Getting close to 50 years of age, children growing up not needing me so much it was time for a challenge and to give something back to the planet. I was fortunate to find Openmind Projects on the internet and something about the feedback I got from Sven made me choose Thailand as my destination. From the moment myself and my friend from Australia Dalwyn arrived we felt at home. The orientation and getting to know the OPM gang was both daunting and fun all at the same time. My brain felt as if there was a brick wall in there stopping any information soaking in,I felt stupid. But as soon as Dalwyn and I walked into that first classroom with all those happy faces in front of us all my fears disappeared. We where sent to Phusarngyaiwittayakhorn High School in Ban Boonthan village about 3 hours drive south of Nong Khai. It is a fairly small village but with all mod cons....electricity, running water etc....
The family we stayed with where so excited to meet us and very proud to be the only family in the village to have had teachers staying with them. We took part in the everyday running of the house, cooking, dish washing, cleaning and of course lots of delicious eating. There where many members of the school and village who couldn’t wait to have us visit them for a meal which was always a grand celebration. The other members of the teaching staff where so incredibly helpful and friendly, everyday was full of laughter. The children where the icing on the cake so respectful but at the same time thrilled to have us there, never passing without bowing and greeting us. Their English level was pretty low, vocabulary and grammar but no conversation skills at all, which made our teaching quite easy, we talked with the aid of Boom the English teacher and showed them that learning English can be fun. By the time we left all the children we taught felt relaxed in our company and able to have a basic Hello, how are you conversation plus the knowledge that there is another world out there away from their village and maybe an urge to go and find out about it all.
The day I had to stand up in front of the school to say goodbye, which I only managed to say two sentences before I burst into tears, was extremely emotional. I was torn between the emotions of going home to my family who I was missing and leaving an even larger loving family behind.
Thank you Sven, Toto for making it all possible.
