Mae Hong Son (Day 1)

I have been struggling for the last week to work out how to blog about my trip away....I think my main problem has been that I was deeply affected by it and I just didn't know how to share that with you!! So, I've finally decided that I should just start writing about it and see what happens....

I'm not going to bore you with the details of our entire journey (but it did involve being up at the ungodly hour of 4am.....the only reason you should ever be up that early is when you've not been to bed yet!!) so I will start with when we all met up at Chiang Mai airport. There were eight of us altogether and we were a truly international group - We had Karl and Britta from Germany representing the International Group of Bangkok, Vesna and Margaret from New Zealand representing ANZWG (Australia and New Zealand Women's Group), Carolyn and myself representing the BWG (British Women's Group), Brenda who is from the States and Susan who was leading the trip (She's originally from Tasmania) and has been working in the area we were visiting for over 20 years.

Our first stop was at a small market town called Hod (pronounced Hot.....which incidentally it wasn't....it's the cool season here and for the first time there was actually a breeze!!). The purpose of this stop was so that we could buy balloons and biscuits to give to the kids who's schools we were going to be visiting (The kids rarely get any kind of treats so it's customary to take something with you). Whilst negotiations were being done on price (It's Thailand...everything can be negotiated!!) the rest of us had a look around. Hod is populated primarily by Karen Hill Tribe people who, funnily enough, have moved out of the hills....there was not much to see but I did try and get some pictures of people living their everyday lives. (If you think the butcher here is bad then just you wait!!!)



We then travelled by van for another hour or so to the first village school that we were to assess - Just to give you an idea of where we actually were.....we were five miles away from the Burmese Border in the mountains of Thailand. This school is based in the village of Mae Sued but actually provides the education for students from 8 other villages (this will increase to 10 next year). They currently have 196 children attending, their ages range from 5 up to 15, and they have over 30 students who actually live on site because their home villages are just too far for them to travel to and from every day. Awww, I can't tell you how lovely it was to actually be able to see where our money has gone!! You can see from the pictures that there has been a lot of outside investment in this school.....but it still has it's problems. The site floods every year during the rainy season so for 3/4 months each year the kids are sitting ankle deep in water!! 'Why did they build the school there then?' I hear you ask.....well, they were told to by the education people in the then Government....and yes, they did tell the education people that the site floods every year but it didn't make any difference....they were told to build it there so they did!!! The other main issue they have is the facilities for the kids that live there.....two families gave up their homes (I think they are now sharing one further up the village) so that the kids would have somewhere to sleep!! But fear not...it's not all doom and gloom....ANZWG have just hosted The Melbourne Cup (See, I got drunk for a good cause!!) and some of the money raised from that event is going to pay for a flood wall to be built and for new accommodation for the kids *grins*.

I'm sorry this post is so huge (There is a lot more to come so I'm going to separate them into different days) but I think it's important to give you a sense of the community here. This picture is of the local villagers harvesting rice in the paddy fields and this is the mechanised contraption they use for actually making the rice.



From there we then headed to the next school which was about a 20 minute drive away in the village (If you can call it that...it was more like a wee smattering of houses) of Huay Sing. This is one of the schools that Susan has been working with for years and you could tell....it was just lovely!! In addition to their classrooms they had a large canteen, a library, a meeting area and four purpose built dormitories for the kids that stay there. Susan was there to interview 11 kids with the view to them going on to further education - the school only has the capacity to educate them to the age of 14!!




We were then transferred from our van into....wait for it....an open air pick up!! I think the phrase 'Eeek....this does not bode well' was going through everyone's minds as we clambered in....and, I have to be honest, if we had known where we were going I'm not sure all of us would have continued!! The pick up wove it's way up a very very curvy single track road and then along a ridge at the top of a mountain.....I kid you not when I tell you that there was at least a 100 foot drop on both sides of us....and then the road disappeared.....and we were travelling on muddy tracks slipping and sliding everywhere....we just had to trust that the driver, who has been going there every three months for the last 15 or so years, knew what he was doing but it was a hell of a scary!! We arrived in the village of Mae Jong at dusk and were taken straight to the school so didn't get to see much of our surroundings (at that point). The school was right at the edge of the village and was spread over four levels which had basically been cut out of the hillside!!! This was the school we were spending the night in.

We were shown to our rooms which were in one of the dormitories at the top of the mountain. They were basic but there was a bed (we were two to a room so Carolyn and I shared) and each room had it's own washing facilities - A squat style toilet and a concrete tub with water in it for showering with. We set out our sleeping bags and secured our mosquito net and then went out with the others to take part in a candle lighting ceremony to honour the Princess who's official funeral service was taking place over the weekend in Bangkok (The one Chris went to see). As guests we were expected to lead the community section of the ceremony....this involved taking our lit candles and inserting them into a gravel square on the main table so that they stood upright and then each subsequent Student/Teacher/Villager added their own candle till the square was full. It was really moving and very beautiful!! After the ceremony it was time for dinner and, as the only Brits present, Carolyn and I were invited to open the school's brand new canteen which was built with money from the BCTFN (British Community in Thailand For the Needy). It was an honour to cut the ribbon and even more so when we discovered that the entire village had got together to help build it!! By torch light we made our way back to our rooms and settled for the night.....exhausted but happy!!

Reasons to be cheerful

I've had a real grumbly couple of days.....so today I thought I would blog about reasons I have to be cheerful

1. I've sold another picture (an original) to a lovely guy called Brad who lives in New York.
2. The commission piece that I am currently working on is going very well.

3. We are going to a birthday party on Saturday night.
4. Next month I am going on a trip to Mae Hong Son on the Thai/Burmese border to visit the Thailand Hilltribe Education Projects that the BWG sponsor. This will involve visiting remote hill tribe villages virtually untouched by tourism where people live more or less as they have lived for hundreds of years. It's not going to be luxurious....we will travel in pickups, sleep on school floors


and eat the local food. The aim of the trip is to assess the educational needs of hill tribe schools so that we can work out the best way of supporting them going forward. I've also been told that it is the "sunflower season" in Mae Hong Son so it should be stunning!!

For those interested - Mae Hong Son means The City of Three Mists as it is virtually covered with mist throughout the year (dewy mist in the winter, forest fire mist in the summer and rainy mist in the rainy season). It is nestled in a deep valley hemmed in by high mountain ranges and has long been isolated from the outside world. It is the most mountainous province in Thailand and is home to the Shans who live in the city and the Hilltribe people who live in remote villages on mountain tops. The Shan's ancestors came from the Shans region in Burma and the Hilltribe people consist of Karen, Lisu, Mhong, Lahu and Lua

and last but definately not least

5. Moon has invited us up to Issan to stay with her for a weekend in her home village which is near Maha Sarakham (The capital of Issan). Moon has told us that it's a huge honour for her that we are going to visit and stay in her home so there will probably be a party involving the entire village!! We will also visit her local temple and, if we're feeling very brave, help out on the farm!! I think it will be an amazing experience and I'm thrilled because it means that we will get to see Fa and Dawan before we go.

So, there you have it.....reasons to be cheerful!!

A Rather Random Day.....

Every month the BWG have some kind of activity.....these are not compulsory but I often go along cause I think the plans sound interesting. Yesterday it was finger knitting....now, I'm not the worlds best knitter....I once knitted a scarf.....it took me three years to finish and then I decided that I didn't actually like it!!! I thought that perhaps finger knitting would be different and, if truth be told, I thought I might be able to wear my shawl in September when we're planning to come to Scotland (Ha....little did I know). So I was quite excited when I arrived at the Big Knit on Sukhumvit Soi 49. The shop itself is absolutely stunning - floor to ceiling shelves covered in every type and colour of wool you can imagine and there is a wee coffee shop area which does food....I was in seventh heaven!!

Anyway, we were given a pattern for a shawl, told to select our wool and then the demonstration started. OMG.....finger knitting is not easy!! My first attempt at a few rows was an absolute disaster (honestly, it looked more like a dogs dinner than the shawl it was supposed to resemble) so I ended up starting again from scratch and I am pleased to say that it started looking a bit better. I ended up doing about 15 rows and it did begin to vaguely resemble what it was supposed to (I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish it on my own....and that it won't take me three years to do it!!). Hehehe - never in a million years did I think that one day I would be sitting in a shop in Bangkok knitting a shawl!!

When I got back from the Big Knit Chris and I met up and the two of us headed along to the FCCT as they were hosting another event. I don't know if your aware of this or not but Thai politics is in upheaval again - I thought you might be interested in the history of it all and where we're at today....I'm not an expert so this is just my understanding of it....

Mr Thaksin (Pic on the right) was forced to resign as Thai PM after a coup d’etat which happened about two weeks after we arrived here. Thailand was then ruled by a military-appointed government for just over a year during which time it drafted and tabled a controversial new security law which in essence gave the Cold War era Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) a key role in internal security. Now, whilst this was going on Mr Thaksin and his family were investigated and, in some cases, charged with corruption and the military appointed government started taking flak for economic mismanagement, amongst other things, so it drafted a new Constitution which was passed and elections were held. The elections delivered a rebuff to the military and it's allies and the People Power Party (a reincarnation of Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party) emerged as the single largest party and formed the current coalition government.

(Pic is of Mr Samak - Current Thai PM). Ok, so that was the history (hope it made sense) now to where we're at now - the movement that pressured Mr Thaksin to quit has returned to bring down the PPP and to get rid of the 'Thaksin regime' once and for all. Divisiveness is back, and there is a fear (Not a real actuality) of violence that could justify the army intervening again.

Last night we went to hear Panitan Wattanayagorn speak about ISOC Bill and the history, position and mindset of the Thai military. He is a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University and has advised a series of governments on military and defence affairs, reform and conflict management and was actually involved in the drafting of the ISCO Bill. The other speaker was a man called Chris Baker who was talking about the military’s influence in politics and the development of democracy in Thailand. He is a Bangkok based writer who has authored and co-authored a number of papers and books on Thailand and is regarded as one of the keenest observers of contemporary Thailand. The two speakers were absolutely fascinating....it is going to be interesting to see what happens next!!

Sometimes Life is Good!!

I don't know if you remember but about this time last year I visited an area in Klong Toey slum which had been decimated by fire (you can read about it here). I was just starting in my BWG Welfare role and going there made a huge impression on me.....one which has haunted me ever since. At the time I knew I was going to visit a fire site and had prepared myself for that but still wasn't really prepared for what I actually saw!! People were living in temporary shelters under a motorway - they had no water, no electricity, no sanitation and the entire place was infested with rats. It was shocking!! (We signed a cheque on the spot and that amount has been added to since).

A few weeks later we learned that our money was going to be used to build a house. The idea was that the house would be used to teach the people made homeless how to build their own (No money for builders so it's a DIY job) and the house would then be donated to one of the families made homeless when it was completed. All the families names were put in a pot and one was selected. When we next visited we met the lady who's family had won and we were invited to come back once all the building work in the area had been finished. (This is the house in the process of being built)

Today we went back to the site........I didn't recognise the place (trust me that is a good thing!!). There were still people living in, what I can only describe as, a shanty town but the area where the fire was has been transformed!! These are the before and after photo's!! (Can you believe the difference!!). We were invited into their home where we were presented with with drawings that had been done by the two girls who lived there and they both gave a little speech. It was very very humbling.

This is the house that BWG built



This is the lady of the house

and this is her with her daughters




Sometimes life is good!!

It's too hot!!

We are now officially in the hot season (actually that should be HOT season) - It's a stonking 34 degrees today with 57% humidity and it's not about to get any cooler!!

It is too hot to write (If Chris were here he would probably tell me that it's too hot to read the nonsense that I write) and it's waaaay to hot to think. (We currently have a power cut so have no air con.........my computer has batteries and I'm hijacking my friends wireless network!!).

Anyway, the BWG are hosting this years CWL (Combined Women's Lunch) and it's got a James Bond theme.....I've just been told that, since I am on the committee, I need to dress up *Sigh*. It's too hot - I can't think any more......What the hell am I going to wear? (I need some inspired suggestions!!)

This is the poster that JJ and I put together for the lunch - I'm hoping that it might give you some ideas (cause I'm seriously struggling!!)

HELP!!!!

Phew..............

You know what it's like when you go away from work for a few days and you come back to sooooo much stuff that you kinda wish that you had never gone in the first place.......well that's how I have felt this week!! (and can I just point out that I don't work......allegedly!!)

The Andaman Trip was absolutely fantastic!! (I will be updating properly on that soon). I got back home late Friday night......I had sore legs, sunburn on my nose and my forehead, I was incredibly tired and in desperate need of a hot shower!! (I tell you......I don't think I would have made it into the society pages of any magazine had I been spotted on Friday night!!).

Anyway there have been no blog updates this week because I have.....

- Worked with JJ on the logo and look of this years Combined Women's Lunch (CWL) which is being hosted by the BWG. I was asked to do the artwork for it on Monday before I left for Andaman, said yes, and then discovered upon my return that they need it for today (we've got an extension till Monday but talk about short notice!!)
- Attended a 12 year olds Birthday Party - there was karaoke (am still shuddering at the horror)
- Met up with John, a friend of my Dad's who was in Bangkok on a business trip, and took him out for a few drinks and dinner (Fortunately he was lovely and we all got on very well!!)
- Wrote a Welfare Article for the BWG Magazine and am still chasing 9 other people for their contributions (It's only a couple of sentences I need - is that so hard?)
- Met with a representative of the Charity Operation Smile to find out more about what they do and how they do it (They are now going to be the beneficiaries of the CWL)
- Went to see Maroon Five (Who were bloody great by the way!!)
- Did more work on the CWL logo
- Went to Pakkred
- Hosted the BWG Welfare Team meeting and wrote the report for Committee.
- Had my Dad's friend, John, over for dinner before he flew back to the States
- Went to the BWG Committee meeting
- Went to the CWL meeting with JJ and we presented the art work so far (it needs tweaked but they were happy with the over all look)
- Wrote some blurb on Operation Smile which will go out with our sponsorship requests.

Thank god it's Friday - I am planning to do bugger all over the weekend....I am completely knackered!!! I've not even had a chance to catch up on everyone's blogs (now I've done a post saying that I will be updating on the Andaman Trip soon I now feel I can go and see what everyone else has been upto........)

Almost back to normal (Well, normal for me that is!!)

Things are going well - Chris is has been out and about meeting with other clients (He's still dealing with 'Client from Hell' but they have improved dramatically and the work is not so intensive!!) so he has been a lot happier since we got back and I am now getting back into the swing of things.

I met up with Susie on Monday morning and had a very productive meeting regarding the NMB (National Museum Bangkok) tours for the blind. We're going to be focussing on tours for tourists (there is another working group looking at tours for blind Thai students) so we are going to meet up at the beginning of September (Lots of people are away for the summer) to do a walk through of the museum to see what we can already use (There are some beautiful sculptures outside the building that can be incorporated) and we can then focus on what is missing. Our first aim is to do something around 'An introduction to Thai Culture' and we are hoping to launch the tours in November. I also found out that one of my photographs (It's one of the ones I took of the roof at the Erawan Museum) is going to be used in a coffee table book commemorating the King's 80th birthday which is being put together by the NMV - I am cuffed to bit's!! (Although it is rather difficult to take a bad photograph of the roof since it is so stunning but I'm not going to focus on that!!)

On Tuesday I went along to the BWG newcomers coffee morning - I've not been to one since I arrived and was feeling slightly guilty about it!! It was a good move.....I got three new volunteers - one is a nurse and she's going to look into doing some work with Aids patients and the other two are going to go twice a week into the offices of a local charity to answer their e-mails. (The Charity get lots of e-mails in English and whilst their spoken English is great their written English is not fantastic). Jo mentioned that she would like to see some of the work that is being done here so I have arranged to take the two ladies and Jo to The Fatima Centre where they will get a tour of the facilities (Sister Louise is going to take them round - she is the one who actually set up the project when she arrived here in the early 60's and is fascinating to talk to). Then I hotfooted it back to the apartment where we had our Welfare Team meeting. We've done a lot so far - books have been bought and distributed to schools in one of the slums, shoes have been bought for children at a local school, a computer and a snooker table have been donated to an orphanage, microscopes have been bought and given to schools at the Burmese border, two children have been sponsored for a year and we have bought medicine and supplies for a hospital. Phew!!!

Today I went along to the Fashion Show meeting - Erm....did I mention that my friend Jenny and I are doing all the graphics for a fashion show that will be held on the 19th of January? I came up with the image (What do you think? Jen calls it my slut shoe) and together we are doing the tickets, programme (which is going to be tricky because we are going to have a lot of sponsors at different levels so we are going to have to make sure we get it right!!) and the set design - it should be a great night. The plans - a band will play whilst everyone has a few drinks and some nibbles, then there will be a three course sit down meal, the actual fashion show followed by dancing and all the proceeds will be going to Charity.

Why was I ever worried that I was going to be bored?