Thailand - The Stratton ABC Foundation Childrens Home Chiang Mai

Sorting Next Years Mattayom Students.

Mar 262012

As usual the lines of communication not always being as they should , it was a little bit short notice when I discovered that we had to go to the High School in Sarapee on Sunday.

This was for purchase of books and uniform for the new School year that will start in May.

This year Jor is moving up to join the other four already attending High School.

This meant extra form filling and paper work to be done also. There was more of this for Gu as well. With the legal requirement for education being Mattayom 3, starting Mattayom 4 is a little like starting a new school so Gu had similar forms to fill.

Much waiting around, money to be spent and most frustrating was having to return in the afternoon for Gu’s finalities as the school had split the day between the lower years and upper.

Still at least its all done and dusted ready for the kids to start the new Study year when they return from there Song Kran home visits.

Christin and Nadine Chill With The kids.

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Mar 262012

Our regular visitors , Christin and Nadine have been again this week

First Christin on her own on Wednesday and then both of them on Saturday. With the kids off school now its always great to have that supervisory help and the girls have had a great time chilling with the kids, playing badminton , memory games and the renewed “craze” for Monopoly.

Art Relief International–Mosaics Workshop– UN Art For Peace 2012

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Mar 212012

Yesterday saw a welcome return for workshops supplied by Art Relief International. The four girls representing Art Relief arrived mid-afternoon to run a ceramics Mosaics workshop.

After the usual introductions the girls set about involving the kids in a couple of ice-breaking English language games.

Then it was into the kitchen where they set the workshop up on the tables there.

Not only was this a simple Mosaics class but it is also intended to feature in a much larger project; The United Nations Art For Peace 2012 Project.

The groups Thai rep, Khun Cee, explained the premise of the United Nations Project and asked the children to think of what Peace meant to them and to try and come up with a simple design to express that.

All the children got involved and it was amazing to see their concentration as they followed the girls instructions on how to put the mosaics together.

At the end of the session there were some great results which the Art Relief gang to back to their headquarters for finishing touches with a view to returning next week to complete the project and take photos to enter into the United Nations contest.

Once again I was so proud of how all the children listened attentively, both to the cause this project is supporting and to the instructions on how to execute the craft.

We would like to thank Art Relief International and the girls for a fantastic workshop and yet more inspiration for the children for ongoing craft ideas that may help towards fund raising for our Foundations continued work.

Birthday Fruit Shopping

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Mar 192012

As mentioned in Zaks Birthday post we made a special trip to Muang Mai Market in Chiang Mai, to purchase fruit and also as an English language exercise for the children. As we wandered the market the children wrote down the different fruits that they could see and we practiced the English language versions.

Some of the photos here will be used on boards at home for the children to label with their English names.

Nat and Ip Say ” See You Later”…….Great Week , Great Volunteers

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Mar 182012

So after a busy week and helping out with many activities Nat and Ip have now continued on the travel break.

With all that “bread” making and basically helping out with anything and everything these two friends proved to be yet another great set of Volunteers and will be very much missed by the kids and myself.

We do hope we can stay in touch and that it won’t be the last time…never say “goodbye”…just “See you later”.

End of Term Project Nearly Done

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Mar 172012

Previously I posted on Tai’s school project, making an amplifier for wireless Internet signal.

It appears that he actually has to do a presentation with his group and he has continued to test the equipment and refine his research and end product information.

This included a trip to school earlier in the week to further test the amplifiers effectiveness from different distances.

He has been producing an impressive looking storyboard and has been seen practicing his presentation. Just yesterday he spent most of the evening researching more detail on the Internet.

From what I have seen of the study and research he has been doing I shall be surprised if he does not get top marks….he certainly does from us…proud of you Tai..excellent work.

Happy Birthday Zak

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Mar 172012

Zak has been eagerly awaiting his 9th Birthday and at last his special day came along this week.

On Tuesday we went out Birthday shopping and Zak chose himself a Spiderman Punch Bag and gloves along with a new T shirt and shorts.

On Thursday morning he received birthday cards and his present from my Mother, another smart T-shirt.

In the afternoon we all paid a visit to Muang Mai Market in Chiang Mai, where we purchased a whole load of fruit and some fish that the kids love.

We also popped into a supermarket to buy Birthday cake.

After a light dinner Nat and Ip got the kids frying the doughnuts that became a welcome addition to the Birthday food.

Zak was treated to renditions of Happy Birthday by May 2 on the keyboard and his brother Tai on the guitar.

A very happy boy gets another year older.

Hope you had a great day Zak…keep lighting up the world with that smile.

Birthday Doughnuts

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Mar 172012

Its been a mixed week this week as both Prathom, (primary), and Mattayom,(Highschool), school terms come to an end, with some of the children still needing to go into school and others staying home.

At home there has been plenty going on with the help of our volunteers Nat and Ip.

Following the success of their Rotee class the girls decided to have another cooking class on Thursday, teaching the kids how to make doughnuts.

As before the mornings task was to prepare the dough and doughnuts for rising before cooking them later in the day.

It happened to also be Zaks Birthday, so the whole idea fitted well.

Mad Dogs and English Men

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Mar 142012

Its a well known saying often proved to be true, but we are very grateful for it too.

For many months we have watched one of trees in our garden grow and grow and grow. I have yet to identify the tree properly but it produces colourful red seed pods that we were subsequently informed are dangerous when they fall and dry as they are covered with hundreds of tiny needles harp barbs that can be very painful in contact with the skin and easily lead to infection.

For this reason we really wanted it felled and yesterday our good friends Des and Jochen; who had also popped in again on Sunday afternoon, kindly donating more food supplies; came to assist with the removal of the tree.

After the storm the night before the air had cleared and the skies too, bringing the full force of the summer sun into play, but this didn’t stop the mad dog crew.

Job well done:) All the wood was given to our elderly neighbour for future use on her cooking fires.

Multi Cultural Cooking Class

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Mar 142012

Another excellent day yesterday with our talented Volunteers holding cooking class for the children. The order for the day was Rotee, South American style.

The kids did have work hour in the garden first thing , so Natalie and Ip got started in the kitchen with Nu watching, whilst the rest of the crew were outside digging soil for new vegetable plots.

However, after some sterling effort with the shovels, the work hour was shortened and everyone joined the girls in the kitchen.

Natalie and Ip were great “Teachers” and really got all the kids involved.

It was fantastic to see the children all watching attentively and taking their turns kneading the dough, rolling the Rotees and then folding them and placing them on the tray ready for rising.

Once all the Rotees were prepared the children also helped out with preparing the vegetables for the planned Indian styled stew that was to accompany the Rotees on the dinner table.

The whole exercise was very popular and the kids had great fun and we now have an additon to our menu that I feel sure may become a regular thing.

Great job Nat and Ip.

After the work was relax and play games time.

In the afternoon the girls accompanied myself and Bpaa Zang taking Nu to the hospital, where, after a long wait, we got the good news that her arm is fine and her plaster was removed.

With such a long time at the hospital dinner was a little late as the girls needed to cook the stew when we got back late afternoon.

For me it was well worth the wait. We aren’t too sure how the kids felt about it, it is notoriously difficult to get them to try and enjoy something new, especially when it is not accompanied by rice. That said all plates were cleared.

What was most definitely popular was the sweet ,Rotees with strawberry jam that the kids had for breakfast this morning.