Photo Gallery & Impressions 26

PHOTO SAMPLER - "Good-byes" - Leaving Ban Pong - 4-6 Sept. 2003

After ten weeks in this part of Thailand, our teaching was finished and we set out to see a bit more of Thailand and the adjacent countries.  We had become very fond of this community and the numerous people who had enriched our experiences here.  Thank you all..!!

We get a helpful passerby to take this photo after we had our last Wednesday lunch with Jing.

On the day before we are to leave Ban Pong, Keith gets this early morning photo of Peg, Yupadee & her young house guest.

Two days before we leave Ban Pong, we go out to the campus for our last class (see Album 18) & say our "goodbyes." Peg & nurse friend Kesera, bearing lovely gifts, pose with the College's main building in the background.

Kesera, here in full nurse uniform, is a supervising nurse at the large Ban Pong hospital in town. We enjoyed working with her on a fascinating translation project that should aid local nurses when they have to deal with English speaking patients.

After our class & last campus lunch, we have a pleasant farewell meeting with some of the College's administrators & faculty. Keith proudly wears the striking Thai cotton shirt they gave him, while Peg holds the fabric she was given that is destined to become a skirt.

We also venture out on one of the rural back roads to one of our favorite country restaurants. Here we have one last meal & say farewell to the family that runs this excellent establishment.

Back in town, on another day, we have one last favorite Thai lunch of papaya salad & chicken satay  with friend & fellow English teacher, Roger.

After the standard Ban Pong "great lunch," we go with Roger to another one of our favorite restaurants for coffee .

This is the colorful "KrisCat" on the main street. With juice bar out front & air-conditioned restaurant & coffee shop inside.

English is spoken at KrisCat as owner Anon lived & studied in the US for several years. Here he and his lovely wife pose with Keith.

Now it is time for more packing in our upstairs bedroom at Yupadee's - not one of Keith's favorite chores!

Early on our very last morning in Ban Pong, Keith gets this photo of Yupadee & her young housekeeper, Coy.

And this is one last photo of morning life on the street in front of Yupadee's place - motorcycles go by, papers get sold, life goes on ... This world will soon become a fond memory.

Time for final photos of dear friends Yupadee & Rita just before we leave.

Rita takes this photo of Peg, Yupadee & Keith shortly before parting. We have become very fond of this special lady who was instrumental in our coming to Thailand & who graciously invited us in to her home. We look forward to her visiting us in the States.

More folks come to see us off, including friends from Rotary. We will soon have tears in our eyes as Biak (far right) drives us off to Bangkok.

It was a long morning's drive to our Bangkok "home-away-from-home," Asia Airport Hotel. The least we could do is buy lunch for friend Biak & her daughter. It was the daughter's second choice & it was convenient - but, YES, it was McDonald's!

Feeling thrust from the comfortable town of Ban Pong to the huge city of Bangkok, we spend the rest of the day at this exposition of regional handicrafts from different parts of the country.  This was called "One Village, One Product."  

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