It's been awhile since they last time I wrote and for that I am sorry, but if you think about it, it's actually a good thing because that means I'm really busy working and doing what I came here to do. This past week has been crazy and exciting along with frustrating, but also rewarding. This is the first year in Thailand so we are starting from square-one and it's been difficult getting projects off the ground. Luckily there are many new possibilities that we came across this week. There are several groups that we are looking to partner with that are involved in combating human trafficking and I really hope that all pan out. So everyone rides motorcycles, scooters, mo-peds, or whatever you want to call them. And I do mean everyone. When we walk by the high schools here, there is literally a sea of them. Today we got off the bus and had to find another method of transportation to get the rest of the way to our project. Next thing I know, the other two volunteers hop on the back of what appears to be a mo-ped taxi service and signal at me to do the same. I was wearing shorts along with a t-shirt so I took one last look at my arms and legs and said "well it was nice knowing you" and then we were off. Much to my surprise, I arrived with not even a hair out of place, but let me tell you that I am so thankful for helmets back in the states.
Apparently I was wrong, there really is soccer at soccer school. We also teach a dance class and English. On Wednesday, half our volunteers left for Bangkok suddenly and without notice, including the girl that normally teaches the dance class. Being one of the only volunteers left with any dance experience, I got the opportunity, or one could say was forced into teaching the dance class to about 30 students. I tried earnestly to think of a dance that would be easy enough for them to learn and much to my dismay, all I could think of was the electric slide. As it turns out, it was a huge success. So much so that even the school teachers came in to try and learn it as well.
In the middle of the week we went to a place called DEPDC located near the border of Burma which is essentially a small community for children that have been or are at rick for human trafficking. This is one of my favorite projects because the kids have such sweet spirits and they are so eager to learn. We teach English, leadership classes, host an English radio show, along with teaching square-foot gardening. It takes almost 2 hours to get there by bus among various security checkpoints by the police. I learned that hard way that you really do need your passport with you. Anyway, I would love to put up pictures for you to see, but due to safety reasons, the school does not like us to take pictures of the kids, maybe I'll put some stick figure drawings on here so you get the idea.
Over the weekend, a small group of us traveled up into the hill to stay overnight with a tribe there. It was probably one of the single most amazing experiences of my life. They have such simple lives, but yet they have such a profound sense of who they are and I'm sure we can learn much more from them then we could ever teach to them. Mr. T, our driver, tour guide, and pretty much group leader for the weekend, shared some humbling talks with us. He took us to site where another organization developed a green energy station. They have their own elephants that they care for so the idea is that you scoop up the elephant poop and put it into a chamber where it turns into gas which is an awesome idea. The downfall is that the community was not invested in the project so they didn't know how to maintain it so it just sits there. He showed us several of these projects and we realized the importance of working alongside the locals and not just shoving our ideas and goals down their throats. They really need to be involved or else we are wasting our time and theirs.
I have written so much that I think I should probably stop for now, but I'll leave you with my thoughts on Thailand after this first week. I have deeply fallen in love with this country and have developed a great deal of respect and understanding for the people, the culture, the people's love for their king, and the king himself. I am tempted to change out my plane ticket and stay here this next year, but shhhhh don't tell my parents.
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