More Pics

These are just some miscelanious pictures of the school and kids I wanted to put up before this part of my life is past and gone.

First off, I'm going to mention that I wanted my format to be a bit different, but my computer's being a bit stubborn or something...

The biggest girl in the picture, Naw Paw Coo, is the oldest girl in Kindergarten. She's fourteen.

Let me introduce you to Dohpuhgloo! This little guy is just adorable. He's five-years-old.

When I first came to Lay Klo Yaw he was new there (he's GiGiThay and MooQheeLa's brother). He was a major challenge for me as he absolutely refused to talk. I honestly didn't know what to do as he refused to obey and answer at roll call or anything. Anyways, I was finally able to break through the ice and I wish you could have seen him then.:) Sometimes I was almost tempted to wish he was still quiet (not really!). He became my nearly constant little chatterbox companion. I wish you could hear his laugh! I don't think I've ever met a more affectionate little boy. He seemed like he was just starved for attention and I bet he was too. There was no one who paid him special attention or gave him hugs or anything. But once he opened up to me he would just beg for it. I'd have to say that 90+% of the time he was telling me he loved me, hugging and kissing me, or begging to be picked up -- but I loved it! He even began to call me mother sometimes (I really didn't know what to do about that)! He was definitely one of the biggest tugs on my heartstrings when I left.

Thought saluting was pretty cool or something.:)

Is that grin cute or what?:)

A few kids who came to say goodbye.

This is the kindergarten class taking a nap. You can't see all of them there, though. I thought it took resemblence to a battlefield or something. And quite honestly, it basically was trying to get them to stay put.;)

Namuda's a very special little girl.

The animals here have been really painful for me to see sometimes. These are some new puppies at the school. They're so cute, but I see all the wretched looking adult dogs around and I just hate to even think of what their going to become. They're devouring rice in the picture there.

One of the main forms of amusement is some type of rubberband game the kids play in the dirt.

One of the big boys, Saw Ha Gay, cut his head with a saw or something. Just one of the experiences that really made me with I was an EMT.

Relishing a snack of rice while sitting in an old worn-out suitcase.

Saying goodbye to one of the teachers, EhDohSay. I wasn't having near as much fun as it looks like, though.

More than a spoonful of love?

"I think I'm going to cry when you leave." DeeEhNyay said softly. I was trying to absorb this news when to my further amazement he added, "I love you very much!" He'd barely finished saying as much before he ducked back around the corner of the entrance of the hut. It wasn't long before one of his unmerciful playmates gleefully announced, "DeeEhNyay haw (cry)! DeeEhNyay haw!" before dragging him back into the room.
Of course Nicholway, or Namuda, or GiGiThay might be found crying...but not DeeEhNyay. Or would he? It had never really occured to me that he would truly care if I would leave.
I should explain that DeeEhNyay is a very sweet, if, as I knew him, not extremely demonstrative, little boy. Most of the other kids are nearly perpetually hanging on me, sitting on my lap, holding my hands, and hugging and kissing me; but for the most part DeeEhNyay pretty much seems content and absorbed with his friends. Asides from the occasional smile he might throw my way, I really didn't have much interaction with him in comparison to what I had with the other kids. I think I'd pretty much settled on the fact that he was just one of those kids that would either take a long time or I would never get as close to.
"Yuh hih nuh (I give to you.)" he said pulling out his unwashed (in fact, it looked as if it might have missed quite a few washings!) spoon.
For you to understand exactly what significance a spoon as a gift could have, and a dirty one at that, you would have to understand more of the culture here.
To begin with, there's only been one time since I came here to the school that I've ever eaten with a spoon. That was when I was specially invited to a special service and meal with the soldiers. Besides that, it's, well, left to your very handy hands. Above that, DeeEhNyay's family is very poor. With some twelve children (from two different mothers) to feed and clothe I imagine it must be hard to scrape together ends meat. Both he and his little brother, DeeLwehSay, wear some of the most ragged clothes. I would never have expected his family to even own a spoon, much less for Dee Eh Nyay to give me one.


Believe me, that's one gift I have no intention of disposing of anytime soon.



Dee Eh Nyay's the one on the left.

Teacher --> Student

So... I'm not a teacher anymore. I can't rightly decide whether I'm sad or glad. In fact, I'm descending back to student status again. Sounds amazingly inviting to just show up at classes, launge around in my desk chair, and study what I'm told to; versus trying to wrack my brain for new creative activities, spending my time dreaming up unconventional punishments, or panicking that I won't be able to fill up all of the time.
I left the school on Sunday night. Goodbyes were not easy. I didn't feel ready to leave at all. I'm just getting into the language, learning all the kids names and getting to know them personally and then I have to just pack up and say goodbye? I've really felt that the Lord's been opening up the doors for me to return. How to explain that to the kids was the hard part. I couldn't figure out how to tell them that I really do love them and want to stay with them, but feel that for now I'm supposed to be in the US getting more training. For several days Nicholway would intermittently burst into tears over my leaving. Some of the kids told me they would leave the school and a couple even claimed they would die if I left (not true, of course). Some of them would repeatedly ask every time they met me in their thin, dejected sounding little voices if I was going to America. It was truly heartwrenching at times. The morning before I left, Pockatow, forever the little man, came marching up and demanded as to whether I was going to America or not. When I sadly affirmed that I was, before strutting off, he drew himself up and declared with as much fierceness in his voice as he could muster (as best I can translate it), "My Maria go to America, I love not!" That one at least gave me a smile.
So, anyways... I'm in Chiang Mai with my family right now. I should be flying out sometime this next week. I don't know the exact date yet. It will definitely be an adventure! Afraid the goodbyes to my family are going to be even harder than they were to the kids though.