The parade of the diferents tribes an villages takes place on April in Chiang rai, they parade along one of the streets, showing with proud theirs clothes and get-ups, playing music, dancing, it is a colorful show, lively and with a remarked and unvoidable cultural component, which makes the event even more ineresting and worthy of being seen.
Presents have been handed out this week, Jim´s brought a suit case plenty of gifts, the children could not wait to discover it. We had plenty of fun, we drew names and they chose wrapped gifts without knowing the content. We could see the surprise on theirs faces, the joy for the presents, the laughs, and finally we all received another happy moment.
This week the children have been playing football and basketball, and we all played together. This was not only sport, nor only a physical exercise, this is as well a mental exercise. This was the opportunity to share something in common, or to feel that we belong to the same team. Those feelings do not need translation or interpretation, it can be understood by itself. By sharing time and activities together we can all get closer.
Those days the children started to prepare Christmas celebration. I don´t know yet how exactly they consider this celebration, but the most important is, I think, to take advantage of this opportunity to come up with a positive mindset, and try to fulfill the kids’ wishes and dreams. As well this may also be the appropriate time to transmit them important values such as solidarity, enjoying to be together, sharing, and finally to come a little closer to their hearts
Today we have seen rising up in the sky hundreds of paper lanterns lighting up the night, this celebration is know as Yi Peng or Loi Khrtaong and is celebrated across the country but more especially in northern Thailand. Here in Chiang Rai, we have been lucky to contemplate such a wonderful show. Children have prepared their little ship with candle on top, and once the full moon shines across the deep black mystical sky, everybody goes to the river, leave the ships go away on the water, carrying dreams, hopes and forgiveness along the river. Then we saw lanterns flying above the Centre and everyone lost eyes and mind in this magical sky for a while. Kids and volunteers felt closer to the stars and flying away from worries and problems. A moment of poetry never hurts anyone.
There is a new puppy in the Centre, the little children are very excited with him, they play constantly with the little animal, even football. The little dog hardly can stay alone one minute because as soon as one leave alone the poor animal another one catch him and begin a new play with the puppy, still exhausted because of the previous game. Finally the little animal spend more time in the air than in the ground. In any case we have a new member in the Centre and is small, hairy and spends the most of his time flying around the Centre.
Every day in Chiang Rai is like a new experience to me, even it’s just going to the market or giving an English class. It’s shopping day today and Kunu and I went in town to buy some groceries for the kids. The market was hustling and bustling. There were a lot of stuff there I couldn’t name and those smells that I hadn’t even known before. But Kunu knew his market and knew exactly what to buy for kids. In less than two hours, we finished the shopping and brought back to our orphanage a truck of vegetables and meat!
By the time Kunu and I arrived at the center, the kids were already back from school and were about to do their chores. After the chores, the fun time began. Screaming, running, playing basketball, playing the piano and even just sitting there drinking water is kind of leisure. For some reason, some boys started to call me “Newkia”, which meant “rocket” in Thai. I suppose it’ll soon be my nickname.
Evening is class time. It was my first teaching in the center and I was a bit nervous before the class. I taught the kids some vocabularies and expressions about how to describe someone’s appearance. Some seemed pretty quick to get me and were very confident when answering my questions. Others needed more time to digest what they learned. However, they all did a wonderful job in the English learning game I taught them to play and I’m sure we all had great fun together.
After the class, I had a little chat with some of the kids about our home towns. They showed me where their home is on the map. It’s a small place called Wiang Pa Pao and I can’t wait to pay a visit there.
Yuqian
