OceanicThai

Beach Restaurant Originally uploaded by oceanicthai It's been fun spending time together as a big family.

Dad Teaches Jazz Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Brave Grandpa teaches Bug-Boy.

Viking Pizza Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Our favorite pizza in town, at the Viking Restaurant in Khao Lak, about 15-20 minutes from our house here in Bang Sak. They make yummy European style pizza.

Lazy Lounge Lizards Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Vacation with Grandma & Grandpa.

Happy Poppy Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Doing one of her favorite things...

Big Bug Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Too bad I didn't put it on my hand for the pic, it was really a whopper.

That's our semi-official title (translated from Thai) for Dean's center that we use for everything. Monday through Friday 5-6p.m. we teach English to Thai kids. Starting February Kennedy will teach adults 3 nights a week from 7-8p.m. Starting this week we are also opening our center to teach Thai to westerners. A group of 8 adults and 9 kids, all learning Thai except the smallest 3 children. We will hire someone to watch them in our Sunday School room. It will be quite the learning curve for our dear Thai co-workers, but it will help their income substantially. It is also a great use of the center. I got together with Ning, Khrua and Chan yesterday to teach them some phonemic/phonetic basics and familiarize them with the books we will be using. I know they will be good language teachers, Ning already does a great job with our kids and Dean's interns, Trevor & Kory. Khrua has some experience already, and Chan, her younger brother, will do great too, I'm sure....

Black piglets and a big mama pig criss-cross the road when you go into the village of Thap Thawaan, Chan's new home. He moved in a few days ago and his family will come at the next term break of the children's school. Kennedy will be taking him out soon to buy the supplies he needs to start his electrical repair shop. His bamboo/cement home is still getting finished. We rented it for a year for about $50 a month. Chan will be opening a cell-group/Bible-study soon for the adults that have already said they are Christians. We are also making plans to do a regular kid's group for the kids that have believed, too, and anyone else who is interested in coming. This is a big step of faith for all of us.

I've been corresponding via e-mail with one of the coordinators from the Bizarre Foods program on t.v. and it looks like we've got a date for them to come see our Thai partners cook up some unusual delicacies...red ant larvae soup, minced garden lizard, fried bugs, and whatever else they can find out here. Maybe some monitor lizard or snake. Oh yeah, pig's intestines with undigested food. Our Thai partners are excited, they will be cooking everything up right at Dean's Center. I think it is hilarious and I hope everyone has a great time. Click the title to go to the show's web page on the Discovery channel. I think we've seen it once or twice while we've been in the U.S.

My parents are here, and my wonderful dad brought me lots of delicious chocolate from America...dark chocolate Lindt, my favorite! He also brought me some divinity...I can't resist the stuff. He certainly knows my weaknesses! He also brought a box of giant delicious truffles from some friends at church, (thank you, Harry & Linda.) Wow...I am sunk...

Red-Necked Keelback Snake Originally uploaded by oceanicthai This is the snake I found a few steps outside of the kitchen door. There are ticks stuck on the body, if you look closely you can see their round little bodies.

This is our "snake of the month," this time just a few steps from our kitchen door. I found it Monday afternoon, a strange pattern unlike the grass surrounding it. I yelled for the kids and our guest to go upstairs, handed them the dogs, and got my cell-phone and snake book. Kennedy, Trevor (Dean's intern) and a handyman all came to help, and the Thai handyman killed it. It was a very pretty snake, I'll upload a picture later. It is venomous, with rear-fangs. Most keelback snakes are not venomous, (we just got lucky?)

Jasper At The Ocean Originally uploaded by oceanicthai This is at the Andaman Sea, the ocean across the street from us.

The Bang Sak Center Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Dean's Center.

Ning Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Here is our co-worker Ning, the lady from Bangkok.

Jungle Beach Sunset Originally uploaded by oceanicthai This is a picture of our Bang Sak neighborhood area.

Dean's Center of Bang Sak Originally uploaded by oceanicthai Carrie, I posted this pic for you, this is the Bang Sak center.

Movie Star Ginger With Feather Boa Originally uploaded by oceanicthai