Drug rehab and alcohol rehabilitation and addiction treatment center in Thailand

Are you or someone you love struggling with alcohol or drug addiction? If you or someone you care about is having problems with drug or alcohol abuse you are probably wondering what to do. Since you are reading this you are probably considering a residential drug rehab or alcohol rehabilitation program. Most rehabilitation programs require a commitment of 12 weeks or more, and it may not be practical to take much time out of your life to attend a rehab program, especially if you have a demanding career or children. Also, you may not want your problems to become common knowledge. I know the right place for you-Channah rehab! It's the leading international destination for alcohol and drug rehab treatment in Asia. They've helped hundreds of clients from over 50 countries stop abusing drugs and alcohol. They offer an effective, professional, private, world class alcohol and drug treatment program. They can help. They offer a discreet, and shorter, alternative.

Clients will be accommodated in a luxurious and relaxing room shown above privately . There's no room sharing.

Kayaking is part of the activities you'll experience in Channah

Channah offers a recovery program comparable to the best rehabilitation centers in California like the malibu rehab treatment or the UK. They also cater a large population of English speaking clients. Being in a safe, supportive, and relaxing environment, far away from the temptations of drugs and alcohol, their addiction treatment center is unparalleled in the world. Make the decision to change your world. Let Channah Thailand help you. You need to contact them first if you consider a drug or alcohol rehab so that they could give you a free assessment. I've been told that the facilities at Channah are much more like a luxury resort than a drug and alcohol rehab and addiction treatment center.

Gourmet meals ...oh so yummy!

Channah offers a wide range of activities to support client recovery including outdoor activities and massage

Celebrating Christmas here in Hatyai, Thailand

This year, I celebrated my 4th Christmas in Thailand. It's doesn't involve big dinners and expensive gifts (as always) but I tried to celebrate it in our own simple way. As we all know that Thailand is not a Christian country, they don't celebrate Christmas as much as we do. We're glad that we celebrated Christmas in church and we're able to spread the cheer even to unbelievers. Even we don't have Christmas vacation, we're glad that the administration allow us to take a day-off on the 25th to celebrate this day with our family.

It can't be denied that all the times I wish to remember my Christmas with Christmas tree with huge pile of presents underneath, table filled with mouth-watering lechon and lots of foods or a wonderful choir singing Christmas carols, but my parents words linger to my hearts. They used to tell us that Christmas celebration and thankfulness is all that is required to properly celebrate. Anything more is a bonus.

At home (in Philippines), we used to attend a Christmas Eve service. My parents don't need to wrap gifts for us (imagine 14 children!) coz our church mates were generous enough to give each one of us Christmas presents/goodies. When I already worked, I tried to wrap gifts for each one of my younger siblings. About food, we don't need to worry about it or cook anything coz our church mates shared to us what's on their table. Now, that's the spirit of Christmas! and that's the blessing of having a father who's a Minister of God.

I also missed our church's ministry during Christmas. We used to do caroling on streets and chose the less fortunate's houses at dawn. We gave them goodies, clothing or grocery . At first they thought that we're the traditional carolers that ask money after singing so they lend to us 1-5 pesos but they're amazed that we won't accept them instead we're the one giving them something. Some cried, some accept with big smiles and some can't help hugging us for the good things we bring to them.

How do we celebrate Christmas here? In our family we reflect on the reason for Christmas by reading the Christmas story in the Gospel according to Luke, Chapters 1 and 2, as well as the Gospel according to Matthew Chapters 1 and 2. We read these chapters aloud as part of our family's holiday. We don't introduce Santa Claus to our lil boy but to the One who's birthday we're celebrating.

On Christmas eve, we just have a movie night and serve the Pizza Hut's celebration set. We watched Fred Claus, All I want for Christmas , Miracle on 34th Street and Jingle All the Way.

Though we've got our Christmas gifts on the first week of December, I see to it that Hyzyd will have something to open on Christmas eve and something for my hubby too.

We don't usually wrap our gifts for each other. Instead, we shopped for our gifts to each other. This time I wanted to have a new pants, I choose one and I need to fit it in the fitting room to make sure that it's OK for me and if my hubby likes it. Once he approved, he buys it for me. Hubby chose his gift and off I buy it for him. It's just like that- we wanted to have what we really want for Christmas. Wrapped presents is also appreciated but we seldom practice it:)



I'm grateful too that I finally got my PRADA. I asked my hubby to contribute for the 50% of the price of this bag...LOL!

I also try to avoid spending money I don't have on Christmas season. I don't go into debt for the sake of one holiday. Some may think that we have much money or savings because we're both working in a foreign land. I tell you that it's not. There are time that we too experienced being financially strapped too that's why we're trying to celebrate special events in a simple but meaningful way for my family. Like this time, we've spent so much for our visa, passports and moving of residence. I love to give but I give within my means and I hope my friends will understand.

Most importantly, we spend time quietly being thankful for the gift of Jesus to the world that we celebrate on Christmas. This is the day we have set aside to celebrate the beginning of the greatest gift mankind has ever received. Coming into the Christmas season with a grateful heart is essential if you really want to make the extension from Jesus's giving of His amazing gift to your giving and receiving.

By the way, I'm looking forward to celebrate New year's Eve with my brother's family and some friends. Hope we'll have a blessed time together.

One more thing, tonight is our school's New Year's Party at Daiichi Hotel and we're going to have a dance number with my co-teachers. Hope it will be a meaningful night to us all and hope to combat stage fright..waaaahhhhh:)

PS We just moved again (!) and our computer just revived from virus attack. These are the reasons why I'm offline. See you around and hope we'll enjoy this happy season:)

Shining moments at the Lantern Festival

The lantern festival is held from November-February every year at Hatyai City Municipality Park, Hatyai City, Songkhla, South Thailand. This year is the fourth year celebration. They have 9 Amazing Lantern Zones and we’ve just visited half of them.These are the following zones that we've visited last Friday night.

• World of Kids’ Lantern- this zone is filled with imagination and joy
  

• International Lantern-
  

Under this zone, there are various types of flowers that represent different countries in Asia .

1. Philippines’ Sampaguita – represents purity and mildness.

Philippine Lanterns called Parol or Star Lantern-

2. Thailand’s Golden Shower Tree- It is a propitious tree with former name of “koon” which means “multiplicity” in Thailand. This tree is believed to be the tree of “Honor and Dignity”.

3. China Mei Blossom or Apricot tree is regarded as the first flower of the year in China- meaning it starts to flower in the first month which is winter. It’s the only flower that blossom during this season therefore this tree symbolizes cheerfulness, blessedness, longevity and youthfulness.

Chinese read and gold lanterns (auspicious symbol and color of the Chinese)

4. Korea “Moo-Koong-Khwa” or Rose of Sharon is the flower that can withstand harsh weather and weeds. “Moo-Koong” means immortality and it is used to symbolize the immortality of Korean’s history, determination and patience.

5. India’s Indian Lotus is known as the queen of water plant that combines both beauty and usefulness. This plant is significantly important for Buddhism because it represents “worship”.

Indian lanterns or “Diwali” are used during Light festival in India (for Hindus) . During the festival, people will light their oil lamps for their fortune godmother or Lakshmi goddess to come and bless them.

6. Japan's Sakura (cherry blossoms) in Japanese comes from the word “Sa-ku-ya” which means “blossom” after the name of Princess Konohana Sakuyahimae. Her name meansPrincess Blossom and she was given this name because it was told that she fell from heaven to Sakura tree. Therefore, Sakura is the national flower of Japan. It has special characteristics, that is, all the flowers will fall at the same time and is regarded as the symbol of Japanese soldier and samurais.

7. Malaysia's Shoe Flower is referred as the Queen of tropical flowers. Shoe flower is considered as a perfect flower because it contains both the male and female pollen therefore it represents completeness and attractiveness.

• Wonderful Creative Lantern of 14 Provinces of South Thailand-

We haven't yet visited the other 10 Lanterns from the provinces of South Thailand.

• Festive Lantern-represents Christmas season
  

I can't wait to visit this place before it ends on February 2010. More amazing zones are yet to be discovered.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's day to you Dad! You're the best daddy in the whole world for our little boy, Hyzyd.

Am I being amnesiac?..LOL! Nope, I'm just celebrating Father's Day with the Thais. Actually, December 5 is the exact date for the Father's Day here in Thailand but schools already celebrating this special event all through this week. December 5 is the day the present King of Thailand was born and, as the Thais think of him as the 'Father of the Nation', it's appropriate to celebrate all fathers on this day.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great was born on Monday, December 5th, 1927 in the USA. He is the only monarch ever to have been born in America. King Bhumibol is also the world's longest reigning monarch. This year will be his 82nd birthday and, as such, will be a day of enormous celebration for all Thais. Yellow is the King's birth color because yellow is the color of a Monday birth according to traditional Thai beliefs. So every Monday throughout the year most Thais wear a special yellow shirt to honor the King.

His Majesty is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais- old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. The shrine of the King is displayed in our hallway, love letters for the king were hanged on a man-made tree and buildings and homes all over the country are elaborately decorated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.

Here in our school , there's a morning show that all the children's families came to to celebrate the Father's Day. The little kids perform songs or nursery rhymes, and the older kids would dance traditional Thai dances in honor of their fathers. At the end of the performance, all the fathers in the audience were asked to come up on stage and were presented with flowers. Male teachers would often be called up to represent a father for a child who didn't have one present. As teachers are highly respected in Thailand, this was always a nice addition to the festivities and you'd often see an otherwise macho teacher wiping away a little tear...LOL!

Happy Father's Day and Happy birthday to His Majesty King Bhumibol!

Wan Pen Duan Sip- All Souls Day!?!

 

 Last Friday I was curious why this ugly statue was erected at the playground. The teacher told me that it's "Wan Pen Duan Sip". The purpose of this is to give offering to ghosts and dead people and one reason is giving the offering to themselves when they die. This explains why a lot of Thai desserts (kanom) were spread on the table:

 

 

The event is similar to the "All Souls Day" we have in the Philippines.


I got the chance to mingle with my Anuban 1/3 students and have some pictures with them:

 

 

Wan Pen Duan Sip- All Souls Day!?!

 

 Last Friday I was curious why this ugly statue was erected at the playground. The teacher told me that it's "Wan Pen Duan Sip". The purpose of this is to give offering to ghosts and dead people and one reason is giving the offering to themselves when they die. This explains why a lot of Thai desserts (kanom) were spread on the table:

 

 

The event is similar to the "All Souls Day" we have in the Philippines.


I got the chance to mingle with my Anuban 1/3 students and have some pictures with them: