During my stay at the Stratton ABC Foundation, I was treated with kindness, compassion, and acceptance.
Although my stay lasted only 10 days or so, I couldn’t help but feel like I had been living there for a while. I was able to spend a lot of time with all of the kids, John, and his mother.
Although I only gave 2 English lessons, my hours were filled with playing all sorts of games and craft-making with the kids: Soccer, badminton, biking, origami, music, and a game known to the kids as ‘Ip.’
I had very little idea of what my stay would be like in Thailand. I had been living in Korea for several months and accepted my friend’s invitation to travel to Thailand.
Because I had some additional time off, I decided to head out early and volunteer. It was an opportunity to get to know the country more intimately. Rather than focus on simply touring Thailand, I would have the chance to help out at a local charity while getting to know the children and the founder. I figured it was the least I could do for all the privileges I’ve been given in my life and a good experience for my future travels. It turned out to be much more than I had imagined. I was able to share all of my meals with the family. Simple, yet delicious, home-cooked meals. I was given a comfortable place to rest at night, and the freedom to read, think, and interact with everyone, including five interesting dogs.
I was amazed at how responsible the kids were. Without much complaint, they would set the table, clean up, and generally help each other out. One of the cutest and most amusing sights was seeing the little ones march around mopping the floor–especially little May, Yong, and Som. One weekend the Home was invited to ride elephants. As a guest, I happily went along and enjoyed the trip, as it was my first time seeing elephants in person. Another day, I joined John and his mother in visiting a school under construction. It was artfully crafted with bamboo and rammed earth packed together. These are not trips I could have foreseen before coming to Thailand, but gave me an introduction into the culture of Thailand.
I want to thank Mr. Cope for his generosity and wish him the best of luck. I hope to visit Mae Salaab again.
