9-21

 

Hello mom and dad!

 

(note: this was written Thursday but my modem was in Ubon Sakda Tour so I couldn’t send you this email until today, Sunday)  How’s it going?  I’m feeling much better and hope to make a full recovery by this weekend. 

 

Speaking of this weekend…. I’m going to Bangkok with 5 (maybe 6) other exchanger girls and we’re staying with our host-club president’s (our host club president is also Mirijam’s hostmom) brother from Tuesday to Tuesday. 

 

We don’t have school because they have a break between semesters that lasts like 3-4 weeks (the seniors take their tests at this time, even tho it’s the end of first semester and not second).  Since I’ll be in Bangkok for a week, I don’t believe I’ll have email so I think you’ll receive your final email from me for about a week… either today or tomorrow (Monday).  I didn’t want you to worry, so I thought I’d let you know that. 

 

Also, I’ll give you my cell phone number here.  I still need to get you the house number, but you should always be able to reach me at my cell phone.  So here it is: 66-016693510….. k, now you have that. 

 

Well, of course our modem isn’t here right now, so I’m not sure if I’ll actually be able to send this to you today or not.  The fact that the modem is gone literally half the time is very frustrating. 

 

It turns out that when I danced it was not only a presentation, but a competition and me and Oun WON (Oun is my best friend who’s gay and therefore very good at Thai dance…)!!!!!  So we’re supposed to perform again tomorrow… Today I went to school to find out that afternoon classes were canceled cuz we had some kind of activity so I waited an HOUR AND A HALF for the driver to come pick me up and then went home “early”… It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t have to wait on such a SCORCHING day… then again waiting an hour and a half EVER is very frustrating…  Seriously, it was ridiculously hot today.  The air was heavy with the humidity… and yet the sun shone brightly thru the ominous rain clouds… I’m not sure if it ever really rained today or not, but it sure wanted to if it didn’t…. 

 

I’m currently reading the Lord of the Rings “Return of the King” (which is the third and final book).  I started it yesterday and I’m on page 242 right now… and there’s 340 pages… yup yup yup… we sure do a lot of reading here.  I’ve already read all the Harry Potter books… actually I read all of those by the second week I was here….and I’m trying to read slowly cuz none of us have that many books and a lot of people brought the HP books… so it’s no good trading them… that’s one thing I’d tell anybody going on foreign exchange—you an NEVER have enough BOOKS!!!  Even if you think you don’t enjoy reading (look at me)… 

 

I just wanted to tell you again, that you guys are by far the best parents ever… When I think about my parents here and how often they do stuff with my sister… or even how often they say a positive word to her… It really makes me realize how awesome you guys really are.  I truly appreciate every kind word, every hug and kiss, every backrub… every EVERYTHING you guys have ever done.  I don’t know how I could’ve taken you for granted for so long.  But now I realize what I have.  Thank you so much for just being you.  Well, I gotta run now cuz I have tons of email catching up to do!

 

I love and miss you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!love always,

 

Kati

 

 

September 22, 2003

 

To: Parents of students living in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand cc : Officers of Rotary Districts of students living in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

 

As the first break for schools in Ubon and Warin chamrab will be during 22 September thru 24 October. Sri-Ubon Rotary Club provides a program for inbound students living in Muang Ubon and Warin Chamrab City.  This is the program for inbounds spending time for two weeks at a BUDDHIST TEMPLE, called as WAT PA NANACHAT that means international temple.  Some 15 km west from the province (Muang Ubon City) on Ubon-Sisaket route, the Wat is renowned for its meditation affairs with a large number of foreign monks practicing there.  Please be advised that this is one of the Buddhist temple in Thailand.  If some of natural parents not agreed with your children to join another religions out of yours, please email me, she and/or he won't be granted permission to join the program.  For your information, the program will be on 1-20 October 2003.

 

For another activity: the 1st weekend camp for all 43 inbound students in District 3340 will be on 22-25 October at Nakhon Phanom, 300-km north of Ubon.  I'll personally escort ten inbounds of Ubon to join their other 33 inbound friends. This program is compulsory for 43 inbounds in District 3340.

 

One more program for Ubon's inbounds: this year's rice harvest will be started in mid-November.  Inbounds (only in Ubon) will be assigned to experience in the rice field and spend one-week overnights with farmer families.  Families must be selected and well qualified by the Board of Directors of Sri-Ubon Rotary Club.  If some of natural parents not agreed, please email me.  The student won't be granted permission to join this program.

 

For the 1-20 October Program at Wat Pa Nanachat, if any rejections, from natural parents, have not been received by 29 September 2003, we assume that you agreed to grant your children to join the program.

 

Any suggestions, please advise.

 

Regards,

Prapart Sudhipongpracha, PDG, Major Donor

D-3340 Youth Exchange Program

 

Hello everyone-

 

I thought I'd make sure to let everybody know that I leave for Bangkok tomorrow and I'll be there until September 30 so you guys won't be receiving any emails from me for about a week.  I'm sending a card for Hannah tomorrow.... so it should be there in around a week.  Inside it is a picture of me that was taken for my new visa.  It's not too bad of a pic at all (which is exciting cuz usually visa pics are pretty bad....).  Well, today we went and got our visas renewed so now we have that out of the way. 

 

A day or two after we get home from Bangkok we'll be in the Temple for a few weeks.... so I don't know how much emailing I'll be doing in October either.   Lizz, you're gonna receive a birthday call from me, but I don't think it'll actually be on your birthday unless I call you from my cell phone... but I'm afraid that if I call you from my cell phone the reception won't be very good...

 

I hope Hannah is feeling tons better.  I'm really grateful for all of you and appreciate all your emails, thoughts, and prayers.  Please continue to send them my way!  I love and miss you all so much!

 

luv,

 

Kati

 

 

 

Hello everyone-

 

If you want to call me at home, please call this number (these are all the numbers you will have to dial)...001-66-45323048

now, please remember that this is my HOME phone, and you probably won't get an English-speaker..... just explain VERY SLOWLY that you are a friend of Kati and you're from America and you want to talk to me.... they'll understand if they hear the words "America", "Kati", and "friend"....  Remember that you are 12 hours behind me (if it's noon on Sunday in IN, it's midnight on Sunday in Thailand).... I'd recommend warning me before you call in an email so I'll for sure be here and you won't waste your money.... okay, great-  I'll talk to you all later.... oh, I almost forgot.  if there's an emergency and you need to get a hold of me right away you can call my cell phone (there won't be a very good reception, but I'll most def be able to hear).... to reach my cell phone, dial:

 

001-66-16693510

 

okay, I love and miss you all very much and hope to hear from you soon!

 

much love,

 

Kati