Blogs from Um Phang, North-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 2

During my week observing Australian cultural orientation classes at Umpiem camp I met such fantastic participants eager to learn about life in Australia. It was also exciting for me because I can track some of the families down when I return home to see how there resettlement is going. The class was once again mixed Burmese and Karen with 2 interpreters used. I mostly observed the adult class but on the fifth day both classes were combined to make it a Family Day. I was able to participant in the lessons and add information on some of the topics. Most of the families were very interested about education, weather and what Australia will be like. Family roles and parenting brought up some interesting discussions with the women seeming quite pleased that household roles were a little ... read more

14 dicembre 2551 Ciao a tutti, mentre la Farnesina sconsigliava viaggi in Thailandia, una nuova autorita' la ben nota farMessina smentisce ogni sospetto di pericolo in questo paese e incentiva anzi la partenza a tutti i dubbiosi! Quindi non preoccupatevi, qua non si e' visto ne saputo niente, non si sa nemmeno se hanno un governo ora e se faranno elezioni! L' importante e' che i turisti continuino ad arrivare....E comunque lo spirito thai si preoccupa di salvare la faccia, mai far trapelare emozioni troppo forti, mai arrabbiarsi qua. Il contrario nostro direi. Piuttosto dovremmo essere piu' preoccupati noi a sentire di alluvioni e crisi! I 3 giorni a bangkok con Mess e il Sindaco (ragazzo di catania che vive a pesaro incontrato all'aeroporto) sono passati all'insegna di visite ai templi e pseudo-vita notturna che non ... read more

Youth classes are generally 3-5 days, duration 5 hours. The curriculum is similar to adult classes however there is a greater focus on schooling and education, cultural adaptation, health (such as brushing your teeth), employment dreams, sex education, culture shock and transit procedures. More games, fun activities and breaks are required for the youth to retain their interest and concentration levels. Video resources and homework life books are also used. This class was reasonably small as camp activities are slowing down with the lead up to the Christmas and New Year break. While I may be inadvertently affected by the events and protests in Bangkok because of possible delays in flight schedules that could lead up to a holiday I have planned at New Years to Krabi, the situation has had an adverse impact to many ... read more

For the next 6 hours Mike and I will be on a bus with air conditioning that doesn't work. We are traveling to Mae Sot. As we slink down the aisle to our seats we notice that the bus was full of Westerners (AKA white people). That's no good; we are trying to get away from those damn Westerners. The front section of the bus has a group of twenty something mormons on a missionary trip of some sort. Someone in the church group hands the bus driver a CD. The bus driver puts it on. To our horror "YMCA" starts booming over the speakers and the entire church group begins to sway to the music as well as doing the ever popular spelling of Y-M-C-A with their arms. At that moment a silent prayer is ... read more