Thailand or Bust!

Yesterday I had the unique and wonderful opportunity to escort four visiting teachers from Thailand through our Rotary International teacher exchange program.
I picked up Naurumon Un-em, Sirirat Ariyanil, Panida Senamontree, and Yaowalak Somkane at the Jefferson Junior High and Middle School where they had just been speaking to the students. They were delightful, all English teachers from their respective cities and each sponsored on this exchange by their city’s Rotary Club.
My first impression when I picked them up was they were so cute in their deep navy blue blazers with the Rotary wheel emblem encrusted on their pockets.
Their smiling faces had the children flocking around them with hugs and good wishes. After photos with the principal Mr. McCoy and his student ambassador entourage, we continued on to our weekly Rotary meeting.
As the teachers were the program for the day, they charmed us with their smiles, politeness, and their power point presentation on the country that had me wishing I were taking the Pulpwood Queens this summer to Thailand instead of Europe.
After our meeting, I took them to my shop, Beauty and the Book. I made them all honorary Pulpwood Queens and presented them with our signature Hot Pink T-shirts, certificates, and cards, then they spied the hairpieces in my shop.
They squealed with delight as they tried on platinum blonde tresses and photographer, Mike Weber just happened to stop by with his camera and took photos. They loved the whole look.
“We are pink ladies!” They cried and they giggled and admired their new looks in the mirror. They were so excited about their new add on hairpieces, I gave each of them some hair attachments that had hot pink and burgundy streaks.
I like to have never got them out of my shop to take the boat ride on the bayou, which we did next. There was a new bounce in their step as these Pulpwood Queen'ized teachers boarded the boat. We settled in for the serene and sleepy ride.
Well-fed from our catfish and homemade pie at The Hamburger store, we listened to Mary Rose tell us the tales of the bayou and history of the famous channel we were riding on. A heron appeared on the side of a bank, still a baby but no less majestic in its strides for looking for a fish. A light rain began to fall as we headed back to the dock, cooling us with its mist.
The Thailand teachers then informed me they wanted to go shopping, so shopping we would go. Store after store they purchased Texas souvenirs, signs, coasters, spoons, photo frames, key chains, clocks, if it had Texas or cowboy on it, they bought it.
We then headed to my house to rest before dinner and I let them send and answer emails to home. Afterwards with my 12-year-old daughter, Madeleine in tow, we headed out to Kay and Larry Brookshire’s home on Lake O’ the Pines for a BBQ dinner.
I had picked up the BBQ for our local Riverport BBQ and my husband, Jay joined us on the lake. Madeleine was a head taller than one of the teachers. The littlest teacher just took a liking to Madeleine and hugged and hugged her.
As we plopped ourselves out on Kay and Larry's back porch ourfitted with all this fabulous furniture and accruements from their travels in Bali and Indonesia, we dove into the BBQ. The teachers loved Texas BBQ and the spicier the better. Thai food is very fresh and they use many chilies in their dishes.
They showed us at the Brookshire’s a film from the Thailand Tourism Bureau and y’all. I am going to Thailand. That trip may not be this year, but I had no idea of the beauty of that country. Besides, with my newfound friends and Pulpwood Queens, the teachers assured me we would be welcomed with open arms.
As I dropped them off at the local bed & breakfast, Austin Cottages, the teachers insisted that I go to their rooms. They each bowed and presented me with as they put it “Small gift but big in heart,” a handmade scarf, a keychain for Madeleine, a plaque for my husband Jay, a tissue holder and homemade soaps for my daughter, Lainie.
My arms were full with their gifts but my heart was about to burst from saying goodbye to my new Thai friends. I told them, “Let’s not say goodbye but until we see each other again.”
As I drove home, I made a mental note, plan a trip to Thailand. What literary adventure could my Pulpwood Queens find there? I was on a mission to find out. Now let’s see, I have a book on Thailand somewhere