Question of Hopes and Dreams

I was dreaming of working for NGO organisation since I was in high school year. A year after my graduation from UBU, I decided to move to work in Bangkok, which is a place that I never dream of living before, I finally am making it here at TVS (Thai Volunteer Service Foundation), currently working as a co-ordinator for the Collaboration for Young Generation in Mekong Region, working here I am using English alot in writing, speaking, listening and reading, I will be traveling both nationwide and around Mekong Region countries alot, I'll be writing feature articles and taking photograph a lot. What else could I ask for me??

Am I living a dream? What about all the dreams that I left behind in Ubon???

Working here is not that difficult and not that easy, but it is challenging for me. Not only the knowledge of English that I have will enable me to work for TVS. But I still need to learn all kinds of social problems in Thailand, neighboring countries and the world. I have to know about human right, environments, peace, violence, local wisdom, cultures, FTA, volunteerism and so many other issues that I have to learn and to turn professional if possible.

So, I think that earning a master degree is a need now, which I never thought before. I believe I am kind of being on the right track, I think that working for TVS will help me to think of which way I should turn to in term of professional choice....but I still do not know what I really want to do in the future...NGOs? Magazine? Photographer? Teacher? Writer? Interpreter/ translator? English Crazy Club Org?

Am I living a dream? What happens I really love working here? What about people and all the dreams I left behind in Ubon - they are waiting for me? What should I do?

Am I caught in the middle? I am.... after six-month time is over. I think I will know what my answers to this question is all about!

In between hope and dream...

-Netting
21 August 2008
Huay Kwang, Bangkok

Discovering Me - A Daughter of Isaan Commuity!

for Myself and Everyone I Know

Traveling is one of the best teachers
who help me discovering my spirit
and my soul answering the call to who I am,
what I am and where I’m coming from

Since I’ve traveled to many several
countries in Southeast Asia and especially
in the Mekong countries and
finally I’ve found my own ‘cultural root’,
deeply realizing that
I’m a daughter of Isaan community,
a woman of Asia,
the owner of Eastern civilization
and a young citizen of the ‘changing world’
I’m a dreamer and a believer of this era.

Wandering around, meeting and talking to the locals
and listening to their stories.
I’ve gained a deeper appreciation of my
culture and people of their simplicity of
relaxed, slow, harmonious life.
And I can’t wait to tell other about this.

I am dreaming of leaving my work
to lying in the happy hammock
and relax under the mango tree,
telling those wonderful stories
through the eyes of mine as a young
blood writer and an aspiring photographer.


In the end
my heart
will find
home of
Isaan community

English Crazy Syndromes

Been busy with the end of my semester, but I've always been thinking of updating
my blog. Now our English Crazy Club came up with the English Crazy Syndrome Project, which are brought into many ways of presentation, first is a feature article written by me, second is English Crazy Syndrome T-shirt by me and my crazy gang and last one is English Crazy Syndrome Short Film by our Learn2Give volunteers, Amy and Brandon and the crazy team. Would you like to know what are those 10 English Crazy Syndromes. Here we go!

The 10 English Crazy Syndromes:

I will speak English to myself in the mirror everyday.
I will speak English with my neighbour’s buffalos.
I will write love letters in English to my teachers.
I will dream in English and have nightmares too.
I will sleeptalk using especially rude words in English.
I will bring an English dic. everywhere, even to the toilet.
I will read English newspapers to my pet dogs and cats.
I will sing English songs very badly and loudly everyday.
I will watch English movies every week, even crap ones.
I shall be called ‘English Crazy’ if I do all of the above.

Stay updated with my Netting's World blog. More to come and more to wait.
Cheers! -Netting

Netting is BACK!

It's been almost a year I haven't been back to my blog! Now I am back again.
Too many things have passed me by, too many lives that I have seen, too many places that I have been. I am currently on my three more months to go on before I leave the university. This semester, I am conducting another research as my final project, called 'Possible Solutions to Difficulties Encountered in the Organisation of English camp' and of course the case study is about my English Crazy Club. I am now almost half way done. Cheer me up. I am coming back here soon when I am done! -Netting

Another Busy Days

Things around me always keep me busy all the time. It seems like I spend my life without weekend and vocation. Last night I just went back from BKK for an 5 day-educational trip: English & Communication Student's Field Trip. Before this trip we organised an 7 day camp - Sasom Dream Homestay Camp in a rural village in the same area of Nakor village where Greenway camp is located:

The new semester is approaching in a few days. I did not take a rest yet. I wish I could sleep for one or two weeks and wake up in another week. Could I do that?

By the way, my next month's schedule is still tight! On 3th Nov - the checkup at Siriraj Hospital in BKK, On 5-6 Nov - Trekking in Dong Natham Forest, touching the sea of fog on the mountaintop in Khong Chiam District. On 12-13 Nov - English Winter Camp at Niyom's old highschool.and on 16-20 Nov - Being a bus guide for the participants of the ship of southeast asian youth program 2005.

STILL I really don't know why I have to turn my life into this kind of path - travel over and over again. Let me ask you, have you ever been giving up on these of stuff, Netting?

Human Settlement Foundation

The week before, I worked as a interpreter for the Human Settlement Foundation in Ubon. It was worth a sacrifice - as I skipped a translation class on Friday. I learned a lot about the 'Poor Assembly' fighting for their rights and better things in life. I was inspired and encoraged to learn more about this kind of issue. I feel stronger for my fight for making things better and maybe I would write a book in English about their fight. Sounds interesting? And I seem to love be an interpreter a lot - at least I've got paid 1,000 bath. It is a lot better than setting in class and got no paid. And one more thing I truly learned was the Filipino accent. - Netting

A Foggy Day

Couldn't believe it, yesterday was a foggy day ever in Ubon- because of the depression of the weather hit our area. I felt like I was not in Isarn(the Northeast of Thailand) but somewhere in Western countries where the there are cover with the mist.

Two days ago, I had a final exam part one on Written Expression II. The test was quite easy for me, there seemed to be no problem to me. The instruction was to summary the newspaper article from New York Times - The Shameful Response To Katrina. It was atually a shameful response I have ever known. I learned more about American government.

One of my roommates, Tuan is back from her Australian Field Trip and Cultural Exchange which was supported by the University of Sydney. She has been very lucky and in a few week she is going to Cambodia for her another 4 month-scholarship of GMS. She shared many differents Australian things on a long her unforgetable trip. Can't see wait to hear more about her next trip in Khmer lands.

Well, there are still lots of schoolworks waiting for me to be done, English for homestay preparation, homework assignments, studying for the final exam. And tomorrow I am going for an interpreter work for the Filipino reseachers in the Ubon city for two days or more. Can't wait until tomorrow even though I have not prepared anything yet. More than anything I need some more sleep since tomorrow is my big day. - Netting

The Big Homework

for the Students of Siam

Find in each face something to love
Look in each pocket for something to share
Listen to every bird and hear the symphony of life
Whistling through the leaves

Seek in every flower the infinite colors of the rainbow
Stand up when all other are sitting
Have vision beyond the masses
Spread opportunities from the truth you have gathered
Guide others by your wisdom

Value yourself:
Don not sell your life at the market for a daily wage.

Achieve your own greatness through action:
Don’t wait a season and do not waste a cloud

Explore your ultimate life:
Don’t simply watch as others climb trees and swim in oceans
But be the forest and be the ocean

Select your role:
Perform with the strength of a hundred suns
Breath deeply and let your education shine
Don not merely cast a shadow

Love others through the touch of a hand, a smile,
A kind word, a shared tear, a quite moment

Create such a garden of your life that in fifty years some flower
will remember and a sacred drop of joy will come to
their face and the people will see in that tear that life is
worth a sacrifice, the struggle for eternal grace
greatness not on the front pages, but in the knowledge
that every day you have truly give

Then, rest a moment – not among the cars and clothes and
electronics you have bought, not among the cassettes
and rings you’ve collected, not among your achievement,
your degrees, nor your pay raises, but among the silent poor.

Listen to the hush of poverty,
The silent closing of hope:
Reach forward with open hands
Listen to the stream that flows through the lives of the poor
Drink the water:
Know the universal taste

Look up the sky from where the rain has come
Where the sun beams, and see

A reflection of yourself of which you are truly pround

Adapted from "A Promise for Siam" by Tom Radzienda

This is also one of my fantasting poems - Netting

Only A Piece Of Paper

"I was young; I was naive;
I was amazed, I thus come
to search for the meaning,

I hope to gather so many things,
In the end they gave me only
a piece of paper"

This poem is one of my favourite, I first read this poem in Thai version when I was a first year student. Now I am already a forth year student and just have a chance to read it English today.
This was taken from my classmate who writes the paper about tragic"October 14" event of Thailand occured 70 years ago.

Yesterday's night, I checked the Siemens Scholarship result from the Internet. Things did not always turn out that way - not always go on my way. My expectation went wrong. I was not chosen to get the scholarship. I told myself not to be sorry for that too much that"Netting, you can't lose what you never had!" But anyway, one of my friends at my faculty got the scholarship! She deserves it!!

Still I am working on Sasom Camp shedule and expecting to be done by this week and submit to Mae Suvannee. Besides, I am currently doing a report on the topic of "Anna and Siam" for Reading in Thai History course. I will talk more about this issue tomorrow if I have enough time! - Netting

Back to Ubon City - Nice Weekend

Today, I just went back from my grandma's house with Nit, to visit my father who is ill. I was very glad that he is in a better condicition now. Besides, yesterday evening, we had a chance to have dinner with Mae Suvannee and Por Vicha and talked about the upcoming English camp at Sa Som Camp in Khong Chiam District.

It has always been busy time for me, but that is the way I
always am. Being busy is better than being nothing. I can't
wait for the next camp to get prepared. But first I need to
manage everything here done, homework and final exams.

Sieze the Day

Netting

A Same Old University life

Today is still a busy day for me. My work and my study keep me busy. Final exams are coming very soon and many homework assignments need to be done before the end of this month.

I haven't finished reading "The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn" yet. I need to finish a persuasive essay for Written Expression II Class tonight.And I must finish the outline of my Reading in Thai History report to summit tomorrow.

Today I have been waiting for the result of Siemens Scholarship Program 2005-wishing I was one of 40 lucky students who win the scholarship of 20,000 baht(so I could buy a new video camera for me). But there is no result to be declared yet - maybe tomorrow.

I promise to try to post as often as possible (now I have an Internet access in my room already).Okay! That's enough for today.Good night!

Netting