It is with disappointment and sadness I write here to bid you all farewell. For various reasons I won't go into, I am no longer going to be going to Thailand to help with this project.
For anyone who is interested in my personal 'journey', you can continue to read my ramblings on my next blog 'What now for Cathy?'.
ผมเสนอราคาทั้งหมดที่คุณคนดีลา
Monday, 20 September 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Back in the UK
I arrived back in Bristol last night after what seemed like an eternal day in the air. It started with a flight from Phuket to Bangkok, leaving the hotel at 01:00 GMT, then the 12 hour Bangkok to Heathrow slog! Thankfully, my dear friend Claire picked me up from Heathrow, so I arrived back home just after 9pm. I'm feeling somewhat mixed about the trip, being back and what happens next for the project. I plan to talk with Patty over the next couple of days to see if we can decide on the next step forward. In the interim, you may like to see some pictures of the school ...
The view of the school from the road. The school sits just off the main road that runs along the coast from Phuket, through Khao Lak, past the school and on north up through Thailand.
Another view of the school, through the trees from the beach. The road runs in between.
One of the four dormatories, where the children live at the school (two for boys, two for girls).
This is the main hall, where 1000 children eat each day. It's an open ground floor with a double height hall upstairs. The children each have their own bowl, spoon and cup that they wash up after each meal and carry with them. It's a slick operation feeding all the children - the small kitchen has four gas rings with massive woks to cook in and a large low table to prepare food on.
The school has newly built library that sits in the middle of the campus, although I didn't get an opportunity to have a look inside.
The view of the school from the road. The school sits just off the main road that runs along the coast from Phuket, through Khao Lak, past the school and on north up through Thailand.
Another view of the school, through the trees from the beach. The road runs in between.
One of the four dormatories, where the children live at the school (two for boys, two for girls).
This is the main hall, where 1000 children eat each day. It's an open ground floor with a double height hall upstairs. The children each have their own bowl, spoon and cup that they wash up after each meal and carry with them. It's a slick operation feeding all the children - the small kitchen has four gas rings with massive woks to cook in and a large low table to prepare food on.
The school has newly built library that sits in the middle of the campus, although I didn't get an opportunity to have a look inside.Thursday, 24 June 2010
Off to Phuket
With the school closing for a holiday, and Maile and the ESL teachers heading off to do their own thing, i didn't really see much point in hanging around at the school. I have a flight back to Bangkok from Phuket booked for Monday so decided to head to Phuket for the rest of my trip. It's not what i had planned but the school is deserted and there's nothing around within walking distance other than the beach (which is stunning but we're in the middle of monsoon season). After waiting for an hour for the bus to Phuket, i gave up and Khun Lak arranged me a taxi. I arrived just after lunchtime and found my way to the hotel i'd booked online the night before. It was a welcome relief to find the water running freely in the shower!! I made the most of a hot shower for the first time in three days! I had a wander around the local area, came across a Catholic church and a stunning Bhuddist Temple (both closed). I found a great place to eat near the hotel, no English alphabet menu, so it's anyone's guess as to what i ate - it tasted delicious though, so absolutely no complaints. I had my first great night's sleep last night too. So all in all, am a happy chappy today!
my long term role
From the conversation we had with Khun Pear and Maile, it is becoming clear that my role at the school was looking doubtful. Whilst there is a huge need for dental provision at this school, the inablility to get work permits for outside dentists to work legally has stopped any further development. Patty has been working so hard from the US to try to resolve this but to date, is unable to get any further. She is hopeful things will improve in the future. I visited the dental clinic, which consists of an old dental chair in the corner of one of the medical bays at the school's medical room. The chair doesn't work and no one knows how to fix it. There are a couple of boxes of stock, that had been bought over by Patty on a previous visit. I left the stock given to me by CTS dental supplies and also did a quick stock check. Amazingly, i found a couple of brand new highspeed handpeices sitting in a box unopened.
The school was due to close for a holiday on Wednesday, with all the children being sent home. It was becoming clear there was little more for me to do at the school during this trip. Maile and I went out for dinner to a local bar in the evening with some of the ESL teachers.
The school was due to close for a holiday on Wednesday, with all the children being sent home. It was becoming clear there was little more for me to do at the school during this trip. Maile and I went out for dinner to a local bar in the evening with some of the ESL teachers.
Greetings from Phuket
OK, so it's not exactly as i was expecting! I arrived at the school late morning on Monday to find the school closing for a holiday the next day. I was warmly welcomed by Khun Lak (the ESL co-ordinator) and lots of smiling children. Soon after I arrive, Maile Busby (one of the US volunteers from ISB) came to say hello too. Maile showed me around and introduced me to the four ESL volunteers (Kelsey, Lisa, Monic and Jamie)currently at the school. We chatted a while and before long we had arranged to go visit Khun Pear, the local government funded hygienist at the local medical centre. Khun Pear's clinic was a couple of km down the road. She explained (through translation by Khun Lak) that the school was in need of a Thai dentist to work full time and she was barely able to scratch the surface of the work needed. It became clear that working permits for foreign dental workers were going to be the stalling point in getting any dental provision in from outside of Thailand.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
The countdown has begun
Six days until I fly out to Khao Lak for my first visit to R35. I was practising my Thai in the car down to Southampton last weekend, much to my friends, Nathan and Matt's amuzement! I think I have just about mastered the basics, although the sounds & tones still feel very alien to me.
Maile, another US volunteer flew out at the end of last week and will be there to meet me when I arrive. Maile's been a great help to me so far, giving me plenty of advice about what to expect & what to bring with me - I've already packed the DEET insect repellent and a comfy pillow!
There's lots to do and plenty I need to find out about the clinic and how it operates during this trip. There is a Thai hygienist that also visits the clinic on occasions. My understanding is that she is really the only 'regular' dental provider at the moment, although I think her visits are pretty infrequent.
I am enormously grateful to Tracy at CTS Dental Supplies for the box of stock she kindly donated to me last week - all kinds of stickers and motivation aids I am sure the children will really appreciate.
Maile, another US volunteer flew out at the end of last week and will be there to meet me when I arrive. Maile's been a great help to me so far, giving me plenty of advice about what to expect & what to bring with me - I've already packed the DEET insect repellent and a comfy pillow!
There's lots to do and plenty I need to find out about the clinic and how it operates during this trip. There is a Thai hygienist that also visits the clinic on occasions. My understanding is that she is really the only 'regular' dental provider at the moment, although I think her visits are pretty infrequent.
I am enormously grateful to Tracy at CTS Dental Supplies for the box of stock she kindly donated to me last week - all kinds of stickers and motivation aids I am sure the children will really appreciate.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Project plan underway
OK, so as I type each of the tasks into the different tabs of the PP it's clear to me we've a lot to do. I've spent most of today exchanging emails with Patty about the clinic, her long term goals and how we can work together to achieve them. I am very excited about the future and can't wait to get there now. I have begun to prioritise the many tasks into essential, necessary and desired and formulate a list of things for me to complete during my first trip out. The main thing is that I'm motivated and determined to succeed - tick!
* Find out what equipment is already at the clinic and what's needed to get started (and what we can manage without in the short term).
* Find out what are the clinical dental priorities for the children.
* Understand a little about the organisational structure of the school.
* Find out more about the links between the school & local community, the dental provision already in place and the hospital in Phuket.
* Take out some basic supplies - examining gloves, masks, fluoride varnish, rubber cups (latchgrip), disclosing tablets, cold sterilising solution.
* Spend some time exploring the local area and amenities.
This trip is going to be mainly fact-finding and getting to grips with the ethos of the school and Thai culture - all exciting stuff. Hopefully there'll also be an opportunity for me to practice my Thai and meet some of the people working at the school.
I'm currently reading one of the books Pascale loaned me; Successful Living in Thailand by Roger Welty.
There are plenty of really useful anedotes and scenarios to help you understand the way Thais work socially and in business. I think I have the basics - don't step over anyone, don't show the soles of your feet and always always show respect.
* Find out what equipment is already at the clinic and what's needed to get started (and what we can manage without in the short term).
* Find out what are the clinical dental priorities for the children.
* Understand a little about the organisational structure of the school.
* Find out more about the links between the school & local community, the dental provision already in place and the hospital in Phuket.
* Take out some basic supplies - examining gloves, masks, fluoride varnish, rubber cups (latchgrip), disclosing tablets, cold sterilising solution.
* Spend some time exploring the local area and amenities.
This trip is going to be mainly fact-finding and getting to grips with the ethos of the school and Thai culture - all exciting stuff. Hopefully there'll also be an opportunity for me to practice my Thai and meet some of the people working at the school.
I'm currently reading one of the books Pascale loaned me; Successful Living in Thailand by Roger Welty.There are plenty of really useful anedotes and scenarios to help you understand the way Thais work socially and in business. I think I have the basics - don't step over anyone, don't show the soles of your feet and always always show respect.
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