Walentine's Party

I wanted to throw a Valentines Day Party for my students so I told them they could come to my house on Saturday and experience Valentines-American style... This party was sponsored by my wonderful Aunt Alice who supplied me with the candy and entertainment! 

I decorated. I was pretty sure the hearts would fall from the ceiling during the night but they didn't and they ended up staying until April!

Snacks anyone? I had licorice and candy hearts (the students thought both were too sweet) and then I added all the stuff I have had forever in my cupboard.

I set up a little area where the students could pose for pictures with their sweethearts (or friends).

Day of the Party

I had about 25 students show up. They loved posing for pictures. 

They got to make their own chocolate chip cookie. (They did not think these were too sweet....)

They came up with desigining the hearts I had hung from the ceiling. Most of them ended up saying I Love Kate. Maybe part of the reason I left them hanging for so long.

I had a hard time thinking of activies we coudl play that were Valentine-themed. I made a pin the ears on the bunny game. They loved it! They especially loved directing their friends in the wrong direction.

The students also thought it was fun to play in Uncle Joe's car that is parked in my driveway.

These are a few of my favorite things.

My 6 favorite things in Thailand.

Stoney. He is wearing a traditional Thai outfit but I think he looks like a pirate!

Mancoot. My favorite fruit.

My neighborhood kiddos.

The monks. The sound of their chanting.

Adventures with my Peace Corps friends.

My Kittens!

One year anniversary!

Wow how the time has flown.

"Hiking"

I started teaching with the High School teachers in my free time and one day I showed up at the school and they told me I needed to go home and change. I asked what was wrong with my clothes, they told me they would not be appropriate for hiking. Admitting they were right I went home and changed.


The hiking expedition was part of the students' Boy Scout education. As they hiked up the mountain there were stations they stopped and learned at.





The mountain to be hiked...At this point they stopped me and asked if I would be able to hike it to the top. I said sure. Then another person asked me again. Starting to worry I asked how far it was up the mountain. 3 km. Yeah no problem. They continued to ask me over and over. I started to worry it was going to be hard.




At the bottom of the mountain we stopped to wait....for our ride. Yeah we were taking a tractor up the mountain. I think they were just trying to scare me with all the questioning. Those tricksters.








The ride up was beautiful and I decided I would walk down the mountain.













A view from the top! Everything looks so small and smokey. I want to go back when everything is green.


After I made it back down the mountain I discovered there were monkeys
in the trees!

The Great Thai Adventure

On December 17, 2008 my parents and little sisters left the freezing cold temperatures of Montana and visited me in Thailand. We traveled all over Thailand in a rented car and had A BLAST doing it!

Not our average Christmas dinner. We spent Christmas Day in my village visiting both of my schools. For dinner we had one of my favorite dishes Moo Ga Tot which is pretty much just BBQ pork with soup.

The gift-exchange at my small school.








My Christmas tree!








My dad doing the dishes Thai style. We had to do them inside to avoid the mosquitos.







While in my village I took my parents to one of my favorite places which is the waterfall I go to with my students. Of course my students wanted to come too!




While a lot of them rode their bikes some of them got a ride in our car. These are the ones we fit in the car with us in addition to the five of us white people.





At the waterfall my dad helped them get this huge log into the water so they could float on it.











After my village we went up north to Chaing Mai and did an elephant ride/bamboo rafting trip. The water was sooooooooo cold but fun.

How cute!


Mom practicing the gong.

At the end we went to the beach for a couple of days where Stoney joined us!

Stoney made me look like a mermaid!

Right after we got the car we headed over to Kanchanaburi where the Bridge over River Kwai is. We went to the bridge but more importantly we went to a Safari Park very close to the bridge and it was so much FUN. We got to feed giraffes, buffalos, ostridges and others.

Because we were the only ones there to watch the Elephant Show they also let us ride them. It was scary.

Oh and Maria pet a TIGER. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!?!?

Cru Ning's Goodbye Party

We found out two weeks ago that my wonderful co-teacher Cru Ning passed the test she took and got a job in another city. Our school had a going away party for her and almost all of my small village came. She has taught here for 7 years and people begged her just to stay one more year but she needs to move closer to her family. I am going to miss her terribly. She and I were together so much that we developed our own language, some Thai some English.



The party started off with a Buddhist blessing.










The women of the village said a blessing for Cru Ning and then would tie bands of string around her wrist. They decided that I should have them too.




I love this community and they tell me I am the same as their daughters. These are some of the women with me and Cru Ning.











The students sang a beautiful song.









Everyone gave Cru Ning presents. I went all out and bought a picture of Buddha. It was fun riding home on my bike with this baby. She loved it.









Our students preformed a couple of songs for Cru Ning. Before and after each of their songs these girls were crying at the thought of Cru Ning leaving. The boys cried too, I found them hiding behind the library.






Dancing! It was a good way to warm up. We had food too but I managed not to get a picture of it. I did discover my new favorite Thai dish, "lap blaa"




At the end of the party we had Kareoke. I never never never do kareoke at parties because I have empathy, but on this night Cru Ning asked me to do it so I sang her "Beautiful Sunday" and I think I have made sure they wont ask me to sing again!

Father's Day

Father's Day in Thailand is a VERY important day to Thais. It is celebrated on the King's birthday and everyone loves him like he is their own father. We got the day off of school and that night we had a celebration in my village.




Just about everyone met in front of the big picture of the King. After speeches and offerings were given everyone lit their candle.














After all the candles are lit we placed them in a sand box in front of the King's picture.








The King's name is written on the rectangular sign and then they lit a string of sparklers above it. I LOVE sparklers so this was just about the coolest thing ever. Maybe people reading this blog can remember this when they are planning my coming home party....






And of course there was dancers. These pretty ladies are from the high school and are wearing the traditional Thai dancers garb. The little one in front is the Principal's daughter.