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Current (November 1999) correspondence and reflections from Melody

For archived correspondence go to:
August, September 1999 and
October 1999 correspondence

Postcard photos from Melody

Aerogramme describing MHS visit, dated end of October 1999

Aerogramme describing village visit to Lopburi, Nov. 1999

Assorted writings from Melody's letters to various people in Thunder Bay.

Market table in Hua Hin	Melody with village school children in Lopburi	Melody in her favourite place
Market and wat in Khao Takiab	Pretending to weave

Aerogramme dated end of October 1999, describing MHS visit

This is my second day visiting and if first impressions are anything to go by, this will be a beautiful place to live. I am staying at the Director's house with Ajahn Pracha and his wife. I have met my co-worker too. My A-frame house has not been started but I met the builder, and he seems to like me. The house will have a bathroom and an office. The Centre's office is perched on above a hill. In front of it lies some ponds and a large square garden. There are many green houses and big hydroponics station. It's very large.

It is in a small valley ringed with mountains on both sides covered in trees. Today Kung took me out on her motorcycle and we toured around the surrounding area. It is beautiful. Valleys of rice plantations, hills planted with tea trees (to prevent erosion). Ajahn Pracha speaks English a little bit, so whenever I totally don't get it in Thai (which is often), he will tell me in English.

We went to the builder's barn tonight which is across the way from where my house will be. They were all singing and drumming and drinking Thai whiskey. I taped a song on my portable recording walkman. It was cool.

Lots of people, activity and friend possibilities.

For all my whining about it being too hot in Hua Hin, here, it will be cold. Not -40 cold, but 5 C which will be cold to live in. (Warm clothes have been sent from home...Mom)

My schedule is:
Oct. 25-Nov 6: more language training in Hua Hin
Nov. 6-19: Village visit in Lopburi
Nov 22-26: last week of language training in Hua Hin
Dec. 1 begin new job in Mae Hong Son.

My address in Mae Hong Son will be, as of Dec. 1, 1999:
Melody Allaire
Highland Agricultural Extension Centre
Huay Makhuea Som
Bahn Na Pa Paag
91 Moo 4 Tambon Mokchumpaa
Amphur Muang
Mae Hong Son
Thailand 58000

Home

Aerogramme, November 10. 1999.

I am writing you from the kitchen table of my host family in Lopburi province. At this table there is Pa, Meh, Nan (their 16 yr. old daughter), Nan's friend, and Nan's brother Nung (20 yrs old). It has been a very interesting visit so far. I arrived on Nov. 6 and it has been sanook (fun) ever since. The family photo has just been taken. They don't have a camera, so they like to have their photo taken.

Going to bed soon, usually by 8:30 pm as Pa wakes me up at 6:15 am. Tomorrow the volunteers will be visiting a special school for mentally challenged kids.

Nov. 13, 1999.

It has been a busy couple of days. Total immersion in the Thai language and early risings takes the energy out of me. Today, Saturday is a day off. Jerome, me and Kristi went to a house and watched farang videos with Thai subtitles. It was fun (sanook). Later in the day we ate and drank at a get together organized by Thai poo-ins (friends). After that I went len ham (play in the water) as it has been really hot. Then wandered about the village, read a VSO newsletter. Reading material will be hard to come by in Mae Hong Son. MHS does not have a book store, so books would be a welcome parcel. (The Hobbit has been recommended to me as good escapism.)

I had a shirt made out of cotton while I was in the village. It is really nice. It isn't super fancy, just plain and appropriate. Tomorrow I am going to a wedding to take ti roops (pictures). It will be sanook mack mack (very much fun).

Nov. 14, 1999.
Another totally busy day. Went to a Thai wedding in the morning and then visited beautiful sunflower fields and then went to a waterfall. The wedding was really fun with lots of food. The bride and groom were happy that so many farang showed up. There was a lot of music. Then to the sunflowers. Lopburi is known for its beautiful fields of sunflowers, vast fields. Lots of photos of me in a Thai sunflower patch. Love it Here !!!

Then a long bumpy ride to a waterfall. We usually go in a group of about 15 white farang and one instructor and any village people who want to come. When people see us approaching, stares and pointing are the norm. It is fun for me here because I love the attention because of my personality. I am always in the thick of things, meeting new people, singing, dancing, eating, just doing life.

Work is quickly approaching, in about two weeks. I hope the fun continues when I start to work.

Home

Assorted writings from Melody's letters to various people in Thunder Bay.

I would like to thank everyone who has written emails and left me notes on my awesome webpage. They keep me grounded and bring a huge smile to my face! There is a computer at my workplace in Mae Hong Son, but no Internet, so letters will be very welcome.

From Lopburi, the village visit:
I have been here about a week and a half, living with a Thai family. It has been an eye-opening experience. Each volunteer lives with a different family, about 20 families are involved. I have gotten to see how a Thai family really lives, close up, from abram-ing (showering) at least twice a day to being totally immersed in the Thai language. After two months of language training, I had the false belief that I could actually understand the majority of what was said to me... I do understand quite a bit, however, only by catching certain words and figuring out their context. I am understood for the most part, however, explaining feelings and thoughts (abstract ideas) is still very hard.

I've started collecting recipes from my host mom so that when I get to Mae Hong Son (about 2 weeks, Dec. 1 is my first day of work), I'll know what to cook. The Thai people in this village are very friendly. Most of them are rice farmers and live a fairly subsistence lifestyle. Their homes are made of wood, built up on stilts. Inside there is not much furniture; meals are usually eaten on the floor. Main dishes are made along with large quantities of rice. There is a river that runs through the village and lots of bamboo and greenery.

I've visited fields of sunflowers, took part in a Thai wedding, danced at a Thai ceremony, am currently learning the Thai version of Eensy Weensy Spider and am generally having a hoot of a time here. Come December, work begins and with that a whole new adventure.

Home

Melody's mailing address as of December 1, 1999:

Melody Allaire
Highland Agricultural Extension Centre
Huay Makhuea Som
Bahn Na Pa Paag
91 Moo 4 Tambon Mokchumpaa
Amphur Muang
Mae Hong Son
Thailand 58000

Once she is in Mae Hong Son, you should send her mail there as I am not sure if the CUSO Head Office will forward parcels and such. I will leave their address on for reference purposes only.

Melody Allaire
c/o Cuso Thailand office
17 Phaholyothin Golf Village
Phaholyothin Rd
Chatuchak, Bangkok
10900
Thailand

To view the Guestbook please visit: http://freespirit.htmlplanet.com/fsguestbook.html

Melody Allaire
freespirit_nsbs@yahoo.com [ freespirit(underscore)nsbs@yahoo.com]

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