|
Kids' Corner
Marvin has been asking me for a long time
if he could have a pet. He wants to have a dog but I told him that it was
not a good idea because we live in a house that has no garden. The dog
wouldn’t have anywhere to play and all of our family is away during he day
at either school or work. Then he wanted to have a horse but that was no
good because you need to live on a farm and have lots of space.
So Marvin and I went to the pet shop to
see what kind of pet that we could find. We found a mouse, but I didn’t
like that because I think they’re too smelly. We saw some fish and some
birds and they were OK. Then we saw some terrapins. They are like little
turtles. Marvin said that he liked them very much and I agreed that they
would make great pets. So Marvin has to make sure that everyday he feeds
them and cleans their tank. He does a very good job of this. Do you have any
pets? Write to Marvin and tell him. You can send your letters to:
 Marg
and Marvin
Chiangmai Mail
156-158 Im-boon Housing Estate
Muangsamut Road
T. Changmoi, A. Muang,
Chiang Mai 50300
Email: kids@chiangmai-mail.com
Fax: 053 234 145
OR FAX (038) 893 720
JOKES
1) What did the farmer do at the chocolate factory?
2) Which month has 28 days?
3) Where do the stars and planets go to school?
4) Why did the rock band hire a chicken?
ANSWERS
1) He milked chocolate.
2) All of them.
3) Universe-ity
4) Because they needed drumsticks.
Bye from Marg and Marvin
CDSC prepares students
for the ‘real’ world
Stuffing sausages, wiping noses, folding papers!
Gerard J.P.
Krebs
During June, five students attending the 9th grade at the
Christian German School Chiangmai (CDSC) were given work experience. Working
instead of studying and not having to get up early is better than going to
school thought most of the students. But as the week passed, they soon
realized that “real life” wasn’t just fun, but exhausting and hectic.
 That’s
me, as a reporter. It’s essential to always look extremely important.
Two students, Magali Christen and Anna Eckert, worked at
a kindergarten with small children. They generally had fun playing with the
little ones, and could sometimes find them annoying, but that didn’t
influence their opinion about their job. “It was cool! I could go home
early and I didn’t have as much stress as at school. Fortunately I
didn’t have to change diapers. I had to pacify some crying kids though,
and that was quite hard. I did like the job but I couldn’t imagine doing
it my whole life.”
The other three, Benjamin Taubmann, Sebastian Wenzlaff
and Gerard Krebs, had different experiences. Benjamin worked at a computer
repair shop where he had to fix computers, install virus scanning programs
and helped repair damaged soft or hardware (he did manage to play some
computer games, too, which the most favourite part of his “work”).
 Sebastian
the Sausage King! Can I take some home?
Sebastian worked for a butcher. “One day I only had to
put sausages into plastic bags, but the other days were quite busy. I had to
mix meat and ingredients for making sausages. On the last day we watched
someone slaughter a pig.”
The final student was me, Gerard Krebs, and I had chosen
to work at the Chiangmai Mail office and I had the chance to experience the
life of a reporter.
I went to some press conferences and even parties to take photos and go
along with the other reporters. On my last day I helped to fold newspapers
and folded at least 400, which had to be sent to subscribers. But still, it
was lots of fun and I never got bored. As my final job, I had to write this
article!
The life of Galileo Galilee
Six years telescoped into one night for the Hartmanns
Dominique Leutwiler
This year the Christian German School Chiangmai (CDSC)
ended the school year with a special farewell party for Marlies and Fred
Hartmann who finished his duty at the school after six years as principal.
As a
farewell treat, Marlies and Fred Hartmann were treated with a special
highlight by the performing children.
It was an evening filled with good-byes and well-wishing
from colleagues, students and parents. Every grade had organized its own
special presentation for them, something to remember when they return to
Germany and something that showed them how much they will be missed.
During the evening Marlies and Fred Hartmann were treated
with a special highlight with a theatrical play from Bertold Brecht called
“The life of Galileo Galilee” and was practiced throughout the school
year by the students from Grade 7 to 10. Mirjam Schmid and Dirk Massinger
were the initiators of the 50 minutes play which was truly appreciated by
the Hartmann’s.
Dinner was prepared by the parents and served in form of a buffet with a
large variety of dishes from different parts of the world. The evening ended
with a talent show which the students themselves had put together and
included dancing, singing, and a computer presentation. For Marlies and Fred
Hartmann the evening gave them many memories to take back home.
Local organization helping children to go to school
Education is our finest gift to children
Aaron
Bennett
Janjira is a bright eyed 13 year old girl, who unlike
many children her age, loves going to school. Her love of education isn’t
derived from a lack of social life or an absence of extra-curricular
opportunities. In fact, she often stays busy looking after her four younger
sisters; especially the youngest, whose physical and mental disabilities
have left her unable to speak.
 Janjira
and family
Janjira loves school because it is her only relief from a
life that is too stressful for someone her age, and more importantly, it is
the only hope she has for a brighter future. Janjira is a Burmese refugee.
Now thanks to the Chiang Mai-based Operation Blessing Foundation (Thai), it
will be a little easier for Janjira, as well as nearly 370 other needy
students, to get ready for school this year.
 Janjira
was one of the 370 children helped by Operation Blessing’s Back to School
program. (From left) Janjira, her teacher Niphaporn and Back to School team
leader Natcha Saosana.
For the third year in a row, Operation Blessing has
sponsored their Back to School project. On Friday and Saturday, June 11-12,
a team from Operation Blessing distributed school supplies to needy children
in Chiang Mai, as well as the two districts of Mae Sot and Tha Song Yang.
Mae Sot is where Janjira and her family live, as do many other Burmese
refugees who are seeking haven from the oppression they suffered in their
native country.
 Janjira,
a Burmese refugee living in Mae Sot, received Back to School supplies from
the Chiang Mai organization, Operation Blessing Foundation (Thai).
The children helped by the Back to School project range
in age from four to eighteen. Each student received a gift from the
Operation Blessing team which included a stylish backpack, notebooks, pens,
paper, winter clothes, school uniforms, and new shoes. At a value of 712
baht per student, it would cost Janjira’s father an entire year’s wages
to outfit each of his five children.
 Janjira’s
home
Before presenting the packages, the Operation Blessing
team spent time with the students in the schools they visited. While
observing the happy children, it was difficult to imagine their lives being
different from any other child.
A trip to Janjira’s home struck a chord of reality.
Though possessing very little, Janjira’s mother was eager to share all she
had with the Operation Blessing team, which amounted to little more than
warm smiles. Sitting in the floor of her home, surrounded by her new Back to
School presents, Janjira told the team she had never received a gift like
that before. From the surprised smiles the other children gave the team upon
acceptance of their supplies, she wasn’t the only one.
Operation Blessing Foundation (Thai) began operations in Thailand in
1999. In addition to the Back to School project, Operation Blessing is
involved in medical relief efforts and has built almost 90 wells across
Thailand.
New center for foreigners
interested in Buddhism
Autsadaporn
Kamthai
An International Buddhist Education and Meditation Center
is being built in Sansai district, Chiang Mai to allow foreigners who would
like to learn more about Buddhism a chance to follow their needs.
(From
right) Phra Rachawimol Methi, deputy director of Maha Chulalongkorn
Ratchawittayalai University, Chiang Mai Campus, Phra Yarnna Sompho, deputy
head of Chiang Mai Provincial Monks, Phra Amornwethi, head of Chiang Mai
Provincial Monks, and Phra Sophon Kittithada, head of Pasang District Monks
perform the foundation stone laying ceremony
The center will cost over five million baht and is being
built on the initiative of the Monk University of Maha Chulalongkorn. It
will stand on a 9 rai area in Ban Sriwangtarn, Tambon Paphai.
Dr Phra
Saneh Thammawanno, Maha Chulalongkorn Ratchawittayalai University, Chiang
Mai Campus Academic Office director, instructed foreigners on how to
meditate.
The laying of the foundation stone took place on July 4,
in keeping with Thai traditional belief of observing auspicious occasions.
The land was donated by Chiang Mai stalwarts, Somboon and Buachom Kantapa.
The center is being built in response to the increasing
demand by foreigners who want to learn and experience Buddhist teachings and
meditation. The university has been running the “Monk Chat” project for
foreigners for some time, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting at 5
p.m. It added the “Experiencing Thai Buddhist Culture and Meditation
Program” every Sunday and Monday.
The university found out that the programs elicited great
interest among foreigners but it faced obstacles in finding suitable places
for running courses in Buddhism for these people. Fortunately, it has
received land from the couple for the permanent center to be built on.
However, it is still looking for more donations to support the center’s
construction. For contact, please call 0-5327-8967 ext. 200, 105, 111 or
0-9950-4665.
|
