Safe and Sound

There is always a sense of trepidation when taking students on public transport as part of a school excursion; the dark looks from fellow passengers and the 'tut-tutting'.  So imagine my concern at taking a whole year group on an international flight. As we lined up at the boarding area for our flight to Bangkok passengers nearby moaned and asked if they could be seated away from our students. I can understoodd their point of view, but we hadn't even boarded yet. So it was with some sense of smugness that I later realised I was comfortably sitting amongst my quiet
sea of Firbank girls having a lovely nap, whilst the other passengers who complained were down the back of the plane with a constant screeching baby.

We left Group One in Bangkok for the barge program, made all transfers, luggage picked up- except for a few that went to Phuket ( later returned to us this afternoon) and we walked out into the soupy warm air. On the ride to the Prem Centre we were struck by the contrasts of the Chiang Mai- lush jungle with  nearby strewn waste, mansions set next to tin shacks, three people to a motorbike with no helmets riding past ghastly "Wear a seat belt" warnings with graphic pictures of victims on the road side.

The Prem Centre is stunning; beautifully kept grounds and tile-roof buildings. We settled into our apartments, got ourselves orientated and fed, the girls were involved in some group building activities and then there was free time to swim and relax. The girls are slightly delirious, with wired energy and very tired. Some girls are settling down to bed whilst others, with energy from nowhere, are building a fort out of their bedding to hold "campfire stories" before sleep. I am assured the fort will be dismantled in the morning and I have never been one to stand in the way of a linen construction in the name of imaginative play.

They are happy and safe and we have made it and that is the most important thing... it has been a massive emotional build up to this trip and I'm so glad we are finally here.

Group Three is off in the morning to the Elephant shelter and then on to our Community service to assist a local Hilltribe Primary School build a kitchen and eating area. Group Two will be immersing themselves in Thai Culture at the Prem Centre and Group Four will be travelling out to the Sustainable Farm nearby via bikes as part of their Environmental studies.

As I am off with Group Three it will be a few days until my next post. Until then I shall keep one eye open on the Gekos in my room as I sleep and an ear on the teenage giggles from the floor above.