So the big day finally arrived! I know the kids were looking forward to seeing their friends again more than seeing a baseball game, but we managed to sneak some American culture in there between all the gossiping in Thai :-). We all gathered in the Faith Lutheran Church parking lot to pack the bus up. I was late, of course, but we got the bus rolling before 10:00am so we had plenty of time to get down to Milwaukee. On the way down, I chatted with Mrs. Rycroft about Jump. Apparently he's doing very well up in Shawano and they may even let him participate in a few Track & Field meets. The Rycrofts are really enjoying having Jump as a guest, which is great news. In fact, all the host families seem to be enjoying the experience almost as much as the Thai kids. Several people came up to me and said that if I ever bring kids over again, they'd be happy to host them again. So I'm very proud that the kids have behaved themselves well and left a good impression of what Thai kids are like at their best.
However, it may be difficult to place other Thai students with these host families, because these kids have already "called dibs" on them. Hahah! I think that's wonderful. It means that in just a few short weeks, the Thai kids and their host families have developed close bonds that will hopefully last long after the trip ends. Which is the whole point, of course! I'm very happy to hear stories from the host families about how well the kids have adapted and become a part of their families. In fact, I may have a hard time convincing them to give the kids back, hahah! Just kidding!
Once the bus arrived in Milwaukee, 
we headed over to the stadium parking lot for our "tailgate" party. The word, "tailgate" comes from the gate on the backend of a pickup truck (the part that folds down when you open it), but it also has two other meanings. If someone is following you very, very closely while you are driving, we would call that "tailgating". In America, it's illegal and you could get a ticket from the police if they saw you tailgating someone, 
but in Bangkok, that's just the way everyone drives! The other meaning of the word has to do with the way people would go to sporting events early so they could sit in the back of their truck and party (drink beer and grill burgers). This kind of party became known as "Tailgating", and it's grown to be very elaborate. Now people have special trucks and buses they use for tailgate parties, and they bring large groups of people, big grills, games, and lots and lots of beer.
we headed over to the stadium parking lot for our "tailgate" party. The word, "tailgate" comes from the gate on the backend of a pickup truck (the part that folds down when you open it), but it also has two other meanings. If someone is following you very, very closely while you are driving, we would call that "tailgating". In America, it's illegal and you could get a ticket from the police if they saw you tailgating someone, 
but in Bangkok, that's just the way everyone drives! The other meaning of the word has to do with the way people would go to sporting events early so they could sit in the back of their truck and party (drink beer and grill burgers). This kind of party became known as "Tailgating", and it's grown to be very elaborate. Now people have special trucks and buses they use for tailgate parties, and they bring large groups of people, big grills, games, and lots and lots of beer.Our tailgate party wasn't so grand, 
but it was a lot of fun! We put two grills out behind the bus, and set up a few tables for condiments and chips. We had a few coolers of soda (for me and the kids) and beer (for the adults, hahah!). We didn't have any games, but the kids were quite happy to just talk with their friends. Since we arrived at the parking lot around 11:30pm and the game didn't start until 2:10pm, we had plenty of time to eat, gossip, and eat some more. 
The new baseball stadium is VERY impressive. The whole roof can actually open and close, so on a sunny day, the roof is open, but as soon as it starts to rain, they can close the roof, which is amazing because it's a HUGE roof! Wow!
but it was a lot of fun! We put two grills out behind the bus, and set up a few tables for condiments and chips. We had a few coolers of soda (for me and the kids) and beer (for the adults, hahah!). We didn't have any games, but the kids were quite happy to just talk with their friends. Since we arrived at the parking lot around 11:30pm and the game didn't start until 2:10pm, we had plenty of time to eat, gossip, and eat some more. 
The new baseball stadium is VERY impressive. The whole roof can actually open and close, so on a sunny day, the roof is open, but as soon as it starts to rain, they can close the roof, which is amazing because it's a HUGE roof! Wow!I had bought 40 tickets for the game ($21 each, ouch!), 
but since May and Jan didn't come, we had four extra tickets. That wasn't a problem, however, because when the bus first pulled up, a guy (ticket scalper) came up and asked if we had any extra tickets to sell (so he could go and resell them to someone else who needed tickets). I sold him our extra tickets, but after he left, I realized I'd accidentally given him FIVE tickets! Oh no!! So I had to run around looking for him in a panic, but after 30 minutes of searching around the bus parking lot, I couldn't find him :-(. So I asked one of the other ticket scalpers if they had seen him, and they told me he may have gone over to the front of the stadium to sell the tickets! Uh-oh! 
So I quickly ran across the parking lot and around to the other side of the stadium to see if I could catch him before he sold the tickets. Man, I am out of shape! :-P Whew! Once I got around to the front, I saw him and chased after him, he saw me running and came to meet me, which was good, because if I had to run any further I would have had a heart-attack! I told him I gave him an extra ticket, and he one back to me. He didn't even ask for any money back, so that was cool of him. I found out that he'd actually just sold four of the tickets, and had one left over, so I was very lucky to get it back! Whew!!
but since May and Jan didn't come, we had four extra tickets. That wasn't a problem, however, because when the bus first pulled up, a guy (ticket scalper) came up and asked if we had any extra tickets to sell (so he could go and resell them to someone else who needed tickets). I sold him our extra tickets, but after he left, I realized I'd accidentally given him FIVE tickets! Oh no!! So I had to run around looking for him in a panic, but after 30 minutes of searching around the bus parking lot, I couldn't find him :-(. So I asked one of the other ticket scalpers if they had seen him, and they told me he may have gone over to the front of the stadium to sell the tickets! Uh-oh! 
So I quickly ran across the parking lot and around to the other side of the stadium to see if I could catch him before he sold the tickets. Man, I am out of shape! :-P Whew! Once I got around to the front, I saw him and chased after him, he saw me running and came to meet me, which was good, because if I had to run any further I would have had a heart-attack! I told him I gave him an extra ticket, and he one back to me. He didn't even ask for any money back, so that was cool of him. I found out that he'd actually just sold four of the tickets, and had one left over, so I was very lucky to get it back! Whew!!
I got back to our bus and grabbed something to eat and drink. When I get back to Thailand, I'm going to have to start exercising again! I'm too old and fat to be running around like that! Haha! 
Around 1:30pm, we started to pack up the tailgate party. I handed out all the tickets and everyone walked over to the ballpark on their own. We met up again at our seats and I took a few pictures of the kids. 
Watching them before the game, I noticed how they asked their host families questions about baseball and the ballpark. It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, they were scared to come out of the kitchen at the parsonage house. Now they were sitting with their host families and chatting very naturally with them. I didn't see any shyness at all. What a big change!
Around 1:30pm, we started to pack up the tailgate party. I handed out all the tickets and everyone walked over to the ballpark on their own. We met up again at our seats and I took a few pictures of the kids. 
Watching them before the game, I noticed how they asked their host families questions about baseball and the ballpark. It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, they were scared to come out of the kitchen at the parsonage house. Now they were sitting with their host families and chatting very naturally with them. I didn't see any shyness at all. What a big change!We had GREAT seats for the game, 
unfortunately the Brewers were busy stinking up the ballpark with awful play :-P. They were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals, so our team was blue and the opposing team was red. Given Thailand's current situation, it's fortunate that our team had a politically neutral color! 
Luckily the kids can wear their blue Brewers shirts back in Thailand. Hahah! Once the game started, the kids tried to pay attention, but baseball is a needlessly complicated game and it was difficult for them to follow the action. 
I don't think they cared much, though, they were content to chat with their friends and explore the stadium's food court. However, like all ballparks in America, the prices were outrageously expensive, so the kids didn't buy much food (that's why most people like to tailgate beforehand, because the food inside the park costs too much). I bought a tray of nachos for $5.50 (ouch!) and shared it with Tong.
unfortunately the Brewers were busy stinking up the ballpark with awful play :-P. They were hosting the St. Louis Cardinals, so our team was blue and the opposing team was red. Given Thailand's current situation, it's fortunate that our team had a politically neutral color! 
Luckily the kids can wear their blue Brewers shirts back in Thailand. Hahah! Once the game started, the kids tried to pay attention, but baseball is a needlessly complicated game and it was difficult for them to follow the action. 
I don't think they cared much, though, they were content to chat with their friends and explore the stadium's food court. However, like all ballparks in America, the prices were outrageously expensive, so the kids didn't buy much food (that's why most people like to tailgate beforehand, because the food inside the park costs too much). I bought a tray of nachos for $5.50 (ouch!) and shared it with Tong.Right before 
the game started, they closed the roof of the ballpark, because they were worried it was going to start raining. I'll upload the video of that soon, it's pretty cool. The Brewers got crushed by the Cardinals and the final score of the game was 7-1, ugh! Baseball, like soccer (football) is supposed to be a low-scoring game, so if the Cardinals score seven runs, that means the Brewers have some serious problems with their pitching. 
Fortunately, there were lots of other things to see and do. They had a few songs to sing during the seventh-inning stretch, some fireworks at the start of the game, and a "sausage race" between guys dressed up like different kinds of sausage (the Polish sausage won the race).
the game started, they closed the roof of the ballpark, because they were worried it was going to start raining. I'll upload the video of that soon, it's pretty cool. The Brewers got crushed by the Cardinals and the final score of the game was 7-1, ugh! Baseball, like soccer (football) is supposed to be a low-scoring game, so if the Cardinals score seven runs, that means the Brewers have some serious problems with their pitching. 
Fortunately, there were lots of other things to see and do. They had a few songs to sing during the seventh-inning stretch, some fireworks at the start of the game, and a "sausage race" between guys dressed up like different kinds of sausage (the Polish sausage won the race).There was a big board in the ballpark that they used to keep track of the score and show announcements. At one point, they put up an announcement that said, "The Milwaukee Brewers welcome: ...the Pudgimelon Learning Center", but I didn't get a photo of it :-P. Did anyone else get a picture of that? If so, please email it to me!
After the game, we 
walked back to the bus and got a few snacks out while we waited for the parking lot to clear out so we could move the bus. We drove back to Valders, but on the way we stopped for a bathroom break at a Hardees in Sheboygan. The kids didn't eat much, but I got a strawberry shake. 
I also ate some rice-krispie treats that Gird and Sky had made, Yummy! Hmmm... perhaps there is a reason I'm getting so fat :-P. Once we got back to Valders, we chatted in the church parking lot and then the kids went home with their host families. It was our last big trip together as a group and I could tell the kids were a little sad to say goodbye to their friends once again. However, they all looked happy and comfortable with their host families. I'm sure they will remember this day for a long time!
walked back to the bus and got a few snacks out while we waited for the parking lot to clear out so we could move the bus. We drove back to Valders, but on the way we stopped for a bathroom break at a Hardees in Sheboygan. The kids didn't eat much, but I got a strawberry shake. 
I also ate some rice-krispie treats that Gird and Sky had made, Yummy! Hmmm... perhaps there is a reason I'm getting so fat :-P. Once we got back to Valders, we chatted in the church parking lot and then the kids went home with their host families. It was our last big trip together as a group and I could tell the kids were a little sad to say goodbye to their friends once again. However, they all looked happy and comfortable with their host families. I'm sure they will remember this day for a long time!
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