HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE

I didn't know- why I entitled my blog today - Here, There and Everywhere. Maybe its because it's one of my fave songs popularized by the famous band of all time, the Beatles.

September 1-5 :
First week of September wasn't a good opening of the month for me. I was in the recuperating period. I got sick, had eaten an unwanted food that caused diarrhea. Being sick away from my family and my country was a tortured if I am going to imagine it. Thanks heaven it only lasted 5 days but the diarrhea lasted a week. I quickly lose weight & physically weak at that. Now, I am in full gear again.
September 11:
The second Saturday of the month was a blessing. I was invited by some common friends in Saraburi-northern part of Bangkok to join their Sabbath visitaion at the orphanage. We offered songs, Bible story, shirts to wear on and the church promised a mini soon library for the girls. After the service done, the entire group went to the park at the biggest water dam in Thailand. for nature communing till sundown.
September 18:
The English Club in our school headed by our department chair held a trip for the students who are English club members. We visited Siam museum in Bangkok to fill up the cultural knowings of the young studes. The museum preserves some of the artifacts of Thailand. In the museum itself you'll learn the origin of Thailand, their culture, religion and their ancestors strange worshiping to frogs during the old times.In there you'll see how the country evolves from such a poor country to Agricultural and embracing the fast chancing time technologically to the most top tourist destination in Asia. From Siam museum, we headed to JJ market or known to be Chatuchak market. We tried to huddle the crowd and bargaining. Chatuchak market is a famous weekend market in Thailand. Both locals & foreigners enjoying the not-so-cheap clothing to shoes, books and other souvenirs. The weather then didn't agreed to our fun trip, instead poured its strongest rain that made us wet & stopped our shopping. Part of the English trip was to acquaint the students about the things & what people do in the airport. We let the students to enjoy & feast their eyes watching the foreigners going here & forth. As the trip was a bit tiring because its more on route for walking, the Thai English teachers expressed their desire for food, our head teachers drove us to the hottest restos in Bangkok which the place was really good with English songs sang by local band(at last, I heard English songs). The food wasn't that sumptuous & palatable not mentioning the grandeur of the place. Our head teacher ordered the common ones and too bad for us SDA christians who don't eat pork which the food was more on porky served.














I've got two weeks more to stay in the school and most probably in Thailand. I am honestly enveloped with excitement readily venturing to another country. New challenges, environment, culture and everything to face. But what makes it more exciting is that I am gonna work as a missionary teacher. Can't proclaim it right now because it needs a lot of kneeling and hoping it'll materialized soon.
Sorry for the blog delayed..sometimes stress loses my appetite to write something down for my blog or think something what to write.

A YEAR WORTH OF DISTANCE

I may be scribbling this entry in advance prior to my end of contract this October but the chance of writing it while it's still warm and freshly intact in mind might be too late or gone to forgetting. It's my 11 months now here in Thailand and as if a year already. Didn't expect that I could survive for that long, knowing that I didn't ask God to send me here in Siam country. I can still clearly remember how reluctant I was to leave the Philippines to teach in Thailand. Loneliness, frustrations visibly painted on my face on that day which you couldn't really see any excitement in me though working abroad is really a dream. When I finally arrived here in Thailand, the more homesickness and directed down I felt that day. Sighing and deep audible breath of weariness was the only gesture of expression I could possibly utter, to say the least. First, two months were filled with begging to the Lord if He could possibly send me back to the Philippines that He may perform unusual miracles that may cause any rejections and disapproval of my visa and everything. Because He planned everything according to His gracious will, things went well, and let me stay. For my 10 and almost 11 teachings in Thailand aren't easy. Some part of it is enjoying & challenging, some are roller coaster rides. Of course, gaining new friends is another tool to consider why I still survive the roller coaster ride of homesickness. Traveling to Thailand's tourist sightseers was among the enjoyable adventures I have had. You can safely travel anywhere else without worrying about your safety. No pickpockets, swindlers nor hold-upper. Seeing those amazing temples, historical places, pagodas, and buddhas up close were kind of a perfect experience-sense of fun. My imagination runs wild when I took a week trip to Hongkong so as a one day visit to Macau. It was unexpected travel filled with savoring and joy in my heart that it came to reality. Amidst the simplicity of Thailand, working here is well worth telling. I might have regretted it by now if I didn't accept the challenge of teaching here. I would say, I may never get the chance of seeing Hongkong & Macau. A one year of teaching here in Thailand is a year's worth of distance a sea away from home.

 

BANGKOK WAT PRA KAEW-THE EMERALD BUDDHA

I am posting another photos about my visits to an important place in Bangkok. Visiting Wat Pra Kaew-The Emerald Buddha was an inspiring one so to speak, because I've been to this place but never get the chance of going inside around the compound since foreigners or tourists has to pay for the entrace fee. The fee was truly big for a teacher like me who just receiving a meager salary.
The temple is surrounded with concrete blocks avoiding intruders and enemies to get in during the old times.
Wat Pra Kaew is only adjacent to Wat Pho temple where the reclining buddha is located. Everytime I like to hit Wat Pho for relaxing, I always hoping that I could get inside without paying the entrance fee and see those wonderful temples around Wat Pra Kaew.
For my first attempt, the Tuk-tuk(tricyle in Philippines)that I got on dropped me rightly infront of the gate for Thai visitors or worshippers, but the guard on duty held me in my arms by pointing his finger towards to the main gate where the foreigners and tourists went in. Of course, I went inside and tried to get some photos and without any question I went directly to the entrance going to the temple which another person guarding the entrance asking me to buy a ticket.
To make it short, I attempted to get in to the gate for the second time pretending to be Thai but I was failed and recognized a foreigner.
To good to be true, our school thought of visiting Wat Pra Kaew as part of the educational places that our students should see which majority of them didn't know about the importance of this beautiful temple nor get the opportunity of seeing it personally.
Herewith is a bit description of the temple:

Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (officially known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is regarded as the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand. Located in the historic centre of Bangkok, within the grounds of the Grand Palace, it enshrines Phra Kaew Morakot (the Emerald Buddha), the highly revered Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade. The Emerald Buddha (Phra Putta Maha Mani Ratana Patimakorn) is a Buddha image in the meditating position in the style of the Lanna school of the north, dating from the 15th century AD.
Raised high on a series of platforms, no one is allowed near the Buddha except HM the King. A seasonal cloak, changed three times a year to correspond to the summer, winter, and rainy season covers the statue. A very important ritual, the changing of the robes is performed only by the King to bring good fortune to the country during each season. The temple is beautifully decorated and has a great sense of peace about it

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Standing in front of the Chinese inspired god.



With Thai teachers and our students..



Hallway of Wat Pra Kaew temple.



Another giant Pagoda at Wat Pra Kaew.



The biggest Pagoda at Wat Pra Kaew.



Unminding the heat..just to get a photo shot.



Mini temples at the background.



Holy temple at Wat Pra Kaew.



A temple Under renovation...

DREAM WORLD-THEME PARK BANGKOK THAILAND

August 12 was Queen Sirikit's birthday and so it was holiday paying tribute to the most loved Queen of Thailand. And it happened that it fell on Thursday which was on the midweek so the Government announced Friday as holiday too down to week end.
Just right after my class in the afternoon I headed down to Bangkok to see new friends whom I just met in Bangkok. Pretty excited as I was awaiting for that four days no classes, I finally gave in to my friends invitation to come along with them at Dream World. It's Thailand biggest amusement park or Theme park.
Honestly, I am not much into amusement part or recreational park which I prefer land marks and historical places...well, something more on nostalgic and something that tells about the country per se'.
Since majority of my new friends wanted to spend the holiday at Dream World, and I was hesitant to say yes 'coz I was and I am on strictly saving a little monetarily.
Well, though the weather wasn't that good that time, we still went there and enjoyed the rides that I didn't dream of.
Dream World is a theme park which caters to both young and young at hearts :-) Most of the people who visit this place are students and families.One huge complex with lots of fun rides to try.
However, some of it were a bit scary and really puke you out..but I was enjoying myself specially to that one ride that I hated most..Hurricane.
So, here goes the pictures that we took there....indulge.


The entrance part of the park.


New friends whom I just met in Bangkok.


At the gate of the park.


A solo of myself before we went in.


Just at the heart of the park.


A Disneyland inspired...


Enjoying our picture taking before we splurged on.


Trying to get a bite..was already hungry then.


The rides that I hated most..however, managed to get on and partly enjoying.


Preparing ourselves before we were thrown out and shout at the top of our lungs.


Among the faves of mine..the Vikings..that's where my name was taken.

VOTED THE BEST EMAIL OF THE YEAR

Hi there bloggers world..sorry for the long blog absent. I haven't updated everything down here not even my twitter.
Now, I am back with a full throttle...sounds like a movie from one of my favorite TV shows in the 80's Charlie's Angels.
As you know, I am an internet addict. I was born without it, I took my first College course without any words hearing about this invention, till I joined the missionary back 2001 and that's when the birth of internet to me.
Now, the pictures posted below are the common forwarded photos online through email thread with messages on it.
I received these photos forwarded by a missionary friend way back 2003. Honestly, it moved me and realized the importance of life and its simplicity given by God.
I didn't know that this was voted as Best Email of the Year...no idea when was it voted but as I was roaming around the world online my searching led me to see these photos again in a blog.
That's when I knew that it was voted as the Best Email of the Year....dunno who took the pictures and I didn't know who took the idea of putting them together and forwarded to every person who has an email.
The pictures itselves speak a lot the true essence of happiness and contentment in life so as praising our parents for giving us a good environment and education.
So long as the Supreme Being deserves our praises for a healthy life, food that we eat everyday, friends, and everything.
I shared this thing to my class regardless of their low undertanding in English but somehow the pictures speak for itself.
I maybe late and a late blogger who post them but I am hoping that it may help us to accept what God has given us.




If you think you are unhappy, look at them.



you think you don’t have many friends…


When you feel like giving up, think of this man


If you think you suffer in life, do you suffer as much
as he does?


If you complain about your transport system,how about them?



If your society is unfair to you, how about her?
Enjoy life how it is and as it comes – Things are worse for others and are a lot better for us…


There are many things in your life that will catch your eye but only a few will catch your heart….pursue those…This email needs to circulate forever…:

BANGKOK CITY - TEMPLE OF DAWN

As I always love to visit Bangkok, going to its landmarks is a remarkable and a relief of sort seeing some of the historical structures of Thailand. While majority of the Pinoys working in Thailand loves to visit those artificial and miniature amusement parks around Bangkok or outside of the city,my taste is totally different.
Historical sites of the country really caught my fancy and it is one way of knowing the country more. The last pride of Bangkok that I visited was the Temple of Dawn..it's pretty amazing when I saw the tower across the river of Chao Praya river.
Foreigners from other country who came to visit Thailand for relaxing loves the Temple of Dawn..and so am I too. I didn't mind the heat as I went there eleven o'clock in the morning till three in the afternoon.
What I admire most of this country was, they respect and help the foreigners to give the exact direction when one lost the way.
It happened to me once, and a kind old man as he couldn't speak English


At the foot of the Temple of Dawn.



A stairs up to the tower..


An old stairs going up to the tower.


The tower when you look up high on it.


Overlooking to the area.


Overlooking-facing to the city of Bangkok..rChao Phraya river front.


Such a very high, steep and narrow stairs way up to the peak of the tower.


I met these young novice monks while I was on top of the tower..so I asked them to get some souvenirs with me.



A self taking photo...


another self taking photo..I mean just used the self timer here.



Just standing by down on the foot of the stairs.


Took a shot of this young lad..


up on the last peak of the tower.


One of the Pagodas that you'll see in the Temple of Dawn.


Worship hall of the temple.


While roaming around the compound..I saw this nice window...took it..wasn't it cute?


The biggest tower..


I just like to thank the American couple who took this pic of me.


The facade of the area....


The Temple of Dawn itself.


The boat that I got on with..crossing to the river of Chao Phraya going to the Temple of Dawn.


A well-manicured garden.