My Orientation time in Nongkai

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Sa-waad-dee (Hello)
Today, Saturday 8th September was up and breakfast and then more Thai language learning. Rob, Jordanne and I have lots of laughs - poor Nic he is so patient. At lunchtime, I tried to find the markets. Thought I was heading the right way home, but had to get a tuk tuk as time was running out. Yep, I was going the wrong way. We had an interesting afternoon with Toto telling us about the Openmind start and how it has progressed over the time. Then it was an exciting time for the three of us volunteers as we were handed a piece of paper with the ingredients for tonight's meal written in Thai. We were given some baht and had to go to the market to get our ingredients. My lot was prik (chillies), Ma-keua-tet lek (small tomatoes and Ma-la-gaw (papaya). We were driven to Sven's (the founder of OM) home which is situated on the Mekong River where Meow (our cooking teacher) gave us our instructions to cook the evening meal for 11 of us. It was a great feast and we thought we did pretty well. After the meal we all came back to a local hotel to a karaoke session. I chickened out after about an hour and came back - had to go back as left my camera there.
Today Sunday 9th September - Was a late start with our Thai lessons once more. Slight improvement for me. Then it was a tuk tuk down to the markets - back again and then it was a practice in front of the volunteers of a teaching lesson. It was a lot of fun and laughs. A few of us went for a drink to say goodbye to Jordonne and Robert who were off on the overnight train to Bangkok before going onto Krabi for their volunteering. I went to the station to say goodbye. I will miss them. Then we all went to the Sunday markets. Lots and lots of stalls and it was very muddy. Came back and then Nils, Ilse and I went for a very enjoyable meal and wine at a guesthouse down on the edge of the Mekong River and then it was back to the volunteer house and off to bed - another late night. I was supposed to have gone to my volunteer post but not going now until tomorrow.
Laa-gawn (goodbye) for now.

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Photos

Nongkai
Building seen while wandering around Nongkai

Nongkai
Building seen while wandering around Nongkai

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Buying the cooking ingredients for our cooking class

Nongkai
Working hard in the kitchen

Nongkai
Using the pestle for papaya salad - yum

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The three cooks

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Karoake session

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Saying goodbye to Jordonne and Robert - leaving for the overnight train to Bangkok and then onto Krabi for volunteering

Nongkai
Lots and lots and lots of stalls at the Sunday market

Nongkai 9
Enjoying a very pleasant meal and wine with Ilse and Nils on the edge of the Mekong River