Volunteering in Thung Fon

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September 10th 2007

Published: October 4th 2007

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TravellingBrenda2013

In Hanoi

Having a leisurely ride in cyclo around the streets of Hanoi

Now 4th October -
Well, it has been awhile since I have been able to have access to internet to bring you all up to date with my travelling/volunteering. Where I am staying at Thung Fon is beautiful and the kids at the school are just gorgeous. Mind you, there is one little guy and if there is trouble to be found, he can do it. Unfortunately, you can't help laughing at his antics though. So, I have attached my journal - probably boring but is my only way of keeping myself informed of my happenings too. I know there is a glut of photos but as I have not put anything on for the past 3 and a bit weeks I think I have brought everything up to date for now.
JOURNAL WHILE IN THUNG FON

Monday - 10th September - After breakfast got a tuk tuk and put my film in and then to the markets. Had lunch at the meeting place and then back to the camera shop and then back to do my final pack. Said goodbye to the staff and folk at the Openmind volunteer house and at 4.00 the landlord drove me to UdonThani

Hanoi

In Cyclo Bar with David and two of his teacher friends - nice dinner

- an hour’s drive. Kietnarong and his daughter Troo picked me up for the drive to Thung Fon. It was hard driving as very monsoonal rain. Arrived at his place at about 6.45 and was welcomed by his wife, Tim (nickname). I was shown to my accommodation which is a dear little cottage across the driveway from Kietnarong’s house. The grounds of the place are beautiful and is very tropical. Had a very tasty Thai meal of chicken and then it was to bed reasonably early after talking to Kietnarong.
Tuesday 11th September - Up and was my first day at the school. Gorgeous little kids. My first class was with Paek (shapes) and then into Beer’s class and the topic of family was touched on. At ll.00 it is meal time and the children are extremely well behaved and line up for their meal and then sit down in a circle and eat. Then it is sleep time for everyone until 2.00. It absolutely teemed during this period and I did not go back to the classrooms that afternoon. The rain eased off about 2.45 when the children were packing up to be collected by their parents. Meal tonight

In Hanoi

was prawns and curry and banana and coconut milk. Yum. Gee who is the tiny tot’s teacher took me up to the street to get some photocopying done and after dinner back to collect. Had talk with K and then heaps of sorting out of work and finally to bed quite late.
Wednesday 12th September - The day started with the school’s usual routine of the children arriving and then the bell rings and all line up and sing their National Anthem and then into the 3 little classes. There are no desks or chairs and all is done on the floor. I was in Beer’s class all today and it is teaching the classroom objects. Quite challenging as the children find it difficult to say the things in English but we “muddle” along. Went for a ride on the bike up to the town. It is only a long street of shops with the markets in another. Did lots of cutting out of little stars, hearts etc. K and Troo get home quite late as they travel into Udon Thani each day for their respective schools so dinner is usually served as soon as they arrive home. Another scrumptuous

Hanoi

meal and then it seems to be the routine that K chats to me each evening. Troo is busy with her studies and Tim does not speak English. I then start my “fiddling” when K goes to bed. There is a lovely big room called the guest room with ongoing coffee so I spend a lot of my time there. I also have a little tinker on the key board. Tonight when I went back to my room I thought there was a dead mouse on the verandah but to my surprise it was a newly born kitten and then there appeared another little one from under the cupboard. No sign of mother so we put them in a little bed.
Thursday 13th September - Up and sadly one of the little kittens had died and then I found out that there were two more adjacent to the school so put the little one near my place there. It was off to school and it was the continuation of objects and this will be an ongoing subject as a very slow process trying to teach the children English. Also did numbers and combined a game of bingo to try and

Nongkai

Sculpture Park in Nongkai - Built by same architect as the 2nd of his parks in Buddha Park, Vientiane

encourage the children to read their numbers. They know how to count but if it is at random this seems to be the problem. After all the children had been collected I went for a ride up and around the area. There is a lake and on the outer there are farms with cows and rice.
Friday 14th September - Up and the usual at school but had tattoos for the kids and they were a huge success.In the afternoon there was cake for one of the children’s birthday..
Saturday 15th September - It is Troo’s birthday today and got up at 5.00 am to leave at 5.30 with Troo, Tim and Troo’s aunt Gee to drive into Udon Thani to see the top monk of Thailand. There were hundreds of people lined up- with food to give to the stream of monks and then it was into the temple to hear the monk speak. It was all in Thai language but it was being videoed and I gathered from this that he is quite a funny man. After the service, we went into the town and I found an internet café while Troo, Tim and Gee went shopping. We

Nongkai

then had breakfast and it didn’t seem that long before we were stopping for lunch after the big supplies were purchased and then we headed home. Stopped off at a little farm and visited relations of the family. By this time, we were all quite tired so when we got home, I went and had a rest until it was time for me to talk about an “action plan” with one of the English teachers that K takes care of. We then had dinner and Troo had a birthday cake. Then it was off to bed.
Sunday 16th September - Today I just stayed in the guest room most of the day except for meals doing my masses of cardboard cutting up of circles, stars and hearts.
Monday 17th September - Today at school, was in Paek’s classroom and we did “circles” and made smilys which the kids seemed to enjoy. After lunch, I layed down and to my surprise I woke to find it was 3.15 and not 2.00 !!!! Went up to the supermarket once more. This is the most amazing store I have been in. Whatever I seem to want, it is produced from somewhere. Today I

Nongkai

laughed as wanted some cord and the man who is very helpful and can speak English, bent down under a cupboard and produced the exact item I required. I have to ban myself from going there now as I think I have enough “crafty” stuff for the time I will be here. Kietnarong is not with us tonight as has a seminar he is attending and will be home tomorrow night. I have been cutting out hearts, cats and motor cars for lessons tomorrow !!!
Tuesday 18th September - Did circles again and then traced and drew in the tortoise, cat and car.
Wednesday 19th September - No school today as not feeling the best. My late nights had caught up with me.
Thursday 20th September - Today the girls made rings and bracelets and the boys were ever so good and played with the lego. This afternoon both classes put eyes, nose and mouth on big smileys. Hopefully, the kids are getting to know what a circle is.
Friday 21st September - At school today got the children of both classes to paint the cut out of large flowers and hearts and this afternoon went into Gee’s room and

Nongkai

In the markets getting our supplies in Thai language in readiness for our cooking lesson - was a super success - we had a good teacher

helped with the bathing of the little ones. They liked the lego. Had a few little visitors on the verandah and helped with painting of the flowers. Then went up to my daily visit of the supermarket and then stopped off at the big market that sets up once a week. Very interesting to see the different types of food. The little “fly keeper off” amused me. A home made battery operated contraption but did the job instead of standing there fanning the meat or batter.
Saturday 22nd September - Stayed at home today and did many cut out of flowers and for the evening meal we went out to the farm of Troo’s “grandparents”.
Sunday 23rd September Had a sleep in this morning and this afternoon Kietnarong took me to the Ban Chiang Museum. Very interesting as some of the artifacts date back over 5,000 years. Small village with markets - saw an artist painting some pots and little keyrings with miniature jars on them being painted. Called in on a student’s home - I went for a walk around the village and then we came home.
Monday 24th September - Went to school and finished off the big

Nongkai

Being supervised by Soraya of Openmind preparing the papaya salad - boy was it hot !!!! (ron)

smileys, coloured in Pooh Bear and then handed out the bracelets. Worked on my flowers. Jon a volunteer from England arrived.
Tuesday 25th September - Picked up at 8.30 by Yiem and taken to her school where Jon and I taught together. At lunch break we tried to get onto the Internet. About 4 tries and one of the teacher’s set me up with two computers. Finally got Internet but not for long so Yiem took me to the 5 kms ride to the junction and I caught the “orange bus” into Udon Thani. Went to Mi Mi’s café but it was so very slow so didn’t achieve too much but the drive was pleasant. Caught the 5.30 bus and is about an hour’s drive. Got a tuk tuk from the junction and arrived home at about 7.00. Stuck into my flowers again.
Wednesday 26th - Jon and I were in the car at 6.30 to go to K’s school before going to his sub school at Pataeo. We were made very welcome with a breakfast and I did my lessons in the outside classroom and Jon and I did a swap in the afternoon. After we were given a

Nongkai

Saying farewell to Nic and Toto of Openmind Projects - on my way to Thung Fon school

scrumptious meal. More lessons and left after being presented with a certificate. Came back to K’s school where we were lucky with the internet until it was time to go. Went to a very nice restaurant for meal - came to the table and cooked our own seafood hotpot. Home and more flower making.
Thursday 27th September - We were in the car at 7.00 this morning - markets and then a quick visit to K’s school before going to Ban Soiprao school. We were once more shown wonderful hospitality - Breakfast and then to teach as a combined class with Nikkon. Morning was good and then another scrumptious meal before the afternoon lessons. Given a scarf. Was a good day but very tiring. To a restaurant for a light seafood meal and then home. Was a very sad night for Kietnarong and Tim as went to a service for a couple who were electrocuted at their home. Were the parents of K’s ex-students. Finally finished my flowers and set them up in the classroom. Very colourful.
Friday 28th September - Was a fun day today - made party hats and Jon blew up balloons. Yiem called in and gave

Thung Fon School

A sea of faces greeting me on my first day at their school. They are a gorgeous bunch of kids

us a CD on Tuesday’s visit to her school. After lunch some of the kids had their usual afternoon sleep and the others had a wonderful afternoon playing burst the balloons - formed a tunnel and the end kid had to burst the balloon and others had balloons on their legs. Certainly was quite noisy but lots of fun. Then we had some goodies to eat and I gave out my flowers. After that, Jon and I went up town to the supermarket and had a wander around the Friday night market in the park. Home, dinner and early to bed for a change.
Saturday 29th September - In car at 8.00 and headed to Udon Thani. Our first stop was the Udon Thani City Museum. Very interesting and well set up. Vidoe was in Thai though. Next stop wasWat PhaBan Koh Stupa at Ban Phu. The Buddah’s fingernail is buried in this stupa but legend has it that there are now more than one fingernail.Very beautiful paintings from floor to ceiling. Four huge elephant statues are on the outer of the stupa. Travelled about 15ks from Ban Phu to PhuPhrabat Historial Park. Gorgeous palms and tropical plants. Watched a

Thung Fon school

Brenda being the teacher for the day

video of the park and then set off with 2 young Thai students to each of the massive rock formations. The top was PhaSa Dej and you looked out over the area below. Was very very ron (hot) but the walk was well laid out - not too many steps - and well worth it. Came back to Udon Thani and had the luxury of using the internet for about an hour. Back to Nong Hahn for dinner in a street café of noodles and fish. Very nice. Home at about 7.45 and we were both whacked.
Sunday 30th September - Was in some pain today so while Jon and Kiet visited the Ban Chiang Museum that I had already visited I rested but forfeited a trip to a historical palm forest in the afternoon. A Thai lady visited by cottage and gave me a wonderful massage. Got some Thai words from Kietnarong to learn for the closing of a camp on 22nd October. Goodness knows how I will go but will give it a try. Jon has to practice some Thai boxing and sword fighting. So was an early night.
Monday 1st October - Settled the littlies down in

Thung Fon School

Love this photo - nap time is taken every day

nursery and then Gee took me to the local hospital as my ears have been bothering me for a few weeks now. Very good service. Back and amused the little ones until it was their home time. Jon and I went up to the supermarket and got some supplies.After tea it was Thai word practice for me and Jon’s practice .
Tuesday 2nd October - Text to Peter Ashton for his birthday. Amused the littlies today with colouring in, play dough and lego. Got my CDs and USBs up to date and then very early to bed.
Wednesday 3rd October - Heavy rain today so didn’t do much. Had a little time at school with playdough and rested in the afternoon. Spent ages trying to bring my photos up to date to put on internet when the occasion arises.

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