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Trip Start Jul 27, 2006 Previous
Entry Trip End Aug 2007 Next
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  Huay Ma Lai, Thailand
Monday, April 9, 2007

Not entirely sure where I left off, but I know I was heading to the orphanage some time soon. So, that`s where I`ll begin. Dada, the fellow from the Phillipines who runs the children`s home picked us up at the Burmese Inn. Now he was running about an hour late so some of us walked to the bakery to buy some of this fabulous cheese bread for breakfast. I mean that stuff was good. So Dada, actually picked us up at the bakery. He`s such a wonderful guy. Just so laid back. Anyway, he had only one truck and about 11 of us to bring to the home. I think two ppl could fit in front so there was roughly 9 of us plus luggage in the back of the truck. It totally reminded me of ba-ha-ing down some dirt roads at home. It was hysterical, but boy was it a long ride to balance there. However, we made it without any complications. No lost luggage or ppl! Good thing. There are about 40 kids who live at Baan Dada`s North of Bangkok. And when there are 40 kids around you are bound to get a warm welcome. Which we did! They are the most adorable kids ever

01. Its Windy

. Now most of them dont speak English. But, that really didnt impare any of our communicating. I bonded with one boy quite quickly. We were playing soccer. I cant play soccer for the life of me, but he didnt seem to mind. It was still darn fun. After about 20 mins of soccer he was like lets go to school. He said it in English and took of running. I was like ok so i take off running after him and was like wait, school is about 6k away. Are we running the whole way there?!?! I might pass out!!! And this adorable little boy, just keeps running, and pointing straight ahead saying school, school. Ok, Ok. I can do this. Just pump the arms, breathe in thru my nose out thru the mouth, pace yourself. So we`re running. And we maybe run 1K and we see some kids coming towards us on the road. What he meant was the other kids were getting home from school and were on their way home from the bus stop. Thank goodness. 1K was plenty for a morning jog in 85 degree heat. So we meet up with the other boys coming home from school and yes Jog back thru the jungle. Boy am I glad I was wearing flip flops. That really helped. Just kidding. The kids found it entertaining though. I was a bit clumsy in the jungle. But, this is what I mean. They are just so loving. They want you with them all the time. Its really lovely. Once we got back, there was some time for introductions from the kids who were at school. There were also some volunteers from Australia to meet and two other ALT`s from Japan. We basically spent the rest of the day playing with the kids

02. Swingset

. They got a new swing set from the Australians and this was a pretty big hit. And I must admit a darn fun swing set. There was a slide, two swings, some netting to climb up and over one side and down the other, and rings for some acrobatics. A pretty kick ass swing set if you ask me. Most of my time was spent devising games with the kids on the swing set. One of my favorites (ok the kids liked it too, not just me!!) had two players. One at the bottom of the netting on each side of the swing set. You play paper, rock, scissors, and the winner gets to move up a square in the netting, the first one to get up, over, and to the bottom of the other side wins!! It was hysterical!! Its amazing how easy it is to communicate when there is a language barrier. And how much fun it is!! Then there was a water fight. Then a HUGE Pizza dinner to prepare that night. The other two ALT`s from Japan made pizza dough and Dada provided tons of veggies and whatnot for the pizzas. So our first night there was a pizza bonanaza!!! The kids loved it for sure!! It was definitely a wonderful wonderful first day at the home. The next morning and afternoon was mostly spent sightseeing with Dada. Almost all the kids were at school so we had some time to kill. The other two ALT`s (Erin and Sonia) and also a girl named Daniella who arrived later in the night, and I went for a walk in the morning. A long, long walk! It was fantastic. We stumbled upon a lagoon area, and many varieties of fields, and plants, and flowers, and rubber tree plantations, and a strange hike up a road in the middle of the jungle that didnt really lead anywhere

03. Just Adorable

. Well, we decided that it has been a good long time so we should head back since we didnt want to miss the ride into town with Dada. We were going to the local market. I was pumped. If there is one thing I love it is markets with fresh fruits and veggies, and whatever other random stuff you can think of. It was fantastic. And everything is so fresh, you buy some fruit and they cut it up for you right there and you eat it, fresh and warm by the sun. Simply amazing. I tried actual coconut milk for the first time. You choose your coconut for like maybe 10 cents, the guy cracks it open for you and gives you a straw and you drink it right there. And it was so good! Im not usually a big fan of coconut but this stuff was delicious. I guess Ive just never had the real thing before. Once everyone was satisfied with their market purchases, there was also some internet time. Just a brief stop. But, I really enjoyed this little internet place because there were little lizards running all over the place. For those of you who have been to Florida, they resembled those little guys. Adorable. Then it was off to a temple for a bit. It was a truly amazing gold temple. I cant even describe it. It was just that cool. Ill put up a picture. After that it was about time for the kids to be getting home from school so we headed back to the home. And of course a lot of playing commenced. My friend Im travelling with, Andy, was totally in his element. He has scores and scores of energy. Where he gets it I have no idea. For hours and hours straight he would run around with the kids

04. Andy + Kids

. And when I say run around I mean he really was running the entire time. I cant believe he didnt get heat stroke or suffer from exhaustion. Amazing. Id run for maybe an hour then take a little break and sit with some of the little girls or go help in the kitchen (as much as they`d allow anyhow!) for a rest and then go back out. Before dinner everyone has a shower. The showers are cold so they are done in the afternoon, after school, so its not too cold. Cause it gets cold in the jungle at night. Then some more play time, and shortly after is dinner time, and the younger kids head to bed. Some of the kids have a band, so there is also music time at night where everyone goes to this side house and listens to the band practice for awhile. And then there is some meditation time, probably to try to calm some of the kids down so they eventually fall asleep. Then is chaos again trying to figure out where everyone goes. Which actually doesnt take too long, and then the whole area is quiet. So quiet. By this point all of us volunteers are wiped out! Travelling, and playing all day. So most of us headed back to the volunteer house and hit the hay. But, there were some boys chilling by a fire so Erin and I stopped and chatted with them for a bit. They were in their teens. And spoke very good English. They were so sweet. And it was at this winding down part of the day, that I realized, this is what I love doing. I just wish there was some feasible way to do it full time. Seeing those kids faces just from playing with them for a few hours, or showing them something from home, or giving them something as small as a piece of chocolate or a pen and how it makes their entire day. Is so rewarding. I really wanted to stay there forever. But, there is still two days left. The third day we were at the childrens home was the Village Day/Christmas party. Also Known as Pure Madness day if you ask me. Seriously, it was pure chaos. Fun Chaos. But, 100 percent chaotic. In the morning we prepared games for the children who live at the home, and the children who visit from the villages to play

05. Sonia + Kids

. We also divided out clothes and toys to be distributed to village people. This is an example of just how wonderful and amazing Dada is. Every year, if the childrens home gets many donations and there is too much for them to use, he divides it up and has a village day around Christmas time to help out the villagers. He`s like I know we have little but we still have more than them and too much to use right now and the villagers need the help so I help them. AMAZING. It was so refreshing to meet him and realize there are still ppl in this world who are truly giving and selfless and good. Its something thats easy to forget with all the other terrible things happening pretty much daily. So, thats what the day consisted of.....games like potatoe sack races, the human knot, balloon stomp, a grab the snack game, a water balloon fight, and the kids trying to climb an oiled up bamboo pole to get some baht. Hysterical. We also served lunch to the villagers. After all the games, prizes, gifts, and lunch were finished. It was time to distribute the clothes. Now, I thought the rest of the day was madness. This was even more intense. It really made me realize how little the villagers have because their whole disposition changed and it was how much of this stuff can I get. We had to regulate a little because people who already got a bag of clothes and a toy would try to sneak back in line to get more before everyone had gone thru. Chaos. I made the mistake of leaving a sweatshirt outside and it ended up getting taken by the villagers. It was sad because it made me realize how desperate these ppl actually are. At first I was upset, then I realized how much more they need it than me, and that I can always get another one whereas they cant. It would be impossible. Crazy. Ive never seen desperation or ppl turn so aggressive before over things like clothes. I guess Ive never been around people with such a shortage and an opportunity to get more. It was very eye opening. After that experience, its hard for me to think of all the things I have and that Ive taken for granted my entire life

06. Me + Kids

. As far as American standards go I dont particularily have a lot, but seeing these actually poor people it was an awakening experience to how much I do have and how much ppl take for granted. I wish everyone could have an experience like this. Especially ppl who spend their money on meaningless and frivolous things like plastic surgery, or name brand clothes or ppl who havent had to work for anything in their lives. Because its hard to think of these things when they are so far from our everyday lives. After all the madness of the day got cleaned up and the villagers were on their way home we had our own little Christmas Celebration. There are about 40 kids at Baan Dada`s, and maybe 10 or 11 ppl in our volunteer group. Each member got assigned 5 kids to buy Christmas presents for. Most of the things we bought were necessities like socks and some clothes, but we also threw some toys in there too. Just for good measure. As we were organizing our bags of gifts some cards that had been sent from Japan were being handed out. It was amazing because there were tons of toys to be had and the kids were more into getting the cards at the moment. They were so excited that someone knew their name and made them a construction paper card. All of the cards were in English. So, most of the kids would bring the cards to the volunteers to read. It was so just nice. Really nice. Having the kids sitting on my lap and listening intently to their cards. Its amazing how many kids can fit on one lap!!! Ok. The kids were super patient and now it was present time!

07. Monkon

! MADNESS!!! They were so grateful and excited by the smallest thing. A towel, a tiny personal mirror, pencils, or a geometry set thing. No competition. No thinking someone else was getting more than them. Just pure happiness and excitedness, and thankfulness. It was so touching. Well, it really didnt take them that long to tear through all their gifts and afterwards some of us went to hang out in their bedroom area. They were playing the guitar for us and some kids were doing their homework. Since their school work was in Thai I couldnt really helo them out at all. But, the thing is they didnt care. They just enjoyed that I was laying on the floor next to them and that I could periodically be used as a jungle gym during brief breaks. It was lovely to just to cuddle with them and speak as well as we could. Back to the volunteers house to get some sleep once all the kids are starting to get settled for bed. Our volunteer house is about a two block walk back into a clearing. Its a two story building with two sides to it, like two mini apartments. Each one has: The downstairs has two bedroom areas, a living room area, and a bathroom. The upstairs is a loft type area. So you can sleep quite a few ppl in there. Its made out of cinderblocks I believe. Or whatever, its just a brick and cement building. So nothing fancy, but it does the trick. One creepy ass experience I had was sleeping next to the window upstairs one night. There was a chewed circle in the screen and no way to block. Well, in the middle of the night I hear a monkey or similar animal running across our roof. Fine. That wont fit thru the little hole. But awhile after that I woke up cause in my half asleep state I definitely thought I was cuddling with something furry. Instead of checking for sure I woke up the girl next to me and practically slept on top of her the rest of the night cause it was as far away from the window as I could get. Well, when I woke up in the morning, right below the window were some lovely rodent turds

08. Waiting for Cards and Presents

. I cuddled with a rodent. Fantastic. I guess its better than a poisionous scorpion. But, that was the worst of it. So, nothing too bad. The next day was our last day there. While the kids were at school this day we went on a trek day. This is included a long tail boat ride to a sunked temple, an elephant trek thru the jungle for a bout an hour, lunch outta a plastic bag and some fresh pineapple, then bamboo rafting back to the beginning. What an intense day that was. Hiking in the jungle, crossing rivers to get to bamboo rafts, riding on an elephants head. Seriously exciting stuff. Bamboo rafting was a bit life threatening I think. There are three ppl on a raft. The guide and two others. Sonia and I were on a raft together (we were also on the elephant together). Now we were the two girliest girls on the trip so maybe we should have rethought the whole going on a bamboo raft together with a guide who isnt much older than us and seems a little.......evil. I think thats the best way to put it. He crashed us, purposely like every 25 feet. I mean this started to hurt. I was in the front so I had to hurl myself backwards or sit suddenly on my knees so as to not be catapulted into the pile of rocks he decided to crash us into. Or when he dedided to play bumber rafts with some of the other evil raft drivers. Yeah, I was infront. Who`s idea that was I dont know. But clearly I cant stear a bamboo raft when mad man in the back is pumping as hard as he can so we are flying down this river. Im just glad I didnt fall in cause I really wasnt in the mood to find out there were prihannas there or something

09. Fresh Coconuts

. By some grace of God, both Sonia and I survived. By the skin of our teeth. Glad I did it though. Just wish it woulda been a little more peaceful so we could have enjoyed the gorgeous scenery. Mountains, and Jungle, and Riverlets. Gorgeous. After that adventure it was off to sleep on a floating house with the kids. We slept outside on a river basically on a giant raft that resmebles a living room in a huge house. It was great, but freezing. And dada, Bless him, He`s like I bet you wouldnt have been cold if you had your sweatshirt. No, Dada, you are right. I probably wouldnt have. This became quite the joke for all of us. So, this was a funny conversation. Oh Dada. We got up bright and early and had a tearful goodbye with the kids. It was hard to leave. But off to Bangkok and then South to the beach it is. If anyone is interested in helping out Baan Dada`s check out the website. There are many different ways to contribute. And your donations will be warmly received. Thank you!! Please help them out if you can. www.baandada.org. And here is a link to information with pictures about the kids currently living at Baan Dada`s: http://www.yesicanusechopsticks.com/dada2006/bios/. Try to say no after looking at their adorable faces! Its virtually impossible!! Trust me, I know first hand!

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

10. Gold Temple	11. Here They Come	12. Grab!! Grab!!	13. I want him
14. I love them	15. Long Tail time	16. Sunken Temple	17. Rubber Tree
18. Elephant	19. Bamboo Raft	20. Bat Cave	21. Three Pagodas
22. School of Rock!	23. On Keyboard: Kamal!	24. Rockin Out	25. More Markets!

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