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Rotary District 6110 Youth Exchange |
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Katherine
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Travelogue |
Photos |
Students: To add a message to your travelogue, email the entry to vicki; she will put all entries online.
Note: Most Recent Entries Appear At the Top
| Date/ Entry Title | Entry |
| more exciting travels
5/18/2005 11:34 AM |
I am back
from the south of
So much is
happening now… and far too quickly!!!!! Tomorrow, the 19th
of May, I will go to the beautiful little country of
In
I will
stay in
At the
moment, I am looking forward to
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Katherine Waters |
| 3/4/2005 | Well, February came and went so quickly--filled with
excitement, the letting go and taking in the ways and woes of Thai.
I think that in this month I finally breathed. Waking up every
morning was a breeze, and I was ready for the adventure. I just let
me be myself, and it wasn't hard to do because I had been here long
enough and could speak enough Thai. February was very sad because during the middle of the month a very good friend of mine, Sam, went back home to New Zealand. He was an AFS student and had attended the same school as me in Chiang Mai. So, for the first half of the month, everyone at school was sad because Sam was leaving soon. Then, the day he left, everyone cried (even a few teachers). And now, we're all sad still because we just get to feeling the fact that he's gone and who knows when we'll ever see him again. It's really just strange without him, but I can't really explain why. Maybe it's like brushing your teeth without toothpaste--something's just missing. And yet, if I had never met him, I would have never known the difference. This is definately not my favorite part of exchange--letting go all the awesome people I meet. Before Sam left, we all just had fun and wished him the best. One day after school, one of my friend's mother took us, Bank and So (two Thais) and Malu, Sam, and myself (three exchange students) to visit a Lisu hilltribe village just on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. There, we stayed overnight to experience the life of the Lisu. The evening was filled with music and traditional dancing because they were celebrating the Lisu New Year. The dancing was done in a circle around a small planted tree. These trees were planted in front of each house in the village, and those who danced were residents of that house. A shaman and a priest stood in the center of the circles to perform a ritual that was said to cleanse the village of the past year's bad elements. They sang a song and chanted prayers accompanied with instrumentation. We joined in the dance for a little while. After that, we tried to talk with some of the tribe members. This was actually quite difficult because the Lisu have their own language, which is very different from Thai, and most do not understand Thai at all. But, those who could speak a little Thai or English (some of the tribe leaders) tried to explain the activites for the New Year and the way of the Lisu. The Lisu are a small hilltribe; there are only about 250,000 left in the world. They are just one of the many tribes in the northern hills of Thailand living as farmers. The tribe we stayed with was actually quite large, with around 750 inhabitants. These people lived very primitively. Lisu make their own clothes. The women wear blue skirts, red blouses, and extravagant turbans decorated with long strands of beads and multi-colored yarn. All this is complemented by profuse silver decorations that cover almost their entire neck and chest. It must be so heavy! Men wore blue pants and red shirts with the same type of turban, but less silver. The dinner they ate consisted of mushy white vegetables and pork with rice. We all tried it, but agreed unanimously that it was bland and not too appetizing. So, later we sat in our sleeping quarters and cooked our instant Mama (spicy noodle soup.) Our showers were very cold and dirty. There was obviously no hot water, so everyone showered rather quickly. The floor was not a floor. It was the cool red earth, so, everywhere you stepped your feet just kept getting dirtier. It was maybe like taking a shower with your feet in a mud puddle the whole time. We slept in a large bamboo hut near the river. Our beds were right on the ground with just minimal padding, a few blankets, and pillows. It wasn't too comfortable, but the sound of the river but you right to sleep--that is, at 4am when everyone finally stopped talking. The air was clean and the sky was full of stars (much unlike Chiang Mai city!) We woke up at 6am, cold as can be because of the breeze off of the river seeping in between the gaps in the bamboo. But, we all had to wake up early and eat quickly to catch the morning elephant riding safari. The two Thai girls were very scared and clung onto eachother the whole ride. Us foreign kids though were loving it and just enjoying the jungle. It was fun! We rode for about 2 hours before returning to the village. After the ride, we went rafting down the river rapids. We all got soaked! And sunburned! But, it was definately a lot of fun. Then, we went home that afternoon. After Sam's departure, we had only a few days left until summer break. The Thais all had to take exams, and Malu and I just kept studying more Thai. Now though, it is break until May. And I have been keeping busy... Two weekends ago, all the exchange students in Thailand got together to teach at an English Camp in Phrae. Phrae is a city about 4 hours (by bus) south of Chiang Mai. There, we taught 100 students (ages 7-15) for 4 days, 8am til 8pm every day. We had divided the students into groups of about 15, and these groups would rotate around to different stations. Each YE was in charge of a station, and each station had a theme. My station was about food. I played a few games with them and had them practice ordering food in English. It was actually very difficult for them. First of all, Thai children are very shy, and, secondly, they simply didn't know very much English. Some knew more than others, of course, but they were all especially shy to talk regardless of whether they knew what to say or not. I had to keep trying and trying to just get them to speak one little word. I told them " Poot. Mai don glua farang. Chan mai gat!" (Speak. Don't be afraid of me because I am foreign. I don't bite.) Usually this got them to laugh and try to speak a little more. Aside from the rotations, I was assigned to a group of students whom I was to help create an English performance that would be shown on the last day of camp. I was assigned to some of the youngest campers, which made things a little more difficult because they didn't have as much knowledge of English as the students in the other groups. But, I asked them what they wanted to do, and, they told me right away. Do you know what they said? They said they wanted to sing and dance to the song 'Old MacDonald Had A Farm.' I said 'OK' and got busy teaching them the lyrics and then making up a dance to go with it. Teaching children is so impromptu! You have to be ready for anything, flexible, and full of ideas and energy. You have to smile! It's exhausting really, but fun. Our performance was definately cute in the end, and just as good as the older kid's groups! I was proud of them. After the camp, I went with some Rotarians and a few of the exchange students to Mae Sigh, a city which borders the country of Myanmar. One of the Rotarians, Elsie, was from Hawaii and had to renew her visa at Mae Sigh. So, after she did so, the few of us who brought our passports (the Rotarians, and 4 of the exchange students including myself) got to cross the border and visit Myanmar for an hour. Myanmar is definately a poorer country than Thailand. There were children begging left and right, and it was not very clean. We rode around in these little motorized carriages, visiting a few shops and a temple. All the women were wearing this strange, bright yellow powder on their cheeks. When we asked bout it, the Rotarians informed us that the women wore it because they thought it made them look beautiful. It was a natural substance that they wore like make up but did not blend in. It was very weird looking. Also, because we were near the border, there were many policemen and guards. I know Myanmar has had some political unrest and conflicts in recent history, but it was almost scary how many men there were with guns. One of my friends, Jakob, had to push me out of the way of a loaded gun that was pointed right at my back! I didn't see it before and was a little freaked out. The man who held it was a policeman/guard and was asleep holding the gun in his lap pointed down at me. Everyone came to and left Myanmar safely though. It was definately an experience I will never forget. Since then, I have stayed in Chiang Mai. I have watched a huge flower festival, been attending yoga classes, improving my Thai every chance I get, and enjoying my summer with my friends. What could be better? Love to all, Katherine |
| 1/19/2005 | The holidays have passed, though it seems like just
yesterday. Ever since the day after Christmas, with the unprededented tsunami incident, Thailand has been busy reaching out its heart to the injured and mourning for those lost. Everyday, my family watches the television where I see new missing people and the rebuilding of the cities destroyed. Over 150,000 people lost their lives and 5,000 or more were Thai. Right now, they have many volunteers, doctors, and other professionals working to straighten up the mess. Today, there was a big ceremony in the south to pay respect to those lives lost. Thousands of khoom loys (floating lanterns) were sent up into the night sky. This was said to be like the setting free of the souls into the heavens. So many people gathered for the celebration, foreigners and Thai alike. Today, I went to visit my host sister's school. It is a Buddhist school, and I wanted to know the difference between it and the school I attend, which is Christian. I only went one day, so perhaps I didn't get the full picture of what those students experience every day that Prince Royal's does differently, but I still noticed many things. The first thing was that their school was beautiful! It had so many flowers blooming around it, a huge water fountain in the middle of the campus, statues of the Buddha, and the children each had their own small gardens. At PRC, we don't have any of this. I think Buddhism influences this alot. Also, classes were more organized and students seemed to pay more attention. This is strange to me because PRC is considered the better school. Another major difference was that we didn't have church in the morning, but instead a Buddhist chant after singing the national anthem. I didn't know the chant, but it sounded nice when everyone said it together. Today was a special day. The Princess of Thailand and the Prime Minister of Singapore came to Chiang Mai. And, I saw them both!!!! We first walked a few miles to meet them at 10am, then found out that they weren't coming until evening, so we walked back to the school. Then, at 4pm, we walked again to the highway where they would drive down and waited 2 hours for them to finally come. They were sitting in the back seats of these golden lemousines. Before and after their cars drove about 20 police cars. The road had to be cleared of regular cars in order for them to pass. All of the students waved flags of Thailand and Singapore as they drove by. I caught a glimpse of Princess Pratetep all dressed up in her expensive blue silk and with her hair done up just perfectly. It is amazing how respected she is, everyone who saw her felt with enormous respect, even me. Pratetep is such a wonderful princess, having created all these projects in order to help Thais all over the country. Everyone says she is just like her father, the King, and maybe someday will take the throne. I guess it was just exciting to see these famous people and wave my flag proudly. It was worth the wait. Last weekend, I helped my host Rotay club with a project. They have been taking care of 14 orphan children whose parents all dies of AIDS over the past years. The club has put forth the money towards their clothing, education, and other living expenses. But, not just given the money, but has seen it through. They come to visit these children often to make sure they are getting what they need. Well, over the weekend, my club brought them all together to play games. I joined in by both instructing some games in English and playing some Thai games organized by the club. It was really fun to just play and laugh with them. The children were aged 9-16 and all looked younger. They were so skinny from not having enough food, but they were much better than they were before Rotary started helping. Well, onward marches a new year! According to the Thai(Buddhist) calendar it is actually the year 2548, which is even harder to believe than 2005, but, I am already getting used to writing it. Katherine |
| 11/25/04 |
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful
holiday! I unfortunately will not get to celebrate Thanksgiving
this year.
Fortunately though, I am currently
celebrating Loy Kratong. It is a holiday on the Buddhist calendar
which lasts 9 days. It started November 19th and will finish on
the 28th this year.
Loy Kratong is probably the most beautiful
of all Thai celebrations. 'Loy' means 'to float' and 'kratong'
refers to the lotus-shaped vessel which floats on the water.
Originally, the kratong was made of banana leaves or the layers of
the trunk of a banana tree or a spider lily plant. A kratong
contains food, betel nuts, flowers, joss sticks, candles, and
coins. One lights the candles and the joss sticks, makes wishes,
and lets the kratong float away with the current of a river or a
canal.
Thousands of people will gather beside the canals and rivers to make their wishes and float their kratongs downstream. One must watch closely too, as the kratong drifts silently downstream, hoping that the candle will not go out. The flame of the candles are believed to signify longevity, fulfillment of wishes, and release from sins. If the flame goes out, it is a sign of bad luck and perhaps the wishes won't come true. Loy Kratong was first celebrated during the 13th century in Sukothai, the ancient capital city. A young queen named Nang Noppamas was believed to have made a small boat containing candles and incense and floated it down the river. Since then, people have celebrated Loy Kratong by floating kratongs downstream. It is believed that floating these vessels is a way to pay respect to ancestors, water goddess, and Buddha.
Also in Loy Kratong, thousands of 'khom loy'
(floating lanterns) drift into the night sky. These large
balloon-like lanterns are released at temples and people's homes
in the hope that misfortune flies away with them.
Already, I have seen many 'khom loys' flying
high into the skies, heard fireworks going off at all hours of the
day or night (so annoying!), and have been helping make
decorations and kratongs. Every Thai family has been celebrating
this week, including my own, but the huge night celebrations will
be this weekend. I look forward to seeing more of this incredible
holiday!
¾ÃØ觹ÕéÇѹÅÍ¡Ãз§ »èÐ
ä»ÅÍ¡Ãз§¡Ñ¹¹¹¹¹++++
------»ÔÂиԴÒ
aka Katherine
|
| Monday,
November 15, 2004 1:52 AM Thai life
|
Well, I’m working on my third month now here in
Thailand.
School started up again on October 26th after our long break. Since then, we have added a new exchange student to our school. So now, there are three of us. Malu is from Germany. She and I get along quite well. It is good to be able to teach her some Thai and show her around the school. Last weekend, I went to Lampang with my host family and Malu. There, Bank had to take a Rotary test for studying abroad next year. Meanwhile, Malu and I were asked to present about our countries to the parents and Rotary test organizers. There was another Rotary exchange student there too, Caime, who presented on Mexico. Each of our presentations lasted much longer than we all expected because, while we tried adding all the Thai we possibly could into our presentaions, we still had to have translators. In my speech, I told the main things that I thought these parents might want to know about where I come from. In a way, we were sort of advertising our countries to the parents so that hopefully they would want to send their children there on exchanges. It was fun. After our presentations, Bank had to be interviewed, so Malu and I just waited til she had finished. I am sure she did well. After spending all day in Lampang, I went home and quickly got ready to go to Boy Band Girl Group (BBGG). BBGG is a huge dance/singing contest for teenagers in Thailand. Almost all schools in Thailand have a band and group to represent their school and participate in the regional competitions. Then, the top 3 bands and groups from each of the 4 regional contests go to the finalist competition in Bangkok. Our regional contest was held at one of Chiang Mai’s largest malls….and it was packed! Not only were there many bands/groups competing, but there were also many people there supporting their friend’s and school’s bands. I came to support the group and band of my school, and I was actually going to be in the competition myself, but, because Bank’s test was on the same day, we weren’t sure if I would be able to make it to the contest on time. Turns out though, we made it back in time to see P.R.C. amaze the crowd. Our GG won 1st place and BB won 3rd overall in the regionals! Which means that now they go to the finalist competitions!! Everyday is a new experience for me. Just the other day I ate fried insects for the first time. That was a shock! I never before thought of eating bugs, let alone three different types. There are actually about 10 kinds here that Thais eat. At first, I didn’t think I could ever possibly force myself to try those disgusting looking creatures, but somehow I managed….And, they were awful!!! The first one I tried was a silkworm, and it took me several minutes of contemplation before I just thought, “What the heck, I’m in Thailand so I can either try it now or never!” After that, I tried a mealworm and a horseshoe, all of which were as digusting as the last, though somehow I kept convincing myself to try them. They were all salty and crunchy. The mealworm tasted like a french fry with legs, the horseshoe was like fried chicken—and with that one, you had to pull the wings back, and the silkworm was basically a ball of salty jelly. EEWW. äÁèÍÃèÍÂÁÒ¡æ!Well, my Thai friends love th em, and even Sam, the YE from New Zealand, admits that they aren’t bad. I don’t guess I have the same taste as my friends, but it sure was an unforgettable experience all the same. ÊÇÑÊ´Õ¹Ò......ᤷ
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| XXXXXX Wednesday, October 20, 2004 10:10 AM
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Sawatdee Jao!ÊÇéÊ´Õ
I have had so much going lately, that I have hardly had a chance to write it all down. There being no school this month, I have spent the last few weeks traveling and exploring this marvelous country. The first week in October I spent in Ubon Rachathani, a city in the northeastern province of Thailand. We (my host mom, Bank, Kwang, and I) took a night bus there and back. The trip was 18 hours each way, which seemed to take forever. It was crowded and stinky on the bus, and the seats were very uncomfortable, so sleeping was out of the question. I had to entertain myself by watching American movies that were poorly dubbed into Thai and listening to the drone of traditional Thai music on the bus radio. The bus only stopped 3 times, each time lasting only 5-10 minutes. One time it was raining, so we weren’t allowed to get out and stretch our legs for 12 hours at one time! But eventually, we made it to Ubon safe and sound….I was so glad to finally get there. In Ubon, I met my host sister’s mother, stepfather, and half sisters, Ben (11yrs) and Bill (10yrs). We stayed at their house for a few nights, then at a very nice resort that Bank’s mother owns. Ben and Bill were very nice. Bill entertained us all with her stuffed cow “Woowa”, and the two girls kept trying to teach me new Thai words. It was so great to meet more of Bank’s family. Ubon’s cuisine is much different than Chiang Mai’s. We ate a lot of fish, other seafood, and hot, sour soup. Once, we ate Vietnamese (nam ngun) food at a very nice restaurant with live music. Another night was spent in a floating restaurant that looked over the river to Laos. The resort was we stayed at was really nice. Kwang, Bank, and I enjoyed swimming in the huge pool, Thai aromatherapy massages, and drinking many kinds of fresh fruit smoothies. I got a little sunburned on my face, but it went away after a few days. After my trip to Ubon, I had one day at home to wash my clothes and pack them again for my next journey….RYLA camp in Sukhothai. RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) camp was 5 long days spent in the jungles just outside a city located northeast of Chiang Mai called Sukothai. Attending the camp were about 300 Thai students and our pitiful little group of 10 exchange students (YE). Our bus from Chiang Mai arrived in Sukhothai around lunchtime (the trip was about 5 hours), but most people didn’t get there until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. When everyone had arrived, we all attended a very long orientation meeting and learned some silly “sawatdee” camp songs. Throughout camp, us YE remained very confused. At first, we were supposed to split up and do all the activities groups with only Thai students. But then, the camp leaders and YE met together and decided that the YE could stay together in one group for activities. I wanted to stay with the Thai so I could learn more, but I also thought it would be good get to know the other YE better and share about our experiences in Thailand. I couldn’t make up my mind where to go so I decided to go some of the time with YE and some of the time with the Thai. It was more fun with the Thai in some ways, even though I couldn’t understand everything that was going on. One day, we went on a hike through the jungle and had to look for certain leaves, edible vegetables, animals that were drawn on signs, and rocks. I was confused in many ways….like, is this edible? But, I still had fun trying to help and learn about the nature of Thailand. Another activity included a bicycle hunt in a huge temple complex of the old city. We had a map and had to find certain places where letters were hidden. When we found all the letters, it spelled out the word LEADER. I had lots of trouble understanding the map, but with the help of some friends, I was able to participate and actually have some fun! The worst part of the camp for me would have to be my being nearly eaten alive by insects. I cannot count how many mosquito bites I now have covering my ankles. And the ants…oh my gosh! One night, I was walking along and my shirt got snagged on a thorn bush. As I brushed the branch away, one of its leaves flew into my face. Then, all of a sudden, my face started burning. I wasn’t sure what had happened and it was very dark, so I asked Bank if there were thorns or something on my face. Then, she screamed, “No, no, no, it’s Animals!” Then, I immediately started brushing off my face.…I had no idea what “animal” could possibly be burning my face so bad. Well, it turns out that this leaf that hit me had four ants on it. These ants were not ordinary ants either, like the little ones who eat the crumbs off the floor in Bank’s room. No. These were huge, red, warrior ants that bit my face so hard with their acidic saliva-spraying pinchers that it bled. My face burned for days, and I had no medicine to put on it. One of the YE asked if the red marks on my face were from being punched; I looked and felt so awful. Eventually, it stopped burning and the red marks turn ed into scabs. I was worried about scarring, but now I think I will be okay. Time is a good healer. Since camp ended, I have been enjoying my last week of vacation at home in Chiang Mai. Today, I went with Malu, the newest YE from Germany who will be joining me at Prince Royal’s, and Bank to see the movie ‘Garfield’ in theaters. It was a very cute movie. All cat people should definitely see it. And, if you’re not a cat person, Odie’s very cute too, so you still might like it…anyways, I recommend it. Well, school starts up again on the 26th. I can’t believe this month’s nearly over. That means I’ve been here 2 months already!!! Amazing!!!! Laogergan, Katherine àसÃÕ¹
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| Tuesday, August 24, 2004
10:07 AM rong rian |
I have just gotten through my second day at Prince Royal's
College(PRC). It is, as you would expect, very different from
Eureka schools. But, it is even more different than I expected. I
take most classes that Bank has except, I am taking beginning
Thai, Thai cooking, Thai farming, and I get to teach 3rd grade
English. Other than that, I take French, English, Social, and
Ethics. And my schedule is a bit different each day.
A major difference between PRC and Eureka schools is that everyone
has to wear uniforms. The girls wear a dark blue skirt and light
blue button-up shirt. The shirt has red letters that say P.R. on
on side and your name on the other side (all in Thai). Also, You
must wear your hair up in a ponytail with a blue ribbon, a PRC
belt, and black shoes. That is just the normal schoolwear. There
is also a physical education uniform, which you wear all day when
you have P.E. Boys wear the same kind of shirt as the girls and
shorts. Unlike the girls, however, boys are required to take 3
years of military training (10th-12th grades). And, they, of
course, parade around in their camoflauge uniforms and get to skip
classes for training.
Every Monday the boys leave in the late morning for training, so
the girls have a short day. Our school day ends about 1:30 on
Monday. Other days, it can last until 3:00 or so.
Another major difference is that there are snack vendors
everywhere on the school campus. There are places to buy sweet
drinks, which you drink from a plastic bag. And hot food that is
cooked right in front of your eyes--omlets with rice, chicken,
meatballs, ect. Also, Milo is really good. Chan chop milo. It is a
drink, sort of like a chocolate slushie with sweet milk and
chocolate cereal at the bottom. And the cafeteria food is great
too! Everyone eats all the time...
The classrooms--are huge and loud! About 50 students learn in each
of them. So, the techers must speak through a microphone to be
heard. People talk amongst themselves left and right about all
kinds of things. Except for in the special classes I take with
Sam, the only other foreign exchange student. He is from New
Zealand and has been here about 4 months already. We are the
fareng (foreigners).
Also, before the first class, students must attend church. Very,
very different. It is a Christian church on campus, and we have
hymnal booklets in Thai. We sing and listen to the speaker, which
I cannot understand. It lasts about 20 minutes.
English is great because I get to help everyone. Today, the
students had to describe different foods using adjectives to form
a short sentence. (ex: Curry is spicy. Cake is delicious.) Then,
they had to decide which foods in a list contained protein. I had
to give the answers, which was easy, and listen to a few people
groan who didn't get it. After school, I had few students ask me
to help them study for their English vocabulary test. I glady
helped them since they have been helping me with Thai.
School lasts from 7:40 am- 3ish pm. Except Monday, which is
specified above. But it is weird because after classes end,
students will still hang around campus for a few hours to be with
their friends. No one leaves until they have to. It's very unlike
in Eureka where everyone darts out the door as soon as they can.
Tomorrow, at 7:30, I will attend a Rotary meeting with my family.
I have been asked to introduce say a little about myself. So, I am
going to attempt to do that all in Thai. Then, Thursday morning, I
will speak in front of the whole school. I have written a speech,
I just have to work some more on the pronounciation, so I say what
I mean.
Hope all is well back at home. I will write more later.
Love, Katherine
|
| Thursday, August 19, 2004
9:56 AM Sawasdee ka! Hello from Chiang Mai, Thailand!!! |
Hi Everyone! I just reached Chiang Mai about 3 hours
ago. This morning I flew into the Bangkok airport at 1:00 a.m.,
which was a lot later than I should have gotten in because my flight
had a layover in Tokyo for longer than the expected time. Well, my
first flight ever and I didn't get lost or get on a wrong plane, so
I'd say I'm doing okay...I met so many interesting people on the
planes and in the airports. I sat next to Sarah on the way from
Minneapolis to Tokyo, and that was awesome. It was good to know
someone on my first couple flights... I stayed over night in Bangkok with Sirirat at her friend Ahn's house. Ahn and Sirirat showed me some of the city, including Wat Phra Keow and The Grand Palace. Suay maak! (very beautiful). The wat was built around 100 B.C. during the reign of Rama 1. The buildings are mostly made of pure gold, but some had stone that was brought from China too. When I got to the wat, I had to rent special shoes (1 00 baht) and socks (15 baht) to enter because it is disrespectful to wear flip flops (which I was wearing) or any type of shoe that does not cover your whole foot in the temples. I have just had my very first real Thai meal. I am staying with Penpat, my host counselor, for the first few days I am here. She cooked both sticky and fried rice to go with baked chicken, pork and nickers, cucumber, sugar apple, a curry, luffa, and fresh okra. I had some pad thai in Bangkok (which is very different from American pad thai), but that was not a traditional Thai meal. Anyway, tomorrow Penpat is going to take me around Chiang Mai. I am to get my uniform soon too, because my first day of school is Monday. In Chiang Mai, however, students start school May 17. So, I am kind of coming mid year, but that will be alright. In the Chiang Mai airport, Sirirat met me first (she flew there also but on a different flight), then I met Bank (host sister) and her friend from school, my host mom, Sirirat's sons Poom and Pipe, and Penpat. They were all very nice. I must say that things here are very, very interesting. Especially showers. At Ahn's, there was a bucket underneath a faucet. So, you have to fill up the bucket first, then, you scoop water out and splash it over yourself using a bowl. It is a great way to save water, but it confused me at first. I see that Penpat's shower is different from Ahn's, so I will have to learn how to use it...Also in Thailand, people drive on the opposite side of the road and the driver sits on the right side of the car. Everything is just so different and incredible. I still don't completely believe I am half way across the world from my home, but I am. It is so exciting and have so much to learn! Love, Katherine |
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Awards |
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Boy Band Girl Group (BBGG) |
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Boy Band Girl Group (BBGG) |
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Cleaning |
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Halloween |
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Halloween |
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Malu n Kat |
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MEE Cake |
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Mee 17 |
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