We made a visit today with Plan International to a school in the hills of Northern Thailand. It was one of the things we had planned to do before we left the UK.
On the way we stopped at a supermarket to pick up some gifts to offer the school. We chose with the help of the charity representative stationery, sports equipment and games. Things that they have difficulty buying with the school budget. We got a bit carried away, but it’s all for a good cause!
We headed up into the hills and the scenery was breathtaking. It was about 10:30 when we arrived and we discovered that it was coincidentally the day when the school inspectors were in. Amazingly they managed to accommodate us in addition to the inspectors, I’m not sure a UK school would have managed so well had OFSTED been in on the same day,
The children at the school had prepared first a demonstration of the Akaq hill tribe dance and music. Our kids then got a chance to join in and I am proud to say they had a go. Emma proved quite talented at the dancing and bamboo stick tapping despite her bad foot and Luke enjoyed joining the boys on the cymbals. It was interesting to see the school children move from detached performing for visitors to engaged and entertained by our children being prepared to join in.
Next there was a presentation about what the school does with the charity and the money it receives. They focus in school on developing agricultural skills in addition to formal education, and use the crops and livestock to ensure that everyone in school receives a nutritious lunch free of charge. They also work in the village with teenage mothers, basic hygiene and ensuring that births are registered to enable access to education, healthcare and jobs.
We were then taken on a tour of the school grounds and saw the chickens, pigs and crops before we had lunch. The fresh eggs and fried rice were delicious. We were escorted throughout by a very excited group of children, very keen to show us everything from how to clean an egg to how to feed the pigs. It was lovely to see their relaxed relationship with the teacher showing us round. The younger ones hugging him and all of them talking freely. We might have expected a more authoritarian approach but that wasn’t the case.
Our children made friends with some of the pupils of the school and there was a real sense of understanding I think about how the children live in the remote community. The children were shy to talk to us directly although some of them had quite good English.
The children at the school were very excited and loved the gifts that we took. They wanted to take photos of us with the gifts, all a bit embarrassing! Our guys were a little disappointed that the football pitch was too waterlogged for them to help test out the new footballs.
In the afternoon we continued our tour but also went on a trip to one of the pupils houses. Her dream is to run her own business based around her family’s coffee plantation.
They showed us round their house, which we think was one of the largest in the village – they had three bedrooms which was very unusual in a place where often the living, cooking and sleeping happen in one room. Despite that, the floor felt very unsteady – reed matting laid over bamboo poles. They also showed the children how to make the pig food from the trunk of a banana tree and then their coffee plantation. The views were stunning!
We were made to feel so welcome and the local kids wanted to be with us all the time. We had an amazing day and were sad to leave, but we were also exhausted.
This next picture will render better if you click on it so it has a page to itself.
