Monday saw the first Birthday party for one of the children from Nan. It is strange how Thai people don’t appear to take so much note of their birthday or, indeed, birth year. There was a little confusion at first with May claiming to be 12 years old. Checking her birth certificate I confirmed that she actually became 11 on Monday. Sorry May, another year before you get to stay up later.

May got a little extra pocket money for the day at school and we gave her her card on her return from school.

 It had ended up that I was on my own to do the present buying at the market in Banthi in the morning. May had requested clothes and I was not at all sure what to buy an 11 year old Thai girl. After a light dinner I presented her with the two shirts I had bought and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw how happy she was with them.

She rushed off to put her favourite on, before we had the small party at around 7pm. Birthday cake, mango and sticky rice and lots more kanom and pop.

Lots of smiles and happiness that make this work worth it.