Thai Project

[jdirgo]

You're amazing, Pam! You're guaranteeing yourself a higher spot in Heaven than I will ever hope to see!

You know I kid you, Pam. You have such a big heart (and even better, the motivation and drive to make the dreams of your heart happen).

That's our Pam -- saving the world, one family at a time. I'm proud to call you a friend.

John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Aloha Coast Realty, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.alohacoastrealty.com

[pslamont]

Wendy ... got it in Paypal. You are the BOMB!!!

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

I held a small "dinner party" last night on the cement floor of my little cabin. In attendance were the extended Dong family, the contractor I have found, an English teacher from the highschool as interpreter and a whole bunch of children that came to "taste the farang (foreigner) food". Turns out they love penne pasta with red sauce!

With the interpreter, we marched over to the house project and measured and paced and talked. Here is the result, confirmed over dinner:

The contractor will reeive 300 bhat a day for his work (that is about $9). Eight men from the community have already come forward to work as helpers/laborers for free to help with our project. Contractor estimates 5 to 7 days to completion!

Turns out that since I brought all this up, many have been gathering "extra" supplies to donate. We have floor joists, posts, roofing materials and a little other stuff.

We will buy for $300 the teak for the actual floor (teak is the only building wood available here). We are getting a price on a synthetic composite product for the walls. The English teacher/interpreter has an extra job at the school; she is in charge of inventory of all supplies and materials, and they just built a dormatory of this material. It is half the price of wood, easy to work with according to the builder and available within about a week. Teacher will send home specifics tonight on supplier and exact price. If he does not give us the same price she thinks she can order it for us through the school. I met the director there yesterday and he told her he approved of her cooperating with the "educated falang". LOL

So we will have a wall price by tomorrow. We buy cement but people are gathering sand and stone by the bucket and dumping it at the site so that will be cheap. Then we need maybe 50 or so hollow tiles for the base and then walls for the kitchen. One man goes to Chiang Mai a couple times a month in his truck (one of 4 in the village) and has offered to haul back any supplies. They are much cheaper there. If we have any money left over we will be putting up interior walls and kitchen counters and a set of shelves. Windws here are about 3 to 5 dollars each (shudder style) and I am sure there will be hardware costs for hinges. Still it is simple and doable with our budget. I got another $200 donation today. I will tell you of the whole budget and income when I get it all written down but this lets you know where we are.

WE will wait buying the animals Nate is providing until the structure is built and then build pens, etc, for them. This keeps the house prject from raiding any wood or supplies from the sustainable project.

I am guessing around $1200 for the whole house. It is very doable. We must remember that this is NOt 1968 and world economy for fuel and nails and saws and such do apply.

Dad not only agreed to the terms of working for us for 2 days a week for one year to "earn" his house, he asked if one year was enough. It seemed very small to him. We don't know how long it will last but so far, for three days he is on board. Do NOT get frustrated when he falls back to the bottle, becuase most likely he will. Sobriety does not come easily.

I have further told the family that I am returning in July (to complete my dental project... I want teeth!!). They understand that IF Dad does the work he has agreed to do, if they develop all the rest of the garden for veggies, if they care for the animals properly, then I will also put running water into the kitchen and electricity into the house. They currently have a single line and two fluorescent lights, one of which actually works. This is run from "my" cabin and paid for by Anton, the British man who's houses I am using here in the village and in Chiang Mai. We will set up their own breaker box and wire every room, etc... I priced out materials and it will cost about $100. Amazing what is so unavailable here and what is so very cheap.

Okay that is the update. I will keep you posted.

Mahalo, Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

As I have no refrigerator, I cook most everything I buy daily. I got a bag of these round rubber things that pass for meat... whew! I cooked for everyone that wanted something. Okay, really I cooked for the family but word traveled to neighbors and a few single men fast and it was all shared with lots of rice and smiles. I think some of these men will be back to build.

By the way, when I brought the meat over to the house dad was just coming back, hauling a big log that had been cut at both ends and stripped of all branches and bark. Apparently her has been busy. After eating, he smiled, said "work" and headed back out. Mom indicated he would be getting another pole. I don't know how long this can last but wow!!

The interpreter explained to everyone that not all farangs have lots of money, and that you are all sending little bits to help. They seem to like the idea. By the way, we have $650 toward the new house so far without my own money (yeah, there is some of that going in too but you guys gotta br PROUD).

Tonight the interpreter is coming back, having arranged an appointment with the builder at my place at 5 to give him prices on the syntetic material for siding. Will know more tomorrow.

Mom has been busy all morning, doing laundry, watring the garden an digging eight holes for I know not what.... Another hour and the heat of the day will hit and everyone heads for shade, but I can see the effects f the imprved protein and fresh veggies in the diet; energy has increased and she just LOOKS better.

Nate, we have pigs. We got permission from Anton to house them at his place (across the street from the Dong place) where she grows most of her gardens. It is twice the size lot. I have watched her develop half of it in gardens since my first arrival. I don't have an accounting yet but I bught seeds, fertilizer, a couple of garden watering thingis (she seems happy to dig everything with a hoe) and we will get pig food in Chiang Mai.

Will keep you all posted.

Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Nate SC]

Pam it sounds great. I need to apologize to you. I re-read my post and it reads like I'm "going off" on you. I guess I was, in a passive aggressive way. I was sorta venting my frustration with "relief/aid" work in general, thinking "ah damn, here we go again". When I was in Africa doing "aid work", that was my biggest "button pusher". I would be amazed at the logistics and delivery of 50 tons of wheat flour but when the food is gone all we have left is a bunch of college kids in khakis with good intentions but we are right back to square one. We could air lift tons & tons of food and trucks but we had a hard time getting equipment to dig a well which would have made a much bigger impact. I do think things can be changed but it takes work to change them not just "band-aid' fixes. I saw your initial effort as a "band-aid" and not the "cure" but I'm glad it's branching out into the "cure". My dream is for the whole village to benefit from your efforts one day. I want them to share the "gifts" so everyone can "come up" the ladder, with hard work in time. I know how things work in that part of Asia and I know you have to use your best asset to survive. In my mind, I was thinking if I could just help one young girl not have to go to "town' and work at a "bar" either shaking or selling her ass to a pedophile with dollars, it was a good thing. If I could help one family not have to deal with a daughter who has aids from selling her body to feed the family and now dies a slow painfull death, I was in.
On a lighter note, whats the deal with the teeth? are you getting your chompers done in all gold with ruby's and saphires ?j/k
seriously though, keep up the good work, keep smiling and making a difference in peoples lives...even though it goes against Star Fleets first general order. Now if only Captain Kirk would fix me up with that cute little honey with the blue skin and green afro, I'd be set for life !!!
Remember, I am the "Original Cabana boy" and our aim is to please you !

Smoochies !!!!!

P.S. hows the pad thai noodles ?? over rated ??

[pslamont]

Nate, no apoligies needed. You are actually very right.

As for the "prime directive"... I am not providing anything that most families in this group of villages doesn't already have.

Today I bought five bags of rice husks, what is used to feed the pigs. Tht should last just maybe around a month. It cost $400 bhat. Thats about 12 dollars and that is not bad.

Dad is home today watching the little children. Mom is at the Thai equivalent of a wake, cooking and washing dishes to make a little money. Dad is also sawing on a log, but he ran over to help me unload the pig food. The older son, NaTii, went with me to the rice mill to buy the pigfood. They are out of school this week, some scouts thing. Each age group goes camping for 3 days. He just got back, 12 year old brothre is out now and 16 year old girl is next. They love it.

Nate, I really do respect your vision of third world aid. You and I together have gotten on a good track.

On Sunday I return to Chiang Mai. We will be buying more seeds, some implements (dad wanted an axe!!) and such. It is all coming together. I am even seeing a difference in the relationship between dad and the children. Now that he is around and working that they can see, when I ask something like "Where should we stor the pigfood?" they run to dad and ask him. Its good all around.

Okay, well, I continue enthused. I leave Sunday to have stitchs out. And, NO Nate, not jewels but Titanium. Because of the scans and treatment for my brain tumors, I need only Titanium and no other metal, so these are titanium implants into the bone of my jaw that teeth will be mounted on later.

Okay, all... again thank you for your support. Little checks are rolling in and every $20 makes a difference!! Mahalo,

Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[mella l]

Well our check is in the mail! Geesh, Gene's dream of a bass boat a with a beer locker and GPS evaporates as I type and sign the check![:o)]

My hope is always that by educating a woman you educate her children.

Aloha,

mella l

Sorry edited poor analogy, to avoid those elephantine feet!

[pslamont]

Okay, pull up your beer or your coffee and get a comfy chair... I have been in COMMUNICATION HELL for 24 hours. Good Laughs ahead.

Last night I found out Bob's mom passed away. Now you have to understand that some people have a love/hate relationship. We had a hate/hate relationship. That woman has been terrorizing me since I was about 11. However, I have always encouraged Bob to have a good relationship with her and be a good son. It took me over an hour to fnd someone in the village with a pre-paid phone so I could phone Bob. He is sad but doing okay and flew to San Diego this morning.

It took me another hour to explain to everyone around me what was happening and why my telephone call was so sad. Theo and Ang are in the city while I am in the village, so I am depending on my little Thai-English dictionary, some bad pronunciation and a lot of patience.

As Lek, the girl who stays at the little cabin with me, had to do an errand for or with Grandma, I sat alone. Not feeling like cooking, I was having a cup of tea when "Mom" came over, took me by the hand and dragged me to the falling down bamboo house. I climbed up the 4 feet and onto the bamboo floor, frightened that I was going to fall through any minute and either break my neck or rearrange my new dental work. Fortunately, I found some stronger cross bracings and walked and sat carefully. With much ceremony a woven rug was brought out and placed on the center of the floor, small bowls brought with a little rice in each one and ceremoniously I was offered the privilege to spoon the first of the main dish onto my plate.

Oh, God..... something white with legs. Couldn't do it. My face blanched. The older son said "arroy" which means delicious. I finally motioned with my hands No... and got out my dictionary. With poor diction I said "no bugs, no worms... sorry". I guess the look on my face told it all.

It is fortunate for me that laughter both with and at someone is a cornerstone of Thai sociability and we laughed at me a lot. I nibbled peantus. When Lek got back I guess her Mom told her because she returned laughing and with some kind of noodle thing she brought over from Aunties.

Only then did I find out it was Saturday, not Friday and I was leaving at 6 AM for Chiang Mai. I packed in a hurry, took an ice cold shower/bath at a spigot and headed for bed.

Up in the morning I couldn't find my watch. My ride was waiting for me while I brushed my teeth and scampered around. With the dictionary we tried to talk, again laughing a lot. Apparently they heard about dinner too. It turns out they were Ant Larvae... as if that makes it better!! Ewwww.....

On the way to Chiang Mai I wanted to stop for something to eat. No problem. I pointed to some roast pork (they don't eat a different menu for breakfast here). I get a bowl of white rice with three little forkfulls of pork on it. Nope, I need protein in the morning or I am sick all day. I explained I didn't want all that white rice. Back went my plate and out came a giant plate of Fried Rice. UGH.... After 20 minutes, my drving hosts ate all the rice and I managed to get some pieces of cold meat. Great way to start the day....

After a 4 hour drive to Chiang Mai we began to shop for the things on our Project Family's list of farm needs. We went round and round. I didn't know it could be so hard to explain that I wanted bulk seeds, not little packets. After three little stores along the road we wound up at some Chemical Company, and believe it or not, they had what we were looking for. Go figure. That after being sent for seedlings, starter pots and some place I never did figure out why we were there.

On into Chiang Mai, I needed to buy wood for making counters in the cabin where I am staying. The kitchen consists of one falling down cart. I bought a gas burning single burner stove and am building the counters as a thank you to my host who has been housing me for most of the two month trip. Anyway, I tried to buy one solid piece of wood for a workstation counter. I drew. I explained. Then I cried! After about two hours, several lumber lots and lots of driving we found a woman at a furniture store that spoke some English. She s the only one who understood I didn't want furniture and didn't want 2x4's.... but a wood slab. She sent us to a store that is closed. Next place said they could order a sheet of wood for me. No no no..... As I was ready to give up and build the darned thing withhand sawn construction lumber, I dragged my driving hosts to Global (them nearly kicking and screaming), kind of like a high end Home Depot and FINALLY showed them a sheet of wood. Took a 'Farang" (Thai Haolie) to show him the store. Lived here all his life and never went in. Needless to say, we spent hours there buying most everything on the shopping list like heads for an Axe, hoes, etc... They were astounderd when I showed them pre-made stuff and sinks and such... wow. Culture shock for them.

Okay so then we get to the house I am staying in at Chiang Mai. Of course, they have burried my personal belongings in the back of the truck under the lumber and tools. After half an hour of rearranging we sit at the table (this is now a big two story house wtih FURNITURE) and I get out the dictionary. I have drawn a total diagram of the kitchen counters and already talked to the builder, but had to explain the changes since I bought different wood. Oh, god.....

I think we finally got it. it is now four in the afternoon and the driver and his wife stll have a four hour drive back to the village. I return Thursday. I am so curious as to what will actually happen while I am gone..... Wish me luck!

Stitches out Tuesday, Wednesday to rest up and on a mini-bus back to the Village on Thursday at 5 aM IF I got it right. Who knows.... it's all part of the adventure.

Pam


Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Greta]

I thought Theo had a wife and small child on the Big Island?? Am I thinking of a different Theo?

[pslamont]

Greta,
After 15 years of marriage, Theo and his wife called it quits last year. She simply did not want the same things in life he did and that they set out for (sustainable living in Hawaii and world travel). She and their 5 year old son have relocated to Reno. They maintain a good relationship and communication. She hated teaching high school here. She is now teaching in a community college, has returned to university and seems to be doing really well. Same Theo... could there be more than one??? LOL.. Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!