Don't overlook the quiet ones ~ 

Every class I enter has a few students who stand out.  Their unabashed enthusiasm for learning makes  even the shabbiest classroom shine.  China is one of those children.  He is 15 years old and bopping.  Literally, bopping with excitement. I am the first native English speaker he has met and he wants to perfect his accent.   So I will be meeting with him and a collection of his friends before and after class so they can practice.  It is so easy to interact with these charismatic kids.  Many more students are more reticent but fortunately,  after last night's experience,  I have learned not to overlook them.

My Tuk Tuk was a no-show.  No more Ba-dum and Mr. Thom doesn't speak any English and isn't as reliable.  After dark the streets in the school's neighborhood go from bad to worse.  People were gathered around open fires in the roads (in the middle of the roads) and huddled in darkened recesses.  If not for the hoards of children everywhere it would have been very threatening.

As I was trying to figure out what to do, and control my rising anxiety, Lim Na came and sat next to me (pictured here).  I tried to chat with her but she was too shy to speak   I was getting more uncomfortable.  No Tuk Tuks in this neighborhood, but I don't think I would have gotten on one anyway.  It really was a scary setting.  Lim Na started to talk a bit...then a bit more...and within 15 minutes her English was really pretty good.  Seeing that I needed help gave her the confidence she needed to open up to me.  I watched this sweet girl blossom in less than an hour.  She had someone call for a Tuk Tuk then she even helped negotiate a price (I would have paid just about anything to get out of there!).  Lim Na told me she liked talking to me because I reminded her of her sponsor who lives in Texas.  CCF offers sponsorships for these amazing children which enables them to attend school and pay for a rice stipend for their family.  I'm going to have a tough time choosing who I'm going  to sponsor before I leave.  As I boarded my Tuk Tuk I gave Lim Na a hug and told her she was my hero.  She bowed and gave me a huge smile and said she'd look for me tomorrow.   It is hard to explain the feeling I get with interactions like this.  They continue to be soul filling.  No other way to describe it.

I hope you won't get tired of these kid photos!