Friday, July 29, 2016

Building Update

the school director showing the volunteers the building
 After the English camp, we took the CVT volunteers to the building site and prayed for the building process, the fundraising, the builders safety, and the ministry of the building. The first two pictures are from that day, and the others are from this week, and the progress that has been made. The poles are all there to help support the beams that will be put in, its hard to see, but they've been putting metal rods up there to get ready to pour the cement. Now that they are starting to work on the second story it actually looks like they are doing something.


the first half of the steps finished

the use of bamboo and boards is amazing


Friday, July 22, 2016

ASEAN English Camp at SCS School

the choir performing for the volunteers
Today the CVT (Christian Volunteers in Thailand) group came and held an English Day focused on teaching about the ASEAN countries as well as other vocabulary and activities. The students had a good time getting to meet other foreigners from around the world (India, Brazil, Korea, Germany, and the USA). They practiced their English and had a good time. The school choir performed 2 songs to welcome the volunteers and many of the volunteers said they had goosebumps while listening to the choir. The students were split into ten countries and each student had a passport that they got stamped as they went around to each of the ten countries in ASEAN. At the end of the day they signed a contract to continue learning that was in the back of the passport. They also received certificates that they completed the day camp, as well as snacks to share amongst their groups. Teachers teaching 5th-7th grades as well as the 5th-7th grade students participated in the camp. For me personally the coordinating of this event was a lot of work, getting the students split into group, preparing materials for the classrooms to be decorated, assigning teachers to the groups, etc... Then also working with the volunteers to prepare for the camp as well. However, I'm so grateful that the students had this opportunity to meet with so many foreigners and that most of them weren't shy to speak English, but tried their very best. Thank you to the CVT volunteers who helped with the camp, as well as the students and teachers that participated.
explaining what would happen at the camp

CVT volunteers

students sitting by country

volunteers introducing themselves

singing and dancing

visiting the different countries and participating in English lessons
at each country after learning about that country




a fifth grate teacher leading his group to the next "country"

getting some teachers to dance on the stage

then the volunteers had to dance

handing out certificates

and of course snacks!!!!!!

CVT Retreat


This past week, I got to play host as volunteers from the Christian Volunteers in Thailand (CVT) Program had their summer retreat and training program in Sangklaburi. On Saturday I went down to Kanchanaburi and spent the night so I was able to meet them Sunday morning at the War Cemetery in Kanchanaburi. After walking the grounds and reading the history, we went to the Museum across the street and learned even more about the Death Railway and the workers that built it. After spending time at the museum we visited the Bridge over the River Kwai and had lunch there.

The War Cemetary in Kanchanaburi
We then drove to Hellfire Pass and were given half an hour to either look through the museum or head down to the pass itself. I had been through the museum before, so chose to go down to the pass. It never ceases to amaze me the size of it and how difficult it must have been to work on it in the rainy season with sickness and other things complicating it as well. We then drove the rest of the way to Sangklaburi, had dinner, and settled into our resort for the week.

The Bridge over the River Kwai
The rest of the week we spent talking about teaching, sharing lessons we've taught  with each other, getting to know each other, and encouraging each other. We had some free time on Wednesday and visited the Mon Temple that was built in the Burmese fashion, but I think we did more shopping than looking at the temple. We also went to where the famous monk who passed away over 13 years ago's body is being kept. After that we got on long boats and visited the sunken temple. However, due to the low water level, the temple is all above ground. so we were able to get out of the boat and walk around and take pictures.


Hellfire Pass

Overall, we had a great week getting to know each other, encouraging each other, and catching up with each other. While I am no longer officially in the program, it is still very near and dear to my heart and I always love spending time with the other volunteers and encouraging them in their teaching, as well as giving them advice about living in Thailand, etc... I'm blessed to know all of them, and glad they were able to get out of their cities and see the countryside of Thailand a little bit for a week.








Sharing lessons and teaching experience

the Mon Bridge
Where they are keeping the monk's body


getting on the long boats



the sunken temple that is actually above ground right now


celebrating 39 years of marriage


I stayed in the bungalow on the left side

Friday, July 15, 2016

Egg Sandwiches

showing off what they cut up
splitting between the bowls
In our Unit about food in fifth grade there was a recipe to make Tuna Sandwiches using tuna, mayonnaise, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, and onions. I decided that I'm not rich enough to buy tuna for two classes, but that if we changed it to hard boiled eggs we could give it a try. So, I gathered the ingredients, had someone that was going to town pick up some mayonnaise, and we made hard boiled egg sandwiches following the directions in the book. They split into groups to wash, cut, and prepare each item. We made it in two separate bowls because I for one don't like onions and other students had the same idea. So we had one with onions and one without. As we were ready to add each item, the group that cut it came and split it between the two bowls (Except the onions of course). We also had cucumbers that we didn't mix in, but added to the sandwich as slices.
I taught them about manners and that they shouldn't say I'm not full, I want more, etc...(which is typical for this culture), but that foreigners will say thank you and enjoy what they are given. If we say anything, we say that it's delicious. One important part of teaching is teaching manners and cultural differences whenever we can. So, I tried to get this little one engrained in their minds as we were doing this project. There were a few who came up with a big grin and said they weren't full, but in a teasing way. Others were complaining that they were too full, and that it was so delicious. Overall we had a good time in both classes. One class made it on Thursday and the other on Friday. Now the sixth and seventh graders are asking what they are going to make. I told them we have to wait and see what is in their books :)


dishing it up

waiting to pray and enjoy the sandwiches together

showing off what they had cut up

the egg group (they thought a few shells wouldn't hurt...)

adding mayonnaise

stirring

waiting their turn to get their sandwiches filled

Saturday, July 9, 2016

This Weeks Progress

taking sand to be mixed into cement
 This past week saw them finishing up the pillars for the first floor. Some days they took the materials to the site in wheelbarrows balancing on the joists they put in, other days they used the cement mixer and pushed the finished cement over to the right spot in the wheelbarrows. Either way, it looked like hard work, imagine pushing a wheelbarrow on that narrow cement strip, full of sand, stones, or cement. They also prepared the stairs on the far end for pouring cement, and then poured the cement for the stairs.
hand mixing the cement

beginning to prepare for the steps


pouring cement in the pillars


getting the slope ready for the steps

taking cement over to be poured into the steps.