Sorry - you can only say hello from peter or some other derivative of this title so many times...
Well, its Wednesday here and so we are half way through our first week of ESL training. Unfortunately is some ways we got the raw end of the deal being stationed in the Community centre rather than going to one of the other slums, as we only get 1 week with our kids and then will spend the second week helping at one of the other classes. We have already grown quite attached to many of the girls in our class ( we are teaching girls from 10-14 years of age if we have not already told you). One stands out in particular as our star pupil her name is Mook and she lives in the same slum neighborhood as Ash & Anji. Her English is really a lot ahead of the other kids. She spent quite a long time with Naomi today, just talking about different things, trying to ask questions about our family and life in Australia etc... It was great to see her thirst for knowledge - In many ways, she is what this is all about - helping these kids that otherwise would have no chance, to get a leg up in life. I do not know the actual statistics, but apparently just a little bit of English improves these kids earning potential phenomenally... The other side of this is that you need English to work in somewhere like McDonald's, just so you can Earn a mere $1 an hour - Though I guess this has got to be better than many of the other alternatives out there for a girl like Mook...
We have not had the experience of seeing any of Thailands Seedier side of things yet, though seeing some of the guests here at the hotel and some of those walking the streets it is easy to see why foreigners (ferungs we are called - spelling is probably wrong) have such a bad reputation in this country. The difference in peoples attitudes towards me when I am out on my own versus when I am out with my family is staggering - and it does not all boil down to having three cute blonde haired blue eyed boys I am sure.
On the subject of cute blonde haired boys - Sam has pretty much been adopted by one of the workers in the community centre - she is taking him out to show him off to her friends - stuffing him full of all sorts of sweets and drinks, The girls are dinking him around everywhere on their bikes & and he is having a great time!!!
anyway I should leave it there ... Tonight we are going out to a night market as we have finally organized a baby sitter, so that will be a new experience for us... The first really touristy thing that we will be doing since getting here.
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2 comments:
Hi Naomi,
This is your dad calling.
Great to hear that it is going well for you all.
I have no doubt that the kids are a hit over there and it,s great to know that you are achieving something while you are over there.If you only enrich one young persons life (I,m sure you will touch more than one)then it has been more than worthwhile.
I am struggling with the takeover at work and seriously do not want to work for Clive Peters, but the mortgage is screaming at me, so common sense will have to prevail and I will become another number in a big retail monster.
Give our love to the boys and Peter
Love from Dad.
Hi,
So good to read that you are having such a wonderful time in Thailand but we did not expect anything different though. All is well here in Upwey. The cardiologist has given a good report after a thorough examination and all that he would still like to be done is a stress test, but it is not urgent. We thank the Father! Auntie Alison has also received the same good news today from her cardiologist, so we are very, very grateful.
Sammy's gastro has finally gone through the whole family and we are all starting to feel hungry again!! There is not really a lot to tell at this moment other than that we are with you in our thoughts and prayers.
Keep enjoying every minute of your stay there!
Love,
Mum.
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