It's been a crazy year, to say the least. Unfortunately, busy
schedules and commitments did not allow for the same amount of writing time
that our tiny Tongan island did, so I (Mark) haven't done much blogging. But
better late than never, I guess. For the sake of posterity and in fear that
these precious memories may one day slip away and be forgotten, here are 10 of
my "most memorable moments" of the 2014-2015 school year, in no
particular order:
1.) Christmas in Mae Law village, Burma. Getting to meet our dear friend Maung Way's
family in Burma was an unexpected and profoundly meaningful time. And driving 3 hours to attend a Christmas
"family reunion" in the small, rice farming village in which he was raised
was certainly the highlight. A priceless
memory that can not be captured in words.
2.) The first soccer practice with the "Somali
Stars." This was my first
exposure to some of the teenagers that Alissa serves, and it marked the
beginning of a number of relationships that have profoundly impacted me this
year. It was an initially awkward but joy-filled event, and it was incredible
to join in with them as they enjoyed their favorite sport for the first time in
Thailand without the fear of prejudice or immigration officers that constantly
plagues the urban refugee communities.
3.) The last day of my World Literature class. It was a rare pleasure to teach a group
of 24 young people who in just a couple months will be moving literately all
over the world to enter university. We
read some amazing books together and spent hours discussing meaningful topics,
ranging from poverty, human rights, culture, religion, human suffering,
personal identity, social justice, and so on. Their last day, when they
surprised each teacher in our classrooms with an informal ceremony of speeches
and bowing "wais", was a doozy - beautiful and extremely tough.
4.) Motorbiking to Kongsi Falls in Luang Prabang, Laos with
Peace Corps buddies. Our quick trip to Laos to meet up with Katy, Joey,
Michael, and Chiara was definitely a travel highlight of the year. Probably the
coolest part of the trip was driving motorbikes through rural villages to go
swimming in an amazing waterfall, then heading back during a stunning sunset.
5.) When a couple students told me they wanted to become
teachers because of my class. To
someone who is currently a teacher because of the influence of a couple great
teachers of mine, these were some pretty big moments - as they would be for any
other teacher in the world.
6.) The city of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I can't really
pinpoint a single best moment from this Fall Break trip full of intense hiking,
much needed relaxation, and bit of food poisoning. Really, the most memorable thing was the city
itself. It's one of those rare places on earth where breathtaking mountains and
beautiful beaches are only an hour drive from one another.
7.) The talent show at the 10th grade SALT Trip. The big field trip of the year was 4 days
of "Service and Learning" in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. On the last
night, the students put on an incredible talent show - incredible not
necessarily because of the superb talents, but because of inclusive and joyful
unity and camaraderie shown as each act was applauded uproariously, regardless
of friend group, native language, nationality, or anything else that so often
divides international school students.
8.) Songkran in Chiang Mai, Thailand. When other folks
heard we were going to the veritable center of Thailand's biggest holiday - a
week of everyone in the country going nuts and
splashing/shooting/dousing/spraying each other with questionable water from any
and all sources - they said we were insane. But being first timers, we ate it
up - the whole indescribable whirlwind of it all.
9.) Our "Ethiopian Birthday Party." Being the
thoughtful, motherly wife that Alissa is, she planned a birthday party at our
house for one of her Ethiopian kiddos who was turning 16. It was memorable to say the least - full of
good food, roaring laughter, and some unforgettable "Ethiopian dance lessons."
(we hope those videos stay hidden for a long time...)
10.) That first trip from the airport to our new home at ICS,
Bangkok. I can barely recall our overwhelmed feelings as we made that
drive, jet lagged and unknowing of what lay ahead, taking in for the first time
the bright lights, skyscrapers, and web of highways in this concrete jungle
that we've come to call home. And while
there have been countless answers to the question "Why did God lead us here?",
a thousand more answers to that question are still lingering. I guess we'll
have to see what the second year brings...
