Lindsey Marie M: A little day trip

This morning I got up and got ready, then my mom and dad called. I don’t think I let them get too many words in as I gushed about my new house, my new village, and what I had done the day before.

After I talked to them I came downstairs and opened my front door. As I was brushing my teeth, my neighbor came over and asked me if I had eaten yet. I said no, and so she took me to a little restaurant in someone’s house to eat at. However, she had already eaten, so she just watched me eat. Typical Thai style.

After that, she took me to the school where I think they were having some type of VBS/Sunday school just on Saturday. I’m not sure if its school sponsored, or sponsored by someone else, but I think they said about 250 students attend each week. I think they got a bible lesson, worked on verses, and sang songs. I’ll have to go a few more times to figure out exactly what they do and why.

the Mon bridge

The lady who took me to breakfast, asked two of the other teachers if they wanted to go into Sangklaburi, the bigger town near me to show me the wooden bridge (which I had just seen the day before but they didn’t really know). However, they didn’t have a car or truck available, just two motorcycles. It was hot, so they decided we needed to wear long sleeve shirts on the journey. We split up and went to our houses and got shirts, then the two ladies who each have a young child got on one motorcycle and I and a teacher just a few years older than me got on the other one. We drove up and down the mountains, sometimes going 60 kph. It was so much fun. We talked along the way, and she pointed some things out to me. She told me she was Karen (a hill tribe that I believe came over from Burma, I’ll have to study up on it more to get my details straight). Throughout the day I would find out that most of the people I’ve been around, and 80% of my students are going to be hill tribe, mostly Karen. I hadn’t realized that I was going to be in a hill tribe area until today. However, I’m excited to have the chance to get to know more about the hill tribes and see what God has in store for me here.

with the bridge. Do you like the outfit they
had me wear? A bright yellow hat, and a long
sleeve shirt. SOOOOO HOT

When we got to Sangklaburi, we drove right down to the wooden bridge. It has some record, maybe the second or longest wooden bridge, I’m not sure. If I understood what they told me correctly, this year during the rainy season there was a flood some teak trees crashed into the bridge sideways and took a chunk out of the middle of it. When the water goes down, they are going to fix it, but for now they have made one out of bamboo for the people to cross. You’ll see the bridge in the middle is for the little boats to go through. We walked out on the bamboo and crossed the bridge, and the children dipped their feet in the water. It always amazes me all the uses Thai people have for bamboo. What an amazing structure they put together.

After that, we went to a restaurant and had noodles. We then went to some stores as they needed some things. I bought two pomegranates for 30 cents each from a man. We then rode the motorcycles back and it was just amazing to feel the breeze on my face as we were driving on a mountainous road in the rainforest (or what used to be rainforest).

walking out on the bamboo bridge

When we got back, they set up mats in front of my house, and we had a little mini party making papaya salad. They made one for me that wasn’t too spicy with only two chilies in it. I think the one they were eating had 10-15 chilies. However, I think our faces looked about the same for spice wise. Neighbors came over, and I met several new people. I also met the lady who moved out of my house so I could move in. I thought it might be awkward when I met her, especially being in front of what used to be her house, but it wasn’t. She seemed totally fine about moving out. They had told me she had only used the house during the day the last year or so, so it wasn’t too much for her to move out completely. It was fun to semi host my first party, even though the only thing I provided were a few dishes.

When everything was cleaned up, I played badminton with the neighbor boy until around 6 when I was just too exhausted and came inside to have some Lindsey time after being smothered the last two days with people trying to meet me and get to know me. I’m grateful for their warm welcome, but I was exhausted and was in bed by 8.