Mac!..and education pffff ;-)

Picture: Kik and Mac backstage at Simons!

As most readers of this blog might now, Mac is, as they call it here our 'son' or 'student' (fosterchild, whatever).
Mac stays with his grandparents in Si Bun Ruang and is spending his 'summerholliday' here before a new year starts at his school back in Si Bun Ruang, North East Thailand.
I must admit, his arrival, accompanied by his grandfather, 2 uncles (of which one was kiks father), an aunt (Kiks stephmother) and nephew (who only stayed roughly 24 hours before driving all the way back again!), caused quite a change in our daily routine.
Its a gem though to have around, I can assure you that! he's as stuborn as Kik, by the way as most Thai are and in just as a polite way as everyone else, haha.

Ofcourse I would like to have him here all the time, to have him go to school here as well.... but that seems to be an impossibility to my surprise! I would like Mac to enter the international school here on Phuket, so he gets a good education, and not only in English ;-) In general when one manages to finish International School, one can enter any other higher education anywhere in the world and so makes oneself stand out and as such create much better chances on advancing oneself in life as a whole. That in itself would also benefit the family in a constructive way for the long term.
Now it seems very hard to convince the family that that should be the way to do things, specially when a boy is still 13 years old. At that age one learns simply much easier... the older one gets the harder it becomes... as we all know I think ;-)

Now Kik tries to explain to me that such can not be, that he has to finish his first period of 3 years at his school before he can change to anywhere else and that also the Abbot of the monastry near Si Bun Ruang syas it would be much better for mac to stay there in the countryside of North East Thailand. And this Abbot ofcourse is a waise, much respected and all knowing figur in the community of Kiks 'homecountry' (thats how Thai describein English the area/province where they come from within Thailand.
Ofcourse I disagree!
I believe, as most of us 'farang' would, that the earlier one starts the best education one can get, the better it is, specially if it involves also the learning of a foreign language! The more chances of advancement one can realise in futur life.

When I look for instance to Jeroen, my godson, who, by the way, is getting married next month (by me!!!) I realise that he has much better chances on life than lots of contemporaries who got their basic education in their home country The Netherlands. Ofcourse getting these advantages doesn't guarantee a good endresult, only the chance of a good one increases. And for sure that's the case when one lives here in Thailand.

Whatever direction Mac would like to take with his education, I would really like him to get the best chances and opportunities.
Not sure though I will succeed in convincing his/my Thai family about this....
after all, its a pretty stubborn people ;-)

Writersblock?!

These last weeks when driving home from/to the bar or other places I often think of my weblogs and subjects to write about. I also formulate whole little stories to tell about what is happening here, or with me and/or Kik etc..... but then when back home distraction hits from all corners and before I know it I simply forgot what I wanted to write or report about. From funny things, to the more serious, including frustrations as a "farang" (= foreigner) in for me a strange country, culture etc. ....
Stupid in a way because it is hard to follow and make reading my weblogs decent on once list of things one likes to do!

I hereby apologise to all who tok the trouble to look regular into one of my 3 weblogs and not finding new entries in them, time and time again.
But I simply do not like to give up, not on you who read them, and not on myself wanting to report my troubles and tribulations, as me, as in my marriage as well as with the bar and all that goes with it.
So again I made a whole list of subjects I should tackle and write about... sofar 27 in total.
Now you would say: good show, finally.... well I can only say, making that list is easier then executing writing about all these subjects.
Well, those who know me now I can be a stuborn guy........ so lets how that that stuborness will come to something in this case of reporting more regular.
Receiving feedback, questions, etc. wil be very much appreciated ofcourse!!

IMPORTANT: If you like to know when a new entry is published, you can become a follower of the weblog you like to follow. May it be this blog or one or both other blogs as well.....it seems to be very easy to do and one doesn't need to go to my weblogs everytime to see if a new entry has been posted. Very easy and handy for those interested!!
My other weblogs are:
www.thaidutchmarriage.blogspot.com
www.mpgsadventures.blogspot.com

Also, a few people have been entered by me so they get an e-mail of every new entry in one of my weblogs. Please, if you do not like this, feel free to let me know and I'll remove your e-mail from this exclusive little list, I won't hold it against you ;-)

Greetings and please keep me focussed when I stay silent to long!!

Rob

Read also my last entry in ......

my weblog Rob's Adventures: http://mpgsadventures.blogspot.com .

It's a part of the learning process when living with a Thai guy and even more so when married with a Thai guy.
Uhum, and to be even more honest: its a damn interesting lesson to learn, for me as well as as for Kik!
Happy to say I feel we made real and good progress in that area!!

Enjoy reading and do not forget, read the article mentioned in it ;-)

Niet altijd even makkelijk.... of toch wel?

En dan heb ik het over hoe hier in Thailand en ook door Kik, aangekeken wordt als je iets beloofd te doen.
Voor hun/hem lijkt het wel dat beloven betekend dat je zal kijken of je het wel of niet gaat doen en dat het dan vervolgens dus afwachten wordt of het ook gebeurd of niet zoals afgesproken.
Anderzijds, als ik wat beloof, dan wordt ervan uitgegan dat ik het ook doe, althans..... is dat wel zo? Zo begin ik mij af te vragen....
Ook heeft het er mee te maken hoevel belang er aan wordt gehecht.

NU weet ik, nooit iets te snel beloven, of laten beloven... ik doe mijn best, maar het is moeilijk, zeker als je iets vraagd waarvan je gewoon weet dat dat veel beter is voor hem.
Maar de 'macht' van 'vrienden' is behoorlijk groot... ook al zal Kik zelf ook vrij makkelijk die ' ...' plaatsen.

Ik klaag niet hoor, weet wel zo'n beetje hoe het hier wat dat betreft an toe gaat inmiddels, maar het blijft geweldig moeilijk er mee om te gaan.
En het erge is, er wordt helemaal geen kwaad mee bedoeld of iets negatiefs.

Enfin, moest dit even kwijt............. anders ga ik me weer opwinden, zoals vanmorgen..... maar hij moet dan ook begrijpen, ooit hoop ik, dat dat gebeurd omdat ik mij juist zorgen maakte omdat hij er niet was zoals afgesproken en ook de telefoon niet aannam. Dat er van alles gebeurd had kunnen zijn, etc. Want het regent hier soms motor ongelukken en dat soort ongijn, en als men moe is en ook nog wat nuttigt, neemt de kans er op alleen maar toe.

En de ellende vervolgens de volgende ochtend om hem uit bed te krijgen om te doen wat gedaan moet orden........

Enfin, dit hoort er allemaal bij, bij het getrouwd zijn met een orginele Thaise vent, haha

Maar er zal ergens ene keer en soort compromis uit moeten vloeien, wil ik niet een keer met een hartverzakking komen te zitten ;-)

Bad Boy starts reporting again.... hopefull intention for 2009

OK, some friends from al over our little planet start complaining why I do not keep up the reporting on my two weblogs...... and well, in a way they are right. Simply because I have been silent for too long now.
Why? Simple: too busy, too occupied (lousy excuses, true) but also lousy internet connections, been very very tired and so allways the so called more important things got done first.......
My intention for 2009 is to better myself, to get more time for myself and time to rst and sit down also to learn Thai and type some reports about my married life with Kik.
One day it will be mostly flash backs over the period not reported yet, parts will be about present "trials and tribulations" of newlyweds.
Lets see if I an keep up my promise to better myself... but don't crucify me if I am not allways able to. Then think that I might also sufer from periods of tiredness, or simply being to pre occupied with all kinds of stuff here.because starting a new life here with Kik, is not easy... one foot in Thailand and the other in Holland. One place much easier but thats not possible for the time being ;-)

The Thai Wedding, the day finally arrived......

... and passed as quickly as it approached slowly but certainly!
You know how these things go. First one thinks one has all the time, time goes slowly, then in the last week you disover all that still needs to be done..and the closer you get to the date the more it seems that need to be taken care off. Everybody who organises special events knows about this and hence we (?) who learned this lesson tend to make a 'battle-plan' and seek solution in preparing in time and planning the involved finances and unforseen expenses as well.

Well, having said this, I looked in amasement to the preparations of the Thai wedding in Si Bun Ruang. Thai are excellent organisers of parties, they really enjoy a good party, but special events like a wedding........ thats different stuff, haha.
I saw the burden on Kik and the stress he had to endure. Because Kik knows a little bit about organising and planning but his family is not too used to such excersises. So, instead that Kik could enjoy the week before his weddingday in his hometown, he was busy trying to get everything organised as he had planned to in advance..... I got the impression a lot of 'repairs' were needed and interventions to make sure all went well.l
And I have to admit, the result was impressive!! Though my husband was deadtired after the 23d, I can vow to that allright!

Instead of what I was told beforehand, the big weddingparty took place the night before the actual wedding!
The whole front before the house of Kiks grandparents was cleared and a large, high stage was constructed in the corner of the front'garden'.
KIk had told me they expected around 450 of the 900 guests to turn up... which seems to be the usual % turnout... as it happened another "unforseen" tok place, namely a good 700+ turned up to take part, as well as the next morning, the wedding itself, a good 200 attended.incredible numbers which caused sweet Kik also headaches...because all Thai, including his family, looked at hime for guidance.
Not fair, one would comment, because he was not instrumental to this high turnout, but nonetheless, he was the one getting married to a farang, which means a caucasian non thai!
Another of his problems: a farang is allways considerd rich here...and how untrue that might be, thats how farang are looked at! Ergo, also the problems of the family, allays finacial are expected to be taken care of immidiaty by the new family-in-law.
Now such things do not need to be such a problem, at least for this farang, but with the international creditcrisis it suddenly was/is!
Poor KIk, he understood al to well, but seems that the people in and around his family had a harder time with that........ they simply do not seem to look further then their local news and problems;-)
Wel, all in all, the weddingday was more then succesfull, maybe too succesfull...but an unforgettable day it has been...whatever happened afterwards!

Latest news: Didi will also be attending our Thai Wedding!!

My/our dog Didi will now also attend our weding in Si Bun Ruang.
A dear friend of Kik, and a great doglover and breeder will take care of her while travelling with the bus from Phuket to Si Bun Ruang. So, Didi will be the 5th present at our wedding who was also at uour Dutch wedding in Delft!!
(The other 4? haha Kik, me, Els and Floor)
I hope that Didi will not cause too much problems while on the bus, but I could not let her suffer another trip by airplane if its not absolutly necessary!