Forgive me for not updating for a while! Paul and I returned from a lovely (minus a few hiccups) trip to Sri Lanka 2 weeks ago and I have been in fast forward mode since...applying for jobs, getting a website to sell arts and crafts up and running, and of course planning classes! Sri Lanka was beautiful, the only thing I wish I could say is that I visited the north of the country where many of my Tamil friends are from, but becuase of the Monsoon season we were only able to see the south west.
As for teaching things are going well. The young kids are so excited to finally get to do the greatly anticipated t-shirt painting class and I am in the process of teaching myself to screen print so that I can teach the older kids. The older kids are also in the midst of doing a photo voice project and are loving the oppurtunity to take pictures! Last year a mental health survey was given to the kids in two of the villages and it was found that the kids as a whole struggled with peer to peer relations and felt that they only had one or even no close friends. We will redistribute the survey in four weeks time at the end of the art classes and are pretty confident that they will show improvement in these areas! The art classes have been a fun way for the village children to come together and complete tasks together or just laugh about and share their art with one another. I look forward to updating you on the survey results!
Last week I had my 20 student younger class make and decorate potted plants out of recycled water bottles and plant flower seeds. One of my students, J, has really struggled to complete art projects, lacking confidence that his art is as good as the others. On a couple of occasions, when I havent been able to give him one on one attention, he has left class before finishing his project. This of course has been frustrating for me because I do not want any of the kids to get the opposite of what is intended out of the class...discouraged instead of creative and confident. But I am happy to say that with some extra attention and the right activity he left after the plant pot class happy and exstatic about his piece, asking me proudly if he could take his home and put it in his house! :) I hope with the extra attention and smaller group this week that we repeat this happiness and excitement!
I still have hopes on starting an NGO focused specifically on art education for refugees, but my attachment to these kids has given me little time to sit down and begin planning. Hopefully in my free time away from Thailand this will become more of a priority, as I know the process will be long!
Well I think thats a long enough update for now!
Peace and happiness to you!
Michelle
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Shan Wedding and Various New Happenings!
:) Hope you all had a happy new year! Things are still chugging along here. I have had many wonderful classes and went to a wedding for one of the students last week. It was fascinating! The couple (looking very beautiful) sat in a house and each wedding guest approached them to give them a blessing and money and tie their wrists together with a string. Eventually they had hundreds of strings tying their wrists together! Meanwhile everyone else ate delicious Shan food and socialized with other guests. :) I am not sure if "S" (the bride) ever got a break to eat, but I hope she did!!!
I was also able to get to see "N" (a former student and good friend of mine from a previous post) over New Years. She has been in the city for the past year going to a better high school than is offered here.It was such a delight to see her and catch up (and hear her much improved English!!!). We shared a "ped mak" (really spicy) meal that I just barely managed to handle, but it was delicious and the laughter and joy that was shared during the meal nearly brought me to tears. I am so proud of her!! For old times sake we followed up dinner with a walk in the night market with a scarily high human population density (its phrases like these that make people question my English teaching abilities! ;-P ). After we chased around a famous Thai singer we embarrased ourselves at the "dart and balloon" game set up at the temple and recieved 1 grape flavoured cookie for our participation. :) mmmm yum....
As for this week I am preparing lessons as usual and working on a few side projects. I am making progress in learning to read and write Thai, a written language with endless rules and absolutely no sense to it...but its challenging and fun! I am also working on putting together a Shan Language book in transliteration, as nothing really seems to exist yet. Although all of the people I currently work with speak Thai it is my hope in the future to start an NGO in areas not yet reached where the people may or may not speak Thai.
Well must gear up for a big weekend...5 classes (two which are workshops on Environmental issues and rights), a New Years party for the kids, "the bosses" coming to a few of the classes, finishing an application for art therapy school, and meeting Paul's dad for the first time!
Happiness to all of you and please enjoy the pictures of the hand made beads from last weeks classes!!
xx Michelle
I was also able to get to see "N" (a former student and good friend of mine from a previous post) over New Years. She has been in the city for the past year going to a better high school than is offered here.It was such a delight to see her and catch up (and hear her much improved English!!!). We shared a "ped mak" (really spicy) meal that I just barely managed to handle, but it was delicious and the laughter and joy that was shared during the meal nearly brought me to tears. I am so proud of her!! For old times sake we followed up dinner with a walk in the night market with a scarily high human population density (its phrases like these that make people question my English teaching abilities! ;-P ). After we chased around a famous Thai singer we embarrased ourselves at the "dart and balloon" game set up at the temple and recieved 1 grape flavoured cookie for our participation. :) mmmm yum....
As for this week I am preparing lessons as usual and working on a few side projects. I am making progress in learning to read and write Thai, a written language with endless rules and absolutely no sense to it...but its challenging and fun! I am also working on putting together a Shan Language book in transliteration, as nothing really seems to exist yet. Although all of the people I currently work with speak Thai it is my hope in the future to start an NGO in areas not yet reached where the people may or may not speak Thai.
Well must gear up for a big weekend...5 classes (two which are workshops on Environmental issues and rights), a New Years party for the kids, "the bosses" coming to a few of the classes, finishing an application for art therapy school, and meeting Paul's dad for the first time!
Happiness to all of you and please enjoy the pictures of the hand made beads from last weeks classes!!
xx Michelle
Homemade clay beads made by the kids
Monday, January 3, 2011
VISA RUN!! Pictures to share :)
Some pictures from "The Loop" trip...Pai - Mae Hong Son - Pang Oog - Mae Cheam - Doi Inthanon - Chiang Mai-Pai
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The Right to Education
Well Hello! I know its been a while! Paul and I have our Christmas tree up with lights, decorations, and of course many many presents (with make shift, random, and recycled wrapping of course)...I hope you all are gearing up for lovely holidays with friends and family!
Life has been moving along here. Paul and I are going to Sri Lanka for three weeks in Jan/Feb for a bit of learning, exploring, and surfing.
As for teaching, things are going really well! Aside from loads of super fun 'gigigam' (thai for activities) Lydia and I ran our first workshop with the teenage classes: Self Esteem Building. The teens seemed to enjoy it and Lydia and I learned quite a bit about our students! We also handed out questionnaires so that we can get to know them better and prepare future workshop topics.
Questions included:
'Where do you see yourself in 5 years?', 'Who inspires you?', 'If you could do anything you wanted in one day what would you do?'...etc.
Most of the kids answered that in 5 years time they wish to be studying...which puts them at university level and is such a wonderful thing to hear. When the BRP was started none of the kids were in local schools. Roj and Kaan, two former BRP social workers had started a school called 'The Rainbow School' and after a few years the BRP was able to get most kids accepted at local schools. As you can imagine this was a struggle for many parents for a lot of reasons...fear of authority, not wanting to lose people to help around the house, help make money for the family, etc.
Now 10 years later most of the teens are doing very well in high school and hopefully at least a few of them will be able to go on to University. One obstacle in the way is the recieving of completion certificates (diplomas). Currently at the schools in town Shan students are not given certificates upon completion. This means that their chances of going to Unviersity, regardless of how smart they are, are limited. The only Universities known at the moment by the BRP to accept students without certificates are Christian schools that discriminate against non Christians. One option is to move kids to boarding high schools/international high schools that give certificates to everyone, but this of course is a big decision as well. Hopefully this will be possible in the future...it goes to show you how LUCKY all of us with citizenship to a country and financial oppurtuinty (even when it often seems like we don't, we really do!) are to be able to study to whatever level we choose, in whichever state or country we choose. Hopefully the world will someday see a day where everybody is given this oppurtunity.
Picture Frame Making Project!!!
Life has been moving along here. Paul and I are going to Sri Lanka for three weeks in Jan/Feb for a bit of learning, exploring, and surfing.
As for teaching, things are going really well! Aside from loads of super fun 'gigigam' (thai for activities) Lydia and I ran our first workshop with the teenage classes: Self Esteem Building. The teens seemed to enjoy it and Lydia and I learned quite a bit about our students! We also handed out questionnaires so that we can get to know them better and prepare future workshop topics.
Questions included:
'Where do you see yourself in 5 years?', 'Who inspires you?', 'If you could do anything you wanted in one day what would you do?'...etc.
Most of the kids answered that in 5 years time they wish to be studying...which puts them at university level and is such a wonderful thing to hear. When the BRP was started none of the kids were in local schools. Roj and Kaan, two former BRP social workers had started a school called 'The Rainbow School' and after a few years the BRP was able to get most kids accepted at local schools. As you can imagine this was a struggle for many parents for a lot of reasons...fear of authority, not wanting to lose people to help around the house, help make money for the family, etc.
Now 10 years later most of the teens are doing very well in high school and hopefully at least a few of them will be able to go on to University. One obstacle in the way is the recieving of completion certificates (diplomas). Currently at the schools in town Shan students are not given certificates upon completion. This means that their chances of going to Unviersity, regardless of how smart they are, are limited. The only Universities known at the moment by the BRP to accept students without certificates are Christian schools that discriminate against non Christians. One option is to move kids to boarding high schools/international high schools that give certificates to everyone, but this of course is a big decision as well. Hopefully this will be possible in the future...it goes to show you how LUCKY all of us with citizenship to a country and financial oppurtuinty (even when it often seems like we don't, we really do!) are to be able to study to whatever level we choose, in whichever state or country we choose. Hopefully the world will someday see a day where everybody is given this oppurtunity.
Older girls classroom in front of my house
Animal Camo/Cubism Painting
Tie Dye
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Surprise!
The Sharecropping Village planned a surprise party for Lydia...here are some pictures to share!
Post Frosting Fight!!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
How to love chaos...
Wow Im exhausted, what a wonderful but crazy week. After doing catch up with two classes after Loi Krathong I left myself a tad bit unprepared for the younger kids and with my lovely co-teacher sick it made for some crazy classes with the older kids as well! Not only am I getting an idea of what its like to be a teacher (constant planning and more planning...and after thats done more planning) I am facing many more hurdles teaching art (and crafts) that I didn't get last year while teaching English. Heres a little look at my last weekend...
Thursday: Rock Village Younger...so tired from the rest of the week that I planned something simple, stamping and coloring followed by balloon animal making (their favorite) Lesson learned: check the balloon pump before class...it was broken and balloon animal making didn't happen ... and language barriers are much more difficult when the kids are disappointed!!
Friday: Bulumburri Village Mixed...showed up...one kid doing homework and two kids MIA...class canceled
Saturday: Rock Village Older...first day that the older girls came to my house for class. We finished making our sketchbooks and did some light hearted candle making...an easy project without Lydia to translate!...Strange Run-ins: (1) Neighbors Golden Retriever comes to visit and insists on humping my leg while I am showing the girls what to do next...the only way to escape was to lock myself in my house until the dog left. (2) caught my bamboo porch on fire trying to melt the gel for the candles!
Saturday: Sharecropping Older...We finished making our sketchbooks and due to a quick run from the earlier class to this class we ended up making fudge afterward instead of candles. Village challenges: passing a baby between two students and me while working with "adult" glue, scissors, fire, and molten chocolate.
Sunday: Sharecropping Younger...We made stainded class candle holders using tissue paper and tissue paper flowers...only 1 minor hiccup: no classroom = if you forget something you have to go without or run to town!
And now to begin all over again tomorrow!
Peace, Love, and Popsicles,
Michelle
Thursday: Rock Village Younger...so tired from the rest of the week that I planned something simple, stamping and coloring followed by balloon animal making (their favorite) Lesson learned: check the balloon pump before class...it was broken and balloon animal making didn't happen ... and language barriers are much more difficult when the kids are disappointed!!
Friday: Bulumburri Village Mixed...showed up...one kid doing homework and two kids MIA...class canceled
Saturday: Rock Village Older...first day that the older girls came to my house for class. We finished making our sketchbooks and did some light hearted candle making...an easy project without Lydia to translate!...Strange Run-ins: (1) Neighbors Golden Retriever comes to visit and insists on humping my leg while I am showing the girls what to do next...the only way to escape was to lock myself in my house until the dog left. (2) caught my bamboo porch on fire trying to melt the gel for the candles!
Saturday: Sharecropping Older...We finished making our sketchbooks and due to a quick run from the earlier class to this class we ended up making fudge afterward instead of candles. Village challenges: passing a baby between two students and me while working with "adult" glue, scissors, fire, and molten chocolate.
Sunday: Sharecropping Younger...We made stainded class candle holders using tissue paper and tissue paper flowers...only 1 minor hiccup: no classroom = if you forget something you have to go without or run to town!
My favorite raccoon faced kitten, Hiccup
T finishing up her sketchbook
Enjoy your fudge much?
Smile!
And now to begin all over again tomorrow!
Peace, Love, and Popsicles,
Michelle
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