18 months down 9 more to go! =)

SORRY MISSED THE JUNE BLOG! but it won’t happen again.  

Every day as I am speaking to one of my family members or friends, they ask, "When are you coming home?" "Why is this time moving so slowly" or after I announce we have reached 2/3rds of service, "WHAT ONLY 2/3rds, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ALMOST DONE.” Each time I respond by saying, "Whatttt, noo I feel like these 18 months have flown by, I kind of wish it would slow down. I have so much to do and soo little time. " I never understood what they meant until I started flipping through an old album from right before I left. Here is what I saw:

 
My babies Kamiyah, Jayda, Kennipooh, Trin, Adri, Jesse,DJ , DJ and Madison before I left! 

This is them now!!! AHHH!!! *tear tear* they are growing so quickly!!

All of my little loves, my babies have grown so much! It really brought my 18 months here in Thailand into perspective. I began to reflect, "WOW, a lot of time has passed, I have been a number of places, done so many new things and now only 9 months left!"  Realizing this, two things instantly go through my mind; "How will I spend these last 9 months in Thailand?"  and "What does life after Peace Corps look like for me?"

Two simple questions with such difficult answers. As far as the next 9 months, I have a few plans laid out in both my professional life and my personal life so this does not worry me as much.  I have a few exciting endeavors happening at work and I am signed up to run my first 10 k in September.  I am certain these next 9 months will be filled with lots of new experiences, trips, and life lessons. The idea of life after Peace Corps is kind of scary.   And I just DO NOT know what it looks like.  My mind is everywhere! I have several passions, which makes this decision even harder. * DISCLAIMER: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ MAY BE NEWS TO YOU BUT DEATH THREATS ARE NOT ALLOWED HAHA* For those of you who don't know, the commitment to the Peace Corps is 2 years however you can extend your commitment for an additional year if you can find an organization that is currently doing work in youth development.  Although I have had some bad days here in Thailand, the majority were pretty good.  I was thinking about extending my commitment for an additional year.  Recently, I have met with potential organizations in which I could see a future working with. With that said, I have yet to find anywhere that would make me stay an additional year but the search continues.  My other options are to really up in the air. Ph.D? Psy.D? LCSW?(<definitely) Working in Thailand? Another country? The US?, sigh I just don't know.  

I began to search, stress and over think everything because 9 months sounds so far yet so close. I realized my routine had changed. I was making my normal rounds when I noticed I had not made my bed in one week, which is just not me.  ( I make my bed daily first thing, even in hotels. Weird, I know. haha) One day, I was talking to my sistiends  (sister/friend).  She didn't know any of this was happening but was saying just what I needed to hear.  It was refreshing.  She reminded me that 9 months is enough time to prepare for what ever might be next but if I keep on this endless, over thinking, stressful path I would do nothing but add confusion to my life.  I gave myself a day to pray, unwind, relax, and clear my mind.  The next morning, I felt much better and it didn't take as much for me to focus.  I still have no clue what’s going to happen March 2015 but I feel like I'm going into this search a little less all over the place and more focused which will hopefully lead to good decision making and a happy "whatever's next". 

NOOWW FOR SOME PICTURES OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN UPTO:

 

Phi Ta Khon: A Buddhist merit making holiday.  They worship the spirits and protectors of the town as well as pray for plentiful rain for a healthy harvest.  

 

 

 

<< Rockets! We were extremely close to the launch station BUT we are alive haha.

 Me and my yii friends! I think they were more worried about me getting darker than just sharing their umbrella! they were so cute haha.

 

  

Mayumi came to visit and all we did was eat haha! 

P geng's Wedding! it was sooo beautiful!

  My gift to P'Geng

 

AFTER 76 hours on buses.... Whew, It feels great to be home!

***Sadly, lost my camera in Bangkok =( (tons of great pics gone *sigh*)  so some of the fabulous pictures here are not my own.  ***

HELLLLOOO! Running a bit late with this post SORRRRYY! almost forgot! but being held accountable surely helps, even if there is only one day before next month haha! Quick update: I am well.  I am sure you have all heard about the political unrest here in Thailand, rest assured, we are completely safe and cozy in our villages.


For the past month and a half I have been doing ALLLOTT of traveling.  I am finally home, working again, and enjoying seeing all of my kids and families.  Today, I will take you all on my journey! Heres a map of all of my trips starting March 31st- May 10th! =)

Of course my journey began at my home in Nong Phai Phetchabun. March 28th I left home on a 5 hour trip to Bangkok for our Midservice Conference.  This means that we officially met the midpoint of our service! YAY!! Midservice was a great time!

After Midservice, eight volunteers, including myself, decided to head up north a bit.  We went to Khao Kor, Phetchabun (Brandon aka Phetchabun's site) which is in the same province as Nong Phai about 3 hrs north of my home.  And about 7 hours from Bangkok.  The terrain is beautiful and mountainous. The weather amazing.  In fact, very chilly on the way in.

The weather was so amazing in Khao Kor that we were able to sit around a fire late in the evening and make s'mores. 

Photo Credit: Mere 

I left Khoa Kor before everyone to participate in the Song Kran (Thai New Years Festival) in Nong Phai.  We had to wait on the side of the road to flag down my bus for me to get there.  Haha! Here we are waiting for my bus. 

Photo Credit: Mere! lol

After about a 3- 3.5 hour ride south, I made it back home.  Just in time to participate in the Song Kran Festival at site.  This is by far my favorite of the Thai festivals.  Everyone comes home, no work for days, tons of food, parties, and lots of water!!!  Great times with friends and family!

Bright and early the next morning, 4 am to be exact,  I woke up and went to catch my bus to Chiang Mai.  After a long long 12 hour journey, I finally made it to Chiang Mai.  This was Song Kran Pt 2! It was basically a HUGE water fight all day long. If you don't want to get wet, this would be the wrong place to go.  We ate food from 3 pigs, a delicious western food place, and Mexican! And yummy breakfast with omelets filled with cheese and avocado! Sadly, I have no pics of this delectable food. It was all captured on my camera, which is no longer =(.

Photo Credit: Julianne M

After all the water and fun in Chiang Mai.  We headed to Lampang which is only about 1.5 hrs away from Chiang Mai.  Lampang is Mayumi's site.  It was great to get back to the village.  After living in the village for so long, it is hard to be in the big city for an extended amount of time before feeling over stimulated.  In Lampang, we participated in yet another Song Kran festival.  It is nice to be able to see how things are done in other villages.  Great low key fun.  Lots of laughter, hanging out, eating, just enjoying life.  In accordance with Thai tradition, we added some jack fruit to our meal for good luck, in the new year. ( oh and I did Mayumis hair haha) 

 

 

Lampang was a great close to Song Kran and so I headed back home.  I stayed at site for almost 2 weeks then headed to Phitsanulok.  This journey should take no more that 4 hours but for some reason it took me about 9 hours to make it to P'lok.   Phitsanulok is our consolidation point.  If there is ever a major crisis in Thailand, the 8 people in my region would have to make their way to Phitsanulok to ensure our safety and if the problem escalated, we would be evacuated back home. Don't worry even with everything happening here were are not to that stage yet. We are probably in the safest place possible, our villages.  During this trip to Phitsanulok, I had to buy myself a new pair of glasses.  Yee was my guide. Scared but fun times for sure lol.

                   

Next up, we went to Bangkok( 6/7 hrs) for the night and left for Hua Hin early in the morning to beat traffic.  We thought we would be the only ones thinking this way but we were completely wrong and we were crammed in the back of this mini van.  All part of the PC experience, I guess.  This was our first meet up for both groups 125 and 126.  Beach time is always a great time! We also had games and special nights hosted by some 125s.  Mexican night was my favorite... filled with food and margaritas!


 

         photo credit: Christine B.                                 

Back to Bangkok for some doctors appointments.  Lots of meetings/dinners as well as a great day trip to the Camillian House for Children with Disabilities.  I only wish I had the pictures to share.  That was truly an experience. I wish the kids in my villages had the same opportunities as those in the city. Also, made some trips to the Peace Corps office of course!

 

Annnndddd! NOW, I am home!!!! Back to village life... Back to the bike life... back to letting student nurses take my blood smh... back to thai-nappings! Oh how I missed thee!

The military came to the village to 'check in' 

I LOVE MY CRAZIES =) GROUP 125! ( short blog and msg to my fellow volunteers)

**HELLLOOO!! =) today I am posting an early blog I wrote ( about two days ago! I woke up super early and decided to write instead of going back to sleep haha) after 2 weeks of spending quality time with my PC family!**

        As most of you may know or simply assume, being in they peace corps is JUST like living in a fish bowl except the fish get more of a break than we do.  Being a volunteer is a 24/7 job. For example, I wake up around 530 each morning to prepare for my morning workout and out of the house by 6:15 while its still cool. One day out of the plenty, I woke up off schedule and headed out about 6:45 instead of the usual 6:15. On my way to work a number of people were asking why I exercised late coupled with their assumption that it is because I went to bed late or did not eat dinner. This is just one example of how we are watched all day everyday. From January 28th to March 28th I stayed at site everyday with no trips, saw no other volunteers, just me and my village, day in and day out.  I had never done that before due to medical or dental trips to the city, meetings and/ or holidays. I can honestly say that was not a walk in the park.  I love my village and the people in it dearly and would not change them for the world but imagine 90 straight days of constantly living in that fishbowl, 90 days of people constantly asking you where you are going and why, even though they know because you have been going to the same places everyday for a year now,  90 days of those adorable kids jumping over your gate on your off day and screaming P som nonstop, 90 days of going to "meetings" events, and work trips and being stared at or asked to do impromptu speeches or games. Typically, I can handle all of the above with a great big smile, but towards the end of the 90 days I was on the brink of losing it lol.  (I was close to using my ninja moves on any and all)  I never realized how vital those random meet ups with my fellow volunteers really were until now.  March 28th I left my village and headed to Bangkok to find some of my amazing friends and relax.  This was just what the doctor ordered. All the volunteers would come on the 30th for midservice conference. ( Meaning we have completed half of our commitment here in Thailand!!!!! Yayyy us!)

        Midservice was much needed and right on time.   It was great to laugh and not have to think through the joke or break it down first.  It was great to speak English, which now sounds like my second language, all broken, choppy, not grammatically correct at all lol. It was just nice to see all of their faces.  Multiple nights of hanging out, playing games, movies, TONS OF EATING haha and just catching up, oh and a little conferencing too! Wouldn't trade these crazies for the world.

       Midservice also brought some tears.  It was announced during midservice that a very good friend would be heading home.  You don't realize how much a person really means to you until situations like this. Although, It is sad to watch him go, I'm not worried because I know we will meet again.  Before coming to peace corps I thought it was virtually impossible to build these types of strong beautiful relationships in such a short span of time but i was completely wrong. On Wednesday, a couple of friends and I decided to have a little surprise shindig for our good friend before he heads out.  I sent a text telling the other volunteers to come to our hotel the next day for the surprise. As last minute as it was, the next day I walk in (after the surprise due to a late dentist appointment ha) filled with joy. The majority of the group came out. It just showed me what we have all gained here. I am beyond blessed.  Although it was such a sad day it clarified one thing, no matter if we talk to each other everyday or once every few months, we have each others back.  This is so important when your family/support is so far away.  With that said, I have an absolutely amazing family right here in Thailand; it even includes all the components of a real family. Good times, bad times, fun times, sad times but in the end we are all in this together and we are all there for one another just as a family.

       I believe in giving people flowers in the present not waiting til its too late so I would like to say thank you to each of my fellow volunteers, all who came in on that plane Jan 11th, 2013. Although I still question how only one sane person made it into group 125 ( yes me) I would not trade you guys for a 100,000 baht (quite possibly some spinach, feta, and raspberry vinaigrette, I would definitely have to think that through) You don't know how much you have changed me for the better! You guys accept me even though I'm not quite on y'all's crazy level(quite far in fact lol). You all make it so easy to love and be loved!  You guys have really made this experience that much more amazing. I would not be here without each and everyone of you! (Ok enough sappy stuff back to G sash ) 

Ok now here are some pictures of the past two weeks enjoy! I think I might have two blog post this month yay for early blog post!

Me and my p'yeelor haha

MIDSERVICE PICS!!! 

 THE CRAZIES THEMSELVES! minus me of course haha 

PARTY IN SAPHAIPAE

3D WITH GLASSES!!! 

 MIDSERVICE WIND DOWN!!! 

RIAP ROY!!! 

FUN TIMES!!!