16 Feb 2006
If someone asks me where we can see the most beautiful stars? I will answer immediately « OmPai » OmPai is the school where located at Mae Sariang district province of Mae Hong Son in the north of my beautiful country Thailand (Behide a lot of mountains). I don’t know how many kilometres from BKK to Mae Sariang. I took the bus from BKK to Mae Sariang; it’s all night 12 hrs. After that we rent the motor cycle, we drove about 46 kilometres on the highway and 34 on the small road to OmPai. Myriam used to be volunteer there for one year. Before we reached to the school she stopped the motor cycle and pointed to the village and the school where we can see just a small light; she told us that her first time here, the old volunteer who was previous, pointed there and told her that she will be there for one year.
OmPai is the village of Karen (Lawa) there are 300 students; some stay at the dome and some go home every day. There is no electricity. It’s far from the town. There are just only children and Thai teacher. In the winter; it’s very cool! At night you will sleep underneath the sky; it will cover you which all the stars!
She was the teacher here; taught French and took care the children (We’ve been giving the scholarships for the children here) for me she had the big heart of volunteer. Our association called the volunteer that “bambou” (which mean Bamboo) I think, if you are bamboo; you need to be very patient and strong as bamboo. That’s the meaning!
Sometimes I’ve been to work with them out of BKK.I found that It does not to easy to talk with the people who speak in different language, try to understand what the people want because we want to help them and face of the weather as the Asiatic. The food is not like bread, too much taste; too sweet, too spicy, too sour, too salty ect. This is a part of their work.
For Myraim when the first time i saw her. We used international language to communicate. (She is France, I’m Thai) but now, she speaks Thai fluent. After one year at Ompai…I thought, she learns many things from there, especially our tradition! She is the one who eat spicy Thai food! She asked me; how I found OmPai? (j’aime bien! Mais……) I like it but…
I have small heart more than her I prefer to stay in BKK, C’est mieux!
PS. Now Myriam decided to stay one more year in Thailand, to take care of the project (travelling a lot in Southeast of Asia)
Next trip is in the south of Thailand!
