What a buzz! Mr Ooi met me at the train station as planned - it took some time because he was waiting for me in a different place from where I was - and we went off to have lunch, a good roadside stall. I was filled to the brim.

I know Mr. Ooi from the Ministry of Education. We, together with Banard, used to occasionally go for hillside walks (hill-tromping, I call it). Ooi shot pictures of just about every living thing in sight (including when he once took his time with a four-inch long leech that slowly made its way up my shoe).

He has retired now, and runs a buddhist school where locals are taught English. It's actually more of a community centre, and the doors are open to all.

In his spare time he is also building a university, which is a pretty good thing to do I guess, if you can manage it. It will be an International Buddhist Centre and will act as a central point for buddhist scholars from around the world. The campus being constructed will occupy 25 acres of a 100-acre plot.

Kind of puts my spare-time work with DramaLab in perspective.

email: klintiendharm@thansiang.org
http://www.thansiang.org/klintiendahrm

Labels: big trip