Riding the bus makes you a bit nauseous! Today it rained on the way to work, so the bus driver was pounding the brakes. Getting on the bus is a trick too! While you are getting on the bus is pulling away. And it is a leap to get off and of course, again, he is pulling away mid step! It was ridiculous. We almost hit so many cars, and the bus is constantly weaving in and out of traffic. I think the driver thought we were a mo-ped. In other words I think that he thought he was the smallest thing on the road and definitely drove like it. So, I spent the better half of my morning stuck on the bus as it almost rammed 20 different cars. It was an experience for sure, not to mention on the back of every seat is an advertisement of canned fish with this sauce on top that looked like thick blood. Yum Yum...they just wanted to add to the nausea! Yay! I will defintely get you a picture of that fish...it is super delicious looking!
I cut hair today...quite a few of the girls watch me from a close distance(there are 5 girls that are hairdressers and at least 11 that are making jewelry). It is a little nerve wracking, but I managed to show them how I do a long bob. It turned out great and it was nice because it was one of the girls in our sewing program and she was able to get a haircut. I took over 17inches off. It was intense.
After the haircut. Prai, the head of Rahab at the moment and the jewelry designer, taught me how to make some earrings, since I will be filling in as teacher for her class. That should be very interesting. She made me practice until I was confident though and that was so nice. I will get to teach 12 students at the International school on Monday.
Prai also has had me filling order of earrings and other jewelry for the organization. She tells me that right now the jewlery is their main form of income. They have to pay the girls' wages monthly, so the more they are able to sell in a month, the better.
The hairdressing part used to be a large part of their income, but recently a few bar/brothel owners have opened their own salons where their girls can get ready and won't hear about ways to escape. I get it, but that is sad for Rahab. Hopefully, that will change and girls from the bars will be able to come again. It was a huge outreach for rahab too! They were able to chat with girls as they helped them get ready for the night!
Definitely keep me in your prayers...A lot of the girls' speak very little english and the ones that do, I still have a hard time understanding. Pray that God will be gracious to me and help me to hear with clarity and be able to communicate with them well!
I will get to teach English classes twice a week, but I am not sure when that starts, so hopefully that will help brigde the gap!
Talk to you soon!...
Laura (or Lala as Thais say it)
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
1st Two Days...
I am so excited to finally be here! It is an incredible place. I met my house mum, as she says it (she's a Kiwi/New Zealander), at the airport and we chatted on the 45 min drive from the airport to home. Her name is Sarah and she and her husband, Alex, have been with Rahab for 2.5yrs. The city is huge...like most, but you forget when you have been in your small town for so long. We went directly to the house from the airport. It is similar to a group of dorm rooms. There are 18 rooms and I live on the top floor (3 floors high). We checked out the house then headed for lunch. I tried some Thai food, not too spicy to start and it was wonderful. We ate at the Mall. That is the prime place to get food! It is very good and is set up like a food court so you can order whatever you please.
After that Sarah and I talked more and got to know each other a little bit while we relaxed. We met her husband for dinner and chatted about what it was like in America and the differences in culture here. Afterwards I went back to the house and unpacked for the night. Then, to bed very early!! I was jet lagged! haha
Day2:
Get up and have museli, cereal, and then grab the bus to Rahab. Rahab is located in Patpong, which is three streets of prostitution district. During the morning you will rarely see people, but at about 2pm, they start setting up the local market. The market sells clothes, toys, and other trinkets. All touristy stuff. Sarah says they do it that way so that the market draws people in and then the prostitutes keep them coming back. It is rather sad! Sarah informed me that over 4,000 women work on these streets every night.
I met some of the girls and we had a prayer and song time. I love that the songs they sing are in their language, but I know them, so that I can sing along. I will hopefully be able to play guitar for them too!
Sarah then put me and one other lady to work training on the computers since all the English speakers will be out next week at a conference in Chaing Mai. Since Rahab also makes and sells jewelry, we have to know how to fill out order forms and keep track of catalouges. It is not very hard to learn, but will take some practice.
We had lunch here and that was amazing. Super spicy, but delicious.
I got to practice one of the girls' hair after that. She is getting married tomo and I will be doing her updo. It will be very exciting! I will post pictures once my own internet is connected! I have to write from work right now, so it will not be as often for the moment!
After that Sarah, Noi, and I went to the bars. We only went to one for the day, but it was enough for my first day! This bar was similar to an american bar. Mostly just drinking and talking, not much dancing and few girls. This is unlike most of the bars here. We talked with one girl, she knew a little english, so that was nice for me. Sarah can speak some of the language, I know 2 phrases so far! haha. Although, I have to say! I was amazed at how much i could understand just by body language. Of course, for the most part I have no idea, but as we conversed with this girl, I could get the general idea of what she was talking about.
Our job at the bars is just to build relationships. Some girls speak english, but really the Thai girls at Rahab are the ones who can build the real relationships. I am a ticket into the door though. Unless you are coming to work in the bars, Thai women aren't normally allowed in without a Fa-rang(as they say it), or westerner!
Hope I'm not wearing you out with all this, I just want to be thourough on my first post. Just so you all can get a better picture of what it is like.
After the bars we went home for the night. We ate more thai food, lots of bean sprouts...and went back to the house.
I took my first shower... funny it was cold...so nice though because it is so hot out! the shower and the toilet are in the same area, I will post a pitcure of it later, but it is a squatty potty. I haven't used one since Africa so it is taking some getting used to!
Then I turned in for the night at like 8:30...haha so early!
Love you all ...bear with me as I get used to everything here! I should be able to post often, so that will be nice~!
Laura
After that Sarah and I talked more and got to know each other a little bit while we relaxed. We met her husband for dinner and chatted about what it was like in America and the differences in culture here. Afterwards I went back to the house and unpacked for the night. Then, to bed very early!! I was jet lagged! haha
Day2:
Get up and have museli, cereal, and then grab the bus to Rahab. Rahab is located in Patpong, which is three streets of prostitution district. During the morning you will rarely see people, but at about 2pm, they start setting up the local market. The market sells clothes, toys, and other trinkets. All touristy stuff. Sarah says they do it that way so that the market draws people in and then the prostitutes keep them coming back. It is rather sad! Sarah informed me that over 4,000 women work on these streets every night.
I met some of the girls and we had a prayer and song time. I love that the songs they sing are in their language, but I know them, so that I can sing along. I will hopefully be able to play guitar for them too!
Sarah then put me and one other lady to work training on the computers since all the English speakers will be out next week at a conference in Chaing Mai. Since Rahab also makes and sells jewelry, we have to know how to fill out order forms and keep track of catalouges. It is not very hard to learn, but will take some practice.
We had lunch here and that was amazing. Super spicy, but delicious.
I got to practice one of the girls' hair after that. She is getting married tomo and I will be doing her updo. It will be very exciting! I will post pictures once my own internet is connected! I have to write from work right now, so it will not be as often for the moment!
After that Sarah, Noi, and I went to the bars. We only went to one for the day, but it was enough for my first day! This bar was similar to an american bar. Mostly just drinking and talking, not much dancing and few girls. This is unlike most of the bars here. We talked with one girl, she knew a little english, so that was nice for me. Sarah can speak some of the language, I know 2 phrases so far! haha. Although, I have to say! I was amazed at how much i could understand just by body language. Of course, for the most part I have no idea, but as we conversed with this girl, I could get the general idea of what she was talking about.
Our job at the bars is just to build relationships. Some girls speak english, but really the Thai girls at Rahab are the ones who can build the real relationships. I am a ticket into the door though. Unless you are coming to work in the bars, Thai women aren't normally allowed in without a Fa-rang(as they say it), or westerner!
Hope I'm not wearing you out with all this, I just want to be thourough on my first post. Just so you all can get a better picture of what it is like.
After the bars we went home for the night. We ate more thai food, lots of bean sprouts...and went back to the house.
I took my first shower... funny it was cold...so nice though because it is so hot out! the shower and the toilet are in the same area, I will post a pitcure of it later, but it is a squatty potty. I haven't used one since Africa so it is taking some getting used to!
Then I turned in for the night at like 8:30...haha so early!
Love you all ...bear with me as I get used to everything here! I should be able to post often, so that will be nice~!
Laura
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
ON MY WAY....
Finally,
The day has arrived when I depart on my adventure to Thailand. I have 13 hours of flight time ahead of me to Taiwan. Then, 3.5 more hours to Thailand. Crazy! I am so excited. I can't believe this is finally happening. I am so excited to see what will happen while I am in Bangkok and all the wonders that God will do. I will miss you all, but I will be back soon, and well I will hopefully keep up on this blog, so everyone will know what is going on!
I will hopefully be able to post some pictures on here and of course let you know what life is like in Thailand. I can't wait to share everything with you!
Laura
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Plane Tickets!!
Yay! Finally, I am officially approved to go. Got my plane tickets yesterday! I am so excited. I leave the 14th of September! Just have a Visa left to get...pray for a smooth and quick process on that!
Laura
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