Hannah’s Weblog

Where to start…on days like these I seriously struggle to know write….I struggle because I am scared that if I don’t write then I will forget, but I needed the time in this case to go over the day in my mind..Then I wrote it in my journal and only now can I share it with you.

Friday Kim and I were invited to join some of  the teachers on their monthly home visit. The teachers had a form which they had to complete with info such as, does the family rent or own? do they share or live as one family? Are the parents present? Considering I have been in Surin now over 6 weeks, and have spent 5 weeks teaching at this school it was on this day when I finally got to know the teachers and get beneath the surface of this school. I finally realised how much these wonderful teachers do for their students and how much they care…. Teachers in Thailand operate as second mothers and fathers, and today I was to see this first hand. Kim and I were so thrilled to have been invited along, and were eager to spend the whole day with the teachers.  Considering ourselves very lucky to have the chance to see how our children live at home.

First stop in the car was Games’ house. Game is such a lovely charming little boy, who was introduced to us as autistic. Well, Ruth definitely proved this otherwise. She took a lot of time working with him, and developed a wonderful relationship with him. She discovered his love for football and also his skill for the game. He shares his house with his mum and dad and little brother. Grandma is also always at hand as she lives next door. When we arrived he ran away shyly but with a huge grin on his face we knew he was happy to see us. We sat with him and his dad (who he has an amazing bond with) and chatted….  Game has such a lovely supportive family and I was happy to see this. His family love him very much and support him in trying to communicate, which apparently he does, but unfortunately in broken Thai.. His grandmother said he loves music and always has it on full blast!!!!Ruth should have been there!!! Next house was Paeng’s, only two houses down the street. She lies with her little brother and her 84 year old grandmother takes care of them. Paeng is in p6 and by far the brightest in the school. Unfortunately though she comes from a broken home…her father, who lives with him is a very intelligent man, but sadly an alcoholic. This was emotional, as her grandmother literally took Kim’s arm and begged her to take Paeng, and look after her. She prays st the temple everyday as she worries what will happen when she is no longer around…..Paeng stayed with us all day, helping the teachers and joining us for lunch.

Across the street and down a little path was another story to be told. A much happier story. This story belonged to Lek, Nga and their sister from P5 Neang! Adorable, very smart children whom are among my favourites. They live with their parents in a nice house, their grandmother and aunties and cousins, all live nearby. It was great to see them in their causal clothes, barefoot and comfortable and again they were so happy to see us!!! We said goodbye after a short chat and got back in the car. While we were driving away I spotted Aum from P5, so asked if we could stop. He was sat in a hammock wearing a skinny white vest, a little bored with only the company of his grandmother and stoned uncle. He took us down another street to his house. Well, I have never seen anything like it. A huge house with so much potential, however it was built on low ground, so for the past year the entire ground floor has been flooded.  Unfinished, flooded and practically empty. We didn’t/couldn’t go in. But we chatted with his uncle. Aum’s dad owns a flavoured ice drink cart, so is out all day everyday selling this. Aum seems to spend a lot of time alone… All I could think, was what can i do? how do we help with this…A new wall, some drainage? Something has to be done. This kind of stagnant water breed disease, and I dread to think what could happen. After Aum’s house and a short drive we walked into the heart of the . I was surprised how closely these children all live together. Not only classmates but neighbours. We visited lots of homes. Some, like Pop’s were lovely, with big t.v’s and internet, others like little Nut (who was a monk) are nothing more than a wooden room built on stilts covered in corrugated iron. It was such an eye opener as I just didn’t realise our students were so poor, and had so little. It was heartbreaking.  Ploy and her sister also live with their grandmother, both parents having left. Toey’s parents left her when she was 2, so she was brought up by her auntie, it seemed a pattern was emerging….absent parents, in particular, mothers… We continued round the village surrounded by our students, and next was the poorest family. Nothing could have prepared me for it. I mean, I have seen some horrendous poverty in my life but never has it been someone I know. I taught these boys everyday at school, and had no idea this is what they went home too. This was the home of  Taem and his brothers. There are 7 of them in their family and they all live in one tiny room. The floorboards don’t meet, and their bedding is piled in one corner where the kitchen also is. Bathroom? no I didn’t see one. When it rains the badly constructed corrugated iron doesn’t work and it leaks terrible.  Taem’s youngest brother was sick as he hadn’t had enough food……it was really tough, as the children milled around eager to get their photos taken. For us to see it was heartbreaking, but the children seemed happy, and proud o show us around. To think I was teaching these children. My only concern being that they learned something and behaved, some of what I saw, definitely explained some of the behaviour that I had seen. No wonder when they get to school they are always wanting to be touching and close with eachother. No wonder Neui cried when Hayley threw away his snacks….things started to fall into place I guess…..

Soon it was time to leave. The teacher’s had said there was one more visit, a little boy from P1, Not. He lived on the main road in a nice big house. His parents run and owned a very busy restaurant, so he had money. But what he gained in one way, he lost in another. He lived farther from the others, so had no friends to play with. His parents worked all day everyday feeding the hungry people of Surin so they didn’t have time to sit with him. No doubt little Not is truly loved and cared for, but he was lonely…Seriously, was there any perfect solution? I sat and played cards with him for a while, to give him a break from clearing the tables. I mean, he is 7 years old. It was an emotional day to say the least. An amazing experience that I am glad I had, and getting to know the teachers (two of whom speak amazing English!! What? I didn’t know this!)  and they even treated us to lunch.

It was a day of opening eyes and creating bonds. A day that will stay with me forever and will maintain a poignant part of my trip. A day that has made me  look at my new students in a completely different light. A day I will never forget………

Well this week has been a little strange for a number of reasons. I arrived back to Surin form Siam Reap Sunday evening to the welcoming faces of lots of new voluteers! I think there are 12 of us at the moment. I had so much to say, they had so much to say….we ent for a beer and it was a nice welcome back

Monday most of them went to the elephant village for the week. So immeadiately it was back to 4 in BIG C house, Hayley, Kim and I (teachers) and Fatima. Then Amanda, who I briefly met last night, but lives in another house. So it’s been a quiet week. Quiet without Ruth who I miss dearly, and quiet as I haven’t been too well, so I have been trying to keep it low key. School was great as usual, Kim spent the week observing my classes and taking in the students and their ability. Hayley, well has been Hayley This was my last week though, and today was my last day. Apple had a rranged for the principal and some of the teachers to observe me today, and seeing as I spent most of yesterday sleeping with a cold flannel on my face I was a little nervous. No doubt however that I couldn’t preform and give the students a great last day. I woke up early this morning to prepare, and I didn’t have the enegy last night. Apple had wanted me to show the teachers some of my teaching techniques and games, so I basically prepared a revision lesson of all the lessons I had taught over the past 5 weeks……

The pace was fast and the children were on TOP form! It was such a great way to end my time at this adorable little school. I was so happy that they had remembered and stored all the vocab, forms and language that I had been teaching. Nothing beats that feeling when you know you have done a good job and been appreciated. I have had my ups and downs with the teachers at this school, but today they seemed to enjoy my classes. Infact most of them were participating in the class, repeating the language and learning some English themselves…seriously Priceless.

After the first lesson, the Principal has prepared a certificate for us!!! hahahha If only I could convey how excited Ruth and I were about our last certificates, I wish Ruth could have been there to recieve hers….. Not only certificates, but gifts!! Loads of gitfts!!! It appeared that Miss Paeng had arranged this and the students had bought in their most beloved cuddly toys and silly cartoon gadgets to give o me! WOW I was blown away. Unfortunately Hayley didn’t make it in today, so didn’t get to recieve hers, but she nearly cried when I gave them to her later on. P4 were also dreams today, they had so many drawings and pieces of paper painstakingly folded into hearts it was wonderful.

Ok so I might well up again. What a day

Tonight all the volunteers are off to Ko Samet for a weekend of beach fun. I was tempted, but feel I should get my energy back for my new school starting on Monday. Kim is staying too so we are going to treat ourselves to some pizza and a salad bar tonight at Surin Plaza!!! mmmm Can’t wait!!!  I think this weekend I am going to spend one day at an English camp, hopefully get to visit my students homes tomorrow with the teachers and maybe even a silver village with Da and Sugar….so it’s still going to be pretty hectic!!

So, as I think I may have already said I had the week off school so decided to join Ruth in Cambodia. Surin is in such a great location to travel to neighbouring countries, and it only too us an hour and a half to get to Chong Jom, the Cambodian border. The visa cost 1000 bhat, and it took a while to negotiate a price for a car to take us to Siam Reap. This isn’t a popular route into Cambodia, as the roads are really bad, so ther were no buses, we had no choice but to take a private car. This cost us another 1800 bhat Once again, crossing the border into Cambodia, the landscape dramactically change… The earth reddened and the foliage became more reminicent of a jungle. Over grown and dence the churned up road took us deeper and deeper into the widerness….2 hours into the jorney I discovered that they drive on the right. The off road dirt track that took us the majority of the way didn’t have a left or right, just a who’s driving fastest in the biggest car mentality!

So it was only 3 hours to Siam Reap….So close to Surin, yet an entire world away… Siam Reap didn’t feel like the real Cambodia I was yet to discover… Due to the world class temples and the infamous Angkor Wat Siam Reap has transformed from a sleepy town to a spralling tourist trap. Unlike other places I have been this wasn’t just a backpackers destinations, this was somewhere people could fly into and out off. Therefore there were families, and couples on romantic holidays…this is not to say that I didin’t fall in love here, but it wasn’t what I expected at all. 5 star hotels lined the dusty dirt main street. Gucci shops competing with petrol carts, street children with rich boutique style living, French restaurants with local $1 noodle shops. Reminiscent of Bombay, the way that the rich sit comfortably side by side with the poor. A coexistance, and crazy juxtaposition that makes this place pretty unique.

So we settled into our lovely guesthouse. 24 hour free internet, a nice relaxed bar and restaurant on the roof, and a sociable open planned entrance. We dumped our stuff and went to explore.We spent 7 days here in total. Two of which we dedicated to exploring the temples of Agkor. Angkor Wat was simply breathtaking, and everything I had hoped for. James and I spent hours exploring the nooks and crannies of the largest religious building in the world. We enjoyed sunrise there, and also sunset. It was incredible, and way bigger than I could have imagined. So we hired a tuc tuc for the day, and he waited patiently for us to explore one temple complex before he drove us to the next. Highlights for me were Angkor Wat, the famous Ta Prom, where Tomb raider was filmed, Bayon, where the four devine faces of Avalokiteshvara VII face north souh east and west in their majestic state of meditation, Elephant terrace and Prasat Preah Khan. Another thing that I loved about this place was the amount of wonderfully mature trees, and areas of open green parks. It was enchanting zipping around by tuc tuc through this ancient wonderland.

Ruth and I spent the next week chilling Cambodian style. We met some really cool people which included some lovely Cambodian guys. They showed us a really good time at Mr Grill and one day took Will and I to a remote village. It was truely magical. During rainy season you reach this village by boat as it is completely swallowed by the water. But as the river has retreated this month, we had to try and make it along the incredibly delapidated road. Seriously, ‘road’ is a generous word. I am greatful we were on mopeds, as no other means of transport could have crawled along the dirt path. It was as if a giant mixer had churned it up, and them the sun had set it solid….crazy times. The village was also an amazing sight. As the river wasn’t near, the houses stood 3 metres up in the air. I would have loved to see it in rainy season, when boats are how you get around. Will, T Narith and I enjoyed a lovely relaxing day with one of their dear friends. We drank beer, and I took a nap after luunch. I even took a shower as the heat was crazy crazy! It was a once in a life time experience sitting with these people of this truely Cambodian village. I was so happy to have had the chance to see the real Cambodia…..

Well, I am not completely sure where to start! I have had the most amazing 10 days travelling with my friend Ruth. We were planning on a weekend in Laos, and it turned out my school closed for the week, so I ended up going with her to Cambodia aswell. So little time, such an incredible experince. The more I travel the more I am realising that the people I meet are sooo important to my experience there. Of course the place is always first and foremost, but this trip and my memories of this trip have been truely affected by the people I was fortunate enough to meet. Ruth and I were so lucky as we met some great travellers who helped make my mini trip unforgettable.

We started last Thursday. we took a train, a bus, a truck and a mini van to get across the border to Southern Laos. 4 000 Islands was our destination, and it was worth the trek! The Great Mekong river unusually splits, weaving and winding and surrounding these 4 000 islands. We stayed on Don Det, the smaller of the inhabited islands… We took a long narrow boat from the mainland…sitting so close to the chocolate coloured river. We spent the next few days chilling out. At first it was difficult doing nothing, as we had been so busy teaching, it took us a while to be able to relax….well I say a while…not too long. Before we knew it we were chilling in hammocks, drinking ice cold beerlao and enjoying the sleepy laos way of life. Laos is so different from thailand. I mean what I have seen of it. Laos is a sleepy, dreamy place. Where people dont bother you, hassle you, they don’t even notice you. Hahah so many times we would have to wake people from their slumped state or from their swinging hammock to get served or to pay for something from their shop. Ruth and I stayed on Don Det 3 nights, 4 days and it was wonderful. We met some really cool Israli guys who we explored the islands with.  We saw rare Irawaddy dolfins, got caught in a mighty storm and shared our room with coackraches!! ha! So the place we stayed was pretty basic, but had everything we needed, two hammocks, the Mekong river on our doorsteps and a secure mosquito net. Mosquitoes though I didn’t see, it was the cockroaches and other creepy crawlies that kept me awake at night. One night we stayed out later than the electricity lasted. So going back to our little hut in complete darkness….we stood on the little wooden balcony and kicked the door open! Without a torch I took out my camera and pointed it into the darkness with the flash! haahhah it was soo funny. Quicky clicking the switch to play and we could see the cockroaches all over the bed!!! Luckily we had tucked the mosquito net into the bed, but they were all under the bed, and climbing on the net!! GROSS!!!hahah…slept well though, and due to the price we were paying, couldn’t really complain!

So Don Det is a tiny island, that you can cycle around in an hour or so. On Sunday however we decided to take a walk, and it was the nicest walk ever. The dusty sliver of a path that surrounds Don det is quiet except the odd chicken that darts in front of you, or a huge butterfly that heads straight for you. We followed the road and wandered taking in the beauty and simplicity of the island life. The palm trees, the blue blue sky, the green rice paddies….so so beautiful and peaceful. We chatted with some women farming, some gorgeous goreous Lao girls, skipping in and out of the water that floods the fields…monks wandered, their bright orange robes lovely against the green landscape….it was a lovely day, and a day I will always remember. Life is good when it’s simple I was sad to leave, and would recomend anyone to go……I can’t wait to explore more of this amazing country and am excited at what is install on my next visit!