New school again

I'm connected to broadband internet again so you can get pictures now! Yippee. It's made my day. Pretty sad hey, but I've endured over a week of dial up (zzzzzzzzz) and not being able to access ABC reading eggs for the kids (when will we be able to do reading eggs for the 10th time!)


New school uniform



2nd day at school

You can't get much worse than trying to start new schools for little kids. The school we wanted to send our kids to closed application a week before we arrived. They wouldn't budge which was a bit unusual. It was a demonstration school using teaching methods more akin to those used in Australia and we were looking forward to our kids going there because our teammate's child was going there and he enjoyed it. So it was a pretty down day when we found out we couldn't get them in.

The next week was spent dragging the kids around from school to school trying to work out where we could send them. Either the class sizes were too large (35-50 kids in Kindergarden!) or the school would not let the children be there part-time (which would have meant our 3 year old going to school from 8am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday). Eventually we selected an option not ideal but which we thought had more flexibility than the other options. They didn't have a problem with half days. When we were inquiring, they told us that the kids get to play in the playground everyday. Now that we've enrolled the kids and bought their uniforms and everything, as Lisa has been trying to settle our middle child into school this week, they haven't been to the playground yet. Grrgghhh! Either they lied or misled us which is frustrating. Maybe we should have checked things more thoroughly. Our eldest son is in his classroom most of the day except for lunch time with 3 periods (English, Chinese, Thai) in the morning and the same in the afternoon. Poor guy. No wonder he says that he's bored and all he does is writing, writing, writing.

Our middle son cried most of the first morning so the teachers took him upstairs to be with his brother for the rest of the day. So yesterday and today Lisa has been with him to try to settle him in. It's pretty hard to see your children go through that.

We're praying that he settles within the week. We've order home schooling material coming from the US, so we're trying to work out what will be best in terms of the Thai School/Home schooling mix. Now that the protests have settled a bit in Bangkok, customs will have reopened and our home schooling material can get through as well as our unaccompanied baggage.

Living under a curfew in Thailand

As you may be aware, Thailand is experiencing some troubles at the moment. (Sorry no photos as we are still only on dial up internet …urrggghhhh)

In many provinces in Thailand a curfew has been declared, including in our province, and we are not allowed to go out of our homes between 8pm and 6am (another report says 9pm to 5am - hard to know what's really going on as we can't check on the internet and we don't understand the T.V reporters as they use too difficult words). We heard that the big shopping centre in Lampang, started to close at 7pm last night, when normally it closes after 10pm. I made sure I got an extra carton of milk this afternoon when I went shopping just in case.

Our househelper told us that there were military soldiers on the main highway, guarding a gas depot just outside of town. Apart from this though, not much is happening in our province. In Chiang Mai though only an hour north, building have been burnt and mass protestors have gathered at some key locations.

It’s hard to believe what’s happening in Thailand. One of the biggest shopping centres in Bangkok, in Asia for that matter set alight. The trains have stopped running and we’ve been advised to carry our passports and travel documents so that we can get through the check points.

By God’s grace we arrived early last week, rather than this week. Otherwise there would have been a whole lot more difficulties to deal with. Government offices including the immigration department have been closed all week, if we came this week (instead of last week) we would not have been able to renew our visas before they expired.

However, our boxes from Australia are sitting at the airport as customs have been closed and my work permit papers needed to clear our boxes has been held up as the immigration department has been closed.

Trying to imagine all that is happening here, happening in Australia. Can’t imagine it.

First day back in Thailand

We landed in Bangkok around 11:30pm. The 9 hour flight wasn't too bad. It could have been much worse. Our son had too many nuggets and chips at the airport in Sydney and midway through the flight vommited up more than I thought his stomach could hold. Fortunately, he gave me a coupl e of seconds warning so that the vomit ended up in the bag and not all over the seat and the floor. 4-5 hours of vomit stench would not have made us very popular (not that we were probably popular as our littlest was crying through parts of the trip).

We seemed to pick the slowest line in immigration. It was the shortest line when we joined it, but ended up being the longest. Eventually we had enough and switched lines. Didn't matter anyway, we were still waiting for our stroller long after everyone else had taken their bags from the baggage carousel. As we were lined up to report the lost stroller it was wheeled in with the other strollers from the flight. By the time we left the airport it was just before 1am local time.

We had so much luggage that a standard taxi wouldn't do, so I asked for a large taxi. The lady at the counter then advise me that it would be a fixed price and that the meter wouldn't be used. It was 4am Sydney time and I hadn't slept on the plane so I just accepted the price of 800 baht she scribbled on a piece of paper. At least we managed to fit all the luggage in the taxi using the front passenger seat for some bags. I advised the driver to take a Chaegwatana tollway in Bangkok to the OMF guesthouse as I knew that this was the quickest way. However, the driver advised me that lived around the area and knew a "faster" way. I was just strumbling back into Thai so I didn't push the issue. About half way through the trip I realised that his "faster" way wasn't "faster" at all. It did however, save him about 200 baht in tollway charges, charges which were included in the 800 baht fixed price. He probably added another 20 minutes to our trip which I didn't really appreciate at 2am in the morning not having slept in nearly 24 hours and with 3 young children. I let it go though and didn't let on that I knew what he was doing. I even gave him an extra 50 baht as a tip which I was sorely tempted not to as he'd milked me already.

At 10am, we were off to immigration to renew my work permit and visas. I was expecting an hour or more taxi ride with our whole family squashed into the back seat of a taxi, but it was a fantastic surprise to be informed that immigration had move to within 20 minutes drive of the OMF guesthouse. So I was able to drive our own car there. It was all finished in a couple of hours instead of the 4 hours plus I was dreading.

We had some lovely thai meals for lunch which tasted all the better when 4 dishes just costs about AU$7. I didn't think I'd miss Thai food while we were in Australia but I was reminded today how good real Thai food is.

Rest day tomorrow and then a 6 hour drive back to Lampang. A very long day, but it is good to be back (but not in 35 degree plus heat). The areas around Lampang at hitting new records at over 40 degrees celcius. Ouuch.

O.k. it is only 8pm local time (but 11pm Sydney time) but I'm off to bed. Checking out.

I hate packing

Last minute packing again! It takes so long. I've lost count of how many times we've had to pack and unpack. It so hard to decide what to take and what to leave behind. My mum found the fabric bag on the right of the photo. It only ways 0.6kg instead of a normal suitcase of around 5kg. So that will give us an extra 4.4kg to take. Bonus. Less than 2 days to go now.

reunion

We were recently able to meet up with friends of our from our year in Bible college who have gone overseas in Gospel ministry. We have all come back from our first terms. It was good to catch up as it will be another 3-4 years before any likelihood of seeing each other again. We are spread between 3 continents.

Our little girl had an accident while trying to emulate her brother on a toy trolley. Fortunately stitches weren't need, just some glue and steri-strips. Lots of visits to the doctor lately, mainly for vaccinations but also for final medical tests before we leave. It has been so good to have the children free from stomach bugs which was the most common illness in the children in Thailand.

A week to go before we return. Packing and other jobs are never ending. All are official engagements are completed though. Had a good re-commissioning service on Saturday.

Most accept the invitation but don't realise the consequences

A fellow missionary's prayer letter came in this morning and they were recounting what happened at their recent evangelistic children's camp:-

"When Ha Shan asked the children if they like to invite Jesus into their hearts, most of them lift up their hands as according to our Pastor, in a Thai culture, they are thought to flow with the environment. So, Ha Shan told them that this means that they cannot worship other gods and all hands down except Joe"

This situation is very common in Asian contexts where you don't want to offend the speaker by not accepting his invitation.

So take reports of mass conversions at an evangelistic event with a grain of salt until the follow up has been done and the dust settles to see who remains.

Travel Warning to Thailand Upgraded

This morning I received an email from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which administers the travel advice given to Australian travellers, that the travel advice to Thailand had been upgraded to "reconsider your need to travel". This was due to the violent protests which continue in Bangkok. There is only one level higher which is "Advise against all travel".

The last time the travel advisory was upgraded to "reconsider your need to travel" was when the Short-term team from Christchurch was due to arrive in Thailand in Dec 2008.

At this stage we will still be returning to Thailand. We only have a couple of days in Bangkok soon after we arrive to renew work permits and visas. After that we shouldn't have any problems in Lampang 500km north of Bangkok.

Please pray for a peaceful solution soon and that Thais will seek true peace in Jesus.

Preparations to return

Yesterday, Lisa's parents were able to take the children for an outing so we could get stuck into preparations for our return to Thailand. Most of the morning was spent organising our commissioning service. After lunch I went to the Medicare office to submit claims (30 minute wait). Then it was to the private health insurance office (20 minute wait) to submit claims and organise to suspend our policy for when we leave. That reminds me that I'll have to start contacting banks and other agencies to advise of change of addresses etc. Rushed home to take son to a doctor's appointment (40 min wait - shouldn't have bothered rushing) to get the flu vaccine for him and for myself. Feeling a little relieved as now most of the vaccinations have been done (only one more to go for our daughter). Things can get complicated if you or your kids get sick and you're waiting for them to get better while running out of time to get them done.

Oh yes, must get back to packing when we have a moment and organise our things downstairs. It doesn't look like it's going to be neat and tidy and organised like we'd hoped. Fast running out of time.

state of things downstairs

Embassy closed for Songkran Holiday

I needed to get a visa for my daughter so while Lisa and our sons were at Fairfield City Farm I took her to the Thai embassy in the city. As Lisa had the car, I had to walk to the train station with my daughter in the pram (30min). It was a 10 min wait for the train and then 40mins into the city. Another 15minute walk to the embassy from the train station. To my frustration there was a notice at the bottom of the Thai Embassy building with the days the Thai Embassy is closed for 2010. Highlighted in green was today. The Thai Embassy was closed for the Thai Songkran Festival. Out of all the days I could have picked to make the journey to the Thai embassy it had to be today. It was a long journey home, especially when a commuter bumped our daughter's pram while she was alseep. So she was woken only after sleeping for 20 minutes and of course she was grumpy and tired. The whole morning was wasted with nothing to show for it and I will need to make the journey again. I expect visa problems like this in Thailand but not in Australia.

Family Time Fun & Tears

A very big bump

At the moment we are trying to make the most of our remaining weeks in Australia by spending time with our families. Today we went to Centrepoint Tower in the city with my brother's family. Our boys were having great fun chasing their cousins at the top of Centrepoint. I thought about going to stop them in consideration of the other patrons but I resisted the urge. Not soon after I heard our son's screaming. I thought that he was being his melodramatic self (top of the lungs screaming at a slight injury) but when I saw the massive bump over his left temple, I knew that he wasn't putting it on this time. He had tripped and hit his head on the edge of a wooden bench. Ouuch! It looked very bad, but with some ice the bump eventually went down and he's o.k (the chocolate freddo, chocolate ice-cream and chocolate cuppa chup was a great distraction while trying to keep the ice on his very sore bump).

Cousins

Our daughter with her comforters (thumb and blanket)