Second Blog, 8 months in...yikes.

I had good intentions to blog during my time in Thailand but life and traveling and no computer got in the way a bit. Hopefully this can make up for 6 months of no updates.

It has truly been a whirlwind. To think that I have only three months left in Thailand is hard to comprehend, to know that I have only four weeks of teaching left is unfathomable yet completely exhilarating. Teaching Thai university student has been a challenge, a delight, and a study in culture all wrapped into one. Perhaps the most important thing I have learned is that I am not cut out for teaching. I believe you either have it or you don't and I am amongst the latter group. I lesson I am grateful to have learned.

Let me fill you in a bit on my travels and adventures. At the end of the first semester, three of my friends and myself went to Vietnam and Cambodia for three weeks. We traveled by bus all the way from the north of Vietnam to the south and into Cambodia. We saw beautiful sights, climbed a mountain, spent literal days on buses and witnessed some of the world's most amazing sights such as Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I experienced so much it would be impossible to detail it all here but let me just say I will never be the same and this earth we live on is so utterly vast and full of things to learn about, it is truly awesome. Apart from Vietnam and Cambodia, my traveling has been limited to Bangkok and the nearby island of Koh Samet. Discovering Bangkok could take a lifetime. It has so many little neighborhoods, markets, temples, etc. that will be left unseen by me when I return home.

I was lucky enough to get to have my mom come to visit me for two weeks over Christmas. It was her first trip abroad and seeing Thailand through her eyes reminded me how special this place is and how much I have learned about it thus far. We had an amazing time together and it sparked a love of travel in her which was a gift in itself.

In two months my friend Jessica is coming to visit me directly followed by my friend Micky which is directly followed by my dad's visit. It will be the first trip out of the United States for all three of them and I cannot wait to share Thailand with them. I will be returning back home when my dad leaves on April 26th.

I have settled into a bit of a routine with teaching and my local neighborhood and Bangkok truly feel like my home now. I think that because of this I am finally starting to become restless to get back to my original home in Portland. Just yesterday my friend Chloe asked me via skype if I thought Thailand had changed me, my answer to her wraps this up:

"Ummm. I don't think it changed me in the ways I was expecting it to, but definitely has shown me that I have taken a lot for granted in terms of family and friends. It has shown me that I don't need to go searching for adventures, that I have the tools to be happy at home...deep I know:) But it is a lesson that I am thankful for learning and I really think this is the only place that could have shown me that."

I have loved Thailand and for the rest of my life I can say I lived in Asia and reflect back on my experiences here. Saying that, I am eager to get back home to those people I love most and begin a new chapter in my life, a little more well-traveled, a bit wiser and drastically more appreciative of being in the company of people who truly know me and a world I understand.

I can't end this blog and this summarization of the past six months without mentioning my family here in Thailand, Danielle and Christina. I came to Thailand with no guarantees, the only thing I knew for sure was that I would be teaching English at a university. It's amazing to me how God works to weave lives together to make it possible for people to meet people who otherwise would never come into contact with one another. This can be said for Danielle and Christina. They are two of the most sincere and unique people I have ever met who have unlimited potential and full, happy lives ahead of them. They were best friends before coming to Thailand and have been kind enough to let me into their circle. When my grandfather passed away in October they were the only comfort I had and without them there is no doubt I would have stayed home when I returned to Oregon for my grandpa's memorial. I wrote in my journal of profound thoughts recently that living within walking distance of good friends is as essential as water:) I utterly believe this to be true. As a naturally reserved individual (to say the least:)) they have shown me that having a community environment which provides support, acceptance, love, understanding, humor and fun is something that I will never allow myself to live without again.

Thanks for reading!

Love,
Jen

First blog...two months in

So I never understood what the point of a blog was nor did I ever think I was worthy of having my own. But recently I decided that a blog would be the perfect way for me to share all of the amazing things that I am experiencing with those I love so far away:) Facebook does have it's limitations.

So let me begin my blog career telling you all about my wonderful five day trip to north Thailand....

Because midterms were going on for our students that meant that we had about a week off. We decided since we had seen an island that we wanted to check out the north. We had all heard it is beautiful and that is is much different than Bangkok. Last Thursday we set out on a twelve hour overnight trainride to Chiang Mai. Chaing Mai is Thailand's second biggest city and is set in a backdrop of beautiful hills, mountains and greenery! This is something all of us were dying for since Bangkok is so flat. Chiang Mai is a city based in rich culture. It has an interior ancient city that is the original Chiang Mai. The city has a European feel with all of it's narrow streets and adorable homes. We rented bikes on the first day and spent the whole day exploring the city from my favorite means of transportation! We went to used bookstores and ate at 2 amazing Mexican and Italian restaurants. This was quite the treat seeing as how we have had nothing but Thai or Indian food in the last two months. We had a funny thing happen to us at the Italian place....we decided we wanted to live it up and have us some wine so we ordered two liters for four of us ladies..the waitress comes back to the table and says she wants to verify our order because the bartender thinks it's too much wine! All we had to say was nope, it's right:) On the second day in Chiang Mai we decided to go on a trek that our hostel helped us organize. It was a great day..we white water rafted, sat in a beautiful waterfall, and hiked to see Chiang Mai from the top of a hill. The countryside was absolutely beautiful, just as you imagine with rice fields, exotic trees, hills, and greeness!

So this was only a portion of the trip. On the third day my friend Jenn I decided to go to Pai, which is about a three hour van ride to the top of a mountain from Chaing Mai. Jenn had already been there and wanted to go back but she had nothing but amazing things to say about it so I was jazzed. I can honestly say that Pai is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Not only is it an adorable little hippie town with quaint shops, winding roads and attractive long-haired Thai men but the landscape is like a dream. Miles and miles of rice fields, rolling green hills, streams, waterfalls and on and on. But the best part of the whole trip was the new friend we made and this is how it went,

We had just gotten out of the van when I told Jenn that I wanted to stop for some coffee at this adorable little coffee stand right in the middle of town. We were just hanging out while I drank my coffee and this guy starts chatting us up wanting to know all the details...Thai's become much more interestesd in us once they find out we are not just tourists but that we actually live and work in Thailand. Anyway while he's talking to us this sweet looking girl starts talking to us too and asks us where we were staying that night. Of course we had just gotten to Pai so we said we had nothing arranged. Then she offers an extra room at her house for us to stay in for free! Jenn and I took one look at each other and then said, ok! So Jenn and I hopped on the back of her motorbike with my pack between our new friends legs as she drove us into the country to her home. Turns out she's housesitting for her friend at this beautiful home and there is a clean, wonderful room just waiting for us with our very own bathroom and hot water. We spent that evening roaming around Pai and then we were woken up at 9am by Oracharn (new friend) who had made us an amazing breakfast and was serving it to us on her front porch looking out onto the beautiful mountains and jungle! After breakfast Oracharn took us exploring all over Pai...we saw a hilltop temple, a waterfall, a historic bridge, a canyon.. all on the back of her motorbike...all three of us! It was quite the sight. Jenn and I just smiled and giggled the entire 24 hours we were in Pai. Oh and did I mention Oracharn works in a little hippie clothing shop and she gave us sweet deals on woven scarves and hats.

Like all good things, our trip had to come to an end. We set out for Chiang Mai and met the rest of the group for the twelve hour train ride back to Chiang Mai. So it has been back to teaching the past three days which is hard to do after such an amazing trip.

Luckily there will be many more trips to come and many more tales to tell.