Camp 1 and Song Kran

So we finished camp one. There is some things words cant describe about the camp, like the closing ceremony, so Ill just say that kids were crying, teachers (sadly not myself, as I found it all a bit ridiculous) were crying, the TAs were crying... it was a sob fest and the kids get on the ground to "wai" you in respect, tell you they love you and how much they enjoyed their time here... or for me and Jo, sort of just mumbled in Thai/English. It was an experience at the least...

So camp ended, and we ran for the bus, and went to Bangkok to celebrate, what i consider to be, one of the all time great festivals of the world, to compare with Beerfest or even Carnival. Song Kran is the Thai New Year. It consists of 5 days of waterfights. Families loaded in the backs of trucks drive the streets and dump/soak water on you. Everyone has waterguns and buckETS OF WATER... it's literally complete chaos. All the thai people get this powder stuff, and they turn it into a paste and wipe it on your face, saying happy new year (so what dee bee mai) I ended up doing some great thai jokes, Alai Na?(whats that) pointing up to the sky and then squirting them in the face with water... or another favorite namn mot (out of water) then squirting them in the face saying me namn (have water) most all found it to be completely entertaining... i sure did. The nights and days were just complete chaos, and you couldn't escape the water... even with our bags people would throw large buckets of water directly at your face. it was fun, but exhausting.

After the complete chaos of Bangkok, we headed down to Koh Samet, and island south of where we are currently teaching, and spent a couple days relaxing during the day and partying all night, which, of course, ended up being drenched by buckets of water and swimming in the ocean. We were always safe, of course

So now we are back at school, just met the new group of kids, and it's hard not to have favorites from the ones that are returning from last camp. Should be fun, we'll see!

Hope all is well, glad to hear the cabin is coming along, and will be ready for me to visit, maybe, if I have time when i come home for christmas! Can't wait for the cruise!

Love you all