Over the last several days we have seen and done so much that some things so easily escape me while others remain steady in my memory. The entire group along with their host families went out to a Naam tok (waterfall) and had the equivalent of a day of beach-going. The water pooled by sandy shores, children and teenagers playing in the water and on the rocks as the parents sat close by under the shade of trees. The day went by quickly and with much enjoyment to go around, especially for those splashing in the water.
The morning before our visit to the waterfall was spent in a famous Wat (temple) whose name translates as the temple of the Buddha’s footprint and the mark of Buddha’s robe; the Wat sits atop a mountain of volcanic stone that shows bare on the temple grounds, and bears the mark of a foot print and robe, the prints are allegedly Buddha’s. We spent an hour meditating with two young monk instructors whom spoke simple directions which resounded in the silence of the room. Either feeling notably refreshed or tired, we left the wat to travel for three hours to an orphanage.
The orphanage, the Dreamweavers for Peace Foundation, was more like a large family on a small working farm. About 15 children aged 2-26 live and work and go to school here. There was a warm feeling among the people living here and we were able to share some games, great food and slaughter a pig (!) in celebration with one another.
As we enter the final days of our homestay, we work hard to splatter the last piles of cement on the building, spend time with our home families and stuff ourselves full of delicious Thai food.
-Sawyer K.
