Journey to Pakkred

Last few days of work

2010-08-27T14:24:00.005+01:00

On my last day at work the Thai staff and I cooked a delicious meal for my going away. Here we are making Somtam which is a spicy papaya salad.

Tammy giggling.

Tui in the sensory room

The ball pit!

Gob in the standing frame, practising some good standing.

Our last outing with the children. The same old - Major for food and ice cream, but they always enjoy it!

On one of my last days the physios took some of the children to the hydrotherapy pool and I was allowed to go in with them. The children absolutely loved the pool!!

Ploy, finding it hysterically funny sitting is a laundry basket.

Well I am back in the UK now, and missing Thailand so so much. I would love to just hop on the next flight back. I guess it will take a while to settle back into British life again. BUT, I will be going back, that is for sure! I thought I would put up a few of my last photos of work. And then I guess this is the end of my blog until I go back to Thailand.

Goodbye Thailand - love you so so much

2010-08-20T08:32:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone,

I guess this is my last blog from Thailand, today has been our last day as we fly out tonight at midnight! I’m sorry I haven’t blogged for so long, but my last few weeks were so crazily busy and emotional so I didn’t get a chance to write anything. I had my last couple of days at work a couple of weeks ago. The Thursday was my last day with all the children because on the Friday we took only a couple of children on a boat trip around Koh Kret. The Thursday was a very very emotional day, I don’t think I have had to try and stop myself from crying so much in one day, it was horrible (but a really really lovely day). It was just a normal day at work but a very special one for me. The Thai staff made me a very special meal for lunch. I helped make Somtam which is spicy papaya salad, and we also had lots of other yummy foods, I think I have eaten most of my most delicious Thai food at work with all the staff. I really enjoy the time spent with them, sitting on the floor and sharing all the plates of food. The goodbye to all the children was so difficult, I started crying a lot, and gave all the children a lovely hug and a kiss. It was a really lovely goodbye to them all, one of the little girls was really confused by the fact that I was crying, she gave me a look as if to say “why are you crying, it’s meant to be me who cries”, so that made me laugh in the middle of all the crying. Then after that, I headed to Rainbow house for our leaving party. CCD have a party for all the volunteers who leave and it was our turn. It was a very strange feeling knowing that it was us that were leaving!! Very surreal. But I managed to hold it together for that and we were given lots of souvenir pictures and stuff from CCD.

It has been really great having the support from the other girls, we are all feeling the same, all very upset to be leaving and it is fantastic how much we are able to support each other and be a comfort to each other. If I didn’t have them I think I could well be in a worse state than I am :)

Then on the Friday I was preparing myself for another emotional day of saying bye to a few more of the children and all the staff. The boat trip was good and I think all the children really enjoyed themselves, but I felt in quite a surreal state knowing that I was ACTUALLY leaving. So it was another tearful goodbye to the children we had taken out at lunch time. Then I headed back to the CCD centre with all the staff and spent the afternoon with them, helping them make stuff and generally just chatting to them. It was funny, every time one of them came over to me and said “Oh I don’t want you to leave” it set me off with the tears again, they kept telling me to stop or they would start. So eventually I had to do the inevitable, say goodbye to them all. It was the hardest thing I have had to do. The staff have really been like a family to me whilst I have been here, making me feel at home and looking after me. I found it harder leaving them than I ever thought I would, harder than I found leaving Scotland when I came out here. They had made me a beautiful poster of all the photos they have of me at work, really thoughtful of them! I am going to miss them all so so much, I already am, and I’m still in Thailand.

I have made a vow to myself though that I WILL be back, I don’t think I could leave here without the knowledge that one day I will be back! It breaks my heart to leave all these fantastic children here but I just have to keep remembering that there are all the staff and volunteers when they come that these children will have.

Thank you so much to all of you who have supported me, through prayer, thoughts and everything else. You have been amazing and this experience has really just been such a blessing so thank you so so much.

Well I guess that is it, I will try and upload some more of my photos when I get home, I have hundreds so they won’t all go on. But I hope you don’t mind hearing all about all they children and looking through endless photos, I certainly have so many stories to tell you all.

Khopkhun mat mat kha lak sawasdee kha. Mai ow bai baan, chop Thailand mat mat!Kid tung kha.

Rachel xxx

Nong Tim

2010-08-20T07:45:00.001+01:00

Hello,

I’m really sorry I have had to put these photos of Nong Tim on my blog because I couldn’t get them to attach to the email. I hope you like them!

Older photos of work

2010-07-12T14:12:00.003+01:00

This little boy is called Pee Tee, he is a lovely, very energetic young boy. He is always running around and getting into everything that he shouldn't. He is very much there, understanding everything he gets told. Sadly, the past month or so, he has been very ill. He was in hospital for almost a month. He had been admitted with having lots of very long seizures I think. I went to visit him in hospital and he wasn't a happy chappy. He was twitching all the time. Having lots of small seizures all the time, and as a result he is unable to eat himself so has been being fed by a tube. When I went to see him, at first I wasn't sure if he was really seeing me which was hard, as he is normally so good at concentrating on you. I stayed with him for a bit. At the beginning of last week he was discharged from hospital and is now in sick ward at the orphange. I was able to go and see him that day with a couple of the Thai staff. He was much the same, still very twitchy and being fed through a tube. He has lost a lot of weight in the last few weeks, which is never good for the children. Just pray that he can be healed of whatever it is that is causing him to have fits all the time and that he can be given the right medication. It would be fantastic to see him back at CCD fit and healthy again, because he loves it, getting to run around and whatever.

Music therapy which is always great fun with the children laughing at our dancing

The physios often bring the children back to the day care centre where they work with them, often I am able to help out, which is great practice for next year.

Drama therapy, this is Lizzy doing her monkey impression, don't know that you can tell all the children are laughing at her!

In the day care centre

2010-07-12T13:38:00.009+01:00

Very sadly we are nearing the end of our time in Thailand, we only have another three weeks of work left. This experience has literally been the best experience. The children and staff that I have met are so fantastic. I am loving every moment of my work here. Getting to know all the children and learn each of their specific needs and abilites and getting to work with these lovely children has been wonderful.

One afternoon we got out the keyboard that we have at CCD and had a great fun afternoon playig on it, dancing along to all the songs and the hammering on the keys! A very musical bunch of kids!

The keyboard really was the centre of attention that afternoon, they all got very excited about it.

Playing with a jigsaw with Fah, great fun, trying to slot all the pieces into the correct places with arms flying everywhere but we managed, and several times as well.

Lay, as always smiling for the camera. He loves getting his photo taken, and more importantly seeing the photo that you have taken of him!

It's not often you can catch Botech on camera, he is always on the move, so this is a very rare occasion that he is sitting playing with a game!!!

This is in the sensory room.

Ratchapon (right) always tries to get in here at any available time, he manages to scoot himself across the floor, he loves the sensory room, just lying on the floor staring at all the lights above him.

Music therapy is always great fun, singing as many different songs as we can. Thai and English

This is the soft play room at Rainbow house where the Rachawadee girls and boys went one afternoon. Rainbow house is a fantastic centre for all these children.

we had great fun emptying the ball pool and then the chore of throwing them all back in, the girls found it great fun.

Trip with the kids to Dream World

2010-06-22T15:13:00.004+01:00

At the end, Ploy looking very tired after a long day out!

Great fun!!!

As you can see, found the whole dricing a car experience hilarious!

Ana and Samon on the cars.

These are the cars that Sorasak absolutely loved. For the whole time until we did them, he was pointing at the map and saying that's what he wanted to go on. We ended up going on them a couple of times.

This was on Saturday and CCD organised a big trip for all CCD children from all the different projects to go to Dream world, a theme park in Bangkok. It was great fun and the children loved it. I was given one boy to look after for the day, which was hard work but great fun. I really enjoyed being able to look after him for the day. He also told me that he had enjoyed his day out. I think especially the cars that he was able to drive! It is lovely to be able to take the children out. They really benefit from getting out of the orphanage even if it is only for a few hours.

Birthday party for the children

2010-06-22T14:52:00.005+01:00

Dancing along!

Looking very pleased with himself.

Somsak and Lay sharing their birthday.

The big birthday cake!

These are some photos of a birthday party that the orphanage had organised for a lot of the children. I think the general idea is to try and have one each month, to celebrate those children who have had a birthday in that month. It was a really nice event. The children who were able to and had a birthday sat at a big long table like at weddings. There was a big birthday cake for them all. They sang some songs, got very excited and sang happy birthday. Then there was cake for everyone. The children whose birthday it was all got a bag of presents. It was lovely. They all got really excited about it.

Rachawadee girls

2010-06-05T13:43:00.004+01:00

Hello everyone,

It’s hard to believe how fast my time out here is going. I have been here in Pakkred Thailand for 8 weeks now. Thankfully the political situation in Bangkok seems to have calmed down for the time being. I am about half an hour outside Bangkok and were at one stage affected by the unrest.

I thought I would write a wee bit more about what we’ve been up to and how things are going. I am working alongside three other British volunteers which is great because we can be great support for one another when things are particularly tough or we see situations that affect us or find difficult. There are also volunteers from other countries and it is really nice to work with them and get to know them.

I cannot express how much I am enjoying working for CCD. I am working in the CCD day care centre at Baan Fung Fah. Baan Fung Fah is the home for disabled children under the age of seven, but actually in reality the majority of these children are actually older than this. Many of these are abandoned children. The CCD day care centre is a building next to the orphanages that the government have allowed CCD to use to take a few children out each day.

There are 4 government orphanages – babies, children, girls and boys. Within these orphanages there are many many wards which split the children up into their abilities and needs. Sadly in the government wards we are seeing wards and wards full of many many disabled children. It is really hard to see, and is why CCD is so important in this situation here.

As volunteers we work with CCD, who really are a fantastic organisation. We are allowed to take some children out of the wards for the day into the day care centre where we work with them. The hope is that some of these children may thrive because of the extra love and attention they can be given. We start work by picking up the children from the wards. They are always waiting for us and are really pleased to see us, which is lovely because we feel we are doing some good for these children. We take them back to CCD and do some music with them, which is usually singing lots of Thai songs, some of them I recognise in English. Then the children have snack. Then we help to shower and change the children (Thai’s like to shower a lot, I guess it has something to do with the heat!). We then have an hour or so before lunch. In this time we are free to play with the children, take them to the sensory room, do some physiotherapy with them and just spending time with them. Then we give the children lunch. Many of the children are not able to feed themselves or have to have special chopped up food so we help feed the children. Some of the kids then go back to the wards, they are usually the ones who require extra care. The others stay behind and have a sleep. In the afternoon we are free to play with the children again. Often some different children come for the afternoon. We sometimes go to the little playground outside the day care centre. Then later on we take the children back to the wards. Often some of them get a bit upset about going back. This is often really hard to see, we feel we just want to be able to do something more for them but are unable to.

At times we see some very distressing scenes. Older disabled teenagers/adults are expected to care for the other children. However, we try not to think too much about these negative aspects of our work, instead we try to focus on all the positives and just think of how much good we are doing for those that we are able to work with, although there are still many many more who we cannot care for. We are able to support one another and touch the lives of these few children.

All these photos that I am posting are of the CCD day care centre. It is just important to remember that this is only a tiny proportion of the children in the orphanages and that although CCD is an amazing facility for these children.

I am gradually improving my Thai and learning to eat strange foods and cope with the amazing heat. The wonderful rain and dramatic thunderstorms are never more welcome.

I would really appreciate prayer support for me and the team as we continue our work here.

Keep looking onto the next page because I have uploaded quite a few photos recently.

fung fah

2010-06-05T13:11:00.003+01:00

This is me in the sensory room with some of the children.

The sensory room is a really good facility for these children, there are toys, lights, fans (much needed) and soft carpets.

This is one of the Thai staff.

Keep looking...more photos further on.

outing

2010-06-05T10:57:00.007+01:00

Here are a few more photos of an outing we took the kids on today. It was great fun and the kids really enjoyed themselves. Generally laughing the whole time. We took them to Major, the big shopping centre near us. We had some food for lunch them went for ice cream. Then wondered around the centre which they all found hilarious. Looking at everything and just generally having the freedom to run around and do whatever. Moving stairs hold a special fascination, especially for Solasak and Ploy. I never knew they could be so much fun until our outing with the kids. I've tried to upload some videos from today as well so hopefully you can see what I've been up to.

Just could not get her to look at the camera. She was far far more interested in the cups of water on the table.

Lovely photo. This is at Swensens were we took the children for ice cream. I have to say they demolished it very quickly.

Suay mat mat

Eating in the traditional Thai way , 'sharing'. More like I grab the bowl from you, take a mouthful, you grab it from me and so on...

He ordered his own meal. We had no idea what he ordered or what the Thai lady was saying to him. But it worked out and he enjoyed it which is the main thing. A very bright boy.

Work update

2010-06-02T10:58:00.004+01:00

This is the wee playground bit outside the CCD daycare centre. We often take the children out there in the afternoon when there is some shade!

And the rainy season begins.
There will be more photos coming soon, just haven't had time to upload them yet.

Outings with the children and girls

2010-05-24T11:57:00.002+01:00

These are a few photos of a couple of outings we have been able to take the children on and also of another day at Rachawadee girls. These are a couple of weeks old, sorry but I wasn't able to upload them earlier. I hope you enjoy them. Hopefully will get some photos in the next couple of weeks or so.
It is really lovely taking the kids on outings because they very rarely get to go out unless there are volunteers usually who can take them out, so it really is a great excitement for them!!! On these trips we've taken them for Thai food and then ice cream and also some of them we took round the shops and these two above we brought back to the house for a little while.
Ana had made a slide show presentation for the children at Rainbow house and it was really cute because the two girls wee sitting watching it! They just looked so cute.

Here is Ploy is watching the slideshow

Don't worry she was actually laughing. She laughs a lot and it is so lovely to hear.

Here she was trying to rip up some paper.

I think this is such a lovely photo. Kara has a wee prayer book and she was just flicking through it. I seem to have managed to catch her as if she is reading it!

Me taking Ploy back to the house for a little while. We live just off this road, actually that reminds me, I really need to take a photo of our house from the outside so that you guys can see where I am actually staying.

Fascinated by transferring one bottle to another (and making a big mess in the process!!)

A massive plate of food for a very wee girl. It was macarroni with chicken, mmm.. Aloy mat mat!! Though I'm not so sure Ploy thought so.

Another day at Rachawadee girls. I tend to go here if the staff at Fung Fah have a meeting or for some reason they aren't going to be there. It is quite good because it means that I get to see what goes on at another place. Also I am getting to know some of the girls which is nice. Actually we took a group of 4 girls from CP ward to church last week. It was really nice, and all the people at church were really welcoming to them and they were really touched that these girls had wanted to come to curch, it was lovely to see.

A lovely pose by Kara. :)

I seem to have a lot of photos of this wee girl. But she was just so responsive when we put her on the wedge and gave her a few toys, we saw lots of smiles from her so that was really nice.

The sensory room.

Me playing the keyboard with one of the girls, she really enjoyed it

She really enjoyed seeing herself in the mirror.

The pianist!!

Doing some physiotherapy/OT. It's really great because I am getting the opportunity to practice some physiotherapy.

Thought you might like to see some Tuk - tuks, which really are quite a common mode of transport her in Thailand.

This was a huge treat for the girls that we took out. We took them for ice cream. As you can see from the look on her face, she was really pleased with this yummy ice cream

Ali and Bunta, great big grin.

Yummy yummy, egg fried rice and vegetables.

Photos

2010-05-20T10:36:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the lack of photos and posts recently. Sadly my camera has decided to stop working so I won't be able to put up anymore photos for the next few weeks until I can get another one. I have got some more photos to put up from last week but they didn't want to upload for me which is a real pain. Work is getting better and better as I get to know the kids more and the staff too. Just to let you know that although to everyone at home the Bangkok situation sounds really bad we are not really affected by it. Apart from having a curfew for 4 days. I'm not really sure what is going to happen after that but hopefully there wont be any more troubles because it has affected people that I know out here. I will try and put the photos up again another day to see if it will work. Thge photos are of a couple of outings that we have taken the kids on which have all been very successful, if a little tyring!
Going on an outing on Monday which will be good.

Work - trip with some kids from Rainbow house and work at Rachawadee girls

2010-05-09T13:15:00.005+01:00

These are the children from Rainbow house that we took out on Saturday. We took them for lunch at KFC which was a treat for them. Then we went and they played on the arcades then they had ice cream and a drink. It was really nice to take the children out as they don't get out very often. BUT...It was very tiring because they were all very excited about coming out. It was one on one with the kids which was definately needed to keep them under control! I really enjoyed it though and think it went well with the kids enjoying themselves.
Sorry about the photos being on their side by the way!

Eating sticky rice!!! They don't consider having eaten a meal unless they have had some rice. The ladies who make the food at the stalls here seemed to really enjoy seeing us with the kids even if we did disrupt the place. One of them gave the children her water when they were wanting us to buy them another drink, which was really nice of her.

Sharing the water the lady gave us.

KFC

Yum yum!!!!

He seemed to be more interested in licking all the sauce off the plate rather than eating his chicken nuggets and chips!

Thai pose

This is when I spent 2 days at Rachawadee girls which is the orphanage for the girls who are roughly aged 7+. There are women there too. We think some of them are as old as 35, maybe older! This is in the day care centre. However, we spent most of our time in the ward for children with Cerebral Palsy. All day Thursday we were in the ward, playing with the girls, giving them lunch and making sure that they weren't all lying on top of each other in their very small space. Then on Friday morning we took six girls to the day care centre which was really nice, it was one on one because most of these girls need extra care. Then in the afternoon we went back to the ward to play with all the other girls, though we didn't have time to play with them all. This picture above isn't actually one of these girls though.

Next week we are taking a gew of these girls to the church we go to. These girls are christian and would like to see what Christian fellowship is like. So they are really looking forward to that.

In the sensory room, she didn't like looking at the camera.

Kara with Jirapun in the sensory room

What a fantastic smile!

This girl is very bright, knows exactly what is going on around her.

Playing with a spcae blanket. She really liked the crinkling noise it made and also blwing it in fron of the fans.

work cont.

2010-04-27T12:13:00.001+01:00

Me and Ploy. She didn't seem to understand to look at the camera and not me:)!

Ploy

He used to be terrified of this dolly, now absolutely loves it, thinks it is hilarious. The pose he is pulling is the traditional Thai photo pose.

Trying to smile!

This wee boy has a thing for watches. Every day he grabs my wrist and takes my watch off and puts it on his arm, I think before I leave I wil get one for him.

Ploy, she absolutely loves to laugh, and it's so lovely to hear her laugh, even if it is at me!

This is Ploy engrosed in her singing nursery rhyme book.

I still haven't managed to catch this boys name. He is so nice. He helps us shower and feed the kids sometimes, even though he can't walk himself. He has also been trying to teach me some Thai sentences, and I'm teaching him the numbers up to 10 so far in English

This is me with Om. He is a lovely boy, again very active, loves running around and climbing all over me. He seems to know me now and greets me in the morning with a clap with our hands.
As you can probably see some of the kids names are easier to learn than others, I have managed to learn about 5 names so far.

This is me in the sensory room with one of the boys from Ratchapon ward.

We wear different coloured shirts for each day of the week

This little girl is so cute. One of the physiotherapists has showed me what they do with her so I have had the chance to practice a little bit of physio on the kids all ready which has been great.

In his standing frame. It is talc all over his face.

The ball pool

This is Botech ( I hope that's how you spell it, well that's how it sounds!) in the sensory room, I can assure you he is never normally this still, he is constantly the go. At meal times he is tied to his chair to attempt to stop him running away! Don't worry it's not cruel. He is a lovely boy.

These are a few pictures of Victory Monument last week when the 'peaceful shirts' were demonstrating all round it. We were going there because we have language lessons in Bangkok. However, we have stopped going now because the situation is not safe enough for us to go.

First days at work

2010-04-20T13:55:00.004+01:00

Here are the first few photos of work. I started work properly on Monday, and am absolutely loving it. Each day seems to be different, I never really know what is going to happen because that seems to be part of the Thai culture that they don't explain things, also I suppose the fact I can't really speak Thai would also contribute to that:) Though saying that we are getting 2 weeks worth of language lessons in the afternoons after work so hopefully that will help. Work is fantastic! In the mornings we pick the children up from the wards then take them back for some music for an hour. They then get a snack and then we shower and change them which is always quite difficult trying to keep them from running away! Then we get to play with them for an hour or so before lunch. The picture above and below is of the wee sensory area that they have in the day care centre. It is really good stimulation for the kids. The little girl lying down in the picture above loved it when I played round and round the garden on her hand! I still haven't grasped all their names yet because they are Thai names and so sound very different from anything that I am used to though I gues with being here for four and a half months I should manage to learn most of them. The teachers are also really nice and helpful though don't speak much English so it is mostly a gesturing communication we have going on at the moment. Will post more photos once I have them. Thank you to everyone who supported me in coming out here, I can tell you it is going to be well worth it working with the children.
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Koh Samet

2010-04-17T11:03:00.004+01:00

This is the sign to Fung Fah where I work

This is the road that Fung Fah is on.

Julia

Putting up the tent!!!

Here are some photos of Koh Samet, a little island about 3hours from Bangkok. We have had this week off because of Thai new year, we didn't realise this was going to be the case until we got here so we took a couple of days to see Koh Samet. I will be at work as of Monday, for near enough the rest of my time in Thailand, so don't worry I am going to be working!!!

We've got church tomorrow which is called Changwattana community church and it is a western church generally run by Americans and it seems to be quite good after being there last week.

I have a few pictures of the outside of work to put up but not inside because I didn't take my camera in because it would have got damaged during the water festival, so more will follow once i am settled into work.

Here are some of Koh Samet

Next few days

2010-04-12T10:45:00.002+01:00

Had my first full day at work today which was really good. It is coming up to Son Kran which is the Thai new year and is basically all about throwing water at each other for 3 days. It starts tomorrow so I can expect to be very wet constantly for the next few days.
We celebrated Son Kran at work today and it involved a very Thai parade with a big Buddah on a cart and loads of flowers and then at the end of the afternoon a huge waterfight with everyone.
Sadly I wasn't able to take any photos because my camera wouldn't have survived the water fight!
So there won't really be anything for me to say in the next few days because the orphanages are closed for the rest of the week because of Son Kran.
That reminds me, we have to wear these ridiculously bright shirts for it. I can hear some drums and stuff going now, so it must be getting under way soon.
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2010-04-11T09:15:00.002+01:00

Feeding some HUGE fish

Ali on the boat we took round Koh Kret

Kara and Lily

Ana, Lilly and Lizzie

Lunch time, we're not really green it's just the roof cover

A market stall at Koh Kret

Thailand

2010-04-11T08:40:00.003+01:00

Ana and Kara at the buffet.

Ali sitting cooking our meal at a buffet place just off the street. We had to try and cook our own food. We cooked noodles and herbs (it was funny because we discovered that we cooked sweet noodles so they were really quite horrible).

The plane, we were in the middle row of four!

Today

2010-04-10T15:28:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone, hope you are all enjoying reading up about what I have been doing in Thailand.
Today we spent the day on the island that's on the river we are near to called Koh Kret. We went to the market there and I bout a nice bag and a bracelt for a total of £2.40, which is really very good!
We then had lunch at a jazz cafe place and then went back to Rachel and James' house which was really nice because the wee girl they are hoping to adopt from CCD is staying with them for a week over Thai new year so we spent today with her, she's lovel.
We went on a trip round the island after and fed some massive fish with bread (instead of feeding the birds you feed the fish in Thailand)
Then we went to Major which is a food court place near us on the bikes (mine has no brakes though) and had some tea which for me was Cow Pat Pak, rice and vegetables.
It is still realy hot but I think I am beginning to get used to it which is really good, you just have to kind of accept that you get really sweaty after 5 mins of doing anything!!!
Will try and post some nice photos soon.
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First day

2010-04-09T15:06:00.002+01:00

Hello,

I have just had my first day at CCD. I have been put in the day care centre at Baan Fung Fah which is the orphanage for children age 0 - 7. Today I was just getting a feel for what went on. I helped out in the sensory room which was really good fun. We were meant to go to Bangkok this afternoon to start our language course, but we weren't able to because of the red shirts protesting. But don't worry we are not really affected by them, we've just not to wear red, yellow or pink shirts.And not to go into Bangkok unnecessarily. Rachel (who is in charge of the volunteers) taught us a wee bit of Thai instead this afternoon, I can now count up to ten and say hello and thank you, and I should be able to remember how to say I'm hungry, that was lovely, you're beautiful and what I like, what my name is but I've kind of forgotten a lot of it already.Tonight we went out for a buffet tea at an outside place where you cook your own food over a cooker thing. Tomorrow we're going to a wee island on the river to see the markets there and also maybe see James and Rachel.

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Arrived

2010-04-07T16:45:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone,

Just a quickee to let you know that we have arrived safely in Thailand.

I am currently sitting in the ONE air conditioned room in the house and we've still got four fans in the room, it is so so so so hot!!!

Tomorrow we're going to Rainbow house for their celebrations of the water festival which envolves basically throwing water over each other, so am really looking forward to getting wet!

Will speak again soon

Love

Rachel xxxxxxxx

Address

2010-04-02T10:27:00.000+01:00

Here is my address for while I'm in Thailand.

Oasis Team
CCD
PO Box 47
Pakkred
Nonthaburi 11120
Thailand

Post training

2010-03-29T17:56:00.007+01:00

Our Thailand team

Hello,
This is a picture from training in London. It's a photo of everyone who is doing a GAP year (Bangladesh, India, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Thailand).
At training we did various activities and talks which are to help us cope while we are overseas whilst also bonding as a team. Our Thailand team, get on really well. There are 4 girls in my team (me, Kara, Ali, Ana) and we get on really well which is fantastic. We've had many laughs this past week at training. Its now only a week until we leave for Thailand (6th April).

Preparations cont.

2010-03-05T19:37:00.002Z

hello
Getting ready to leave now, one month to go. I'm leaving on 6th April.
We've had loads of information about just exactly what we're going to be doing while we are there, it all sounds very exciting. Can't wait to get out there although also really quite nervous about what to expect. I'm away to London for a training week in the middle to end March so that will be literally the final preparations and meeting some people who were out there until just recently. I think we are very lucky in that there is a girl from oasis who is staying out there for another 2months on top of what she's already done which means she wil be there when we are so she'll be able to show us round and help us out. Give you an update after training.
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Preparations

2010-01-31T16:31:00.002Z

Hello,
Not written for a while, but there's not really been much to say, just steadily working towards the final few months.
Trying to get jabs, doctor and dentist visits sorted out so that I'm all clear for going away. We' have been told to practise eating Thai food before we go so that we know what to expect. (apart from Thai green curry!)Anyone have any suggesgtions of relatively cheap but nice Thai restaurants???
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Getting Started

2010-01-02T16:48:00.002Z

Hello everyone,

This is all very new and exciting, I've set up my own blog for the first time (quite impressive considering my poor computer skills!)I'm going to be making posts leading up to before I leave and also I will hopefully be able to let you all know what I am doing while I am in Thailand.
I am currently working at Greggs and at a sports club to raise the money I need for Thailand. I have done a range of fundraising so far such as many cake sales, some craft stalls, baby-sitting and also a session of bag packing at Marks and Spencer which was a huge success.
So thanks to everyone's very generous donations and help and everything else. I am now well on my way to making the target which is fantastic new, thanks everyone.
Will keep you posted on how all the preparations go.

Here is a wee video for you to watch to give you a bit more info about what I will be doing in Thailand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDjbffbV_XM
And here is the link to CCD's website http://www.ccdthailand.org/index.php