Time for a recap

Heather our friend and fellow education student came arrived in Bangkok on Thursday evening. We didn’t meet up on Thursday because technical difficulties but made plans meet up with her on Friday. In the afternoon, we met up her and accompanied her via the sawgtaow (sp?) to Mercy for our final evening class. Both Jodie and I were testing our students for assessment on Friday but even so the class was eventful because we made plans to cook with them early next week. The girls are going to show us how to prepare some of our favorite Thai dishes and in return we are going to bake a cake along with some cookies for dessert. After class we took Heather around Mercy and introduced her to some of the children that she didn’t get a chance to meet during her first visit. When we arrived at Mercy 6, some of the little ones were participating in musical exercises. Of course we had to join them. Who wouldn’t want to shake you bum and do Macarena type dance moves with 4 and 5 year old children? A few minutes into Heather, Jodie and I had broken out in a sweat but we kept moving. Song after song, we kept dancing until we couldn’t do it anymore. The children seemed to enjoy our participation and it was a fun moment to share with the cuties in Mercy 6.

Next we grabbed a taxi and headed to Emporium and decided to stop and get a massage. I’m not a big fan of Thai massages, so I went for the more expensive oil massage. Probably paid to much for it but I got two free hot showers out of it so I can’t complain too much. I had the option of showering before and after the massage. Of course, I took full advantage.

After the massage we headed to Dubliners to meet Si Jie and her mom for her farewell dinner. We expected to see Lee Shamrock there but were sadly informed that he is on holiday in California for the next month. That meant that we would not be rocking out with him and his one man band. Cedric, the fellow Mercy volunteer joined us and we all hung out at our favourite pub together with Si Jie for the last time.

On Saturday, the three of us travelled to the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha. Jodie and I had been to the Reclining Buddha previously but the Grand Palace was an all new experience. Amongst the large crowds of tourist, we toured the grounds and sites.

Heather got a massage on the Reclining Buddha grounds. They have a massage therapy school there and it is quite a popular massage destination. Heather walked away as a very happy customer. Jodie and I waited and watched people come in and their reactions an hour later. We overheard two girls say that their massage was better than sex….haha. On our way to the Grand Palace a man attempted to scam us out of going to the palace. He tried to tell us that we weren’t dressed appropriately and that we woudn’t be able to go in because it Thai people were in there praying. He then tried to talk us into getting in a tuk tuk and touring other sites around the palace. We didn’t fall for it and ignored his request. We ventured over to the Grand Palace and successfully toured the grounds and sites.

In the evening, we headed over to Siam to watch Sex and the City. It was a perfect end to our girl’s day and we thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I laughed out loud a lot and was completely taken to another world while watching it.

Our goal was to take Heather on every means of transportation in Bangkok. During her time here we successfully got her on a sawgthoaw, bus, skytrain, boat and subway. The only two forms of transportation that we didn’t conquer were a tuk tuk and a motorcycle taxi.

On Sunday we woke up bright and early and went to the weekend market. After hours of shopping we stopped for lunch for an hour or so while it rained outside. In the afternoon we continued our shopping and then headed back to soi 40 to sent Si Jie off. We traveled in a Mercy van to the airport with Ning, a Kindergarten teacher, Si Jie and her mom. It was really sad to watch her say goodbye to the boys and the taff at soi 40. I sat in the van and my eyes welled up a little bit thinking that we would never see her at soi 40 again.


Last week I went to 7/11 alone in search of some chocolate for Jodie and I. This 7/11 had just recently opened and that day was the first day they had the hot dog grill was up and running. I walked and there were literally like 34 school aged children excitedly shopping for treats that I’m sure they had been saving for. I thought to myself “I have never seen so many people in a 7/11 ever”. I proceeded to find a mars bar for Jodie and a banana muffin for myself. There was a crowd by the cash so the cashier ushered me to the front. As I was paying, I felt a little hand grab my waist from the back. I turned around to find a little 4 year old boy with a big grin on his face. At first I didn’t recognize him but I responded by smiling back at him and laughing in my head. As I was leaving I remembered that he was a Mercy 6 child and that earlier in the week the boys were teasing and poking me while I had supper with them. The whole 7/11 experience made me laugh including the little poking me while I was inline. All the kids were so excited about this 7/11. They were so excited about buying ham slices and m&m’s, all of which they couldn’t find at their nearby street vendor.

On Monday we went took Heather to MBK and the Temple of Dawn. We ended the evening off with a special Swensons extravaganza. We ordered the fondue which includes 9 scoops of ice cream along with fruit and waffles. It was delicious but we were all filled to the brim and feeling a little sick after we finished it.

On Tuesday we were back to Mercy, teaching along with showing a new volunteer named EJ around. He is actually staying at soi 40 with us and has take over Si Jie’s room. He is a high school student originally from the Philippines. He has been living with his parents her in Thailand for the last 8 years and he attends Father Joe’s church at AIT.

Anyways, that’s all I can think to tell you right now. Our time here is quickly passing us by and in just a few days Mom and Tiffany will be here. I am so excited to show them around and spend time with them. I feel like it has been forever since I’ve seen them.

Off I go. We have laundry to do.

Sending love from Thailand,

Misty