Blink and a Lifetime

I am sitting at my desk, staring at this screen, and not knowing how to convey the crazy mix of emotions I feel right now. I guess we should just start with the basics. It is July 30th, which means I have spent 11 weeks in Thailand, with only 1 week left. What has happened in 11 weeks? More than I could ever hope to write. I feel as if I have been here my whole life. It seems like it was a lifetime ago when I arrived. Yet, at the same time I just blinked and this adventure is coming to an end. How is that possible?

This past week I pushed out all thoughts of leaving and really focused on the kids. We had such a great time in all of our classes and I learned so much. I cannot describe my love for these children. I obviously am not a mother, and I do not play a motherly role here, so I wouldn't compare it to the parent-child kind of love. But it also is a very different relationship than that of a sibling or a great friend. I don't know how to describe it (and all readers are probably as thoroughly confused as I am now), but just know that it goes deep. My relationships here have molded me into the person I am now.

I had to say goodbye to my host family on Saturday morning. That was pretty rough. They are so much fun and really have taken such good care of me on the weekends. They took me and Meredith to a local night market on Friday night. We were doing a little shopping as we walked around the market. We stopped at a little stand and greeted the man, and he replied with what at first seemed like overly big gestures. Then my host sister said, "ohhh, he can't speak because he is deaf". I looked at him and "said" hello, introduced myself, and had a basic conversation with him in sign language. I  have learned basic sign here on the farm as it is used as a bridge between English and Thai (Thai sign is almost the same as ASL) and there are a number of deaf students. Being able to communicate with this man was just so....powerful. When there was no language barrier between us, we were really able to share a special moment of human connection. And this summer I have found that this life is really about human connection. That silent conversation taught me a lot. It also confirmed to me (for the millionth time) that language is critical. I am very determined now to practice foreign(including sign) languages until I am fluent. Being able to communicate with people is so important. I know that man was so appreciative that I could sign. It was an amazing experience. I guess words cannot describe the way it felt.

The rest of my weekend I spent exploring Chiang Mai and hitting up the markets. I did some things with friends and coworkers, but I generally did my own thing. And I really loved it. It was the last time I would be able to be in Chiang Mai, and I loved being able to discover things at my own pace and have no time restraints. It was an amazing last weekend in the city.

I love this farm with my whole heart and soul. This is my last week, and I am going to take advantage of every second I have here. We are going to have a small goodbye party on Thursday night with a campfire (which hopefully means one last good jungle dance) and I will be teaching the art of S'mores. But other than that, this week will stick to the normal order. Whether or not I leave, life goes on, so no need to make a big fuss, right? haha Easier said than done. I am sure there are still lots of adventures to come!

Peace.

Wednesdays and Dragonflies

I have learned a lot since being here. I have learned some really deep lessons about the universality of human nature. I have learned how to teach and more importantly how to learn. I have learned more about Thai culture than I could in any class. I have learned practical skills like farming, gardening, and cooking. But would you like to know a couple of the lessons that I will never forget?

1.       Never cut your hair on a Wednesday. It is bad luck according to Thais. There is a small dog here on the farm that really just doesn’t belong. She is one of those small dogs that has long curly hair (it used to be white until it was stained red from the soil)…let’s be honest and say that she is not a farm dog. Her fur has been all matted and nasty so Amy wanted to take her to the groomer and get her properly cleaned and shaved. We drove all over the city looking for a shop but for some reason they were all mysteriously closed. We found one only after searching for 45 minutes. It was Wednesday and the dog got her hair cut. No joke, the next week she got worms and now is super sick…like deathly sick. Unrelated you may say? It’s debatable. But from now on I will never get my hair cut on Wednesdays.

2.       One night Amy and I decided to combine our evening English classes so our students could learn some songs and games together. Amy was teaching a song and I noticed that some of the boys were being disruptive and not paying attention in the back. As a teacher-team I took it upon myself to go get them to be respectful and to participate. Well when I went over there the boys were laughing hysterically except for one, who was grimacing in pain. The boy in pain was lifting his shirt up and holding something against his stomach. You could imagine my confusion. I looked closer and realized he was holding a dragonfly to his bellybutton and it was biting him! When I pressed the boys as to why he was doing this I was told (with a lot of hand gestures) that according to some Burmese tribes, if a dragonfly bites you in the stomach you will become a very good swimmer. And so the boys took turns having the dragonfly bite their bellybuttons. I completely lost it. I don’t think I have laughed that hard…ever. They offered me a chance to become a better swimmer, but I declined. I think I’ll just have to practice on my own without the help of the large jaws of a dragonfly. Unfortunately I don’t think I helped out Amy at all in the moment, but like I said earlier, this was a lesson I will never forget. :)

Everything is going really well on the farm. Everyday something new happens. There were a couple of days that I spent really sick. Almost everyone in my BYU group got sick after our Laos trip. Must have been something we ate/drank. But thankfully I seem to be over it now.

Teaching is going great. I am so sad to think about how little time I have left, but I keep avoiding that subject if at all possible. It nearly broke my heart to buy my plane ticket from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. But I know I eventually have to come home.

I have been having an interesting diet lately. I ate blood soup the other day. It is exactly what it sounds like. Chicken blood. Not a fan. I also had grasshoppers and termites at a party this last weekend. They were salty and crunchy…almost like potato chips…but not as enjoyable. If you can get over the fact that they are big insects they aren’t too bad. But with that said, I will never go out of my way to have them again.

Last weekend I saw Thai boxing for the first time and it blew my mind! I am actually slightly disappointed that I didn’t go before. It was so crazy! First of all it was super intense; the way they hit and kick each other was mind blowing. And at the beginning of the fights I didn’t know how I felt about it…it was just so violent and to watch a body take a blow like that…but it is very different than the American style of boxing. Throughout the whole fight the boxers would be smiling at each other or laughing, or bowing. They were really having a good time and they respected each other. That was really cool to see. And after I realized that, it was so much fun to watch them fight with so much power and force. We did see a couple of knockouts which was scary for me (with my personal experience of concussions and the sorts). But I really had a good time. Hopefully I will be able to see another couple of fights before I leave.

The adventures just keep coming. I stepped on a big snake the other night; somehow we ended up with a baby peacock on the farm; I learned how to make a number of Thai dishes this week; etc etc. I haven’t had a good internet connection for a very long time now. It doesn’t bother me very much, but I know everyone at home gets a tad bit worried when I don’t respond or have any contact with them. But I am in very good hands here, my body is still strong, and I am still having the time of my life. Hopefully I will get internet soon so I can post this.

Til my next adventure!

Peace out!

The Mighty Mekong

The whole gang of BYU kiddos had to make a Visa run this last week. So our program decided to make a trip out of it. And what a trip it became.

We ended up on a long slow boat cruising on the grand Mekong River. The views were incredible. When I wasn't taking a nap, reading, or enjoying the fun company of my friends, I would get lost deep in thought. It was so peaceful and relaxing.

After a full day of boating, we docked at this tiny little city called Pak Beng (no idea if that is how you spell it). Getting out of the touristy area, Erin, Eden, Jenna, and I went on adventure following the one road of the town. We met some very friendly locals and had a grand ol' time. We also met a smiling group of children. We stopped to talk, but with no one saying anything, we just stood there for about 5 minutes, everyone smiling at everyone. Then we decided to keep going on our walk. When we turned back for dinner we ran into the kids again. This time they ran over to us, with more confidence, and one of the girls reached out for my sunglasses. I let her put them on and snapped a quick picture. We invented quite the game. All of the kids wanted their turn with my glasses. So we took pictures, taught them how to give high-fives, and enjoyed each others' company for awhile.

The small girl who started it all :)

After dinner the same crew, as well as our new-found friend Marcella, hit up the only bar in town. They gave us all free shots. And only Marcella drinks alcohol. So that was pretty funny. But they played some good music and we had a fun dance party in the bar.

The next day was also spent on the boat. I will be posting more pictures on my facebook from this trip, but even the pictures don't do it justice. That evening we pulled into Louang Prabang. After eating a nice meal, taking in the views, and checking out the markets I decided that this was an awesome city. The cobblestone sidewalks and endless amount of baguettes (both a result of French colonization) were very much enjoyed.
I did have the unfortunate experience of standing in a nest of these tiny red ants that I have never seen in Thailand. Anyways, before I realized it, my foot was on fire and a old store keeper was pulling me out of the area and helping me brush them off. I was in pain and let's be honest, feeling really dumb. But this woman took me by the hands, led me to her desk, and started administering some sort of medical cream/gel on my feet. For this woman to rub her hands all over my dirty feet (keeping in mind she is Buddhist)...I just felt so much love. It was an act of kindness that I will not soon forget. With that said, my foot still hurt and became swollen. Back at my hotel room I counted dozens of bites. Thankfully when I woke up the next morning my foot wasn't super swollen, just a tad bit sore.

But if I was feeling sorry for myself, that quickly was replaced with amazement when we went to the waterfalls. Simply breathtaking. It was so gorgeous. Plus, there was a rope swing and plenty of places to jump off the falls. Let's just say I was in heaven.

The rest of my time in Laos was spent exploring and relaxing. I fed monks in the early mornings, ate really good Western food  (but unfortunately made me rather sick at some points...let's hope that doesn't happen when I come home), and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The emotions I felt while flying into Chiang Mai were very similar to those that I feel when I am about to land in Portland. This is my second home. I had a great time in Laos, but I am ecstatic to be back. I really missed my younger brothers and sisters and my co workers, and I am so happy to be with them again!

Til the next adventure,

Peace.

Thai Girl

I cannot believe how fast time flies by here. It’s July? When did that happen? Every day is a new adventure, filled with crazy stories, experiences that make me stronger, and just pure fun. We put up a couple of swings on the farm a few days ago. And it amazed me how something as simple as a swing brought so much happiness and excitement. I also had a chance to take a turn on the swing. As I was rocking back and forth, taking in all the beauty, I started to reflect on my time here. Starting at the airport, saying goodbye to my parents…I had NO idea what to expect. And then when I got here, all those first impressions…haha, it cracks me up to think about! I see things totally different now. This farm really is another home to me. I love the jungle, the farm, and most of all the people and it breaks my heart that I will have to leave. But I am going to enjoy every second I have here. So let me give you a little update of my life lately.

A week ago (I think…my sense of time is gone) I kind of got sick. Out here I acquired the nickname Girl with the Steel Stomach. I have been able to eat everything, street meat, super spicy food, etc with zero problems. But one night last week my body just refused to cooperate. Um…let’s just say it was a very unpleasant (possibly explosive) experience. For y’alls sake I won’t share the graphic details. Just know it was a rough night. Mai pen rai. I consider myself very lucky for only having that one experience. So no worries.

Teaching is going really well. I am learning a lot…about teaching, about different ways of learning, and about myself and how I respond to different situations. This past week I had my hardest and my best lessons. It can be so easy to get discouraged when a concept just isn’t getting through or it doesn’t seem like the kids have an interest in what I am trying to teach. And I become frustrated with myself for not being a better teacher. But by looking at something through a different light really helps. Giving different activities and trying new things really works. Everyone here really wants to speak English, and so together we find ways to get around our language barrier so I can teach and they can learn in the most effective way possible. I have a greater respect for teachers, especially the amazing ones I have had over the years.

I ran an errand with a teacher, Doi, and one of the older students the other day. We were driving back to the farm when Doi stopped the car, started shouting, and jumped out. What do I do in these kinds of situations? Monkey see, monkey do. I jump out and realize that there is a 3 foot (at least) snake slithering across the road. And what’s the logical thing to do? Chase it of course! So there was the three of us, chasing this monster of a snake through bushes and trees. It slithered into a big brush pile and while Doi and Bundit were getting sticks and trying to get it out, I started thinking about how it might not be the best idea to go in there with my little flip flops… When the other two finally gave up the hunt, I questioned the purpose of the pursuit. Doi replied, “You can eat”. Logically.

This past week I started Thai lessons. The kids and teachers have taught me phrases or words in the past. But this week I have sat down with a teacher and consistently tried to learn Thai. It is a very difficult language. And the different tones are killer; I am constantly saying something very different than what I mean. But it is very fun to learn. And since over the past month I have really developed a love for spicy food, they say I will be able to speak Thai better. Haha! We will see how that works out for me. But on Thursday I was speaking with my Thai teacher and I said something with all the correct tones and she (as well as our audience of farmers and children) got all excited and said, “ooooh! PeeKearaww (pee means sister) you are Thai now. No farang. Just Thai girl”. Well, as you can imagine that kind of made my day. And no, I am far from being Thai, but it was awesome to say the least. Maybe spicy food is the key? Speaking of spicy food, I took up a challenge this week. I really should learn to just simply walk away from challenges, but they are too much fun. A coworker handed me a chilli and a small chunk of pineapple, and asked, “do you really like spicy food?”…Before I know it, I am chewing up a fireball. Holy spicy. But I got it down just fine with no problems, like a champ :) It was a weird sensation though as the hot chilli went down to my stomach (I felt it the whole way down).

We had some guests stay at our farm this week. They wanted to go to the hot springs nearby, so after dinner one night we headed out. The last time I went to the springs, it was in the afternoon and we just boiled up some eggs. Little did I know it was going to be very different. We were handed giant sarongs that were sewed in a way so it was like a big tube. I was told to put it on and then strip. Whaaat? But like I mentioned earlier, I have learned to not question and just follow (may or may not be a good strategy). The hot  springs were…hot…and amazing! You sit on the ground, pour the hot water on yourself, lather up with soap, and then rinse off. It felt wonderful. In the village where the farm is, most people don’t have warm water, so this is how they bathe, every day. And it’s a communal thing. It is interesting how something so private back home is so open and quite fun here. But I did feel super awkward afterwards when this very thin sarong was soaked and clinging to every inch of my body. Let’s just say it didn’t hide much. So yeah…mai pen rai I guess. Haha!

Friday morning we took a small trip to BoSang. We went to this pottery place that is super famous. Compare it like this, Ireland’s Waterford and Thailand’s Celadon. It was awesome and I watched them make dozens of pieces right in front of me. I could not help but think of my mom and how she would have just loved it in there. It was way cool.

On a random note, I love how many people I meet just by travelling. I have been all over the states and to Ireland multiple times. Yet I never talked to other people outside of my family. Here I am meeting some of the coolest people from all over the world. Can I just make a suggestion? If you are travelling, step out of your comfort zone and talk to others. You never know who you’ll meet or what amazing stories you will hear. There are so many great people in this world. I am so glad I have met such great people from Thailand, Australia, Germany, France, Holland, Singapore, England. The list really just goes on and on.

Saturday morning I went zip lining through the jungle. It was crazy. I was so happy the entire time. Zip lining was on my bucket list…so check! But I will have to do it again. We did a bunch of zip lines over or through the jungle canopy, weird rickety bridges that were fun to bounce on (only because we were connected to the safety cables above), and went repelling. And by repelling, I mean they dropped us straight down at high speeds. So. Much. Fun.

After that little adventure we went as a group to see The Amazing Spiderman. Seriously, I love the concept of superhero movies, but they all are cheesy and overdramatic. Yet, I did enjoy this Spiderman a lot more than the others. And there were points in the movie when I was like “I love it!” but then there were a lot more moments when I thought it was just plain ridiculous. Haha!

The movie ended kind of late, which means Amanda and I had to run to catch our truck to take us home. We thought we had missed it, but we saw another truck and the people on it said that it went to the same place (in the best English they could). So we hopped on and before we know it we are driving somewhere neither of us had ever seen. To make a long story short we went all over the place, got lost, finally found the direction we needed to go, walked a bit, and then waited to be picked up. If this would have happened to me a month ago I would have freaked out. But it was just funny. I didn’t feel threatened, I didn’t even feel stressed. It was no big deal. I know so many people here now that I know there will always be someone who can help me.

As it is July now I have been thinking a lot about my family. I have missed/am going to miss my cousins’, my niece’s, my nephew’s, and my mom’s birthday. Oh, and my country’s (which just happens to be one of my favorite holidays). The only thing that would make my life over here complete is if all my family could come and experience it with me. And while I will miss the fireworks, I will be floating down the Mekong River in Laos. Heartbreaking I know :) Set off a firework for me.

Well, sorry for making y’all wait so long for the update. It happens. I am healthy, safe, and enjoying every moment. I have one month left and I am going to live it up!

Until the next adventure,

Peace.

Is This Real Life?

Is this real life? I asked myself this question multiple times this weekend. I had so much fun, and so much happened...so this is probably going to turn into a long post. But I promise, you are going to find some pretty dang good stories in this one. So let's just begin with the start of my weekend adventures.

Amy, Torie, and I left the farm just after lunch on Friday. It had been a great week of teaching but we were all ready to have a different kind of fun in the city. When we got into Chiang Mai one of our coworkers from Joy's House showed us a small guesthouse where we could stay. We dropped off our bags and hit up the city. I have been here for over a month and so I thought I knew the city pretty well. But it is a whole new ball game when you go around with the locals. I met so many people and found these awesome shops that I never knew existed. So that was great. Then we went back to the guesthouse to get ready for dinner and a night out on the town.

With our coworkers and friends we ate at the Riverside. It is a well known restaurant and bar as it is located right on the edge of the Ping river. We arrived around 7 and started eating some of the most delicious Thai food. -Side note: I am going to miss real Thai food...a lot.- Then some older guys started playing guitars which was really cool and we were sitting right next to the stage they were on. My coworkers told me to prepare for a night of dancing, but I was really confused because while it was super cool listening to these guys play, it definitely was not what I consider dancing music. So we just kept chatting and having a good time. Then the two old men just stopped and left, only to be replaced by a young band. And the party began. For the rest of the night these young (and really talented) bands were playing familiar American songs. My table started singing and dancing to all of the music, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. At first everyone in the restaurant just stared, but our fun and craziness became contagious. Before we knew it tables and chairs were being moved out of the way and there was a straight up dance party at the Riverside. Oh my, it was so much fun.

The music stopped and the bar was closing just after midnight. So I was assuming we would all part ways and say our good byes. But I guess that's not the Thai style. According to my Thai friends, when they party, they really party. Once one bar closes, you go to the next one that stays open until 4. I had never seen the real night life of Chiang Mai so I decided to stick around for the adventure to come. And what an adventure it was.

Our friends took us to the biggest gay bar in Chiang Mai city. And oh boy, it was crazy. Crazy fun. We walked in and the place was huge! It had a monster stage with multiple bands playing on it. It looked like it could be a part of some tv show like American Idol or something. The music was great and so of course we all started dancing. At one point a transgendered...person came onto the stage to sing some songs. Her voice was really good, her outfit a little questionable, and while she was singing Torie decided to snap some pictures. Well after the first couple of pictures, the singer stopped the music and called everyone's attention to the couple of farangs sitting close to the stage. She walked over to us and asked Torie if she was interested in men or women. Torie nervously responded, "...men..." and the singer ripped off her wig, made a couple of jokes, and gave Torie a big old hug. Um wow. That was an experience to say the least. We kind of just looked at each other and asked, "did that just happen"?? Later on she...or he came over and introduced herself and she was pretty sweet. We stayed until 3am, dancing and having a great time meeting some really nice and funny people. But by the time we left we were all so exhausted and starving. So at 3:30 we ate some burgers and fries (super healthy...) and crashed into bed. Chiang Mai is a whole new city at night.

My alarm went off at 7am and as you can imagine I felt like death. But I dragged my sorry little self out of bed and got ready for my big trip. I met up with everyone from my program and we headed for another mountain about an hour out of Chiang Mai. Our first stop was to ride elephants. Yep, elephants. Each elephant had a driver and then this box seat on it's back for two students to sit in. So Jenna and I hopped on Wan Dee's back to go for a nice stroll through the jungle. She would walk a few steps and then just stop, demanding that we feed her sugar cane and bananas. And we willingly gave it to her because it was so cool to see her gently take the goodies out of our hands with her trunk. The driver told me to switch spots with him so I would be sitting on her. Straddling an elephant's neck is pretty dang difficult. It is a balancing act as there isn't much to hold on to. We ran out of the sugar cane and bananas pretty quickly which wasn't good because Wan Dee was particularly hungry. So, with me sitting on her neck, she decided she wanted to eat some tree branches that just happened to be hanging out over a huge cliff. With nothing to hold on to, I used my abs like I have never used them before. The driver was hanging on to me by my shoulders so I wouldn't go tumbling down the mountain. It was a tad bit frightening. When she got bored of that we continued on our peruse through the jungle. The driver was feeling extra adventurous so he had me scoot up and sit on Wan Dee's head, with my feet over her ears instead of behind them (which was a nice relief from getting constantly slapped by her ears). Sitting like this was easier balance wise, but there was a lot less to hold on to. We were walking through a river and she kept splashing us which was fun. It was also cool when she would raise her trunk and lightly blow on me (despite the drops of elephant snot that came with it). I would blow as hard as I could back and we had this little game going on for the rest of the ride. We also saw a baby elephant (I think it was Wan Dee's niece) and I shook hands-trunks with it. So that was awesome.

After our elephant trip we met up with our guide who was going to take us through the jungle and up to a hill tribe village. This guy was about a head shorter than me, but 100% muscle. A long time ago some farangs nicknamed him Rambo, and that is the name he goes by. The only thing he carried on this overnight trek was a machete. Legit. He kept making us bamboo hats or fern crowns, so we journeyed through the jungle in style. This jungle trek was crazy insane. It wasn't just a fun little hike on some clear trails. We were climbing over boulders, jumping across streams, walking on rickety bamboo bridges over fast moving rivers. The trail at times would be no more than 6 inches across with a steep drop off on one side. And the first day of our trek was all uphill. I don't even think uphill is an accurate description. More of upmountain. I have never been that sweaty...ever. I would look down at my legs or arms and you could see hundreds of droplets of water/sweat from every pore. It was bizarre. But thankfully we found relief in the waterfalls. I don't know how many we stopped at but they were godsends. Jumping into a cool waterfall after hiking up an intense mountain was the definition of paradise. As we kept climbing up and up I kept telling myself this couldn't be real. It was just so gorgeous out there. And I was getting really frustrated because with every picture I took, I could never capture what it really looks like. I guess it is something everyone will have to experience on their own because pictures really can't do it justice.

When we made it to the Karen village (a hill tribe village) we all put our stuff in the bamboo hut we were staying at and then swam in one of the coolest waterfalls I have seen. It was amazing. Then we were just relaxing and Rambo started making us dinner (we were at his home village). I decided it would be fun to help out, so Jenna and I went into the cooking hut. I was frying up some chicken and tofu for our curry when I gave Jenna a turn to help out (we were in a pretty small hut). I realized that some men of the village were making themselves dinner and so I started helping them out. They were making one of their favorite dishes. We pounded up some chilli (and by some I mean A LOT), garlic, onion, and some other green herbs. Then we put a whole fish on a stone, took a machete and went to town on it until it became minced mush. We proceeded to do this with about 10 fish. I was pretty relieved that I would be eating curry and not cut-up fish eyeballs, guts, bones, scales, etc. But I continued to help them cut up lemon grass and fry it up altogether. It was great fun working side by side with them and learning how to cook one of their favorite meals. When it was all cooked I started eating my curry with the group and one of the men brought in a bowl of the final product so I could have some. It was very kind of them to share their food. And so of course I ate it. It was dang spicy...and I tried not to think of what it looked/smelled like when we were preparing it...and it was pretty good. I probably enjoyed the experience more than the taste.

That night before we went to bed Rambo told us all about the Karen people. It's that kind of stuff that I really love. People all over the world live such different lives but we are all so similar. I know I say that a lot, but it never ceases to amaze me. Anyways, earlier in the day Rambo showed us the village's church and told us how some time ago Catholic missionaries came in and baptized the whole village. They were very strict at first, trying to get the people to abandon their ancestral traditions, which they did, for about three years. The people all consider themselves Catholics, but incorporate their traditional beliefs as well. This is the kind of stuff I study in anthropology and it was amazing to see it first hand. Rambo taught us all about the magic they believe in and some of the men even did some "magic tricks" which really were some mind games that made all of us BYU students look really dumb. It was a great night and we has some good laughs.

After breakfast we said goodbyes to our Karen friends and hiked out of the village. We crossed some more bridges and narrow passes, but the hike was a lot shorter and easier. With that said it was still pretty intense with the steep decline we were trying to go down. After a couple more dips in some waterfalls we made it out and ready for our next adventure.

We had some lunch and then got on some bamboo rafts to float down the river. By this point we were all so dead tired that we just lounged around. We had a couple of mini-water fights, but we pretty much just bummed out on the raft. I had my feet dangling in the water until I saw this big old water snake coming at me (it disappeared into the murky water) and then I was slightly more alert for the rest of the trip down the river.

After the raft trip we went back to the city and got some food. With a couple of girls I went and explored the Sunday night market which is always fun. It was weird though because I ran into multiple people that I have met here in Chiang Mai since I have been here. It is weird starting to recognize people or run into people I know at the markets...I guess that's something I didn't think would happen at all when I'm in Thailand. But it's pretty cool that my circle of connections just keeps getting bigger.

Coming back to the farm was nice as always. Torie leaves on Wednesday, so that will be sad. We have had some pretty fun times out here together. And our teaching schedule will probably change once again. Mai pen rai.

Till next adventure,

Peace.

Ghost Busters

This last weekend we took a trip to the Nan province to visit a Hmong village. Some BYU students have been living up there for about as long as we have been here and so we stayed with their friends throughout the village. It was about a 6 hour drive (this area borders Laos) through the mountains. We would occasionally stop and take pictures of the mountain scenery (except for me...my camera died, lame I know). The drive was pretty fun, swerving on these windy mountain roads. Luckily I don't get car sick too easily, otherwise there might have been a problem.

We went to this waterfall and man oh man was it amazing. The water was lukewarm (which feels great when it's hot/humid) and there were so many pools we could swim in. We were able to slide down the smaller falls which was way fun. And I was feeling extra adventurous so I was climbing all of the surrounding rocks and jumping into the water. It's great cause when you climb a steep rock, you get to the top and start freaking out because it's so high, but then you realize there is no way to get down other than jump. So jump I did, multiple times. I really had the best time at the waterfall. Even when I was done jumping off the rocks, I would just float on my back and get lost looking at the jungle canopy overhead. This place is so beautiful, I know I say it all the time but I really do love it here. Unfortunately all that climbing made me really sore for the rest of the weekend, but mai pen rai.

We spent the rest of our time hanging out at the village, playing volleyball with the people (they are stinking good and they play every single day), eating great food, and visiting some temples. The family I stayed with was so kind. They fed me and Erin (one of the girls in my program) a fantastic dinner and then gave us both gifts. So apparently the family is a copper smith family, and so they gave us each a handmade bracelet to protect us from ghosts. It is really beautiful, and I guess it's really expensive to get one in America. But they just gave it to me because they cared about my well-being. It was so sweet of them and the bracelet really is gorgeous.

It is also interesting to see how different everyone lives. I came to Thailand from America, and it was a big adjustment at first. But now I would definitely say that I am into this way of life and it doesn't seem foreign anymore. When we went to the Hmong village it was really cool to see how they lived and how different it was from the Thai style. It is not uncommon for them to live in bamboo huts in small family communities. And while I felt very ineffective with my bucket shower (it wasn't even a bucket...more of a small cup), I could not help but think that this is a common daily practice for so many people. We all have different traditions and different ways of doing the same thing, but at the same time we are all so similar. That is just so amazing to me.

Anyways, it was a great weekend. And as usual, I was very happy to get back to the farm. It's nice to come home here. Yesterday there were some big changes in our teaching schedules because Kru May (the teacher I have been teaching) had to leave the farm. That and we got another volunteer. So yesterday was just a relax day. And today we had classes and went on a hike through the jungle. Despite the fact we were all huffin and a puffin and sweating up a storm it was really fun. Life is good.

Til next time,

Peace out.

Rough Hands

Wow, I really don’t understand how easy it is to lose track of time. For all of those of you waiting for email/facebook responses, be patient with me. Just know I am working my little booty off here and enjoying every single moment.

Our big camp just ended. About 40 junior college students from Singapore came and stayed with us for six days. While they were here we taught them how to farm and build dams and they helped us build our beautiful new library (pictures coming soon). When they first got here I was really worried because they were afraid to get dirty and they later admitted they were unprepared for jungle life. But they had such good hearts. They really wanted to help out and they were able to connect with all of our kids. It was really cool to be a part of it. But with that said, I am stinking exhausted and it will be nice to get back into our normal routine.

So here are some highlights/memorable experiences from the past however many days it has been (I really have no sense of time out here):

We had to do a lot of preparation for the Singapore camp. This included big meetings in the city with all of the staff. I was able to meet all of the amazing people that work here and I became pretty tight with a few. One of the days in the city when we show up for a meeting it was blazing hot. So I was just wearing shorts and a light tee. But then Che pulled me and Torie aside and informed us that we needed to look like a team and had to wear the CSF gear. No problem at all. Except for one thing: the CSF “gear” consists of sweat pants and a thick long sleeve shirt. Awesome. So within the first 5 minutes we were drenched in sweat. Mai pen rai. That night we had a big old party with singing and dancing (yes, this means we were rocking out to the karaoke which is a popular pastime in Thailand). We were also served some great food. This meal was my first experience of eating something so spicy it made snot come out. I mean…wow. Very disgusting and embarrassing, but slightly impressive. And although I feel as if I might have permanent damage on my taste buds, it was so worth it. The food was freaking good.

Right before the camp I had a pretty big scare. We were all eating lunch (some sort of hot soup) when I looked up and saw one of the girls trip and spill practically boiling water down a boy’s back. They were across the room but before I realized it I was pulling off Poom’s steaming shirt and carrying him over to the sink. He was screaming out in pain and I was doing my best to comfort him as I put water on his back. Even typing this out makes me shudder at remembering what that was like. It was awful. One of the kids ran out and found a plant (I’m pretty sure it was an Aloe plant) and we rubbed that on his back. His blisters are all gone now, but it was pretty traumatic.

On a brighter note once the Singapore students came it was a constant mix of hard work and party time. Every night we sang and danced around the “camp fire” which definitely was more of a bonfire. So fun. The kids have taught me all sorts of new dances and they have become my favorite pastime out here.

But with the hard work we have been doing I have not realized how much I have learned and how much I have become a part of this farm. The kids and teachers here have taught me all about the plants and animals. I work with them side-by-side on the farm. And it’s serious work. I plant, pick, and weed. I shovel up soil to bag it and build dams. I have built a fence. I have made and spread compost. I am pretty handy with a hammer and a nail. My hands are rough now, calloused to the day’s work. And until the Singapore kids came, when I was able to answer their questions about the farm or show them how to do something, I did not realize any of this.

We went to the city with the Singapore students where we stayed at Joy’s House (part of CSF) for one night. We had a big Thai bbq (which as you know is my favorite) and then got to watch some cultural performances put on by the children. There was a lot of dancing and it was all great, but my favorite definitely was the war drum dance. Oh my. If you ever get the chance to watch it, do not pass up the opportunity. It was simply breathtaking—I don’t think there is any other way to describe it.

I had a great time in the city, especially with the staff at Joy’s House. Like I already said, we became pretty tight during the camp. They call me Jessi J. Why? Not exactly sure, but it’s hilarious and we always rock out to her Domino song. They also cannot get over my hair. Everyone here has straight hair…except for me. They think it is the coolest thing how even right after I brush it, my hair just automatically curls and waves. As if my white skin wasn’t enough to make me stand out. But it’s all good fun. We enjoyed our time together, playing the guitar, riding motorcycles, you name it.

I would say it’s rainy season now. While we were at the market in the city a huge storm rolled in and the streets started flooding. And now I am sitting at my desk watching some of the hardest rain I have ever seen in my life. There is a new muddy stream in front of my room now, so hopefully the sun comes out soon. If not, mai pen rai. I am definitely used to being muddy now.

Well those are all of my updates for now. This weekend we are going to a Hmong village to visit the Anthropology kids from BYU. That will especially be fun for me because next year I need to do my field study. So I’m pretty excited.

Oh, and one more quick update. Those giant spiders, you know the ones I have posted pictures of on facebook? Yeah, well I discovered unfortunately that they play dead. Who knew? Spiders can play dead better than any dog, or human for that matter. Thought there was a crumpled dead spider on my floor, but then I went to sweep him up…let’s just say there was a lot of screaming involved. When I finally composed myself and went to take care of business he played dead again (which thankfully made him an easy target). So minus the terrifying fact that spiders can play dead, it’s a pretty cool trick I guess.

Til the next adventure!

Peace out.

Dirt in Deep

Everyday out here I learn something new or do something different. And it is amazing. This past week I really got into my groove and just fell in love. The Children's Shelter Foundation is all about a family concept. If you come here and spend some time here it will be so apparent. The kids look up to me like an older sister and I love them in a way words cannot even describe. I guess the only way I can put it is out here in the jungle I have found pure passion.

We did so much but I will just give a recap on some fun stories.

Teaching went really well last week. Everyone here is such a fast learner and their hunger for knowledge never ceases to impress me. But honestly, my favorite part of my English lessons is the last 10 minutes that I spend with the older boys. This is when I teach American slang :) Oh man, it is hilarious. Everytime I see them they always ask me "whaddup?" and it is seriously just the best thing.

Also this week I was teaching in the big guest house (the big nice looking building on my fb pictures) and we were sitting down at a table. All of a sudden one of my students yelled, "TEACHER!" and was pointing at the ground. When I looked down I was very confused because it seemed as if the floor was moving....like it was alive. That's funny because it was alive! Out of nowhere a huge surge of ants were appearing and taking over! When I mean huge I mean there were thousands upon thousands. I have never seen that many bugs at one time in my life. So of course the only logical thing to do is scream and run away to let someone else deal with it :)

I went on a very long bike ride with the kids and almost died. Well not really. It was just hotter than hell and I felt like we were going uphill both ways. haha but the scenery was breathtaking. We went to some hot springs nearby and boiled up some eggs for lunch. That was pretty cool. But boiled eggs don't smell good in the first place, and then cooking them in sulfur definitely does not help the smell...

Torie, a new volunteer, came this week. It is very nice to have another native English speaker around. And she is super cool, so we are having some good times. But it was pretty funny because when she first came it was hard for her to understand the Thai accent. So even when people were speaking English I would do some translation. I forgot how when I first got here I could not understand a thing but now it doesn't even phase me.

I have become pretty close with the manager here and he has been a great mentor. I have learned so much from him and he is a great example. One day I was helping him write a professional letter to the foundation heads and I heard this weird noise (we were sitting outside in the small open hut). It was a low humming sound that seemed to be getter louder. I asked Che what that noise was and right when he was about to answer, a huge swarm of bees launched their attack on us! Holy! We both jumped and ran in separate directions. I was jumping, running, and swatting all around the farm. Somehow, probably divine intervention, I escaped without a single sting. But my friends here were not so lucky. It was just so random, no one knows where that came from. Whatev.

Oh and before I forget, my little side-job in the city teaching at that fancy school got cancelled. It just was a super big hassle trying to coordinate everything for it to work out. And honestly, it was fun, but I am more than happy to stay here and just focus all my attention on this family. So I will go into the city on Friday evenings.

This weekend we made the 4 hour trip to Sukhothai. It was so cool. It was a bunch of ancient ruins and we rented bikes to see it all! Be on the lookout for some pictures. It really was amazing. Too bad it was scorching hot and I have never lost that much water just in sweat. Everyone was drenched. Like straight up, you-just-jumped-in-the-pool drenched. So that was gross, but besides that it was awesome!

This place has become my home. Over the weekend I found myself missing the farm and the kids. I really love it here. These kids have been through some of the hardest times and yet they are the happiest people I have ever met. They teach me so much every single day. When I learn about their backgrounds it breaks my heart that they have undergone such awful things. But then it gives me hope. No matter how difficult things are we are always the master of our soul. We choose to be happy. One year ago a young boy was crawling through a field while soldiers were opening fire on him so he could escape child soldier life. Today he is the sweetest and kindest human being I have ever came into contact with.

The red soil here gets into everything. When I got into the city I tried scrubbing my feet to clean up a bit before we went out. But the soles of my feet are stained red. No matter how hard I scrubbed, it would not come out; the dirt is in deep. It does not matter how long I stay here or the adventures to come, I have become a part of this wonderful place and nothing will be able to change that.

Til next time,

Stay fresh!

Two Promises

Before I left, Ralph (my professor) made me two promises. He said 1. This is going to be the hardest thing you have done yet. 2. This is going to be the best thing you have done yet.

Well, I feel like I am understanding why those were the two promises he chose to make. Yesterday I was trying to get back up the mountain after my weekend in Chiang Mai. I followed the directions I was given precisely, but the driver of my first yellow truck took me very far out into the middle of nowhere. There was a second driver there who was supposed to take me the rest of the way, but he didn't know where to go. When he realized that I was completely lost and unable to speak Thai, he told me that I would have to pay him 800 baht. My entire trip down the mountain cost me 40 baht. There was no way I was going to get ripped off that bad. I called my professor and orphanage director to try and help sort things out. It was getting late and dark and I was stranded in the middle of nowhere. I only had 200 baht on me so I couldn't even take that driver. I just lost it. I felt so helpless and pathetic (the worst feeling ever). I couldn't hold it in and I just cried. There were a bunch of Thai men just staring at this farang crying her little eyes out. Embarrassing. But by that point I couldn't have cared less. To make a long story short we sorted it out that he would drive me home for 500 baht and my director would spot me 300 baht and I would just pay him back. I eventually made it home safe and sound, but I was so upset. At that one moment I just wanted to go home more than anything. But Ralph called me to check up on me and make sure I was doing well. His kindness and support brought me back to reality. I decided to just go to bed and let go of the stress that had built up from that misadventure.

This morning when I got up my eyes were slightly swollen (yes, I was that upset) and I was worried about how today would go. But a semi-warm shower and big hugs from all the kids reassured me that things were going to be okay. I taught today and I feel that my lessons went well (the preparation over the weekend paid off). I swung on the rope swing, played countless matches of badminton, and even learned some Thai today. I couldn't be happier.

I just need to accept that living in a foreign country and not being able to speak the language is going to be a problem sometimes. I should consider myself lucky that I have only had this one incident so far. And I am sure there is going to be more miscommunication in the future. That's okay. Responding with Mai Pen Rai is a tad bit harder than I thought it would be. But I'm trying. And honestly I'm thankful for that experience. I learned a lot and maybe now I will be able to avoid that in the future.

So here I am, going through the hardest but the best thing so far in my life. Here's to a good week!

Til the next adventure.

Peace out.

Hello Mr. Buffalo

I feel like I am finally starting to get my bearings set around here. Yesterday it was my job to get myself to a meeting spot with my program facilitator and I was able to do it just fine. And throughout the past couple of days I have been able to know where I am or how to get to different places in the city which is pretty cool. I know it’s something small, and I definitely still get turned around, but knowing some basics gives me a little more sense of security.

Yesterday I went to the school that I will be teaching at every Friday and met with the teachers.  I’m only needed from 12:30 to 2:30 so the hours aren’t bad at all. So I will probably start coming down the mountain on Friday mornings instead of Thursday nights.

After the meeting one of the teachers, Bee, took me to lunch at this little guest house/bungalow place. We had passion fruit juice (with mushed up fruit on top…basically it was heaven) and a chicken dish that was very sweet and had pineapples and tomatoes in it. It was super yummy. They also brought out the famous Thai soup, and Bee insisted that I tried it because it is part of the cultural experience. I was all for it, but I saw a lot of shrimp in it…a lot a lot. But I have been pushing myself lately to be more open. Why not, right? I mean, I don’t know when I will get the chance to be in Thailand again, so I might as well take it all in. So I tried it and it wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t order it for myself, but it was definitely doable.

 When we finished lunch I was able to go in and meet the kids I was going to teach and there are a lot of them. And it was super weird seeing them all in desks with uniforms on and all sorts of school materials about. I’m used to the orphanage now where they believe in classrooms without walls and so teaching is done anywhere and everywhere. It just seemed so formal here. But the teaching requirements are a lot less formal I think. Basically what I gathered from the meeting is that they want me to teach them songs and a little bit about my culture. Haha so since we had some time I taught them If You’re Happy and You Know it and gave them their American names, which they were very excited about. I basically just named them after all my friends and family, and honestly it just cracks me up when I think about the cute Thai kids and who they’re named after.

I did make one major mistake. When I entered the first class, they were already half way through their English lesson, so the teacher had me finish the exercise they were in the middle of. They were working on plural forms of words (ie: mouse to mice). But when I got to “foot” I pointed to my foot, but the kids in the back were straining to see, so I lifted up my foot. My foot was about 2 inches off the ground when it registered that this was a very bad idea. But my foot made it 2 inches more before I was able to do anything about it. In Thai culture anything with the foot is super offensive and just straight up not acceptable. The kids didn’t really know how to react and the teacher was just bug-eyed. I’m sure I was bright red. I started apologizing and saying I was an American farang (don’t know why I gave that as an excuse) but the kids started to laugh and I think that was enough to move on. Haha rookie mistake.

On the way home from school I was taking a rot dang and I was sitting across from a Burmese family. There was a 3 year old boy who was very shy but very curious about me. He was the cutest little kid, with big round brown eyes and beautiful dark hair. I was smiling at him and making faces until he worked up the courage to reach out and quickly touch my hand and retreating even faster to make sure this farang didn’t turn into a monster or something :) He did this a couple more times until he was sure I was human and then started playing with my fingers. I turned my arm over and showed him how if you press on my arm a white mark stays for a couple of seconds (a big hit at the orphanage) and he was completely enthralled. For the next 5 minutes I was being poked by the whole family. And when he tired of that he held my hand the rest of the way until I had to get off. That, I think, might have been the highlight of my day.

Today we woke up early and went to a rice paddy. I have watched the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet since I was little and so I knew water buffalo are big animals, but I didn’t know that would be that big. Holy smokes. I looked at those things and took inventory: ginormous horns, big hooves that they keep kicking, and they smelled worse than Tillamook on a hot day. Nope. There is no way I’m getting on that thing. But the adventure was too good to pass up. The guy showed us how we were supposed to get on… 1. Get a running start 2. Put your hands on the back of the buffalo 3. Jump on 4. Pray to the Lord above you don’t jump too far and get shish-ka-bobbed by the horns (ok, I added that last one...). We watched our facilitator try to do it, but with no luck. So then everyone looked at me. Yikes. My run towards Mr. Buffalo seemed to last forever, like some slowmo action. I had time to think to myself, “what the heck are you doing??” But I just kept going, put my hands on, jumped like my life depended on it, and prayed. I made it! Haha First try and I stuck the landing :) That thing is bony though! Not very comfortable. We just walked around a bit, he ate some grass, and I pretended that I was in control.

After riding Mr. Buffalo we got a chance to work with him and plow the rice paddy. The mud was so thick, but it was nice and cold so it felt good between the toes. I was told that I had a good technique for plowing fields, so who knows? Maybe if this Social Worker thing doesn’t work out maybe I could plow rice fields. Haha! Then we got to plant some rice and separate the rice and chaff. We were told if we were able to do that, we would get boyfriends and if we couldn’t we would be out of luck. Thankfully we were all able to fulfill the requirements…haha so look out Provo! :)

We went to a waterfall after and swam around a bit. That was fun until we got out to go up closer to the falls and all of a sudden tons more water came out and started flooding the area and it became too dangerous to go back in. Some girls got swept down some mini falls but thankfully some people were able to grab them before they went down anything too crazy. Scary stuff.

We had the rest of the day to chill and hangout around the city. We saw the Avengers (in English this time) and it was really good…again! I am a fan. We also rode around in a tuk tuk which of course was an experience to say the least. Those little 3 wheel cars (if they can even pass as a car) are nuts, but it’s a pretty fun joy ride.

It was a great weekend. I will go back up the mountain around 4pm tomorrow, so I am going to keep it low key. So more adventures to come! And all the pictures of Mr. Buffalo will be on facebook.

That's Not A Mouse...

A lot has happened in the last few days, but I haven’t had the time to blog about it. So here is the recap of my adventures since Monday. This is going to be a long post, but what the heck, might as well now that I have some time.

Tuesday

I woke up not feeling good at all. My stomach hurt and so I just had a tiny bit of rice for breakfast. Che kept telling me to eat more because we were going to the movies and we weren’t going to eat again until 2:30. But honestly I thought I was going to barf. We piled in some very hot trucks and drove into the city (which definitely did not make me feel any better). Walking into the mall where the movie theater is at was like walking into heaven. It was air conditioned and I couldn’t have been happier (well maybe if I wasn’t about to keel over…but let’s not be picky). We got some popcorn and Coke (quick side note: here they sell caramel corn instead of regular popcorn and it’s great!). I didn’t eat/drink a lot but the little snack was ok. I was excited when the movie started because all of the trailers were in English with Thai subtitles. But then as soon as The Avengers started playing it was 100% Thai with zero subtitles. So that was a bummer, but the kids really enjoyed it and it’s a super hero movie, we all know the plot. I would like to see it again in English though.

After the movie we went to get some lunch. But it was so hot and I felt awful. Everyone was so nice and was trying to order something for me, but I really just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. Someone even ordered me a shrimp dish (and if you know me well, you can guess that made me want to really…umm…you know, puke my guts out).  But the kids enjoyed it. They also ordered me some juice to make me feel better. It tasted like grass. Not my best day. Mai pen rai.

We went to the plant market and I really wish I would have brought my camera. There were some gorgeous plants (as well as some really cool lizards running everywhere) and the kids were so excited to pick out their own flowers and plants. But it was so hot and I was so sick, I could only enjoy it so much. I remember thinking to myself, “what are these people going to do when this farang just keels over and dies?”. 

But then small relief. As we were waiting for our taxi to come pick us up, a huge storm rolled in. It went from scorching heat to monsoon in a matter of seconds. The only way I can describe it is it was like someone sprayed me with a fire hose. I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, and the force pushed us all against a truck. It was an amazing display of nature’s power. And the cold rain was such a relief to my overheated body. I quite enjoyed it  :) But as we were driving back to the farm, we saw lots of broken signs and toppled power lines. There was even a tree on top of a car with a man inside! I can see why many Thai do not like the rain. When it rains, it really rains.

Back at the farm I just skipped dinner. I could not even think about eating. So I just set up my mosquito net and burrowed in for the night. Well until I was about to turn off the light… I thought there was a mouse in my room, scurrying around. So when I went to get a closer look I realized it was a monster spider! Freak. Not what I want to see when I already feel like death. So I just told myself it was do or die, and I took care of it (pictures on facebook).

Wednesday

Whatever was bothering my body on Tuesday finally wore off, and after going 24 hours with little to eat, I woke up starving. My appetite came back with a vengeance. As I got up for breakfast I told myself, “come what may, I am going to eat whatever is served today”. It’s a good thing I had that little pep-talk. Just picture my face when I looked into my bowl and saw a soup mixture with a big ol’ fish fin sticking out of it. But with my stubborn ways, I sat down convinced I was going to eat every bite. As soon as I took that first bite (which I have come to realize is the hardest to take) I realized that it was actually really good. Maybe I was starving? But I really would eat that again. It was kind of spicy, but the fish was so delicious. Who knew? I’m glad I didn’t wimp out and stick with just white rice again.

It was the kids’ first day of school and so everyone was very excited and sporting their new uniforms. It was fun riding in the back of the truck with them as we took them to school. I taught the kids a handshake a while ago and it was pretty cool to see them teaching it to the other students.  Back at the farm I taught English to the teachers and had fun swinging on the giant rope swing. I also went to the market nearby, and what a market! It was just a food market, but I saw so many things! I will have to go back and take pictures. As I was passing by the fish section, a fish totally jumped out of its bucket and started wiggling around. It made some good distance (where it was going no one knows) but it caused a huge commotion and it was pretty funny to watch.

We had a big bbq as a goodbye party for Lisa, Malin, and Oh. There is nothing I love more back home than a straight up American bbq, but seriously the traditional Thai barbeque blew my mind. It was so amazing. The chicken and pork were so good, and cooked right over the fire with all these herbs and spices. My taste buds didn’t even know what to do with themselves. One minor incident occurred when I took a bite of some undercooked chicken. I only swallowed a little…I don’t know how long it takes for symptoms of food poisoning/salmonella to kick in, but so far I am in the clear (knock on wood).

It was really hard watching the children saying goodbye to Lisa and Malin. I am going to miss them both so much. They have taught me a lot in the short time I have known them and I am sad to see them go. I hope I am able to at least accomplish a fraction of all the tremendous work they have done at the Children’s Shelter Foundation in the last 8 months.

Thursday

Today was pretty relaxed. I have been just been eating fruit all day. So many mangoes, so many delicious mangoes. Right off the tree…oh man. Heaven. And then there’s all these new fruits that I have never heard of. I just love it. Fruit is good anytime, anywhere!

I was teaching a class today and Che called us all over to the guest house to see some sort of creature. Its head looked like a snake but its body looked like a worm. It was black with yellow stripes (sorry for all the details, I didn’t have my camera). They didn’t know what it was, but in the jungle you assume everything unknown to be dangerous. We called the farmers who were working and they came and disposed of it (a good whack job with a stick does the trick). They told us it was some sort of leech thing that slithers around like a snake. Awesome. Haha! Oh the jungle :)

I made my own way to the city today, which consisted of me catching a yellow truck, which was very full of people. I have never seen that many people in one vehicle. It was so fun to experience that. And really, that is for real, no sarcasm. Everyone on the truck was super nice, they were all holding on to me just in case we hit a bump :) Some (and so were people driving by) were taking pictures of this random farang sitting on the back of the truck, so I was waving and smiling for them. Haha, if only that happened in the States :)

Tomorrow I am going to check out that school I am supposed to be teaching at, so we’ll see how that goes. And this weekend should be fun; I hear there are water buffalo in store :) So stay tuned for future adventures!

Jungle Dance

Happy Day

I made my way back to the orphanage this morning. When I arrived most of the kids were were working on the farm, so I was greeted by all the dogs. At least they were happy to see me. haha! Joke! When all the kids saw me they were hugging me and asking me about my trip. It was a nice litte homecoming.

I met with Che today and he told me my teaching schedule. After breakfast I will teach English to  Ruta, a 15 year old (I think) girl. Then later I will teach May, and after lunch I will teach Dtoi and Opor. I had my first classes today and I wasn't prepared. But they went well I think. I have never taught English before though and I hope I am capable of doing this. It's a bit harder teaching older people just because the little songs and games you play with kids are not really practical. So if anyone has any ideas or good online sources for teaching English, please let me know!

Not much happened today other than playing badminton and soccer, teaching and reading. But it has been a very good day. I feel a lot more calm and happy. I feel more sure of myself now.

Dinner was kind of late today, and so we finished up a little after 7. Most of the kids go to bed around 8 so we had time to just play and hangout. Someone grabbed a set of drums from who knows where and started playing. Before I knew it we were all singing and dancing with the drums. A thunder storm rolled in and the lightning and booming from the storm set the perfect stage. It was marvelous. I have always wanted to participate in some sort of jungle dance, and boy did I do that tonight! It was utter bliss.

I was also talking with May and some of the kids. She showed me picture of herself, and she told me in very broken English how she used to be pretty but then she came to this orphanage and has no makeup or hair products and isn't pretty. Of course I told her over and over that she is beautiful, with clear skin and perfect hair. I was trying to say how I am not pretty in the jungle as I am hot and sweaty, always red in the face, with frizzy hair. But they assured me time and time again that they think I am so beautiful with my "pink" skin and brown hair. It really is just a human condition I guess to not really be happy with what you have and to want what you can't have. Just some food for thought.

Tomorrow is a big day for the kids. They have been saving money so we are going to the city to watch a movie. Guess what movie? Yep, The Avengers! haha I have no idea if it will be in Thai or English, so we'll see how that one goes :) After the movie theater we are going to have lunch in the city and then use the rest of the money to buy some trees and plants for the farm. So I'm pretty excited for that.

One quick note that I feel like I need to share. I don't have a mosquito net or screens in my room right now, which is a problem with malaria and dengue which is rampant up here. I have a net that is coming up tomorrow morning, which means this is the last night exposed. And tonight a big storm rolled in tonight, fending off all mosquitoes. Coincidence? Not a chance. So again, thank you everyone for all of your prayers. They are being heard.

But the storm doesn't fend off the harmless, but scary-looking beetles that are everywhere! So it's time for me to turn into Rambo again!

Peace out.

Come What May

The Calm Before the Storm...

First of all, I have been thinking a lot about this blog. All of my posts have been long and detailed (although there are far more details I am leaving out) and I started to worry that it's not what people want to read. But I am using this blog as a journal of my experiences for the next three months, and so I am going to record as much as I can for myself. Don't feel obliged to keep reading my novel-long posts if you are short on time. But if you do continue to follow, realize that you are getting a glimpse not only into the fun and crazy stories of this Thailand adventure, but into my thoughts, feelings, and reactions. So with that said, I can begin with my breakdown of today.

We went to the Chiang Mai branch for church today. There was probably around 40 people there today. 40 super friendly and warm people. There were missionaries that were translating for us throughout all of the meetings. The gift of language is so amazing. For them to be translating so quickly...it just blows my mind. The people here are so faithful and their testimonies are so strong. I learned a lot at church today and I was so grateful to have the opportunity to worship with them. And that's also the beautiful thing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is the same no matter where you go. It could be in Hillsboro, Provo, Cork, or Chiang Mai. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the same.

After church we grabbed some food, which was stinking delicious. We had sticky rice and papaya salad, beef waterfall stuff, and some sort of barbecued chicken wings (Buffalo Wild Wings got nothin on these!). It was all excellent. What's weird though is that I don't really have an appetite here. I guess that's normal for people not used to the heat. But I was thinking that I would go hungry because the Thais wouldn't account for my big American appetite. Well, I eat less than they do! I know my body is taking in enough calories and nutrients to stay strong, but it's weird to be eating such tiny portions. Plus the food is so good here I want to eat more! Once I get adjusted I'm sure it will come back.

With full bellies we headed over to a wat/monk university where we had what's called a "monk chat". So there was a monk waiting for us in a room (a nice air conditioned room I might add) and he taught us the basic beliefs and principles of Buddhism to us. Oh my. I fell in love for so many reasons. This man was just so full of wisdom. And he had such a calming yet happy aura about him. I already believe in many of the principles he was talking about. Throughout my years in school I have learned "lots" about Buddhism. But this monk opened my eyes. Buddhism is not a religion, it's a way of life. And not just any life, but a happy one. I would really encourage all, no matter what religion you are or are not, to explore the principles of Buddhism and true happiness. Later on, in a couple of weeks I think, we are going to stay with the monks for a couple of days and learn how to meditate. I'm stoked for that.

After the monk chat we made our way to the forest wat in Chiang Mai. It's the oldest wat in the city and it was very cool. There were tunnels and statues that are a few hundred years older than the United States of America. Very interesting thought. I enjoyed this little trip but I didn't snap too many photos. I was just so dang hot. I think the weather actually made me a little sick today. It was roasting, and then it rained (which felt nice in the moment). But once it stopped it became unbearable for me. I felt like I was trapped in a sauna. The only thing I can compare it to is when I take really long hot showers and I come out and I feel light headed and just sick to my stomach. Not too fun.

After the forest wat we hit up the Sunday night walking market. It was huge, and since I wasn't feeling well, very overwhelming. I got some stuff, but I'll have to go back again. We came home and had dinner (pad thai...yum!) and then have just been relaxing. It's kind of the calm before the storm right now...

I say that because here I am sitting in a nice house, with a clean shower and little to no bugs. I am about to go back to the jungle and start working for real. I won't leave the orphanage until friday night. I know I can do it, I just get a roller coaster of emotions all day long. I'm very nervous and to be honest a tad bit scared, but as a wise prophet (Pres Monson?...or maybe an apostle? I don't know, someone important) once said, "come what may, and love it". So that's the attitude I am going to go into this week with. Or at least I will honestly try my best to do that. It will be an adventure for sure and I am just going to put on my game face and soak it all in. Come what may, and love it.

Peace out.

That Feels...Good?

Adventures in the City

Today has been a very long, but amazing day. I am not sure when I will be able to update this since I am headed back to the orphanage tomorrow night, so I will do my best to sum everything up.

We started out early this morning (got picked up at 7) and headed for a Sikh temple. We went into their room of worship, after putting on some veils, and listened to the preacher singing hymns. He had an accordion-type instrument and his assistant preacher (i think) had a drum. The drummer was laying down some sick beats and I was trying to fight the urge to dance (pretty sure it was the wrong setting for that...ha!). After the service the temple offers a free meal to anyone who needs it. So we ate a wonderful Indian meal with the local Sikhs. Then we went back upstairs where some men taught us about the Sikh religion. It was really cool to see how religions are so similar and there are so many people all over the world who really just want to help others and serve God. We were asking them questions and one of us asked if they would ever see God in one of their reincarnated states. The preacher replied "yes" with no hesitation, and further explained that he sees God in us, in nature, in the world. I got goose bumps when he said that. God really is in everything and I'm glad I am not the only one who sees it.

We then piled in our rot dangs and headed up a mountain. If I thought the roads up to the orphanage were bad, oh boy...let's say I felt a little more than queasy. But there were some stellar views up there. At the top was a big temple, Doi Suthep I think (so many wats, I am already mixing them all up). It was gorgeous. But it was weird for me that it is a holy place but their are all these vendors trying to sell stuff on the steps that lead up to the temple. Also there are a million dogs everywhere because the monks won't kick them out. It's pretty much a refuge for dogs. On the way up of possibly one of the biggest staircases I have ever seen in my life, we stopped and got banana waffles. It's a banana on a stick (like a popsicle) with a cooked waffle completely covering it. They put some chocolate sauce on it, and seriously, oh my delicious. When we made it up to the temple we gave some offerings to the Buddha and then we were blessed by a monk to be lucky and happy. So that's good? haha It was definitely a cool experience.

On the way back from the temple we stopped at a Hmong village. We went to their market and man was it fun. We walked up tiny steps that just kept going and going. They were selling so much, and I wanted to buy it all! But I resisted that temptation and only got a couple of things, which also means that I was able to practice my bartering skills :) After the village we stopped at a small waterfall and we cooled off by putting our feet in the water. Such a relief. We also got to try the Thai version of an icecream sandwich. It's a legit sandwich. Two pieces of bread, coconut icecream, sticky rice, more icecream, peanuts, and condensed milk. Interesting. Not bad. Not good. Just interesting.

We had some lunch as a group and then our facilitator turned us loose. We went to the mall and picked up some necessary items (like adapters, soap, etc) and then hit the number one must-do when in Thailand. Thai massage of course! Heck yeah! For 160 baht ($5) you get an hour long massage. And let me tell you, it's probably going to be the best massage you've ever had. Oh man. I was a little weirded out at first...I mean for one, they use every single appendage of theirs to massage you (hands, feet, legs, wrists, elbows, etc), and second of all, they are not shy and cover every inch of you. I was a little caught of guard, but as soon as I was able to comprehend how amazing it felt, I forgot about the weirdness of the situation. This is something I am going to be doing once a week, I guarantee it!

Then we went to the Saturday night market. It was pretty big tourist market, with stereotypical farangs everywhere, but it was still fun. The interesting thing though was it was so much hotter at this point (despite that the sun has already set) and we all just felt so gross. I was kind of relieved to get back in our rot dang and come home so I could shower and go to bed. I am really just wiped out.

But I wanted to wish my mom a happy (although a tad bit early) mother's day. She has helped me so much along the way and I'm positive my adventurous spirit came from her. Love you lots Madre.

Well I am still doing well. My body is hanging in there. I felt a little sick, but nothing to really cause problems (knock on wood). I also have a weird little rash thing on my leg...maybe it's just from sweat/heat? I don't know...it's not too bad though, so no worries. I thank all of you that are keeping me in your prayers. It may sound weird, but I can really feel them sustaining me and keeping me strong out here.

Until the next adventure,

Peace out!

KearAWW

The first full day...

Okay, first of all, sorry for all the spelling errors and quick cut off at the end of my last post. I need to buy an adapter when in town so my laptop won't die on me. Mai Pen Rai. Last night my laptop died and then I went all Rambo on them bugs. The Mosquitoes were the meanest, but there were some very scary looking creepy crawlers all around. So I fought them off as best as I could. Oh and just a quick note for the parents, you don't have to worry about me not taking my anti-malarial pills. Screw side-effects, there are too many squeeters bitin at me to take a chance. My bathroom doesn't have a light in it, and it's attached to my room but it basically is just 4 walls in the  dirt and so it is completely open. Therefore if I try to go to the bathroom or brush my teeth in the evening all the bugs come in. Not fun. So when I went to bed last night I was just hot and slightly frustrated, being completely honest. I slept pretty good despite my fear of being eaten, but being sticky and sweaty kind of prevents an ideal night's rest. Mai Pen Rai.

They let me sleep in this morning. So I woke up on my own about 7:30. I cleaned up my room a bit (consisting of me sweeping out the corpses of the bugs I massacred the night before) and then took a shower. A cold shower. No hot water. No warm water. Just cold. Mai Pen Rai...I guess. haha! So when I was dressed and ready for the day I met the kids in one of their classes. Opor, a student-turned-teacher, made me breakfast (I missed breakfast with the kids which is at 8 every day), which consisted of rice and a soy sauce omelet. I'm definitely not an egg person, but it was pretty good.

After breakfast Che, one of the main directors had me introduce myself to all the kids. Here in Thailand everyone pronounces my name as Kear-AWW, it must be an accent thing or something. It's pretty funny. So after my introduction we played some games and then Che asked me to stand in front of the group again. He said that they knew I was Mormon but no one knew what that meant, and so he wanted me to talk about that and teach everyone. Was not expecting that. But I just went for it, and with Oh as a translator I think I got the basic message across (possibly first discussion?). It was really cool to be able to share my beliefs with everyone and even cooler that they were all legitimately curious about my beliefs and religion.

At our staff meeting today Che told me about the Foundation and what he really wanted me to do in my time here. So that was pretty cool. I will be teaching a lot of English as well as a mix of other classes like math or geography every once in awhile. I won't just be teaching the kids, but for an hour everyday I will work with teachers like May or Dtoi, so that should be good. I hope I can do well at this seeing that I have never been in a teaching position before. I guess some good practice before the Fall when I start teaching Anthropology 101 to fellow students :)

The kids started warming up to me today. And when I mean warming up I mean I had kids hanging on every limb practically the whole day. That or they were constantly poking me looking at my white skin. They are all so friendly and sweet. But I wish so bad that I could better communicate with them. It can be challenging to not be able to carry out the most basic conversation. All the kids have some rough history. They were either severely abused or just abandoned because of poverty. For example, there is one boy from one of the hill tribes. He has a skin disorder and because of that he was locked in a room by himself for the first 14 years of his life. But you would never know that if someone didn't tell you. All the children are so sweet and loving and very happy. It really puts my life into perspective.

We went into part of the village today and bought some icecream for all the kids. That was a great hit, especially because it was so dang hot. Then I played some soccer with the older boys at the orphanage. We were playing on a field that was right above the swimming pond, so the ball kept falling in. The boys thought it was hilarious when they had to keep jumping in to get the ball back. I might go swimming some time if the water rises. As of right now it looks like a bid mud pit :)

My rot dang came early so I rinsed off quickly, grabbed my things, and headed for the city. I snapped some pictures on the way here but had to quickly put my camera away when it got super bumpy. Didn't want to lose my cookies :) My driver got lost for about 20 minutes and he ended up asking a random guy, who led us to the right place on his bike. So then I arrived here, at Manop's house. His family is the host family I will be staying with every weekend. They are the nicest people ever. They welcomed me right in and I feel super comfortable with them. Two girls from my programs were here too, so it was very nice to swap stories and just talk to other Americans. I didn't realize how much I would miss that last detail. His house is great and I am enjoying this brief escape from those monstrous bugs. That is something that is going to take some time getting used to...

The plan for tomorrow is to wake up early and go to a service at the Sikh temple nearby. So that should be fun. Stay tuned for pictures, but they will all be on facebook. I'll start taking more I promise.

The adventures just keep on coming. I may be hot and sticky with a slight stomach ache, but I am doing well. I'm fending off culture shock as best as I can. But some is inevitable I guess. I mean, I am on the other side of the world and is so different than anything else I have ever known before. All I can really say is Mai Pen Rai.

Until next time,

Peace!

Holy Adventure

And So It Begins...

Oh man, what a ride this has been. And it has barely even started. So let me catch you up on what went down. The night before I left I was all stressed out trying to get all my junk into 1 case that weighed less than 50 pounds. I had pretty much done all the packing beforehand, but the hard part was getting the last little bit in. Good thing my dad is the Super Packer, and so thankfully he was able to help me rearrange everything to fit. The next morning I got up bright and early so not only could we get to PDX in time for my flight to Seattle but so that I could take a long hot shower before I left (keep this detail in mind).

It was definitely sad saying goodbye to the parentals. But waiting for my flight, my whole trip didn't even seem real, so it was hard to really get in the moment and say goodbye. Once on this tiny puddle jumper I started to get a little anxious, and of course I was shaking my leg or pulling my bracelets. Anyways, whatever I was doing caught the attention of the guy next to me, and so we started up conversation about what I was going to do. Turns out he's some big oil dude and he has traveled the world, with crazy stories from places like Mongolia and Zambia. Well, since we were on such a tiny plane, everyone could hear our conversation, and seriously, the whole plane started swappin crazy international stories but all the while assuring me that everything would go well in Thailand. haha it was pretty funny. Oh and p.s., you can feel every single bump on those tiny planes...not too comfy.

Nothing too crazy happened in Seattle. I got some nasty overpriced airport food and then just sat around until it was time to board. I took Asiana Air, and I definitely would recommend it to anyone looking to cross the pacific. Pretty roomy for a plane and they fed us a gazillion times! Not that the food was anything great...they always had the option of seafood (which of course I avoided) but there was this smell that kind of seeped into everything.... On second thought, if you are ultra sensitive to smells maybe a different airline would be better...or just a different destination :) On the plane I was sitting next to this woman from the Philippines. She was super nice and friendly, I just thought it was hilarious how she had no problem laying her head on me. It kind of freaked me out at first, but I told myself at the start of my journey to just go with the flow, and so that's what I did. She eventually shifted (after a couple of hours) and then I had the priviledge of having her feet tucked under my legs. Ha! Gotta love travelling...

Landing in Korea was probably the coolest thing ever (well, up until that point). It was more of a giant mall than an airport. There were more shops than I could count. Plus they had performers there, as well as free cultural activities. I am actually looking forward to my giant layover there on my way home because  I definitely did not get enough time there.

So my flight from Seattle to Korea was 11 hours and then my flight from Korea to Bangkok was just over 5. Once I got buckled in on that second flight I was out like a light. I slept the whole way. Once I got to Bangkok things were a little crazy. For one, the Bangkok airport isn't as clear as Korea's (but then again the Seoul airport is just bomb.com) and two, I landed just before midnight so I was kind of a wlaking zombie. When I went to collect my suitcase it was ripped down the side. Not good. But I checked over everything and it didn't look like anything had fallen out. I even had an extra strap over my suitcase but that had fallen off (it came on the conveyor belt a couple minutes later). Basically my choice in suitcase was a very bad one. The handle doesn't work so you have to pull it by the top, and I am just the perfect height so when I pull it the suitcase hits me in the back of the knees. Therefore I probably looked ridiculous, inching my way along the Bangkok airport. And honestly, I felt ridiculous. It was hot and sticky, I had no idea where I was going. I couldn't find the lockers to store my baggage in (when I asked about them I just got looks that made me feel even more incompetant). There was absolutely no free wifi. So I situated myself on a hard chair with the intent of sleeping. Well from midnight to 5am that morning I got 2 hours. I could not sleep any longer than 5 so I got up, cleaned myself up a bit, did some money exchange and explored the airport a bit more. I felt better after that. And my adventures through BKK led me to a guy who did seran wrapping for luggage. Yay! Crisis adverted :) So my case got wrapped up and I was ready for Chiang Mai.

My flight to Chiang Mai was about an hour, so it was a piece of cake. Landing here was amazing. If you think the landing into PDX is cool because of all the trees, you should come here. I was just blown away how lush and green it is here, and that's coming from Miss Oregon and Miss Ireland. Once I picked up my bag Ralph (program director), Brynna (program faciliator) and her husband met me. There friend is a driver so he picked us up in his rot dang and whisked us away into the heart of Chiang Mai. A rot dang is a taxi service, but it's a truck, and everyone sits in the back. There's a top on the bed of the truck with handle bars on the roof of it for you to hang on. And hang on you must! Otherwise it would be easy to fall out the open back. Yikes. But what a crazy fun ride! Ralph took us to lunch, and man was it good.  Real Thai food is just something else. We also ordered lime juice, and in the hot, sticky weather, it was heaven. Mmm, I want some more just thinking about that!

After lunch we all set out for the orphanage, my new home for the next 3 months. It was a long drive in the rot dang. But there were some amazing views as we zipped our way through the windy mountain roads. It really is a paradise setting. Huge trees with vines all around. Green lush shrubbery. Tropical fruits everywhere. It just takes my breath away. Basically Ralph and company introduced me to some of the orphanage coordinators and then left. So I was shown my living area, the farm, and met some of the kids and volunteers. There are 2 German girls working here and sadly they are leaving in 10 days. But so far they have been a great help to me and I need to learn as much as I can from them before they leave. The kids are cute of course. They were super shy at first...well I guess they still are...so they wouldn't speak in English. But a couple have started to be brave and try out their English with the new American :) One little boy in particular, Bom Pooh (definitely not how you spell it, but how you pronunicate it), has taken it upon himself to make sure I get enough food and water, and has shown me around the farm. It is very sweet of him. Oh, and before I forget, this oprhanage is on a self-sustaining farm. They grow everything they need to eat and survive. So not only are vegetables growing, but dozens of herbs and spice plants, as well as lemons, pineapples, guavas, mangos, just to name a few! And fresh food really just tastes so much better.

Oh is one of the directors at the orphanage, and today she asked me to teach Mai, one of the Thai teachers English. So Mai and I made an agreement that I would help her learn English if she helped me with Thai. Neither of us speak a lick of the other's language, so it's interesting. But we spent the majority of today together, and we were able to make some surprising headway. But the majority of it is nonverbal communication...so we'll work on it the best we can :) We also shared a very personal moment as she told me the best way she could about the death of her husband. And it really just hit home for me that no matter how different we are, what languages we speak, where we live, we are all human and we all face the same emotions. Humbling stuff.

I also played a rousing game of badminton tonight with the kids. So fun. I also had the spiciest meal of my life tonight. With that said, it was one of the best. Sticky rice, lettuce, and some concoction of meat and herbs and spices. So good. I just hope my stomach/gut doesn't punish me for that later...

I don't have much battery left so I need to conclude this. Good news: I live in the jungle with lush trees everywhere so I don't really have to worry about getting burned alive. Bad news: I live in the jungle with swamps and lakes everywhere so I REALLY have to worry about getting eaten alive. Seriously, I have never encountered this many mosquitos. They are such a pain. But I'll deal. I am already adapting. For example, there were dozens of bugs, including many spiders crawling on me today and I just brushed them off without screaming. Aren't you proud? haha But I won't lie, there are some pretty scary-looking bugs out here...including this monstrous flying beetle thing that just hit my laptop and fell into my bag....perfect. Well, the wildlife just comes with the territory I guess. The monkeys in the trees are obnoxious, but everything else is paradise :)

I have more to say but the laptop is dying. Peace out girl scouts. Talk to you soon!