So much to talk about!

Things here on the other side of the world have been crazy fun to say the least.  I have been doing the most crazy things and have literally no time to post anything.  I don't even know where to start.

Friday, a week ago, Kristin and I came down to Chiang Mai really earlier, like around 10.  We hung out and went and saw Despicable Me 2, which was quite funny.  But Saturday was the crazy day! We got to PTee's (a place we meet) around 7 where we met the 8 students who are interning in Cambodia.  We worked it out that they could come to Thailand and then go to Laos with us.  So all 22 of us got in to some red trucks and rode out to the boonies. We were dropped off at this really nice temple where a monk taught us about meditation.  Meditation is really hard if you have never tried it.  You pretty much have to focus on what is going on inside yourself.  "You must become aware of yourself and the confusion and problems will slowly disappear."  I am not entirely convinced but that could just possibly be because I lack the patience needed to even sit for just a few minutes.  But it was really interesting.  The temple was on these huge grounds with trees and fields and caves and streams.  It was beautiful and we had to be real quiet to keep from disturbing the other meditators.  After that we walked to a waterfall.  It was absolutely beautiful and refreshing, and something we all needed.  There were tall rocks around the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall that was perfect for swimming. So we all stripped down into our swimming suits and jumped in.  There was also a great place to cliff jump from. Everyone was doing it but Lisel, one of the interns, had some problems.  She got to the very top rock and was about to jump when she hesitated, which caused her to slip off the ledge.  She tumbled down the side of the cliff.  It was so scary and she almost hit her head on the rock but she missed it by about and inch I swear and landed in the water.  It was only about 15 feet so it wasn't too high but it was still very scary and we are very happy she is safe.  After hanging out and the waterfall and eating some crappy fried rice (something I didn't know was possible.. how could fried rice be crappy?) we set off to do some more adventuring.

We drove to an elephant and rafting place.  We got to ride the rafts first. Okay this was something that I have never done before.  And when I say rafting I hope you are not thinking white water rapids with a big boat full of air and paddles and life-jackets.  No no no, this is Thailand and in Thailand you have to do it the Thai way.  The Thai way is about 6 really really really long and thick bamboo shoots (probably about 20-30 feet long) strapped together and more bamboo shoots as the poles as paddles.  The river was not very fast and the rapids were about a .25 on the rapid scale.  It was just awesome because we were usually standing on these rafts and we kept running into rocks and the side and each other.  It was really fun and so unique.  There were times when we would run into something and our raft would be pushed sideways blocking the entire river, creating a traffic jam with the rafts and friend behind us.  It was awesome, people were constantly falling off, submerging their rafts and taking over other peoples rafts.  I loved it.  After that we got to do one of the trademarks in Thailand: ride the elephants.  Honestly that was awesome but the best part was after we got off because we got to help bathe them in the river.  That was the coolest part by far.  Here I am in the river with a 2 ton animal.  I think there was three of them in the river all laying down in the shallow water.  We were climbing over them trying to get all there bodies wet and scrubbed down.  Sometimes they would start to stand up and we would tumble off their backs into the water below, that happened to me a few times and it was awesome.  So Saturday was a very exciting and full day.

Sunday the fun continued as we left Chiang Mai and travelled north about 6 or 7 hours to a city (I can't remember the name) on the border of Thailand and Laos.  On the way we stopped at this beautiful white temple in Chiang Rai which was incredible and dumb all at the same time.  In this temple there were pictures of weird things.  Like superheroes, the twin tours, Michael Jackson, Hello Kitty and so much more.  I was so confused as to why they would have those pictures but the outside of the temple was really beautiful. Here are some pictures.

After the temple we continued on the buses until we got to the border city.  We spent the night there exploring the small city, eating a delicious buffet of Thai food and going swimming in the tiny, but cool pool.  I want to explain what the rooms were like but I cannot figure out how.  The best way I can think is that they were like bungalows. It was really cool. In the morning we got up and went to the border, got our departure cards turned in and headed into Laos by boat.  They were these long speed boats made out of wood.  We jetted over to the other side and got all our entrance stuff taken care of.  Then we got on a tuk tuk to get to our long boat.  We were on the long boat for 2 days and it was beautiful and relaxing. Once we got to Luang Phra Bong we stayed in a beautiful hotel, with air-conditioning and a nice western shower! It was amazing.  While we were there we saw these two waterfalls that were beyond gorgeous.  Looking at them you wonder if they are actually real.  We got to swim in both of them and explore the area around them. It was great.

So things have been good here. I have been so busy which is why I haven't posted in a month almost! Crazy. I don't have time to put any pictures up but hopefully I will later.

Tomorrow I go to Cambodia by the way! Sweet :)

Their Futures are Brighter

It's raining really hard right now, keeping us in our room.  There are moments like this that I almost wish I could be home just for the evening with my family having a really nice meal.  A meal where I know everything on my plate and everyone around the table.  I sometime miss my bed too, not that this bed isn't great because it is pretty good.  Sometimes I miss air-conditioning and never having to feel damp.  Sometimes I miss people that can speak my language, people that I don't have to guess to know what they are saying.  But definitely what I miss most is my family.  Last night I was skyping with my parents and it was so nice.  I was crying at some parts because I was laughing so hard.

But I am grateful to be here in Thailand.  Not only because I am having these once-in-a-lifetime experiences but also because I am reminded just how great a life I have back home.  It is eye opening honestly. This weekend has been a bit hard for me just because I have run into a few problems.  I was mopping the tile in the big hut on Thursday and slipped and split my chin open a little bit.  It wasn't that bad but my jaw is really sore now.  And then on Saturday I had an allergic reaction to something that I ate.  So things haven't really been the best.  And there were totally moments when I wanted to go home and lay in my bed.  Watch some TV, eat REAL food, american food, the good stuff.  But I am so not ready to go home yet.  There are these two English girls at the orphanage volunteering and they are only here for a week.  I feel bad because they will never get to know these kids like I have or have these amazing experiences that I am having.

Friday there was a camp that came to the Shelter.  All these kids from an international school in Bangkok were spending a few days at the farm.  It was fun because there were actually things that we had to do.  But the best was when all 50 of us sat in a circle and introduced ourselves.  We had been practicing with the kids all week, helping them to know how to introduce themselves in a proper way.  I was so proud of them when it came time.  They all did a fantastic job! I felt like I was their mom because I was just so proud of them. I can see the potential in all of them, it is amazing.  Saturday our BYU group was privileged to be able to talk to a Monk for an hour.  And during that hour we got to see pictures of some villages in Burma.  They were so run down the people were living in these tiny huts made out of banana leaves and tall grass.  The kids wore dirty, torn clothes if they wore any at all.  It hurt me to see this because Burma is where most of the kids from the Shelter are from. One of the teachers at the farm was telling me about when the kids first get here.  They don't even know how to take a shower or even a bath really.  They don't know how to brush their teeth or clean their clothes.  It is crazy.  But that's how they are when they show up.  It is so sad.  Many of the kids when introducing themselves said that they were grateful for the Shelter because it gave them a future.  I am grateful for the Shelter too.

"Sir, I really want to study..."

This weekend was exciting, relaxing and fun all at the same time.  We got into Chiang Mai around 2 on Friday although we had a little trouble while getting there.  We got dropped off at Kad Luong (which means big market which is exactly what it is) and were looking at a few shops before we got on another truck to go deeper into the city.  I bought a shirt for 35 Bhat which is about $1.10, great price.  Once we were finished we found a red truck and were off.  The ride was only about ten minutes but right as we were pulling up to the hotel Kristin couldn't find her wallet.  We searched the truck before getting off and then her backpack but came up empty.  We decided to go back to the market to see if it was in the shop.  The entire ride back I am thinking there is no way it will be there but Kristin was decided, it would be there.  She didn't even look worried.  It had everything in it, money, credit cards, license, even her beloved library card.  When we got to the shop it wasn't there and we were about to leave when the shop owner called to us, holding up the wallet.  Kristin looked in the wallet and everything was there.  That shop owner could have had all that money in it but she was honest and so kind.  I love these people.  So besides that, Friday was pretty normal.  We hung out in the hotel for a few hours enjoying the air-conditioning, watching Alias and drawing.  We met Spencer for dinner at our favorite restaurant and then went to the mall to see Man of Steel with some of the other interns.

Saturday morning Kristin and I went to the zoo.  It was pretty cool, I got to feed an elephant which was awesome.  They are so much bigger than you would think they are.  In a few weekends we are going to be riding them and it makes me kinda nervous but it will be an adventure so bring it on.  We went to the mall again Saturday afternoon for lunch with Cody and Chloe.  We stopped at a music shop and I got my hands on a Ukulele.  I missed playing it so much.  I tuned it by ear (I still got it haha.) and played a few songs.  The workers in the store were looking at me weird but I didn't care.  For lunch I had mango sticky rice, which is my absolute favorite thing here in Thailand (though Pad Thai is a close second).  Mango sticky rice is just that mangoes, sticky rice and this coconut milk on top, so good.  After lunch we went indoor rock climbing.  I am hooked guys, that was the second time in one week that I have gone.  I even have a blister!  It is only about 5 bucks all together to climb which is so cheap.

Sunday we went to church and then came back to the shelter a little early.  Though Kristin and I have a problem when it comes to traveling this route: we always do something wrong.  So apparently there are two kinds of yellow trucks and the go in different directions.  Yeah you guessed it we got on the wrong one.  But Kristin and I are smart, after about 15 minutes we knew we were going the wrong way, so we got off and went back the the market.  Once we got on the right one things went better all the way until we got to our village.  The yellow trucks drop us off at the police station which is just off the highway.  From the highway the shelter is about 3 KM (about 1.8 miles) which is a long walk in this heat while carrying 40 pound backpacks.  Chey or someone from the shelter usually picks us up at the police station but no one was answering their phones so we started walking.  We walked about 5 minutes when I decided to be daring.  I flagged down a truck.  There was this nice family in it and they took us deeper into the city.  It was so excited and now I can officially say that I hitch-hiked all by myself.  We walked some more and then Chey called us so they came to pick us up.  It was a cool adventure though.

Thursday will be my halfway point.  It will have been 6 weeks.  Crazy.  It makes me happy and sad and grateful that I still have a lot of time.  These kids will never stop amazing me and I am not ready to say goodbye. Though I don't think I will ever be.  Here are a few things that I want to share about them.

• Yesterday when we got home Li-Bee, Me-Kin, and Bee-Mi all came running up to me and hugged me in this big group hug.  I could have stayed there forever. 
• Before dinner I taught the kids what Wedgies, Wet Willies and Credit Cards were.  Not that I did any to them but it was funny because Philipp and I would chase the kids around the kitchen asking them if they wanted a Wedgie.  They would just scream no! We would try to give them one but they would always escape.  It was so fun until Philipp and Ca-phil came for me! I had to fight them off but they were close.
• Gam had to write an introduction about herself for the camp in Friday.  Laoni and Philipp helped her write it but then Kristin and I helped her memorize it.  She is so smart, literally she memorized a whole page which is not in her native language in about 10 minutes.  This got me thinking.  I feel like a lot of the time people get this idea in their mind that if someone is poor or does not have the best life it means that they are stupid.  And I don't think that we think that on purpose but it definitely happens.
• I want to tell you about Satin.  He is from Burma and had to leave because he was going to be drafted into the army.  He had to leave his life, his country, his language and his family behind so that he could be protected.  Yet he is the happiest kid that I know.  His English is incredible and he is learning German right now too.  I have talked about Satin before in earlier posts.  He is the kid that wants to be a tour guide because that is all he knows how to be.  Anyways I heard a story about him today that made me happy.  Apparently when he got here last year he had to have an interview with the principal in order to go to the school in the village.  Because of Satin's age (14) the principle told him it would probably be better for him to not go to school and to try to find a job but Satin wouldn't have it that way.  He looked the principal in the eyes and said, "Sir, I really want to study..."  So he is in school, in second grade.  He is incredible and is going to do great things for this world.
• Today Chey, Kristin and I were having a meeting and Chey turned to us and asked, "what kind of man do you think I am?"  Kristin and I looked at each other, confused by the question.  He then proceeds to tell us that he is gay.  We had no idea but now that I know I can kinda see it.  It was just so random it took me off guard.  But that's cool.

Last thing, Sunday this guy in the ward, his name is Brother Wiwat was talking to us.  He works at a university here in Chiang Mai and writes articles in the Thailand magazine.  This magazine is as big in Thailand as the Times is in the United States and he wants to write an article about Kristin and I and the Shelter!  He wants to put it on the cover of the magazine! It is so exciting :)

Pictures :)

The internet was very good so I took advantage and uploaded some pictures.

These are the days I am so lucky to live.

Sukhothai

Last week, for some odd reason, was really hard.  I think I was a little homesick and just a little tired but this weekend turned things all around.  I feeling good now.

So Kristin and I taught our 5 classes at the Thai school, which is really tiring and long.  We are at the school for 8 hours teaching people about a language they don't know in that language they don't know. Lets just say the language gap is huge there.  But we made it through with only pulling a little bit of hair out.  We then set off for Chiang Mai.  The 2 hour truck ride was long but I to listened to my iPod most of the way and I just got some new songs so it was good.  Counting Stars and Feel Again by OneRepublic are good songs that get your blood pumping again. (Tessa and Olivia - Though listening to it is so fun, it does make me a little sad because I miss singing these song with you in my car. Good times.)

So once we got into the city we met Spencer and Cody for dinner and then went to this new mall opening.  It was literally packed with so many asians but it was so nice.  That is one thing that I find very odd here in Thailand.  The streets of the city are littered with trash of all kinds but their malls are just as good if not better than American malls.  So clean and nice and almost out of place here in Thailand.  We walked around the mall for about 2 hours and then we went to see a movie.  Our movie ticket was 170 Bhat which is about 5 bucks and popcorn was 2 dollars but Thai popcorn is disgusting and I would not recommend getting any.  I miss American popcorn.  Anyways, after the movie we realized something, it was late.  It was pasted midnight and we were kind of far from the inner city which was where our hotel was and there were no red trucks anywhere on the main highway.  So we just started walking on the side of the highway.  We walked for about 20 minutes when Cody flagged a random truck down.  This old Thai guy was driving and said he was heading toward the city, so we jumped in the back of the bed and rode in.  It wasn't scary at all because we had Spencer and Cody but if Kristin and I had been alone we would have never been able to do that.  But it was really cool.  There I am sitting in the back of this truck with the cool wind whipping my hair driving through Thailand.  It was another one of those moments.

The next morning at 4:30 we set out for Sukhothai, which is this really old city full of temples, statues and ruins.  It was great because we rode around on bikes taking pictures of everything, being the epitome of a tourist.  But I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Good Days and Bad Days and Some Days in Between

Monday was the good day.  There are some new volunteers that have joined our little Shelter: Philipp and Laoni. They are here for one month from Germany.  I have decided that I like them and that yes though they are much different than me, that is a good thing.  They are total hippies, you know with the dreads and the backpacks that carrying all their things and the smell.  Just kidding they smell fine haha. I think Monday morning they both had hangovers but hey it's cool.  They will bring some life to this place.  The morning went the same as usual but at 11:00 we set off the the hospital.  Satin, 16, had an appendicitis, which means, I am sure you can infer, that his appendix's ruptured.  I love that I took anatomy last semester because I totally know how it happens, where exactly the appendix's it and all the stuff like that.  The appendix sits at the beginning end of the large intestine, and it is totally useless.  It does nothing but accidentally, randomly rupture and is very painful when it does.  It ruptures because some foreign objects gets lodged inside, the objects are usually just making their way through the intestinal tract but accidentally get stuck in the appendix.  Then the appendix inflames and ruptures.  Anyways that is what happened to Satin so he had to go into emergency surgery Friday night and is now recovering just fine in the hospital. He should be able to come home this weekend hopefully.  The rest of Monday went just fine.  In the afternoon when all the kids came home I was watching a movie on my computer and after about 10 minutes I have 5 kids crammed onto my bed watching the movie with me.  Don't laugh but the movie was Lilo and Stitch, I had a craving to watch it, I haven't seen it in years.

So since Monday was the good day, Tuesday was the bad day.  I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed because the whole day I was lazy, not really feeling that well and a little grumpy.  I have no idea why but that was just how it was and I decided that it is fine.  It is okay to have one or two grumpy days every once in a while, as long as you don't make them a habit.  I was so lazy yesterday that I read a whole book, or most of it.  I was on about page 80 and I finished it.  It was 400 pages haha.  Pathetic I know.  But it was a pretty good book, The Kite Runner, that was the title.  Well actually I don't know if I liked it all that much.  Honestly it was really boring.  Well written, really boring.  But hey if you like that style then I bet you would like it.

So the kids are still great.  They still come up and give me random hugs, which I love.  They still laugh just about all the time.  They all said good morning to me today and asked me how I slept.  They really are good kids.  They work very hard and still have happy, smiling attitudes.  I know that I have said this about a million time already but they are teaching me more than I am teaching them.  They touch my heart so easily and have worked their way inside.  For these three months they are my life and I am in theirs.  I find that I never use my phone unless I am texting my mom or dad.  And even my computer has taken a backseat.  It is great honestly.

Well I got to go teach a class.  Wish me luck!

It's a wild ride

This past few days have been wonderful, relaxing and great. Wednesday two guest came for the day, they were from Washington D.C.  We talked about traveling, good food, and how she actually grew up in El Salvador.  She was amazing.  She talked about how she was so poor that one piece of chicken was devine and she would suck on the bone until her mouth hurt.  She worked and came to the US and worked some more and went to college in D.C.  She just graduated after six years of school.  That is why she is amazing.  While they were at the Shelter the rains came.  It poured and there was thunderings and lightning and this wind that blew all the rain into the covered kitchen.  Everything was soaked, including us but we didn't mind.  Once the rains stopped after about 15 minutes we cut some pineapple and enjoyed the freshness of it.  It was so juicy, it ran down our arms and got on our chins every time we took a bite.  It was better then the pineapple from Hawaii by far.  Also on Wednesday I painted the prayer that the kids say before every mea l up on the wall in the kitchen.  (I painted the things that they say in English.)  I had to figure out the words though first so I knew what to paint.  It was hard though because neither Chey nor Kam knew exactly what they were saying.  They mumble most of the English words in the prayer so it was like a guessing game trying to decipher what they were saying.  I got it though and painted all 10 lines of it on the wall in the kitchen.  It is so cute and I love the words in it: This food is a gift from the whole universe, the earth, the sky and much hard work. May we live in a way, so as to be worthy to receive it.  May we change our unskillful state of mind, especially our greed.  May we take all this food that nourishes and prevents illness.  We accept this food.

Friday we were asked by the kids school to come and teach 5 classes English.  It was fun but really hard and really long, it took all my energy not to stop and lay down on the floor and fall asleep.  There are about 75 kids at this school and 18 of them are mine, for the orphanage.  It is crazy because our kids were so much better at English compared to the rest.  I am sure it is just because of all the guest that come and speak in English to them, but it was nice because we could rely on them to help us with the lessons.  After being at the school for 7 hours, Kristin and I got onto a yellow truck and went down to Chiang Mai for the weekend.  The ride took an hour and a half, which is really long to be squished into a truck with no air and only windows for relief.  One we got to the city we checked into our hotel, went and ate at our favorite Thai restaurant and then went to the night market.  We walked around the night market for an hour or two, bought a few movies and got mango sticky rice.  It was nice being just us two because it was less people to worry about and try to make happy.  We then went home and watched some movies and went to bed.  It wasn't a very exciting day but it was a nice because we finally just got to relax.

In the morning I got to Skype with some of my family.  Grandma, Grandpa Vernon, Erin, Frank, Lola, Ava, Amy and Uncle Eric.  It was really good to see them all.  We talked and laughed and had a good time. I forget just how much I miss them until I start talking to them and seeing them. I love you guys, thanks for all the support.  I also got to Skype with my family, mostly just my mom but it was so nice.  We talked about the day when I will have to leave the orphanage.  It is funny because I am already dreading that moment.  The moment when I will have to get into the car and say goodbye to all my kids.  I know it is still two months away but this first month has already gone by so fast I can't imagine how fast these next two will go.  I actually started crying talking about.  I know that it is going to be the hardest, most bittersweet moment of probably my entire life.

Anyways, Saturday we went to the Silk Market and the Umbrella making market.  The silk market wasn't that cool, it was actually like we were in a huge department store and everything was made of silk.  I personally think silk is overrated.  But whatever.  The umbrella making market was awesome.  (Mom - when you come we have to go.)  I got a design painted on my bag and the back of my phone.  It is pretty sweet.  The rest of Saturday and Sunday were pretty lazy but then again that was kinda nice.

Last night it took us 2 hours to get home but I think that it was worth it because the yellow truck dropped us off at this police station just off the highway.  We waited for Aii to come and get us with the truck but then two of the boys showed up on motorbikes so we just jumped on those.  We then raced through the town on those with the wind in our hair and bugs flying into our mouths if we opened them long enough.

Being here has made me have these moments.  They don't happen often and they don't last long but they are the kind a moments that make you stop everything you are doing and just look around you.  The kind of moments that take your breath and make you wonder if you have ever been happier.  Perhaps that is kind of cheesy but that is the only way I know how to explain it.  Here I am in the middle of Thailand riding on the back of a motorbike in the middle of the jungle heading home to see some of my favorite people.  It made me stop and think as I sat there driving down the bumpy road.  This is my life and how grateful I am for it.  For anyone who has seen the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower or read the book they will know this quote and I think it go along quite well...

I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening, I am here.... I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.

Anyways, here's some pictures.

Kid's Uniforms.  They always look so cute!

Coolest. Kid. Ever.

Bee-Mi

So cute!

Today was a good day.

I feel good as today comes to a close.  Everything went well today and I am really starting to feel myself connecting to these kids.  Most come up to me and hug me whenever they see me, whether it is in the morning, after they come back from school, when they are going to bed, or just whenever.  It is great, honestly.  I am sad when the kids leave for school every morning at 8, but school is good and they must go.

In the morning Kam (One of the kids - She is 16.) and I painted signs.  We are repainting all of the signs in the farm and it is actually really fun.  I love to paint so it makes me happy when Chey, our manager, asks us to do it.  There are probably 100 signs dispersed through the farm.  One saying welcome, one explaining what plant it is near, so on.  It is just going to be a lot of painting.  Here at the Children's Shelter Foundation (That is what this place is call -- I have been forgetting to mention that.) their signature or logo is a hand... So Kam and I decided it would look good to put hand prints on some of the signs.  We got out some red paint and smeared it all over our hands, putting it on our favorite signs.  With the leftover paint we decided it would be good to paint the dog that was near where we were working.  We put hand prints all over him! He looked like he belonged in Pocohontas!

A guest came today and only stayed for the day.  We showed her around the farm and took her to the school when it was time to get the kids so she could see where they learn.  It is a pretty nice school, though it is so much different than in America.  I can't even explain how different.  But yeah.  We had a great dinner with her too.  So yummy.  Her name was Zoey and she was from England. I love being able to meet all of these different kinds of people from all over the world every week.  One week they were from Switzerland, then New York, then Germany, and now England.  And they are all so nice and unique.

Every night we have started to play games.  Usually we have played Ninja Attack which is always fun but now we have started playing missionary tag, which gets crazy.  Everyone is laughing and it is chaotic but honestly I wouldn't have it any other way.

Two things I want to tell you about before I close and go to bed...

1. The kids call me PiiG (pronounced PG) which I like and I find it ironic because that is where I grew up -- in Pleasant Grove, UT.  They call someone who is older than them Pii and then their name to show respect.  And then there is PiiKristin which they still have a hard time pronouncing.  It comes out more like PiiKisstin haha.  It is awesome.

2. Yesterday after school a bunch of the younger kids climbed onto Kristin and my beds and played games on our computers.  There was five of them: Ohm-Em, Li-Bee, Be-Mai, Da-Wan, and Me-King. After about an hour squished onto our beds we decided it was time to kick them out.  But they kids didn't like that idea so they started to tickle us and pretty soon with was an all-out tickle war, full of screaming, laughing and pleading.  It was a wonderful mess and I think the kids really had a good time.

Well I am tired. Peace.

Catching Up

So I haven't posted in a few days but that is okay, I have been busy.

Last week was good.  Friday was National Buddha Day in Thailand so the kids did not have school.  We woke up and did this little ritual in front of a Buddha statue they have here on the farm, which consisted of this chanting, burning some candles, and getting on our hands and knees to bow to the Buddha.  Kristin and I didn't actually do it but we just watched.  It was very interesting and different than anything I have seen.  After breakfast we all got packed up and went to the city, Doi Suket.  The best part was we put 25 people into one truck to get there.  They have this thing attached to the bed of the truck.  It is like a covering thing with to benches in it, but they crammed a third bench into it.  So there was 11 people in the cab of the truck and the 14 people in the bed on these benches.  It was awesome, though the entire time I thought we were going to die and every bump killed because there were no shocks because we were so heavy.  Anyways when we got to the city we climbed 321 stairs to get to the temple.  They did some more bowing and stuff which was again so interesting.  We all got some soda after from this old lady and her mobile cart.  I got Coke with so much ice.  After the Coke was gone we used our straws and spit ice at each other, which was surprisingly really fun.  These kids are crazy.  Once we were done with our drinks Kristin and I said bye to our beautiful kids and hopped onto a yellow truck to go to Chiang Mai.

We did a bunch of random things with some of the interns on Friday night.  We went to the mall where we got to try out the newest weight-loss program.  It is this platform that you stand on and it shakes you back and forth.  Apparently as your fat jiggles everywhere it is supposed to somehow disappear.  So smart guys, great job!  It was really funny.  We got massages that night too.  I got a 30 minute foot massage and a 30 minute back and neck massage.  So worth it because it was only like 4 bucks altogether. Haha! The only thing was when she was doing my back and neck I was getting tickled so bad.  I was laughing so hard.  The kinda laughing that you just can't stop and it feels so good.  After I few moments of me laughing pretty much everyone in the salon was laughing.  It's a time that I will probably never forget.

Saturday we went to Lampang which is about two hours to the south to help with a Blind School.  We played games and sang songs and did all sorts of random things with them.  They were all so sweet and I am sad that I won't be able to see them again.

Yesterday, after church Kristin and I came back to the orphanage a little bit early, like 4.  It was nice because we just relaxed until dinner at 6. We have started to watch Alias during our free time but it is incredible hard because it only loads like 10 minutes at a time.  But we have figured out a system in which we use both of our computers.  It is very cool.  Anyways yesterday we were watching it and Oh-Em came in and laid on me so see could see the computer.  When the episode was over I talked to her and tried to get up but she had fallen asleep.  It was so cute.  She was laying on me stomach to stomach.  I didn't move for a good while just because I didn't want to wake her and I loved that she fell asleep on me.

So yes it has been a busy week but things are great and I am still loving every minute here.  I am trying really hard to let myself be happy and to not dwell on the hard things.  I don't want to get old and look back on my life and regret that I didn't let myself be happier.  I am good at being happy too, I don't know why I forget that.

Here is a few pictures of our adventures:

Li-Bee and I.  He lost two teeth this weekend :)

Always pretty sunsets here in Thailand. Reminds me of Arizona.

Octopus and Squid.... yum... 

We walked into our hotel Friday night and Spencer was like -- Oh look at that flat screen tv.. I turned around to see this haha

The Sunday Market.  They close off a whole street every Sunday.  It is about 2 miles long.

Just a Taste

There are so many things that I want to tell you about, that I feel I have been leaving out of other posts. Because I can't write about everything that I see, hear and feel here because it would be so long and I would never be able to get away from my computer.  So here are a few things about this place that I haven't mentioned yet, that are worth mentioning.

• On a cloudy day, you bet that it will rain...  well, it won't.  Even though it thunders and there is all sorts of lightning blazing in the sky.  However, on the sunniest of days it will down pour later.  The clouds will roll in randomly and there you go.  But that is the thing about rain here in Thailand, if it does rain, it only rains for about 10 minutes tops.  Or at least that is how it has been the past few days.
• I know that I have mentioned that there are bugs everywhere and this is true.  But I am proud to announce that I have killed just about every one I have come to find.  This is a huge step for me if you didn't know.  Before I would not have even dared to go near one of the tiniest spiders but now I am killing the 8 inch daddy long legs.  Yes these are bigs steps, big steps.
• If there is a night where the 20 dogs that live around here don't bark it will be a miracle!
• You know the connotation that all asian people take off their shoes before entering a room?  Well  it is true, they do and sometimes it is really annoying if you are wearing tennis shoes.  I do understand why they do it, it is out of respect so that is cool.
• They have this tendency to sweep the dirt.  I guess it is like their raking it but they do it with the same brooms they use in the kitchen and in their rooms.  It is kinda odd and kinda funny to watch.
• Thai people are some of the nicest people I have ever met.  
• They pronounce just about everything wrong, so it is like a game to me trying to figure out what they are saying.
• They have pretty good music.  There is this one song that they sing all the time but it is in Thai so when I try to sing it I can get the tune but the words are a problem.  So I just say gibberish, they all look at me weird and laugh.  Then there is this other song that has a little English in it -- "Sexy Lady."  That's it, that's all the English but it is an awesome song.
• Every time they are about to eat for just about every meal the kids say a prayer.  It is out loud and they all say it at the same time.  Half of it is in Thai and the other half is in English.  I have most of the English memorize: This food is a gift from the whole universe, the earth, the sky and much.  May we live in a way that they may ask what... something, something, something.  It is really cool though because they put their hands together as if they were going to bow before a fight.
• That's another thing: they do bow.  They out there hands together when they say hello.  It is so cool.
• My favorite thing that they say is: Like this, Like this.  But they can't really say -th sounds so it really comes out like: Like dis, Like dis.  It is awesome, they say it to me whenever they are showing me something.

Well that is all I can think of right now but that is a little taste of the culture here.  So different but really cool.

Something to think

I know I have only been here for two weeks but I want to talk about something that I have thought about everyday since I have arrived here.  The United States is different than any country on this planet.  And I have come to realize just how blessed we are to be able to live there, grow up there, and raise kids there.  It is a land for the free.  It is clean.  It is safe.  It is good.  America is a place that looks ahead to a bright future full of the capability to advance and to make something of yourself, even if you have nothing to begin with. 

Here in Thailand, 90% of the kids at this orphanage dream about becoming a tour guide.  They talk about it all the time.  While you raise doctors, dentists and exceptional businessmen, these kids, out of everything they could be, want to be a tour guide.  But that is just it; they live in a place without much opportunity.  They do not have to luxury of becoming anything more without so much sacrifice.  They think their only option is to be a tour guide or retail salesmen or something along those lines.  Though don’t get me wrong; it’s not that these kids don’t work hard.  It is not that they don’t have dreams or aspirations or hopes.  No they have those; they just are not at the same magnitude as children in America.   But that does not mean they do not have potential.  No I see it in them.  One boy named Saw-teen knows three languages quite well and he wants to be a tour guide.  I asked him if he ever thought of being something more and he told me he did not know how.  He told me he wasn’t smart enough. 

I guess I am writing this because I have come to realize just how blessed I am to live in America.  And this does not mean that I am not grateful to be here in Thailand because I am.  I think these kids are having a greater impact on me then I am having on them.  But I just want anyone who reads this to notice just how blessed you are.  Heck, call your mom and dad and thank them for helping you become who you are because these kids here at the orphanage don’t have that blessing.  Look to the people around you and love them as these kids love each other.  Be grateful everyday.

Little Adventures

So we had a good weekend in Chiang Mai with all of the other interns.  It was nice being around other people that could actually speak English.  Being up at the orphanage made me so I talk slower and use smaller words.  I didn't notice this until I was with everyone.  Kinda weird.

So Bird and Spencer came to pick us up Friday night around 8.  It was really good to see Spence, I missed him.  All the kids said goodbye to us and hugged us.  Li-bee was especially adamant that I give him a big long hug.  Spencer had to pay Chey so we walked over to where he lives (which is in the boys house on the other side of the farm.)  Li-bee made me give him a piggy-back ride, while the entire time tried to say all of the days of the week.  But he kept forgetting Friday and then he would forget Thursday too.  It was a mess but it was so funny. By the end he told us that days don't matter, that they are not important.  And I agree with him.  It's all about the moments and the people you get to share them with.  Not the days.  Once we paid him we got into the car and that is when things got mad.  There was a beetle in my hair!  I knew it was there because I could feel it moving but Spencer and Kristin couldn't see it or find it.  So there we are in the car, me screaming at them to get it out and them laughing until tears start coming because they couldn't find it and were too scared to pull it out.  It was terrible in the moment but so funny after I finally got it out.  The ride didn't seem that long because Bird was telling us stories about Liver on the River. (But because most Thai people get their R's and L's wrong he kept saying River on the Liver.)  He also would say Burbelly instead of Blueberry.  It was awesome.

Bird dropped Spencer, Kristin and I at this restaurant called The Duke's.  It had real food! And what I mean by real food is Hamburgers and french fries.  And it was so good, kind of expensive but worth it.  After we went to Spencer's apartment because we were staying at the same place too, just in another room.  And that room had air-conditioning and a small fridge - Small luxuries that we all take for granted.  Anyways we ended up squishing onto Spencer's bed and watching The Count of Monti Cristo on his computer.  Awesome movie by the way, I hadn't seen it for a while and forgot how good it was.  Saturday morning we woke up and met all the other interns at the church where we set off on a small adventure up the mountain to a temple.  The temple was called Doi Suthep.  And it was beautiful:

Miss you Mom.

Wifi is not good again, so I will have to post more pictures later.  Things here are good on this rainy tuesday night.  The thunder is going crazy along with all the crickets.  Today was kind of hard, things sometimes get hard when we don't know what to do.  It is hard to understand what Chey wants but we are trying really hard.  But we are fine! Things are good.

Missing these geeks

Found this gem :)

Pictures

I finally have good Wi-fi because I am back in the city for the weekend.  We are in a nicer hotel and enjoy every moment we have with the air-conditioning.  Here are some cool pictures from the past week..

Here is our beautiful bedroom.  With lots of bugs and terrible lighting but I would not have it any other way.

The fan: The best invention by mankind - EVER

This is our sink, it is sitting on two slabs of concrete.

Toilet and Shower.  Yes our shower is in the middle of the bathroom.  This is how almost all showers are in Thailand.  It is so weird but I don't care, cold water comes out of it and that is the best.  It is nice working hard all day and sweating so much to come and take a cold shower.  I have never been more grateful for cold water.

This is the dish Chloe ate with the blood in it.  It is gelatinized. So yummy... :)

My favorite swing here at the farm.

Dad - These are the spicy pepper.  I touch them to my tongue and that makes me want to cry.

The breakfast of Champions. So good.

At a Wat.

I love it here.  Thailand 2013.