by Pattarapong Choopanya
We started our day with breakfast provided by our resort, simple but delicious… Khao-tom-moo-sub (Rice soup with pork mince) or Khao-pad-koon-chiang (Thai fried rice with Chinese pork sausage) and ice-cream…Miss Hiromoto wanted to take the students back to Mae-khong river bank once again to show the students that this is the docking area where Laos immigrants legally cross Mae-khong river, the Thai Immigration Police Office is also located here.We stopped by at a local flea market (every Monday) before going to Khemmarat Hospital where the group would learn about Thailand’s health care system… At the market, I remembered Nanae-san and Masako-san were trying to bargain their dresses, I could only drive the price down to 185 from 195 Baht each, sorry girls Y^Y… I’m not good at bargaining…
At Khemmarat Hospital, we met a energetic and talented young man, Bobby, he is also a chemist at Khemmarat Hospital. He was there to help HSF and the Study Tour during a visit. We were lucky to meet some training nursing students from nursing college here, they attended the meeting to facilitate and guide our group during the visit at the hospital. It was a really good shot to see two groups of people who speak different languages trying to communicate and exchange their interest, which is nursing and health care, via English, Thai, Japanese, or even hand-language… KAWAIIIIIIII
After a long long long introduction (>.<) to Khemmarat Hospital and Thai health care system… The group then met with the locals who are health volunteers and played a few games to tighten the relationship among students, HSF staff, the locals, and Khemmarat Hospital staff… It was really good fun, check out the photos…
Then it’s time for a hospital tour, 4 different groups were to visit all departments in the hospital with the help of the hospital personnel and training nursing students that accompany each group… It was a very good opportunity for me to be your tour guide, even though it was difficult at first due to my strange English accent (???) and a lot of technical terms. I am not a physician darling, sorry >.<
I believe, you guys more or less understood me and Thailand health care system more… 🙂
We then moved to Pak-sang village where we would stay there for 3 nights. The villagers surprised us with an impressive welcome ceremony at the village hall. The students and sensei’s received flowers as a gift… very very touching…
After introducing the Study Tour group to the villagers, Mitsue-san then announced to the students regarding the house they would be staying during the next few days… The group were divided into groups of 3 and assigned to stay in different 6 houses in Pak-sang village… Of course each group was accompanied by 2-3 HSF staff.
Before parting, the students gathered to rehearse their traditional dance which was to be performed on a Culture Night in the next few days… Thx God, the weather was really on our side… chill wind and cloudy… relaxing…
There was no more study in this first evening at Pak-sang village, the students were supposed to stay with their hosts and get to know each other, they were encouraged to help the host cook their first dinner and eat together…
In my house, I stayed with P’ Noi, Meow, Naoko-chan, Yuu-chan, and Haruno-chan… we introduced our girls, for the first time, Thai sticky rice! I think the girls liked it!!!
Had 5 Heinekens before we all went to sleep… It was a wonderful chat with these ladies… we got to know each other more through alcohol hahahahah!
They said they Mee-kwam-sook!!! (Happy)