Farewell my Thailand...

Well, the final preparations are being made to travel home after three weeks of the most jam-packed life changing experiences ever; for staff and students. For myself personally I have had a roller coaster ride of emotions on this trip- ranging from the heavy weight of responsibility of having to oversee the health and well being of over 90 girls, making a million decisions each day and deal with day to day mishaps and trials, to the exhilaration of experiencing some of the most beautiful country, people and culture I have ever seen.

The finished School Canteen

9M returned back to the Prem last night triumphant in finishing the canteen we built for the Primary school in Community service and it is amazing to think that our girls we able to build such a professional looking building! I think Firbank should put them to work on other projects around the school from now on and we can cut down on some costs in our budget!

A Happy Staff

We had the final celebratory dinner for 9M, 9J and 9K last night where we were treated to a feast, lanterns, dancing and drums and some final fireworks.Such a perfect way to end our time here and another example of the wonderful hospitality and care of the staff here at the Prem.
So now we are frantically packing overflowing bags, checking what needs to be declared at customs, and preparing ourselves for the long flight and the shock of the cold that awaits us in Melbourne.

This program was brought to you by...

Marian Haddrick

Belinda Pearson and Trevor Smith

Diane Peat

Debbie Erikson

Deb Cassar

Cini Sharp

Josie Stephens

And my Gumboots!

Doi Inthanon

Just spent a  brilliant overnight stay in the Karen Hill tribe of Baan Mae Klang which is overlooked by the highest summit in Thailand- Doi Inthanon. We drove the two hours to a Royal Project based at Doi Inthanon village to observe their research into cash crops- particularly their growing of flowers and Arabica Coffee. As mentioned in an earlier blog the Royal Projects were set up to research into crops that the Hill tribes could grow for a better income that growing poppies for the opium trade. They have also linked the Royal Projects to the Hill tribes to promote Eco-tourism for people/tourists to observe highly sustainable ways of living; with relation to the relationship with the environment, economics, societal values and well-being.

After wandering around the project and observing the amazing array of flowers in their hot houses (it was nice to know that Dr. Erikson was an orchid nerd and we had fun naming all of the plants) and noticing the amount of Australian natives they are growing there, we went on a nature trail to a local waterfall. The whole area was also being busily decorated with pictures of the Queen of Thailand as it is her birthday today- blue flags flying to signify the day she was born ( a Tuesday) and roses surrounded her posters!

Then we had a lunch stop before meeting our local guides who walked us through the jungle towards Baan Mae Klang. The trek was only three kilometers, but we stopped so many times along the way to take take in the scenery- changing from jungles and waterfalls to rice paddies and to also listen to the interesting facts about jungle plants and jungle medicines. I ate some wild raspberries and some other very bitter ones, smelt the bark of a tree that is used to cleanse the liver and the kidney, crushed the leaves of a citronella plant that wards off mosquitoes and found a plant that stops bleeding. Mong, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and I made sure I kept in close proximity to get the low down on all of his facts and anecdotes.

On arrival to the village we met the Village leader who served us freshly ground and brewed coffee- Ah Roy! (Delicious!) The Village leader, who was dressed in the traditional Karen garb, explained to the girls about the crops they grew and village life and society in general. We then were taken on a tour of the village: chickens and pigs living under the houses on stilts, women working on the ground weaving on a loom and various dogs roaming free whilst the teens scooted up and down the tracks on their motorbikes. I met up with the Pre-School Teacher and had hugs with her toddler who was learning to walk. She was scrumptious!

We stayed in bamboo and wooden huts on the edge of the river- which was rapidly rushing by after the rains. I have to note that my gum boots were once again a major triumph for jungle walking and the Tiger Balm I had used as an insect repellent worked a treat! We shared a meal in the open sala overlooking the vibrant green rice paddies and Dr Erikson and I both noted we could happily live her for a while.

The next morning was spent with the Pre-school children; singing songs together- doing the hokey pokey and turning around, incy wincy spidering, kookaburra sitting in an old gum tree, blowing up balloons and bubbles and lots of high fives. I was practically dragged away by our guide after I had once again kidnapped another toddler for cuddles and was very reluctant to let go of my new best friend. We bought some of the local woven scarves on the way out of the village and I was sated by some retail therapy.

Next we drove to the summit of Doi Inthanon- named after the 7th King of Chiang Mai- who had his ashes spread there in 1915. We were so high up we were in the clouds that obscured our view- but we knew we were looking in the general direction of the Himalayan foothills. We also visited the Royal Pagodas, also surrounded in clouds and mist- but stunning feats of architecture.

I was quite poetically moved so I jotted down a Haiku, that is not a Haiku, but had that Japanese sparseness to it that suited the simplicity of the place.

Clouds over Mountain Move
Rice Paddies Listen
Dragon Flies
Full Rivers Laugh
Summit Observes All;
Doi Inthanon.

Unique Batik

The last few days have been very busy. I spent some time with 9L on their last few days at Prem before they went on the Barge on Sunday. We went to Maesa Valley- misty hills and green, green jungle- where the girls went to  the Maesa Craft Centre to learn how to do Batik. Batik is a Thai art form that involves drawing on material in hot wax, then washing the material down with cold soapy water and then applying coloured dye. The wax acts as an outline and you use it to divide one dye from the next to create your pattern. I had a case of the Goldilocks- either my wax was too hot and bubbled on my fabric, or it was too cold and didn't go all the way through the fabric, meaning my dyes would blur. But it all worked out in the end with some creative approaches to blobs of wax where they shouldn't be. Some of the girls drew abstract prints, others were inspired by some of their photos, traditional images of Thailand or pictures from a Thai art book. We have left the Batik prints to be treated and the wax removed before they are sent back to us. Once again we were served to a three course lunch of traditional Thai food- early apologies to my jeans for when I get back.

On 9L's last night at the Prem we had a wonderful Khantoke dinner (which means to sit on the floor around a woven basket of food and eat with your hands) in the open sala. There were flowers and lanterns decorating the sala and music filled the room- we dined on various curries, sticky rice, salads and watermelon. Then the girls got to set alight and send off the lanterns that they made in Umbrella painting class. They had been filled with fire crackers and as they took off into the still night they crackled and burnt upwards- becoming like distant stars.  On the lanterns the girls had drawn or written their memories of the trip and for some of them their hopes, so it was a lovely way to give them flight.
Since then I have spent some time with 9M at the Mae Rim Sustainability project making woven flowers, paper and pottery. We have also spent some more nights at the markets supporting the local economy. Over the last few days the majority of my time has been spent at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital. Once as a guardian for a sick student and then once as a patient myself. Now don't be alarmed- we are both perfectly fine. The Nurse here at the Prem is extremely cautious and anything that is beyond her she will then send us to the Hospital to see a Doctor- they don't really have a GP service here- you have to go to the hospital to get medical help. The Hospital staff are very well equipped to deal with westerners and they do not take any chances- so we have gotten in to see specialists on the spot and have had various test results back in an hour. The Hospital is first class, even if they make all the nurses wear pastel blue and green dresses from the 60's, with white high heels. I am so impressed with it's service and efficiency. It is equal to any hospital in Australia, no exaggeration. I have recently found out I am allergic to DEET- the active ingredient in mosquito repellent. I look like a burns victim on my legs! Within less than two hours at the hospital, with no appointment, I had seen a skin specialist and was sent off with a little gift bag containing my medical goodies. Service I tells ya. So please don't think that Thailand's hospital system in third world, it is first class.

Rumble in the Jungle...

Yesterday I travelled out to the Community Service project to see how it was coming along since I left over a week ago. Since then 9L has completed the concrete slab and now 9K is working on putting up the wooden frame. It was great to see it all moving along and the girls really have worked like Trojans! The head builder Sak had put our school name into the concrete using bamboo. So our girls will be remembered long after we leave.

Today I was with Group Four (9L) to do Jungle cooking. We walked to the Prem Farm and picked the fresh produce. The girls gathered lemons, chilies, herbs, cucumber, beans and chives. They then went about making a small fire from scratch to cook on and then in groups they divided up the different recipes- smoked chicken and pork, sticky rice, omelets, chili sauces, banana in coconut milk, mushrooms and sweet basil, salads, minced pork with coriander... my mouth is watering again. All of these thing were wrapped in banana leaves and smoked or cooked in large Bamboo shoot over the fire. We then sat down on the ground together and shared the food, eating with our hands. We dipped the sticky rice into each dish and it was sooooo good. The food, which had been slowly cooked over a medium heat, was full of flavour and it was all natural and fresh. As we ate we were warned "Taste your food, don't just stuff it down- that's how you get fat!" We nodded and kept chewing; guilty fingers stuck with rice and bits of pork.

A bit about the Prem Centre

Prior to coming to Thailand this year we had several weeks of concern about sending our girls and staff to go on the Thailand Experience due to the political upheaval. The news reports and travel advice were cold comfort to worried parents and there was legitimate concern. Now that we are here, and thank Buddha, I am so glad that we came and I thought I would let you all know how amazing the Prem Centre is and how safely secured it is; nestled in the the mountain foothills of northern Thailand. The school was established 10 years ago and is spread over 90 acres and the Prem is 25 kilometers north of Chiang Mai. In fact we are actually in the province of Chiang Mai, but in the town of Mae Rim.

The Prem is actually like an oasis in the middle of the remote part of Mae Rim- patrolled by 24 hour security guards to boot! We are surrounded by rice paddies, modest village homes and green, green jungle. The girls have access to a little 'Milk Bar' like shop, a restaurant, swimming pool, sports facilities, laundry services and a cafeteria. Their rooms are serviced by cleaners everyday and they have living rooms and bathrooms off their bedrooms.Their apartments are all in a cluster, facing one another, so another friend is only a stones throw away- either upstairs, downstairs or across the courtyard. It's a regular Melrose Place (am I showing my age?)

The staff are so beautiful- in fact the Nurse- Mong, who is on 24 hour call, has been an angel and we will be buying her a little present to thank her for all of her care with the girls who have had a complaint large or small. The gardeners, security guards, kitchen staff and cleaners all greet you with a "Sawa dee kah/korp" and a stunning smile. The Prem Group leaders, who guide us around, are very knowledgeable and patient. Many of them have made a great impression on the girls and activities are always left with a genuine thank you from the girls and sometimes even a hug. It certainly feels like a safe and warm place to be.

Some photos from the students...

Buddhist Temple

The Primary School welcomes the Barge Students

Jumping off the Barge

Making Jasmine Necklaces

Gathering ingredients from the farm for cooking

Buffalo Farm in the Rain

Clinging on for dear life to the Buffalo's rump

A successful mount!

The locals laugh at us and our lack of skills

Plowing the field

The professionals show us how to mount the Buffalo

My Gumboots fail in the flooding

Under My Umbrella..ella...ella..

Wow! Wet season here has come late, but with a vengeance! Yesterday didn't even reach the 30's and rained nearly all day. The same again yesterday. It is much more comfortable heat wise, but you are in a constant state of wetness- either from the rain or the sweat.I bought some gumboots at the market the other day as my sneakers got thoroughly trashed during Community Service and I have been wearing them around (quite smugly).
This week I joined one group to paint umbrellas in the traditional style. We were taught by an expert and they turned out to be quite beautiful. That art minor paid off.   We drew images of Frangipani, Elephants, Butterflies and Birds.
We have all gone to the night market a few times now- a kilometre long shopping market with really good imitation knock-offs of major brands. Dad, I cant promise that the Hugo Boss t-shirt I got you is actually 'genuine'. You get to haggle with steely determination and they chase you down the street and give in each time. They kind of expect you to get down to about half price. It makes me feel a little bad, as I am so privileged, but a bit exhilarated at the same time! You get hassled a lot to buy, but the best phrase you can say is "Mai pen rai" ( No worries/problem) and they leave you alone.
Today I went with 9M to the Buffalo Farm. Riding along on the bike and in my gum boots my smugness quickly turned to concern as the torrential rain filled them up to the brim. And then when we got the the Buffalo farm, which was flooded, they filled up the other way as we walked in the fields, and Buddha knows what else! We got to plow some fields, pick rice and then jump onto the Buffalo's back. I got out of the plowing, afeared that I would loose my boots, but not the buffalo mounting. I had a really Lucille Ball moment as I tried to jump up from behind, acutely aware that the girls had all done it effortlessly before me, as my back legs clung to it's bottom and my arm were reaching up its back, trying to wiggle on. Very inelegant! But I did it and the girls were please I had given it a go... they have pictures...

We rode back, full of mud, and are now washed and clean to go to the night market again. I will post some photos of the buffalo farm tomorrow.

To Market, to Market to Buy...

Yesterday I went with Group Three (9J) to learn about Thai Massage at the Chiang Mai Massage School. I need to mention that Thai hospitality is so lovely- they had a welcoming sign for us, served a beautiful afternoon tea and the kitch graduation ceremony with a backing tape and more photos than a paparazzi convention was great.
The girls spent quite a few hours being instructed on the principles and techniques of Thai Massage, starting with the head and neck, then the back and then out to the legs and arms. We were very relaxed at the end of it after practising on each other and I quite craftily made myself available for all of the demonstrations from the expert!
We then travelled into the centre of Chiang Mai where we sat and talked to a Buddhist Monk- a Monk Chat. The Monks of the temple make themselves available to chat to tourists for a couple of times a day to answer questions about Buddhist and Monk life. We had a wonderful young Monk talk to us and we were totally disarmed by his excellent knowledge of English and very funny sense of humour. He had a real spark in his eye and may I say with all respect due- he was a spunky Monk. From talking to him he seemed very devoted to being a Monk and the principles of Buddhist life, but he was also making the most of his excellent and free education where he gets to study any subject he likes, from Maths and Politics to English and Japanese. Becoming a Monk certainly allows him to have a far better education and future than many other people of his background and culture. The girls asked really thoughtful questions and were fascinated by his stories and way of life. An anecdote he shared on the reason Thai Monks shave their eyebrows is that around 400years ago Thailand was under attack from Burma. Burmese spies were infiltrating the city and were under the guise of a Monk. The King, hearing of this decreed that all Thai Monks shave their eyebrows that night. In the morning the Monks that still had eyebrows were revealed to be Burmese and were "dealt with".

We then went to the Sunday Night Walking Market which sprawls a few kilometres and is abundant with locally made products and craft. My friends and family will be happy to know I spent a fair amount of Baht (which is very little in Australian Dollars) and will be coming home with some prezzies. And to my surprise some clothes for myself. I was certain that there would be nothing to fit me here- being a fair bit bigger than your average small framed Thai woman, but I got some great tops and pants and a dress. I was well pleased with myself! The market quickly filled last night and by eight it was hard to move forward. The human traffic moves up one side of the stalls and in the opposite direction on the other side of the street and low and betide the person who goes against the grain! The girls had a fantastic time using their Thai language and bartering with the store owners. They made some great purchases and a few of them proved themselves to be canny hagglers. The girls also had a chance to eat some local produce and the spicy smells of cooking filled the streets and mingled with the damp air and bodies. Street buskers sang and danced; it really was a place tostimulate all of your senses. It was a great night for everyone.