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!

Mai Pen Rai

The Final Countdown

Well, here we go! I have less than a week til I am off for Thailand. Five days...only five! Yikes. I cannot believe it. I have been waiting for an adventure like this practically my whole life. But now that it is coming up so fast I am riding a rollercoaster of emotions. What's with that? One minute I am so excited and pumped, and then the next I am terrified and doubting my capabilities. But whatever my emotions are, it does not change the fact that I am going to be living in Thailand for three months. So I better strap on my boots and get ready!

Everyone has been asking me what I am going to be doing on this grand adventure to Thailand. And to be completely honest, I don't exactly know everything yet. What I know for sure is that I will be in a village up in the mountains outside of Chiang Mai (also known as the northern capital city). I will be interning at an orphanage, which is a local NGO. My goal is to learn as much as I can about running and sustaining programs like local orphanages, because who knows? Maybe one day that is something I will be doing full time. And it sounds like they have a number of projects they would like me to help with or run, so I am sure I will be busy! Also, I have been asked to teach English once a week to children in Chiang Mai, which of course I agreed to. So I will be spending my weekends in the city with the rest of the BYU group. We will also be doing excursions throughout the program. There's going to be some pretty cool adventures, like riding elephants and water buffalo, or zip lining through the jungles, so stay tuned for pictures!

I have done a lot of preparation for this trip. I have taken a prep class, international development and social work courses, and we can't forget the NINE shots I have received. But I know that I am about to embark on an adventure that is going to be so different than anything I have ever known/seen/experienced before. And while that kind of unnerves me, it excites me beyond words. I am about to live my dreams. Although I am sure it's not going to be all fun and games all the time. The orphanage has agreed to hire me on as an intern to work for three months. This is no vacation. I am sure it is going to be hard or frustrating at times. I just hope in those moments I will be able to keep the right perspective and use all trials as learning opportunities. Sound cheesy? Hope not. Basically my motto for Thailand is Mai Pen Rai. This is a common expression used everyday, in English meaning something along the lines of "no problem" or "no big deal". I know that I am going to get super stressed at some point on this adventure, but I just have to remember Mai Pen Rai, the world really isn't about to end so there is no need to worry so much. Calm down and enjoy life!

Well, here we go. So much to do in this short little time. I will do my best to keep this blog updated on all my adventures of my travel to and from Thailand. I'm sure I am going to have stories about the people and kids I work with, as well as encounters with big bugs and critters (although hopefully I can avoid those giant monitor lizard things which I am so terrified of) and dealing with the humid climate...My adventure awaits. Wish me luck!

Peace and blessings!

Oh and one last quick note. Seeing that this is my first post...and first blog for that matter, if you are curious about the title I gave it, I named it after my favorite book. Sound familiar? I hope so. It's Dr. Seuss' book Oh, the Places You'll Go! I would recommend checking it out, it's a classic :)