"Sir, I really want to study..."

This weekend was exciting, relaxing and fun all at the same time.  We got into Chiang Mai around 2 on Friday although we had a little trouble while getting there.  We got dropped off at Kad Luong (which means big market which is exactly what it is) and were looking at a few shops before we got on another truck to go deeper into the city.  I bought a shirt for 35 Bhat which is about $1.10, great price.  Once we were finished we found a red truck and were off.  The ride was only about ten minutes but right as we were pulling up to the hotel Kristin couldn't find her wallet.  We searched the truck before getting off and then her backpack but came up empty.  We decided to go back to the market to see if it was in the shop.  The entire ride back I am thinking there is no way it will be there but Kristin was decided, it would be there.  She didn't even look worried.  It had everything in it, money, credit cards, license, even her beloved library card.  When we got to the shop it wasn't there and we were about to leave when the shop owner called to us, holding up the wallet.  Kristin looked in the wallet and everything was there.  That shop owner could have had all that money in it but she was honest and so kind.  I love these people.  So besides that, Friday was pretty normal.  We hung out in the hotel for a few hours enjoying the air-conditioning, watching Alias and drawing.  We met Spencer for dinner at our favorite restaurant and then went to the mall to see Man of Steel with some of the other interns.

Saturday morning Kristin and I went to the zoo.  It was pretty cool, I got to feed an elephant which was awesome.  They are so much bigger than you would think they are.  In a few weekends we are going to be riding them and it makes me kinda nervous but it will be an adventure so bring it on.  We went to the mall again Saturday afternoon for lunch with Cody and Chloe.  We stopped at a music shop and I got my hands on a Ukulele.  I missed playing it so much.  I tuned it by ear (I still got it haha.) and played a few songs.  The workers in the store were looking at me weird but I didn't care.  For lunch I had mango sticky rice, which is my absolute favorite thing here in Thailand (though Pad Thai is a close second).  Mango sticky rice is just that mangoes, sticky rice and this coconut milk on top, so good.  After lunch we went indoor rock climbing.  I am hooked guys, that was the second time in one week that I have gone.  I even have a blister!  It is only about 5 bucks all together to climb which is so cheap.

Sunday we went to church and then came back to the shelter a little early.  Though Kristin and I have a problem when it comes to traveling this route: we always do something wrong.  So apparently there are two kinds of yellow trucks and the go in different directions.  Yeah you guessed it we got on the wrong one.  But Kristin and I are smart, after about 15 minutes we knew we were going the wrong way, so we got off and went back the the market.  Once we got on the right one things went better all the way until we got to our village.  The yellow trucks drop us off at the police station which is just off the highway.  From the highway the shelter is about 3 KM (about 1.8 miles) which is a long walk in this heat while carrying 40 pound backpacks.  Chey or someone from the shelter usually picks us up at the police station but no one was answering their phones so we started walking.  We walked about 5 minutes when I decided to be daring.  I flagged down a truck.  There was this nice family in it and they took us deeper into the city.  It was so excited and now I can officially say that I hitch-hiked all by myself.  We walked some more and then Chey called us so they came to pick us up.  It was a cool adventure though.

Thursday will be my halfway point.  It will have been 6 weeks.  Crazy.  It makes me happy and sad and grateful that I still have a lot of time.  These kids will never stop amazing me and I am not ready to say goodbye. Though I don't think I will ever be.  Here are a few things that I want to share about them.

• Yesterday when we got home Li-Bee, Me-Kin, and Bee-Mi all came running up to me and hugged me in this big group hug.  I could have stayed there forever. 
• Before dinner I taught the kids what Wedgies, Wet Willies and Credit Cards were.  Not that I did any to them but it was funny because Philipp and I would chase the kids around the kitchen asking them if they wanted a Wedgie.  They would just scream no! We would try to give them one but they would always escape.  It was so fun until Philipp and Ca-phil came for me! I had to fight them off but they were close.
• Gam had to write an introduction about herself for the camp in Friday.  Laoni and Philipp helped her write it but then Kristin and I helped her memorize it.  She is so smart, literally she memorized a whole page which is not in her native language in about 10 minutes.  This got me thinking.  I feel like a lot of the time people get this idea in their mind that if someone is poor or does not have the best life it means that they are stupid.  And I don't think that we think that on purpose but it definitely happens.
• I want to tell you about Satin.  He is from Burma and had to leave because he was going to be drafted into the army.  He had to leave his life, his country, his language and his family behind so that he could be protected.  Yet he is the happiest kid that I know.  His English is incredible and he is learning German right now too.  I have talked about Satin before in earlier posts.  He is the kid that wants to be a tour guide because that is all he knows how to be.  Anyways I heard a story about him today that made me happy.  Apparently when he got here last year he had to have an interview with the principal in order to go to the school in the village.  Because of Satin's age (14) the principle told him it would probably be better for him to not go to school and to try to find a job but Satin wouldn't have it that way.  He looked the principal in the eyes and said, "Sir, I really want to study..."  So he is in school, in second grade.  He is incredible and is going to do great things for this world.
• Today Chey, Kristin and I were having a meeting and Chey turned to us and asked, "what kind of man do you think I am?"  Kristin and I looked at each other, confused by the question.  He then proceeds to tell us that he is gay.  We had no idea but now that I know I can kinda see it.  It was just so random it took me off guard.  But that's cool.

Last thing, Sunday this guy in the ward, his name is Brother Wiwat was talking to us.  He works at a university here in Chiang Mai and writes articles in the Thailand magazine.  This magazine is as big in Thailand as the Times is in the United States and he wants to write an article about Kristin and I and the Shelter!  He wants to put it on the cover of the magazine! It is so exciting :)