Sawadee Krap…Hello.

 So this update is about my teaching. I have been teaching here at the Wat for a while, English to the hill tribe kids in the morning. Now I was asked to teach at a Technical College in Chiang Mai. I was not sure I wanted to do as I am not a formally trained teach but they said no problem and since I am a “native speaker” all will be fine.

 I started about 6 weeks ago and it is going great! I have learned so much and now my teaching at the Wat is better. I never, ever expected to be a teach but now that I am I am happy. The only problem is I have less time to work on cooking with the kids. I am hoping soon that we can begin to do somethings on the weekends. Wisit, the principal at the school at the Wat wants to see things here and so do I so I feel this will begin to happen soon.

 Another thing I am working on is a fundraiser here in Chiang Mai at the Bang Krock Noi, hill tribe hostel. It is a great place an a few friends of mine and I are working with Bobby (the guy that runs it) on putting something together. It will be in November and we will have hill tribe music, dancing and food as well as a soccer (football) and Cricket games between the kids and some local guys, it is going to be a blast. All of the money will go to helping them get fans, new wiring for the building and some more food, EXCITING! Last month I took my friend Sam over there and she taught the kids how to make greeting cards.

 Sam has done this at other places to help them get money for their lunches, check out her site, stongwillseed.org. She is amazing and only 16 years old! She has helped so many kids with much mre then teaching them how to raise funds. We will sell these cards at the fundraiser and I will sell them to anyone that wants them, I will put up pictures soon.

 I have lot’s to report about the Om Koi hill tribe village but that will come soon. Take care of yourselves…

 Well, did I have a great week or what??? I was so busy running around with Sascha and Maria. They are 2 amazing ladies that stared an organization called Toys for Thailand after the Tsunami. They brought toys to kids that lost everything. They also have done lot’s of work where I live at the Wat Don Chan. That is how I met them and they are from San Diego and after my 2 weeks at the Wat in 2008 we hooked up after I went back to LA.

 As I said they did lot’s for the WDC but the money and things they brought to the table were under-appreciated and not managed so their work and money were wasted. They sadly had to pull out. It is tough to get donations if people see their money is not being taken care of. So what did they do, they began to go to villages and work with the people to be more self sustainable so they would not have to send their kids of family members to places like this, let’s keep them hoe and teach them to be better. I love this idea and since I live here and see what goes on, I agree. I am lucky because they money that was donated to me get watched by me and I only buy things that I am using for my projects here and, well I also have now taken some of that money to use on other projects. For example going into the hills and doing the same as Toys for Thailand. Now I am working with them and they are getting more contributions and I get to goto the jungle with the money and supplies. Kind of like a project manager I get to go and make the deliveries and help bring it all together.

 While they were here we met with the Mayor, the Head of Social Services and the Head of the 2 tribes we are working with in Om Koi. This was so helpful and now we have people we can goto to be accountable for everything. Also since there is no phone service where we go these other folks  (since some of them live just outside of the hills), we can get a hold of. We plan to do things at the school inthe village and the villagers that want to help can get involved and they can get some of the rewards. The ones that don’t help can just continue as they are. The King in Thailand has been trying and helping to change things for years and there is still a ton of work to do so the ones that don’t help, well we understand but we need to focus on the ones that want to help themselves.

 We also met with the Heifer Corporation and they are going to check out the village and if it fit’s into their guide lines they will give animals to help and also go to help teach about raising them…To be continued, I will let you know when I do how this pans out. Also we met people fro the Royal Project of Thailand, one of the projects anyway. This one teaches eco friendly projects, like raising frogs, fish, organic veggies and coffee and building mud huts. They are going to teach me for free on weekends these things so I can then go to the village and show them. This way they can stop cutting down the beautiful jungle for growing areas and homes. There is plenty of mud there during rainy season so I am excited to learn and then go teach. They will also send some people there to help me get it started. This is one of the main reasons I came to Thailand and I am so, so happy. I mean I have done a lot and I have learned a lot but this will be awesome. Oh and I already learned the frog thing and I took 20 babies to the village and the kids are taking care of them, I can’t wait to see them when I go back.

 I took lot’s of great pictures but still waiting to get my computer back to download everything, you will see them soon enough. I did get to go to Om Koi the week after Sascha and Maria left, it was just an OK trip. Toys for Thailand gave me the money so I could buy everything to build a fence around the school so we could stop the animals from going in that area and stop them from eating everything planted for the kids school lunches. We got everything but it rained so bad for the 3 days that we could not begin the building part, next time. I plan to go back August 14th and the villagers will help and I will bring food to cook for their lunch and dinner. Also I ate something really bad on my way to the village and I was SO sick while I was there. I could not eat anything and slept11 hours per day, it was really, really hard. To be sick and sleep on a bamboo floor, in that heat and lot’s of rain and no one was there with me to speak English, tough. They were all very sweet and brought me different herbs and honey drinks to try to make me feel better but it just need to run it’s course…Anyway I will post more and pictures when I have it for you all to see. I also just want to say thanks to the ladies from Toys for Thailand and I am so happy to be working with them. They have the biggest hearts and an amazing energy about them…I wish they were still here with me right now but I will see them again in December. They have big plans for a few parties in 2 villages and meets galore for more goodness. VERY EXCITED, peace Y’all.

P.S. T4T filmed some video and an interview with me, it will be here and on YouTube soon.

Hello, wow it has been a long time. Thing have been a bit nutty around here kind of like an out of control roller coaster ride. About 2 months ago my favorite Monk, Phra Wit left the Wat and with that left my biggest connecttion to everything that goes on here with the kids. I was so sad but Ithink he will be happier, living a life without the saffron colored robe on. I then became close with 2 others, Phra Num and Phra In. I began teaching them English everyday and it was really great and they were beginning to speak very well. Then Phra Num left and went back to Myanmar to be near his family. Phra In is still here and our classes are still going well.

 Part of the reason these Monks left was beacause they are no longer taking as much care of the kids, there is a new person in this place and I will refer to him as Ego-Man…He has been a friend of the Wat and the Head monk for many years and has been volunteering with sports programs for a long time. Ego-Man and the Monks do not see things the same and to be honest nether do I. He has made it very difficult for the kids and anyone to really get things done. That being said he has made some good changes but his methods, SUCK! He is always wanting to make the boys “tough” but when you are 6 and new to this place, sometimes a hug goes a lot further.

 We have newly let in 12 kids that are not old enough to go to school yet and there is not enough supervision here so the older kids have to take care of them. This I think is CRAZY! If we are not equip to help these kids better, we need to help find a place that is, right? Ego-Man is taking care of the little ones during the day but a 2 year old without some motherly love, come on… OK, let’s try to talk about some good, we have a new kitchen and it is out of the girls dorm finally. They also have someone to help cook the lunch time and dinner meals so now the kids just have to do breakfast on their own. This is something I was hoping for for a long time. We have a new school building that is almost finished but there are no bathrooms in it, this would not fly in the states, not for a second and it should not here. We now have a new water filter system for all here, it was so need. Now we just need to make sure they change the filters. The schools have been cleaned up and we have a few new teachers that are really great and here for the kids.

 The boys dorm now has a new washing tub for bathing and washing clothes. They also have a volleyball/little soccer area. The girls got some new beds that Toys for Thailand donated forever ago, I am so happy for that. They just kept moving them around here and all I tried to do for 6 months was give them out, done and done. Some of my favorite students left and I was so sad to see them gone but I did bump into a few of the in town last week. They said they were going to a new, better school with better living conditions, I am glad for them.

 What else…Been cooking with Chatree a little more, we made some killer Blueberry Pound Cake the other day, we lost Khru Jum (an English teacher) to another school last month, she will be missed. New fencing made of bamboo, by the Monks is now all around the Wat, some more of the dirt roads here have been paved. I have been teaching a lot more, thanks to Jirapron (a new English teacher). I am always much happier when I am busy. I have also had some friends come to visit me so I got to get out and see some more i the city and I am really loving this place. It is rainy season but it is not as bad as I thought it would be. Been drinking some good organic coffee, grown from the hill tribe people, you know I love coffee and the hill tribes so it is a win, win.More soon and as always thanks for the support. -Stu

Let me start off by saying that before coming to the Wat Don Chan, I had no idea what Cricket was. Well, I knew it was some kind of game but that was it. When I got here I saw that the kids were playing  the game with 3 super dedicated coaches Chris, Martin and Puy. I started to ask questions about the game and began going to every game the kids had, anything to cheer them on. The team had many problems with the powers that be here at the Temple and the whole program was canceled several times but like I said the coaches are so dedicated that they kept fighting to get it going again. I mean come on the kids love it and as we all know any type of team sport can only do good for kid, right! Anyway I called the team the bad news bears, they did not have nice uniforms or great shoes (some did not even want to wear shoes) and they were kind of sloppy.

Cut to the end of the season and they are now tied for #1 and 4 of the boys had the chance to go play in Bangkok for a major tournament and could get scholorships next year at an amazing international school for Cricket. Ok now these kids are from the hill tribes and just a few years ago were not in school, never wore shoes and who’s families make only like $500/year. AMAZING, yes I know…

Now back to the powers that be, long and short of it as I still have to live here, they kicked a couple of the kids out of school and canceled the Cricket program, yes I agree, BS. So now back to the coaches, they found a great place for the kids to live,  better schools for them to goto and now a great place to practice. This place only has 100 kids and does cost some money, Wat Don Chan is free. It cost 10,000 Baht/year which is right around $315/USD  for the whole year, cheap, if you ask me…I now sponsor a 13 year old boy named Bounchouy and we have a total of 12 kids there and we are working on getting another 20, maybe more. The boys will play their last game of the year in June, for the championship, very exciting and to think they almost could not play for the trophy because someone got upset since they did not say goodbye before going to a game…Oh, did I say (type) that out loud????

Sponsor a kid for $315/USD, email me and i’ll tell you how also check out watdonchancricket.com.  As always, peace and blessings. -Stu

So this time we brought ICE CREAM we were welcomed with open arms again but when they saw what we had well you can imagine. We did not get there until after dark so not everyone was around and we were worried that we would have too much ice cream and no one to eat it. We bought a bit more ice to put around it before we started up the mountain and since we were on the mountain and it gets pretty cold at night we were able to save it and soon as everyone finished breakfast we gave out the rest. After everyone had a brain freeze we then gave out the clothes that were donated which was mostly larger sized things but since I have gotten a lot more things for the kids for the next trip.

No this trip was very different since only Greig and I went so there was no one with us to speak Thai and all of our contacts in the Village had left the village. Some for holiday which would be 3 weeks but luckily the main contacts would be back in a few days. This wound up being great, it gave up time to connect a little more personally with the people and figure out some other things about how we could help and how to approach these things. We brought a bunch of food and after cooking Greig and I went on a hike to see where their water source comes from and why we had no water for the past 2 days…Holes in some of the pipes, OK we can raise some money to get new one’s, check. We then got to hang out with an older kid named Bus, he is blind but spoke really good English. He speaks Thai Musar and English as well as writes all 3 in braille. He goes to school in Chiang Mai at the Northern School of the Blind but was home on holiday and we were lucky to meet him and hang out for the afternoon. Then we got to play with all of the little kids in the creek, which we wound up doing this once a day with them, it was really hot and not having much water, it was our shower.

This day began with a delicious breakfast of fresh picked jungle veggies and a few eggs (we brought them) then we went on a hike with some of the parent and kids, we ended up in a cave and we thought we could hear water  and it was cool (it was so dark) but we were wrong it was the sound of the thousands of Bats flying all around us. The kids were happy as this Tribe is really big into hunting so Bats would be on the menu if they got any and they did 15 of them. I told them I would probably not be eating them and I did not. I am up for most things but looking at them in the bag was enough. Also the cave had some really beautiful Limestone and no wonder that stuff is so expensive, if they have to get it from places like this it is not easy and then to have to hike it down…WOW, it was really great to see. We then eat some kind of tree which I still can’t remember what they called it, it was not the best thing I have ever eaten but fun anyway. The whole way down we would pick anything we could to cook for dinner and then came to a creek where the kids got a few little fish, crabs and a frog. Now we ended up at a cabbage patch as well there were tons of other veggies and the guys working there let us take a bunch of things and they were also added to our dinner, the lunch I cooked when we got back and for the next few days. I tell you it is really great being a Chef when I can go into the field, pick veggies then go back and cook for a bunch of people in the village.

The first thing we did the next morning after eating breakfast was watched 3 baby boy pigs get castrated, no pictures for you, it’s all in my brain and that’s enough. I can’t believe I was able to see something like that…We wanted to connect with some of the villagers that we have not had time to meet yet so we just went for a walk and did just that met some new folks. We had a nice time and then we were invited to lunch in NaPers house, she is a very good cook and really sweet. She is the mother of Bus, and we got to meet her other 2 kids also, 1 little boy about 9 and a 13 year old girl. Two of the people that are our main connections to the village came back, Sak and his wife, on of the teachers Na Lah so we had time to catch up with them. The first thing they did was pulled a papaya of of a tree and we had Som Tom (spicy papaya salad, very spicy). We figured out a few things for a plan of action for the next few trips, rooves, a bathroom, new pipes for the water system, etc. One more swim with the kids in the creek, this time about 15 joined us so the water fight was on.

We were invited to a special dinner being put on by a few families, they were serving pig. You see they kill chickens to eat all of the time but only for very special occasion’s will they kill a big so this was big. I was sad for the pig but this is life and they have to eat. They had the leader of the village come and do some prayers, they put bracelets on all of us and then we ate, to be honest it was not the best meal we ate while there but it was an honer to be part of this. After we just hung out with the kids playing games and laughing. It was much like any holiday dinner you would have with any family and minus the language barriers it was a blast. We then spent the remainder of the evening with several villagers, learning their language, joking and laughing, truly a memorable night. See even when you can’t speak the same we were still able to spend hours together just bonding, AMAZING…

This was going to be our last day and we woke to a fresh breakfast of beef, for me I do not eat much beef but since this was really fresh (only 2 hours) I was game to try it. They made us a dish called Larb, very spicy and topped with rice powder, for them they ate the same but with raw beef. Since it was just that fresh it was ok to eat but I had to pass, sorry. We then got some banana stalks which is part of the plant to chop and mix with water for the pigs to eat, fun. Time to make a list of what to bring next time, do some final measurement’s for the lining of the fish pond and water the garden. The past 3 days we had no water so we were now able to do this and let me tell you it was so needed. A bit more fun with the kids and on we went. We are always wanting to stay longer and I am sad to go.

There is what looks like a Temple about half way between the village and the main road and you can see a beautiful Pagoda from the road. This time we planned to check ot out on the way home. It was so beautiful and peaceful and we found out it is a place for Monk’s  to go and get some rest, for their mind and body, I can see why they would pick such a place. Check out the pictures and you will see…Until next time, thanks for checking out my blog

Well a few months ago my friends from Toys for Thailand were here, Sasha and Maria. We met some people from Om Gouy (check out the Musar village blog) and went to see if we could help them out with somethings in their village. I told the ladies that instead of waiting til they come back to Thailand from California, why don’t I just head that way and begin the process? So last week with my friends Greig and Wisit (the principle) here at the Wat Don Chan Poly-Tech School, loaded up Greigs pick -up truck and on we went. The day before we left we bought ton’s of things to take with us like, canned fish, noodles, fresh veggies, equipment for them to cut their hair, seeds and tools to plant with, bananas trees, eggs, oil, some spices as well as what we got donated. Which was school supplies (from Greig and his friends in Chiang Mai), clothes (from Sarah in LA) Frisbee’s (from Yelena, in LA), thanks all.

We left early Saturday morning as it was going to be a 4 1/2 hour trip to Om Gouy and then another 1 hour and 45 minutes up the mountain on a dirt road, which you do not want to travel on during the rainy season. We were met in Om Gouy by 2 of the teachers Adun and Noon and up we followed them. When we got there I was so excited to see them again and I could hardly wait to give them the items we brought. We gave out the clothes and Frisbee’s, saving the other items  for the following day. Adun and Noon cooked us a nice dinner and then we went to meet the family that was going to let us sleep in their house.

They were so sweet to us and when we arrived in to their 2 room home, made of bamboo they made us tea using tree bark, yum. There was no furniture and just a kind of fire pit in the middle of the front room which is used for cooking and keeping the home warm and it was so needed, it gets really cold on that mountain at night. It was not to easy to sleep with the dogs, pigs, cows and roosters talking most of the night and they made sure we were awake early. I am not sure what time since time really doesn’t matter on the mountain but I know it was early and sometimes still dark.

That first morning we had some more tea and then had breakfast with the teachers and began to plan our day which would included checking out the whole village and the village occupied by the Galiang Tribe about a kilo away. Their kids share the same school so we want to help them both. After eating we gave out the haircutting equipment and then I gave a young boy his first haircut with electric clippers,  they have some solar cells for the school to have a bit of light so we plugged into that. While I did this Greig began to help them plan the banana trees and Wisitspoke to them about what they would need in the coming months and how we could help them to get these items. See since Toys for Thailand was a big part of this and Sasha told them that we could not do everything but we would help them to help themselves. They then wanted me to make lunch, being a chef and all. I asked if they had any chicken, now remember no running water or electricity in the homes so no refrigerators…OK so back to the chicken, yes they had some but first they had to be put to rest and the feathers removed, which some of the ladies took care of. Thank goodness for that because if I had to do it we would have eaten vegetarian that meal. Everyone jumped in and help prep everything, washing the pots and serving, it was really nice. I cooked on an open fire right outside the school. To see these kids so happy, eating a nice hot meal full of good protein, playing frisbee (some of the kids first toys ever) and practicing the few English words they know was a blast…

After eating and cleaning up we checked out the next village and saw them making clothes by hand and taking the husk off of the rice, kind of by hand (wait to see the pictures). They then took us on 4 miles of dirt road heading to a waterfall. We got as far as we could and then it was about a 1 1/2 mile walk the rest of the way and it was not all so easy. It was also really hot and had no water to drink but when we got to the waterfall it was cold, clean and tasted delisious. After swimming for a bit and relaxing it was back up the hill and on our way home. The kids stopped to pick some beautiful wild orchard plants for Greig’ s home (they were all over the place, it was amazing) as well as some really bitter fruit, which they loved and just made me more thirsty and some ferns that they would cook for us when we got back.

We then went to see the rest of the Mu Suer village and figure more out, you see not speaking the language so well it made it a bit tough, but I think we got it. A bit more Frisbee then on to what we called the village 7-11. There was a guy with a room full of snacks, cigarettes, warm beer, some cleaning supplies and home-made whiskey. I thought this was funny being the people are so poor but they manage to find some money to party it up from time to time, I guess funny and sad maybe a better word, anyway…Eggs, veggies and rice for dinner, more bark tea and bed was the rest of our night. The next day we talked to some of the woman about wanting to sell some of the clothes and bags they make to help them out, it took hours. They don’t normally sell them they just make them for the village so they did not know what to charge or how it would work if we placed and “order” with them. I am still not sure if they get it but we will see in the coming weeks when we head back that way. Eggs, steamed freshly picked ferns and black sticky rice was breakfast and it was really good. They also served us roasted eggplant mashed with chilies to dip the ferns in, SPICY!

We took a quick walk to say goodbye to some of the people and stumbled across the men from the village building a house and it was super cool. It cost them between $150-$300, depending on the type of roof they will put on. That is the main cost and since it is so far to get those items it’s the gas to and from as well. This amount of money is about what the whole family makes in a year, could you imagine??? It was cool to see them so carefully split the bamboo and put this place together. While this was going on some of the woman were getting lunch ready, some with babies tied to their backs, see everyone helps in the village. It was time to go so one more good bye to some of the kids and down the hill we went. We were sad to leave since we had so much fun and next time we plan on staying longer.

Now on the next few trips that we plan to take there we plan to do the following 1. get chickens for them to put in a chicken coup, which we will help to build so they can have lot’s of fresh eggs 2. bring more things for them to plant like soy beans for more protein 3. maybe some frogs for another good source of protein and they are easy to raise 4. blankets for the kids, remember it gets cool at night 5. a new battery for their solar cells to have more light for the school room. They can use the school room for other thing or gatherings if they have better light. 6. Fish to stock their pond 7. maybe some more fabric to make more items of clothing to sell 8. art supplies to let the kids express themselves a bit. Well we think this is a good start for now, more to come…Also if you want to make a contribution to help us with the above projects please feel free there is a paypal button on the home page, so it is really easy but no pressure. As always thanks so much for the love and support. Also a special thanks for all of their donations on this and our next trip go out to Sasha and Maria from Toys for Thailand, Sarah, Yelena, Sarah Welborn, Greig and Wisit. Check out the pictures they are really fun.

So sorry it has been so long since I have put anything on here but someone got in to the site and messed it all up. Thanks to the hard work and kind heart of my buddy Martin, it is now back up, working fine  and time to start filling you in on the the happenings. Well Chatree and I have been making Carrot Cake and Pizza, lot’s of eating it too. He has been selling Pizzas a few times a month to make money for his collage classes. My friend Greig helped us to find a place here that makes their own cheese so we have been able to save some money there and Chatree is enjoying the new items, almost time to start doing different type of ice cream again.

They have a celebration here in Thailand, called Wan Deg, which means kids day. On this day kids are all taken care of very well. There are usually little shows, fairs and as always in Thailand ton’s of food. I decided to make the kids french fries and they were a hit. I was frying fries for 7 hours, it was a lot of fun but I was covered in fryer oil by the end if the day. They also had a chance to do some really cute performances including singing Country Road by John Denver. We had a couple of volunteers coming in once a week to teach the kids a song and that is what they chose, thanks so much Marc and Cheryl. Then they did some dancing and had a Tribal beauty contest. One girl from each tribe got to strut their stuff in full Tribes gear, it was a great day. The participant’s won money to use for when they leave the Temple, one of the teachers helped them to set up bank accounts, awesome. The kids were then meant to do lot’s of studying for the coming weeks since there would be testing due to the end of school approaching.

I was so happy to have my dear friend and next door neighbor from Venice Beach, California come to visit. She was on holiday for 2 weeks and stop here for 4 days to bring the kids and I some goodies. She brought 50 donated frisbees and lot’s of art supplies for the kids to play with. Yelena and I got to go around the beautiful town of Chiang Mai a bit as well as painting and playing frisbee in the afternoon, until the early evenings, we all had great fun. Oh yeah, she also brought me yummy coffee from Bunny and Susy as well as some new sneakers, shirts and a few hip-hop magazinges from Wade and Joanna…I LOVE YOU GUYS, THANKS! I was so sad to see her go, as were the kids but it was great to have her here and get some good hugs too. You see they do not hug here in Thailand and I am a hugger so thanks Yelena, oh and thanks for the donation as well, getting a few things for the kids this week.

There has been a lot of construction going on here at the Temple. They are expanding the eating area to prepare for more kids coming for the next school year, which begins mid May. As well they fixed up one of the spots that the kids hang their clothes, painting the some of the Temple and they are building another school building. This new building with have volunteering teachers coming from Chiang Mai University to give some collage prep courses. I spoke to some of the teachers and I was told that even though 140 more students will becoming that there are no more teachers getting hired, REALLY? Not sure why this is and I hope they are wrong or they are just not understanding exactly what I am asking.

If I am still here when all of this happens then maybe I will get to take on a class all by myself. I have been taking Thai language classes and they are going well. The better I speak the language the more help I can be. I have been really tired lately, there are many changes going on here and my mind is getting no rest…

This New Years Eve was a very different one for me, normally there is a bit of Champagne being drank by me, well maybe a bit more then a bit…Anyway this year was, again very different but maybe one of the best years so far. The planning began a few days before hand. All of the kids were practicing dance moves, songs and painting posters and signs to hang for the party. The Monks all get together and buy a bunch of things that the kids need and some things that they know they want and they give them gift throughout the evening. I decided that I was going to make brownies for everyone. This also started 2 days in advance with all of the shopping and getting the recipes translated into Thai so they could all be part of this too.

We made 500 chocolate-peanut brownies and 500 white-chocolate dried cherry blondies, they were so good but I am all good not to eat another brownie for a long time…Food was being donated by some locals that come to the Temple and the food was amazing and things that the kids usually don’t get to eat. Tables and chairs were borrowed from the village community center and the kids helped all day to set them up. It was great since they normally sit on the floor for all meals, now they were eating family-style and at tables and chairs just like at a restaurant. There was a different feeling in the air that night, they really felt so special and I was so happy to be part of it. By the time they were done eating they were so drunk from sugar, with the brownies and soda, TONS of soda, it was quite funny.

Then the performances began, starting with the little girls, all dressed up their make-up caked on. There were about 25 different shows with different groups of girls and boys. They danced, they sang, they screamed and after each performance they were all given a 20 Baht note, some cookies and soap or shampoo or clothes hangers, whichever they wanted or needed. Some of the performances were Tribal and some were Thai Karaoke, some good and some well let’s just say pretty funny. This went on for about 3 hours, all the while the Monks were taking care of the lights and music. Chatree, one of the older boys and some of the time I helped to give out the prizes, really, really fun.

I took about 300 pictures that night and I will post a few but we so happy to have pictures taken in every pose imaginable and in different groups. Some of the kids were so tired by this time they had to go to bed, passed out in thier chairs and even 2 of the kids fell a sleep on my friend Greg. We then found out that there was going to be even more karaoke ans as you can imagine, 3 hours was good enough for me. I headed out to Chiang Mai to the roof top of a hotel to watch the fire works. Since there is no need for a permit, they were everywhere, even at the hotel and I almost caught on fire, they were really close. I had my glass of champagne and a beer and called it a night. It was really fun but I was wiped out the next day and it took all day for us to clean everything to get this place back to normal. Well semi-normal anyway. Take a look at the pictures, they are fun…Happy New Year!

 OK so this one is going to be short and sweet or maybe not so sweet. Some of you may know that I ran into some problems with my 1 year VISA. Those that don’t know, here you go; I was told to re-appy 1 month before my visa was up, wrong; 3 months. I didn’t have enough time to get it done so after hiring a lawyer, spending almost$1500/US and losing lot’s of sleep it is almost all finished. Part of what I had to do was go to the country of Lao to get another 3 month visa for Thailand so while my paper work is going through for the 1 year, I could stay here without any problem.

 I was to wait for the call from the lawyer and then had to go to Lao, I got that call the day I had 4 friends coming to Thailand and just 2 days before Christmas, great. I had 1 very hurried day with my friends and the next evening I was off on my Visa journey. First class bus, first class my butt…They stopped about 12 times, had some engine trouble, drove like a mad man, had the AC on full (we all were freezing) and they threw every bit of trash from everyone on the bus out the window! Bottles, cans, tissues, I was very angry…Then got in to the bus station at 3 AM and had to get to another station by tuk tuk, wait for another bus and then to the Lao boarder. At the second bus station I met a guy from France, 1 from Belgium and his Thai girlfriend, we continued on together.

 Got to the Thai Embassy, applied for the new visa, quick, cheap and painless, “come back tomorrow to pick it up”. Then we found a hotel, got some food and a nap, nice afternoon. I felt like I was being cheated and pushed around everywhere in this place, I hear the rest of the country is great but the capital of Vientein has seen the last of me. We spent Christmas eve, playing pool, drinking beer and dancing. I was now hanging out in addition to the already international group now we were with some people from Lao and China. Lot’s of fun but a very different Christmas.

 Christmas day, I had about 4 cups of coffee, a chicken burger and finished reading a great book, Forget you Have a Daughter. Now it’s time to get on the bus and spend the rest of the day and night back to Thailand. The trip back took about16 hours but I was sitting nest to a very interesting man from Croatia. This made the trip pleasant well at least the bus ride back. It was an OK trip over all and I am leaving a bit out and not posting any pictures, I only took 5 anyway.

 Now I just have one trip to City Hall and then 1 more to the Thai Embassy here in Chiang Mai and I should be all set for the year. Now I know what to do if I am going to come back, this info will save lot’s of time and money…Anything for the kids, I love them. Peace and Happy New Year.

Musar Hill Tribe:

This week was so amazing, as every week is different I swear this one was a life changer. Sasha and Maria from Toys for Thailand were here for their yearly visit and they took me on a great adventure. First let me stat by saying that Toys for Thailand began with bringing 2 bags of toys to the kids that survived the Tsunami and now they help many hill tribe schools and villages. They are helping 6 right now and what they do is help them to be self-sustainable so they can continue to live in the hills but just easier. Now they get them pigs and chickens to raise for sale and eggs, build farms, plant rice and give them rice husking machines, they even plant their own soy and make tofu and soy milk, I hear it taste delicious. And of course they give the kids toys, playground equipment and school supplies. One school is has even started a small barber shop for all the village with their help.

Sasha called me  on a Saturday morning and said she wanted to show me a village that she was thinking of helping and I was not going to go since I had an English class to teach and I didn’t want to disappoint the kids. Well Sasha said I really need to see this as it would show me another place where some of the kids come from, I canceled and she picked me up 30 minutes later. We drove about 5 hours away and I got to fill her in on all of the good, bad and ugly that goes on at the WDC. When we arrived to the place where we were to meet someone, they were a no show so we asked someone for directions to this poor school. The guy said, “you want to see poor, go to my wife’s school”. After talking to her we drove another 30 minutes and then had to get in a 4×4 for the next hour, we were really going in the hills. Maria and I were getting bounced around in the back of the pick-up, laughing out of fear the whole way.

We arrived to this beautiful, very simple village were they had never seen white people before, what they must have thought about me with all of my tattoos…LOL. Anyway we pasted out some toys, clothes, soap and shampoo, which they were very happy to get. This village is the village of the Musar Hill Tribe, 200 people in 75 homes, no electricity, no running water and all they have to eat is rice, cabbage and one and a while they shoot something. Sasha told them what she has done to help others and they were so excited we happened upon their village. We told them that they had to do the work but we could help. I fell in love with them so quickly and told them I would be back in February to help them. They said they would give me a good spot on the floor to sleep and they would take good care of me. I am so excited to go and help them, Toys for Thailand is going to help to fund this project along with my friend Sarah Welborn and myself. Look at the pictures of these people, how can you not fall in love? I will keep you posted about everything we do there. Thank you to Sasha and Maria for making me cancel my class and showing me another beautiful place in Thailand and a place in the world that not many get to see…