2012 - A New Beginning for Peter: Changing to Varee Chiangmai School 

 

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When Peter was six years old, I began to worry about his future.
He had spent two happy years at the local kindergarten and one year at the small village school near our home. But when I met Cop’s old classmates — teenagers from that same school — I realized that none of them could speak or even understand a single English sentence.

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That discovery worried me deeply.
Peter already spoke good English for his age, and I feared that if he stayed there, he would lose what he had learned. I wanted him to keep developing and to one day have the confidence to explore the wider world.

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So, as soon as the school year ended in March, I took him on my old motorbike to Chiang Mai city to look for a new school. We visited one that didn’t feel right, and then — almost by chance — arrived at Varee Chiangmai School. From the moment we walked through the gate, we were welcomed with warmth and kindness.

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A teacher explained that the school’s annual English Camp had just begun — a one-month program to help children learn through fun and daily practice. Without hesitation, I signed Peter up.
The next morning, Peter began his first day at Varee.

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The video below captures those unforgettable moments — our early morning ride from Doi Saket, our first visit, and Peter’s very first day at English Camp. The first five minutes show everything that mattered: a father’s hope, a young boy’s curiosity, and the beginning of a new chapter.

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For the next year, I borrowed an old 20-year-old Mazda from Ann’s cousin so I could bring Peter safely to and from school. It was slow and often broke down, but it carried us faithfully every day. Then, in the following year, the Thai government introduced a program for first-time car owners, with special price reductions and payment plans. Thanks to that opportunity, Ann was able to buy a new Honda City on installments — the same car that still serves us today.

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In those early years, my pension had just begun, and I could still manage Peter’s school fees. But when the Thai baht strengthened sharply and the Norwegian krone fell, my pension’s buying power was suddenly cut almost in half. It became difficult — sometimes nearly impossible — to keep up with the expenses of a good education.

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And then something unforgettable happened.
Without me ever asking, my dear friends in Norway — Kari and Eilif  — stepped forward. They saw the situation, understood the importance of Peter’s schooling, and quietly offered to help. Their generosity continued through the years and made it possible for Peter to stay at Varee, to grow, and eventually to dream far beyond the hills of Doi Saket.

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Looking back, the decision to move Peter to Varee was one of the most important I have ever made.
It opened doors for him that would later lead to United World College in Africa, and eventually to St. Olaf College in the United States.

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And through all those years, Kari and Eilif’s kindness made an extraordinary difference — not only in practical terms, but in the hope and security their friendship gave us. Their belief in Peter is a gift that words can hardly express.

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