Slowly but surely

I think it's always hard to gauge language acquisition - but it's especially difficult without the measuring stick of classes, teachers or tests. Unlike our friends in Bangkok taking Thai lessons, we can't say, "Well, I passed level three, they say level four is really hard!" Since we returned from America, however we've had a renewed endurance in the area of language. Many things are starting to seem more natural and I just wanted to take a minute to share a few victories.

We've started teaching English every Tuesday evening in the village. While a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggethis may not seem like an "Akha Language Victory", let me assure you, it is. Speaking in front of a group in English has never been an issue for Paul or me, but speaking in front of a group in Akha can leave us terrified. Even just introducing ourselves can be botched due to nervousness. So this opportunity to start out with the kids and teenagers (who tend to be a very forgiving audience) has been great! The fact that our Akha is far from perfect makes for a pretty relaxed and interactive learning environment and allows them to correct our Akha as we correct their English (which is very different from the super-structured-rote-memorization teaching style found in the Thai schools). All in all, it's been a good experience thus far and we're happy about how comfortable we are using Akha to teach English.

It's funny how the little things can be so encouraging when learning a foreign language. Like for instance, the other day we went to visit our friend (who we often call our Akha mom), Lydia. She wasn't out front when we arrived so we proceeded yell, "Hey Aunt-ie are you home? We've come to visit you!", which is the standard Akha custom in a situation like this. After a minute we heard her response from within, so I let myself in to greet her. When she saw me, she was visibly surprised, apparently she had not recognized that it was me from my initial greeting. If you're wondering why this story is so significant, it's because in some small way I must have sounded like an Akha because she thought I was someone else! Of course, the fact that she's rapidly losing her hearing could be part of it, but either way I'm going to count it in the Win Column!

Tags:

• Akha
• language

A(nother) Good Hair Day

Do you remember MiBya? She is one of the hard stories in our village. Back in October 2005 we wrote this story:

She [Mi Bya] is a particularly tough case, and lives in a difficult home in our village. We never see her smile and although she is intrigued by us "pa la" she usually observes us from a distance. Like many children in Akha villages she has very short hair (lice & scabies). She was watching all the girls and their fancy hair braids and was just stoic in her observations. Our hearts were broken and we knew we had to do something for her. Lori remembered she had a handkerchief in our house that she might be able to use. We pulled her aside and made a big deal out of her new "hair". Once it sunk in that we really thought she was a beautiful little girl, she ran off. When she came back she had cleaned herself all up and had put on a dress! This little girl who never smiled was grinning from ear to ear for days - knowing that she truly is lovely.

Well we have since grown to know both MiBya and her little brother much better. They have a really difficult home life. Their mother is mentally ill, we are guessing the mental equivalent of a six-year old, and their father is flighty - often leaving for days at a time. We watched and helped as best we could this past summer as MiBya was taking care of her little brother all by herself. We even tried to get them into a home to care for them but the family has no paperwork, no record of any births.

As we struggled through that difficult summer, we were encouraged to see the village step in and care for the family. On one occasion when the father had run off, a girl from the village invited the kids to stay with her. This is one of the joys of living in a Christian Akha village.

Things have stablized a little, and although things are still rough at home, MiBya is able to go to school in Mae Salong. She loves school and is very bright.

The other night, she came to our home and said "My teacher says I need a haircut". In Thailand all the schoolchildren wear uniforms, the boys have very short hair and the girls must have their hair cut above their earlobes and collars.

Lori, being the incredibly skilled woman that she is, pulled out her scissors and hair clips and went to work. An hour later (it was the first schoolgirl haircut Lori has ever given) MiBya was a different girl. The little crewcut girl from our Good Hair Day is growing into a beautiful young Akha. We literally don't recognize her anymore as she walks up to us with her great haircut and an even better smile.

Tags:

• Akha
• village
• hair

A Blogging Baby

OK, so our baby is not exactly blogging - yet. But the little bean does have a blog!

Created to keep your email inboxes light and our newsletters full of more than just updates on the pregnancy (it's our first child, we can go overboard if we want to), Baby Notes is the place to go to read everything baby and about our experiences having a baby abroad. You can even bookmark our Baby's Blog if you feel so inclined.

The updates to Baby Notes will also be viewable in the "Personal" section of the right sidebar (down at the bottom of the sidebar on the right -----------------> )

Tags:

• babies

Rainy Days

What an amazing experience this life is! Here, on the very edge of 'civilization', leaning back against the woven bamboo walls of my home, listening to the interaction of three Akha mothers sewing and sheltering from the rain and the peeping of baby chicks learning to find their supper I can hardly remember the busy life outside of the village. In Northern Thailand the rainy season and the school year start at the same moment, making for a quiet time in the village.

The Akha have their difficulties, they live hard and work hard to put food on their tables and to care for their children, but in moments of peace and light rains on the mountain they know how to sit and take in the world around them. It is so natural in them, but it takes so much effort for me.

All of our little friends have just walked back from school, so no more writing (no more quiet either) - it's time to play in the rain.

Tags:

• Akha
• village