Travel bug stories

A bubbly feeling

I’m sitting here, at home, feeling very selfish. Don’t like the fact that the kids, volunteers and former colleagues are having fun without me. I’m supposed to be there, celebrating Song-Kran, easter and other fun things! Instead, I’m doing my best to fill my days with Thai things like cooking sticky rice, teaching my nephew to play Takro, saying Thai words to myself and telling my friends about Barnhem. Not all that bad, but truly not the same.

Almost a month has gone by since I came home. A time spent meeting up with friends and family, finding my normal routines, trying to remember what was said and done at work four months ago and planning for new ways to support and spread the word about Barnhem.

The most challenging thing, I think, has been to answer the one question:
– Tell me, how was Thailand?
There are so many things to say I hardly know where to start. I mean, I could easily talk about one child for an hour. That’s 20 hours just about the kids!

I had a meeting at work today where I got the same question. I could feel a smile growing on my face and thoughts drift away. Made the person opposite me smile too and I think he understood from my expression how much it means to me. Talking about Barnhem instantly gives me a warm, bubbly feeling. Like Colbie Caillat would say: “It starts in my toes, and I crinkle my nose, where ever it goes, I always know that you make me smile…” 

 
Future posts
Since I can no longer give you bright and exciting news from “inside” Barnhem I thought I would dedicate my next post to future volunteers. I will collect and gather frequently asked questions from volunteers to be, before they start their working period. That way we will have a bank of questions that I will do my best to answer for you.

If you are a former volunteer and today a “mentor” for new, please send me questions you have received previously at http://travelbugstories.tumblr.com/ask or if you remember questions you had yourself before leaving.
 

‘Til next time – ta, ta!

The internal fight

There’s an orchestra playing outside, consisting of bullfrogs. They are like kids, very small but can make a lot of noise! Bullfrogs comes out when it has been raining, and let me tell you how much. It has been non stop for the whole day today and not a single beam of sunlight since at least one week. I feel sorry for the tourists that are here for a short amount of time. 

But with “bad” things, good things wouldn’t exists. Because of the weather I have stayed at Barnhem and spent time with kids and colleagues more than if the sun would have been shining. And that warms my heart and soul more than a thousand suns. I had my last day of working Sunday and  since then I have just been taking time chatting and joking with everyone. 

I have also had the fortunate opportunity to go shopping things for Barnhem Muang Mai. Thanks to Svenska Hem (www.svenskahem.se) that donated money for new furniture, we have bought a new sofa and two armchairs for our TV-room. New drawers, for the new children to come, to keep clothes and personal things in and small tables where they can draw and study. The last few things we bought Monday at Super Cheap and Big C. The car was so full we had to use our strength to push the last few things inside to make everything fit. Lots of fun!

I tried to convince our chef to come with me to Sweden and cook for me. Because I have eaten such good and varied food here. She tried to jump into my suitcase but we realised that even though she is small, it would be difficult.

I have been fighting hard to keep my tears away and it’s a constant struggle. Everyone has been so sweet, even giving me and my family little presents. It’s a bit difficult to give presents back to everyone, but I developed a few pictures for each one of them. They loved it and thought it was quite fun to see and have. 

My last night ended in the best possible way. First dinner with Sussi and Hans, at a very cosy restaurant, to sum up my time here and talk about every unique relationship we have to each one of my (ok, our) children. Coming back home most of the kids where in the TV-room crawled up under blankets watching TV. Lucky me a few of them were in “snuggle mood” wanting a little massage, hug or just to sit close to me.

I think I’m trying to make this day never end, but looking at my alarm clock makes me realise that a new has begun. The day I had to leave. Even though it feels though at the moment, I’m a very, very lucky person to be given a whole new family and good, happy experiences. A feeling I hope I also have contributed to when it comes to the children living here.

Thank you Barnhem Muang Mai for four wonderful months! I will miss you more than words can say!

xx

Buying a new sofa!

Big excitement!

Trying to make everything fit into the car!

It’s not only me thats cold in this weather :)

A cool relaxed guy having pizza for lunch with support from Wow, our Thai manager.

Nico making my hair look nice!

Me and sweet, sweet Waww working with the children.

 
Hanging out infront of the TV! 

I’ll be back!

Something is nesting in my head. It calls itself  “Last Time”.  I can’t help it but it is so obvious now. I have had my last afternoon shift and soon my last working day. I have had my last English class and my last trip to the temple. Since it’s just to sad, I keep adding “for this time” after every sentence. Because I know one thing, I ‘m coming back to this wonderful place, if they’ll let me in ;) 

I just got of the late shift, sitting in my room with… jeans, jumper and SOCKS! Yes, I guess you are happy now that I also get my share of the cold. But please, 4 days before I go home? Just want one more day at the beach. Well, well. 

I’m actually waiting to go pick up one of the older boys from school. He is there for some sort of a school party. So at midnight I will “sneak” out with one of the cars to go pick him up. 

The children have holidays now. But the schools don’t get of at the same time. Some still go to school, some is free fours days goes to school one, some goes for one hour and then come back. I tried to keep track of who’s going to school what day, but I gave up. The children are very good keeping track of that themselves and arranging it with our driver. So because of school holidays some of the oldest children work. It could be with producing web pages, work in the forest or at a golf course.

I got a special coin from Waww, who’s working with the children. She wondered when I was going home. Then she came to me with a bracelet and a coin. The coin was picturing a monk and on the other side his name is written in Thai. They have a special meaning for Thai people and even though I don’t really understand, it is in no other way less special to me.

They have it hanging around their neck. So I asked Waww to help me find a holder and “string”. She and Eak, who’s also working with the children, took me to a shop that had what I was looking for when we went to the market Friday.

I know it’s probably not true, but having it around my neck it felt like the Thais looked at me in another way. Like I was part of something. Yes, they do look at me often since I’m so much different from them, but it felt changed.

Talking about looks. Me and two of the other volunteers went jogging the other day. Running along the small neighbour streets before reaching highway, I can tell you we got a lot of attention. It must have been a sight, seeing three blond girls with red faces. And I think this will be the only time I hear people say “hello”, “very good” and “beautiful” when I run pass them!

Time to let you go, and time for me to go for my last Night watch (…for this time)!

Sign here please!

We had a delivery today. The brochures and business cards for Barnhem Muang Mai are here! They look terrific and everyone is very pleased with the result. Non the least the children that quickly went through it to find “their picture”!

Now we can easier spread the word about us, to people living on or visiting Phuket.

Thank you Ruter AB, through Anette Juul, for printing and sending it to us free of charge!

Of course I had to celebrate this with buying a “Kao Neo” set. So every time you feel like having sticky rice in Sweden, my place is the place to go! ;) 

Have a beautiful day!

Please, take a seat!

In bed, listening to my favourite Thai song; เบา เบา (bao, bao). I “know” some of the words now and sometimes they kids can find me happily sing along. First they look very impressed and then they laugh, because I (probably) get it all wrong!

Today I have some great news for you. In our TV-room we have a sofa that has seen its better days quite a long time ago (se picture below). Since I’m working with furniture at home, my heart aces every time I pass the TV-room to see it fall apart. Even though the children and adults spend a lot of time on the floor, the sofa is a place they always relax in after long hot schooldays.

So I am very happy to be able to tell you that Svenska Hem AB (www.svenskahem.se) through their CEO Anders Hedh has donated money for Barnhem Muang Mai to buy a new sofa! This coming Thursday will be the big furniture shopping day, where me and Wow (our Thai manager) will look for the best possible sofa the children can relax in for a long time.

Thank you so much Svenska Hem for helping us with this. It means a lot to us!

Today is special in another way. We are taking all the children to a water park this afternoon to have fun, fun, fun! This could not be possible without the gift Susanne Janson was given for receiving the award “Årest kämpe” (fighter of the year 2010) – a trip that all the children could enjoy! Will tell you more when we get back.

Ta, ta for now!

Inhouse hairdresser!

Got my hair straightened and cut tonight. For a short second I was a bit worried when the girl cutting may hair says;

- You beautiful. But me no cut beautiful.

But the girls really know what they are doing and I’m very pleased with the result! :)

Take care!

“My” dog Lammet!

Klart att favorithunden ska ha Norrländsk Pölsa. Endast det bästa är gott nog!

We are family!

A few days ago my “roomie” finished working here at Barnhem. Very sad and empty without her. So if you are reading this Sofia – thank you for putting up with me and being such a good friend!

With Sofia leaving, also means that I’m leaving soon. I have less than two weeks left here which feels so strange. Feels like I have my life here now. I have 20 beautiful children, I drive a car/truck, I go shopping, I listen to Thai music, I speak the language (ha ha ha - wishful thinking. But I do know some words :), I take the moped to the beach, I’m a regular at the waffle stand and the coffee house and small talk with the owners, I have a home and a job, wonderful friends and 6 dogs! Lucky me Thailand is only a few hours away. Even though it might not sound like it… I am coming back home… well that’s at least what I keep telling and reminding my self. But flights are really easy to miss ;)

The other day I drove a few boys to a Soccer game. Something that usually happens on a Sunday. This day it was at the British International School, a big pompous building that made you feel like you were in England – luckily I was not :)

Picking the guys up later that afternoon I had some more children with me and Waww that’s working with the children. With me driving, Waww next to me, with one of the younger boys between us telling about the game, it hit me more than before – it really feels like I’m part of a big family. Sometimes I hang out with a sister or brother, another day I’m proud as a mother and at night worried what my teenage girls/boys are up to. The next day I’m a little sister relying on the other children to show me the way or how to eat something new. I have a mother that shows me how to cook something in the kitchen and a grandpa I help carry a food plate to because his troubled walk.

I can only hope that my newfound family members sees me as a part of their whole, considering the language barrier and “my blond hair”. There has been so many time I have wanted to know exactly what the children says to each other (and about me for that matter). So many times I have wanted to give them advice and ask about their day and adventures. But  on the other hand, without being able to fully communicate you develop ways to express who you are and how they can rely on you – which is not bad at all!

So even though my family might think I don’t really fit in, I am going to steal something with me – the feeling of belonging to a big Thai family!

Speaking of something totally different, I have also found out how the Thais always keep so nice and clean (compared to my self - a sweaty farang with dirty feet). Theyapparently take a quick spin in the washing machine! ;)

Have a beautiful day!

Ask away!

For all you loyal readers out there ;) I hope you know that you can ask me questions if you have them.

Klick on the link below and ask away. I will do my best to answer them!

http://travelbugstories.tumblr.com/ask

I love you, but you no good!

I can’t believe I only have 14 days of work left. 14 DAYS! That’s nothing! I’m now at the stage of trying to squeeze in all the things I want to do, see and eat before I go home. That will probably end up with me coming home with tired legs, red wide eyes and 10 kg more around my waist to carry :) 

So, after being here for more than three months (which is nothing) I will give you a short reflection on a few things, high and low so bare with me.

Cats/Dogs: The Thai way of treating animals is a bit different than home. Lets just say it’s a bit more “rough”. If the dog/cat wears a collar, that means it has an owner. Also means there are a lot of stray dogs and cats with no collar around.

Taxi: Because of the high risk of being robbed when taking the mopeds at night, we go by Taxi quite often. With English and a little Thai we call a couple of numbers to good taxi drivers. But now and then we end up taking a taxi that is driven by a “friend of the guy working at the restaurant”. But that works fine too :)

School: Fun, fun, fun. Finally the time is here when going to school is nothing but fun. Meeting the gorgeous kids gives you so much energy and happy memories. Like today when the kids started piercing each others ears with a thumbtack instead of writing my English assignments! 

Food: Love with sprinkles of chilli! Since we are eating home cooked food everyday we found ourselves eating “tourist food” for lunch on our days off. Feeling a little bit stupid, since we are NO tourists ;)

Mopeds: All over the place! I like driving my moped. Sometimes I think about how much it word hurt falling, driving around in shorts and a singlet, but not that often. It feels safe driving, because the mopeds has their own lane. Yea and since we are in Thailand cars drive there too sometimes, especially when they want to drive past a red light. 

U-Turns: This must be the place of U-turns. Highway 402 (that takes you through Phuket) has a huge traffic island in the middle. So if you want to make a right turn (remember we are driving on the left side) you have to wait until the next U-turn to make it. So you make a lot of  “u-ies” here!

People: Smiling, friendly and helpful. There are so many nice things to say about Thai people. But I just love their willingness of communicating with you. Just driving past a house on a small street, you might hear someone yell out the only English words they know. It can be anything from Hello and Happy birthday to Wednesday! 

Cars: 95% of all cars and trucks have all their windows dark toned. That means you have no clue who’s driving or looking at you. But that also means no one knows who or what I’m looking at when driving :) 

TV: Even though I don’t understand much looking at movies or TV-series, I can tell you that most of them looks like something made in your backyard or living room. Often with very bad actors and really bad stunts. Then happily add some computer made sound effects and you could work as a Thai movie producer. Oh yea, don’t forget to dim out if anyone is smoking, but its ok to show someone slitting someone else’s throat :) 

Well that will be all of my reflections for this time. 

The other night I heard one of the boys yelling after me: -Anna come play. But I had to finish some things first so I said no. Then he said; - Anna, I love you, but you no good! I just answered back to him saying: - I love you too! And very quickly he saw the solution saying: - I love you, you love me. Lets play!

And who could resist a line like that? Of course it ended up with me pretending to be a crocodile for an hour chasing the kids around. That’s a very good way of working up a sweat if you didn’t know how to. Don’t forget to add 30 degrees and a lot of humidity!

Time to let you go! Take care!