Definition of Forlorn

Imagine yourself in a large shopping mall, in Tesco the Thai version of Target, shopping with seven Thai when you feel the all too familiar, initial symptoms of food poisoning. "How did this happen? you may ask. Well...
Gai picked me up via tuk tuk to take me to an internet cafe. After I completed my internet time we all, Max my host lady, too, had lunch and then went to Gai's house to inspect the aftermath of the flood. Gai's house is in a relatively new development that might make us think of town houses. Unlike the traditional Thai houses which are either built on stilts or are two story these are all one story. Gai said she didn't think much of it when the water reached her door...that's happened before...but it kept coming until it was several feet deep in the house. With no second floor in which to take refuge or store their belongings they had to flee with the clothes on their backs. The evacuated to a shelter with 1000s of others but that, too, flooded. They ended up with relatives in Bangkok. Thus the email they sent to in December, "house flooded, no money no food." They also had to abandon their tuk tuk to the flood...I'll say more about this another time.
Max and family spent three months trapped upstairs yet, to Gai, they were the lucky ones because they didn't have to flee and were able to carry their belongings upstairs. It's all relative.
My first night on the floor was a bit difficult, so, because Gai's house is near Tesco, and we had a tuk tuk I decided to go buy a sleeping mat. Three things I didn't take into consideration when I made this decision. First, that I had seven Thai in tow; second, that it was Saturday of New Years Weekend and the entire population of Ayutthaya would be at Tesco; and third, I'd be symptomatic of food poisoning I quickly found the mat I wanted and then we did some clothes shopping for the children while my stomach began to send distress signals. We could not find anything that 14 year old Mai wanted as I felt increasingly sick. It's my new definition of forlorn...stuck in a Thai shopping mall looking for clothes when my stomach is threatening explosion.
We did make it back to the comforts of a bathroom in my house...and suddenly I was doubly grateful for a western style toilet. When I'm sick I'm like a dog that just wants to be left alone...not an option with two Thai women feeling personally responsible for my well being! But I survived both the food poisoning and the attention that it brought. It turned out be a relatively mild bout, I am an expert after all, and I feel fine today.
Because it was New Year's Eve there was huge neighborhood celebration on the street by the house. I even managed to sleep through the music and fireworks; cherry bombs. I'd have joined them if I felt better. Maybe next year :).
A little PS: There so many Christmas Trees in Bangkok it feels like a northern MN forest!

Ayuttthaya Now (

The trip from Bkk to Ayutthaya gave me a cardiac moment. I've got this large suitcase filled with books for school, plus my suitcase and carry on bag...100lbs total. With all this I elected to a take a taxi from the guesthouse to the minibus so I wouldn't have schlep it all on the Skytrain. The taxi drive was clueless so eventually I got out in the middle of the street, in a big traffic jam somewhat in the vicinity of the minibus. After successfully negotiating the street crossing to a minibus I was pointed up the steps and thataway.

Hoisting 100lbs of bags I climbed the three flight of stairs and viola...I knew where I was and where I needed to go. Around the Democracy Monument on the skywalk, down three flights of stairs, through the outdoor shops and to the correct minibus.

My host family is (was?) building a new house when the flood hit. Construction stopped then so I'm living in a construction zone. Sleeping on the floor doesn't get any easier. The water line in the downstairs where I stay is about at the 8ft level or about 12ft above the street. How they maintained electricity as they were trapped upstairs for three months is a mystery, their electric meter on the pole in front of their house is below the high water line. Fortunately they have an upstairs bathroom and had enough food stockpiled to wait out the flood.
Communication is a bit difficult because, Poo, daughter, is gone for a few days...temple something? Mai (Mr) is still working and Max (Mrs) is too but doesn't have many costumers. The good news is that Poo will have a job beginning Jan. 2. The company she was working for in IT folded during the flood.

I connected with Gai this morning. She's the one who managed the volunteer teachers the first year I was here. She speaks English so fast, broken and accented that I seldom am sure what's she's said. One thing is very clear...she's deeply grateful for some money I wired to her family before I came. I think she said that their tuk tuk, the family's source of income, is being repaired and will soon be ready.

Riding the River

A ride on the Chao Phraya river via river taxi, while always entertaining, didn't reveal much obvious flood damage. It was apparent the river had been over it's banks and still is higher than I've ever seen it. The fancy hotels at river's edge have their swimming pools open.
An article in the Bangkok Post this week told of Honda Motor Co., crushing 1200 new cars that were caught in the flood. Ayutthaya is at the heart of Thailand's industrial area. The flooding swamped it all. A shortage of micro chips is expected because much of the world's supply comes from this area.
At noon today (Friday) I'll leave BKK for Ayutthaya. It's been unseasonal cool here with temps. in the 60s at night. Perhaps it will warm up for me in Ayutthaya where I sleep on the floor and do not have a/c.

Shopping BKK Style

Yesterday morning I took the elevated train (Skytrain) to the Siam Center on my quest for a cell phone. The Siam Center is BKK's version of the Mall of America...perhaps as many stores but not all under one roof. My family suggested, OK, insisted that I have a phone this time. The first price suggested by the clerk was 900B ($30) and when the bargaining ended I payed 650B. However, I could have made money on the deal. I payed with a 1000B note and received 1350B in change. Of course I returned the 1000B. My first incoming call? From Steve S. inviting me to the wedding.
In the phone instructions there is a section on "Fake Calls". It instructs on how to make your phone ring if you're in a boring meeting or conversation. Perhaps I'll study up on that!
To get the full BKK experience I went shopping at the Pratnumun in the afternoon. It's blocks of stalls selling clothing and whatever all under one roof. I bought an outfit for Mai-Evy. I sure hope its fits because returns will be a problem.

Sleepless in Bangkok

Someplace past midnight I awakened as my body told me it was noonish and my stomach said it had missed lunch. Parker Palmer, in one one of his books, said if you find yourself in something of which you can't get out get into it, i.e., "if you can't get out of it get into it". I've found that a very helpful philosophy in many situations and it's saved me a lot of useless angst. So, with that in mind, rather than tossing and turning I got up and watched a bit of Asia News and CNN on TV. Then finished the 'who dunnit' I began on the plane.
After that I was able to sleep until 8am. Daylight this close to the equator is 6am until 6pm year around. Therefore, anytime I see daylight I know that breakfast, included with the room, will be ready...it's served from 6-10am. Today's menu; fried eggs, bread for toasting with peanut butter and jam, two tasteless dried cereals w/soy milk, yogurt, noodles, bananas, guava, a couple of stir fries, mango juice and coffee. Something for every one's taste.
Dairy's not big in Asia nor is bread. My host family last year told me Americans would not be so fat if they ate less bread and more rice. The dairy and bread sections in a grocery store are one small shelf while rice takes a whole aisle. Eggs are sold in plastic bags. Oveltine is so popular that McDonald's sells it as they do pork sandwiches.

Bangkok Chilling

Imagine my surprise, after arising at 3am for a 6am flight to Chicago, as I sit and wait for my flight to Inchon, Korea, up walks my cousin, Steve S. Turns out he's on my flight on his way to a friend's wedding in Bangkok. Not only that, he'll also be on my return flight. We also were able to share a taxi from the airport becasue we're staying in the same area of this huge city. After the wedding Steve is going to Singapore and Viet Nam.
The 13.5 hour flight to Korea made the 5.5 hour from there to Bangkok seem like a touch and go! Headwinds to Korea put us in late and our connecting flight was held for us. It's my first time on Asiana Airlines and I'm a convert. Wonderful service and they gave me an exit row for the long flight to Korea for no extra charge. Didn't realize how bad Delta is until I had this comparison. Plus, the Asiana flight cost me 100,000 frequent flier miles and Delta wanted 150,000.
So I'm chilling the Bangkok Christian Guesthouse again. No flood in this central area of BKK. However, every time the flood comes up in conversation people talk about how bad it was in Ayutthaya.
Surprisingly cool here...perhaps the 60s this a.m. and the Guesthouse has just kept the doors open without turning on the a/c. From the plane window I could see ice and snow in Inchon, Korea. Interesting conversation with my Korean seat mates re: the leadership change in N. Korea. One just graduated from IA State with a degree in engineering and is going to work in Brazil. He said that the Korean students were told to gather in Chicago if war broke out and the government would send a plane to pick them up.
I can't start teaching until next week so I'll hang here in BKK a few days. My big suitcase of teaching materials made it here with the rest of my luggage.

Packing bags.........

The large gun metal grey Samsonite suitcase I bought at a 2nd hand store for $5.00 is packed full of books and school supplies. Also included are almost 50 letters from Noble Academy 50th graders. I'll leave the suitcase and supplies there.
Those letters and the replies will be the focus of much of English Teaching. I'll invite the Thai students to include their mailing addresses on the letters I carry back. Perhaps it will initiate a pen pal relationship. Kathy W. also gave me cassette tape recorder that I can use as a tool to help the students as they learn to speak English. Trial and error with some good coaching from people like Kathy are helping me to gradually figure out how to help the students with their English.
A brief email from the English teacher at 'my' school said that they're all fine. I do wonder if some students will have left during the flood, or.....?

Letters to Thailand.

The fifth grade students at Noble School, with whom I volunteer, are busy writing letters to my students in Thailand. I'll bring the letters with me. They letters are a good educational tool. The Noble teachers used them as a learning exercise in letter writing. They will also be a good learning tool in Thailand giving the Thai students practice in reading English. I will also have them write back to the students at Noble. The letters from Noble are quite long...they'll be challenge for the Thai students. If it wasn't for the 12 hour time difference we could Skype between schools, but.....

Thailand trip plans.

Perhaps I was asleep at the switch, but, whatever, I was late making my frequent flier reservations for my trip to Thailand. Coming back was not problem but to find a free flight out I have to leave on Christmas Day...very early! Flight time is 6:00am via United to Chicago to catch an Aisiana Airlines plane to Bangkok via Seoul Korea. This will be the first time that I'm not flying either Northwest or Delta through Tokyo. I think of it as another adventure.
This flight schedule will get me to Thailand several days before I can begin teaching on January 3. What to do? Unless another more creative thought strikes me I'll probably hang out at Christian Guesthouse in Bangkok. The wonderful tropical heat and humidity will allow my shoulders to un-cramp after hunching against the December cold in Minnesota.
The big question, 'what will I find after the flood?' will not really get answered until I get to Ayutthaya on January 1. Central Bangkok, in which the Christian Guesthouse is located, was not flooded. While in Thailand I'll update this blog regularly.

Thank you received from Thailand.

This is the family described below.

This is their house.

This is the verbatim thank you email I received for the money I sent via Western Union.
"Our families. Thank you so much that you have a good spirit so send money to us is 7400 Baht ($250.) if you want to help us help you. If you come to Ayutthaya to tell us. We will await you. Or send a message to us. They are not computer at home."
I'm pleased that I was able to get the money to them before I arrived. I will make clear to the families that I help that the money is not all from me. I'll tell them that churches and friends in America provided much of it.

Auction Pictures

Relief For Flooded Thailand

Three years ago when I was teaching in Ayutthaya, Thailand, I lived in a house with other volunteer teachers. A Thai woman, Gai, was hired to provide us with food and language instruction. Gai and her husband, Mai, have three children at home. The children became special to the volunteer teachers. I have stayed in contact with the family via email and visiting them when I've been in Ayutthaya.
During the recent flood I received an email from Gai which said in effect; 'house flooded, no money no food.' Their income source is a Tuk-Tuk, a small three wheeled taxi they use to transport tourists. Obviously not usable during a severe flood.
Now they are home but do not have enough money to replace the school clothes their children need or to fix damage to their house. However, today I was able to wire them some money via Western Union so they do not need to wait for my arrival in two weeks to get some help.

Auction

In 1885 my grandfather, Lars Negstad, bought the rights to a homestead in SDak. and three years later completed the requirements to receive the 160 acres from the U.S.government. Since that time the land has been farmed by Negstads. After Lars came my father, Albert. Albert was followed by his son and my brother, David. After David came his son, Wayne who has farmed until now.
This summer Wayne decided to quit farming and concentrate his efforts on his tax and accounting business. He is in the process of buying the H & R Block business in Brookings, where he has worked winters for a number of years. He will continue to live on the farm.
Yesterday he auctioned his farm machinery and he has rented his land for next year. The auction was cold but sunny, the high temperature reached 12 degrees. Grandpa Lars planted trees around the farmstead and those trees have been maintained by his successors. They provided welcome protection from the wind for the auction. It appeared to this bystander that the auction was a success.
The oldest item sold was an antique road grader that belonged to my uncle, Henry. In the early part of the 20th century he had a road building business building some of the first roads in Brookings County. He pulled the grader with his huge 40-80 Avery tractor.
Wayne's brother, Neil, is interested in history so his plan was to buy the grader and give it to the Brookings Co. museum, located in Volga. (Parenthetically, the museum was begun by Neil's great uncle on his grandmother's side, John Bergh.) We all thought that the grader would sell for $50 or $100. Give Neil credit, he stuck with the bidding until he prevailed...at $950. So the museum will get the grader.