Sawaatdiikhrap!
In other words, hello, in Thai. Another week has gone by, and I can't believe I've been here two weeks, where has the time gone? Anyways, I started taking Thai language classes and I've been getting private tutoring from Khruu Usa (teacher Usa), there weren't enough students to have a normal class setting, but it has been nice, since I've been learning at my own pace. All of last week I've been learning the sounds and tones of the Thai language, and I must say it is difficult. There are five sets of tones, midtone (think monotone), high tone, low tone, rising tone (like asking a question), and falling tone (opposite of rising tone), and as far as learning these tones, I can't control my rising tones and falling tones...sigh...but I keep trying. Tones are important because a word in midtone can have a different meaning in another tone. Example, maa (to come;midtone), máa (horse;high tone) mâa (flip the carrot upside down and it becomes dog; rising tone), so it can get confusing. I think one day I'll try to record myself and let you hear for yourselves. Otherwise even with the difficulty it has been fun getting to learn a new language.
Last week I also started, for a lack of a better word, tutoring, some missionaries from Korea, who are staying in Thailand, like myself, English. They've studied English in Korea, but I'm helping them with their conversational English. It's funny how a lot of people want to learn English, and it dawned on me how privileged I am to be able to speak a language that others want to learn, and it definitely can be a tool for ministry. Even though I've only held one session, I've enjoyed it thus far, and I'm looking forward to the next session, since it gives me a chance to talk to others my age, instead of only being able to talk to Pastor JJ (I enjoy our conversations). This week I'm thinking of playing taboo with them and see how that goes, it should be interesting since they'll be only allowed to speak English.
Over the weekend, I got a chance to go to Wiang Pa Pao, home of the Jasper Kids! It seriously felt like home, sweet, home! As I arrived there, I just reminisced about all the fun times I had last summer with my church mission team and the Jasper Kids. Although most of the kids were back home at their villages, I did get to see a few of the Jasper Kids like, Jonathan, David, Suchee, Piyawan, Israphon, Prapapon, and Nam. It was also great to see the staff like Ajan Somsak, Ajan Arunee, Ajan Sohn, and Tu (who by the way is starting to paint again). While at Wiang Pa Pao, Pastor JJ and I went to a couple villages to see if any of the kids were there, I only saw Gripet, but it was still enjoyable, driving up the mountain passes, trekking through creeks, and breathing in the fresh, clean air. Saturday night, we had pork bbq with the staff at Jasper Kids, and it was awesome (Daniel and Young Kwang, you know what I'm talking about), seriously I ate like 13 pork kabobs by myself, it was aroy ching ching (very delicious). On Sunday, I got to worship the Lord at the first village I visited last summer, and to say the least, it's very encouraging to see people worshipping God even in a remote small village in Thailand. God is definitely working people! Afterwards I came back to Chiang Mai, and having visited Wiang Pa Pao, it just makes me all the more excited when summer rolls around and I'll be at the Jasper Kids helping out with the summer mission teams from the States. That was my week, I've posted some pictures below, so enjoy, until next time...
Sawaatdiikhrap! (Goodbye)
The Jasper Kids Home, this is the office and sanctuary.
One of the village homes, and that is Pastor JJ, walking along the path.
The field behind the homes, your looking at the rice patties, one thing I noticed is that it's not green, over the summer the mountainside looks green and lush, but since it's the dry season, it doesn't look as beautiful. If you want to see what northern Thailand looks like during the summer here's a link to our Thailand video from last summer courtesy of Young Kwang Ju. If the link doesn't work check out the videos of me in my facebook page, it should be there.
On our way to the village for Sunday Worship. Starting from the back, left to right: Suchee, Sompon, Daa (Tu's brother), Jonathan, and David. (Ajan Somsak's truck)
On our way to Wiang Pa Pao; I had to put this picture in, if you get a closer look at the picture it says Cabbages and Condoms, my first impressions was what a weird pair of products to sell together, but I found out that the Cabbages was intended to be Cottages, but they mispelled it. So it's advertising an inn. I know kind of vulgar, but oh so funny
No comments:
Post a Comment