Growing Blossom Home: Faang

The kids are now on holiday, and so we have a busy few weeks ahead of us. Blossom Home is currently in a phase of expansion, where we are looking to bring in more kids within the next two months. So yesterday we went to Faang, which is roughly far enough north of Chiang Mai for me to get hideously car sick.

As my complexion turned to a shade of muddy green, we pulled over into a market to go to the toilet. It was like I was in Tak again, suddenly, as I stepped out of the truck, everybody’s ears pricked up as they looked over and… behold! A FARANG! (Farang is the Thai word for a white person, but as some might point out, is often lazily used for anyone who isn’t Thai or tribal.)

After that comfortable (ahem) few minutes of constantly looking around to make sure that no one was spying on my in the toilet, we got in the truck and kept going, finally in an Akha village, home of one of the girls of Blossom Home. Unfortunately there aren’t many pictures to share, as my camera was taken from my by one of the kids, resulting in an endless supply of extremely overexposed shots of nothing in particular.

Visiting villages is always something of an oddity with me, as it feels like I’m visiting a zoo as the animal. Suddenly the house that I stay at is owned by the most popular people in the village, as everyone gathers around to talk while looking at me out of the corners of their eyes. My walking style also needs to be improved for when I visit villages, as my strut, as I call it, makes mud flip up and cover the back of my legs.

We met the girl we came for and talked with her. Her name is ‘Jumpy’ (which is actually the name of a flower), and she is 9 years old. Without giving it all away, when she was younger she sold flowers on the streets of Chiang Mai, and her parents divorced. When we went her Father wasn’t there, but we spoke to her Uncle. Everyone encouraged her to come with us, including her father (through the miracle of telephone), but a string of excuses came. “Oh, I don’t want to come because I can’t watch TV at Blossom Home.” “Oh, I don’t want to come because I don’t want to wash my own clothes.” Etc. Really though, it was a big change she was looking at, and we was scared. She is quite a bit behind at school (at a point where I’m actually capable of teaching her some things… imagine that!) which only adds to the stress of it.

We were hopeful though, and went to bed for the night. A night I shan’t soon forget. Cold, cramped, and having a quilt barely big enough to be used as a towel.

The following morning I awoke early to the crowing of roosters, wished to have fried chicken for breakfast, and fell back to sleep. About an hour later we all got up with Jumping waiting for us. We went to her house where Sangwan put together a short video to send the sponsors detailing Jumping’s living standards. I got a starring role in it, and just like the premadonna that I am, needed 3 takes. I even put on that voice, the same one the “for a dollar a day” lady uses.

In the end Jumping decided to come with us, but only on a temporary basis for the moment. If she still doesn’t want to stay we will make the long journey back, and take her home. Here’s hoping though.

~ by Mono on October 8, 2009.