Goodbyes stink!

So I just said goodbye tonight to my students.  It was one of the hardest things I've had to do in my life.  I got really emotional.  The thing that triggered my emotions was one student in particular.  He was telling me that I was a really good teacher and that he was happy I was his teacher.  It was so sweet of him!  I would teach a set of brothers, only two in a class, and they were some of the funniest students I've had here.  They reminded me so much of my brothers, especially Bradley, and it was a blast to teach them every time.   It was so sweet of them to tell me I'm good, when really I don't think so!!  I mean, I have no experience, and most of the time it was discussion or me talking a lot and wondering if they'd understand me!! But, I guess they did!  

My point is that this place has been amazing.  I've had my ups and downs, that's for sure, but all in all, this has been such a blessing to be here. I hope and pray this is not the last time I will see these people again, but you know how that works.  The only guaranteed place where we can say we'll see each other next is heaven.  I hope I will see my students there.  I pray!!  

Lastly, this will be my last time writing in this blog while I'm in Ubon.  I leave tomorrow morning at 6 am to travel to Bangkok, then to Phuket Saturday night.  Who's to say if I'll have internet for the rest of the time that I'm here.  So, the next time I blog just might be while I'm home, describing my reverse culture shock.  Here it is, my final goodbye:  GOODBYE UBON! I WILL MISS YOU VERY MUCH.

Last Sunday

Today was my last day of teaching on Sunday.  The closer my time here nears to an end, the more I'm realizing that going home isn't going to be as dreamy and heavenly as I thought it was.  Thailand has been my home for the past 9 months of my life.  There are things I've become accustomed to, things that I've taken for granted all year that I haven't even realized I'm leaving.  I have been dreaming of the day that Dr. Pepper and I will meet again, but is it really that great?   Will it be all that I hoped it to be?  As the end of my time here approaches me more and more quickly, I fear what I will be leaving behind me, both the good and the bad:

- eating mangos on a daily basis

- enjoying spicy Thai food

- speaking Thai to people on the streets

- sleeping with fear of bugs crawling on me at night

- killing creepy crawlers in my house on a regular basis

- teaching my students

- witnessing elephants walking in the middle of the street

- being able to live for less than $200 a month

- bargaining over clothing prices

- walking in this compound that has become my home away from home

- living in buddha land where everywhere i turn is a buddha

- sweating all day, every day, even while I'm sleeping

 

There is so much more that I will be leaving behind, like the people.  The people have had an impact on my life like no other.  It has truly been a blessing to be here, and I hope that my reverse culture shock won't be like a slap in the face, throwing me to the ground, not being able to catch my breathe.  I hope it'll be okay, in fact, I know it will be, because God will help me get through the rough times ahead of me.

English Camp, once more!

Friday was our one day off and we choose to spend our time at an english camp.  Even though Leah and I have been to almost ten, if not more, english camps this year, every one has been different, not one is the same as the last.  Organization is always different, number of students is never the same, and the location has always changed.  

Even though Friday's english camp was the smallest in number of students attending, I would say it was the best experience I've had during a camp thus far.  It was so much fun!  Since there was a smaller number of kids, there were only three teachers leading out.  It was divided into three groups, kindies, primary, and then the older ones... it was really great working with a smaller number of kids because I could connect with them more one on one.  I got to know them so much better, and I could remember their names and tease them!

The morning was filled with three rotations.  I first visited the Kindies, the youngest ones.  They were so much fun, we sang the ABCs, other songs, did some activities involving learning the colors, and played games.  Next, I moved to the big kids where we could talk a lot and laugh, they knew pretty good english!  It was great.  My last rotation was with the middle aged kids, and they were the most fun.  They were so loud and eager to learn!  We played an animal game involving animal noises and it was great times.  

English camp was great, I only have one more, and that's this Tuesday.  It hope it will be good as well.

Overwhelmed

With less than two weeks left of school I feel like my time here is rushed.  I only have 8 more days of teaching, and planned two all day english camps.  How am I supposed to feel a complete sense of closure from this place when every day I have left here is full?! I feel utterly overwhelmed.  I hope that I'll be able to feel good about my accomplishments here when I leave.  It'll be difficult, no doubt.  Saying goodbye to my neighbors and those that have become my second family will feel be a heartbreak.  Who's to say if I'll ever see these people again?  Maybe it's good that I'm busy till the morning I leave, maybe the time will go by really fast as opposed to inching by at a snails pace.  I guess I'd prefer it this way, but I still feel really overwhelmed by the amount of activity in my life!

Bus ride=Disco ride

All of Thailand's transportations have scared me at some point.  Buses have been the most frightening, let's not forget the awful blue and green buses of Bangkok that don't stop to let you get on and just keep rolling on as if they expect to you run and jump in...  The river taxi was also scary.  The most frightening time was with my parents at Christmas when there were so many people inside that I could have sworn the boat was going to pop open or sink to the bottom of the river.  Tuk-tuks are never safe, always speeding through traffic on three wheels expecting the other giant vehicles passing by to stop for them, I'm always amazed nothing happens to me on my journeys to places here.

Taxis, well these are crazy everywhere, but I'd have to say Bangkok holds the craziest ones I've ever seen or met.  Half the time the identification picture at the front of the taxi isn't of the same face you see driving you.  Some speak in rapid Thai thinking you understand, and somehow manage to keep you alive as they dodge wild buses and miraculously miss hitting pedestrians as they are crossing the street. 

Last night was the same story.  We were coming back from the Mission College and had a long ride ahead of us, 10 hours on a high bus.  We knew the trip wouldn't be easy.  What we didn't realize was that there was no air conditioning!  Not twenty minutes into the trip, every part of my body that was touching the seat I was sitting on was covered in sweat.  Ew!  It remained drenched for most of the ride back.  Things started getting really crazy when suddenly there came loud disco dancing music from the speakers.  I was really trying not to be peeved at this point: I was hot, sweaty and tired.  All I wanted to do was sleep, but how can one when music is blasting?!

As I was looking at around, a little annoyed at my situation, I realized something awful was going on.  There was a tiny TV at the front of the bus, revealing girls dancing in bikinis... and it was stationed right in front of the bus driver!  I was so shocked.  How can he drive and watch this at the same time? I was utterly confused and started praying right away for my safety.  Seriously?  Was he serious?  

Well good news is that I'm safe and sound and I've already completed my day of teaching, so I'm okay.  But how stupid can people be?  I felt like I was in a disco bus the entire time, if there is such a thing.  I'm sure if the bus weren't going so fast and if the roads weren't so bouncy, the passengers would have been dancing in the isles.  What a weird experience!

Mission College

Only $6,000 for the year, submersed in a chill Adventist community, tropical fruits and temperatures year round... sounds pretty good right?  Seriously, if I wasn't in love with Andrews University, I would really consider going to this school.  They offer various degrees in undergrad studies and several others for graduate studies, too.  It's definitely a place I'll be considering for my masters degree...  The campus is beautiful, the school is growing, the people are friendly and nice.  What a place!  I'm so glad I got the chance to see it.  The student body is continuing to grow, and the school is becoming so popular that it's name is changing to include a unity of asian countries!  How neat!  So, wondering where to go to school or not happy where you are?  You should seriously consider this place, it would be a great experience.  

Giant Buddha and Swimming

It seemed like it would never end!  The stairs were countless as I hiked to the top to see the giant white buddha.  Leah and I were visiting fellow missionaries stationed at the mission college for a few days, and they took us on a short trek to a giant buddha. The buddha was so big you could see it in the middle of the mountain from the highway!  It was very interesting, but quite a hike to the top.

After the exhausting trip to the top what I saw was beautiful.  Not the buddha, although it was quite clean for being white and big, but the scenery from the top was amazing.  It takes my breath away at times when I see how amazing and beautiful God's creations are.  He is magnificent and His creation shows it!!  Wow, He is so awesome.  

Because we were so hot and sweaty, the Ashlocks took us to a little swimming area and we enjoyed a picnic and swimming with Thai locals.  It was quite the adventure.  Lunch was delicious and swimming was hilarious with Leah.  Leah loves to freak out, a lot of things scare her, which was why the rope swing was fun!  Although I do have to say that we both freaked out from that swing, it was very wobbly!  

Staying with the Ashlocks was so much fun.  They made us such good food, such as Mexican food, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, fruit salad, salad, cinnamon rolls... and so forth.  They were quite the hosts, made us great food, took us places and were always very nice.  I feel so blessed to have been around these people, even if it was just for a little bit.