Thailand: More Host Family Writings & Photos

The following photos were taken by Bennett Haynes.

Savanah~

The Surin homestay was amazing. I learned so much about the people and the culture. The first night I arrived was really dark and I couldnt really see much but it was like camping out in a cool-ass fort on stilts. The next morning my “mae” (mom) was up at the crack of dawn cooking breakfast. Lunch and dinner was rice and eggs, veggies, and hot chili fish sauce. At first I got tired of having the same thing every day. But as soon as my mae found out through awkward conversation that I liked fried eggs she made them all the time, and I still love them. I ate 7 eggs a day! The reason that the meals were kind of plain is because my family and most of the community are self-sustainable farmers; they grow what they eat and they eat what they grow. It is amazing to learn and be a part of that.

Thailand: Mid-trip Reflections

Nemo

Nemo~

Why would I stay here longer? Hmmm. That one’s kind of hard to put in words. I guess the main reason, other than what out team always says about why they would stay longer (the people), is that it is so different than what I have come to know in my seventeen years of living in America. It really is a completely different environment. It was really easy for me to come here and feel at home. In America there are only a few places that make me feel that way, and it took it a little while to make it a new home. But here, especially in the slums and the villages, there is an instant warmth that captures you and holds you there and lets you want to not let go.

Thailand: Tap Tai Homestay

Dean~

The next day we headed back into Tap Pai village for another three days with our families. It was a blur of working and hanging out with our families.This time they seemed a lot happier to see us. They were up waiting for us when we arrived and wanted to hear about what we did. They first asked if we were hungry and if we needed to take a shower and then they just listened and we had a language lesson that went both ways. We would point to something and we would say it in English and then they would tell us how to say it in Thai and Khmer. It was a good few days. One day we had to do a two and a half hour English lesson with students from the local school. The last night we would be staying in the village we prepared for a feast and a good-bye ceremony.

Thailand: Week Two

Laurel~

We are now in the village of Serine, which consists of only 85 families. The people here are so kind! They live a very mellow life and are very family oriented. The children help out willingly and people smile often. However, there are many cultural differences that make it difficult to be completely comfortable. Personally, the diet is not one that I am used to. Having never been around meat causes extra sensitivity to cooking smells. Showering and using the bathroom is very different too. The water is cold, but often feels good in the heat. It is hard to wash shampoo out of my hair with a bucket of water, and using a hose to wash my bum is very different too.