Or was it wellcoming Rob in the Chaladkid-familly as Kiks fiancee? Well, either way, on that day Kik became my official fiancee with the full blessing of his grandparents.
On New Years night, seconds (!!) after the year 2008 had started, I had asked Kik if he wanted to get married to me.... in The Netherlands........... A spontanious reply followed so beautifull and warm that I became even more aware that his YES was not going to be just a yes, but a yes which finds its origins deep within him... which made me more gratefull when he indeed finally said YES.
Now we allready had planned our trip to his home town near Udon Thani in North East Thailand, Si Bun Ruang, around his fathers birthday on the 20th of january. A wonderfull chance not only to get to know his familly, the area he grew up in, but also to get to know his grandfather and grandmother, and ofcourse the rest of the Chaladkid-familly who all still live there.
After 3 days spending with his familly, celebrating his fathers 50th birthday as well as going to a big Isaan-festival and enjoying the Isaan music and entertainment, on our last evening in Si Bun Ruang I/we were surprised with a welcoming ceremony in the Chaladkid family , which is also something like an official engagement with the blessing of the entire family, in his grandparents house. Not only allmost al the members of the Chaladkid-familly were present but also friends and neighbours. All in all I counted 30/40 people who watched and congratulated us after the ceremony was over and all of whom put white pieces of rope around Kiks and my wrists as that sign of welcomming.
So, the first step was taken less then a minute after the beginning of the New Year 2008, the second step, most likely more important, was taken on the 23th of January with this wonderfull symbolic gesture by Kiks family with which they agreed to give him to me in marriage!
KIk and I plan to get married around my 50th birthday in October 2008. And I promissed him that I would join him in Thailand to start a new life there together! A large task for both of us awaits us to make it all come together and build a fruitfull and prosperous life, for us and for the ones we deeply care about! A challenge most worthwhile to go for.
And this weblog might give all who are interested a glimpse of what work it involves for a Thai guy and a Dutch guy to start building a life together in, for the Dutch guy, a new, far away country.
I will try to record here as much of what happens on the road to the day of our legal Dutch marriage in October as well as the religious wedding in november in Thailand. And after that, our first months as a couple till we go back to The Netherlands to attend not only my nephews/godsons wedding, but for me also to officiate it on the 29th of may 2009.
It promisses to become a very interesting, wonderfull and adventurous year with our love to guide us trough it and will make us look back on it with pride and joy!
