The holiday season at the Baan Unrak home is steadily coming to a close...and I must admit part of me is ready for it to be over, considering how exhausted I have been feeling these past few weeks. I've been absolute crap at updating my blog, Facebook statuses and/or replying to family emails, so here's my attempt at bringing you all up to speed! The entire month of December has been one big holiday in our little village with weekend caroling trips, festivals and parties. Christmas Eve, the children and volunteer community at Baan Unrak hosted an evening of entertainment including: candle-lit meditation ceremonies, dances, songs, theater performance, games,sweets and delivering presents. There was loud music, fireworks, twinkling lights, a Christmas tree (plastic as you would imagine), and several bonfires to make everyone feel warm and cheerful. It was a beautiful night, and by far the best Christmas I've had in years! I've celebrated the past 4 (or 5?) Christmases overseas, far away from friends and family, and I somehow always ended up alone on a beach somewhere...so this year's joy and family sharing was long overdue for me!
Immediately following Christmas, all of our teens and preteens packed up their bags and pitched tents in the jungle for a 5 day youth camp retreat, just a few clicks away from the Burmese border. I was a little intimidated each time we had to cross the border guards and armed soldiers to get to the camp site, but it was all worth the journey because the landscape was just gorgeous! The camp was organized by a volunteer named Joseph, founder of Brighten Foundation, an international traveling camp whose mission is to nurture the potential of youth from every possible background. The kids spent 5 days: cooking their own campfire meals; playing team-building games and activities; playing sports like volleyball and football; practicing morning yoga and meditation; singing songs and dancing in the evenings; and participating in volunteer-run workshops such as sessions on communication skills and nurturing dreams.
New Year's Eve I decided to spend my night with the small children at the Baan Unrak Home; the big kids that were in the jungle had a great night of fireworks and entertainment planned, but I was looking forward to something a little more low key with my little girls. We had a pizza party, introduced sparklers to the small children to play with (I had to light them all since they were afraid of the sparks!), and we all sat up on the mountain side to watch the big fireworks being shot from the Mon village...by 10:30 pm everyone was already asleep and tucked into bed...myself included :) This was my first 'dry' New Year's party, but I woke up on New Year's Day feeling lighter, energized and more refreshed than I had in a while!
After New Year's it was back to work for me, project leading the high school ISV volunteer group that comes for a yearly visit to Baan Unrak. It was just like old times, running around, organizing transport logistics, finding necessary tools and workers to keep our volunteer tasks running smoothly, organizing children's activities and games, scheduling discussions and informational documentaries highlighting my Burma Awareness campaign...but at least, I got paid!
Our last day of the high school group coincided with a National Holiday, Children's Day! We partied at the school where an assembly was held showing off the kids' talent shows and dance performances; and we mixed in with the games and competitions held for sweets and snacks. It was a great day, that somehow ended with every volunteer being powdered in the face with Baby Powder and face painted with lip stick and mascara.
...And that's about it...I spent the weekend in Bangkok recuperating and visiting with my best friend Queen who flew in from Australia, and this morning the kids had a day off from school (Teacher Work Day) so I spent my morning face painting the little girls. As of right now it's Monday afternoon back at the Home, back to work, and hopefully back into a routine before the next ISV group arrives...TOMORROW!
Busy, busy, busy as usual...but doing well!
-Stef
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