2010 THA HOW Meeting & CELEBRATING GLOBAL FAMILIES ตอนที่ ๗: Handbooks , International Bazaar & Capitol Hill Visits

" I can say... It's a great experience ! "

After finishing my task on community visit in Seattle for 3 days, I attended the 2010 THA HOW Meeting from March 14-17 @ Westin Hotel in Alexandria , Virginia State.  The handbooks, one is for Thai Family and another one is for American Family,  are proved by THA HOW team.

                     

I really love Our Team Work so much! We shared the ideas and discussed all information about Thai Culture and American Culture to each other. Reviewed and Cleaned-up of Drafts. They are almost complete. I could say it’s 95 % done!  

        
  

     The 2010 ECA Conference “Celebrating Global Families ” started from March 18-21 , I enjoyed the International Bazaar on the First day activities very much. The Thai Group of 11 ( HOW THA Team=  7, TOT= 2, YES = 2) presented   how wonderful Thai Culture is, by showing  our beautiful handicrafts, Thai Alphabet Poster, Thai costumes, Thai flag, and  Thai dolls etc.

              

 Many participants really wanted their names in Thai. So we let them register and gave them the bookmark with their name written in Thai.

                       

It’s very funny when a gentleman from Malaysia asked us to sing Loy Krathong Song, he and many guys from the other countries joined Thai classical dance. I would say that we have reached the goal of promoting AFS Thailand and our country.  

                     

 
    One activity I really liked was a Visits on Capitol Hill on Friday 19, Unbelievable! I had a good chance to meet The Senator of Connecticut , Joseph Lieberman.

              

                                                   Joseph Lieberman

Just only 3 of us, an AFS volunteer guy from Connecticut, from New York and I talked to him for 25 minutes. He wrote some important points that he thought he could help AFS Organization.

                       

   AFS Volunteer  from Connecticut asked him to support /find the young generation guy to do volunteer and encourage students in his state to participate in an exchange student program .  

   AFS Volunteer from New York said something in general. I might not pay much more attention, so I didn't get any detail.

               

     I talked about AFS Thailand has been organizing many programs for 48 yrs. He's very surprised to know that we sent more than 700 students to join exchange program to many countries, especially around 200 students to US this year. He seemed to be very pleased to know that I have been participated in VTP for 11 months in Maine where his brother lives. He likes my Keychain made in Sweet banana shape and a pen printed AFS Thailand on it so much.  

             

                                                   Debbie Stabenow.

I also had a good opportunity to meet the Senator of Michigan State, Debbie Stabenow. He is very friendly.  Even though, I met him with a big group,  I was very lucky that he let me talk about AFS Thailand and my experiences with AFS in USA, Maine, my AFS Kamphaengphet Chapter and Kamphaengphetpittayakom  School . My keychain and AFS pen made him give me a big smile and say Thank you.

                                   "  I can say... It's my great experience ! "