We arrived in Chicago without incident and went outside to meet the shuttle bus. The kids were very impressed with my ability to walk around in shorts and a T-shirt. I told them it was my evolutionary advantage because I am covered in fur, but secretly I was freezing and just pretending it didn't bother me. Hahah!
We stopped at McDonald's on the way up so we could use the wifi to send out some quick "we've arrived!" messages. I feel asleep on the way up to New Holstein. It was the first bit of rest I'd had since Korea. Airplane seats aren't built for guys my size, so I ended up watching five movies and not sleeping at all.
When we arrived in New Holstein, Sue from the church showed us around the school. We have use of two classrooms, a big kitchen, and the gymnasium. The building is still heated, so it is comfortable. However it is a bit spooky and so the kids are reluctant to shut the lights off after they leave the bathroom.
That evening, while Pat got the kids ready for bed, I walked down to the Kwikmart to get some food for breakfast. It's about a mile (1600m) from the school to the market and the temperature was around -10'C. Brrrrrr.... Walking back from the market with three big bags of groceries was NOT fun. I definitely should have packed some gloves. I had to keep stopping to stick my hands in my pockets to warm them up.
Back at the school, the kids were sitting around chatting. We ate some snacks and played the "telephone game". I was trying to keep them awake until the sun went down, but around 6:30pm I couldn't stay awake any longer and I gave up. The best way to beat jet lag is to stay awake during the day and sleep at night, no matter how you feel, but sometimes it is really hard.
In the morning, Pat made eggs and bacon for everyone. Didi, June and Carrot were very hungry, so they helped Pat prepare the food. After breakfast, Win, Phu and Japan washed the dishes.
The kids have been pretty good about doing their chores. Since the school building is still in use by other church groups, I insist that the kids keep their rooms tidy and clean up after meals. I want them to be good guests and leave people with a good impression of Thai students. So far, the kids have accepted their duties cheerfully and their rooms are always neat before we leave for the day's activities.
After breakfast, the kids took the opportunity to explore New Holstein and enjoy the cold weather. Most of the snow has melted, but there's still a few piles left for them to play on. It was very cold, so Pat and I made sure we had hot chocolate ready for them to drink when they came back inside.
I had to go pick up the van in Manitowoc. My parents came out to New Holstein to give me a ride. On the way, we stopped for a second breakfast. I felt like a hobbit, hahah! The van rental company opened late, so I didn't get to pick up the van until 10:30am.
Unfortunately, that meant we didn't get up to St. Norbert until noon. So Ploy was late for her orientation. Luckily, the people at the college were flexible and rescheduled Ploy's placement test for the afternoon. We walked over to the cafeteria for lunch. So much has changed since I went to school at St. Norbert. The cafeteria now has a variety of foods in a buffet food court. It was very tasty and the kids were impressed with the quality of the dishes.
After lunch, we toured the campus while we waited for Ploy to finish her placement exam. Of course, most of the kids are too young to start picking colleges, but it's always good to get them thinking about international education options. Now that they've actually seen what a real college campus looks like, they can make a more informed decision about whether or not studying overseas is something they'd like to do.
After the tour, the kids waited in the campus bookstore lobby (after some shopping!) while I collected Ploy and took care of her tuition payment. Then we walked over to Ploy's dorm to drop off her luggage. Ploy seemed really nervous about meeting her roommate, but I think she will do fine. She seems confident and eager to make some new friends. Her roommate is an American girl named Megan. She seemed very nice and outgoing, so I think Ploy will enjoy staying with her.
After Walmart, we had a late dinner at Village Pizza in New Holstein. On the way, it started to snow a bit and the kids went nuts. When we arrived at the pizza place, they piled out of the van and started running around like crazy.
Pat and I got some grocery shopping done at Walmart too. We told the kids that anything on the top shelf of the refrigerator is theirs to snack on any time they feel hungry, but the stuff on the bottom shelves is for meals, so they can't eat that. Walking around Walmart made me realize just how terrible American food choices are compared to a Thai market. In America, most of the market is taken up by pre-packaged, processed foods, and the fresh produce section is very small. But in Thailand, it is the exact opposite. There are many choices for fresh fruits and vegetables and not so much pre-packed food. This is partly because of the climate. In Thailand it is easy to grow fresh food year-round. But in Wisconsin, fresh produce has to be trucked in from southern states, so it is very expensive compared to canned or processed food.
Sometimes it can be difficult for the Thai kids to adapt to the American diet, but it is something they must do. There are no som-tum carts on the corner of every street here, so it isn't as easy to get a hot, freshly-cooked meal in the States. At first this is a bit shocking to the kids, but eventually they adjust and adapt to American meals. It is all part of the experience, after all.
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