Not a lot has changed since the last time I wrote. I'm still struggling with being behind the scenes. I hear about other intern experiences and it makes me wish that I was doing more 'ministry'. Honestly, at times I feel like what I am doing doesn't matter. (And most of the time its because I see what another intern has done and feel like the same thing is expected from me or I am jealous of their experience, and that if I don't do that it somehow makes what I am doing less valuable).
However, I have to say that at times I feel that what I am doing is contributing to the spread of the gospel. The last couple of days that I have been in the office have been spent typing phrases that are going to be used in a linguistic survey among the Tai Dam people group. I am awed by the fact that somehow the words I typed are going to help the Tai Dam have the Bible in their language!
So, I guess the struggle is more in learning to look for God's approval rather than human approval, but I'm finding that's easier said than done.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
My Birthday & Thoughts On Mondays
It's a shame I don't have any pictures from my birthday because it was awesome. My Thai class planned a surprise party for me and we really didn't do much learning in class on friday. First, we reviewed what we learned the day before. Then we took a break to eat cake and sing 'Happy Birthday."
[I should probably add here that I was extremely nervous about eating cake. The last time I ate cake in another country it ended up being the most disgusting thing I had ever eaten and I later became quite ill. So the whole time I am cutting the cake I am praying that it does not make sick...and it didn't, thank goodness!]
Anyway...back to class. After taking a break to eat cake, we took another break. Then we started to learn about Thai times, but that didn't last very long because a former classmate decided to stop by for my birthday. He had given up on Thai class the week before, but decided to come back for my birthday. With him he brought champagne for a celebratory toast (he's French). Needless to say class was definitely over for the day.
Then I returned to the Mekong Center to eat lunch and work. At lunch most of the Mekong Staff sang "Happy Birthday" to me and bought my lunch. Later in the afternoon a couple of Swiss ladies brought me some candy and some fried banana (more on this later). One of them also asked if I liked chips and proceeded to buy me chips. I also received honey as a present from the Mekong Center director and his wife. So I'm thinking people are trying to send me subliminal messages...
Mondays. are NOT my favorite day of the week. The first saturday after I arrived here I bought a bicycle. On monday the chain came off my bike when I was riding it back after class. Some Thai guys helped me put it back on and told me not to go too fast because the chain was kinda loose. So, I took their advice and slowed it down. Things were going well until last monday when the chain came off again. No, I was not going too fast. Actually, I was going pretty slow because there was an unavoidable speed bump that I had to cross over. I managed to get the chain on by myself that time and although I was frustrated that it came off I was proud of myself that I put it back on even if it did get my hands all greasy.
Today (monday) I am on my way to class and the chain comes off for no reason at all. I put it back on really easily and continue on my way. I pedal once, maybe twice and the chain comes off AGAIN. This time the chain did not go on easily at all. After I struggled with it for about 10 minutes a Thai kid stops and helps me get it back on. I take off, already late for class. I start to pedal and the chain falls off. In frustration I give up and get a song-tow (basically, a taxi) to take me to class. Even though I was a 2 minute drive from class the guy ripped me off and charged me 40 baht (about $1.50). He claimed 20 was for me and 20 was for the bicycle. After class I try to put my chain back on. It goes back on easily, but also comes off easily. A guy in my class looks at the bike and tells me that somehow my back tire has come out of alignment which is preventing the chain from staying on. Rather than becoming more frustrated I got a song-tow back to the Mekong Center. This driver was much more merciful on me and my plight and charged 60 baht -- and he took me 4 times as far as the other guy.
That's just my commute on mondays. Class is stressful enough without being stressed out by the reliability of my bicycle. By the time I got back for lunch I was stressed out trying to figure out how I was going to get the bike fixed. And then I was surrounded by Swiss people...speaking Swiss. I figured I might as well be sitting alone. It was rather depressing.
Most days are not this bad. Mondays is by far the worst day of the week for me. For some reason they start horribly and that sets the pace for the rest of the day. By lunch time i end up wanting to cry because I am that frustrated with everything going on around me. However, there is good news. The bike has been fixed (at least for now) and it didn't cost me a thing. The building manager at the Mekong Center is a really handy guy and was able to fix it just be tightening a few bolts. The rest of the afternoon wasn't bad either, just typing up some info for Tim. I'm hopeful that next monday will be better. For starters, its a holiday so there is no class. Also, now that I've figured out mondays aren't the best days for me perhaps I'll be more prepared to handle the stress that monday brings.
[I should probably add here that I was extremely nervous about eating cake. The last time I ate cake in another country it ended up being the most disgusting thing I had ever eaten and I later became quite ill. So the whole time I am cutting the cake I am praying that it does not make sick...and it didn't, thank goodness!]
Anyway...back to class. After taking a break to eat cake, we took another break. Then we started to learn about Thai times, but that didn't last very long because a former classmate decided to stop by for my birthday. He had given up on Thai class the week before, but decided to come back for my birthday. With him he brought champagne for a celebratory toast (he's French). Needless to say class was definitely over for the day.
Then I returned to the Mekong Center to eat lunch and work. At lunch most of the Mekong Staff sang "Happy Birthday" to me and bought my lunch. Later in the afternoon a couple of Swiss ladies brought me some candy and some fried banana (more on this later). One of them also asked if I liked chips and proceeded to buy me chips. I also received honey as a present from the Mekong Center director and his wife. So I'm thinking people are trying to send me subliminal messages...
Mondays. are NOT my favorite day of the week. The first saturday after I arrived here I bought a bicycle. On monday the chain came off my bike when I was riding it back after class. Some Thai guys helped me put it back on and told me not to go too fast because the chain was kinda loose. So, I took their advice and slowed it down. Things were going well until last monday when the chain came off again. No, I was not going too fast. Actually, I was going pretty slow because there was an unavoidable speed bump that I had to cross over. I managed to get the chain on by myself that time and although I was frustrated that it came off I was proud of myself that I put it back on even if it did get my hands all greasy.
Today (monday) I am on my way to class and the chain comes off for no reason at all. I put it back on really easily and continue on my way. I pedal once, maybe twice and the chain comes off AGAIN. This time the chain did not go on easily at all. After I struggled with it for about 10 minutes a Thai kid stops and helps me get it back on. I take off, already late for class. I start to pedal and the chain falls off. In frustration I give up and get a song-tow (basically, a taxi) to take me to class. Even though I was a 2 minute drive from class the guy ripped me off and charged me 40 baht (about $1.50). He claimed 20 was for me and 20 was for the bicycle. After class I try to put my chain back on. It goes back on easily, but also comes off easily. A guy in my class looks at the bike and tells me that somehow my back tire has come out of alignment which is preventing the chain from staying on. Rather than becoming more frustrated I got a song-tow back to the Mekong Center. This driver was much more merciful on me and my plight and charged 60 baht -- and he took me 4 times as far as the other guy.
That's just my commute on mondays. Class is stressful enough without being stressed out by the reliability of my bicycle. By the time I got back for lunch I was stressed out trying to figure out how I was going to get the bike fixed. And then I was surrounded by Swiss people...speaking Swiss. I figured I might as well be sitting alone. It was rather depressing.
Most days are not this bad. Mondays is by far the worst day of the week for me. For some reason they start horribly and that sets the pace for the rest of the day. By lunch time i end up wanting to cry because I am that frustrated with everything going on around me. However, there is good news. The bike has been fixed (at least for now) and it didn't cost me a thing. The building manager at the Mekong Center is a really handy guy and was able to fix it just be tightening a few bolts. The rest of the afternoon wasn't bad either, just typing up some info for Tim. I'm hopeful that next monday will be better. For starters, its a holiday so there is no class. Also, now that I've figured out mondays aren't the best days for me perhaps I'll be more prepared to handle the stress that monday brings.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A Bit Less Exciting
So this post is not nearly as exciting as the last one. No elephant riding since I last posted...I think I could ride an elaphant every day though because I just think elephants are that cool.
Anyway...on to the point of the post! On monday of this week I was trained on all of my hostess duties for the guesthouse. I wasn't supposed to start until the middle of February, but since the main hostess went on holiday today they had to have someone to take care of the place! Right now I am only there in the afternoon because I still have Thai class in the morning. The guesthouse is pretty quiet right now but for the last two weeks we had a full house. So, it is good to have a break. Right now I answer email and make reservations, which doesn't take too much of my time. With my free time I go over to the library and work. I thought I was going to finish in there today, but I kept finding more books that still aren't in the computer system. I'm hopeful I'll be done by the end of the week. In the coming weeks I think I will be teaching English to a Thai woman during the afternoons. In the evenings I lock everything up, the office gets locked at 6 and then everything gets locked at 9.
I've posted pictures of where I live, but not where I work. Hopefully I'll remember to take my camera with me so you can see where I work.
So far I'm adjusting pretty well...I think. I try to take things on a daily basis. Most days are good but every once in a while I'll have a rough day. Please keep praying for me to not be overwhelmed by everything. I'm experiencing culture shock a little everyday and I'm not looking forward to when it is really full blown culture shock. I've noticed that more and more things annoy me, which is an indicator that culture shock is coming sometime.
One more thing about culture shock...most of the people I work with are Swiss so I get to experience culture shock with that culture as well. I don't handle it as well because I was not expecting it at all. I knew there was going to be adjustment to Thai culture, but had no idea that I would work with almost all Swiss people.
Thai lessons continue to be overwhelming. For someone who has always excelled academically it is hard to not excell at learning the language. Language learning is not an academic matter, even though I sit in a classroom to learn it. I have to use it outside of class to really remember anything. I would really appreciate your prayers in this area as well---it is not uncommon for me to leave class with a headache after trying to absorb so much new information.
Probably my greatest struggle (aside from culture shock issues) is thinking that what I am doing is not really ministry. Since I work in a supporting role it is easy for me to forget that what I am doing is making a difference. I think part of it (most of it) is feeling that I need to defend what I am doing to people. Today at lunch one the Mekong workers asked how working in the Hudson House was helping me learn about missions. I know she meant well and was trying to be helpful, but it made me wonder if I was doing enough. Honestly, I can't really do "ministry" because I can't speak Thai. All I can do is observe. And I can't observe all the time, at some point I do need to contribute something. So, I do a lot of behind the scenes stuff. The work that I do here frees other people and enables them to serve more effectively. I'd really appreciate prayer in this area.
Thanks for stopping by!
Anyway...on to the point of the post! On monday of this week I was trained on all of my hostess duties for the guesthouse. I wasn't supposed to start until the middle of February, but since the main hostess went on holiday today they had to have someone to take care of the place! Right now I am only there in the afternoon because I still have Thai class in the morning. The guesthouse is pretty quiet right now but for the last two weeks we had a full house. So, it is good to have a break. Right now I answer email and make reservations, which doesn't take too much of my time. With my free time I go over to the library and work. I thought I was going to finish in there today, but I kept finding more books that still aren't in the computer system. I'm hopeful I'll be done by the end of the week. In the coming weeks I think I will be teaching English to a Thai woman during the afternoons. In the evenings I lock everything up, the office gets locked at 6 and then everything gets locked at 9.
I've posted pictures of where I live, but not where I work. Hopefully I'll remember to take my camera with me so you can see where I work.
So far I'm adjusting pretty well...I think. I try to take things on a daily basis. Most days are good but every once in a while I'll have a rough day. Please keep praying for me to not be overwhelmed by everything. I'm experiencing culture shock a little everyday and I'm not looking forward to when it is really full blown culture shock. I've noticed that more and more things annoy me, which is an indicator that culture shock is coming sometime.
One more thing about culture shock...most of the people I work with are Swiss so I get to experience culture shock with that culture as well. I don't handle it as well because I was not expecting it at all. I knew there was going to be adjustment to Thai culture, but had no idea that I would work with almost all Swiss people.
Thai lessons continue to be overwhelming. For someone who has always excelled academically it is hard to not excell at learning the language. Language learning is not an academic matter, even though I sit in a classroom to learn it. I have to use it outside of class to really remember anything. I would really appreciate your prayers in this area as well---it is not uncommon for me to leave class with a headache after trying to absorb so much new information.
Probably my greatest struggle (aside from culture shock issues) is thinking that what I am doing is not really ministry. Since I work in a supporting role it is easy for me to forget that what I am doing is making a difference. I think part of it (most of it) is feeling that I need to defend what I am doing to people. Today at lunch one the Mekong workers asked how working in the Hudson House was helping me learn about missions. I know she meant well and was trying to be helpful, but it made me wonder if I was doing enough. Honestly, I can't really do "ministry" because I can't speak Thai. All I can do is observe. And I can't observe all the time, at some point I do need to contribute something. So, I do a lot of behind the scenes stuff. The work that I do here frees other people and enables them to serve more effectively. I'd really appreciate prayer in this area.
Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Climbing A Mountain
So I wasn't really planning to climb a mountain...it just kinda happened. I thought I was agreeing to go elephant riding, whitewater rafting, and bamboo rafting. I was wondering how that was going to last two days, but I didn't think about it too much. We stopped at an orchid farm and a snake farm soon after we left Chiang Mai, but those things didn't take too long.
beautiful orchids.
I felt obligated to take a picture even though I think snakes are gross.Little did I know there was a trek up a mountain and down part of the mountain that took up a good portion of the two days.
This is the only picture I took the whole way up because I was so exhausted I didn't feel like using any more energy than absolutely necessary. Thus, I did not take the effort to get my camera out of my bag.
Finally to the top.
This is the only picture I took the whole way up because I was so exhausted I didn't feel like using any more energy than absolutely necessary. Thus, I did not take the effort to get my camera out of my bag.
Our home for the night: a bamboo hut. Did I mention there was no power on top of the mountain?
In the morning we got up and it was down the mountain to the elephant camp and to whitewater rafting. The trek down was so much easier than the way up. It was shorter, downhill, and cooler temps since we left in the morning instead of the middle of the afternoon.
we stopped for a break at a waterfall.
All in all it was a great weekend, even if my legs hurt while I am motionless. and even if my feet have more blisters than I can count. Riding the elephants was definitely the best part...I have a new found love for elephants now!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Last Week Or So
I was about to say that this week was mundane and routine...and then I thought of all the things I have done and seen and it really wasn't mundane at all. My schedule so far looks like this:
8:30-9: prayer at the Mekong Center
9:30-10: bike ride to class
10-noon: Thai class
noon-12:30ish: bike ride back to the Mekong Center
lunch whenever I get back.
1ish-5: childcare for Preston or helping in the TCK library
Preston is Tim and Jamie's (my mentor) son and he's generally a really happy 1 year old so watching him is a lot of fun.
The TCK library is for resources for missionary families to use and was fairly disorganized. Some other people and myself have been working to make it more user friendly. By the way, TCK = Third Culture Kid aka a missionary kid.
the rest of the night is pretty much whatever I make of it. Usually there is some reading involved, some hanging out with the swiss OMF-ers, and some eating. One night this week I went bowling and another night I went out to eat with Tim, Jamie and Preston. (Just in case you were wondering, bowling here is pretty much like bowling in the states.)
On friday afternoon I left the TCK library early to go to the hospital. To get immunized. I waited to get my immunizations here because they are about a third of the cost here and because there aren't any outbreaks or anything right now, so I'm pretty safe. However, I definitely paid in time. What would have been a relatively quick ordeal in the states turned out to be a 2 hour event in Chiang Mai.
So far I have the weekends free, which is awesome. However, once I am finished with the Thai class I'll be working at least one day every weekend until late April. Last weekend was pretty much for overcoming jetlag. This weekend I was able to have some fun, thank goodness! Friday night I went to see the movie The Elephant King. The movie theatre was in the biggest mall I have ever seen. On saturday I went up to Thailand's highest mountain (I think...). There is a buddhist temple up there and good views of the city. I've been told that you can't come to Chiang Mai and not visit, so I guess I can cross that off my list of things to do. Here are some pictures from the temple area and a view of Chiang Mai.
8:30-9: prayer at the Mekong Center
9:30-10: bike ride to class
10-noon: Thai class
noon-12:30ish: bike ride back to the Mekong Center
lunch whenever I get back.
1ish-5: childcare for Preston or helping in the TCK library
Preston is Tim and Jamie's (my mentor) son and he's generally a really happy 1 year old so watching him is a lot of fun.
The TCK library is for resources for missionary families to use and was fairly disorganized. Some other people and myself have been working to make it more user friendly. By the way, TCK = Third Culture Kid aka a missionary kid.
the rest of the night is pretty much whatever I make of it. Usually there is some reading involved, some hanging out with the swiss OMF-ers, and some eating. One night this week I went bowling and another night I went out to eat with Tim, Jamie and Preston. (Just in case you were wondering, bowling here is pretty much like bowling in the states.)
On friday afternoon I left the TCK library early to go to the hospital. To get immunized. I waited to get my immunizations here because they are about a third of the cost here and because there aren't any outbreaks or anything right now, so I'm pretty safe. However, I definitely paid in time. What would have been a relatively quick ordeal in the states turned out to be a 2 hour event in Chiang Mai.
So far I have the weekends free, which is awesome. However, once I am finished with the Thai class I'll be working at least one day every weekend until late April. Last weekend was pretty much for overcoming jetlag. This weekend I was able to have some fun, thank goodness! Friday night I went to see the movie The Elephant King. The movie theatre was in the biggest mall I have ever seen. On saturday I went up to Thailand's highest mountain (I think...). There is a buddhist temple up there and good views of the city. I've been told that you can't come to Chiang Mai and not visit, so I guess I can cross that off my list of things to do. Here are some pictures from the temple area and a view of Chiang Mai.
There was a lot of smog, but if you look closely you can see the city.Prayer requests: continue to pray for my mind to be sharp, especially with learning Thai. My sinuses have been bothering me for the last couple of days. Also, would would you pray for me to find contentment in the work I am doing? Since most of the work I do is behind the scenes (because I can't speak Thai) it is easy for me to get discouraged and forget that what I am doing is still ministry. This was definitely what I struggled with the most last week. Thank you so much for your prayers--I am so grateful for them.
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