Thailand, I’m over you.

I should probably buy a lottery ticket soon. If there is such a thing in Asia. You know, considering the fact that I was the only one on my whole squad of 50 to catch Dengue Fever this month, I must be lucky.

Or something like that.

What I do know is that this month has been quite a challenge for me. I expected to fall madly in love with Thailand, and I'm actually quite excited that our time here is almost over. How's that for honesty?

Thailand is a strange place, full of darkness and filth. Yes, there are amazing people here – beautiful people with wonderful hearts. Yes we rode elephants and played with tigers and took a bamboo raft down a river, all of which was awesome. But the vibe here just doesn't jive with me. I'm tired of seeing ladyboys on every corner. I'm sick of seeing gross old men purchase gorgeous young women for the evening. I hate seeing disabled children being exploited in the night markets to make money for their families. I'm annoyed with all of it. And I'm ready to get the heck out of here.

It doesn't help that Thailand is where I caught Dengue Fever, a tropical disease caused by mosquitos. Let me tell you, being sick away from home is perhaps the worst thing ever. When you're sick, all you want is to be in your own comfy bed, snuggled up with your dog, eating homemade potato soup made by your sweet momma while watching endless amounts of television. Or at least that's what I want when I'm sick. Yet here I was, with the highest fever of my life and a rash that covered my whole body, totally separated from the people and the things I love most. Talk about frustrating. The silver lining is that my team took such great care of me. Maybe it wasn't the love and care I would've received at home, but I learned to rely on my teammates. I learned to let them love and serve me. And I think we all grew closer because of it.

But Thailand, I'm over you. And I think that's perfectly ok. You taught me a lot about our broken world, plenty about humility, and even more about the wonderful family-away-from-my-family that I have been blessed with. But I'm ready to kick you to the curb and pray for you from afar.

Cambodia, I've got high hopes for you!

P.S. Future Racers, if you do get Dengue, you should totally get it in Thailand. The hospitals here are comparable to those in the States. But honestly, just wear bug spray. You're welcome.

Sidenote: While this post might sound overly negative, I want to assure you that I'm so excited and grateful for the opportunity to be on this wild adventure. Some months will be more enjoyable than others, and some months will be more challenging. It's all a part of a great adventure that will help me learn and grow. Thanks for supporting me!