I have the position of volunteer coordinator at the NGO which means it was poor planning on my part to arrange to go to Bangkok with my Mom this week, just 5 days after two new volunteers came in. Whooops! I tried giving them both as much of a proper orientation as I could, but it was hard trying to juggle as much as possible last week, haphazardly going to work for parts of the day and then playing tourist games with my mom other parts of the day.

Now we're in Bangkok. I'm in an internet cafe and my Mom's in a spa: much needed after I subjected her to climbing mountains and stairs last week, just weeks after she had knee replacement. It's her mother's day present I can't afford, so she's getting it for herself (I bought her a t-shirt from Cambodia, not nearly as effective as a spa).