She walked up beside me while I was talking to a student and said “hello” I quickly replied “Hello, how are you?” Her response like so many other people when asked was “I’m fine, thank you and you?” I said I was doing well.

I finished my conversation with my student and went over and sat down beside her. I asked her if she spoke English and she said “Verrrrrry little bit!” We got to talking and she told me her  nick name was p Toy. I asked her if she had been to see the students art display she said “No I have to finish work.”

She does three different jobs at the school including washing the dishes after breakfast ,lunch, and dinner, cleaning the toilets, and working with the students to help them set up for different events.

She began to open up and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her. She always wanted to speak English, but was scared. It turns out she speaks pretty well and it was easy to understand!

P’Toy had previously been married and lived in Australia and her Ex husband treated her more like a maid than a wife constantly screaming to make him something to eat or demanding work to be done. She was criticized for not knowing much English, but who would want to learn it when your being screamed at all the time?

She divorced and moved back to Thailand. She started working two jobs for real estate and for a cleaning service in a hotel. The money was good, but she was working long hours and didn’t feel happy.

I asked her if she liked her job now and she said ” Yes, I get paid little now but my heart is happy.”

It was so nice to sit and talk as she washed dishes and I think she like it because it made the time go a little faster. When I left Thailand she gave me a scarf she had knitted and a hand made wristlet.