Papayas in Pattaya

Right, let me clarify first. There are NO papayas in Pattaya. Coconuts maybe, since it is by the beach. it just makes a catchy title - it's called alliteration. (You know like Froggy the Frog, Peter Pan, Donald Duck etc.) I recalled that from my literature lesson in Sec 2. Stop being a show off, do i hear you say?? ha ha..

Back to my main point.

For the weekend, I went to Pattaya for the Alpha weekend organised by my new found friend Jane (see previous blog entry). Alpha course is a programme for introducing the fundamentals of Christianity to non-christians.

I had the pleasure of Ar's company, my new Thai friend, to explore the place with. We communicated with bits of stuttering English and Thai. Its amazing that we clique still. Gail or Jane would then intervene to translate (we make them do it) when the conversation gets too tedious.

I've known some people all my life, and seen them almost every week, yet we have less then 10 words of exchange each time. My friendship with Ar is truly against all odds. We hardly share anything in common - we speak different languages; I'm sporty but she isn't; she's not a believer; she's an accountant, while I'm a vet etc. Yet we enjoy each other's company in a strange and incomprehensible way, literally. I guess I enjoy her down-to - earth, laid back attitude. And of course, there's always my brilliant, beaming smile to break the ice.






Alas, non my new-found friends will be going up Northeast to SawangDaendin with me. Sigh, it does get draining at times to keep making friends. And it sounds like it's gonna get harder from here. From what I hear, less then 3 people can speak good comprehensible English in Sawang.

God please help me to learn Thai quickly!!


Pals beyond borders - Ar and me

Gail (Director of Rainbowland Childcare centre) and me

I sure hope I can make a trip down back to Bangkok to visit my friends after my 4 month stint before flying back to Singpaore!

.