Translated by Roxy
“Teacher, teacher… I want to speak with Farang” , a little voice from a little girl who studies in a small school, remains deeply in my heart. The school is located behind a little mountain - "a behind mountain School" . There is no reasons to explain more about its meaning since the readers know quite well what it means. However it doesn’t means that these “Behind Mountain Children” are as the place their school is located. Such words they spoke with me immensely touched my heart - a heart of the teacher. They are determined to talk with Farang although they never learn English before. More than that farangs had never been to their rural school at all. “ Chang Peurk” (a white elephant) is the proper name I would use to describe these kids. The children's eyes are full of stars. They want to learn it, want to know it more, want to try it out, want to find it out and want to improve themselves all the time .
I am pretty sure that, one day, such self-determination will make them become the big Chang Peuks in the big forest. With this kind of realisaton, how can I just stay still, seeing their degree of self-determination was getting down because they do not feel that their dreams will never be fulfilled and become slowly fading away. As the one who can make for their dreams fulfillment, I decided to contact with a group of young volunteers. I do call them the volunteers because they work with real hearts and pure sacrifice for others. Even though their potential can go to every part of Thailand , they still never lose their faith or afraid of anything.
This group of young people call themselves as “ English Crazy Club ” - people who are crazy in learning English so much. As it abnormal naem, Crazy, sounds scary to me, it makes me afraid of it and dare not to even touch it [ just kidding !! ]. However, when I have touched what they are working for, I’m very surprised with the spirit of being “ Pee Leang ” a word for “ Staff ” in Thai. They can teach and motivate and give inspiration for whoever sitting or standing beside them. Those people can become hypnotised anytime by their inspiring performance and eager to learn and love to learn more faithfully. I believe that if someone are motivated to do anything with the real heart and love, the success will not be far from their reach. So, to do something with love is one thing I want to teach my students.
English Crazy Club!!! - Not only does this student club organise English camps around Thailand but also help to contact with the Farang volunteers who love to teach the poor students with spirit of volunteerism in the rural schools. Many schools need to have Farang teachers to provide authentic teaching modes for their students, but a very challenging obstacle is “monetary support ” and my school is not different from those schools in many rural areas. The shining inspiration from my students and my accumilative experiences I have learnt them consistently energise me to move on. I can become happy with this opportunity that I have fulfilled their dreams even if it was just a short time.
Thank you!! Netting – the little coordinator but full of the strong spiritual hearts and genuin commitment to help the children without expecting things in return. Today, the people like Netting are decreasing day by day. She makes the Behind the Mountain Children’s dreams become true by a wise use of technology and reliable selecting process for Farang teachers. This good selection results my school a good Farang teacher, named “Tessa”.
Tessa stayed with us for 1 month. She taught the P.1 – P6 students for 8 hours a day.
She effectively used teaching materials in her pedagogy and always preparred for every lesson. She performed teaching by herself. These certainly proved that it can encourage students to learn, want to know, want to search and can improve themselves by theirs hearts. All of these hearts enable them to communicate and actively participate in every activity with success. And all of this is an important part of the dreams they’re waiting for for a long time. It’s not only my school that Tessa taught. She also taught another school that is in the same network with my school for 3 days. Those 3 hours per day seemed never enough for students wanted to learn more. Every student was happy with this opportunity and asked for more knowledge. There is not only my school that wants this good opportunity for education but also other schools the same area.
It was the last day for Tessa to stay with us, the school and villagers prepared the Thai traditional ceremony called “Buy Si Soo Kwan” (a traditional blessing ceremony) to bless all of good lucks and wealth for Tessa’s life. I’m glad that she is one Farang who participated in this Isaan tradition but…I am quite sad for the children's dream fulfillment need to fall into abeyance. But I still believe that if I have a good still friend and helpful supporters, there are always opportunities our dreams to be filled with a lot of creations.
Finally, again Thank Netting whose help really made children’s dreams come true. Thanks all of Staff in English Crazy Club who lit up my inspiration. Thanks the school director and everybody who helped “The Behind the Mountain Children” for lighting up theirs fading dreams and made them shining dreams. “There is no young plants can make products within one day and there is no young plants can live without a good fertilizer and water.”
I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who helps give priceless fertiliser and water to these young plants with an important opportunity to grow up and produce good things for their own communities in a near future.
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