A for Andra

During my one month in Sakeao Province I had the opportunity to explore the surrounding area on the weekends. A million thanks to all the teachers and friends who took the time and effort to take me out to see these amazing places.

Chao Lao Beach, Chanthaburi

My first weekend in Sakeao a bunch of the other volunteers planned to head south to a beach called Chao Lao. About a 3+ hours drive from Sakeao via minivan, I was keen on seeing the beach. On arrival it was nothing compared to the beaches at home but I still had a good time.

Exploring the mangrove forests.

Buffalo Park

A small contained area with rice fields and a large lake, we stopped by the Buffalo Park on the way home one evening with P Ay and her family. Initiated by one of the Princess' of Thailand, the park allowed training of both buffalos and farmers so that they can work in the field together.

Unfortunately when we went the buffalos and farmers were not in training so we had an amazing meal and fed the fishes in the lake instead.

Shaved ice dessert....

Wang Nam Keaw

An uphill drive drive about two hours up north, we traveled in a large convoy full of great teachers. This district was was in abundance of beautiful scenery and various attractions to keep us busy.

Feeding veges and milk to goats at a place called 'a cup of love'.

We arrived at a wonderful viewpoint atop a mountain. You could see the lush green forests lining the mountains that seemed to stack on top of each other until they met the sky.

Not to play favourites but Teacher Maow was definitely up there. She did not speak but much English but through her genuine and good hearted nature she managed to make us feel cared for and amazingly comfortable. Both funny and great to be around, she showed us how to launch seeds using sling shots into the hills to promote tree growth.

We went to a mushroom farm called 'Mister Mushroom'. This place grew millions of mushrooms and had mushrooms in all variants. They even had shitake mushroom ice-cream. I wasn't really a fan of mushroom pieces in perfectly good ice-cream....

Watthana Nakhon

As I've mentioned a few times in my previous posts, I joined one of the vice directors, P Ah, on a weekend back in her hometown. Only about an hour drive away I was fortunate to meet her wonderful family and discover the area.

P Ah's family owns a large area of paddy fields and other various vegetable fields. She is mother to two smart and adorable kiddies, a girl named Jah Jah and a boy named EQ. Together all four of us fit on a scooter which P Ah used to drive us around her neighbourhood.

Pang Sida National Park

On the same weekend P Ah took her children and I to Pang Sida National Park, home to some beautiful preserved wildlife and waterfalls. A world heritage listed park it was a massive area and took awhile to drive around inside.

On the way home we stopped by a gigantic lake for lunch and some swimming for the kiddies. A beautiful lake with an even more amazing backdrop.

My favourite shot of the place...

I noticed on numerous drives around Thailand there would be heards of cattle walked on the streets. This would usually mean slowing down and switching to using one lane both ways. What was unusual was that they were almost always being led by 1 or more 'poor looking' kids. I was told the kids are hired from Cambodia as they are much cheaper labour. I got a little sad thinking this was what they had to do all day... lead cattle for many kms in the heat.

It was really a challenge to not include every photo I took in this post! Thanks for reading so far and please like my link on FB if you have read this far.. it's a tiny push of encouragement to get my lazy ass in mode to keep updating (I am in a little denial about being so far behind..).

Loads of love,

An essential part of experiencing another country and it's culture is obviously eating their food. This I have been fortunate to do very much of with the help of the local teachers.

At home I loved eating Thai food and have probably had too much of the popular dishes - Thai green/red curries, Pad Thai, Som Tum (Papaya Salad) and Tom Yum soup. Here I got to eat what seemed like countless variations of these popular dishes. I wish I had better memory and was more attentive in remembering the names of these dishes but to be honest, I was more keen on just digging in.

My all time favourite... Som Tum aka Papaya Salad eaten with sticky rice in little bamboo cups.

I went with Teacher Ay to a restaurant in Watthana Nakhon that had these amazing noodles. You were served the noodles in your choice of 4 different soups, the soup was in a small amount so that the noodles weren't completely covered. You then add your own choice of veges from the below tray. They had snake beans, cucumbers, beans sprouts and this odd cabbage/onion like vege. I think it might be shaved banana flower. The result was this awesome noodle salad - I would say hands down one of my favourite dishes I had from Thailand!

I went with P Ay on a day trip to her university in Chachoengsao. When I was wondering on the way home if I had gained weight from eating so much delicious food, P Ay told me there was one more stop. Thin layers of watery dough was poured onto steaming cotton before being tenderly wrapped around ingredients. There were chives and other different meat mixtures. The result was similar to a very thin and delicate wonton. This was then dropped into a broth with cubes of pigs blood. Luckily I grew up around pigs blood and love it loads. Delicious!!!!

The weekend I was fortunate enough to stay in Watthana Nakhon with one of the vice directors, we had a quick visit to the markets for some groceries for that nights dinner.

I still can't get over the convenience and amazing rawness of buying food fresh from markets in Asia. Greens plucked straight from the fields, fish caught fresh from the water and meat cooked right in front of you.

Did I mention the abundant use of chili in Thai food? Or did you already guess that from all the spicy Thai food you've had before?

Let's not forget the amazing night markets in Sakeao. A little different from the day markets selling fresh food to take home to cook, this was all cooked in front of you or prepared on the day.

Every Friday a portion of Sakaeo town would turn into open night markets at around 5pm. They had everything you could imagine, fried crickets, grilled chicken and pork organs, salads of all sorts and Asian fruits.

Usual method of transportation is scooter. Rows and rows of them parked outside the night markets.

The variety of South East Asian fruits are the best. Just to name a few they have:

Rambutans (red with green tipped hairs) Longans (I'm sure you've had this before, brown coloured skin with white flesh surrounding a black seed) Mangosteen (Purple/black outside with white flesh pieces similarly shaped like mandarin sections) and Dragonfruit (Intense pink and green exteriors with contrasting white flesh and small edible black seeds).

As always, there is some kind of food in Asia which disgusts or intrigues the western world. This came in the form of fried grasshoppers, worms and some other odd insects. This isn't something just cooked up for tourists though, Sakeao has little to no tourists and most of the local teachers told me many Thai people enjoy the snack.

Some of the Thai teachers showing me how its done.

As usual I was only able to capture some photos, it seems nothing does the atmosphere justice then being in the centre of the chaos.

I was lucky enough to venture to the border markets twice when I was in Sakaeo. These are large markets selling cheap goods at the Aranyapethet / Poipet border between Thailand and Cambodia. They were called the RongKlua markets. Most goods are cheaper to Thai people as they come from Cambodia and labour is generally cheaper over there.

Flattened bananas grilled over charcoal. Very tasty!

The poorer Cambodian kids would beg for money to what seemed like richer Thai people.

I hope I have made everyone sufficiently hungry by now. Remember this is only the food in Thailand, I haven't even gotten to Cambodia yet!

As for those that know where I am currently - my blogs are severely delayed... as expected. So now that I have a whole week of doing mostly nothing I'm going to try my best to update loads!

Stay tuned.

In case you didn't already know, I'm not a teacher and have never had any training to teach before. I was a little hesitant at first about my lack of ability but was assured by the volunteering sites FAQ's that I don't need any experience.

In Thailand I was basically given a schedule of about 14 classes a week. They last for one hour each and I taught Kindergarten, grade 4 and grade 6 kids.

At first it was a bit tricky, I was unprepared and did not know what to expect. I went to my first class not having any specific material and was presented with 30 grade 4 kids. I didn't know what level of English they were at and what topics I should discuss.

So I tested it out - ABC's they seemed to know well, family members they knew (mother sister brother etc) ...I was running our of ideas! They all had english text books I saw them do exercises in, had a brief flip through but it didn't help in terms of giving me material to teach.

Finally I stumbled on the time! I made up simple activities and testing their skills on telling the time. Most of my lessons followed suit from hereon, generally using a question (What time is it?) and several answers (It is ten thirty.)

After this first class I was very much aware I needed to make a lesson plan and that I would be the sole teacher - not an assisting teacher. Some classes I had Thai teachers floating around to help me translate when it got too difficult. Some classes there was no other teachers present. No worries I survived! I enjoyed being the only teacher and got to act silly in front of the kids.

Googling lesson plans for ESL students definitely helped. I found a really fun game where you teach the students to use instructions - left right up down forward backward etc and you blind fold one kid and get the others to give him directions. He had to stick the days of the week in order on the board.

Something so rewarding is when you teach and you can tell the kids are really trying hard to complete their task. When they put in extra effort to colour in or get the spelling right my heart gets all fuzzy!!!!

Kindergarten deserves a whole other section. I had a challenging yet fun time teaching these cute little ankle biters. They were 3/4 years old and were all just adorable tiny little creatures. Knowing no english at all I had to use very basic words and the support of simple pictures and actions. Even repeating a word straight after I had said it was difficult - they were listening to a whole new language with sound they were not familiar with. It was near impossible to teach many songs as they could not do more than one word at a time. Their cuteness made up for everything though, have a look.

A big thing I struggled with in some classes was controlling the classroom environment. Students are can get naughty and don't behave, it's difficult to keep them always focused and pay attention to all of them at once. It was a struggle because they didn't understand what I was saying and I could hardly give them any instructions in Thai when they didn't understand the english. The amount of funny blank looks I get from kids is hilarious! I ended up learning the key words I think every teacher should learn from the student's native language:

- Good

- Repeat

- Quiet

- Louder

- Quickly

- Slow

In Thailand it's very popular to use baby powder for adults as well as kids. It's supposed to soak up oil and make the skin more white. So kids everywhere walked around with chalked up faces all the time. I even succumbed to it and am starting to use powder for my face to soak up the oil!

I think slowly and steadily I taught them a few useful things and that they enjoyed my classes!

I really need to dedicate a post to the amazing people I have met whilst volunteering here in Thailand.

When I first arrived I was greeted and taken to the house of P Ay, the teacher who organises english volunteers for Anuban Wat Sakeao. She is an honest and open woman who automatically treats you like family. She lives with her caring husband P Aod ('Pee' is a formal word you place in front of names of anyone older than you) and their daughter little monkey. Her name is Earn but everyone affectionately calls her LupLing (Thai for little monkey).

P Aod and P Ay. They have been my Thai sister and brother whilst I've been here and have taken care of me so well! From breakfast/dinner to ointment for my mozzie bites, they got everything covered.

And of course this is little monkey. She is cute and mature at the same time. A little shy at first but she is such an intelligent and bright girl, destined for great things!

My Thai family and I always enjoy eating at different places all the time!

And with Lucy who was a previous volunteer that came to visit!

I also got to spend a great weekend with the family of one of the vice directors of the school - P Ah. She has a large family that lives in a nearby district called Watthana Nakhon. Her family owns many beautiful crop fields that we got to explore when I was there.

P Ah with her cute kids - EQ (Boy) and Jah Jah.

P Ah is only one of the many other vice directors that treated me so well, the others were equally as inviting and pleasant to be around even though they knew little english.

With the exception of a handful of local teachers, most of them don't speak english. There are over 100 teachers at the school. Some speak a few basic words.

At the school there is a group of younger female teachers that are close friends. I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with them and they took me exploring, swimming and out to dinner. They're a really funny bunch and I think they have learnt some more english off me!

Also this is Choky - his english is great and he's really helpful and nice!

I have so many other teachers that I would love to put photos of but unfortunately I did not get to catch them all on my camera and you would probably be sitting there for ages. There are just so many kind and loving people at this school. I assume this is the compassionate nature teacher's possess, they have taken care of me so well that I cannot thank each and every one of them enough.

Korp khun kha !

I have been busy experiencing, adjusting and immersing myself in the new life I have here in Sa Kaeo that I have had hardly any time to write in this blog. Better late that never right? I have so much to talk about!

Let’s start off with why I am here. I have signed up to volunteer for a month through a project called ICCVTT (International Coordination Centre for Volunteer Teachers, Thailand).

Website: www.freevolunteerthailand.org

It is basically a small organization started by a man named Jason who connects English teaching volunteers with various Thai schools within Sakaeo province. Currently there are about 23 different primary schools within the province connected to the project. Volunteers submit an application and the organisation will distribute you to where is needed.

Contrary to rational belief, when searching for volunteering projects there are a ridiculous amount of organisations that require you to pay money to participate. Yes, for you to fly abroad and donate your time and efforts with no monetary compensation in return – you must pay them a pretty large amount (I saw ones asking for $2,500USD/month). I understand this is probably necessary for security and living costs to risky areas, but how do you know this is where the money is going? Anyways, search harder and you will find ones that do not ask for money like the one I am in now. A bonus of this program is accommodation and weekday meals, but don’t expect that for most others as they may be living in more impoverished conditions.

Here I have been allocated to Anuban Wat Sakaeo School, which is the main and largest primary school in the province. Government run and funded, it consists of approx 1,920 students that range from kindergarten to grade 6. It is a rather large school with moderate facilities. The school grounds are large and gated, with about 6 different buildings to fit the students.

I haven’t had the time between teaching to take specific photos but here are some of the grounds I took roaming around….

As expected the kids in Thailand are absolutely adorable. They are well behaved (mostly) and mannered. Energetic and full of fun!

Adorable 1st/2nd graders having their daily dose of milk which the school provides.

Best mates!

Students love to play like all average kids do. Popular games around I’ve noticed around school is:

- Jumping rope, except the ‘rope’ is made out of elastic bands.

- Knucklebones/Jacks (I think that’s what the game is called in Aus?) They start with several coloured objects thrown in the air, pick one up and throw it up again whilst trying to scoop as many as you can from the ground.

And also the girls teaching each other dances to pop songs.

Also saw boys on the field playing marbles, had a total flashback of doing that in primary school! I remember collecting the metallic glitter ones and throwing out the cat eye ones because no one wanted them!

Among the many differences I observe from school back home in Australia is the obedience taught. I’m sure this would be relevant to most Eastern cultures, students are made to clean thoroughly – mop floors take out trash and scrub desks. They are also disciplined with light hits on the hands with sticks or made to do strenuous exercises like many squats with your hands out.

Boy scout training on the fields..

Each day of the week the kids have to wear a different uniform. Each day has a different style and colour that I am told represent the colours of the Royal Thai family. The teachers also follow this pattern of different uniforms.

At the end of the day at the conclusion of the last class students are required to recite a Buddhist prayer before leaving.

These are just a few of the things I’ve noticed at school, I’ll dwelve into teaching and my living conditions here another day.

Thanks for reading so far and I want everyone at home to know I’m safe and having an amazing experience so far!

Cheers,

I woke up early to leave the hostel, keen on exploring a bit of Bangkok before my 5 hour bus ride to the small province I will be staying at for the next month.

After Googling - and contemplating how the hell did commoners travel before Google - I came up with loads of attractions. Dwindled it down to the two Temples because they were close to each other, Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

Along the way I saw swarms of tourists go into the Grand Palace. Went to have a peek but I decided not to go in cause the place looked pretty big and would take too much time.

Grand Palace entrances above.

I kept walking and arrived at Wat Pho - also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Went straight to see the massive Buddha statue. He took a whole building and was magnificent, spanning 43m and 15m high.

The toes of the Buddha statue.

Along one of the walls was also 108 bronze bowls which represented the 108 auspicious Buddhist characters. For a small fee you get a container of coins to drop into the bowls for good fortune.

Some photos of the rest of the temple..

I was in awe of the detailing, everything was so delicate and a feast to the eyes. I love the colour and glamour put into Thai religious sacraments.

After a little meditation in the main shrine, I was dying of the heat and eager to explore more. Nearby I found cart full of corn - they mixed in butter and salt and gave it to you in a cup to eat out of.

To get to Wat Arun you have to cross the Chao Phraya river. Found the ferry luckily.. only cost me 3 Baht (10 cents)! Probably the cheapest ferry ride you can ever get.

Soon I spot Wat Arun...

This temple heavily featured several different Hindu gods in its ornaments.

The main structure had ridiculously steep stairs that you could climb up to reach the second and third floors. I literally mean climb, I could easily touch the next step with my hands. 

There was a kid (in the green) stuck on one of the steps, horrified to death of falling.

After leaving Wat Arun it was time for me to go back to the hostel, collect my huge backpack and start trying to find my way to the bus terminal.

But not before lunch of course...

Tom Yum Seafood noodle soup. A whooping 50 baht (AUD1.70). Could totally get used to this!!!!

Off to Sa Keo province where my journey really begins.

After a grueling 9 hour flight from Gold Coast airport to Singapore's Changi Airport, I transferred to my connecting flight. It lasted 2 hours before I arrived in Bangkok. I took a relatively cheap Scoot flight, not bad for my first Scoot experience. Little to no delays for me. If you are ever transferring in Changi on a Scoot flight, highly recommend you buy the 'Scoot Thru' service (13AUD) which allows you to connect directly to your next flight without having to clear immigration and collect/recheck your baggage in. This service would normally be standard for most other airlines but remember you are dealing with budget!

I arrived at night in Bangkok and checked into the Suneta Hostel KhaoSan. This place is literally a street away from Khao San road, the famous 'backpacker' district.

My stay was pretty awesome. The hostel has bunk beds like most dorms but these ones were individually enclosed for your privacy. So you could lock all your things inside and sleep as if you are in your own room. They were individual cabin like areas.

I was starving at this point so I wondered onto the streets of Khao San Road to find me my first taste of Thai food from Thailand!

My favourite is Pad Thai and luckily this seems to be selling in every second food cart I see. You can choose your type of meat and different noodles. Cheap and delish!

They were selling all kinds of things and it all seemed to be aimed at the tourist market. Probably not the most traditional Thai food. Skewered Scorpions for the daring?

My one night in Bangkok ended pretty quickly since I was buggered from the flight, didn't live up to hangover 2 unfortunately..

Rest time!

One of the entries on my bucket list is to write a blog. I've been meaning to for awhile now, not just a photo blog but one where I actually attempt written content. Thing is my life wasn't so interesting to constantly talk about. Now that I'm travelling.. when would be a better time to start?

So I left my job and am now planning to travel South East Asia for around three months. From what I have planned at the moment, I will be in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam for about one month each place. In Thailand and Cambodia I will be volunteering in rural schools to teach English.