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.