HAVE YOU ALREADY EATEN?

Volunteer Report by Benji Lutz, November 18 - December 18, 2015

“Hey, you must be the new volunteer. I’m Tamalar Lin. Have you already eaten?”

It was Wednesday, November 18, 07:40 am. I arrived at the Child’s Dream Office and witnessed a bunch

of cheerful people (U, Meow, Tamalar Lin, Daeng, Gee and Nikone) having cold, fried fish, rice and chili

sauce for breakfast. I wasn’t sure what to answer in the first place. And Tamalar Lin caught me in my mind

struggle between witty courage and mature caution. “We can also offer you toast and peanut butter if

you rather prefer “farang” food”, he grinned cheekily. Gee and Tamalar Lin introduced themselves and

the other guys around the table to me, stating that they all expected from volunteers to commit

themselves in typical CD activities such as: not to be a boring person, trying to play badminton with them

and going out for dinner having local food and stuff. “Challenge accepted!”, I responded maybe too

promptly, not knowing about what was really expecting me at that time.

And this is how I met the Child’s Dream Team.

In Thailand, food is an essential part of any social occasions—and vice-versa. While in “Westeros”, a

“normal” restaurant meal consists of a starter followed by the main course and dessert, with each

individual ordering only for him- or herself, in Thailand on the other hand, there is no such thing as a

starter and a main dish. Neither is there any dish that belongs only to one person. The question “Have you

already eaten?” in Thai culture means much more than just a simple “How are you?”, it also means “I care

for your well-being. I care for you.” and in case you have not yet eaten, it will be taken care of, so that you

won’t stay hungry for very long.

In Switzerland, the educational system is quite comparable with the order of its dishes: we normally enjoy

a starter (basic education), a main course (high school) and round it up with a dessert (vocational

school/apprenticeship and/or academic studies). It is so obvious and natural for Swiss children to be

served with those “dishes” in the mentioned order and being born with the privilege to have access to

high-quality education (as in well-assorted, balanced ingredients for the typical Swiss cuisine). And thus

we don’t really have to question ourselves or wonder, if other less developed countries “serve” the

courses the same way. It does not come as a surprise though that in most parts of the world, this is not

the case.

Not every child in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand is given the opportunity to grow up in a healthy

environment and to receive education.

Those nations have been struggling with their country-specific problems over centuries and it’s their

children and youth who suffer the most from the resulting consequences: hardship and lack of

perspectives to lead a self-determined life and to become a productive and responsible member of

society.

And still, every child in this world is hungry (for food, for education, for happiness), has the very right to

be well-nourished and given access to education. These are said to be the basic needs of a child.

By the way, this is exactly what Child’s Dream has been doing for over 12 years: satisfying children’s,

youth’s and communities’ hunger for education, providing them with health care, perhaps even food for

thought by raising people’s awareness about health and educational topics, and empowering them to

“feed” and inspire others with their values and their drive.

Thai cuisine emphasizes on strong aromatic components and a spicy edge and it is also well-known for its

complex interplay of at least three, up to five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal:

sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy. Everyone enjoys tasting them. I mean, who does NOT like Thai food?

Speaking of fundamental ingredients: When it comes to the right components, Child’s Dream takes a

strong emphasis on the following focus groups:

Health (to reduce childhood mortality and allow children to participate in education), Basic Education (to

offer basic education for all in order to improve literacy rates and create alternatives to exploitation) and

Higher Education (to create opportunities for income generation and better quality employment).

Child’s Dream is, as you can read in ANY previous volunteer report, a state-of-the-art NGO when it comes

to success. Not only is Child’s Dream dedicated to helping poor people out of their situation and providing

them with tailor-made solutions. Child’s Dream is more a philosophy and a way of life. What the secret

ingredient is, you wonder. Its people! Why? Because this is a place where professionalism, result-

orientation, resourcefulness, sportsmanship and cheerfulness prevail.

It is the right mix of a vast variety of professional people who represent the main spices for the

organization’s success: 43 built boarding houses, 222 built school buildings, 127’305 recipients (teachers

and students) of stationary and teaching materials in Myanmar and Thailand, 765 provided high school

and vocational scholarships, over 1’200 children who have received life-saving operations and medical

treatments and many, many more completed projects.

For me, it is a great pleasure and honor, to meet with such amazing people, who are so tied to business

and equally social issues at the same time, and being able to sit together with each one of them at one

table and to be asked “Have you already eaten?”. I can truly recommend taking up a volunteering

assignment with Child’s Dream, because you will not leave the table hungry – or unsatisfied.

BTW: My name is Benji, I’m 33 and I am privileged. I graduated in 2008 with a degree in Business

Communications from the University of Applied Sciences in Zurich, and I have been working in the financial

industry for a long time. I have “eaten” different things without questioning or valuing them, tasted many

dishes without having savored them, and came to a point in life, when I realized, I could not eat to my fill.

What was going on? Certainly, I’m by far not the only person in the world asking myself the same question

and being in search of a higher mission, a meaning in life.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to volunteer for Child’s Dream in Chiang Mai and it was an

enrichment.

I learnt so much about their work and gained some valuable insights about the culture and educational

system in Thailand and the adjacent countries around it.

I was born in Thailand and grew up in Switzerland. I know the aromatic components and ingredients of

both countries and felt the sensation of both “cuisines” working out well together. Probably, it is not in

my cards to go to the extreme, and choose between two worlds like Marc, Daniel and Manuela, giving up

the “old”, privileged life and fully dedicate myself to philanthropic topics. Probably, this is like in the Thai

cuisine: finding the right mix and interplay of different fundamental tastes and working out, how they

make a balanced, delicious meal together.

My key learnings from my assignment? Do what you love, and love what you do. Laugh. Go out. Enjoy

life. Bring your kids to school. Sleep when you’re tired. Help others if you like. Eat when you’re hungry.

But eat consciously. Share your food. Savor life. Ask others if they have already eaten. And don’t regret

anything.

Intro to the CMF program with P’Ta (1): A smart, humorous lady, who knows a lot about medicine, refugees and candles. (2) New children arriving at the CMF house.

The famous Christmas Calendar 2015

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Christmas Calendar 2: more happy/funny faces Child’s Dream Year-End-Lunch

Other Office Activities: (1) Taking care of the cats. Unforgettable: P’Tu and Su Mon, the devoted cat mothers and Daeng, the talented cat doc. (2) Fun at work (3) Fortune favors the brave: crazy motorcycle rides with P’Tai (4) DOG GAME = CDF GAME (5) eating out in any street restaurant is always a hell a lot of fun with the CD guys (6) The meaning of “NOT HAVING THE SLIGHTEST CHANCE!” Badminton w/ Nikone, Gee, Sak, Tamalar Lin, P’Land brings you back to ugly reality (7) Yummy raclette session with Daniel

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Pre-Loy Krathong Loy Krathong and After-Loy-Krathong FESTIVITIES

Manuela is an amazing person: she knows a lot about Asian countries and education system and is an excellent trouble shooter.

Outside work Manuela is still a curious person and always open towards new things: Great companion and has a

vast knowledge if you want to experience Chiang Mai “through the backdoor”… (1) Ladybeetle = bearer of luck (2) The best Gin Bar! Getting to know new people: e.g. Pakin, the Oasis Spa owner (3) (4) “NAP” Market at Nimmanhaemin, Soi 1 Chiang Mai is full of colors, art, flowers.

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(5) Woo’s Art Café, located right at Maeping River (6) Manuela’s famous, super-delicious Amaretto Fig Dessert. You’ll find the recipe on p. 18 in the latest CD cookbook!

Temples, indigenous villages, botanical gardens and so many more places to discover!

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Don’t miss to book some yoga, Thai-boxing and cooking lessons. For the massages: I recommend not to attend classes – just treatment sessions!

Thai motorcycles are stunning transportation methods: Family vehicle, removal van, etc.

It’s my turn to ask the CD Team “Have you already eaten?” Thai-Swiss fusion food: Raclette and Phad Grapao, Som Tam and Phad See-Ew.

THANK YOU, CHILD’S DREAM.