And the Next Step Is?

It has been two months now since I first arrived in Thailand.  The holidays are over and life is finding a "new" normal.  The biggest changes I find take me back to my years in New York when I walked more, shopped at fresh food markets and found more time to spend with friends and family.  I still help from time to time with restaurant on Riverside and in exchange am learning some Thai cooking, but not enough time to spend enjoying the fruits of our labors.  Business at restaurant has become very busy and so less time for socializing.  It's all good, but miss the relaxed time we used to have.  


Started working on web site for new language institute where my son, Paul, teaches and in return, they have taken me under their wing as they firmly believe that "Mom" is special.  Nice thing to know about Thai culture is that we have value as we get older and it is privilege as well as duty to make "Mom" happy.  So today we worked on web site for a few hours, but spent most of time having lunch at beautiful boutique hotel, meeting new people and visiting large Thai school.  Of course, as I was from America, the teachers asked me to say hello to several classes where the children were learning English, which I was happy to do.  It was amazing the joy and happiness such a simple gesture meant to both teachers and children.  The greatest overall pleasure was to see the shining, excited children who were so pleased to be learning and in school.  


I was very, very impressed with programs, students, teachers and classes which ranged from pre-K to 12th grade.  There were dance classes - both traditional Thai and American line dancing; music classes with animated children gladly singing their little hearts out; classrooms which held perhaps 30 pianos or more, while the owner of the school apologized for the tattered leather on the piano stools; science stations; rooms with perhaps 30 computer/audio/visual set ups; daycare; an olympic size pool for swimming lessons, and so much more.  Today was Wednesday and most students were in their "Scout" uniforms, while teachers and younger students dressed alike to show camaraderie.  The smile never left my face for the hour or more we visited and I hope to have opportunity to come back soon!  What a fabulous day!!!  


And then back to work for a little while with the total gratitude of the wonderful ladies, Tabtim and Sunisa who are principals of the new language institute.  They encouraged me to come back as often as I wanted to help finish web site and volunteer for programs at school.  They have made me feel especially welcome and once again valuable.  I am so happy I came!