Thai friends and a peek at my daily habits...

Thai friends dancing the night away!

What a party!



Last night, I was invited to attend a housewarming party with some of my Thai friends. Imagine a true Aussie bushdance, but replace Slim Dusty with karaoke to Thai pop music, mung into sticky rice and curry instead of a sausage sizzle, and swap your XXXX for some good ol' moonshine.

I abstained from the latter, just to clarify.

The biggest difference? The Thais are waay more into dancing than us Aussies. [Although I, being the token 'farang' (foreigner), had to comply with the renditions of 3 Beatles songs and endless shakin' of my booty to their Thai music.]

On another topic (because I'm sure the mental image of me moving in an uncoordinated fashion to uber-loud music disturbs you as much as it disturbed me), let me give you a glimpse into my current daily life!

At the moment, I'm volunteering at Chiang Rai Christian Services Centre (or CRC for short). 


Char and Kowaa, both new fathers

 

The super-serious Adjarn Seeton



On  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I spend most of the day with the fun people at the office - in the afternoons, I exchange English lessons for Thai lessons.  My colleagues are Beer, Yu, Kowaa, and Char.   My 'boss' is Adjarn Seeton ('Adjarn' is a respectful term for an older man).  I really enjoy spending time with these guys - on days when I'm free, and they're doing a special program out in the community, they invite me to come along.  For example, last Tuesday (12 Oct), we went to the local prison and did a morning of songs and health education for the inmates there.  

Char and Beer

  

 On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I can choose from a range of activities - hanging with the CRC mob, catching up with my YWAM teammates (who I'll join up with in January), visiting Thai friends in their various occupations, or chilling in a coffee shop and preparing lessons, practising my Thai, and keeping you guys informed!

The weekend just gone, I spent out in Beer and Yu's villages - one night in each, although they are very close together.  It's a surreal feeling, being surrounded by jungle, chickens and many people who don't speak a bar of English. 

Ah, the immersion method of learning a language.  It bites at the time, but I reckon it's helping me out heaps.
 Despite the language difficulties, general confusion and constant uncertainty of what to do/what not to do, I praise God for the cultural insights I'm being blessed with at the moment.  Please pray with me that He will guide me to get involved in what He wants me to do.  Thank God with me that He's given me these 3 months to adjust and learn to communicate!

Ok, yep, that's enough from me.  Check out  my pikkies to get an idea of where I'm living, and some of the people I'm hanging out with at the moment.

My love to you all!



The main road near my house - do not be fooled!
It is rarely this serene!



  

 

The road I live on - pronounced 'Soi Gong Yao'