Tuesday 26 January 2010

First full day

Met up with volunteer co-ordinator after breakfast and had a tour of the campus. First stop - vocational school for the disabled. Teenagers, many in wheelchairs, live on the campus for two years and are taught English and either electronics or ITskills, plus business management. There are 200 (?) on site and nearly all will get jobs when they leave. They go home for holidays, but are often quite isolated. Here they get to socialise with their peers and learn a trade.Alcohol is prohibited - first warning means head shaved and a yellow t shirt to be worn ( maroon is normal uniform colour). Second offence and they have to leave. Tough lesson to learn.Students are very focussed in class and make good progress.They certainly look to be a happy bunch of youngsters.
We then went to the special needs unit where children with autism, cerebal palsy, downs syndrome etc come into the school each day with their parent so they can learn basic massage and physio techniques can be taught, as well as activities that parents can do at home with their children.
Then to the day care centre. Now those of you at Vincent's will well know how way out of my comfort zone I was in the Nursery. The day care centre caters for 100+ 2 to 4 year olds. Children are provided with uniforms, transport to school, breakfast and lunch and lots of fruit, showers and pjs for the younger ones so that they can nap after lunch break. Parents pay 5 baht per day ( 55 baht to the pound). Downstairs are the 2 and 3 year olds ( 70+ ) and upstairs the 4 year olds.
I have, of course, been assigned to spending my mornings working downstairs!!!More of that later. In the afternoon , at the moment, I have been assigned to spending an hour working at the school for the blind, which is a ten minute ride away.Ten of us get to ride in a flat bed truck ( just like your Toyota Cal, but with bench seats and a plastic canopy) and do either music or PE with small groups of children.
Maureen, my room was upgraded - the hosepipe now has a shower head and has been attached to the hot water heater! The loo still needs a bucket of water after every use.
Have got more used to the humidity, but still need air con on to get any sleep.
Thanks for all the comments, and hope the fundraising goes well.

6 comments:

  1. Tuesday Lynne, after a couple of cognacs--so what will happen to me?? Lovely to read your diary---you must keep it up--even if you do spend your mornings downstairs with the little ones. I knew a few words from me would mean an upgrade on your hose pipe---now for the loo!!! Down to reality, I,m off to Margs in the morn, had my hair done this morn 9 a.m nearly finished me again on Friday. These early mornings must be good for someone!!!"Chris w3anted to know if this move of yours was in keeping with you. I said NO,NO,NO, Keep your chin up Love

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  2. What a great idea - i'm off to buy a razor and some yellow t shirts. Hope you don't have to stick to the same rules! Shall I get nursery to record a song or two so you can do some singing with your littleys? You'll have to make up your own actions tho :)

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  3. Janet - great idea. Making up actions to the songs would give us volunteers a great night of entertainment!

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  4. Great to see your Blog Lynne. A busy first day! Like Janet hope that you can have the odd tipple without being sent home!

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  5. 2&3yr olds??? Yikes. Great reads Lynne...keep it up.

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  6. Wednesday a day of rest after a day with Marg--I i ntroduced her to your blog and she will have a go(all under my tuition).By now you should be well into--My Hat--,ikki akki okki ooh--heads and shoulders--1 finger 1 thumb--Oh those were the days. And P.M it must be "the blind leading the blind!!" Sorry Lynne. Keep the diary going ---or else.Only ??????days to go. Loots of love

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