Hey all. I'm back from Chiang Rai. (; Miss me? Yes. Say yes because I bet you do.
My feelings in overall: At first I was kind of uncertain of this trip. Firstly, as a texting and computer maniac, I will have to not use any of those or not use it all the time for about 6 full days. I was also uncertain because it is my first trip without my parents and I'm scared. ): Next, No shopping and movie marathon. Yup. But after meeting the children at the home and like playing with them, I realised, I was really fortunate and how paranoid I was just because of not being able to facebook and text all day. -__- They could basically, survive without a phone and instead, spend their time playing games and talking to each other. The kids, too do not have enough money to shop and watch movies. I doubt that there is even a cinema. Besides, eating ice cream is like unending joy or blessing that God has given them. I really want to go at the end of this year and every year like some people who were with us. After seeing the kids enjoying the simplest thing in life, I seriously wonder, Why do I worry all the time? Eating icecream = gaining fats = no free icecream. Why do I have to think so much all the time and feel uncertain in the first place? The kids don't even complain about their life and why do we have to complain about ours? Farming was fun too. Dude, don't despise farmers. It was really great farming. Like after clearing all the land and all. Its like the home don't farm for themselves. Sister Bernard actually decided to like farm and sell so that she can support the home. Besides, I feel more accomplish than getting an A1 for Chemistry. I mean, really. I'm serious. Reason being its all about helping them. Clearing land after land. Its not all about me and me and me and my good results and me, benefiting my ownself. Its about benefiting 75 hungry children.
The happenings...
Saturday 12 March 2011
(from the plane flight, all were bullshit. Took pictures all the way and sat with Vivian on the plane. Food was great)
It all began like this, I reached the place at 12mid night. The teenage kids came and greet us. Our dormitory was well cleaned up and ready for us to use. Our toilet was so polished. After unpacking our rubbish, and all, changing to shorts, brushing our teeth. We were all ready to embrace the coolness, the cuddly blankets, the hard pillow (with our pillow) and slept at probably 2am Thai time. So it was actually Singapore 3am. So late right? Oh, I forgot to say, father drove us to the home and it was a 2hour journey. It was really bumpy. Before that, he brought us to buy prepaid, go big c to buy stuff for the little kids and provisions for ourselves. We bought loads of food and balls and all. Spent almost like 1000 bht there. <<<<<<<So cool right... Yes, I know.
Sunday 13 March 2011
Rise and Shine babe. The rooster made so much noise at 5am that I woke up and stoned till 6am before washing up. Breakfast was at 8am and followed by mass. BREAKFAST WAS SO FREAKING GOOD. Its like finger linkin' good. It was then followed by mass which was really good too. In Thai and in English. Looking at the children singing loudly and everything... Vehement voices, sincere heart, seriously, the kids are really amazing. In Singapore, we don't even sing. After that was sister bernard talking to us, followed by lunch with my buddies, DUANG JAN AND MONGKHUN! After that was a hardcore game session and little kids like titichai run so fast! GOSH! Then after that was R&R and wenxin and I slept for like 30minutes and then bathed by washing hair at the sink! Then was dinner and followed by reading programme and all.
I found the people there really try things from the bottom of their heart, enjoying the simplest thing in life.. But then, why can't we?
Monday 14 March 2011
Its a beautiful day, when the rooster cocks. (in a tune of marry you). Had breakfast and started farming! I feel so buff and macho because I get to hold the thing and help the kids with their chores by clearing the weeds since its farming season. So the kids were like laughing at me? ): But never mind! If I would live that day all over again, I want to farm more. And help the kids complete their chores, so sister Bernard can farm and sell the food and use the money to give children treats and for their education. At night was playing games and the dishes was so fun! We went out to the provision shop nearby in the afternoon and.... the things there were really cheap. I didn't buy much though.
Tuesday 15 March 2011
We went to the village childcare center and played with the little kids. They were so cute and the village childcare center was quite poor thing and all because the kids are so deprived of playing and the condition was so run down. ): Then after that, we went to the village school to give the books and saw a naked boy! Then we sang songs for the old people and gave provisions to them. Xenia and I went into their house and we felt really fortunate because we have proper conditions while they don't. Which was quite sad. The light = might was well, don't switch on. The stove was wood and all. The bed was not bed. Its wood. After that, when we went back, we started farming and then we cleared almost everything but there were thorns and it kind of hurt. It started pouring and then we washed up. How about blasting music on loud speakers and dancing in the toilet? At night, we chatted with our buddies and became 'pedos'. I love reading programme. It make me feel like crying because the children actually TRY their very best to learn English, to try pronounce the words, to try remember the words. Another thing, nature keeps calling me! That night, sam, vivian and I choreographed Marry you for finale night. And it was like a joke. :|
Wednesday 15 March 2011
I FINALLY SHITTED. I was quite disappointed that it rained really heavily that day because I wanted to go to the Laos market. But this gives us more time to prepare for a good show for finale night. My group too had difficulty choosing song for second item even though first item is done up. So we then finally managed to chose one and choreograph it before dinner. And we all didn't bathe. Gross and dirty pigs because it was so cold. But we changed and used wet wipes. Reading programme was great and if I could live my day all over again, I hoped that it will not rain and that I want to play with little kids.
Thursday 16 March 2011
It was the last night in Chiang Rai. It rained the whole day that we didn't get to do much. The kids put up the great show and I hope we, too put up a great show for the kids. It was really sad. Even though my buddies and I didn't talk much but finally managed to get a warm hug and even cheeky MongKhun 2 was willing to smile and finally take a nice picture with me. I can tell that the kids put in a lot of effort. Even the break dance to sorry sorry. It was really great! I learnt to be really appreciative. I feel that they appreciate the slightest thing in life whereas I don't. Sister talked to us, its all about LOVE. LOVE is so great that we are willing to do many things. Its so easy to love the children there but is it so easy to love the people back in Singapore no matter how annoying they are? It was really touching when the kids and sister came round to hug us and all. Duang Jan told me in english don't cry. And my mongkhun 2 gave me a fish balloon and asked me to play with him. It was so touching. I just started crying when sister came to hug me and she is so warm and loving. As humble as ever. Many things happen with the word LOVE. I would really want to play the games (if you realised, I don't play the games) because I like to see the kids laughter and how they enjoy themselves. If I could turn back the clock.... (shit, I'm starting to get teary and all now)
On my last day, that very morning... Bye Chiang Rai. hugged my buddies, waved to my buddies like crazy doing the ILOVEYOU sign and all... Off I go back to Singapore.
Chiang Rai'11. I'll miss you so much. So so much because I have learnt a lot from the word LOVE, I have learnt how to appreciate the slightest thing in life. I learnt so many things that I can never learn in Singapore despite countless of community involvment project I do, despite how many service learning I do. I learnt many dirty secrets of Wenxin that my eyes burn every night. Sam's fart. Lizzie's problem of not being able to shit. Sister's warm hug. The children's sly moves in playing monkey. Ponsak and Vuttichai high score in playing fruit ninja. Using a cat as the net while playing badminton. And everything. If I have the chance. I'll go up to Chiang Rai at the end of the year and accompany the kids for 1 week. I'll farm for all I want. I'll wash the dishes and bump butts and sing songs with Sam, Wenxin and Vivian and many many other people. I'll spam the word 'tai roup' (take picture), 'lor'(handsome), 'narak' (cute) and 'suai'. (pretty) I'll do everything and even help the villages and little kids. Some day, I hope, this year, I'll go back there.
I guess, the kids are going to sleep now. Hope they don't feel cold, have a good sleep and nice dream. Be full and all. Its bed time.
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