Life is still treating us well here in Fang. The rainy season has finished and Ben is dutiful watering the grass at home with a new sprinkler. Yeh, a real houseman. He is working hard to finalise the handover of the project to Mirror Group. It is going to be less 'hands on' because they are not going to visit the schools each week and that worries me a bit but we just have to trust all will be fine.
Last week we send of 18 kids to school for the first time in their life. This was made possible by the generous donation of my neighbour in Holland. Ineke Vereecken and her Soroptimists club. (http://www.soroptimist.nl/) We are so happy for this because we started of a new pilot with the 6 Lahu kids who are now going to school because of sponsoring from Free Schools. We of course have done this with the intention to slowly expand this but there is no more funds from Free Schools for this. But we just wanted these kids from Ban's school to go to a real school and these ones really needed some help to attend a day school. So the contribution of the soroptimists came at the right time and now we can pay for the car who drives them from and to school. The school is not a government school but the Shan school from Terry Brown I wrote about before. This school is from a NGO for the Shan, Tai ai or Burmese people living here. They learn Thai but also get educated about their own language, history and culture. Most adults are wishing to return one day back to Burma/ Myanmar but most children like life in Thailand because they grew up here. So these kids are now attending that school and are part of that same community which is important. The only disadvantage is that they don't receive papers but by doing a state exam that barrier is over come. With the mirror group involved they can advise the students and parents about this and make it happen. The parents have often no Thai language skills and are not able to get such things organised.
Soon more about the kids and their stories...
The big thing this month was the visit from Paul, Ben's brother, to Fang. He is a pilot and had only a few days in between flights but made the big effort to come and see us. Wednesday last week Ben picked him up in Chiang Mai and we had a nice cup of tea late at night when they got to Fang. The next day, I had to work unfortunately, the brothers went to pay the teachers at the day schools and just hang out together to catch up. I left school early what is most uncommon and we went together to pay the salary of the evening school teachers. We met Kristina and Jon as well for dinner and went home not late to have some time together as well. Paul and his wife Karolina can't come to the wedding because they are expecting their baby on the 7th of Jan! A real shame that they can't make it because we spend some real good time together back in Australia and they are very dear to us. We wish them all the luck for the last month waiting and the time around the arrival of the newborn!
Ben and the other band members of Moments of Inertia are really exited because the recorded songs are now being mastered back in Melbourne! So every week we can listen to another finished song and it's really exited because they so sound good, real good.....
My work is going really well and I get great experience as a educational consultant ;) I teach less hours and are now busy observing the teachers and giving them feedback and talk with them about the observations and the written reports with the aim of improving the teaching standards. Not an easy job because there is not a great deal of self awareness regarding their skills and techniques and no one really understand about 'reflecting' and 'critical thinking'. I do my best to help them see their 'blind spots' and help them grow as teachers. Days are really long and still there is no change in the schools policy about having a break to relax a bit... :( The Thai friends think I'm crazy to choose to work at this very strict school but I think the experience has been most valuable. I have all freedom to do and try what I think can help the school which is great.
The wedding is all organised and now we need to look after the small details. The bus is finally confirmed, last week it was not yet possible but this week it was ok!.. Still all is a bit unknown but we have Som Deaw as our wedding planner so all will be fine. He even delegates things to other people, we just love to see it all coming together.
I had a Thai dress in making and yesterday I organised another one which is more suitable for the evening. I went with Kristina shopping for fabric last weekend in Chiang Mai. She was so sweet to have patience with me and my not developed sense of fashion... knowing she was a model and is right out there with the 'cool trendy people', she just adapted to my more simple style. Just great! She bought me brides magazines to pick a dress which I like and that one will be ready in in a week. My friend Malfried, from Fang, went with me to the shop to explain in detail what I wanted so now we just have to wait!
Take care dear friends and family and we will see most of you really soon now!!! We can't wait!!!
Last week we send of 18 kids to school for the first time in their life. This was made possible by the generous donation of my neighbour in Holland. Ineke Vereecken and her Soroptimists club. (http://www.soroptimist.nl/) We are so happy for this because we started of a new pilot with the 6 Lahu kids who are now going to school because of sponsoring from Free Schools. We of course have done this with the intention to slowly expand this but there is no more funds from Free Schools for this. But we just wanted these kids from Ban's school to go to a real school and these ones really needed some help to attend a day school. So the contribution of the soroptimists came at the right time and now we can pay for the car who drives them from and to school. The school is not a government school but the Shan school from Terry Brown I wrote about before. This school is from a NGO for the Shan, Tai ai or Burmese people living here. They learn Thai but also get educated about their own language, history and culture. Most adults are wishing to return one day back to Burma/ Myanmar but most children like life in Thailand because they grew up here. So these kids are now attending that school and are part of that same community which is important. The only disadvantage is that they don't receive papers but by doing a state exam that barrier is over come. With the mirror group involved they can advise the students and parents about this and make it happen. The parents have often no Thai language skills and are not able to get such things organised.
Soon more about the kids and their stories...
The big thing this month was the visit from Paul, Ben's brother, to Fang. He is a pilot and had only a few days in between flights but made the big effort to come and see us. Wednesday last week Ben picked him up in Chiang Mai and we had a nice cup of tea late at night when they got to Fang. The next day, I had to work unfortunately, the brothers went to pay the teachers at the day schools and just hang out together to catch up. I left school early what is most uncommon and we went together to pay the salary of the evening school teachers. We met Kristina and Jon as well for dinner and went home not late to have some time together as well. Paul and his wife Karolina can't come to the wedding because they are expecting their baby on the 7th of Jan! A real shame that they can't make it because we spend some real good time together back in Australia and they are very dear to us. We wish them all the luck for the last month waiting and the time around the arrival of the newborn!
Ben and the other band members of Moments of Inertia are really exited because the recorded songs are now being mastered back in Melbourne! So every week we can listen to another finished song and it's really exited because they so sound good, real good.....
My work is going really well and I get great experience as a educational consultant ;) I teach less hours and are now busy observing the teachers and giving them feedback and talk with them about the observations and the written reports with the aim of improving the teaching standards. Not an easy job because there is not a great deal of self awareness regarding their skills and techniques and no one really understand about 'reflecting' and 'critical thinking'. I do my best to help them see their 'blind spots' and help them grow as teachers. Days are really long and still there is no change in the schools policy about having a break to relax a bit... :( The Thai friends think I'm crazy to choose to work at this very strict school but I think the experience has been most valuable. I have all freedom to do and try what I think can help the school which is great.
The wedding is all organised and now we need to look after the small details. The bus is finally confirmed, last week it was not yet possible but this week it was ok!.. Still all is a bit unknown but we have Som Deaw as our wedding planner so all will be fine. He even delegates things to other people, we just love to see it all coming together.
I had a Thai dress in making and yesterday I organised another one which is more suitable for the evening. I went with Kristina shopping for fabric last weekend in Chiang Mai. She was so sweet to have patience with me and my not developed sense of fashion... knowing she was a model and is right out there with the 'cool trendy people', she just adapted to my more simple style. Just great! She bought me brides magazines to pick a dress which I like and that one will be ready in in a week. My friend Malfried, from Fang, went with me to the shop to explain in detail what I wanted so now we just have to wait!
Take care dear friends and family and we will see most of you really soon now!!! We can't wait!!!
2 comments:
dear ben and jildou, it is amazing, beautifull and touching all the foto's and beautifull stories you made. go on with your blogger, it is great!!! see you about 3 weeks in fang!! i can't wait, i look forwards to see you both again. much love corry
Dear Jildou,
This blog is FANTASTIC. so rich in information, colour and imagery.
You have done a remarkable job.
It make me feel so sad if I cannot get to the celebration of the great occasion of matrimonial commitment. I can only hope and pray for healing in the coming week!!
Ben is so fortunate to have you as partner in life.
God bless you both.
Luv,
Jim B
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