Volunteer Work Tsunami Center in Ao Nang School by Jean-Michel
10/08/06: First was the 3 orientations days in Nongkhai. Three days to get introduced to Thai culture, language and cooking, under the direction of Nick and the very nice Thai staff, plus the discovering of the other volunteers. Among the special moments were our first moves in Thai language in
the market, and our participation to a huge boudhisme meditation gathering. This was a great experience, a real discovery of meditation in a very unexpected environment. There were thousands of people, all white dressed, meditating and they welcomed us very nicely .
Then was the departure to Ban Aonang school, a primary school, where I was to teach computer and English. I jump off Mui's pick-up. Mui is the local coordinator here, very soft, smiling and so efficient. The local level of English is very low. In fact, it's a little bit better than my Thai language skill. This is an very ordinary in-land school, except for one detail. There is a very modern tower, the tsunami center, with a tsunami part downstairs and 6 computers, with high speed access to Internet, upstairs.
The Director shows us my room, we make a grimace. It looks like a run down dusted attic. Mui talk to him and they install a bed for me in the tsunami center. The director talk to me, I understand my first class will start next week. We are Thursday and I feel relieved, I'll have a little time to adapt. I leave my luggage take a look. I notice they are about to bring water to the tower. The Tsunami center is a gift from GAA (German Agro Action), a German humanitarian organization... and then, suddenly, 18 10 years old kids invade the tower, install in front of the computers, look at me and wait for their first course. I'm alone, I have not prepared anything, they don't understand one word of English, OK we're on !! :-)) and we had fun !! This is the first of a very long list of misunderstandings. The very essential message delivered in Nongkhai, about Thailand and Thai culture was very simple, and so true: 1) Be flexible 2) Put fun in everything you do. Actually, not only was it the major key in Thailand, but I bring it back to France in my regular occidental life... :-))))
Despite of the language barrier, everyone does his best to communicate and it's part of the fun. The Director is nice, helpful, and opened to progress and new methods to promote his school.
The children are adorable and always smiling. Everything is different for me, but for them too. I'm the first volunteer they welcome and this is a two parts adjustment. Today, I ask if I can have fruits for breakfast instead of the sausages on stick with red sweet sauce and rice. Ten minutes later, someone bring me 34 bananas and 4 pineapples !!!!! :-))
The teachers are very nice. They have nicknamed me Andaman from the very first day. We communicate and although it's not so easy, we succeed. They often bring me something for breakfast, Thai cakes or fruits. I had a cure of Kaoo-Laam, which are my favorites :-))) I don't really know if it's part of the culture or just because they can hardly pronounce my name. Anyway, I will be Andaman !! It didn't take long before the kids call me Andaman too, except during the courses, where it's "A-Jan" (teacher in Thai). It took me one week to realize that Andaman is the name of the Thailand sea.
In the morning, the kids greet me with a regular "Wa๏". I do my best to respond in the proper way. Some hellos, A-Jan, Andaman ... or computer can be heard sometimes !! I stay in the school. The conditions are very simple and you have to stand loneliness. We're out of town. There's nobody from 3:30 pm to the following day. I use the hosepipe of the building site as a shower. There is some bathroom, but I prefer the hosepipe, and it's more fun. Hadn't I always a lot of things to do on Internet and the computers, it might have been boring a lot. But it is not the case. I turn on salsa music and have still plenty of things todo. From today on, I have a bicycle to go to the beach after school. The director comes to pick me up, on motorcycle, every day, for diner. However, he drives very cautiously, and live not far from here, I must admit, this is the part I feel the less comfortable with. Everyone, here moves in motorcycle, two or three at a time, without helmet, even when it rains .... :-? I always have diner alone. They eat earlier or later, I don't know. We try to communicate, but it more looks like a guess games.
Back to school, I take advantage of the computers, first: to make the kids learn how to use it, and to look for information on Internet, and then: to make them practice English in the same time. High speed access to Internet is very helpful to teach English. I use interactive English lessons, which includes cross languages quiz (Thai included), and makes it fun. I suggested, I could show the English teacher so that they could go on using computers and learn English, in a fun way, after I leave. The director welcomed the idea. It may work from grade 4 up to 6 and higher, but not under. The youngest can not stay in front of a computer for one or two hours at this age, and their level of English is not yet good enough. Some run everywhere, some read books, some get glued to computer games, and very few learn new things. Games attracts the oldest more than anything else.
I have started a website on the school and a blog on this experience. The Director likes very much the idea. He wants to promote the school. I think we'll put it half in English half in Thai... Last but not least, I love Thai food "A-rooy maak maak"!! :-).
At first I was very surprised by the fact the English teacher, almost doesn't speak English and so not of a great help, but later I learnt she graduated from science studies, but was asked to teach English. It's sounds it's quite common here. The planning may change any time. It's just the way it work's. Some time I'm about to start a class and then, since nobody shows up, I understand there might be no class for three days. There is a meeting instead ...sometime I participate, or get in charge of the pictures to immortalize the moment, sometime, I find myself in an other school. The Director of Nong Talay school was very interested with the idea of building a website upon the school. He took me there. It's a school of 310 kids, mainly Muslim (98 %). You have to get comfortable with planning changes. It's the way it works ! .
Remember: be flexible ;-). Actually, I get so comfortable with it, that, I changed others classes plannings too !! :-))) the following week, I taught the teachers, so that they can go on the job after I leave. And later I asked, the director to cancel the planning of half the school for two days. I wanted to take 3 classes at a time. I gathered the kids in the Tsunami center, have them sit. 3,2,1, clic !! the five teachers and I started the computers in the very same moment. Time for a big show for the kids!!!. :-)) Today is Ice Age 2 on all the computers in the same time. It's in English but subtitled in Thai. It's still a course after all !! ;-))) The kids love it and we have fun !
The visit at Mui's office, and being interviewed was really a great moment. This time, plus the school ceremony, took me out of my regular evenings here, from my control tower, with the computers.
On the air on Unity 96 MHz FM People are very soft, smiling and friendly. I see there the consequences of a very different approach of life and society. I have the feeling that in occidental countries we are educated and always live in a competitive way. We have to be better than other, and they have to see it !!. We praise strength and aggression. The result is we grow in fear since we consider other as potential rivals. It seems that Thai people, rather live in a cooperative way, thinking life is already though enough, there is no need to add on. They hate conflict and want to see a potential friend in you. You always need some body's help.
This may be the second part of the answer for how come they are all dressed the same way !!, where as in Occident everyone do his/her best to be different, in order to exist. Here on Monday and special occasions, everyone is dressed in yellow !! Of course the first part of the answer is the adoration for the king, but I think the second part is: there is no need to do effort to exist here, since the question has no sense in a cooperative and friendly way of life.... so people feel free to smile at you, you're a friend.
After the first three weeks, I have the feeling that my relationship with some teachers and the kids enter a new stage. It gets deeper, and I feel the same. Unfortunately it's almost time to go back home. Today is my last day here. The Director put a speech in English, the morning ceremony is very official. Last week, two other volunteers arrived. They use the website I created, as a support for their English class. I have the feeling of a certain continuity, things go on after I leave, and I get the idea that what I did here might do some little difference. That makes me very happy. I plan to come back in one year, as I promised to the Director, the teacher and the kids!!. :-))
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