where cider meets condensed milk: Christmas in Thailand

where cider meets condensed milk

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Christmas in Thailand

Back from the orphanage and kicking off 2006 in style on the beach! Working backwards, here's some Christmas cheer.

Ho ho ho... in so many ways...

Bangkok was decked out in holiday decorations, and most of the hostess girls on Khao San had xmas spirit as well. Their costumes (above) would probably not be good for shogakko christmas lessons, though, so I resisted the urge to get one for myself. Several of us met up to shop for school supply gifts for the kids, and then dinner afterwards. We went to a crazy market packed with people and clothing, and city-induced claustrophobia kicked in hardcore.

Out on Khao San with part of the gang: One-track Elisabeth, Caspian Spice Dan, International Man of Mystery Eric, Dynamite Leader Richard, Chris Kringle, Richard "Left-eye" Shelley.

We left from Bangkok on Christmas eve day and headed out in minibuses to the town. After 8 hours and a long roadside lunch stop that consisted of our drivers ordering for us and the waitress bringing us completely different food at her leisure, we arrived in Sangkhlaburi town, briefly saw the kids, and moved into our guesthouses. Let's call them "rustic": 2 cabins with mostly-reliable electricity, sink/shower drains that ran through the floor and straight into the ground below, and a collection of geckos, frogs, cockroaches, and rodent friends.

We went back to the Baan Unrak orphanage on Christmas morning to play with the kids and plan an xmas extravaganza. We painted a banner, decorated, made pinatas, planned games, arranged a skit, and soaked in the overwhelming kawaii atmosphere. In the afternoon, dozens of little kids from another orphanage and loads of young village children descended for a huge 2-hour games session that left all of us exhausted. This is nothing like Japan, because kids won't line up and do whatever you tell them to. They have so much personality and individual agenda, which is wonderful, but can make arranging activities for 200 of them to be mind-boggling.

Didi (on the right in orange) and a teacher explaining games to the kids.

Feliz navidad! Pinata time!

Reindeer games.

Eric and Emma helping the kids make a banner.

Clay playing parachute.

Some of the village children were in much worse physical condition than the Baan Unrak orphans-- clearly visible lice infestions, open sores, tattered clothing, and so forth. Chris picked up a child only to have her poop on his arm-- being around these kids makes you think more about basic physical health... and constant hand washing. During the pinata game, many of the mothers were just as quick as the kids to jump into the fray to get treats.

After dinner everyone came down to a stone amphitheatre, and we began with meditation with candles. I was shocked that no children went up in flame, since even 2-year-olds were toddling around with lit candles, but these kids are hearty. (And hopefully flame-retardant.)

There were several plays and songs from church and school groups, and a fantastic yoga show by Baan Unrak kids. We acted out "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (I was Blitzen), with Dan "Caspian Spice" as Saint Nick. It continued to get later and later, but the acts kept coming, including several electric guitar and song routines by the older kids, and a mellow Creedence Clearwater Revival medley. Most of us had one or two sleeping children on our laps by the time Santa Claus came on to sing and pass out presents. Richard noticed that the Thai Santa man sang this song: "You better watch out, you better watch out, you better watch out, you better watch out." How very ominous. It made me think of the card I found in Japan for my family, with a winking Santa wearing boxing-glove-esque mittens and exclaiming "Santa comes for YOU!" Hello, Christmas nightmares. (You better watch out.)

A little Burmese girl by the nativity scene.

Sandal-clad Santa's on the right, singing unwittingly ominous songs.

It really was a lovely day, and I didn't even think much about not being with family. Not that I didn't miss them, but we were much too busy, and you feel selfish missing your parents when these kids have no one else in the world. The thing that hit me the hardest was thinking that many of the children aren't orphans at all, but have been abandoned. It's a very poor area, and no one will hire a woman with children. So if the father dies, leaves or beats his wife, there really aren't many options for a mother who is alone. If she is a refugee from Burma, she also would not have any family to turn to. I wonder what is more difficult for the children-- knowing their mother is dead, or knowing that they were left behind.

posted by Raychaa @ 2:36 PM

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