Songkran, Thai New Year

April 13^th -15^th, 2011.

Songkran is the traditional New Year of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Srilangka and the east of India. The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit meaning ‘the beginning of a new Solar Year’. It’s sometimes called ‘water war’ byforeigners.Thai people believe in this festival as the family day.The custom is to use water to release the heat in April and to show the respect, apologizeand forgiveness to each other.

In the morning on, these days, the people go to the temple to give foods to the monk. After that, they put the Buddha image onatruck or cart and make the parade around the town to give the people theopportunity to the people to water him. And young people bring the holy water and water the hands of older people to apologize and old people forgive forgive them and blessing themwith tohave good luck. The people also bring the sand, and donate it to the temple, and puta flag in place on top of those. It looks very pretty.

The people have lots of fun. They throw water on the passing people. You don’t need to change your dress if you want to join them. Youwill be soaking wet all day. Please stay at your home or hotel if you want to be dry. That’s my suggestion.

I am once again heading down to the beautiful country of Guatemala to visit with the two communities I have been working with for several years now.  They were so appreciative of the support people provided last year.  This year, in addition to supplying materials and mentoring local teachers, it is my hope that we will be able to expand opportunities for more elementary and middle school-aged children in the Chajul area to receive scholarships so that they can obtain a formal education. Education really does appear to be key to future families’ abilities to earn a livable wage and support their family members.

I want to share some data with you about the country.  In the area of human rights and health and safety statistics continue to be dismal.  A country known for it’s warm people, raw beauty, and rich natural resources, Guatemala is also a country plagued by historical violence (most recently the 36 years of civil war that primarily targeted rural indigenous populations, whereby over 200,000 men, women and children were killed and numerous more displaced or disappeared.).  An enduring and significant inequity between indigenous and non-indigenous citizens has always existed. Recent World Bank statistics indicated 54% of the Guatemalan population live in poverty (earned income of $2 a day or less) whilst 23% live in extreme poverty (earned income of $1/day or less).  The poverty levels in Guatemala remain higher than in any other Centeral American country.  Poverty is predominantly rural and especially high in indigenous communities.  More than 81% of the poor and 93% of the extremely poor live in the countryside in remote areas such as the Ixil Triangle where our work and support at Mundo is taking place.  76% of the indigenous people are poor compared to 41% of the non indigenous population.  A strong relation has been identified between malnutrition and poverty.  In 2000 the prevalence of chronic malnutrition among Guatemalan children was the highest in Latin America, and among the highest in the world.  44% of children less than 5 year’s old suffer from malnutrition. With regard to education, the country has a national illiteracy rate of 31%, which doubles amongst indigenous people. Only Nicaragua and Haiti rank higher in the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean. A further 23% have insufficient housing, 12% have no access to water, 22% have no sanitary facilities and 18% have received no formal education.  A significantly higher number of indigenous Maya are unable to attend school due to family impoverishment and the need for children to work alongside their parents as they tend local crops.

In January 2007, La Prensa, one of the larger state newspapers, noted the area surrounding Chajul, often referred to as the Ixil Triangle, to be the most impoverished in the country, with the majority of families living well below the poverty line.

We at Mundo are out to change these statistics for families in the Chajul area!  One area that we have a chance to improve immediately is to provide scholarships (becas) to local children who would otherwise be unable to attend school.  We are now supporting children in Pre-Primario, Primario, and Basico (kindergarten, elementary, and middle school).  Last year we sent ten students to school and are hoping to send even more this year!  The following figures are approximate and cover annual inscription fees, school uniform and materials for one child:

Kindergarten/Preprimario: $11.00 per pupil

Elementary/Primario:  $25.00 per pupil

Middle School/Basico: $100.00 per pupil if child can stay at home or $800.00 if child must stay in a nearby village (Only the main towns have teachers who can teach Basico).

We are also providing material and monetary support to a nonprofit organization in Chajul called ACEFOMI.  ACEFOMI runs a bilingual IXIL-Spanish school for children who cannot afford to attend regular school.  The school is based on principals of “popular education”, from Paolo Friere’s work, focused on providing educational opportunities that enhance an understanding of self and community and that builds important skills necessary for success in an individual’s life.  Not only does ACEFOMI’s school program teach students ever-increasingly important language and literacy skills, but it also teaches students skills that will enable them to protect their surrounding environment through sustainable, earth friendly agricultural practices, as well as learning about sanitation and nutritional care.  Classes are open to the children and their parents (usually mothers).  Students receive what is often the one nutritional meal of the day.  ACEFOMI runs on a shoe string, with funds coming from partners such as Mundo.  This year we will be bringing down two laptops for the students.  In addition, we have funds to pay a part-time teacher.  We are hoping to raise enough to pay for a full time position.  This runs around $200.00 per month and so far we have $1000.00.  Poco a Poco (little by little).

Again, thanks for your support.

Thanks from all of us at MundoExchange !

I have always viewed Wats and Buddhist monasteries as mystic places that those of us not knowing about the Buddhist ways were restricted from visiting.  Nalinrat, my new friend from Mundo Exchange, helped me overcome that odd, farang (foreigner) thinking.  On my second day of volunteering at Mundo Exchange in Bueng Khan, North Eastern Thialand, Nalinrat and the Mundo team awoke early and announced we would visit the Wat for morning temple.  This is the time in the morning that the Buddhist monks and nuns join together with locals to meditate and learn about the Buddhist ways.

A five foot Buddhist friend at the Wat waiting for Temple

This Buddhist Wat is situated on a very large acreage of land that is bordered to the North by the Mekong River.  The open-air temple sits on a high bluff above the River, offering spectacular views of the muddy waters, river birds, river boats and barges, and other swift moving debris.  As per it’s name, the Temple is surrounded on land by huge old growth trees and diverse shrubbery.  Butterflies, ants, betels, lizards, iguanas, spiders, snakes, and other amazing insects and amphibians share the grounds with the monks and nuns.

On a hot day, this wat is a wonderful respite from the heat found elsewhere in the Bueng Khan province.  There are several small cabins where the nuns and monks live and where visitors can come to stay and practice meditation.  On many of the river banks, small alcoves have been built for the contemplators to sit and watch the river move along.  The Mekong looks as if it moves slow and gentle, but locals say it is swift and dangerous.  If one falls into the river, they will quickly be swept downstream in into torrential holes that can trap one until they can no longer survive.  The river banks have snakes who do not appreciate human visitors.  Their venom could be deadly.  One must walk with care!

We arrive at the Wat at 8:00 in the morning.  Already the area is bustling with the business of sweeping and readying the land for another day.  Nalinrat introduces me to all the nuns and monks, as well as to other visitors.  She seems to know everyone.  Even though I do not speak Thai, she does such a good job of helping me feel at home.  We first walk the grounds.  As women we can walk on all of the Forest paths, but it is forbidden for us to enter a Monk’s living space.  It is also true that men cannot enter a Nun’s living space, but it is OK for women to do so.  (I am learning many new rules with regard to proper etiquette in the Buddhist world.  I am lucky (chok dee) to have Nalinrat at my side guiding me.)

Mundo's ever wonderful host, Nalinrat, guiding volunteers through the Temple experience

After wandering through the old growth forest, we return to the center of activity where many nuns and laypeople and the head monk are sweeping sand across newly laid red bricks.  We each take brooms with handles made from bamboo and broom hairs made from coconut leaves. (It seems all the plants have a utilitarian purpose in North Eastern Thailand.  So many are good for eating and healing the body, while others make amazingly effective tools.)  We join the others in “sweeping meditation” of wisking the sand into the cracks between the bricks.  It is mesmerizing.  One feels very much at peace amongst a group of people working in harmony toward a common end.  When the bricks are swept and securely in place, the gong sounds and people come to Temple.  We take our shoes off at the edge of the tile before entering the temple.  We put our hands together high on our forehead, facing the monks in greeting, bending down a bit so as to be careful not to have our heads above the monks.  We kneel down on the tile, our feet folded under our bodies so that the souls NEVER face the monk.  We put our two hands together at the top of our forehead and bow three times to the monks in front.  The everyone chanted together – ever so beautiful alongside the river sounds.  The celebration went on for maybe 30 minutes.  Then food that had been brought by the local people and also collected by the monks on their early morning walk through town was blessed by the monk.  Slowly each plate was passed first to the monks, then to the nuns and then to those of us from town.  For the monks and nuns this is their only meal of the day.  They are allowed to drink throughout the day, but have committed to eating solid food only in the morning.

Volunteer meets new Thai Buddhist friends and enjoys a moment of mindlessness joy

It was an amazing plethora of (for this farang) exotic dishes, all vegetarian, many from ingredients found in the local forest  – mushrooms, various leaves and herbs all with unique flavors,.  Some were spicy hot, some were sweet, many were a combination of sweet, spicy, bitter, and salty.  Although I recognized only a few familiar foods, all was delicious.  We ate mostly in silence.  The monk is taught, according to Yoon, not to savor or crave certain foods, but to appreciate the food for its nutrition and caloric infusion for energy.  As a farang it was hard not to appreciate the food for the diverse and excellent taste, texture and smell.

Enjoying the only meal of the day

Each of us ate to our contented fullness (“Im Laoa.”  “I am full.”).  The monks and nuns went off to their various work sites and the visitors (the women visitors) began the “washing-the-dishes meditation”.  It was a joyous task enjoyed by all.

Volunteer Joan enjoys a moment with her new Buddhist friends

The cool water felt wonderful as the morning temperature was already climbing.  Amazingly, although I spoke only “Nit noy” (a little bit) of Thai, we all seemed to speak the same language of enjoyment and comeraderie of working together in such a beautiful, peaceful spot.  Stomachs and hearts full of happiness and the minds a bit less preoccupied by the daily worries that seem to follow us.  I will look forward to my next visit…maybe an overnight stay and helping with writing important Buddhist sayings into English to help Farangs become a bit more enlightened.  Thank you Mundo and Logatat!

Mundo Volunteer listening to an enlightened one

By Volunteer Joan Williams

Thai Students Receive New School Clothes and Bikes from Austrian Students

A special group of Austrian students from Bewegte Volksschule have helped many Thai rural farm students over the last few years. Bewegte School Director, Ingrid Mader, along with school’s staff and students collected donations for the Thai children where Petra volunteered. The Austrian elementary school students hosted a Christmas bazaar and a theatre presentation to collect money.  The Director, staff and children of Bewegte volunteered to donate all of the proceeds from the student’s Christmas Bazaar to the Thai children.

Bewegte Students Give to Thai Isaan Students

Petra volunteered with Mundo Exchange in the heart of Isaan in Northeastern Thailand. She was asked by herThai school’s Director, Khamdi, to come help his students and the teachers who are teaching English. Khamdi is one of the most progressive Thai school directors Mundo has met. Together with the students and teachers they have created organic gardens, fish ponds, and art and recycle programs. The Thai school children also plant and sell Thai herbs, flowers and trees to the local community. They raise farm animals including cows, goats, chickens. Khamdi knows the importance of having his students learn about other cultures through cross cultural exchanges. Mundo thanks Khamdi and his students and staff for enhancing cross cultural exchanges and providing volunteer opportunities like Petra.

Thailand director Khamdii helping award winning students

When Petra decided that she would volunteer at this small Thai rural school  (400 students and 20+ staff ) the English teacher, Supapon, was very excited to have help in her classroom. Supapon and her family along with Khamdi made a downstairs room for Petra for her home stay. This Thai family had never had a volunteer from Austria and were very excited, if not a bit nervous for her to come. After meeting Petra, all were put at ease and they began sharing stories of their family life and cross cultural ways.  Petra and Supapon team taught which allowed the Thai students to hear English words pronounced by Petra. In a very short time the Thai students were enamored by volunteer Petra.  Her kindness and dedication was noticed and valued by the Thai community.

Thai home stay bedroom in Isaan Thailand

Thais and global volunteers working together

Petra volunteered to help students from economically challenged Thai farming families. When Petra shared details about the challenges these Thai children and their families face on a daily basis, the students at Bewegte developed a plan to raise money.   Their donations supplied the Thai students with bicycles, school and scout uniforms, shoes, English-Thai dictionaries and other English reading materials. Additional funds were raised by Mundo Exchange and other volunteers. Many Thai students walk a long distance to and from school. Bicycles transport the students to school as well as to their families rice fields where they help their parents after school.

Bewegte Students Raising Fund for Thailand

The donated items that Petra, Bewegte School children and staff, and Austrian friends gave are still being used and are greatly appreciated by students and also the Thai Isaan community.

Austrians volunteers provided needed educational supplies and bikes to Thai students

The students that the Austrians helped live near Mekong River where they fish and farm.

Thai land and culture

When Petra returned to Austria she wrote radio news travel articles about her experiences as a volunteer in Thailand.  You can learn more about her experiences at http://fm4.orf.at/radio. Check out the links below to see her photos and read her thoughts about living and volunteering in Thailand.

Part 1 http://fm4.orf.at/stories/1635630/

Part 2 http://fm4.orf.at/stories/1635933/

Mundo Exchange volunteers have writings that can be used by teachers and students living abroad to study Thai and Guatemalan cultures and people. Also, travelers trying to get an idea of how cultures can connect and how they can help others during their travels and during their gap years can learn more about the world and themselves by reading our volunteer stories. We at Mundo and Global World Exchange thank all who have helped the people of Thailand and Guatemala.

The crafted candles at the main temple, Nongkhai.

It is the beginning of Buddhist Lent celebration. Various institutions e.g. schools, colleges and universities including public and private organization will craft and organize a colourful candle procession, music and dancing,  leading to a temple where the offering of the candle will be made.

The parade is going to start in the after noon at the Nongkhai fountain. At night you can go to see all the candles at Wat Phochai, the main temple of Nongkhai. There are a lot of people will go to the temple and carry the small candles and lotus flower around the chapel for three times and make a wish.

ASANHA PUJA & BUDDHIST LENT

The Asanha Puja Day is one of the sacred days in Buddhism as it marks the coming into existence of the Triple Gem, namely: the Lord Buddha, his teachings and his disciples. The day falls on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eight lunar month (July). It is an anniversary of the day on which Lord Buddha delivered the first sermon to his first five disciples at the Deer Park in Benares over 2500 years ago.

To observe this auspicious day, Buddhists all over the country perform merit-making and observe Silas (Precepts). Some go to the temples to offer food and offerings to the monks and also listen to a sermon to purify their minds. The Asanha Puja Day falls on the day preceding the Buddhist Lent which starts on the first day of the warning moon of the eighth lunar month.

Two little angels, candle's parade.

The tradition of Buddhist Lent or the annual three-month Rains Retreat know in Thai as “Phansa” dates back to the time of early Buddhism in ancient India, all holy men, mendicants and sages spent three months of the annual rainy season in permanent dwellings. They avoided unnecessary travel during the period when crops were still new for fear they might accidentally step on young plants. In deference to popular opinion, Lord Buddha decreed that his followers should also abide by this ancient tradition, and thus began to gather in groups of simple dwellings.

Buddhist Lent covers a good part of the rainy season and lasts three lunar months. In Thailand, Buddhist monks resolve to stay in a temple of their choice and will not take an abode in another temple until the Lent is over.

Some Buddhists followers consider the beginning of Buddhist Lent as a time for making resolution such as refraining from smoking or observing five precepts (Panjasila) throughout the three-month Rains Retreat.

Mundo Exchange decided to send Director Dalyn Simmons to the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Laos. To be accepted to this important international meeting Mundo first had to contact and submit information confirming our civil society or NGO status with the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland. After our international cross cultural organization was checked and rechecked we were accepted as one of the few small civil societies to come and learn at this conference. Those leaders working in Laos sent a free entry visa confirming Mundo’s support of the elimination of cluster bombs making it both easy and free to enter their country.

Listen to song by The Temptations, War?

At the Cluster Bomb Convention in Vientiane, Laos Mundo Exchange was registered as a global civil society or NGO international organization and had the opportunity to sit in on the debates, voting and discussions of nations from around the world who were and have been working so hard to eliminate these destructive weapons. The seminars run by organizations and individuals who have been working for sometimes decades on this global social problem were mostly outstanding and informative. At night we would meet informally and formally, listen to people such as the Leader of Laos and other countries discuss their ideas, problems and solutions. We also had the opportunity to listen and learn from innocent children and adults who were the unfortunate casualties of bombings of their fields and lands.

Legacies of War Join the Fight

The meeting and experience allowed Mundo to be able to join with many people, NGOs and other civil society groups that are like minded and supportive to working hard to make the world more peaceful and just.  We recommend that other civil groups and individuals begin or continue to write letters to their nations, particularly if they are from one of the countries that has not signed and ratified the agreement and have not destroyed their arsenals.

To learn more about what is being done, and what you can do to eliminate the use of cluster bombs and also the manufacturing of these bombs Mundo Exchange has provided a list of resources found below:

• for General Information

• by Handicap International
• United Nation support
• Award from CNN for film on Cluster Bomb Use

Countries and the global citizens from Belgium, New Zealand, Ireland and Luxembourg were the pioneers passing legislation to ban investing in these weapons. Switzerland has also now outlawed investments in the production of cluster munitions.

According to clusterbomb.org  there are over 160 financial institutions who are continuing to invest in cluster munition manufacturers. Over 120 of these financial institutions come from countries that have not joined the Convention. The countries mentioned were China, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, the United States and Taiwan. Perhaps even more amazing is that over 30 of these financial institutions that still invest and support the producers of cluster bombs come from countries that are members of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The countries named are: Australia, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Great Britian.

"Bombies" found in Laos

During 2011 and 2010 both Bularia, Costa Rica and other nations ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. However, around the same time Libya forces, as well as US and allies may have used cluster bombs in Misrata and throughout Libya too. The country of Yeman may have had US cluster bombs dropped. And although some countries such as Britain have signed the ban of cluster bombs they lease the island of Diego Garcia to the US to store their cluster bombs. Go figure?  Unfortunately, Thailand has used cluster bombs during their ongoing conflict with Cambodia. The good news is that Thailand had representatives at the conference who are learning and working to educate their people on the necessity of legally joining the Convention and refraining from the use of these weapons.  The Government of the United States was not represented at the conference. However,  American civil societies were on board.

Religious leaders agree to the elimination of the use of cluster bombs

One of the most trying times during the Laos conference, was when two young Lao sisters were walking home and found a cluster bomb that killed one girl and maimed the other. These bombs called bombies by many Laos were left by the Americans during their war on Laos years ago.  The U.S. and their allies dropped more than 250,000,000 submunitions on just Laos. Out of that total, about one third did not explode and are still killing innocents such as this young girl and have killed or injured approximately 50,000 more children, farmers, fathers, mothers and other family members.  Over 60% of the casualties were young boys.

Learning from the past is often difficult but it is possible that humans can further evolve past our opposable thumb.

Let us know your feelings on the use and destruction of cluster bombs and other military weapons being used today, what countries are still using them and what your ideas are of helping to eliminate these bombs while educating the world.  There is much to do by individuals, nations, civil organizations, associations and others to make this world safer and more humane. Its time to get on board and help ratify the Convention. Its time to stop putting such great amounts of money into wars and “conflicts” (http://costofwar.com/en/ instead of helping those in need of medicine, food, shelter and clean water. It is time.