I can't belive i've been at The Twin House for a week already. It has absolutely flown by....al the days seem to blend into one. But it's been fun.
I spent the rest of my week at the orphanage carrying on with the digging project and breaking down the wall round the border. It was pretty hard work as it was so hot, but we're allowed to take plenty of breaks and get brought water, so we survived! By the end of it there was only two of us working on the digging, as the others who had started with us had given up (wimps!)
There were times, however, that some of the little boys would come over, take our tools and start doing our job for us. It seemed as though they would get as much done in 20 minutes as we would in the whole day. But they seemed to be having a good time smashing up the brichs and digging away at the soil, so we just observed! It looked like we had hired a little army at one point.
One thing that really shocks me, and makes me a little nervous, is how the children run around with either flip flops or bare feet a lot of the time. Even doing the digging some of them were running around on the ground where there are sharp shards of brick, and stones, and tiny little ants that really sting when they bite you, with nothing on their feet and i just couldn't watch. They dont seem to get hurt though....maybe because it's because it's normal for them and they form some sort of second shoe on the soles of their feet.
We generally finish at the orphanage between 2:30 and 3:00 - Only half a day's work really! But we're all so hot and dirty by that time, we're ready to go. On certain days throughout the week, the coordinators take us somewhere on the way home. Monday, Thursday and friday, we go to the little Seven Eleven shop (a convienance store) to get any snacks or drinks we might like. Because we have dinner here so ealy (4:30/5:00ish) We're all hungry by 9:00!!
On a Tuesday we go to a massive Tesco (yes, Tesco!) Which obviously sells Thai food and none of your Tesco Sandwiches or Pasta Salads, but we just loved going there for an hour for the air conditioning and the cleanest toilts i've seen since i've been here. They flushed, had toilet paper AND soap to wash your hands, which excited us immensly. Sad really, that the smallest things are starting to become luxury. I dream about having a hot shower (no hot water at the houses) being clean for longer than 10minutes, eating a jacket potato and salad (of all things, something i've had a massive craving for) being cold at night, and i've only been here a week! Slowly getting used to it all though....she says envisaging a large sofa.
Anyway, i digress.....Wednesdays at the orphanage are a half day and we leave after lunch to go to the swimming pool in the local town Sing Buri (they actually have a sign saying "Foreingers 50BAHT" Thai people go free!). It was a really nice pool. Big and the water was really warm. It felt nice to submurge myself fully in water and de-sweatify myself for a couple of hours.
Wednesday evenings we also go out for dinner with the rest of our house. It was nice to do something different for an evening and they had served us salad!! I wasn't going to risk it whilst i was in Asia, as i had heard bad reports, but i was desperate so i risked it. It was really nice and i felt fine the next day, so i know what i'm going to have next week!!
On friday evening there was a party arranged at the bar opposite our house. The people from the other 2 volunteer houses all got taxi's over and we chatted and drunk jugs of cocktails for a few hours. It was nice to meet some new people (although i didn't chat to that many newbies as i decided to spend time with the girls who were leaving the following morning) and have a bit of a dance. I only spent 250Baht (5pounds) the whole night too, which was a bargain!
Yesterday, i still woke up fairly early due to the local election trucks driving round blaring out loud music from about 6am. It has happened everyday this week. Men drive these trucks around all day with big megaphones on top, each truck telling you to vote for a different candidate. I have been told, however, that the voting is held today so fingers crossed we'll have no 6am (sometimes earlier!) awakenings from now on.
The people that were leaving were all picked up around 10:30. There seemed to be alot of people going and i was sad to see 4 of the girls, who i've spent the past week with go.
Those of us that were left decided to spent the day at the pool in Sing Buri, so caught a taxi.
Another thing that i have noticed since i have been here is the seemingly lack of common sense rules. 22 of us were in one taxi (which is an open sided truck over here) People sitting on laps, hanging out the back etc etc, but noone batted an eyelid. You also see people having a cigerette while filling up their motorbike with petrol and having a beer before they go to work in the morning. Bizzare to see, but then i do come from a country with more rules then you could shake a stick at, so i guess it's just a bit of a shock.
Thai people are so so friendly though, and it seems the poorer they are, the bigger the smile. They all smile and wave as you drive past and want to talk to you if they can speak good enough english - and if not they just chat way in Thai, smiling. They love white skin too. "White skin beautiful, brown skin no" i got told as i sat catching a few rays. Maybe i should give up on the sweaty sunbathing! Saying that, my first opportunity for sunbathing only came yesterday at the pool, so i have just got some rather fetching suntan marks in the shape of a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from where i have been working at the orphanage. Plenty of time for sunning myself though so i'm not too worried. That, and it's just far too hot! It hasn't rained for a few days now so is pretty hot and sticky. Seems strange to be hoping for rain, when at home all i want is for it to go away! Always want what we cant have though i guess......
Today has been spent relaxing at the house, reading, chatting, napping (how lazy - I think it must be the sun!!) But it's back to work tomorrow. I'm planning on having a break from the digging and doing some arts and crafts with the little ones.
A new group of people arrived at the house a couple of hours ago, so i'm going to go and chat to them, see if i can meet some new people to chat to in the evenings!
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