Week Without Walls

When I applied for my teaching position at ASD, one of the top reasons I chose this school over others was because of their Middle School Week Without Walls Program.  Being able to take a group of students to another country for a service learning project tied in with outdoor adventures... what could be better?!?!  I was very excited to learn that I would be the new 8th grade N. Thailand Trip Leader.  Taking 20 students to Chang Mai!

An Afternoon Relaxing at the Hot Springs

Traversing within the Caves

Since this trip has ran before in the past, it was fairly simple making sure everything was in order and that our 9 days in Chang Mai were action packed and filled with 3 full days of service learning volunteer work.  We were able to take the students to Karen Village and help build a cement wall around the school yard. We mixed cement, layed brick, plastered, and even painted.  On our last day in the village two students even designed a mural to paint on the school wall.  Everyone played with the school children and worked really hard to finish constructing 7 portions of the wall, and even more segments plastered and painted. 

Mural designed by two of my 8th grade students



Melissa and Me

On top of all their work, we were able to go hiking, caving, rock climbing, kayaking, and rafting on traditional bamboo rafts. I had a great time chaperoning this trip along with Jake, Thomas, and my new Wisconsin Friend- Melissa, who was our trip nurse from Rice Lake! A fellow scrap-booker, I was sad to learn that Melissa was moving home- back to WI after our WWW trip came to an end. (Jake was also from Wisconsin oddly enough, poor Thomas having to put up with us three cheese heads. He is from Belguim; I also coach swimming with his wife Beneditta.) 

  

  Another place we were able to visit was an Elephant Sanctuary. Here they take in wounded and homeless elephants (those that wander the city streets begging for food) and give them a nice home. We were able to feed them and even take them to the river for a bath. Throwing the ice cold water onto these elephants was a blast, but eventually the kids had more fun soaking one another than the actual task of bathing the huge creature in front of them. This only lasted for a brief moment before the elephant was back on land and rolling around in the mud puddles.



Bathin the Elephant



We even got a nice big elephant kiss on the cheek with its ginormous trunk. Before leaving we had the kids roll up their sleeves and get right to work shoveling elephant dung into bags that were to be taken to the recycle factory where they make it into paper products. Later we took a visit to that "factory.” It was a great experience and as they kids said, we were able to buy a bunch of "recycled crap".

                                                                

We visited some Buddist Temples got to talk to some monks and learn about their way of life.


 Every night before bed Melissa and I got a wonderful Thai Massage, it was the most perfect way to end the day.Up in the hills north of Chang Mai it was so cold- it reminded me of home. Getting all cozy under a big blanket all in our own little huts, it was a great week.

The last night of our trip we lit traditional paper lanterns, where we could make a wish and send it up into the sky, they were beautiful.

Make a Wish

Our nine days in N. Thailand were spectacular, the people, the food, the service learning projects, and adventures we went on were a great opportunity I was lucky to be a part of..... once again I LOVE MY "JOB".



Just another day of work :)