Ben wins award

Ben Shield recently won an award as Pacific Paradise State School's Junior Woodwind Player of the Year.

Congratulations Ben. Keep that sax hot.

love from Grandpa

Welcome Noah

Izmaillah and Isaac have a new brother. Ben, Zac, Harry and Chloe have a new cousin. Welcome to the family Noah. Lots of love from all of us. And especially, love from your Granddad.

These are my students

I teach English two days a week at a primary school in Mahasarakham. I have three different classes. They are grade 4, grade 5 and grade 6. Can you tell which is which? Can you pick which one in the pictures is your grandfather?

love from your Granddad

Magic top

I went to a science fair at the university. In one display they had this spinning top. It's quite small. The guy got it spinning on top of a piece of hard plastic that he was holding above the table. When he moved the plastic away, the top kept spinning in the air. Magic?

love from Grandpa

Life in Mahasarakham

I went to visit a village in Mahasarakham province and took this photo to show you how the people live. This is a house. In the daytime, the cattle go out in the fields and eat the grass. In the night time the cattle come and stay under the house. The big pot is for keeping water in. There are no taps and they collect water off the roof when it rains. Do you think you would like to live in a house like this?

love from your Granddad

Happy birthday Zac

Welcome ceremony

At Mahasarakham University many of the students come from other countries like China and Cambodia. When new students arrive there is a party to welcome them. At the party they are entertained by a Thai band and dancers. Then there is a special ceremony.

A Brahmin priest performs the ceremony. In it everyone gets some string tied around their wrist. The string is a way of welcoming them and making them feel part of the university.



love from Grandpa John