The offending roosters

Yes, these are the roosters that love to talk. All. Night. Long.







They are on the roof of the house next door.

In other news, check out this much more precious neighbor.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Khao Phanom,Thailand

Sightseeing on saturday!

On Saturday Richard, Linda, and I had a great time traveling around the province of Krabi. We got lost a couple of times, but it was a good thing because we found new places they had never seen before. Around every corner seemed to be another breathtaking view. Here are some of the pictures I took...

(you can always click on a picture to see it bigger!)


































This is a little off topic, but i saw these dresses, Karlie, and thought of you!










Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Thanon Chamaianouson,Muang Krabi,Thailand

My new home

A Thai Christian family has generously provided a room on the second floor of their house! This house is also the meeting place for church on Sunday afternoons. The family makes pork and rice and sells it in front of their house, as well. Here are some pictures of my new room.








Next, the view from my windows.






As I write this, it is Sunday night and I start my first day of school in the morning! I'm excited - even thought the past few days have been fun I will finally begin my real reason for being here. Check out my schedule. (To my teacher friends you might find this unbelievable!)





One more thing, the woman I am staying with is so very nice and thoughtful! I know she will be a good friend soon. (This is for Grandma!) The little girl - Bai Thoe - is so cute and I love the way she says my name! She calls me Adjun Katie which means teacher. She is 3 and I am really going to enjoy her!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Khao Phanom, Krabi, Thailand

First day in Krabi

I arrived in Krabi yesterday and have had a busy day today! First, we went to visit my new school.







Oh, I forgot to mention breakfast! I thought about you Wyndie!


Then we visited the house where I'll be staying. My room has the headboard for a bed but nothing else! Yes, a bed!









I will be staying with a Thai family. This little girl is Bai Toie. She is adorable but was playing shy. The next picture is in front of my house where the dad cooks noodles and people stop by to buy them.



We also visited two other schools where two guys from Texas will be working. They are about 15 minutes from my school.

We went to lunch at the market and then bought some fruit. I'll have to do a whole post on Thai fruit at some point.





After dinner I got to call mom and grandma (yay!) and then I did some recordings for Richard's radio show! My voice will be heard all over Krabi! Make sure to tune in to 100.7 True Love!

Love you all!
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In Bangkok!

Well here I am! I didn't know I'd have time to post so soon but I'm at the hotel and have a few hours before I head back to the airport to fly to Krabi so I thought why not!

The flight was great, no delays or anything and I slept a lot and ate weird airplane food :)

Here are some interesting pictures to share.




Bible and Buddhist book in hotel drawer.Those Gideons are working hard!


Fancy smancy bathroom with shower and bathtub



Sigh... :)


Good to know there is Cartoon Network here! Lol


View out of the window, the airport is on the left.

And last but not least, the very impressive toilets in Tokyo. :)))))


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Mu Ban Park View City,Bang Phli,Thailand

My prayers

I have been praying about this trip for months now.  First, praying if it would be God's will, if it would please Him, or if He had something else for me this summer.  I contacted the missionaries there in November, but it wasn't until around February that I really felt as though God had answered my prayers and I decided for sure to go.  Part of it is the love and compassion I have for Thai people.  That is something that is not from me, it's from God.  He put it in me, so that it would motivate me to go!

Once I made my decision, I've been praying for a two things specifically...

• that God would soften the hearts (and minds) of the teachers and students I meet so that they may want to learn more about Jesus
• that God would give me the words to say so that I can be clear about my relationship with Jesus and why I love Him

I humbly ask you to join with me in prayer for those things, and while you're at it, here are some requests a little more on the personal side. :)

• that I wouldn't experience (much) culture shock, or that when I do, I will be able to move through it quickly and easily
• that I wouldn't experience a lot of homesickness - especially toward the end of my trip.  The last couple weeks have proven to be the hardest when it comes to missing family, friends, and the comforts of America

I feel so blessed to go on this trip! I feel totally wrapped in prayer! (Does that make sense?!) My church prayed for me this morning and my small group prayed with me tonight. I know that these prayers are going before me and that He is in control!  Love you!

Some thoughts

On Tuesday I will be getting on a plane to travel to Thailand! This will be my third trip.  When I look that this map it just blows my mind! (I made this map to show the kids at church.)  Here is how my trip will go:  from Charleston to D.C., then to Tokyo, then to Bangkok to spend the night in an incredibly fancy hotel, then fly to Krabi (southwest Thailand) the next day!  A total of 25 hours of traveling!  I think about missionaries years ago, and the trip they had to take! It would have taken months to get to Asia, and I fret about 25 hours! 

I'm thinking about the foreign culture and how interesting everything is to me. I just LOVE Thai culture and everything I see is a feast for my eyes. I only wish I could read Thai! But even seeing the foreign lettering everywhere is interesting for me. It really never gets old for me.  Here are some pictures that will hopefully show you what I mean.  You can click on the pictures to see them better.

 A Buddhist temple

 An English poster at school (can't wait to try this recipe!)

 Girls at a Bible study - eager to learn!  We are sitting in a hut (I don't know what else to call it.)  A lot of the homes I visited in the country have these huts outside in front of their house and that's where we usually sit to visit. Also, notice the blue washing machine behind the girls! 

 Learning a Christian song with hand movements.  Notice all of the trees behind them.  I *think* those are rubber trees.

 Fancy traffic light in the city of Krabi

 Floating market

City street - notice this motorcycle's attachment. Also notice how many motorcycles there are!  I took this picture from a tuk-tuk (3 wheeled taxi).

 Making a bracelet of jasmine for me at my friend's house

Sidewalk market

I just want to express how INTERESTING everything is!  That is part of the fun of traveling to another country!

I have been praying for my trip for months and I will share some of those prayers with you on my next post.

In less than a week...

 I will be eating delicious dishes like the one below.

That's fried chicken with rice.  Basically, I go for the most American dishes I can get while in Thailand.

Maybe I'll branch out a bit this time!

Or maybe not!

I can see it so clearly...

She walks in, hair wind blown, of course, from having her windows down. (No matter how hot it is - that's the way to drive she says.)  Her huge smile graces her face showing bright white teeth.  She hugs me, teasing me at the way I don't squeeze very hard. So she squeezes harder, giving me a little back scratch with her short nails. I squeeze back, giggling.  I notice how warm she is, from having the windows down and the sun shining on her.  She's holding a cup, seems like she always walked in with a cup.  Don't know what was in it ;)  She talks of her latest love:  scuba diving, tattoos, cooking, gardening, making soap from scratch, whatever it may be.  She's got her phone with her, ready to text back with her help if the restaurant is having a problem.  She raves about whatever we are eating.  She uses the word, "awesome."  She glows.  She radiates.  She shines. She's lovely, she really is. 

And I miss her. So much it hurts.

Looong Time!

This is mostly a post to make sure that I can blog from my iPad, since that's what I'll be doing this summer while I'm in THAILAND!!!!!

(Not that I'm excited or anything.)

I have three weeks left of school with my fourth graders. I have had some of them since second grade, so it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to them. But, at this point, I'm just focusing on getting through these next crazy weeks.

Then, I'll be leaving for Thailand on June 14 for about six weeks. I really hope to do better at blogging this time around. Last time, my access to computers was sketchy and random. Hopefully, having my iPad will make all the difference!

I will finish this little test post with a picture that makes me smile!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

...from the missionary's blog

by The Thaikid Returns

What can a person do in 6 weeks of teaching in a Thai school?

After her shock of sleeping on a pallet on the floor each night, “squatty potties” (toilets), and cold dip baths, Katie adjusted well. Living at the school in one of the houses provided for teachers has been good for Katie. She has learned to eat a variety of Thai foods daily with the teachers . Many times trying to smile while eating foods she didn’t like. In the evening she exercised with them.

At her desk, Katie had her Bible, Christian tracts, and an Evangi-Cube. During long breaks, she read her Bible and did a Bible Study. When students and teachers asked her about what she was doing, Katie had an opportunity to tell them about God. During her English classes, Katie taught songs like “My God is so big” to her students too. Before leaving to return to America, her students lined the way out of the school to say “Goodbye” to her.

During her time here, Katie has had opportunity to get close to two teachers, A. Nit and A. Biap. As she got closer to these teachers, they opened up and told her about their struggles in life. Her housemate, Nit, wanted a Bible to read and has been asking questions about what she has read. Nit was impressed by the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter one because of her Chinese background. Once back in America, Katie will keep in contact with her new Thai friends and will be emailing some favorite scripture verses for A. Nit to read. Another teacher, who was closed, has begun asking questions, as well. Two students have shown interest in God and asked for a visit and more Christian literature.

Before leaving a teacher told Katie, “Thank you for coming and bringing so much good to our school.”

What can a person do in 6 weeks in a Thai school? They can be a good friend and share the love Jesus with others.

A typical day at Blai Praya Wittyacomb School

6:30 AM - Wake up to the sound of a Thai news radio station being broadcasted throughout the school grounds. Wish they would turn it off so I can sleep more :) Roll off my pallet and head downstairs for a dip bath and brush my teeth. Read my Bible, pray, eat a granola bar, and get dressed.

7:50 - Walk to morning ceremony on school grounds with my roommate, P'Nid (Her first name is Suphanee, but her nickname is Nid. P stands for big sister.) Observe morning ceremony: a teacher lectures the students while they stand in straight lines (in the sun!), a student leads the other students in the Thai National Song, then the school song, then they say the 5 tenants (??) of Buddhism and wai to Buddha. I keep my hands by my sides.

8:10 - Walk to school, climb 4 floors to the English department. Sit at my desk and receive my schedule for the day. (Turn the fan on HIGH!) There are 8 periods in a day and I usually have 3 or 4 classes. In between classes I do a Bible study called "A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place" by Beth Moore. It is great and I usually am able to finish 2 "days" in one day. I also check papers sometimes or work on my next lesson. There is a computer in the room, and when the power is working I can check the internet!

I am also blessed with many visitors to my desk! Teachers come and offer me food and fruit and sit down to talk and practice their English. Students stop by and look at my pictures or just smile at me. They all marvel over my white skin. I tell them, "In America white skin isn't popular! Dark skin is!" They can't believe that white people would actually lay in the sun to get darker. When they go to the beach they wear a hat, pants, and long sleeve shirt so they won't get darker!

A typical class - I walk into the room and am greeted enthusiastically and happily! "Hello teacher!" "Hello Katie!" Then the class leader says loudly, "Stand up, please." All the students stand up and say, "Good morning teacher Katie." I say, "Good morning! How are you?" They say, "I'm fine and you?" I usually throw them off my saying "Excellent!" or "Great!" (They only know fine!!) And then I tell them to sit down.

Sometimes the teacher will give me a topic to teach and sometimes they will say it's up to me. So I do songs: "Hokey Pokey," "This is the way" and so on. We play games to practice their English. I also do a lot of vocabulary practice by showing my pictures. I can show them pictures of my sisters and they learn the word. Pictures of my dog, my church, so on. They LOVE to see my pictures, especially of my sister Karlie! They say "suay mak mak mak!" Which means, very very very beautiful! (I agree, by the way!)

I also get a chance to share my faith with them. I usually draw a cross on the board and say, I'm Christian. Or in Thai - Chris-te-an. I tell them that I love Projow (God) and Preyesus (Jesus). I tell them about my boat (church). Some students know what I'm talking about but for many I am the first Christian they have ever met.

12:20 - Lunchtime! P'Beab (Niyom) usually cooks lunch for me and it's pretty good! We sit at my desk and eat together. Sometimes, teachers will make "appointment" with me and take me to a restaurant for lunch. Every Thursday I meet with the Blounts (missionaries) for our weekly meeting. It is such a blessing and encouragement.

4:00 - School is out! By this time I'm HOT and yucky, so I go home and take another bath and change clothes. Sometimes I watch a little TV (ER on DVD) or read my book. Take a break!

5:30 - My roommate P'Nid and I go to the market on her motorcycle. They sell raw meat, fruit, and vegetables. And don't forget insects to eat! We buy some meat and vegetables and go back home and prepare dinner. It's been fun learning how to cook Thai!

6:30 - Go walking around the school with P'Beab! Sometimes I watch her play basketball first.

7:30 - Time for another bath and get ready for bed! Do my Bible study "Lies Women Believe" and write in my journal. Talk to Grandma or Mom. Go to sleep around 9:30!

Well, I hope this gives you an idea of my typical day! There are always surprises and different things that happen, but this can give you a good idea! Leave a comment!