Learning to Listen

I left you all after I got out of the hospital. Oddly enough, more has happened to me since then! Nothing health wise thankfully, but I have still had an eventful couple of weeks. I'll start with the District Conference the 7th-9th of December.

I thought I was supposed to be staying at he hotel with the other exchange students for the weekend, but my host dad wanted me to stay at home. Since I didn't stay at the hotel, I stayed at my house, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The Friday of the conference was a festival and a show. Because we were told the show was all in Thai and we wouldn't understand it, Crystle (America), Alica (Mexico), Hunter (America) and I went to the festival. We wandered around and talked for a solid two hours. The award for best 40 baht I've ever spent goes to bumper cars -- I don't think I can call it the most fun I've had on exchange, but it's in the top 5 for sure. I also came insanely close to buying a baby rabbit, buuuut I didn't (don't worry mom). Of course, when I go back to America, I'm probably going to get a rabbit. Also at the festival...

I'm kind of proud of myself, even if it was just one of those carnival games

Friday night Alica and Crystle stayed at my host's house with me. Since I didn't want to spend the weekend alone, the Rotarians had pity on us and allowed them to stay. On Saturday night, Eri (Japan) joined us. Saturday morning though, I met the new exchange student from Korea! Junwon is freaking awesome!!!

Junwon (Korea), Eri (Japan), Crystle (America)

Also on Saturday we went to the WWII memorial, to the Thailand - Burma Railway Museum, and to the River Kwai Bridge.

Sing outside museum

The memorial

Bridge

After the District Conference, I had two days off school. I don't know the reason for the four day weekend, but I wasn't complaining, especially because I was so tired after the conference.

Wednesday, the day I was set to go back to school, I actually ended up being two hours late. Rotary was giving meds to some school-age kids in near Thamuang, and they wanted me to be there. At first, I was really resistant to go -- I wanted to go to school to see my friends, and they only told me that I was going there to be in photos. Things like that have happened before, where I go somewhere for Rotary, and it's just to pose in some photos, and then I have to wait around for a couple of hours. This was different. After the kids got their meds, I handed out lollipops. I could tell from the looks on their faces that whatever the drops were that they got, the drops tasted horrible, hence the lollipops. Also, who doesn't like lollipops? The first school we were at didn't have uniforms, which actually didn't surprise me. In the room where they got their meds, there were some metal tables with matching benches, and it was just really clear that this was a part of Thailand that most people never see. When I say most people, I just mean that tourists never really see that, and it was eye-opening, particularly the second school that we stopped at.

Most of the students at the second school were from Myanmar, as I guessed and my host confirmed for me when she said "Myanmar people." Don't get me wrong, she did not say "Myanmar people" in a derogatory way, just as someone would who is stating a fact. This school was almost the exact opposite of the one that I have been attending for the past four months. There was one large room, equipped with two chalkboards, and short desks. Desks, but no chairs. All of the students sat on the floor cross-legged, divided in to two groups (by age or by where they were academically). These kids also got the nasty tasting medicine - they came out of the school in lines so that things went quicker.

The last boy to get his meds... my first thought was why is he kneeling? It took me a moment to register, and I didn't really start processing until a couple of days ago when I Skyped my parents and told them about what I had experienced. The boy wasn't kneeling. He didn't have legs from about the knee down.  He wasn't born handicapped either, I would say he was in some sort of accident, but I don't know for sure because I couldn't ask, and I don't think I could handle the story anyway. There was exposed bone where his legs had been broken. It was clear that whatever happened didn't happen recently, and it still breaks my heart. The boy was about ten years old, and I can still see the look on his face - not a look that boys who are ten should have. I have to say though, I admire the boy who walks with his hands. He has a strength and a determination about him, as well as being wise beyond his years. I really wish that I had been able to speak with him, or at least listen.

That's one thing I've found that I've learned since living here. I don't know if I learned this in the past couple of weeks, or if it's been a gradual thing over the past four months. Listen.