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Clinic Blog: 2011 Thailand 2 Clinic Blog

April 3, 2011

Final post for March 2011 Thailand

By lbarbour

Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen is definitely not Roi-et. It is a much bigger city. We have noticed that we are not the only Americans here in the big city. In Roi-et it was very unusual to run in to any other Americans but here there are plenty. There is a mall and a Starbucks across the street from us. Mostly though we are spending our time and Baht on the streets. The shopping is very good. A lot of street markets with very odd smells and displays but we are happy to be here and love experiencing as much of Thailand as we can. We are so fortunate to work for a company that has a program for us to se others but also at cares so much about us that they arranged for us to see the city and make sure we get some tourist time in as well. Thank You ONESIGHT.

So many of us have been waiting to see an Elephant and who would have thought it would happen in the heart of the city!!! A group of us were meeting up in the lobby after shopping to go find some dinner and looked out the window to find an Elephant in the street. As you can imagine we ran out the door to go have a closer look. It turns out she is expecting a baby and this made it even more special. She definitely had her 15 minutes of fame with us. We were to excited too think to take a group photo but we enjoyed feeding them both sugar cane. Kristie VanDorp, Lisa Barbour, Mary Sharma and Kim Willey were able to take a quick ride. You don't realize how enormous an Elephant really is until you are standing next to one and then trying to get on top. The man that was riding helped us each get up to the top by giving us a boost on the rearend  The teammates that were around watch it happen had a good laugh. 

Finals thoughts:

As my final global mission is about to end I want to thank everyone for the support and encouragement. On a scale of 1-10 it's an 11. Thank you ONESIGHT and all it's fans, Barry Worrall

People ask me why I do this. Why I leave my family and friends to go to a different country with unknown conditions with 40 people I've never met before. I tell them I'm trying to teach my kids to always give more than you take. That it's our responsibility to take care of human kind. Thank You ONESIGHT and the amazing people I've to met to allow me the honor of doing this !!!! Kim Willey

In Thailand the Buddhist culture is all around you. The sixth sense in Buddhism is that of the mind and is reflected in the polite, hospitable, caring and charitable nature of the Thai people. We are each leaving a little bit of our hearts behind and taking some Thai culture home with us. We are proud of our achievements there and so pleased and honored that we were able to give them the GIFT OF SIGHT. 

                                    Your faithful blogger, Lisa Barbour

April 1, 2011

WE DID IT !!!! 15,263

By lbarbour

Sorry for delay on this one! Late night-early bus ride no connection

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED :-) for a clinic total we ended up seeing 15,263 :-)  At the end of this AMAZING clinic we feel....Proud, Honored, Happy and Sad. Excited to be going home to our families and friends but we have created bonds with our teammates that will continue on but it will be hard to leave them behind. We love the fact that we were able to Help so many Thai people and hope they will remember for us years to come. 

On our last day of clinic we had expected to see 500. We actually ended up seeing 1400 and unfortunately had to turn some away. But as we in the LensCrafters Brand say " Put SUN ON EVERYONE" so we did. No one walked away without a pair of sunglasses. 

One of our best stories comes from Dr.Terrisa Drake. She noticed a young boy about 7 years old with his Grandmother in line but did not registered for clinic. His left eye would be straight one moment and then the next time she looked it would be all the way in towards his nose. She asked Paul if we could see him and were able to dialate him and wait for it to take it's full effect. She took him through the full process. We were able to give him glasses with the right eye + 3.50 and the left + 7. Now he will be able to do better in school and have a better life because of Dr T and her heart of gold.

On the way back to the hotel on our final day of clinic we had two tourists buses. We made a few stops along the way. The first was a beautiful lily pond with a dock leading to a pagoda. Next stop was basically a woodshop where they were making cutting boards. We were all a little upset that they were not wearing their safety glasses. Across the street was the charcoal makers. There was a very sweet lady with a really great Thai sun hat that totally enjoyed having us take pictures with her. So much fun and so nice to know now what they were doing when we passed by everyday. 

Tonight the Celebration to send us off was a night we will never forget. There was a traditional Thai ceremony to bring our minds, body and soul together. Also the people of the Roi-et community came from every direction, one after another and tied strings around our wrists as a show of respect, honor and friendships. It is said to bring us success. I feel as if I have already achieved so much. I can't wait now for what's to come. Our volunteers danced their traditional Thai dances and then Rose, a clinic favorite sang and we all danced for hours. As we left it was back to work for the volunteers. We had been given gifts of homemade pillows and they came to us to carry them out for us and then we had to our final goodbyes. We will miss them and think of them often and who knows some of us may come back to Thailand again with ONESIGHT and see them again. If not there's always FACEBOOK.

Our leadership team is so fantastic. They have arranged for us to go to Khon Kaen for the day tomorrow. It is a much bigger city than Roi-et and the team is very excited to do more shopping and experience even more of Thailand.

 

March 30, 2011

Day 7…2600.  Total 13863

By lbarbour

Another record breaking day for Team Thailand March 2011 :-) We saw 2600 people today. Once again we were finished by 4:30. Our clinic total is 13,863. Which is very close to our expectation to see 15,000. It is just amazing to be able to HELP THE PEOPLE OF THAILAND SEE. Everyone here has been so nice. Our volunteers are teenagers who work tirelessly day in and day out right along side us. They just keep going and they are still smiling with us all the way up until the end of each day. Tomorrow is our last day with them and many of us have brought gifts that will be handed out to them to show our appreciation. Over the last few days when all the work is done we have been having a lot of fun taking photos with them. It is great for our egos and will help make the memories last forever.

Barry Worrall is our production captain and today he also had his biggest day so far. He was very excited to be able to make 120 pairs of Chabellas. Our clinic total is 393!!! The majority of glasses we provide here in Thailand are ones that have been donated and recycled but we also have the inventory available to make some glasses. They are all the same round shape. They look very much like Harry Potters and we have ample supply of basic RX lenses to put in them as well. Barry has been working very hard each day at the Chabellas station. This is also a very bittersweet time for Barry. It is his last mission for ONESIGHT and Team Thailand is proud and honored to be part of this special mission with him. He will soon be retiring and ONESIGHT will miss his kind heart and country boy charm. 

Today's best story comes from Dr. Andy Sodikoff. We have had many Monks come through the clinic but none with the poor vision of today's. He was blind in one eye and had a -19 rx in the other. Andy went thru multiple pairs to find the perfect pair for him. Most of our recipients put their glasses away after they receive them. So we have gotten used to putting them away for them instead of having them leave them on. As this particular Monk was walking away Lauren Ozga saw him take them out of his bag and put them back on. She said the look on his face was one of delight in being able to the the world and the people around him.

We are not only giving the gift of sight here in Thailand. Many of the team members have also brought along with them shoes, clothes for children as well as adults. Lots of toys and candy is a popular item. I spent the day in Quick Pick Readers with Jamie Fenton. He brought along clothes that his children have outgrown. He worked very hard as usual but stopping along the way as he noticed a child with a worn looking outfit on that happened to be the right size he was able to give them something new all the way from Ireland.

.....Kristie VanDorp also brought with her today clothes that her boys back home in California asked her to bring to give to the needy children of Thailand. She spent last week giving away matchbox cars that made for some very happy little boys all the way across the world.

Others like myself and Mary Sharma have given our shoes to women who have arrived at clinic with none. We are here for ONESIGHT and to help people see but nothing says we can't help in other ways that we find are needed too. It just feels good to give. 

March 29, 2011

Day 6…2458   Total 11263

By lbarbour

 

 

 

Today was an AWESOME DAY at clinic. We had our biggest day yet. 2458 and we were finished 4:00. This team is a well oiled machine. Our 6 day total is 11263 and we have 1 1/2 days left. Our goal of 15,000 is very close. We are having so much fun it doesn't even feel like work anymore. It just feels good to serve !!!

 

Can you even imagine being 74 years old and not being able to see? A woman came thru clinic today and had very bad vision. We were able to give her her very first pair of glasses. She is now wearing a -11 so she really and truly has gone through life without being able to see much of anything. When she put on her glasses her eyes became bright and the smile on her face lit up. You will see in the photo below how happy she is now that she can see!!! 

 

Our clinic leaders are taking such good care of us. The team is full of really hard workers who typically do not want or need to take breaks. Our clinic leaders know this about us and they make us take a moment now and then. Just to sit down, get a drink, or take a breath. It is very appreciated. You really do come back even after just 5 minutes recharged and ready to go. Thanks!!!

 

Mickie Butkiewicz is one of our clinic leaders. Today she was covering as a controller( a position where you greet and direct people to the next station) Obviously communication is difficult as Thai is such a tonal language but we get by. Translators are definitely needed when you want to know someones story. Paul is with Gift of Sight and he was with her at control. She came upon a woman who just received her glasses. This particular woman was so pleased she told Mickie that she was never able to see the world until she came to Roi-et to see us. 

 

SILENT AUCTION was lots of fun tonight. There were so many great items to choose from and such a variety of countries from which they came. The most desired items were of the ONE OF A KIND VARIETY ! Such as Team Thailand scrapbook, Louisville Slugger baseball bat signed by all the team members and Sterling Silver Aztec calendar with the names engraved just to name a few. Jamie Fenton was our honored auctioneer. He used his Irish gift of gab to bring in lots of $$$ money for ONESIGHT. Stay tuned to find out just how much we collected or of course you can always visit our Team Thailand Fund Raising page to take a look or make a donation.

 

Messages:

 

Hi Zone 4 and Region 9,

Having a great time in Thailand!  Can't wait to tell stories and get the energy going in our Zone.  Miss you all see you soon.

Steve

 

March 28, 2011

Week 2 begins BIG 2298….5 day total 8795

By lbarbour

Today was our biggest day yet. We saw almost 2300 people and it was very smooth. Each and everyday we are making changes so that the clinic flows well not only for our team but more importantly for our recipients. Steve Stockton our Mission Leader commented after it was all said and done today "I saw a lot of happy people with big smiles today" :-) THAT is what it is all about.

Our wonderful team of doctors are not only here to give the people of Thailand a prescription for glasses from Onesight but also to check the health of their eyes. It turns out there is an astounding amount being referred daily. Today alone they referred 334 patients. Dr. Don Gunhus also shared a bit of information that he learned from our local partner Gift of Sight. If surgery is needed it will not cost them anything. There is also a list of the people who need additional care and follow up will be made to ensure that the care they need is completed. As a team this makes us very happy. We want to give the best care possible.

I personally spent the day in dispense. Which is my favorite station by the way. That is where the MAGIC HAPPENS !!!!! When they put on a pair of glasses and their face lights up because they can see. Sometimes for the first time ever other times not but either way think about how important it is to see clearly.

THEY SAY THAT GOOD THINGS COME BACK TO YOU:

Today in dispense as Claudia DaRold from Italy opened a bag to get a pair of glasses out she found a note inside the bag. It was a message from the person who donated the glasses. It thanked us for what we do and said that they would love an email from whomever was able to give these glasses away. Along with blogging tonight I will be sending an email to Slewis@ICANSEETN along with a picture of the woman who received her donation of old glasses. How AMAZING IS THAT!!! And what a great idea. Feel free to copy the idea. It is a lot of fun for us to make the connection to someone or someplace like Tennessee. Hopefully Slewis will read our blog and leave us a comment? 

While we are on the subject of recycling old glasses. I would like to say that Recycling is vital to what we do. Without your donations we could not do what we do :-) so if you are a Luxottica employee TALK TALK TALK to anyone and everyone about bringing in old glasses for us to use on our Global Missions. Go to your local libraries, post offices, airports, schools, malls and churches and ask for their collections. If you are a friend or family member or just a OneSight fan DONATE YOUR OLD GLASSES. They will be cleaned, classified and shipped to our recycle centers and then BRING SMILES TO THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL WEAR AND ENJOY THEM.

As I told you earlier I spent the day dispensing glasses that made the needy Thai people very happy but it does become a bit challenging at times. So please for those Luxottica employees and OneSight Captains in stores out there who are reading this blog I have a few requests. If it is broken don't send it. If it is scratched beyond being able to see through don't send it. When you do send them in before you put them in bags clean them and replace nosepads and temple covers as needed. And Thank you for taking the time. It is an honor to deliver them and make many people very happy! 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far. If OneSight had a theme verse, I would select Isaiah 55:1 which says essentially, "Come all who are hungry and eat. Eat freely and without cost." We obviously aren't feeding the Thai, but are meeting another significant physical need. Another verse says, "To whom much is given, much is expected." No one here will deny we have all been given much. I Think that the reason we all get so pumped up about doing this is we are doing what we were created to do- to serve others. I am thankful for the chance to share my time, skill and resources with the Thai people.

                                                        Don Gunhus

This time in Thailand has given me a lot of memories for life, reminded me of the values of humility and gratefulness, and has shown me a whole spectrum of emotions that has often proved hard to deal with - and for that I am eternally grateful. We are here in Roi-Et to give to the people of Thailand but I honestly feel that the spirit of the Thai people that I have met so far has given to me more than I could ever give to them in return. It makes me so happy to be part of this team - they give an entirely new level of meaning to the word teamwork, we work for each other in a united goal to work for the people of Roi-Et. Never before have I been so happy to go to work. I love every minute of it. I really feel that no one should ever pass up this wonderful opportunity to give the Gift of Sight. 

                                                      Jamie Fenton

March 27, 2011

Roi-et.  HERE WE COME !!!

By lbarbour

Today was a totally free day. Free to do what we wanted when we wanted. Lots of people decided to catch up on some sleep. Others are getting used to the time change and got up early to start the adventures here in Roi-et. Lots of shopping and eating of the local street food from the markets and lunch at KFC seemed to be very popular and a nice break from rice. After shopping and lunch Thai Massage was on a lot of peoples to-do list. Now we are relaxed and ready to start Week 2 !!!

The Tallest Standing Buddha is just within walking distance from the hotel and I think almost everyone visited there today :

Boorapaphiram Temple was built in 1979. It was called “Wat Hou Raw” because in the former times, it was used as a hotel for the merchants who came to Roi-et. There was not enough accommodation, so they had to stay at Wat Hou Raw. The word “Raw” means “waiting” in English, so at that time the merchants used this temple to sleep before started a new journey. They wanted to build a place to please the Buddha and have a symbol for Roi-Et that can bring foreigners to visit Roi-et.

FROM THE ITALIANS:

Ciao a tutti! Siamo qui a farvi un piccolo riassunto della nostra prima settimana. Dopo la lunga e folkloristica cerimonia di apertura, abbiamo iniziato il vero lavoro! Ci hanno sempre detto che il popolo Thai e riservato e regala discreti sorrisi, invece abbiamo verificato con piacere di giorno in giorno che sa donare grandi sorrisi, forti strette di Mano e abbracci calorosi! Oggi abbiamo accolto piu di 2300 persone, veramente un gran lavoro..nonostante gli occhiali abbiano qualche problemino... Fino ad ora abbiamo cambiato ogni giorno postazione e siamo soddisfatte del risultato... Anche se capire e Farsi e capire non e sempre facile... Ma noi ci proviamo!!!! Abbiamo saputo Che c e stato il terremoto in Thailandia...solo dopo aver ricevuto dei messaggi dall Italia..qui e tutto a posto..non abbiamo sentito niente. Vi aggiorneremo la prossima settimana sulla nostra avventura Thai!  Un abbraccio a tutti e grazie per i vostri messaggi! Claudia Corinne Ornella

March 26, 2011

GOOD TIMES !!!!!

By lbarbour

We had quite the day today. We spent a lot of time in the VIP double decker bus. Probably about 5 hours just driving. First we went to an unbelieveable Pagoda. Lots of gold, buddhas galore and we walked up to the very top. We had lunch at this park that overlooked a beautiful river. The fried rice was the best I have had here so far. After that we went to this little village that is famous for Thai silk and we were greeted with leis and music and dancing in the streets. We went shopping for Silk and for Batik which is an OLD SCHOOL way of silk screening. Another really cool day. We had dinner here at the hotel. It was probably the best meal here in the hotel so far. Accompanied by of course Karaoke! Tonight we went shopping at the local market mostly food but cool stuff too. Alot of us bought handmade pillows. I am quite sure the lady that sold them to us "made her month" :-) Tomorrow TOTAL FREE DAY !!!!! gonna go for coffee and pastries in the morning with a group then walk down to see the tallest buddha. Right here in Roi-et within walking distance.

SILK

Silk is the natural filament produced by the salivary glands of silkworms which are a type of moth that feeds on the mulberry bush. Silkworms are caterpillars, not worms.

They spin their cocoons using a complex set of mechanisms within their bodies when they change from larva into pupa.

Thai silk is produced by Thai caterpillars raised on Thai mulberry leaves by Thai weavers in Thailand, primarily on the Korat Plateau in the country's northeast region. Chaiyaphum is just north of Korat province.

Finally, the thread is taken off the frame and put onto shuttles (thread holders) ready for weaving. On the loom (the equipment used for weaving), the pattern tied and dyed those three times reappears as the weaver works. It's amazing.

PAGODA

Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol 

In the Chedi you must take off your hat and shoes. You must be quiet and discard garbage in the bins. You cannot bring pets, snacks or beverages. You cannot use candles or joss sticks, smoke or drink. You cannot touch the walls or the statues. The highlights of this place are Buddha relics brought from Sri Lanka on May 3rd 1997. The top of Chedi is 60 kilograms of gold Sa Vhet Tha Chut(white tiered umbrella of kingship). It is the one of the largest Chedis (pagodas) in the country. The Chedi is 101metres wide, 101 metres long and 101 metres high. The Chedi was built on 101 rai(about 40 acres) piece of land. The number 101 symbolizes the name of Roi-Et province, pronounced “Roi-Et” in Thai. The five-tiered Chedi containing Buddha’s relics is decorated with elaborate designs in a contemporary style, which is quite rare. The Chedi is located on the premises of Pha Nam Thip Thep Pra Sit Wan a Ram temple. This quiet and peaceful temple is ideal for relaxation and dharma practices. 

March 25, 2011

Day 4…. Week 1 total 6507

By lbarbour

The purpose of today's blog entry is to recognize our team of 10 extremely hard working doctors!!! Without them our mission here would not be possible. They come to clinic each and every day with enthusiasm. You can absolutely see why they have been selected. Their dedication to providing the people of Thailand goes on all day. From the first patient of the day to the very last. With only 10 of them you can imagine how hard they are working. In our first 4 days of clinic we have seen 6507 people. So we THANK YOU :-) and the people of Roi-et Thailand THANK YOU.

Dr. Angela Huang (EAST) while doing an exam today quite possibly saved a woman from losing her sight completely. She found that she had a detached retina. The retina translates the focused image to the brain. Initial detachment may be localized, but without rapid treatment the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and or blindness. The woman was taken to the hospital and we are waiting to hear the outcome. We will update you when we know. Great work Angela EAST!

Messages and thoughts from a few of our DOCTORS

                              Hannah Kim, Andy Zodikoff, n Karen Kuenning

I had no idea what to expect on my trip to Thailand.  I didn't know who I'd meet or what my job would be. Little did I know I was about to work with the very best group of people from all over the world! We just finished our first week of clinic and we were lucky enough to see over 6000 patients.  Every day is filled with new people and experiences and I can hardly wait for tomorrow. There aren't enough words in the English language to describe how I feel right now, but in a nutshell, I feel like I'm the luckiest, most humbled, excited, sleepy, hungry, full, blessed girl in the world. I hope I remember this moment forever.

                                                              Hannah Kim

Today was amazing! We saw a 10 year old boy who had a very high prescription and got his first pair of glasses today. It was the first time he was able to see clearly. His smile made the trip worthwhile! The experience is incredible. Can't wait for our next clinic day! 

                                                              Andy Zodikoff

I never thought anything could come close to the amazing experience I had on my first OneSight mission in India last year. I am in awe of my team and the Thai people. We have worked SO hard but when we gather after clinic to share our wonderful stories and rejoice it is unbelievable how much energy we have left :) We know this opportunity would never have been possible without the support of all of you reading this blog!!!! Thank you, thank you!!!!!  

                                                              Karen Kuenning

 

March 24, 2011

Day 3 ....1857   3 day total 4207

By lbarbour

On Wednesday we had a lovely husband and wife who are Sugar cane farmers come through clinic. Upon dispense Mark Lyons was asked to  follow them back to their farm and allowed to take photos. While spending time with them he found out the husband was very happy to be able to read with his new glasses but most of all wanted to see his wifes beautiful face. 

We had a man today who was a OneSight recipient 7 years ago. He returned today for another pair through OneSight and had with him his broken glasses to show us how much they meant to him. They were in very bad shape but it wad only recently that he broke them. He can now see the world again thanks to Team Thailand March 2011.

Vida Arjomand is one of our fabulous doctors from California but she is originally from Iran. Word has gotten out in Roi-et that she is here  and to the teams delight he sent his friends in to meet her today and brought a treat that she of course shared with everyone at lunch FRIED BANANAS!! As desert is not really a common part of our meals here in Thailand, we were all very pleased to have just a little bit of sweetness today.

Marcia Burroughs was excited and proud to be able to dispense her old glasses. She has a very high Rx and understand just how important good vision is. The patient was a -20 but Marcia's -14 made him very happy as his previous pr that he had with him was a -5. He is not 100% corrected but certainly is able to see far better thanks to Marcia's kind and generous gift.

The people here in Roi-et are quite poor. This is definitely a good province of Thailand for OneSight to be in. Mary Sharma noticed yesterday during clinic that there were many people who had no shoes on their feet. Most likely they had to walk to get to our clinic. Mary being the very sweet and kind hearted person that she is took notice and then took action. Today she brought a spare pair of flip flops and was able not only to Give the Gift of Sight but also give the shoes off her feet. This is just one example of the type of people on this team. 

Kellys Harringtons attention to details made for another very happy guest to our clinic today as well. She had noticed earlier in the day that there was a Womans pair of bifocals mixed in with the readers. Later in the day she came upon a woman who had somehow missed the IMS station but just happened to have very close to the same RX. She was able to confirm with Dr. George Boling that it would be a excellent choice.

March 23, 2011

Day 2 ...1753 helped

By lbarbour

Today Team Thailand helped 1753 people and for a two day total we are at 2250 ! Today was a very busy but very smooth day. We made a few adjustments to the clinic flow to make the whole clinic experience better for Team Thailand and of course for the people of Roi-et. 

Our team of doctors also had an additional 217 referrals. There are many locals who have damage from the exposure of the intense sun here in Thailand. We have seen many Cataracts and macular degeneration. But the most common problem seems to be Pterygium which is a non-cancerous growth of the clear, thin tissue that lays over the white part of the eye. We are doing the best we can for these patients and they are leaving with glaases but total correction is not possible until they can see a doctor here in Thailand that we are partners with.

Before leaving our homes for Thailand we were told to bring along any high prescription recycled glasses that we came across when collected from our friends, neighbors and patients. As well as our own older pairs. As Karma would have it ...Kelly Harrington was doing the auto refraction station ( a machine that examines how the eye processes light and tells the doctor where to begin with the exam) when she came upon a young lady who had a reading that was very close to her own. She sent her on to the doctors and went to double check her old glasses to make sure they would work. They were almost perfect!  She found her in the line for IMS(where the glasses are selected based on RX) and asked for her paper work. Dr Rakesh Tailor confirmed it would be a better choice than what we would have available at IMS and Kelly took her straight to dispense to personally hand deliver them. Without OneSight this experience would not be possible.

Dr. Karen Keunning was also able to personally dispense a pair that she had brought with her from another one of her amazing and generous patients at her LensCrafters in Denver, Colorado.

SHOUT OUTS TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY:

Happy Birthday from Thailand to my oldest son Nathan who turned 11...Kim Willey

Hello to all my friends and family in Illinois.Having an amazing experience in Thailand.Wish you were all here to share it with me.A  special shout out to my husband and girls.I love and miss you guys so much and will be looking forward too seeing you soon.To my sister ...If you could smell what I found you would want to be here too.Love Ya!To my friend Joan keep that glass of wine ready for me sista!  Miss Ya! Traci

Having an amazing time here in Thailand!!! As usual the team is incredible :-) keep the posts and the emails coming Dana, Debbie, Amanda and Angie and to Mom n Mike, Cory n Amy and Brandon I'm waiting for yours? love, LisaB

March 22, 2011

500 helped in 4 hours

By lbarbour

Today started with our Marathon Opening Ceremony. It was a  celebration that lasted 3 hours. Which turns out to be one of the longest on record. It was hosted by the Governer of Roi-et. We were greeted with flower leis and sashes. We were invited to come up on the stage and introduced one by one. Traditional Thai dancers as well as a fantastic group of local farmers with authentic instruments treated us to the UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC. Oh and let us not forget the comedic duo of Thai's Abbott n Costello. The mornings events made us all feel very special and gave us the inspiration needed to do the job we came to do and feel very honored and proud to be able to help the very needy people of Thailand.

As we returned to our clinic site we found many people waiting for us to arrive. We saw 500 people today and it was very efficient and successful. The recipients were grateful, polite and we enjoyed interacting with them all though we still need our cheat sheets and pronunciations written on hands we are finding that they love when we at least try to connect with them.

Our Day 1 story

A lady came into the clinic who had previously had cataract surgery on both eyes but had not received implants so her vision was very poor. Because of a possible nystagmus team members doing auto refraction were not able to obtain a reading.  When she arrived at the doctors station Dr. George Bolling and Vida Arjomand used their ophthalmoscopes to get a +10. Dr.Vida then went to IMS to choose several pairs for her to try finally ending up with +7.75 she left the clinic seeing better than ever before with a beautiful smile.

The day ended with another fabulous meal provided by the Governer. After dinner Karaoke entertainment was provided by Rob Bellows, Steve Stockton, Karen Cianciolo singing Beat It. Then Ching got us all moving with YMCA followed by Dr. Terrisa Drake and Marcia Burroughs with the American Womans Anthem I WILL SURVIVE. Jamie Fenton treated us to an awesome performance of Yellow Submarine. Wedaad pretended that she did not want to go up on stage but sang with heart about her homeland of South Africa.

Now a few messages from Team Thailands French and Italian members

Un saluto a tutti da noi tre ! Siamo tutti cotti ma andiamo alla grande!... Corinne

Dopo un lungo viaggio siamo arrivate contente a Roi Et! Un saluto ornella 

Ciao a tutti, grazie dei messaggi, continuate a sostenerci perche con questo caldo e dura! un abbraccio

Claudia

March 21, 2011

Clinic Set Up in Pontong

By lbarbour

Today we visited our clinic site in Pontong. It is a school building about 40 minutes from our hotel. The drive was mostly quiet. I think everyone is still just taking it all in. Orientation was another opportunity to put names to faces and learn more about our teammates.

We were taught some of the customs to keep in mind for the next few weeks. For example a monk cannot receive something from a woman so if we are dispensing eyewear to a monk as a woman you have to place them on the table and let him pick it up. Also if you are asking someone to come, you do it with your palm down instead of up. 

The leadership team has been working hard to set up clinic ahead of us but we finished up a few tasks then had some training at each station. During the auto refraction training Marcia Burroughs taught us a few phrases that will help us during clinic like Sa was dee (Hi) Ning ning (don't move) and ya kaprip ta (don't blink) at dispense we learned from Kate Michaux that A SMILE WILL GET YOU EVERYTHING.

Dinner was at a very nice restaurant called ENJOY! That is exactly what we did. We had vegetables, fish, egg rolls, fried rice, coconut soup with shrimp and papaya salad and it just kept coming. 

March 19, 2011

One Day in Bangkok

By lbarbour

 

Thanks to FACEBOOK finding each other at LAX was like meeting up with old friends. As unusual as it is to find a previous teammate on another mission there were also some True old friends. Myself and Marcia, Nada and Vida got to reunite for another OneSight mission to our delight. We spent our time mostly just talking and getting to know each other and then gathered as a group and checked in as a group. We had a few flight delays but everybody made it in plenty of time.

Thai Airlines is amazing! The seats recline to a very comfortable position, there is lots of leg room ( even for the tall Americans) they bring you a nice hot towel before your very tasty and complete meal.

At this point we are over half way there. Lots of sleeping going on. Plenty of current movies to watch. Some of the favorites seem to be True Grit, Love and Other Drugs, and of course the Kindles and ereaders are going strong. 

We are now in  Bangkok we finally get to meet up with Wedaad from South Africa and Don Liang from China is coming soon. Then TEAM THAILAND WILL FINALLY BE COMPLETE TONIGHT IN KHON KAEN with the late night addition of our European teammates.

March 15, 2011

Got BAHT ?

By lbarbour

 

 

      With just 2 days and a wake-up Team Thailand is ready for this mission to begin                                                                                 I picked up my Bhats today and it makes it all the more real!  Get your requests in now friends and family members. Thailand of course is known for it's beautiful silks and handmade crafts...so what do you say TEAM THAILAND .....Let's go Help Thailand See and on our days OFF Help stimulate the Roi -et economy too :-) 

 

While fixed prices are the norm in department stores,  bargaining is expected at most other places, particularly at night markets and local central markets. Generally, the price in Thailand is variable and you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40% lower than the original asking price. Much depends on your skills and the shopkeeper's mood. But remember, Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of humor. With patience and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price, you will also enjoy shopping as an art.  Also, you will learn that walking away will often be met by a lower figure shouted at you to lure you back. Also, you are more likely to get a good price if you shop just as a market is opening, as vendors believe an early sale is “lucky” and will help them have a prosperous day.

March 7, 2011

Welcome and Please join us in our excitement ! Only 12 days left until we start our OneSight journey

By lbarbour

Our team of 40 Luxottica employees will soon be meeting in Roi-et Thailand for two weeks. We will be providing free exams and eyewear to help them see the beautiful world around them more clearly. Our team has been having alot of fun already by getting to know each other on our facebook group and is very excited to meet and begin this experience of a lifetime. We would love for you to join us.

We will be sharing our stories and posting pictures so be sure to log on daily so you don't miss a minute of the excitement. If you are interested our team is also raising money to help fund our clinic. Make your donation to our team today

http://onesight.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&eventID=514&teamID=5059