Its going to be my year!! *Yee's Horoscope agrees as well*

              Happy New Year!!!!!!  Hello all! I have returned from my blogging hiatus! I hope you all have been able to keep up with me via Facebook or email.  My resolution this year is to complete at least one blog a month! I will definitely try to complete this task this year because I feel that one of the most important parts of this experience is bringing Thailand to you through this blog! So I'm calling for assistance; in the event that you check this blog and there are no recent updates PLEASE PLEASE send me a nice reminder. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.


                New Year's 2014 vacation was spent on a secluded island called Koh Mak off the province of Trat.  There were no TV's, no Internet, and a small number of people; just what I needed.  It gave me time to reflect on the past year in Thailand.  As I sat in my hammock outside of my bungalow, with my P' Mimi sitting in the US Army hammock beside me, listening to the waves hit the rocks and the wind blowing in the trees, I could only smile.  2013 was a crazy year filled with ups and downs but at that moment the only feeling I had was gratitude.      
           It is truly amazing what can happen in a year.  A year ago, I started on this journey with 50 quite amazing people not sure what to expect, packing tons of stuff I would never need and mentally preparing for any conditions.  In hindsight, I have come to realize on a journey such as this one there is absolutely no way to prepare.  I came with tons of ideas and expectations of what this year would look like for me, but I had no clue. There was more in store than I could imagine.  In just a year I have lived and worked in Thailand, traveled all over Thailand, learned a new language, and gained a slew of new friends. All of this in just one year and I can't wait to see whats in store.  I have proclaimed this as my year! And it has started off great.  Brought in the year with great friends, then headed to the north of Thailand, experienced a Hmong New Year in Nan, Thailand, and then worked a Youth Leadership Camp in Chiang Rai, Thailand  and I am finally back home.  

                I have so many plans for 2014.  I have officially been living in Thailand for one year.  I feel as though this first year flew by.  I must use this last year to the fullest.  I have a number of personal and work goals that I would like to accomplish in this year. I will not give you the skinny just yet but as they happen you will know!!!=).  OK OK ill give you the first one! I am participating in a get healthy challenge! and for the first time in a forever I had to weigh myself and without even knowing it i have lost quite a bit.  Although this challenge ,for me, is less about the weight and more about being in shape and healthy, it was definitely a great surprise!  I am hoping to be ready to complete ...maybe a 5k or a 10k very soon! As I things happen, you will be informed! *SCOUTS HONOR*    Ok! I am sure you are wondering whats been happening since the last post which was in Sept. I will fill you in with pictures! =) HAPpY NEW YearS!!! Sending lots of love, hugssss and an amazing 2014!  

Flooding in my village I chose to bike around! AFTER this nice helpful man told me i could definitely make it through on my bike! haha it was fun trying though 

Handing out money to the elderly! She was blessing me! and would not let me kneel because she didnt want my legs to hurt haha! 

Passing money out to the elderly! They are so sweet!

IN Chiang Mai with mimi mayumi jeanette and yee!

Chiang Mai

Riding elephants!

We have become one haha

 

Me and my SAO went to visit PHETCHABUNNN!( also known as brandon)  

Made cookies using english only! 

My host dog had puppies

 Peace Corps Came to visit my site! THis is the picture my boss at site posted! We are all wearing black because we were mourning the death of the highest patriarch of Buddhism 

Thanksgiving with my host family

Some of my students (although I am not a teacher) 

Kings Birthday! Lighting of candles and well wishes

Making secret santa greeting cards 

Field Trip with the kids

I made Christmas cookies for everyone

And these little cards haha

Sports day starts outside of my house! haha 6:00 am! The perks of living at the Public Health Center 

Went to a temple and the Mae Caows(ladies in white) gave me all of this! the orange pillows I cant use until marriage! 

 Birthday in thailand they surprised me with a cake at work 

My sisters did too! 

My Supervisor! Kun Jaree! she is great! 

P'Pook and P'Nancy! They were great 

Fun times!! 

Late Birthday Celebration! 

Goh Mak!!!! BEAUTIFUL 

Our Bungalow all the way at the top

Eating on the beach 

Me after our looonngg walk to the other side of the beach 

Last night with my loves 

In Nan visiting Yee! 

Hmong New Year It was cold and no that is not my coat lol 

Soo cute 

WE did the fish spa!!! 

BTF CAMP!!!! 

The guys washing dishes! 

At this camp we stayed at a temple, in which, a monk would walk through every morning really perky and say GOOD MORNING!!! and then just start chatting it up! In Thailand, there are special ways to address monks so knowing this made this very awkward.. like do i just respond normally haha! but he was cool and here he is! I didn't even want to be this close but he made me! 

Last day before heading home! I had a yummy beef burger! haha 

Life here in Thailand! sorry its been so long!

I should not be allowed to type these words anymore especially since I say it every time I blog but here it goes: “ Sorry it has been so long since my last post” haha.  I know, I know, I must do better and will try AGAIN this month.  In other news, I have successfully completed over ¼ of my service. Time is certainly flying!

         I am sure all of you are wondering what I have been up to since I wrote last, actually not much has changed.  We had about 3 weeks from site where we reconnected with all of the PCV’s, which was much needed, missed them quite a bit. I then went to Bangkok for PSN training, which is a support network for all volunteers here in Thailand and that is made up of 7 other volunteers as well.  Following training, I had a beach itch lol and had to go, so my friend Mayumi and I decided to go to Koh Samed.  We decided to call that weekend our “Jai Yen Yen Retreat”(ref. jai yen yen in previous post).  It was filled with lesson after lesson of jai yen yen as if I still needed practice. Although this is true, it was definitely a great weekend filled with laughter!  After only living in Nong Phai for what is now 5 months, I was missing my home, my family and my community. When I returned it was as if I had been gone for months maybe even years.  I was welcomed with smiles, lots of questions, and even HUGS (hugs are typically reserved for family, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends or those much younger in age, says a coworker).  It was great!  This is my home and it feels like it!   Now I am here, continuing with my language learning, jai yen yening and living day by day. Oh my pulled groin muscle is healing but Ive now had ecoli from pad thai( but was sick before that so immune system was down), an interesting trip to the dentist for a temporary cap on my tooth lol and tendonitis in my right hand ( which i still dont know why or how lol ).

Although I am enjoying this time here in Thailand, I recently had my first moment of homesickness due to sad news from home.   These times are so hard especially when you are so use to being right there whenever anyone needs you or when you are typically the family social worker (haha).  At this time, I was at a loss because there was nothing I could do all the way from Thailand.  This has definitely been a test of faith.  My family is most definitely my backbone and when one of them is sad or hurting, it hurts me more than anyone could possible imagine.  Anyone can say, write or do anything to me and I would brush it off I’m sure.  When it has to do with family that’s when it gets to me.  With that said had a rough week that ended with some great laughs with my awesome Thailand family, the PCVs.  If they only knew just how much this weekend helped soothe me! Thanks guys I LOVE U GUYS!
Also talking with my family often and seeing their strength is simply amazing.  I say if they are trucking along, I have no reason to be dragging.  It will be hard but I’m channel all of my loves from my siblings to each of the laughs I got this weekend to keep me smiling this week. Also, today I was searching my room for my brown glasses and instead stumbled upon what can only be referred to as a forgotten treasure.  My old HTC EVO but it wasn’t the phone that excited me most, it was what was inside of the phone... about 50 forgotten videos that seriously made my day! Videos from about 2 years ago up to right before I left! This was beautiful! Seeing all those smiling faces and crazies right here with me in Thailand was truly a gift from God.  The importance of friends being silly or siblings rapping on your phone is never known until a day like this! I can’t stop watching =).  This could not have been found at a more opportune time!   Today’s blog is simply to catch all of you up on Sasha’s life.    
I also want to thank those who support me, call me, send me packages (which are always welcome lol) write me and pray for me on this journey. I have already learned so much in my short time here, cant wait to see what the Lord has in store for these two years! With every disappointment comes a blessing…. (A quote I will never forget that my father texted me when I was in undergrad and the first time I made a D on anything in my life. I was surely sad about that D haha maybe a bit dramatic.) Although the news hurt, I’m sure we will get through this as we have done everything else in our lives’.

Lastly, FEELING ABSOLUTELY BLESSED not only due to my own blessings but also by the blessings all around me!!! FOR EXAMPLE: Tuttie Ross is returning from NY shortly after showing at NY fashion week! And she did great! Ohh and My Charlene is going to send me something GREAT =)!

Signing out… May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door. Have a great week (stolen from IG haha) 

Chok Dee Na Ka!(good luck)  Jer Gon Mai Na Ka ( See you)!

And now for the pictures!

Went to Suphan to visit my first family 

first host mom

First football( soccer)  game

Crazy and crazier ( Nay and Mimi) 

In our hotel room bored! and i ask her to see if she can fit and she does it lol! the friendships i create smh and then we proceed to prank away! lol 

                                                    We won the community photo project 

haha Cailyn Sandwich! 

MEXICAN!!!!

My message to the family! I love and miss u Udom 500

Fire show

Fire show

Me and Mayumi snorkeling

Visiting the elderly in my community! checking bp

Teaching!

Trying to work and this happens lol 

English Camp!

I want one!!! hes soo cute 

The nayok(mayor) asked me to braid her hair and I just learned how like 2 months ago lol 

At a English teacher training even though i am not a teacher! haha since i spoke English they made me work

Me and my PHETCHABUN twin! Brandon!!! ( We both live in Phetchabun) 

Me at teacher training 

Learning how to do my hair by myself lol! still going back to Stacy when i return! lol Cant wait for my products coming in the mail!!! =) I DEFINITELY NEED THEM! LOL 

CLICK THIS LINK CUTE 2 sec video that made me smile lol 

My message from my lil! made me smile at the end of his show! =)