Post Bangkok Thoughts

have just come back from thailand! had a awesome trip.. but i must say that it was surreal as well.. it was rather fleeting, like a movie i'm watching before me. Sometimes it almost feels that i am being "remote controlled".. or perhaps i am just analyzing my life too much.

Still it was soooo exciting to see the Trybe (used to be THumbs Up!) profiles in Thai!!!! and to see the games played in Thai and to hear the student's sharing in Thai!!!

Not only that, i now have MSN contacts in Thai!! and i just disovered that "55+" means "haha+" because the number 5 in thai is pronounced as "ha"... SO COOL rite???

I LOVE cross-cultural experiences!! Sometimes though, i wished i could speak the different kind of languages. If anything, the ONE thing that bugged me was that i wasn't able to communicate effectively with the THai youths because of the language barrier.. i wish i could so i could connect with them and get to know them better.

At the back of my mind i know that i might possibly not see them ever again once we leave them... but that prospect did not hinder the desire to really speak and connect with them.. perhaps somehow i believe that one day i will be able to engage them and perhaps connect them to EN friends in Thailand? Not only that, but also knowing that one right word of hope could possibly change their course of life.

Just reminded me of when i was in JC, when i did sooo terribly for my "A" level Physics. I got an "O"-level pass for my mid-year and in spite of me working really hard after that, i only got an E for my promos at the end of year 1. I remember going up to my Physics teacher then, showing him my grades and telling him that i'd like to drop the subject (since i am quite hopeless in it) and concentrate on the rest of the subjects. Mr Lee Siew Lin looked at the rest of my grades, and the grades of my Physics and he looked up at me and he said "You know what, Ivy, I think you can do it. You just need to take time to understand the subject..."

I don't really remembered that i said anything, but i remembered feeling shocked that my Physics teacher, in spite of the physical evidence of my "incompetency" , thought that i could do it. I think i was rather stunned.. but his words stuck with me and did something inside of me. whatever it was.. all i know is that by the time i sat through the actual "A" levels the next year and got my A level results 1 year and 3month after that conversation, i was shocked and stunned to see that i got an A for my Physics!!!! from an O level pass, to an E and a jump to an A..! It was really a MIRACLE!!! (though i didn't believe in miracles then)

But truly that is the power of words! I am very grateful to Mr Lee, though its been 10 yrs and I am doing nothing with Physics right now and neither have the desire to do so, i will never forget the impact his words and belief in me made and hopefully through Trybe, I can somewhat replicate the positive impact he has made in my life in the lives of the student we meet.

I am reminded also that even if no one believed in me now, i know God does and for the most part of my life since knowing Him, I've seen Him do great and awesome deeds in and through me. Truly, beyond the kind words of a volunteer or teacher, is the assurance and promises of our Creator in our lives that will stand eternally.

It has been a highly reflective week for me.. more reflections to go.. May GOD grant me wisdom as i continue this walk.. i long to feel grounded once again, when i find home. hard to describe.. but i'll know when i do i guess.