My last few days at Sangklaburi were perfect. I had a lunch with
pon pon (who is the daughter of grandmom who does every bodies laundry) she invited me over after i said i missed cooking and wanted to learn Thai cooking. we had papaya flower salad which is actually a Burmese dish and mixed vegetables. we went to the market picked out stuff and came back and cooked. I got to learn a lot about her and her family's sad and strong story of survival from Burma. Pon is a wonderful and beautiful women who helps orient the volunteers who come through town, cares for her mother, assist with other women refugees, helps teach a child life skills, academics and language through the family business and she is an accountant. While we were preparing lunch Stacy and heather (California girls) stop by to drop off laundry - no surprise as we are all part of a comic community - the next thing you know we are all sharing a beautiful meal while Pon continues to share her heart and life and we discuss ways to help she and her family while cleansing our hearts and the world with tears.
My farewell party was absolutely perfect. 28 people came to share dinner with me. That day my package from Kurtis arrived filled with things I love from the USA - Organic Dark Chocolate and Yerba Mate! It was a great release to receive the package i have waited for 20 days and began to wonder if i was ever going to leave sangklaburi. Everybody was being effected by the arrival of this package and silly me couldn't help stressing out about it. Just as my dear friend Sara helped me to relieve my stress by joining a street parade of a Thai Burmese dance party - we head over to the post office and my long awaited package arrived. I shared some chocolate, celebrated with a coconut and went home to get dressed up for my party!
- just for the record, i was not just stressed about the package - my experience in sangklaburi has been so heartfelt and emotional that i was feeling it in so many indescribable energetic ways
On my way to my farewell party (dinner first then dancing of course) I ran into some friends on the street who were carrying popcorn they bought at a festival. to my surprise it was actually buttered and salted popcorn - b/c it was from Burma!!!! Thai popcorn is sugary. I was so elated, i was jumping up and down. it was so perfect tasting it didn't even need nutritional yeast!!!! Popcorn is one of things i have been missing:) When i got to the party my friend heather had sparkles!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it - and at the same time it didn't surprise me one bit. I went around and sparkled and blessed everybody with the fairy dust and shined light and love on them. Shortly my friend Nung arrived - he has the best homemade icecream in Thailand (Convenientlly located at the bottom of the hill from the orphanage) and he gave me a kilo to share with my friends for dessert he then said he has another kilo waiting for me when i get back:) While we were waiting for our meals (which was a loonnnggg process) more popcorn shows up for appetizers and lots of hugs and smiles and laughter, sharing our appreciation for each other and photos are happening. My little book was passed around for addresses and later i go to find the sweetest notes from people all over the world! I took a moment to thank everybody for all the work they do and express how much they have eachtouched my heart. so many times i tried to leave sangklaburi early and i left exactly 1 month to the day that i commited to did. I am soooo glad that i stayed and the universe and spiritis supported and pushed me through. I then passed a round a ball of greeen string that we each cut a piece to wear on our wrists to show that we are all connected,celebrating eachothers hearts and good work that we do and to remember we all live on this earth together. Now this green string is being spread all around to people all over the world. if you are reading this some day you will probably get a piece to wear and a peice to pass on!!!!!
After dinner we headed back to the volunteer house for a dance party, ice cream, sweets, yerba mate, and...a clothing swap!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do i know how to party or what?@!?!? It was super fun. As the night started to wind down my two california sisters: stacy and heather, wanted to sing and share a song with everybody; i was so happy and honored to join in and sing "get out the map" from the indigo girls with them. The the millionith time that week i fell in love with those california girls.
I spent my last day in sangklaburi resting, sipping tea, writing, swimming, sharing sweet moments my my dear sisters, getting a taste of a few of my favorite things, and a nice meal on the mon side. I visited the orphange to say "see you soon" to everybody, share some green strings, have a heart to heart with a few of the children, and as I walked outside the orphange Boboy drove up on the motorbike and i rode away with children waving and chasing behind. It was hard and sad moment. The morning i left Didi came down to see me off, thank me and to have a few final words about the meditation and my time there- I felt honored that she came down. It was amazing to see her out of the home - not a typical thing. Once again my heart was broken open as i hopped on a motorbike in front of the bakery and headed to the bus station where i continued my travels back to bangkok with the california girls!!!!
Next Stop NEPAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
