Another week..... another kilo!

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March 3rd 2009

Published: March 3rd 2009

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Claire G

I'm loved.....

by a child....... yay!

So yes, I have added a further kilo to my body this week. I can't blame anyone or anything other than myself, as I just can't stop gorging on this highly delicious food! And apparently it's noticeable as not only do the children like to poke my 'muffin tops' and stomach, and not only does the headteacher make comments like "your trousers are too small because your fat", but my boobs have also become a topic of conversation at school with both the kids and the teachers. Yes the Thai people don't have boobs, and yes mine are quite large for my body (even more so now.....), but I have never had them touched so much by small children and women in all my life! They are truly obsessed! The headmaster of the school even decided it was a good idea to get his chest out to show me that he had no breasts - I wouldn't expect him to as he is a man!! They are just so random here!! And they have absolutely no qualms about telling you you're fat either. Strangers will just stop and point it out and all us volunteers are like "yeah, thanks alot!!" And

Me and Balloy

The kids got the camera....

I'm only about 9 stone - by English standards still pretty slim!!!! But anyway, let's put weight gain, breasts and old men's chests to one side for I have done much more interesting things this last week or so I'm sure..........

School has been pretty same-same. Kru Nong bought me a ring and a lovely bracelet, which was really sweet, and Kru Ming bought me Pad Thai for lunch on Friday, which was awesome! They all screamed with shock when they saw how much of the spice I put on, but I've grown to love it nice and hot!! :-) Then there's been the usual cakes (amazing!) and other yummy foods. I was told on Wednesday that there was no school on Thursday as all the teachers had to go to other schools to help administer tests, so our school was closed, and on Friday afternoon a random man with a guitar came to sing songs and play games with the kids. It looked like fun and apparently he's a volunteer who helps the Karen (this is as much as I could get from the one "sort of speaking" English teacher! I still don't understand being a

Me and child

Kids, camera, etc etc......

teacher in Thailand. Kru Ming had Wednesday afternoon off school last week to go and help her husband do something with his unicersity course (since when is this a viable exuse?!?!?) and then she had Friday morning off to do a course, and came back on Friday afternoon even though we don't teach! I really am trying to understand but it's just not happening sometimes!

Wednesday night was quite funny! The kids seem to have realised that I'm leaving really soon and have all become quite clingy. They took me to church, and then they all invaded the house big time for the whole evening! The toys that I bought were all brought out again, they were playing with the bubbles, throwing marbles all over the place, and didn't leave till really late! They have also become re-obssessed with the camera so there are many more random photos of me and kids!!

My day off on Thursday was amazing as I did absolutely nothing!! I ate, read my book, did some sudoku, ate, read my book, played with the kids, did my washing in the river, went swimming in the river, ate, played with

The boys!!

The bain of my life at times.....

kids, watched TV, read my book and went to bed! I still wasn't properly over my lack of sleep from the weekend so this was absolute heaven!! Oh and I also finally dared to help Sum-see make a part of the 'leaf roof'. I had watched her for 3 days and finally felt confident enough to have a go! I was pretty rubbish but Sum-see said that it was beautiful anyway :-) I don't know how she gets it to look so good...... I'm guessing it's practice when she does about 50 in a day! But if anyone ever needs a roof making, and has some spare bamboo and huge leaves, I'm your lady! ;-)

Which then brings me to the weekend! I at last got to spend some quality time in my village and my time was filled with kids, reading and eating! On Friday night I was dragged to the river to wash as there was no water coming from the taps in the village. I was taken to a bit I've not been to before and they've built these cool floating bamboo platforms to sit on whilst you wash your clothes - they're awesome!

Evening fun times

The kids have become re-obssessed with the camera this week!

I then spent the evening chilling out and was scared by a strange man (see photo) who came over and acted like he owned the place and spent the whole evening talking about me in Karen (great!) I still have no idea who he is and he's been over and acted the same way a few times! But anyway, the night got stranger as we went to bed about 10pm, then I was woken up at 11pm by dogs barking. Sum-see got up and put the light on and let 2 men into the house, she still looked half asleep bless her! Turns out one of them was her son from Chiang Mai and the other was his friend. Her son was hugging and kissing her loads, looks like he really misses her, but they didn't stay long, as thats like the middle of the night in the Karen village and we needed our sleep! But yay, I briefly met my Karen brother!!

On Saturday I had a very lazy morning. I helped Notalie shell some fruits they have here. They're really sour and I can only stand to eat them when I'm in the right mood,

Bernard and Peeky owl!

Still sleep with me every night :-)

but the Karen love them, and the men smoke the shells and the women rub the fruit on their face to try to whiten their skin as well. A multi-purpose fruit!! I then spent the afternoon fishing in the jungle. We caught a snake, which was promptly killed with a stone as it was poisonous, and I managed to catch some fish and some shrimp :-) We had to wash in the river again in the evening due to a lack of water, and this time somebody had built a bamboo raft. So i rather randomly ended up having a little trip up the river on the raft before I had a chance to wash the shampoo out of my hair! So much fun :-) I then had lots of kids at the house all evening - again with the me leaving thing and the camera obssession........

And Sunday, church of course! Then I went to the shop and bought some of the kids and myself some sweets to munch on. They always give me little bracelets, and one kid gave me another Karen bag, so Itry to give them something back! (ooooooh speaking of presents, Sum-see

Again, again

is giving me a Karen top when I leave the village. It's so pretty and I love it and can't wait to post photos of me in it). We then went swimming, my new favourite past time, and I also managed to fit in a wee bit of sunbathing! I then spent the evening making thankyou cards for the school and sum-see to say ta for being amazing! Sum-see also got out the photos of her family to show me! She told me it costs about 80pounds a year to send her daughter to school in Mae Sariang, which is alot for a Karen person to spend on their child's education! I got quite upset at her not having her family at home because she says she is a bit lonely.... it makes me not want to leave her!!

I haven't needed an injury update in a while, but I'm afraid one is required today..... I managed to break my flip flops whilst at school so was wandering around everywhere barefoot and I stepped on a staple! I won't deny I thought it was a sharp stone so took another 2 or 3 steps before I realised,

My kids!

The afternoon that I have all of P4 and P6 - the rowdy lot!!

making it dig in even further. But it is now removed and all is fine! Then, I fell UP the stairs going into my house...... I almost fainted from the pain and now have a new bruise on my knee and another on my shin, just as the bruises from 6 weeks ago were beginning to fade (yes they have taken that long to disappear - I must have fallen really hard!) And then at the when I went fishing at the weekend, I slipped on a seaweed covered rock and fell into the water and cut my hand. It was rather comical though I have to say :-) These things just seem to happen in Thailand! Oh and whilst were talking of bad things....... a huge spider has taken residence in my little wooden hut of toiletness. I'm NOT happy :-( He's massive and very scary and I want the gecko's to eat him!!

And now for the food update (it's a good one). The strangest foods I have eaten this week are............. pigs ear, frog and snake. The best foods I have eaten are........... snake (it was so tasty!), these doughnut type things that taste

Kids

Having fun on a Friday afternoon whilst the teachers did NOTHING!!

like those biscuits that go in trifles, and this amazing mushroom dish that Kru Ming made yesterday. My first mushrooms since being in Thailand, and they were truly exquisite!! Lol. And I don't know why I've remembered this whilst talking about food, but turns out Catface isn't a boy at all, she's actually a rather pregnant lady! Bit gutted that I'll have left the village when they're born (although it will save me from being caught trying to steal one away).

I also gave the photos that I printed in Khun Yuam to the families that were in them last week. Something as simple as that is really touching to them and they were all so grateful and kept saying thankyou! So sweet :-) I haven't given Sum-see hers yet as I have made a collage and put them in a frame and I want to give it to her the day I leave, so I hope she doesn't think I've left her out! The Karen really seem to love photos so it's nice that I can do that for them. They can't afford a camera, let alone get any photos printed when they live in such

Random man with a guitar

a remote village! I'm going to send some more in the post when I get home and get them printed as there were some kids that I didn't print any for who I want to give them to :-)

So this is my last blog from my village as I leave on Thursday :-( I won't be blogging for a while as I'm going to an even more remote village, with no electricity, one toilet for the whole village, and no shower or big tub thing like I have here! It's all about washing in the river, cooking for ourselves over an open fire and seeing by candlelight! I'll also have no phone signal so will be completely uncontactable - kind of looking forward to that!! :-)

So long for now :-)

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