The Art of Squatting

What happens when the only American toilet's handle is ripped off?  We just go to the other toilets, if you can call them that.  They're more like holes in the ground with plastic over them.  Basically, I didn't know we could still use the American toilet by flushing it down with buckets of water.  So, I've been using the squat pot for a couple of weeks now.  I'm proud to say that I am a master of the squat pot.  Really, I've become quite comfortable with it.  It's really not that difficult, I mean it's not the most relaxing way to do your business, but it gets the job done.  

Oh, and I don't know if I've told you all, but I have lovely shower mates.  I don't think I've gone a straight week without seeing one of my disgusting "friends" scampering along the floor of the bathroom while I'm showering.  To think that I've been living in Thailand for 8 months going on 9 taking showers with these creatures.  Only one more month with my "lovely" friends, then I will have to depart from them forever.  I will not miss these cockroaches, not one bit!

Thank you Auntie Marcia!

Auntie Marcia, thank you so much for your thoughtful gift!  I love the random funny gifts such as the hair clothe that twists my hair up after the shower!! Thank you!

I know all of us loved the pancake mix, we ate so many pancakes this morning!! It was a really thoughtful gift, and all of us say THANK YOU!!!

Ashley's Visit

It's been an awesome time having Ashley come visit us.  She's finished teaching because she didn't teach at the SDA Language school in Bangkok, she taught at the a normal Thai school, meaning her school ended when most of the other schools in Thailand did.  Our school on the other hand is year round because it's a language school.  Ashley could not have come at a worse time for us.  Leah and I have not had such a busy schedule all year... this week we woke up early every day at 730 to teach a tutorial from 8-10, then we had class from 10-12...  thankfully we had a three hour break to roam the city with Ashley, then we had to come back and teach from 330-630pm.  What a busy schedule, I am so exhausted right now!  

Ashley got here Tuesday morning bright and early, she actually woke me up at 5 am to tell me that she couldn't pay her taxi because her bill was too high, he couldn't break it, and that she was needing me to come downstairs and pay him for her!  I was so waked out, but it was really fun to see her, so I ran down there as fast as I could.  Leah woke up, too, and we all talked till Leah and I had to go and teach.  

Tuesday afternoon we headed into the center of Ubon to drink Starbucks and enjoy some good food. That night we took her to the park to see the night life of Ubon, it was fun!  Wednesday we got our hair straightened and enjoyed some Italian food for dinner.  Thursday consisted of Indian food, facials, and an attack from insects.  Seriously, last night was insane!!  Leah was in a panic because she saw an enormous spider in her bedroom, and she has a fear of spiders, so it was really bad that it was big!  

As Ashley was peering into the room, a cockroach suddenly appeared on the floor and I screamed to Ashley telling her to run so it wouldn't crawl on her... I swear it touched her foot, Ashley ran towards me with sudden fear!  Now we had two enemies in Leah's room: the enormous cockroach and gigantic spider.  Ashley and I were on a mission to kill them both, but our biggest concern was the cockroach, we HATE those things!  It took a little while, but we tacked it down, sprayed with pest spray, and smooshed it till the guts were everywhere.  

The task was only half complete... we still had to spot the spider.  It took us a while, but we eventually found it hiding on the side of the desk in Leah's room.  We devised a plan in which I moved the desk and Ashley attacked it with her shoe.  The first strike didn't work, she missed and it sent the spider in hiding again, eventually we saw it on the wall, and Ashley killed it.  During this process of searching for it again, a centipede came crawling out of the wall.  Ashley and I were both screaming so much and jumping up and down!  Seriously, in the matter of half an hour, we saw a cockroach, giant spider, and slimy centipede.  I kept wondering: WHERE ARE WE!!!??!

Seriously? Seriously?  Is this really happening??  We killed them all.  Thank the Lord. But, I didn't really have a good sleep last night, I kept waking up every so often thinking something was crawling on me, I did sleep on the floor next to Ashley because Leah couldn't sleep in her bed, I couldn't blame her, the spider was freaky, so I let her sleep in my bed, poor girl.  It was a traumatic experience for us all.  

I am so sad to see Ashley leave.  We just saw her off.  This will be the last time I'll see her in Thailand.  Wow.  It's really sad.  She leaves in 10 days.  Never again will we all be in Thailand seeing each other, and who's to say how much I'll see of her in the States, we don't even live close to each other.  It makes me really sad, my time left here is short... so short, wow!!

Baby Eden for Chloe

Pictures of Eden for Chloe, they're Place Pals now!!

Learning Should be Fun!

I've really learned a lot this year. School doesn't have to be all about the books. Learning can take place in many forms, and I believe the most successful learning takes place when the students are active in their learning.  If they color or say the words themselves, or even repeat after me with hand motions, I believe they learn so much faster!!  

So, lately my Sunday classes have consisted of little book work and lots of activities, such as coloring pages of food, doing fun actions with vocabulary words, and presenting their achievements in front of the classroom.  I'm happy when my students are happy, and they seem to be happy when they can enjoy learning at fundamental levels.  I've had such a great opportunity to learn here, and I'm so honored to be here.  I really feel God has a led me here, and that His hand has been at work in my life.  Wow!!

Visiting Church Members

Joel and Eden, a lovely brother and sister pair, sitting on a swing

at a church member's house. They are precious children.

Pastor and an old church member.  The old man is very old.

Can you believe people live like this?

A disabled member of the church, she swings all day, and can't move.

Cute baby, what a face!!

Becomming Thai

I swear I'm becoming Thai. I think Thai. I act Thai. I've absorbed the culture for almost 8 months now, it's to be expected that I'd come to this. I speak in broken English. I eat their food. I understand what they're saying even though they don't speak in full sentences. I love their children. Some of my favorite foods are now Thai dishes. I find their people beautiful.

This worries me.

What is the reverse culture shock going to be like? Is the America I've been pining for going to be all that I've waited for? Will things be the same when I return home? Will people want to hear about the experiences I've had here? Will they find what I have to say about Thailand interesting? Or will it just be boring jibberish? Will I stay in touch with the people that have become like my family here? Will I ever see these people again? If I do come back to this place, will all of the people still be here? It's highly unlikely.

The Pastor could move, a church member could die, a Filipino family could return to the Philippines, the school could take a bad turn and close down... there are so many possibilities that the future holds for this place and these people.

As my time here draws to an end, there are so many feelings involved with my return home that I don't really know exactly how I feel. I suppose it's a mixture of sadness, anxiety, happiness, relief, grief, and heartbreak. I know I'll be different when I go home, there's no doubt in my mind that'll be true. But, will I make my last two months in Thailand all that it can be? I hope I won't have any regrets, and I fear that the upcoming transition period will be the most drastic and saddest I've ever experienced.

Kim's In Town- Yay!

Finally, because Leah and I have wanted visitors for so long, Kim has visited us!!  Our school's director, Kim, actually came with a little surprise: Roger, her husband!  It was a delight.  They spent a few days with us in Ubon eating at our favorite places, visiting the park at night, and discussing the school and our involvements here.  

If you've ever met Pastor Roger, who by the way is the pastor of the international SDA church in Bangkok, you'd have to say that he's one of the most friendliest people ever.  First day here, he helped put up the school's sign, which was a process that consisted of climbing a very shady ladder and tying rocks to the end so the sign wouldn't flap around in the wind.  He also walked across the street and talked with a complete stranger about the nearest 7-11... long story short, he was a hoot!!  

It was great to have them in town.  We went to the park at night, watched some people do some break dancing, eat some food, and had a grand old time!  It's great to have visitors.

Pung and Pugs

I just recently had a tutorial and his name was Pung.  Get this: He's a dog trainer!  It was awesome because he took us to his house and showed us all of his dogs, his most prized possessions.  He was really proud of Jimmy, his Pug that won Pung awards.  He was such a proud daddy, as he showed us his dogs.  

I had to laugh, though.  I've never really been around Pugs... I've always had big dogs, I never knew that Pugs make loud breathing sounds every time they breathe.  I thought they were dying at first!  But, as soon as I realized they were okay, I started laughing so much.  They were so funny to watch, they were constantly grunting and panting... poor little dogs.  

All I have to say is that Pugs are kinda cute, but I don't think I'll ever own one when I get older... if I own one, it'll for sure be a big dog!

First Day of 2nd Term

Only two of my old students showed up.  Wow, I hope this is not all that the term will have.  I really really hope more students come.  It's summer here, so they should, right? I hope so.  It was sad to see only two of them.  I hope more come, I really do.