to be very flexible in Thailand because nothing is for sure until you show up and they let you in the doors". Stacey also reviewed some teaching lessons that we will be using in the prisons, at the school and the church. We will be separated into pairs and half of us will go to a school and the other half will go to the prison. Each day we will trade locations so we all get a chance to visit the prison. On Monday, we will go as one large group and teach a 1 hour lesson of English with Stacey.
Approximately 70% of children in the Udon province are involved in prostitution. There are alarming rates of HIV and STD's. There is little education to deal with this issue here and many families sell their children thinking they are going to the city to work in factories.
Many of people are in the prison system here because of drug related offenses. Drug charges carry the longest sentences because they are considered crimes against people. If you committed a crime against one person you would get a much smaller sentence.
After orientation we went to John and Joy's for supper. John and Joy are missionaries and have been in Thailand for several years. We ate a traditional Isaan meal which John, Hank, Craig and Fred went to get from a market. They made a stop along the way for Hank to run in a buy a watermelon. Hank expressed that apparently there is no word in the Thai language for watermelon so it was challenging to actually find it.
Isaan is an area, a people group and a language in North East Thailand. Most people in the larger centres also speak Central Thai.
Approximately 70% of children in the Udon province are involved in prostitution. There are alarming rates of HIV and STD's. There is little education to deal with this issue here and many families sell their children thinking they are going to the city to work in factories.
Many of people are in the prison system here because of drug related offenses. Drug charges carry the longest sentences because they are considered crimes against people. If you committed a crime against one person you would get a much smaller sentence.
After orientation we went to John and Joy's for supper. John and Joy are missionaries and have been in Thailand for several years. We ate a traditional Isaan meal which John, Hank, Craig and Fred went to get from a market. They made a stop along the way for Hank to run in a buy a watermelon. Hank expressed that apparently there is no word in the Thai language for watermelon so it was challenging to actually find it.
Isaan is an area, a people group and a language in North East Thailand. Most people in the larger centres also speak Central Thai.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
October 26, Day 9
Yesterday, Oct 25 we traveled from Siem Reap to Bangkok and then on to Udon Thani which is in the North East part of Thailand. We met Stacey who is our new Blaine. Stacey is originally from Florida and has spent two years in Thailand and is a missionary. We have a very busy week ahead of us teaching English in a school and a prison.
This morning we will be going to the international church and then Stacey will give us an orientation to teaching English.
Thailand is very clean compared to Cambodia. In Cambodia there is garbage everywhere!!! Thailand seems more advanced and the computers work here. Tonight we will post the events of today and give you an idea of what is ahead for the week. Take Care.
This morning we will be going to the international church and then Stacey will give us an orientation to teaching English.
Thailand is very clean compared to Cambodia. In Cambodia there is garbage everywhere!!! Thailand seems more advanced and the computers work here. Tonight we will post the events of today and give you an idea of what is ahead for the week. Take Care.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Oct 25, Day 8
Hi all,
I lost a day - not sure I have all of the dates right on the blog (oops). But today is HANK's B-Day!!!
We visited the Angkor Temples - Very Incredible!!! Some of us rode elephants into the temple. Going through the temple gates on an elephant was so amazing. This was the last night with the Deer Park group. We are sad to say farewell. They will email Joleen blog posts and hopefully we can continue to follow their journey.
Some closing comments from Blain Sylvester (he will take the DP group back to Phenom Penh):
After meeting the people we have met on our travels we should take away from this... the faith and availability to stand on the edge and take a risk if called upon to do so. It just so happens that the folks we have met are 70 year old grandmas... we should all take some lessons from that alone!!
I lost a day - not sure I have all of the dates right on the blog (oops). But today is HANK's B-Day!!!
We visited the Angkor Temples - Very Incredible!!! Some of us rode elephants into the temple. Going through the temple gates on an elephant was so amazing. This was the last night with the Deer Park group. We are sad to say farewell. They will email Joleen blog posts and hopefully we can continue to follow their journey.
Some closing comments from Blain Sylvester (he will take the DP group back to Phenom Penh):
After meeting the people we have met on our travels we should take away from this... the faith and availability to stand on the edge and take a risk if called upon to do so. It just so happens that the folks we have met are 70 year old grandmas... we should all take some lessons from that alone!!
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