Bamboo huts, buzzing mosquitos, green all around, and more white rice than you can imagine…sounds like jungle living!
For the last week I have been snuggly tucked in the Burmese jungle. Amy and I went to teach English to university-aged students at a small bamboo school. We taught from 9-3 every day and had a fun time breaking things up with songs and dances. In fact, we started out teaching the students how to sing "Wavin' flag" by K'naan (an awesome song made for the World Cup and loved in many countries I've visited). The students loved the song so much (we would hear them singing it as the walked to meals, the shower, to their huts, you name it..) that I decided to choreograph an entire dance to it and teach them throughout the week. It's always nice to get up and move after an hour of grammar 🙂 At the end of the week, dressed in their traditional clothing, the students did a performance. (hopefully I'll be able to post the video soon) During our time off we had a fun time hiking throughout the jungle and stumbling upon beautiful waterfalls. I downloaded a bunch of easy English games on my ipad as well and the kids loved coming to our hut to play. They have now officially been introduced to Boggle, Hangman, and Dictionary.
It was so awesome to spend time getting to know the students and to really feel used out there. The students soaked up their classes and worked so hard to make the most of our short time there. I can't wait to go back again and hopefully stay for longer next time! The school has had a hard time finding teachers and the students are anxious to continue their studies. These students have a huge opportunity to shape their nation at this pivotal point in history. So many changes have been coming to Burma and we all look to the future with Hope in uncertainty.
(some of our Karen students trying to look GQ)
As missions and volunteer work usually goes, when you desire to bless people, you're usually the one in the mix that feels the most blessed of all. It is crazy how refreshing it can be to get out of the city and immerse yourself in quiet living. No sounds of vehicles, no planes overhead, no bustling markets… Just the soothing sound of a babbling brook and some chickens scratching around.
In the evening, after dinner, the students would go back for more class (not in English). Amy, and I would sit in our hut in the stillness and pass the hours slowly…We'd study Thai for an hour or so, listen to a podcast, read a book, read our bibles, study Thai flashcards again, send some emails (thanks to our lovely generator- internet in the jungle?? crazy right??) Its funny though because it seemed like we would completely run out of things to do every night before the generator even turned off or the students came back from class. Still…there was luxury in the stillness.
