Learning to Cycle!

Ancient city on the outskirt of Bangkok have many spectacular architechtures from all over Thailand and we used the long weekend to visit it today. The scenic, lazy, rural setting and not entirely on your face kind of commercialised atomoshphere made it worthwhile to have a day trip admiring and marvelling at Grandpalace, floating market, various temples of Budha, ancient ruins.

But those were not the highlight of the day.

Shrihaan is a great addict of cars and he is allready onto his fourth cycle. However, the latest one doesnt have the side wheels and thus so far he has been able to cycle.

In the ancient city, we could take bycles and I took one to cycle around which was lot of fun since I was cycleing after a decade or so. He naturally followed and I helped him holding the cycle to have him a round. I was moving back to my cycle when I turned and saew him cycleing on his own. Such a wonderful scene and another great milestone. He still struggled to take turn but he was just thrilled. He may be one of the very very few person who have learnt to cycle on the grass cover field by the side of the lake (over which the rainbow briwdge stand majestic) inside the Ancient city.

Watching him take small steps towards confidence, maturity, knowledge, I remeber what my father wouldn have done for me. Mostly, I dont remeber each of the small things he might have instilled in me so that someday I would be ready to face the world. I only realised what it means to have an unbrella over head when I lost him and broke off with my uncle who nurtured me (albeit at a very high emotional payment). Somethings need to be resolved inside me if only I knew how. Meditation helps in bringing peacefulness but its probably not yet deep enough to remove the many scares in the deep recess of my heart. Im always so worried not to do anything which will make Shrihaan think the way I do.

We also found Watson, the friendly taxi driver who waited for us today and we are sure he will be there in most of our day trips from now on. He is smart, he has found the right spot in Bangkok which is to wait near Fraser and do mostly day trips. One dont mind paying something extra on holiday, afterall. A small price to pay to have a waiting taxi after a tiring day, holidaying.

Diplomacy

Its really an amaging experience to listen my seven year old luuk chai answer like a seasoned diplomatic adult to his class teacher.

He came back home few days back very upset and livid and complained that he wouldnt like to go to school again and also started doing a tally of misdeeds of his class teacher with the intention that when the tally reaches ten, he would go to police. He was so disturbed that Dona called me in Jakarta and we decided to write to his class teacher so that the issue could get resolved. Its never easy to write to his teacher complaining about himself treating his student badly. However, few mail exchanges resulted in his teacher explaining why he did what he did and said sorry to Shrihaan.

Nextday we went for the parent teacher meeting. He called Shrihaan also to sit along with us. I felt its not right to discuss his stregth and weaknesses infront of him and so suggested if he could leave. His teacher said, he would like to ask him few questions and then he could leave and play in the play ground.

Mr. AP: Tell me two things you like about the school.

Shrihaan: Hard court and the playground

Mr. AP: Now, tell me two things that you dont like about the school.

Shrihaan: Not sure!!

Mr. AP: Tell me two subjects you want are strong at.

Shrihaan: Maths and spelling

Mr. AP: Tell me two subjects you want to do better

Shrihaan: Science and writing

Later, on being quizzed, he confided that he didnt know what to say, so mentioned sceince.

He handled the interview infront of us with his teach who is known to have a no-noncence and serious attitude with apolbm. It was enormously surprising to me and I felt so very proud of you, Shrihaan.