My Journal - Dec. 1995 to Mar 4, 1996

December 30, 1995

PeDome, PeChans, me, and the kids left for Sukothai (Suwanalok) around 2pm, it was a nice drive, I played with Wan & Mum. It was very cold in Sukothai, we stopped at the market to buy dinner, next door to 7-11, ( I will forever call it “Seven”) So, Wan, Mum & I got Slurpee’s. I also caught a cold.

December 31, 1995

We did nothing all day, but huddle to keep warm. After dinner, we went over to see the “Show”, adults watched takra and basketbon, while the kids rode rides and played games.

January 1, 1996

We got up early and went to the Wat, we bought birds to set free, gave the Monks lots of food and set a bag of eels free in the big river. Then at noon we were off to Uttaradit, to visit PeDome’s sister, Gick, and to go see Queen Sirikit Dam (it still looks the same).  It was chilly driving home in the back of the truck.

January 2, 1996

We returned to Takfa via Uttaradit to drop Gick off, then went to see someone else, who wasn’t home. We had a change of plans coming home, going through Pejit there was a lot of traffic, so we went to visit some old friends of PeChans that used to live in Takfa.

We got home around 7pm, the puppies were skinny, but ok, Mama-san-dog is very ill, she doesn’t seem to have any milk. Susie is doing great, very attentive.

January 4, 1996

Anucha came over and took care of Mama-san-dog and the pups. He is moving to Chang-Rai at the end of this month. This evening we had our Nicome New Years Party, very much fun.

January 5, 1996

I have been working on putting together an English camp for our school, Rong Ram Takfa. I went over there for the addresses of Nakhon Sawan School and Teachers College to send invitations for the English Camp. We also called Ajaan Portip from Utthai, she will come too. Most of the work this week as been about getting the word out and getting money promises. Collected about 8500 baht so far.

January 11, 1996

I went to Bahn Poolert for a Jongwat meeting. The Poobacron and I were shown several of the projects they are working on in this village.

January 12, 1996

Today I wrote the final draft for the Dykeeree School project and then worked at the high school for the English Camp. Around 3pm I went to Takli and met John Winn, an F16 Pilot (F-sip hoke) at the Takli Air Base for a beer. He is really nice, and kind of cute.

January 13, 1996

Today, I hung out at home with Anucha and watched a movie. Later in the afternoon the F16 flew over the Nicome.  I tried to take a picture, boy are they are fast, if we had windows they would have shook.

January 15, 1996

I met up with Karyn in Bangkok, we went shopping and to a movie, we forgot it was Martin Luther King holiday. We stayed at Donna’s and did lots of talking.

January 16, 1996

To the Peace Corps office for a Hepatitis A shot. I picked up condoms to use for a demonstration at the English Camp. Caught the slow bus home.

January 17, 1996

Went over to the school to finish the final parts of the Program and help the students making name tags. I mailed the Dykeeree Report.

Mama-san-dog died during the night, around 2am. Peanut, died the next day.

January 19, 1996

The English Camp at Rong Ram Takfa started at 6pm. I was there all day, doing last-minute preparations. Eric, Karyn, Lisa, Tam and Brice all came to help. The whole thing went incredibly smoothly.

January 22, 1996

Got a check from the British Embassy and took it to the bank in Takli. Went RC today to see Mr. Somroy picked up citronella grass, which I transplanted into bags in the nursery.

January 23, 1996

Today I sent Disney thank you post cards to the English Camp volunteers. Then I met with Chowtareet, learning how to use mail merge on the computer. Maytinee and I created thank-you letters to send to all the support people at the English Camp, and to create a plan for her 5.1 students to write pen-pal letters to Kansas. 

Later PeToy and I went to Nong Sai Village to set up a Nursery Management Training on Feb. 15^th. They want to do an all day session. PeToy  will send a letter to the Poobacron, School and for the fieldtrip, to our Nicome typist.

January 24, 1996

PeDeam is a seamstress in the market, she is making 2 vests and a skirt out of Thai silk for me. I also picked up the pictures from the English Camp.

January 28, 1996

Went to Bangkok for a Christmas Party and some medical stuff, my blood pressure is 95 over 60. While there, Karyn and I went to Spasso’s, and out for Sushi, and to a movie.

January 30, 1996

Went to the Hard Rock Café and talked to Kate.

February 1, 1996

Time for our Close of Service and Final Reports. I got the draft of my termination report done. Bonus, saw an elephant in the market today.

February 5, 1996

We have been waiting for the grant money to come in to buy the lawn mower, ($2500 = 62,500 baht – wow.  I have talked to John Winn everyday this week, I know we are just friends but he is quite handsome. I am cleaning my bahn and trying to give stuff away, but I don’t really have that much. PeDeam has been letting me help her sew, a little.

February 6, 1996

Went to Takli and picked up the lawn mower for Rong Ram Nongruabracharak. It is the Chinese New Years, lots of firecrackers. I met John and the Suzuki dealer for dinner. Great Shrimp. There is a huge celebration in Takli for the birthday of a favorite Buddhist lady in China (Tuptim) or maybe it was New Years?!

February 13, 1996

I saw my first Jackie Chan movie in Thai, I love him.

February 14, 1996

Went to Kasetchai and bought supplies for the Nong Sai nursery training, made hearts for everyone.

February 15, 1996

Received funding from AWC for 5510baht.

Nursery Training, 9am opening; 9:30 Pe Chans; 10:30 lunch; Ajaan Narong after lunch. It went very good, lots of interest and everyone was on time.

February 16, 1996

I wrote the final report for Nong Sai Nursery Project and wrote a thank you to Kuhn Alisa and AWC.

February 18, 1996

I finished cleaning my house and wrote several letters – I think I probably write an average of 5 letters or post cards per day, at least half in Thai.

February 19, 1996

I wrote a thank you letter to my Poobacron with the help of Ajaan Narong. Melanie arrived around 6pm.

February 20, 1996

Today I went to the Nakhon Sawan Nursery with Poo Yai Montri (and five others) and Poo Yai Witichai, from Nong Sai. It is a beautiful nursery. We had a great trip, they asked a lot of questions. We found out the Center will give every farmer 500 trees, and now the village headmen know it and can share the info with other headmen. Melanie and I had a nice dinner

February 21, 1996

Donna called, we will be meeting Kate, Melissa, and Karyn in Bangkok. Melanie taught me how to make nom prick gabe. I finished my list of projects in English and Thai, and edited my “Termination Report”.

February 28, 1996

Finishing all my PC Reports in Bangkok. Then off to Koh Samet with Kate, Donna, Melissa, and Dean until March 3^rd.

March 4, 1996

All done, I went to the Peace Corps office and everything is completed. I am out of here!!