A week and half already?

I realized, thanks to Caitlin's comment, that I haven't actually written about volunteering yet, which is ostensibly the reason I'm here. I guess part of that is because it's been kind of a disappointment so far. I'm working at a women's organization that includes an emergency home for abused and abandoned women, many of them pregnant, and a clinic and training center, all very cool things. So far, however, I haven't had any contact with the women or gotten to observe pre-natal classes or help out in the clinic, which were all things I was hoping to do (and I've been trying to ask, but no luck so far). On the other hand, I do get to play with little Thai kids in the daycare in the morning and Thai babies (by far the best part of the day) most afternoons, although sometimes I end up practicing English with some of the staff. There's not a lot of structure, though, so it's sometimes hard to know what to do, and I occasionally wonder whether I'm not more of a distraction than a help, especially in the daycare.

In other news, we're going to the beach and to ride elephants this weekend! Tomorrow night we hop an over night bus for the coast and catch the first morning ferry to Ko Chang, an island that's part of a national park. There's a big elephant preserve and for something like $25 you get an elephant "experience" that includes feeding, riding, and bathing them. So pumped!