(Written on Thursday, July 16)

What a week! Connie and Joyce have been taking us everywhere, so I feel like I've been here so much longer than 7 days. I've gotten to spend a lot of times with the kids every day, which I have absolutely loved. I've gotten to know a lot more about their personalities. Kat is still nervous around us sometimes. She can't decide. One minute she will cry because I'm looking at her, and the next she will cry because she doesn't want me to leave.

We've done a lot of really fun things too. Joyce took us out last week once while the kids were napping. We went to a restaurant called Kuhn Auf's that was literally a shanty, but the food was so good. We also went to a farmer's market and bought (with our baht) a lot of really fun fruits (most of which we had never seen) and I learned how to cut a pineapple.

The next day I took a little time to myself to reflect and journal. I'm seldom alone, but it was good for me that day. I needed time to think about my purpose here and how to best go about keeping that at the center of my actions. God reminded me of a lot of things I hadn't thought of since last semester. It really helped me to focus and, even though I had no way of knowing what was coming, prepared me for the next day, which was... quite an experience, indeed.

Connie said she was going to take us to experience "true Thai culture," and boy did she! We had no idea where we were going, it was all a surprise. So first we went back to the farmer's market and bought a lot of cooked food (which was a little scarier than buying fruit). Next we drove out of town a bit, and the housing changed drastically the further we went. We turned into a neighborhood of shack-like houses. A lot of them were two story, but the bottom story was a "day-time area" for the people to stay in during the heat of the day, and floor to ceiling it was only about 4 feet; a sitting area, more less. It's kind of hard to describe. We turned down a little drive way and discovered that we were at Jeab's house (Jeab is a night worker at the orphanage, and my Thai teacher on occasion). Jeab's house and her uncle's were only a few feet apart. Jeab's uncle is a witch doctor. So (after removing our shoes) we ducked down into his sitting area, which was without walls. We sat on the ceramic tile floor and un-wrapped and un-bagged all the food we had brought from the market. Jeab's uncle picked some fruit from his trees and Jeab brought out some rice and some other food from her house and the nine of us had a feast before us.

I don't really understand everything about what Kuhn Buhn, Jeab's "witch doctor" uncle, does. He makes "magic" trinkets and does "spirit dances" and things like that, but I'm confused about what it all means and how it relates to what I believe as a Christian. I mean... is it demonic? Is it just a show? Are the idols in his house just nothing, or are they demons? I don't know. A lot of questions... I just... I know when I looked at him, I saw a very precious but very confused child of God. And I know that God wants to show this man his love. And I have to learn how to work towards achieving that goal in his life.

About a year or so ago Kuhn Buhn became very sick and Connie had to take care of him some. She still tells him that the reason he is well now is because she prayed to her God when his magic wouldn't work. But he's very set in his ways. It's kind of sad, the people here... it's like they don't have a choice about what they believe. They really fell like they have to carry-on whatever they've been taught, even if they don't think it's right or true. It's like a culture trap. The religion and culture are so intertwined that you can't get away from one without giving up the other. The only way to become a Christian would, I think, just to move away from your home and start over. Which, really, is what Jesus said we have to be willing to do. I've never had to face anything like that and it seems so terrifying to me.

Anyway... it's all very interesting. I want to learn a lot more about these people and how to win them for Christ. I've been learning a lot more about the culture and the religion and what all of that means for the people here. I really enjoyed myself at Jeab and Kuhn Buhn's house. It was different to be with some Thai people at their house than it has been to be in a market or a mall or someplace like that. It was definitely a cultural experience and I hope we can go back. I want to talk to him some more (via Jeab).

(Written on Monday night)

It's hard to believe that I've only been here three days. I feel like I have already learned so much. And I'm seeing more and more how many things God lined up in my life to make this the perfect time for me to come.

All of the babies are a hundred times more precious than I had imagined. They're all so strong and smart and independent. There are five of them now - May (4 years), Peem (3 years), Kat (16 months), Chompoo (14 months) and Khawpaht (7 months). The two Monday through Saturday workers are Ou and Well. The Sunday workers are Well-Song, Air and Om.

Our first two days here we kind of got to pretend we were on vacation and do touristy things (while fighting jet-lag) like climb to Doi Suthep (300 steps up to a Buddhist temple complex, at the top of which my camera battery died), go to Phu-Phing Palace, have iced coffee, check out the markets, etc. Today was our first day of actual work. We started at 8:30, which is music time. After lots of spinning in circles, clapping, and "we all fall down"'s we went for a walk, played outside, fed the children, had tv time, then put them all down for a nap. At 12:30 Joyce (The Cummins' full-time volunteer) took us to Khun Auf's for lunch. It was literally a shanty on the side of the road (I don't think it even had walls), but still a popular restaurant especially for white visitors/tourists. Lily and I had the only thing we've been eating since we've been here - chicken and rice. Afterwards we went to a market to walk around. Lily and I bought lots of fruits, about half of which I had never seen before.

Life here is different, but I like it. We only use the air conditioner at night, even though it's just as hot and humid as it is at home. And when we wash our clothes we hang them out to dry. We only use the electric dryer if it's raining. Traffic is crazy.

The "There are no lines" song the Cummins played in chapel at Williams so many months ago is amazingly accurate. People drive in between, on, or around the lines, whatever they want to do at the moment. And motor-bikes (which are everywhere) drive wherever they want - always squeezing in between cars and trying to get to the front at stop lights.

Everything I've eaten has been so fresh. There are markets everywhere where you can buy fruits and vegetables that were picked that morning. My parents were a little afraid I would lose weight here, but I don't think that's going to happen. Everything is SO good!

So here's what the next several weeks will look like for me. We'll work with the kids most of the day Monday through Friday. Tuesday and Thursday are laundry day. Most week nights I'll have Thai lessons with Khun Jip. Thursday night I will teach English lessons. The the weekends I think I'm pretty much free, though I'll probably spend most of the day Sunday with the kids. The Cummins go to an international church on Sundays from 4:30pm-6:00pm then usually out to eat somewhere. I went with them this past Sunday and really enjoyed it. I think this coming Sunday I will go with Joyce (The Cummins' full-time volunteer) to her church in the morning then go with the Cummins in the evening.

I have to go get ready to teach a lesson now. I'll try to keep this thing updated.

Well, I am in Korea waiting for my flight to Thailand. Five lay-over hours down, one to go. And I'm exhausted. I should be in Thailand in about 7-8 hours.

I've met some really cool people with whom I wish I had a way to keep in touch. I was lucky enough to sit next to a very interesting lady during our long flight (14 hours). She was Hispanic-American, but lived in Vietnam. I enjoyed my visit with her very much.

Right after we boarded our long flight, an announcement came saying that drinks would soon be served and lunch would follow. I had been planning on going to sleep as soon as I got on the plane because I was really tired, Lily and I both were. But I was very hungry so I waited for lunch. I learned that on a plane that size when they say lunch will begin soon you may not actually eat for another three hours. We didn't have a time piece, but I think it was somewhere between two and three hours before we got our food. Our lunch choices were "Hello, today we have choice of beef or Korean" something-something "rice." Lily and I both picked rice and got a "Bimbibap" bowl which was... well... neither of us ate it. There was also seaweed soup which tasted, in my opinion, like dirty creek water. The fruit cup was good at least... The lady sitting next to me chose the American meal. So she had beef, broccoli, potatoes, salad and a roll with butter while we stared at our rice with some kind of strange sauce (I think the taste we couldn't stand was rice wine) and strange vegetables. So for dinner (yes, it was a two meal flight), we vowed to try the American meal.

The Korean airport is huge, though not crowded at all. Here and there they have 'traditional Korean art centers' where you can go and make paper crafts. Lily and I did an engraving (stamped one on paper, anyway), tried on traditional Korean clothing, and painted a fan (the last of which we spent, I think, three hours doing).

It still hadn't hit me yet that I'm in and am going to a foreign country. Everything here seems really familiar. Looking out the window, I wouldn't know I wasn't in America.

I'm very tired of traveling. I'm ready to get to Thailand, get a good nights sleep, and then wake up to meet all of those precious babies.

I leave in two days. The trip has really snuck up on me. I don't quite have everything ready, but I'm getting there.

Tonight I reviewed the "rules for living in Thailand" that the Cummin's sent to me months ago. They are pretty interesting. I'll post a few of my favorites.
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The Thai people like things to appear decorous and orderly, very neat in appearance and do not like behavior that suggests a lack of order or discipline.

Thais will also be outspoken about personal traits (eg – weight, physical features, etc). This is not considered rude by Thais, though it can sometimes be hard for Westerners not to take offensive.

Thai people are very tolerant, although they hold strong feelings about certain things, which we, as visitors need to be aware of. It is important in Thailand to consider how "things you might like to do" will affect others, especially when you are the foreigner.

One of the strongest of these feelings is toward the uncleanliness of feet and footwear. So it is important to know the following Thai standards.

· When entering a Thai persons house, you should always remove your shoes at the door, (even if they say that it is OK not to).

· Even when relaxing, you should be careful not to put your feet up, on anything, as this too is seen as unacceptable behavior.

· Your feet should never be pointing towards anyone or anything.

· You should never step over any person or object. If possible, move the object ‘with your hands’ or walk around it.

The Thai royal family is revered in Thailand, and must be referred to with the utmost respect. Anything with the King’s picture on it must be handled respectfully (eg – money, stamps, etc). In the movie theatres, a tribute to the King will be shown prior to the movie, during which everyone should stand.

Try to keep your head lower than those who are older or of a higher status than you. If you stand over or above such people, you will be considered to be holding yourself as more important than the other person, because your head is higher.

Westerners need to be careful with regard to hand actions and gestures, as some of our actions can be considered offensive, by their culture.

· To point to something or someone with the index or first finger is unacceptable. Pointing is done with an open hand and the fingers outstretched, palm facing downwards.

· Signaling for someone to come to you is done upside down to our normal manner, The palm facing down, fingers and wrist motioning toward yourself.

Spit/Saliva is considered “dirty”, as such it should not be used publicly for any purpose (eg: sticking stamps to letters, cleaning a spot on oneself, easing a stinging spot, putting fingers in mouth, etc).

Women traveling on any mode of transport should never sit near a monk. Men should prefer a separate seat where at all possible.

Do not throw rice away in front of Thais.


And a little something extra about greetings: The standard greeting in Thailand is known as the wai, that is the hands placed together before the face with a slight bow of the head accompanying the use of the Thai equivalent to Hello, pronounced sa-wut dee krup when spoken by men or sa-wut dee ka when spoken by women. If someone greets you by saying 'Sawadeekrup', or 'hello', and you neglect to return or acknowledge to greeting, you are seen to be ignorant, as in our culture.
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So there you have it. I think the hardest things for me will be keeping my feet down. Also, I will have to stop chewing my fingernails.

I've been packing and trying to get things ready all day. I'm exhausted. Time to hit the hay. Tomorrow will be another long day of packing and getting ready and saying good bye.