Shaftsbury Elementary Students Celebrate a Thai Mother’s Day

In each country and every culture, the tradition of “Mother’s Day” is celebrated across the globe with different traditions. The students at Shaftsbury Elementary school had the chance to learn about how families in Thailand celebrate Mother’s Day with the help of Visiting Scholar Parisa.

“Mother's Day in Thailand is on August 12^th, and it is also Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday.” Explain Parisa. Since 1976, celebrations for the Queen’s birthday and for mothers are celebrated on the same say as the Queen is regarded as mother to all Thai people because of her benevolence towards the needy and poor in the nation.

In Thailand, Parisa explained, preparations for the Queen’s birthday start a few weeks before August 12^th, with people all around the country raising national flags and decorating their houses with the portrait of Her Majesty the Queen.  On August 12^th, Thai people also thank their mothers for her unconditional love by giving alms to monks and presenting their mother’s with white Jasmine flowers. In Thailand, white jasmine flowers are the symbol of maternal love. 

During the lesson, students made their own Thai Mother’s Day cards and attached a piece of white jasmine on the card. As in Thailand, the mothers’ of the Shaftbury students were encouraged to respond to the cards with a small comment. As Mother’s Day falls in the month of May in America, the mother’s of the students were surprised by the showing of love, and the beautiful flowers.

Vermont International Festival

Visiting Scholars from China

 The first weekend in December was extremely for the Visiting Scholars and the staff at the Asian Studies Outreach Program. For the third year in a row, ASOP and the Visiting Scholars participated at the Vermont International Festival. We hosted five tables: two were used for displays, and three were used by the Visiting Scholars who had hands-on art activities ready for the thousands of Vermonters that visited the 3-day event. According the the organizers, over 1000 students attended the School Programs Day on Friday, December 1st, and another 5000 participants attended the event in total over three days. Below, one of the Visiting Scholar from China, Jianhong, shares her thoughts on the event.

Thitima and Sukanya at Festival

From December the 2^nd to 4^th we took part in the Vermont International Festival at Essex Junction.We four Chinese teachers divided the tasks. One wrote Chinese calligraphy and one folded lucky stars and one folded paper butterflies and the other did blow paintings. Most kids are fascinated with writing their names in Chinese calligraphy. They kept saying, “Beautiful!”, “Amazing!” One Chinese teacher also performed Taichi while the others were singing an ancient Chinese poem song. These activities offer the Americans the opportunity of being more exposed to Chinese culture.

Seeing the big crowds standing in front of our booth, I think it necessary to have more exchange activities between American people and Chinese people, because these activities can enhance understanding and enrich cultures.

Church Bazaar

Life in Vermont, especially as we get closer to the winter holidays, means weekends filled with crafts bazaars, bake sales, and communities gathering together to share in community spirit and cheer. Visiting Scholar Jianhong had the chance to attend her first Church Bazaar in Vermont, and shares her thoughts about the benefits of community in the following reflection:

It is Saturday today but I got up early because I will be going with my host family to the bazaar in the United Methodist Church in Brattleboro. This is the first time for me to go to a church bazaar.

Our preparations for the bazaar lasted several weeks. Last month, we picked some apples in the orchard and made ten apple pies and more than forty bottles of apple sauce. Last week we spent some time making some crafts. On Friday night we also baked some rolls. All these were for sale at the bazaar to collect money to help those who are in need.

The bazaar was held from 9am to 1pm on November 19^th. Many people came to the bazaar. The food stands and the personalized ornament stands were the most popular.

I stayed there the whole time and I tried to be helpful. I chatted a lot with people from all walks of life. What impressed me the most is that plenty of grandparents came to buy some Christmas presents for their grandchildren. All the people who work for the bazaar were volunteers.

If everyone is happy to help others, our world will be a much better place.