Thailand is like Italy. And by that statement I mean Thailand is really nothing like Italy, but reminds me of my experience studying abroad in Italy two years ago.
The three months I spent in Europe seem like a dream. I remember thinking how I wanted to freeze time so I could just sit and fully take advantage of the rare and exciting opportunity I was living.
Thailand is the same. Half the time I wonder if this is real life, if this too is a dream. I hesitate to fully describe and record everything that’s happened in these two weeks, for fear that it could all disappear and I’ll wake up at any moment. So I’ll resort to list form, and provide only the best highlights (which, let’s be honest, is nearly everything).
–incredible accommodations: bedrooms with fans, sleeping mats, a western toilet, access to hot water and coffee at all times, wifi, COLD drinking water, showers (which are encouraged at least once a day so this month’s been a clean one!) and a washing machine.
–MK, the mental golden retriever who I have a love/hate relationship with (he has tons of fleas and is so weird but reminds me of my dog, Jack who passed away in July)
–falling asleep to thunderstorms
–FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: dragon fruit, apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots, onions… This girl’s belly is content.
–Mama: our host who tells us to “eat, eat, eat! Fat, fat, fat!” and asks “WHY?!” when we decline ice cream or tell her she’s beautiful.
–Tik, our translator: the sweetest of people who we all can truly call friend as well. Her husband, Pik and two year old daughter, Sarah are a fun blessing too.
–drives in the back of a pickup truck
–movie nights on a projector screen
–a little taste of home: monster cookies and peanut butter chocolate cake (made by Tik and obviously my favorite teammate, Courtney)
–going swimming in a pool (all girls have to wear swim caps…? Synchronized swimming definitely didn’t happen)
–Thai iced coffee (the secret: condensed milk)
–getting to wear skinny jeans, go running in shorts and be told to tame my hair. Feeling mostly myself for the first time in three months!
–our ministry: sifting sand, mixing concrete, making bricks and completing the church wall. Manual labor and tangible progress is a grand blessing!
–the markets full of fresh fruits and veggies, seafood, smoothies, and the cutest little Asian clothes
–7-11 and KFC all over the place
–teaching high schoolers elbow tag and “head, shoulders, knees and toes”
–doing the peace sign in photos and not being made fun of cause it’s normal here!
–visiting a leper colony and praying for some of the most joyful people I’ve ever met (and I held a silkworm!)
–trying grasshopper (local Thai food) but being served fried chicken for dinner (they know us Americans well)
–facing my fear and swimming in a waterfall at the Mekong river (bordering Laos). Sorry to Bekah who I pushed under because I panicked and thought I was drowning
–riding elephants and going to a zoo with kids from the leper colony
–phone calls to my family for the first time in two months
–listening to Thai karaoke on a 3 hour bus ride home (which is currently happening and is more a curse than gift right now but I’ll be sure to laugh about later)
–Pam and Ja, sisters who I can’t help but smother in kisses and hugs and who, without fail, scream my name every time I’m spotted
–being broken in new ways and reminded of unfinished progress in familiar ways, but growing because of both
–daily being humbled by a God who, for some reason, chooses me repeatedly and loves me with such immensity I don’t deserve
So there you have it. I’m still dreaming, so we’re good. If you need me, you know where to find me: drinking coffee, mixing concrete and loving on the most beautiful souls.
