Twenty four in Thailand

Trip Start Jun 05, 2008
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Trip End Sep 28, 2008


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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

November, my favorite month in America, was equally awesome here in Thailand, complete with celebrating Americanness in Thailand and my beginning work at a newly established school for children of Burmese refugees.

I have begun working at a school teaching kids of Burmese descent. Many of these kids have recently immigrated from Myanmar with their parent(s). There are approximately 30 kids in the school and range in age from 4 to 13.

In Thailand, the Burmese population, tends to be incredibly poor and unable to afford Thai schools.Some do not know their ages as they don't have proper papers recognizing their birth. This is also a reason why they can not attend Thai schools. While Thai children with proper identification papers can attend Thai public schools, non-Thais must pay. For Burmese who face much discrimination in this country, the cost is unaffordable. Many live off of less than $1 a day and many Burmese children have never been to school before. Some kids, born in Thailand, still can not speak Thai yet.

I teach about 8 of the older kids English and a bit of math. And it's amazing to see their eagerness to learn. Some of them have never attended school and cherish writing in their notebooks, using a ruler to draw the lines, and writing ever so neatly each letter of the alphabet. Along with learning basic english we have an awesome time playing charades, hang man, and various games I've pulled out of the magic game box. The kids have very little and learn/write on the floor of the classroom. But there is so much energy (partially because there are 6 boys of hte 8 kids) and love stumbling over the English pronounciation.

I also was able to celebrate my birthday here in Phuket with a special trip to a day spa with Pilar, the Spanish volunteer here. Later that night we had BROWNIES!!!! (something I had given up for lost here in Thailand) and sang Happy Birthday and the women all gave me gifts which was soooo touching as they have so little and no salary. But they somehow managed to give me bracelets, a Life Home t-shirt, a call in to the local radio to the love of my life DJ Noparat who proclaimed "Crrrrriiistina from Ameeerikca! Haaaapy New Year." Getting it totally wrong, but my day was special and I'm so thankful to have met these brave and amazing women here at Life Home. The kids gave me love and well wishes
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