Every day when I first get to placement, the kids greet me and say hello with a super cute "Sawat de kaahhhh", palms pressed and head bow, but its usually children shouting and some still running in the back doing what they're doing. Today, I get there, and Poi gestures for me to sit down, which I do, and all the kids greet me and say hello together, and then they go " Christi, I love you!" and they all rush me and suddenly i'm just surrounded with hugs and kisses and giggling children. I was like, " Oh my God, this day is going to be the death of me."
Then we all sat together as Poi read the children books, which included the one about the old woman who swallowed a fly, so I was able to follow along and play with the various kids using my lap as a seat. I noticed again that there were more kids opening up to me today, which just made me sadder inside because in a few hours it was all going to be done.
We took group photos as well, with the staff and the kids, and Poi filmed a short video for me too, which I will post in its own link.
Play time was the typical awesomeness, with me chasing the boys around and making faces with some of the girls and just general insanity. It's funny that I was thinking I connected better with the boys than the girls because Pimsuda told me today that when she spoke with Poi, Poi told her I was really good with the boys lol. It's true. I kind of love them, and I seriously have been trying not to think about the fact that I'll never be seeing these kids again because, ah, it breaks my heart.
Nap time went as usual, except this time I ended up laying between Om and Potey, rubbing their backs for a while before just laying there, listening to the singing and zoning out on the roof. Normally, after the kids have settled down, I sneak out and go eat lunch. This time, I whispered goodbye to a few of the children, rubbing their backs as I left. I can't believe that i'm not going to see them again. It seriously makes me sad.
Once i'm outside, I get called over to the table where Mama Poi has prepared this huge meal as a parting gift for me, as a thank you for helping at the day care. Poi, Lom, Mama Poi and everyone else all sat down to eat and we talked and joked, and I tried amazing home cooked Thai food and just felt so happy and so sad all at once. I gave them the gifts I had purchased last night, which I even said I have no idea if they eat that, but I hope they like it! xD The food was amazing though. They had normal rice, and sticky rice, and Poi grabbed some chicken and put it on my plate, and I was scooping little bits of some other incredible meat/vegetable dishes into my rice. I was all wiggling around and enjoying myself. Poi kept my drink filled with coke, and I just kept looking around thinking again that I wish I wasn't leaving.
Lom and Poi both had presents for me as well. Lom gifted me this bread that she said was her favorite snack. I later found out as I ate it that it was this sweet bread, that was incredibly soft and squishy and wonderful because it was still nice and warm, and inside the bread are raisins? It was glorious, and I have to remember to ask Pimsuda to let her know that it was to die for. Poi then gave me a present, wrapped in this cute elephant wrapping paper with a bow. The shirt turned out to be this cute little white shirt with an elephant printed on it, kind of kiddish style which is appropriate, and a description of why the Elephant is important to Thailand. On the back it says I love Thailand in Thai.
I was laughing and trying not to cry because I was totally going to if I thought about it too much. I super wanted them to sign my shirt as well but I was already about ten minutes late, and I was just about to die from not wanting to leave. I hugged Poi and Lom as I spent the most time with the two of them, bowed a big thank you to everyone else, and had to rush out of there before I started crying and turned into a big snotty mess, and just end up looking like one of the kids.
I want to come back in a few years (or tomorrow) and see these kids and these wonderful women, because I can't help but look at them and just think about what type of people they are going to be when they grow up. I seriously want to come back and visit these people, because everyone here has made me feel right at home, be it the adults helping me figure out what i'm doing, or the kids pulling on my hand to lead me to a special spot on the play ground.
Ah, going to cry.
No comments:
Post a Comment