Life on Lockdown
COVID-19 has had a mild comeback in Bangkok. After it was discovered that there was an outbreak centered around a fish market, the Task Force divided the country into regions and applied levels of lockdown depending on outbreak severity. Schools and churches in our area had to go online the entire month of January, which felt like a big change. Thankfully, school has since resumed in-person, as have some churches. Numbers are going down and we hope more restrictions will continue to be lifted as the vaccine rolls out.
Despite the shut down, we were thankful the school’s staff fitness instructor provided online workout classes. Her classes are awesome, especially in-person (starting back today, yay)! A new activity we just started is floating-HIIT on fitness-boards, a real challenge to our balance!
Lyndsey utilized time during shutdown to learn more Thai vocabulary and hone sourdough skills. She experimented with multiple types of sandwich bread (that all made fantastic PB&J’s) and projects like cinnamon rolls, tortillas, and soft pretzels. It has been so much fun to see her come alive with creativity in the kitchen and the smile on her face when she can share something she created with those around her. Our friends have definitely enjoyed a loaf of bread showing up on their doorstep and munching on treats during movie nights. Jonathan has been an amazing helper and was invaluable in apple pie making for our 10-month anniversary!
New Semester & New Developments
The semester got off to a good start for J. He has both new and continued classes. His coworker, art teacher for some high school + some middle school, moved back to Australia over Christmas, so there has since been some departmental shuffling. The current elementary art teacher will take over the role next year. In the meantime, next year’s new elementary art teacher is covering the vacancy. The new energy and opportunity to look at programs and tracks with fresh eyes is exciting!
Right after getting comfortable with online schooling, we were allowed to return to in-person teaching! The students are happy to be back with friends, but miss sleeping in until 10 AM, the later start time of online learning. Lyndsey was able to continue mentoring, although she had to press pause on her 9th-grade LifeGroup, which she is thrilled has now resumed. This week, she begins helping out with swim lessons after school 4 days a week! Jonathan is really enjoying teaching his new Drawing class and learning more about ceramics with his Advanced Ceramics students. It is definitely easier to facilitate and communicate with students when teaching art in person.
While I (Lyndsey) am hoping to get to Tak Province soon for in-person maternal nutrition work, it is a high-level red zone. My momentum, however, has not been slowed. I have been working diligently on preparing materials for my next Mae Sot trip and communicating with coworkers and partner organizations remotely.
This month I have been developing a Nutrition Workshop to put on at the Children’s Homes (orphanages and boarding houses) I visited last time. The lesson plans focus on supporting and encouraging the house parents, who do the cooking, while also beginning to teach children about the Nutrition Flag (Thailand’s food pyramid) and eating the rainbow. It has been fun to prepare a tangible and clear curriculum that meets their market availability and I cannot wait to share it the next time I visit. We have some fun activities planned to help lessons sink in and are in the process of having posters translated/printed/laminated. I believe these workshops will provide useful knowledge and skills to the children and their house parents. Excited to celebrate what they are doing well and encourage them in growing strong!
Additionally, I have been developing an interview guide for discussing nutrition with patients at the Mae Tao Clinic, the affordable/free hospital focused on delivery/after-birth-care for Burmese women. The questions are now fully fleshed-out and I cannot wait to discuss cultural practices, daily diet, barriers to implementing recommendations, and food availability with young mothers. The purpose of these interviews is to gather information for supporting reproductive unit staff and midwives in our goal. Next, I will be outlining objectives for meetings with hospital staff to debrief interviews, discuss common trends, and brainstorm culturally appropriate ways to improve issues. Together, we aim to develop and host maternal nutrition classes for women in the community to learn culturally sensitive and convenient ways to affordably attain adequate diets.
Bonus Gallery for Fellow Foodies
Your baking adventures look delicious. Wish I was a loaf recipient. Lucky neighbors.
So glad Jonathan is able to get back to inperson hands on teaching!
We love your newsy letters and all the food pictures!
We continue to be well. Have had our second vaccine and in two weeks plan to return to church.
There were big snow and ice storms Monday 2/15 eve that caused lots of power out in TX, up to NC,
Traffic accidents and such. But up in Holt, Mi, Katy’s kids are having a ball digging snow tunnels
In 15” or more snow, sledding on hills, and having Gypsy pull them on a sled. Mush!
Here in lower Alabama it’s sunny but 26 degrees! Coldest we’ve been this winter. But next
Week it will be close to 70. Spring is coming soon here. Grampa played golf with 4 of our
Neighbors last wednesday and enjoyed it. He promises to go again soon.( it has been a year
Since he gave it up??) He even went out a bought a lighter smaller golf bag to use on our
Par3 course. Evidently you don’t use as many clubs there so why carry them!
Stay safe and happy.
Love, the grandparents😉
Thank you for the comment and update! It is wonderful to hear that you are vaccinated and may return to church soon. I bet Katy’s kids are loving all that snow…how fun! What crazy weather you are having, from the 26 degrees now to the swing back towards Alabama heat next week. Good for Grampa, so glad he is enjoying time with neighbors and going out to golf. We love you two!