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BUSARA’S DIGEST #10
For about 7 months I have been in “A whole new world” and I often remember the Thai Journal of Karen Conelly (author of ‘Touch the Dragon’)
and I realize that although she experienced Thailand almost 20 years ago, Thailand is still very much the same. I have been on adventure after
adventure over the past weeks with fellow Y.E.’s because we have all decided that if we want to see Thailand to the fullest we must do it on our
own. Rotary can not take us to every province in this country so it’s our duty to see what we can on our own.
Ok, In February, my month started off with a trip to Ayutthaya…actually two trips to Ayutthaya because we loved it so much the first time that we
went back a few days later. Ayutthaya was the old capital of Thailand before Bangkok (where I live now). We got to look at the ruins and see the
old city of Siam, that now only looks like heaps of bricks. There was also a history lesson to learn from this. Right now Thailand is having trouble
from some surrounding countries, namely Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia & Laos. But the trouble started years ago with Burma when they went to
Ayutthaya and destroyed the city and stole all of the heads of the Buddha statues because they were made of gold. Well, we got to see the result
of this. In Ayutthaya, we rented bicycles and rode around the entire province, in the
heat of Thailand’s summer and got lost a few times, even ending up almost in another province.
I also went to Koh Kret last month, which in English is Kret Island. We took a river boat down Chao Phrya River (the biggest river in Thailand) to
a province called Nonthaburi, then we took a tuk-tuk to a Wat (temple), then we took another boat to the island. Now, you may not understand
what I am talking about, but when I told my host-mom what I did, she almost had a heart attack. She could not believe that I went all the way to
Koh Kret by myself (it wasn’t that hard…really!) She had never taken a boat on the river to Nonthaburi and she couldn’t figure out how we knew
the way to get there. But…we didn’t! That’s why we can speak Thai! Besides,
it would have been even better if we could have gotten lost, but that didn’t happen. So I continue to amaze my host-parents and since word travels fast around here, I
guess I am amazing all of my extended host-family too!
At the end of March I will go to Pattaya province for District Conference. Now, all of the Y.E.’s and Outbound students are learning “Ruam Thai”
or Thai Classical Dancing. I really enjoy this class and it should be a nice experience. At District Conference, I must also give my speech in front of all Rotarians of my district…plus
others! Wish me luck!
Other than that, nothing else is happening really in my exchange life. We have a new Prime Minister named Tuksin Chiniwatra. I think he will do
good for these people and from what I have heard, a lot of people like him…I guess that’s why he won – duh! He owns a lot of the major
businesses in Thailand like a TV station and a telephone company and other stuff like that. A few days ago, an airplane was bombed that he was
supposed to go on but he was not hurt. Now there is some confusion about that. Besides that, the Burmese are continuing to try and take Thailand
over but ‘we’ are staying strong. When I say ‘we’ I mean because I consider myself a
Thai. I think like a Thai, I dress like a Thai and I act like a Thai. When people ask me “where do you come from” some times I just say King Petch or Krong tep
without thinking. The Burmese have bombed Chaing Rai (the northern-most province) and all kinds of other stuff but the Thai people do not worry about it. They know
that if the Burmese come to Bangkok, they can handle them. My prayer…please don’t let this happen…especially while I am here!
On the weekend I went to Sapahn Buri Province with my host-family. We went to ‘cheng meng’ to pray for my host-grandfather who died some
years ago. They had a lot of food that they offered to the angels and Buddha and their grand father and they decorated the grave with beautiful
flowers and had these fireworks and all. They even bought a house and clothes and gave money (all of which they burnt at the end) so that the
dead person would have some possessions when they get “up there”. Okeeee Dokee! It was a nice experience and I understand a lot more about
Buddhism now. They go again next week for my host-mother’s side of the family but…it
wasn’t all that fun so I think I will pass the next time.
In the mean time and in between time I am staying cool in this hot weather. Swimming a lot…everyday I say “Mama, pai wai-nam!” (Mama I go to swim.) A lot of my
time is gone now, only a few more months so I’m living it up.
This was a short one so I would like to take the time to thank Rotary 3350 here in Thailand and of course Rotary 6990 back home. I look at the
pictures of the new Outbounds on the web-site and it’s so sad to know that soon our pictures and stories will come down and new ones will go
up…that means our time is almost finished.
Let’s finish with a blast you guys!
Ok, that’s all for the tenth Issue of "BUSARA’S DIGEST’.
Look forward to issue eleven (11):::::::::::
COMING SOON TO A COMPUTER NEAR YOU, IN AN E-MAIL JUST FOR YOU!
SAWADEE KA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Signed: BARBARA ZA FRANKS
R. Y. E. 2000-2001
Dist. 6990 (Grand Bahama) - Dist 3350 (Thailand) |