Thailand: 'pizzas good - crisps disgusting'
As a special end of term treat, volunteers at the Redemptorist School for the Blind in Pattaya, Thaliand decided to give the children an afternoon of 'Food From Around the World'. Volunteers from the UK, US, Germany, China and Taiwan bought supplies of foreign food for the feast from the local shops.
From the US there were burgers and pizza, which only lasted a few seconds before the plates were empty. Germany provided chocolate which everyone loved. The Chinese and Taiwanese volunteers brought some Chinese sweets and moon cakes which the children approved of.
The UK volunteers weren't able to find much British in Pattaya so they contributed a selection of crisps, which almost everyone enjoyed. However the Chinese volunteers were unimpressed. They said they were disgusted by the flavour of Walker's Salt & Vinegar Crisps. They thought they were the worst thing they had ever tasted and never wanted to eat them again. They now think that the British do not know how to eat properly.
The Pattaya Redemptorist School for blind children provides free residential schooling for poor blind children, who would otherwise receive no education. There are very few schools in Thailand, which cater to the special needs of the blind. Sightless children languish in their villages or are sent to beg in the streets of Bangkok. In many instances blind children are treated similarly to the mentally impaired, with no attempt being made to educate or assist them. The Blind School has received a number of cases, where fully grown children had not been taught to walk or eat normal food.
In many cases blindness resulted from poor post-natal care, particularly oxygen deprivation, so these children often have some physical and mental disability.
The school is one of the projects supported by the Thai Children's Trust. If you would like to support their work, see: www.thaichildrenstrust.org.uk/