An Evening of Entertainment: Bangkok Street Show

Come away with me to a place where no mopeds rush by on the sidewalks and the smells of exhaust from a hundred passing buses and taxis fade away. Join us in a place of music and dancing, silly tricks and breathtaking stunts. This is Lumpini Park Bangkok Street Show!

Yesterday, we all hopped on the subway for a mini-adventure. On a regular late-afternoon, Lumpini Park is a green oasis with meandering paths, lush lawns, relaxing waterways, wandering monitor lizards. It's a great place to spend a cool season evening. Upon entering the park, we were met by a costumed troupe with drums. Right at 3:00, they starting drumming, dancing, and singing. The girls got to participate in portraying the story of planting fields of Korea. We continued through the park, stopping briefly to watch an Australian man jumping on a pogo stick pop a balloon with a fork stuck on top of his helmet. Our next stop was a slapstick magic show performed by a man from Florida. Meriel laughed and laughed as he produced more and more red foam balls from his mouth. Eris magically made an egg disappear and reappear from a small sack. In return, she received a little balloon mouse. Philip was intrigued by the flying table.

We met some beautiful, graceful twelve-foot tall ladies in long flowing skirts. Eris said they looked like giant Barbie dolls. Simeon just stared; I had to pick him up to get him out of the way. Then we made our way to the next stop. Philip and the kids enjoyed robot dancing and juggling from Japan while I browsed the Lumpini Public Library. My goal was to find a few beginning reader books for me to practice my Thai. The girls later told me that I missed most of the best show - juggling fire sticks, balancing a ladder on his chin, tricks with a Chinese yo-yo. I returned in time to watch him climb a freestanding ladder, then juggle while balancing at the top.

By this time, everyone was hungry. On the way to the main entrance of the park, a performing group was completely covered in make-up. Philip wondered at their nationality, commenting how difficult it was to tell; he guessed Greek. After looking it up later, I discovered it was an Israeli show called "Stones." A little later we settled on a grassy slope with our khao neow (sticky rice), moo ping (roasted pork on a stick), fried drumsticks, and watermelon. As we ate, me marveled at a Japanese man spinning a teacup around on top of a paper parasol. Later he held a closed fan in his mouth and balanced the teapot on top of that. We were about to walk back through the park to the subway station, when we noticed some aerial acrobatics. It is pretty amazing what these people can do with some serious core body strength and a long, dangling piece of fabric. We were just in time for the finale where a man rolled down the entire length, starting thirty feet in the air and stopping just before hitting the ground.

We enjoyed a well lit park and a cool breeze as we headed for the exit. We watched a mime act, the first part a of a Thai percussion band show, and a bit more Chinese yo-yo-ing on the way out. Just in front of the exit, the Korean group was getting ready for another show. We waved good-bye to them just before slipping back into the traffic and pollution directly outside the park gates.

Have and Have Not

In the world of have and have nots, I am definitely in the "haves" category. Living in a part of the world in which so many go without, I am thankful for electricity, running water, roof over my head, and plenty of food. I even have my very own washing machine, large refrigerator, two burner stove, and water filter. And I haven't even mentioned the computer, iPad, and cellphone. Today's post is honestly not to complain about what I do not have but to share a bit about what life is like without some items which are considered basic in many Western homes and maybe help us all appreciate a bit what we have or don't, as the case may be.

Dryer: I am thankful to not have a clothes dryer, because this way I am forced to use the free energy of the sun to dry our clothes. When we lived in the States, I had an underused clothes line. Sure, on nice summer days, I did hang out diapers and the occasional load of clothes, but only when no rain was forecast for the next three days, I didn't want to wear a wet clothes item within the day, I wasn't running low on clean diapers, I had enough time to hang the diapers, and I was going to be around to make sure the dog didn't tear them off the line. Needless to say, the necessary events didn't happen very often. I always had the much simpler option of throwing clothes straight from the washing machine into the adjacent dryer, then pushing a button. Here, if I want clean, dry clothes, I need to find a place to hang them regardless of the weather. When we have a bunch of cloudy, rainy days in a row, a rack of diapers can be found in front of the fan and another rack of clothes in an out of the way spot, plus various items hung on the backs of chairs. Eris and I have learned to look at the clouds and predict how soon the rain will hit, to leave the clothes outside for the maximum time. We've gotten so good that most times the first raindrops hit the ground as we are carrying the full laundry basket into the house.

 Car: This is another easy one for me to be grateful to not have. As anyone who has had car trouble (and who has not?) will tell you, cars are a hassle. They cost a lot of money to maintain, fuel costs too much, and when we own one, we tend to drive more and walk less. In Bangkok, foreigners with cars are often stopped for small (or made up) infractions and asked to pay a fine (aka bribe). Plus, I would not want to drive in this crazy traffic. Taking public transportation has helped me to better learn the city and the city to better get to know us; just ask anybody in our neighborhood about the white family with four children and he/she will immediately know who you are talking about. Yes, taking buses everywhere is a hassle and takes twice as long, but we experience a big part of living in Bangkok this way.

Microwave: When we saw a $3 microwave at a garage sale in Terre Haute, it was hard to turn down. It worked for the four years we lived there, although by the time we moved only two buttons could get it to run and we couldn't read the screen. I always wondered if microwaves were maybe not good for people, but the ease of popping something in and pushing a few buttons to get warm food pushed the fears aside. I was similarly willing to eat lukewarm food for the convenience. Without a microwave, I now have the option to use a pan (which I will have to wash later) to warm something up or eat it cold. With two burners, I can warm up two things at once, which is helpful for leftover meals, and the food stays hot longer than if it were heated in a microwave. So this is overall a plus, but if given the option, I might spend $3 on a microwave.

Central Air Conditioning: Bangkok is the hottest city in the world; it doesn't have the highest temperatures but the average highs and lows for the whole year are the highest. This basically means that it is never cool here. Last year the city experienced a record 30-year low of 60 degrees Farenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius). We live with fans pointed at us when at all possible. We do have air condition units in our bedrooms and in one upstairs, but we rarely use them. If we had central air conditioning, we would like use it more often and then never want to leave the house. Without central air, we (at least our children) have because more acclimatized to the heat. It's easier to leave the house and take a non-air conditioned bus or shop in an open market, because we are used to being in that kind of environment. Our house is opened to sunlight and breezes (and little critters); we live in a more open and less controlled environment.

Dishwasher: Now we are getting into things that are a bit harder for me to thankful not to have. My mother did not want a dish washer, so I grew up with wrinkled fingers and a distaste for washing dishes. I have always wanted a dishwasher, dreaming of the time it would save. How wonderful to simply put dishes in a machine, push a few buttons (similar to a clothes dryer), and come back to clean dishes. It was not to be, I have yet to live in a home with a dishwasher. (There have been a few temporary homes in which we have lived for a month or two with dishwashers, and those have been great!) Really though, it doesn't take terribly long to wash dishes from a meal, and often I can wash the dishes from preparing a meal while it finishes cooking. Eris is old enough to help sometimes, and Philip washes up after supper. This is another area where it is simple to save energy by not owning an appliance.

Running Hot Water: I have running water in more than one place in my house: nine spigots in five rooms to be exact, so I really have no cause to complain. It is really not necessary to have running hot water. Most people, including us, wash dishes in cold water. Every once in awhile we will heat water on the stove to get an obstinate spot off a pot or to wipe the counter with hot water. Actually, the water from the tap is not cold, it's lukewarm, which is a fine temperature for a shower most days in this climate. Our bathrooms do have little electric on-demand hot water heaters that heat water as you use it for a shower. The water doesn't get very hot, but it's enough to take the chill off on the few cool days of the year. I do look forward to one day being in a cool climate and enjoying a hot shower, but for now I can live without this.

Oven: If I were given the option of choosing one thing on this list to have, I would pick an oven. I really like to bake and I like to eat baked goods. Thai culture does not traditionally bake, so baked goods are not as readily available and what can be found tastes very different. We never know when we will find a piece of hot dog in the middle of sweet bread or a red bean pancake. The younger children have adapted to the new sweets, but Philip, Eris, and I still remember the superior (to our minds) baked goods of America. I have found a way to "bake" using a cast iron skillet, a brick, and a large metal pan, but it's definitely not the same. If I had an oven, we would have freshly baked bread, cake, cookies, and casseroles more often. It's probably just as well that we don't have these around more often. I can be thankful that I've had the opportunity to experiment and learn how to cook foods without relying on an oven. But someday, when we can afford it, I'd sure like to have an oven.
 

Jesse Tree: God's Relationship with People from Adam to Jesus

The tradition of having a Jesse Tree is becoming more prominent amongst people I know. It is a unique "advent calendar" designed to help young children understand the significance of Jesus' birth. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots, referring to the Messiah. Children who grow up in Christian families learn the story of Christmas at a young age. They know that Jesus is God's son come to earth as a baby. The older ones can even connect this story to the Easter story and realize that the miracle of the resurrection started with the birth. Not many children understand God's relationship with people for the the thousands of years before Jesus' birth. Recognizing man's sinful nature and the inability of humans to keep the covenant of the Law, helps children (and adults) come to a deeper understanding of this momentous occasion.

After reading the Torah (first five books of the Bible) in fifteen days as part of the reading the entire book is ninety days, I had a more complete picture of how the Old Testament and the New Testament told one united story. I wanted to share this with my children at their level. I also wanted to help them know and understand a few full Bible stories, rather than a cursory awareness of many. To this end, I planned weekly lessons starting with Creation and ending with Haggai. We focused on God's relationship with people through in depth studies of Creation, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac and Rebekah, Moses, David, Hezekiah, and Haggai. In order to really understand these characters, we had to skip many of the big stories of the Old Testament. I was fine with this decision because the girls were already familiar with many of these stories, and we could study them in depth at a later time. Meriel and Eris truly seemed to gain a more profound understanding of God's character and how He reached out to man over the years. It was exciting to watch.

I came across the idea of the Jesse Tree through searching for ways to teach young children the Old Testament prophesies of Jesus' birth. I thought it would be a great way to reinforce the Bible lessons of the past months and emphasize God's plan of Jesus in the Old Testament. I found many different plans on the internet, including various stories and using different symbols for representation. I chose one that included the stories we had studied and others that resonated with me. We have changed some of the symbols to ones that were easier to make or the girls understood better. I had planned to get felt to make the ornaments and tree out of, but I couldn't find it here. Instead, I bought a few big pieces of foam, glue, glitter, and paperclips. I helped the girls cut ornaments out of foam; they colored and decorated them with glitter. Each day we attach a symbol to our foam tree with a paperclip. It's not fancy, but the girls are excited about the Jesse Tree every day. They are proud that they made the ornaments and enthusiastically announce who made which one. 

Each day we discuss a story. The girls are able to tell me the story and often times its significance related to Jesus. It is fun for me to hear how they remember these stories and are able to retell them. Sometimes they will even remember the Bible verse we memorized for the story! Hollis related Genesis 1:1 when we talked about Creation. Eris told the story of Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac complete with the verse, "And in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you have obeyed My voice" and told me that this was talking about Jesus. I look forward to the remaining days of Advent and how Jesus is revealed to my children daily.

Blending Christmas Traditions

Holidays are enriched by traditions; there is something special about doing the same thing once a year, every year. Linking the past to the future, they give us something to look forward to and memories to treasure. Growing up, my parents carefully crafted Christmas traditions to remind us of the Reason for the Season: sitting around the advent wreath, opening stockings on St. Nicholas Day, a neighborhood birthday party for Jesus. My husband's family specialized in traditions of spontaneity: waking up early on Christmas morning to open stockings, a sweet sticky breakfast, playing together with new toys and games in the afternoon.

Our first Christmas together was spent thousands of miles from either of our families, so we had the distinct opportunity to establish our own set of traditions. I explained to Philip the idea of Advent as looking forward to Christ's birth and helping us to remember why we celebrate Christmas. I also described the fun of opening stockings on December 6th, a way of spreading out the gifts of Christmas and commemorating the real person behind Santa Claus. Since Philip hadn't really thought much about how his boyhood Christmases were celebrated, he agreed to include these traditions our own set. Our first Christmas was simple. Philip's brother called to wake us up early; he had always been the early riser in their family. Then I made cinnamon rolls for a special breakfast. I'm pretty sure we went back to bed before spending the rest of the day just relaxing and enjoying time together. We took our dog for a walk to play with other dogs at the park in the evening. I don't remember for sure, but we probably stayed up playing games together or reading side by side.

Once we had children, keeping traditions became even more important. By doing the advent wreath, we were really teaching our children the significance of Christmas rather than just reminding ourselves. After a few years of St. Nicholas Day stockings, Philip mentioned to me that he wanted to share with our children the joy of opening a stocking on Christmas morning. He very much has fond memories of this part of the celebration. I outwardly agreed, since it would be selfish to insist on all of my traditions and none of my husbands, but in my heart I was reluctant. After all, nearly everyone opens stockings on Christmas morning; I enjoyed being part of a different group of people who celebrated St. Nicholas instead of Santa Claus. It seemed more cultured to have each item in the stocking mean something: something for warmth, a food item, chocolate money, etc. After pondering and fuming for a few days around December 6th, I realized that my children still knew about the story of St. Nicholas and were just as excited about stockings Christmas morning despite the dozens of other presents to be opened that same day. The spirit of Christmas is all about giving, and I could joyously give the gift of Christmas morning stockings to my husband. Besides, I was getting a little tired of finding little wooden trinkets to put in the stockings every year.

One of my favorite family traditions is one that started our first Christmas without our really knowing it. We spent this holiday in our own little home in Beersheva, Israel. Ironically, the country in which the miracle of Christmas took place does not celebrate it. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and to make up for the lack of Christmas cheer in the rest of the city, I decorated our house lavishly. We went to the local plant nursery and found an evergreen tree in a pot. As it was only three feet tall, it did not fit nearly all our ornaments on it, but I found a creative way to hang the rest. I didn't think we had enough decorations for the walls, so I started drawing and coloring pictures of Christmas trees, snowmen, and stockings. Philip joined in the spirit, and together we used nearly all our brick red crayon to make a "chimney" for our stockings.

Amidst all this creativity, Philip made a picture of a snowman sliding at a playground. He titled it, "What Snowmen Do While We are Sleeping." Inspired, the next evening, I drew a picture of a snowman sledding down a hill. Each year thereafter, we drew snowmen pictures to add to the collection. Anyone who is with us for Christmas is invited to join in. My mother has contributed several and my brother has two. The girls have joined us when they have turned two. We now have so many, that it is hard to keep track of who has done which picture and in which year (especially among the ones drawn by two-year-olds). Last year, we wrote the name and date on the back, but I wish we had done this from the beginning. Each year, we hang the pictures on the wall and smile at the silly scenes: Daddy's snowman roasting a hot dog, Grandma's shopping at "Bal-Mart," Mommy's jumping on the trampoline. Daddy's are most creative; Mommy's all have one of the snowmen with his hat falling off. The days before we draw our new picture are filled with private musings over what we will do this year; it must remain a surprise until we all show our completed pictures.

Tonight was our annual "Snowmen" drawing evening. Simeon scribbled in his high chair for awhile. Hollis drew a snow-baby trying to run off with a snow-mother trying to catch him. Meriel's was a snowman roasting a mango over the fire. Eris made a snow-ballet class. Mommy's is a snowman drawing "What People Do While We are Sleeping." Daddy's is a Bangkok snowman in front of the fan. So now we have five new pictures, we have two candles lit on our advent wreath, next week we will go to the garden market to search for a suitable Christmas "tree," and we are looking forward to stockings and cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. Throughout it all the purpose behind traditions is upheld: we share joy as a family and keep Jesus as the center of our home.

Father's Day Book Review

December 5th is the King of Thailand's birthday and also Father's Day. Our family has a tradition of giving books to Daddy on Father's Day, starting with Pumpkin Soup on Eris's first. This year, I had to rely on online book lists and ratings to choose books that were available from an online company in the UK with free shipping to Thailand. It is difficult to pick excellent books without actually flipping through them. After spending too much time on the internet, I picked a handful of books for the girls to choose from and hoped for the best. Even bookstores in the States can have a paucity of really great picture books, so I thought today I'd review the books we gave for Father's Day this year and then a few of our favorites from previous years. I've learned that when relying on others' reviews, it's hard to truly get an idea of the book. The books we got this year all had rave reviews, and, as you will see, they are not as wonderful as they were portrayed. I find it helpful to hear from people I actually know, as I already have an idea of their tastes and points of reference. So hopefully, this will be helpful for some.

Warning: these reviews contain mild spoilers, so if you are the kind who likes to be surprised, you may want to skip this post.

Eris knows that Philip likes books with great pictures. He does enjoy books without words, especially, but she wasn't quite ready to go that far in her choice. She picked Salamander Room by Anne Mazer which was reported to have excellent illustrations and be a sweet story about a boy turning his room into a home for a salamander. It does live up to this description but lacks depth in the story. For an avid reader, the storyline is too brief without enough description in the text. Also, the back cover reports that the theme of the book is "nature and conservation," but then Philip was confused by the seemingly pointless blank green pages, two in the front and two in the back. Overall, it's not a bad book but because of a small budget and lack of a large English library, we are pickier that most in our selection. Meriel did ask me to read it at bedtime; we'll see how this weathers over time.

Meriel chose a sequel to one of our favorite books. When I was pregnant with Eris, Philip and I read about how tiny children seem to best enjoy books that were read to them while in the womb. Books with good rhyme and meter seemed to be preferred. We headed off to the bookstore and searched the tiny children's English book section (we were living in Beersheva, Israel), and amazingly, discovered The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. Complete with spectacular rhythm, engaging storyline, and lovely ending, we have read this book so many times that we all (with the exception of Simeon) have it memorized. With this in mind, I was happy to disregard negative reviews for The Gruffalo's Child. I would say owning this book is worth it to enjoy a continuation of the story of a little mouse's innovation in outsmarting the scary gruffaloes. But beware, the rhythm and rhyme are abysmal compared with the first, and the storyline lacking in fresh ideas. It seems that, award of the success of the first book, the authors and publishers were content with a decidedly sub par book because they knew it would make money. I hesitate to support it if this is the case, and hope that it is not, so just beware if you buy this book.

Hollis is at the age where she enjoys repetition and silliness, so she chose a book titled Don't Forget the Bacon! by Pat Hutchins. The reviews reported children laughing aloud and repeating "Don't forget the bacon!" enthusiastically. None of that happened on our first read. The illustrations lack detail and add little to the story, which is a pity since the storyline could use some help. The boy is given a verbal grocery list by his mother:  "Six farm eggs, a cake for tea, a pound of pears, and don't forget the bacon!" The boy proceeds to think of "six fat legs which turns into six clothes pegs." So when he arrives at the store, he gets six clothes pegs, a rake for leaves, and a pile of chairs. The items he actually gets are not that funny and it is a bit difficult for a small child to remember the comparison with what he was asked to get. Hollis was so excited about this book and it's silly title, but she did not giggle during the whole reading of the book, which is unusual for her. There are so many books with similar themes out there; take the time to find Bedemolena by Jan Slepian and Ann Sleider which is out of print but worth the search.

When it came to choosing a book for Simeon to give, I wanted a board book so that he could actually enjoy it. He cares more about pictures than words, so it as an excellent opportunity to cater to Philip's penchant for books with few words. Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann proved to be just right. The pictures portray a funny, engaging story that can be "read" again and again. Hollis looked at it on her own four times in a row, laughing and talking to herself. This is one I would certainly recommend if you have children age five or under.

So now here's a short list of our Father's Day favorites:

Pumpkin Soup was another fortuitous find in a Beersheva bookstore. and its companions A Pipkin of Pepper and Delicious by Helen Cooper boast wonderfully bright and captivating illustrations accompanying witty, lyrical prose. All three stories feature the same characters and revolve around pumpkin soup yet are different enough to make it enjoyable to read all in a row or stand alone. These books are certainly worth owning; if you are looking for a gift for a child this Christmas, pick up one or all of these.

For a book written in a unique style where the combination of words and pictures are necessary to the story, look no further than The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood. This interactive read is a surprise the first time and a delight every time thereafter. This is another one that I would recommend owning versus just checking out at the library. The sequel Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear is fun during this season and a fine addition to your Christmas collection but not nearly as wonderful.

The last books I'll write about today begin with Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw. This books in fun and silly with easy rhymes. Great for a quick read or some afternoon silliness. The rest of the books are similarly enjoyable, but once we had four, it seemed enough. We have Sheep in a Shop, Sheep on a Ship, and, my favorite, Ship Out to Eat.

I'll try to do some more book reviews at a later date, but hopefully this can get you started with some great reading soon. Let me know your favorite books or if your family love any of these books.

Toddler Understanding

It's been amazing to me lately to realize how much children can understand before they can speak. It makes sense that it is easier to figure out what someone else is saying than to try to formulate the words yourself. It is the same way when learning a second language. However, it often surprises me when Simeon reacts to something I've said.

Simeon is a late talker, partly due to the fact that he is being exposed to two languages. He didn't say his first word until almost 15 months, and while we think he says a few other words, we're not certain. As a first time mother, I remember being worried that Eris hadn't said her first word by the time she was a year old. Looking back, she was also exposed to two languages living in Israel, even though we only spoke English at home. Also, as a proud mother, I expected her to start talking early. I needn't have worried; shortly after her first birthday, she said her first word, and by the time she was 18 months, I counted a vocabulary of over 100 words including full sentences. So with the learning curves of two other children behind me, I am less worried about the rate of Simeon's acquisition of words and free to enjoy watching the process.

When I tell Simeon that I need to change his diaper and go lay down on the mat, he often will. In the evenings, I tell him it's time for a shower, and he gets excited and takes my hand to pull me to the bathroom door. Sometimes he screams and arches his back when I try to put him in his highchair, but if I ask him if he wants to eat a banana or an omelet (or something else he likes), he calms down and slips into his seat. This morning, he once again surprised me. He followed me into the bathroom, leaving the screen door open. I said, "Simeon, please close the door so that bugs don't get into the house." He turn right around and reached up to close the door. I clapped for him; his favorite form of positive reinforcement.

Simeon not only reacts to what I say but also to his sisters. He really enjoys laughing, and sometimes he'll laugh at something funny before anyone else does. Now I'm not always sure he understands why he's laughing, but he realizes that a certain tone of voice means that something is funny, especially if Hollis says it. In the evenings, Eris asks if he wants to go with her to listen to Daddy's bedtime song. Inevitably, even if he's nursing, he will go to her and lift his arms up. It is so sweet to me to watch my oldest daughter wrap her arms around her little brother and carry him to Daddy. When Hollis tells Simeon he can't have something she's playing with, he gets angry. Meriel mentioning the crayons are on the table will send him climbing on the chairs to get them. And my personal favorite, hurrying out the front door and closing it behind him as I say, "Simeon stay inside please!"

Simeon is also a master at context clues. When I put clothes from the washing machine into a laundry basket, he runs to the bottom of the stairs so I won't forget to take him up to the balcony to hang laundry with me. If he notices me getting dressed to go out, he will get clothes from his cupboard and bring them for me to put on him. He used to stand by his highchair while I set food on the table for a meal, but now he is too impatient and starts to climb on the table to get it himself. My current favorite is his excited dancing and babbling when he hears the vegetable truck coming down our alley.

Someday soon, I will get to enjoy Simeon's explanations just as I smile when Hollis, dressed up in a black skirted leotard and beret, says, "Mommy, I'm a mentor. Do you know what a mentor is? Someone who looks for millipedes!" And I look forward to his thoughtful questions like, "Why do people worship idols? How can we help them to love God?" from Meriel. Eventually, he will even be able to relate such puns as Eris's favorite from Alice in Wonderland, "Do you know why lessons are called lessons? Because they lessen from day to day!... Ten hours the first day, nine hours the next, and so on." (Yes, she has Reddington blood in her; my mother's family is famous for puns.) But at this moment, I am enjoying watching Simeon understand, and communicate with smiles, sweet noises, and hugs... lots of hugs!

"Christmas Bpen Wela": A Song About What?!

At Sunday school this past weekend, Eris's class was singing a Thai Christmas song. I knew it was a Christmas song because the first word was "Chritmat." (Thai does not have an "s" sound at the end of syllables; not so great for Eris and Hollis.) I've been trying to think of ways for us to learn more Thai, and thought it would be fun to help all the girls learn this song. Eris's teacher had handwritten the words in Thai for the students and one paper was transliterated into English characters for Eris, very thoughtful of her. After class, I asked for both versions, as I am trying to learn to speak Thai correctly through reading it.

Monday night, I set about the process of figuring out the words to the song. I didn't get a whole lot further than "Christmas." Philip purchased this great program for an iPad from which I have learned most of my Thai vocabulary. It's a dictionary that can provide English to Thai, English transliterated Thai to Thai with English definition, and Thai characters to English. I can even listen to the correct pronunciation of the words in Thai. I've been trying to learn how to hear the difference between tones this way. I still don't think I can tell the difference between dog and horse (maa high tone and maa rising tone) or many other words, but maybe it will come one of these days, or years. I thought that I could figure out the song using this program.

First of all, I had to read the characters. It appears that Thai like to write really small. Font on many food packages, flyers, maps, etc. is so small as to be illegible to us. I can barely make out the character, much less the microscopic tone and vowel mark above and below the consonant characters. I had the English transliteration to help me, but unless one has happened to be a foreigner and take a Thai class, she would not have a standard way of writing each sound. Just in the short first line, I made out that "bp" written "p"and "wela" was "vala." 

Secondly, Thai does not separate words in writing. The teacher had separate word written in English, but there was no guarantee that the spaces indicated a new word or just a new syllable. Thai also has a lot of compound words, so sometimes I think I know a word only to realize that it is part of a compound word with a different meaning. For example, I was reading a story and was excited that I knew the word "dog." I looked up the next word which was "wild." Ok, the story was about a wild dog; wrong, the compound word "dogwild" is the Thai word for wolf. So in this instance, I knew the first word was Christmas, but after that I didn't know if the next phrase was "bpen wela" or "bpenwela." Turns out that both are possible and neither made much sense literally: "Christmas is hour/time word" or "Christmas yearly."

Another difficulty is that Thai often uses the same word for a verb, noun, and adjective. Without a better command of the language, there is not a way to distinguish between frequent and frequently or to guard and a guard. Also, many words can mean more than one thing: tii (falling tone) can be in, at, on, or place.

I won't bore you with all the details of this laborious process. With a combination of all the functions of the dictionary program, the transliterated and Thai words of the song, and my own tiny knowledge of Thai and a few good guesses, I ended up with the following:

Christmastime, Christmastime, Christmas time ???  Repeat
frequent(ly?) times preposition I/me/we/us dim ? spirit/heart cast away give/cry Chiiwit gloomy
guard look have who any silk/"word that makes a yes or no question" preposition await understand
news good today God give relationship heart I/me/we/us turn around
Jesus born in manger

Now if anyone can make sense of that, please let me know!

Philip was able to help me change "? spirit/heart" into "gloominess" or more literally "gloomy feeling." Then he had the idea to look online to see if I could find the words. I looked up "Christmas Bpen Wela" and found "Christmas Bpen Wela Haeng Kwam Rak." I know the word rak; it's love. The problem was I couldn't read the teacher's handwriting for those characters, and she had transliterated it "luk." (Thai often don't distinguish well between "r" and "l" and both make a "n" sound at the end of words; not fun for Meriel.) I also found that the name of the song translated into English is "Christmas is a Time for Love." I couldn't find further translation. Maranatha has a song with the same tune and the same first line, but, unless my meager translation is completely wrong, the rest of the song is completely different. I did find a YouTube video with clear singing and the words printed so I could read them. So now I know I have the correctly written Thai, and the girls and I can practice singing along with the video. Now we'll just have to get a human being to help us understand what we're singing.