8 Goals for the New Year!

In 2013, I joined a sorority and have wonderful sisters, started giving tours at my favorite university, volunteered at a title 1 high school doing what I love, spent my summer with fun coworkers and crazy children, made friends from all over the world, traveled throughout Southeast Asia, and most importantly fell in love with Thailand and traveling, started a blog, changed the way I see the world, and reevaluated my beliefs and life goals. I had a wonderful year. It was busy, and I have grown and learned and am motivated to continue that. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store.

My 8 goals for this year revolve around being healthier, more educated, and a more involved citizen, globally and locally.

1. Read more, including at least one nonfiction or memoir about each country I've visited.

2. Save money for future travels by improving my money management skills.

3. Eat well- more vegetarian and less processed foods

4. Stay positive by finding good in everything.

5. Work out at least 3 times a week.

6. Find somewhere to volunteer at once a week.

7. Put forth my best effort in all that I do.

Happy New Year!

It Has Been Fun Thailand

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is the change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." 
Miriam Beard

Summing up my past 3 months in Southeast Asia seems like an impossible task because there are too many experiences, memories, and people that played a part in my wonderful semester. I will miss the warm smiles (especially from the children), the chaotic (and sometimes overwhelming) markets, gorgeous temples, street food from the vendors, the scenic countryside and beaches, the various and sometimes unique forms of transportation, spending 5 different currencies in a week, traveling every weekend, 7-11s (my go-to shop here), and most importantly, the people that I spent my semester with.

I am thrilled by how independent I have become in such a foreign country halfway around the world. I am comfortable here. I have fallen in love with Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia. It's mesmerizing. I am renewed with a drive to see the rest of the world because the more I see, the more I realize how large it is. I have become more confident in my skills, more passionate about learning, and am working to be a more positive person. I have Thailand to thank.

It's time to say goodbye for now, but I know I'll be back to this wonderful country which holds so many memories that are dear to my heart. See you later, Thailand. You've shown me the best time.

So, What Have I Learned?

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.” 

Anthony Bourdain

This semester has been an accumulation of lessons. Many of which I don't think I've realized that I've even learned. I've discussed some (below) that I believe I've begun working on; though, as with all things, I have a long way to go.

1. I learned how to be happy.
I can honestly say that I've never been so happy in my life than I was this past semester. Even during frustrating times I tried to continuously reminded myself that it was all part of the adventure of being abroad.

2. I learned that I'm stronger than I thought.
I met new people and made incredible friends in a very short period of time which I used to say I was bad at. It was easier than I thought though. We were all looking to make friends because Thailand was new to all of us. I took a gigantic leap by deciding to relocate halfway around the world for a semester knowing no one. I was scared, but I loved it and proved to myself what I'm capable of doing.

3. I learned to appreciate nature and see beauty in the things around me.
I've never been a very outdoorsy person, but I've become someone that really enjoys nature. The world is beautiful and acknowledging that just makes me a happier and more appreciative person.

4. I learned how much I love to learn.
I am embarrassed to say that I was naive and ignorant about a lot of things prior to coming to Thailand. However, I have begun to research, discuss with those around me, and ponder what things mean in relation to my life when I don't know about them. I am also working to see things from both sides so that I get the full picture and can more accurately form my opinions on topics such as animal rights, prostitution, volunteering, etc. I have made goals to read at least one memoir or nonfiction book about every country that I visit. I am also trying to switch from watching my drama TV shows to watching documentaries on topics that I'm interested in but may not know a lot about.

5. I became more open-minded.
I listened to other people's beliefs and used those to question mine. I learned more and changed some of my views. I'm working to be more accepting of others' views as well, even if they do differ from mine.

6. I learned to slow down.
In today's world too often we're going going going. I know I'm guilty of this. I get out of bed at the last moment so that I rush around to get ready and then rush to class. I walk too fast. I always have a destination in mind and I don't take enough time to enjoy the moment. Thailand has taught me that sometimes I need to slow down and take in the world around me. There's no need to constantly be on a tight schedule when I go out.

7. I learned a smile goes a long way.
I spent a semester in a country that I don't speak the native language. Most Thais don't speak english either. This means that I've spent a semester playing charades and guessing around trying to hit the jackpot word that they'll recognize. While I may not be able to communicate with many Thai people, a smile and a laugh can go a long way.

I think that I have become a more well-rounded, happier, healthier, accepting, and adventurous person, thanks to this trip. Even though I'm going back home soon, I hope that I continue to develop these lessons and add on to the list. The learning doesn't stop here.

It's Only "See You Later"

I'm not sure where the past 3 months have gone. Suddenly everyone has begun leaving the dorms to go home or travel for some time before going home. Either way, I won't see them again in Thailand. It's nice that we live all over the world because that means that wherever I go I have a contact. However, it also means that we all live so far apart that I can't just hop in my car and make a weekend trip to see people. Because of this goodbyes are difficult. I have been feeling very nostalgic the past few days. The memories and friendships that I have made this semester have been beyond what I could have ever hoped for. I am excited to go home and see my family and friends. I do believe that it's time, but it doesn't make leaving much easier. How can I say goodbye to a semester that has been so wonderful?

3 months ago I came to Thailand not really knowing what to expect. I didn't know anyone else, I didn't know the cultures, and I was scared. I have since met wonderful people, made memories that run the gamut, and truly fallen in love with traveling and Southeast Asia.

I am struggling to sum this semester up, so I have decided to use the words of my friends to help.

Brandon:
September 8th: "No garbage cans, police, netflix, packer games, or traffic laws. Lots of strange meat, very minimal English, 89 and SUPER humid, and a freaking crazy experience so far!"

To think I am getting on a plane tomorrow freaks me out. I remember day 1 like it was yesterday (I wish I could say that about every day). I feel like a different person today and when I look outside my window I see my home, not a foreign country.
I am so fortunate to have been housed with so many amazing people in the hands down best country for studying abroad. I know the "goodbye" is only temporary for many, but never again will we be in an environment like this together. It's another chapter in life's story and I learned a lot from it. Thailand, and the memories created here, will always have a special place in my heart. #greenparkerforlife

Andrew:
My third time being emotional in my adult life was today and it is no surprise why it is so. It would not be right for this to be called "Green Park House" it was called "Home" for a reason. Coming to Thailand I did not know what to expect and thus my expectations were swept away each and every minute of each and every day. I have been trying to figure out if it was the places, the night life, the beaches, the scuba diving, or the culture that made this place so special to me. Then I realized that it has really not been any of that. It was sharing these experiences with some of the most talented, smart, and beautiful people I had ever encountered in my life. I feel today that I left home, but I know that I have not really left home and my home will be revisited when I come to meet up with each of those incredible people as my home was shared with each and everyone of them. Thailand you have my fascination, wonder, and amazing experience, but Green Park Home; you all have my heart. This is not good bye in any way, but rather see you later and a smile because we all know what happened. Mai ben rai my friends.. you have changed my life in ways I will never be able to fully explain to anyone. Until next time.. "see you later" .. oh shit..tearing up

As you can see, I live in a dorm that became my home with people that became my family. My last night in the dorm we ordered food, invited everyone over that was still around and, for the last time in Green Park, enjoyed each others company and reminisced about the semester. I don't know if this is how everyone feels about their study abroad experience, but I hope that they make similar friendships and tons of fond memories as I have here. This semester has changed my life, how I view the world, and helped me grow as an individual. I have these lovely people to thank.

So, thanks for the memories, guys. Reunion next year?

My Favorite Cultural Weekend in Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh

I spent 4 days in Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh this weekend with two friends from my dorm. I went into the weekend with plans of visiting museums and learning about the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia that I never really knew about. I recently made a goal of reading a memoir or nonfiction book about every country that I visit. So, in preparation for this weekend I read First They Killed My Father which is about the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia, and am currently reading The Girl in the Picture, which is about the war in Vietnam. I still had a lot of questions though, and this weekend was an educational one that answered many of them, and more. Although it was one of my favorite weekends, it wasn't an easy one. The Cu Chi Tunnels, War Remnants Museum, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and the Killing Fields left me with a great deal to process. Both wars occurred so recently that you can see it in the faces of any native over the age of 40. They were directly affected and both countries are still recovering and sadly will be for a long time.

After nearly missing our flight to Ho Chi Minh, thanks to awful Bangkok traffic, we made it to Vietnam! Through it's not as bad as in Hanoi, as soon as we walked out of the airport we noticed the honking. It's annoying, unnecessary, and relentless. Ho Chi Minh is cleaner and calmer, with the exception of the motor bikes and the chaos that they cause on the roads, than other cities in Southeast Asia that I've visited. Crossing the street was always an interesting experience though. The are millions of motor bikes in Ho Chi Minh. More than I've ever seen before. They don't follow road laws, which include driving on the correct side of the road and following the few stop lights. So, when crossing the street you just have to check and make sure a car isn't coming and slowly cross the street without changing pace. The motor bikes just weave around you, honking. It scared me every time. Vietnamese currency, Dong, was something that we struggled with the whole weekend. Their currency has three extra and unnecessary zeros on the end that confused the hell out of us every time we paid. The 10,000 and 100,000 dong bills look too similar. It's likely that I accidentally paid with a 100,000 dong bill instead of a 10,000 dong bill on multiple occasions.

The first night we ate at a popular Vietnamese noodle shop and had Pho, which is a very traditional Vietnamese dish with thick noodles, as well as delicious bread. Everywhere in Vietnam the bread seemed to be exceptional. Bread like that can't be found in Thailand and I miss it! We stayed at Townhouse 50, a nice hostel with comfortable breads, helpful staff, and a yummy breakfast that's included. The walking tour and backpacking street are all in walking distance as well. I noticed in Vietnam that everyone seemed to have jobs, and many were seemingly unnecessary ones. People had the job of opening doors, and there were security guards in the city every 20 feet it seemed. They sat in a little plastic chair on the sidewalk usually eating, reading a paper, or chatting. At night people came out to clean the streets. I don't recall seeing homeless people either.

Friday, we got up early to visit the Cu Chi tunnels which are a couple of hours from Ho Chi Minh. We first stopped at a warehouse/shop run by staff affected by Agent Orange worked. They painted various creations and profits went to support the employees. At the tunnels we learned about the guerrilla warfare techniques used during the Vietnamese War in the 1970s which were gruesome. Crawling 200 meters through the tunnels was more difficult that I thought it would be. It was small, dark, and so hot. I can't imagine how the Vietnamese lived in those tunnels and crawled through with guns and gear on.

The War Remnants Museum was educational and eye-opening. America really made some bad choices that affected millions of Vietnamese people. The chemical Agent Orange is horrific and will haunt those affected by it for generations. The pictures alone made me cringe. An absurd number of bombs were dropped by the Americans and that war killed many more innocent civilians than military.

Markets in Vietnam are even worse than those in Thailand when it comes to aggressive sellers. In Thailand, the sellers just call to you, "Come look. Buy my things. Special price for you." You can walk by slowly and glance, make a split-second decision if those items are worth listening to the seller try to talk you into to buying things, and act accordingly. In Vietnam, however, they will grab your arm and pull you over to their shop. You can't even look or you're in for the hard sell. It was a different market than others I've been to though because it had everything from clothes, to coffee and fruit, to seafood. Ho Chi Minh is close to the ocean and had huge fish, crabs, etc. for sale. It was neat to walk through, though not so pleasant to smell.

Parts of Ho Chi Minh show French influence and I stood on one square imaging that I was in France. We sent letters at a large, French-looking post office. I glued the letter closed with some gloop and had to lick the stamps.

That evening for dinner we met up with two Dutch girls that I had met in Halong Bay a month before and happened to also be in Ho Chi Minh. Coincidentally, while wandering around Ho Chi Minh we also stumbled across a celebration that was a Dutch town set up in the middle of the city for a week celebrating an anniversary of Dutch and Vietnamese trading. It was a nice, unexpected surprise. Too bad we arrived a little late to try to Dutch snacks, but we did slip in some photos. During one of our pictures, we had asked a Vietnamese man to take a picture of our group and while he took the photo  about four other cameras were whipped out and taking our group's photo.

Sunday morning I headed to Phnom Penh on an early bus. It lasted about 6 hours and one of my friends and I were the only westerners, meaning at the border it took us a lot longer to get through due to visas. The bus left us and we had to catch up on a motor bike that fit the driver, me, and my friend on the back. At the time we didn't know exactly what was going on though, just they wanted us to get on the motor bike. We probably didn't hesitate enough to ask questions about the whole situation, but luckily it worked out.

We caught up on some sleep after arriving in Phnom Penh and met up with our GlobaLinks advisor, who happened to be in Cambodia at the same time, for dinner. Monday was a difficult one that involved an early morning. At the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (AKA S-21) we took a tour guided by a Cambodian that was 13 at the time that the war began. She was directly affected and shared her story making it all even more real. The two remaining survivors of the thousands that went through the prison were also at the museum that day and we got to meet them and picked up their books for some "light" reading.

Our tuk-tuk driver that paid $23 for the day, then took us 40 minutes outside of the city to the Killing Fields. With an audio set I learned about a genocide in Cambodia that took the lives of millions, up to around 30% of their population, a mere 40 years ago.

It's devastating, but something that must be passed on and the lives of those that died, remembered.

Cambodia is clearly poorer than Vietnam and Thailand. It has less infrastructure, lots of rice fields, and no one seems to have much wealth. However, Cambodia is one of my favorite countries. Cambodian smiles are my favorite, and the children are beautiful. When they smile, their whole face lights up. I loved the tuk-tuk ride outside of the city because it really summed up and showed life in Cambodia. Some children were in uniforms going to and from school and waving and smiling as we passed, there were shops that were shanties selling fruit and cheap flip-flops, rough roads, motor bikes, and rice fields. 

This weekend was one of my favorites. I learned a great deal. It will be a weekend that will stick with me long after I leave Southeast Asia. The cultures, history, and people will be remembered. Cambodia and Vietnam don't cater to tourists in the way that Thailand does. Their cultures are more their own and I like that. The last meal we ate before flying home was after the killing fields when we went to meet our tuk-tuk driver. He was at a traditional Cambodian restaurant where a lot of the drivers hang out as they wait for their customers. He was gambling playing card games and asked us if we wanted to eat there. We decided to try it out and ate a traditional Cambodian meal of Khmer Curry and Lok Lak (shown below).

Surrounded by all male Cambodian tuk-tuk drivers, watching card games, and eating traditional Cambodian food, I was really immersed in their culture and I love that I got to experience that. 

Rafting in Pai

My past few weeks have been a blur of activity. Last weekend I was in Pai, this weekend I'm headed a couple of hours South to go hiking and hopefully mountain biking at a national park near Hua Hin. I've been extremely pleased with how much I have been able to see and do since I've arrived in Thailand. It has really made this semester a wonderful one full of lots of traveling, new experiences, and a wide variety of activities.

Pai, in Northern Thailand, is known for being a hippie town with a lot of expats. Eight of us arrived to Pai on an overnight bus that we spent Halloween night on. We rented motorbikes to explore the town on the first day. We rode our bikes to a waterfall and Pai Canyon. I drove a motorbike for the first time, ate delicious food over the course of the weekend, and set off a lantern to celebrate Loy Krathong a couple of weeks early. The restaurants, street food, and shopping on Pai's Walking Street was phenomenal.

The following two days were spent white water rafting and camping in the jungle. I fell off the raft 3 and a half times. The half was a good save from my friend who grabbed my arm and pulled me back onto the raft as I was falling out.

Our night in the jungle was at a campsite with no electricity, open bamboo huts with thin mats and mosquito nets, and gigantic mysterious bugs. Some kind of bug ate through my hair gel and put numerous holes in my friend's neck pillow. We sat around the campfire chatting and played cards and mind games that our Thai guides created by candle light in the evening. I learned that I struggle with thinking outside of the box because the mind games were off course not straightforward in the least. They frustrated and intrigued me though. I'd love to spend in a day with someone's brain that thinks differently than me.

We made pit-stops on our rafting journey to exfoliate with mud from a hot-spring, cliff dive, and slide off of rocks. I wimped out and didn't do the cliff diving though. Our Thai guide spoke a bit of English and enjoyed speaking to us in Thai. We understood very little but would try to guess what he was saying until he'd finally translate into English. We each took turns being captain of the raft in the back. It usually meant we ran into a lot of branches, got stuck, and hit rocks, but it was fun.

Backpacking in Halong Bay and Sapa, Vietnam

I spent two nights in Thailand after returning from Cambodia before I flew to Hanoi, Vietnam Tuesday night. I booked a 3 day / 2 night Castaway tour of Halong Bay and a 3 night / 2 day tour of Sapa with Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel. Unlike all of my other trips, I traveled alone this time.

I stayed at the downtown hostel (highly recommend) for the first night and was up early Wednesday morning to leave for Halong Bay. Traveling alone really made me nervous. When I arrived at the hostel the first night I was overwhelmed because of the newness of the whole situation. There were so many people, I was a bit sleep-deprived, and I was alone and unsure about what to do. I ended up just going to bed soon after I arrived hoping to be in a more social mood and feeling more comfortable in the morning.

There were about 25 of us on the tour and only a couple of solo travelers. It took me most of the first day to get comfortable with talking to others. It was a laid back group, I just am not the best at putting myself out there to meet new people. We went kayaking, played some games, and enjoyed the scenery around us. Some rules for the trip were that when we said the word "ten" or "mine" we had to do ten push-ups. They added up quickly and I figure I did over 200.

Halong Bay is full of over 3000 small islands. It's unlike anything that I've ever seen. There are many cruise ships because it's a popular tourist destination, but it didn't take away from the view. There are small fishing villages throughout the bay. While we were on the ship a small boat, rowed by a Vietnamese woman, came up to our ship. She was selling snacks and drinks to tourists on cruise ships and she just rowed from boat to boat in the bay. Unreal! I bought Oreos and Pringles because I was craving some Western snacks. Vietnamese food is nothing compared to food in Thailand. It has much less flavor.

The 1st night was spent on the ship and the following night on a tiny, private island just for our group. I went rock climbing, tubing, and swimming. At night the water had plankton that glowed. We slept in bunk beds in open huts with mosquito nets. No one was American and only one other person was my age, everyone else was pretty much finished with college and on a break from work. They were 23-29 and Canadian, British, Dutch, Irish, Australian, Danish, and German.

I got back from the hostel at around 5:30pm with just enough time for a much needed shower and dinner before I left on an overnight train to Sapa, Vietnam which is further north than Hanoi. There were 3 of us, one Danish guy had been on the Castaway cruise with me, and the other was a British guy. The overnight train was surprisingly comfortable and I fell asleep as soon as we started moving and woke up 9 hours later when we arrived. After breakfast we met our guide, Moo, an 18 year old hill tribe girl working and saving up to go to secondary school which I figure in Sapa is about the equivalent of college in the Western world. She said that the hill-tribe people learn their english from tourists. In Vietnam, a surprising amount of people spoke english.

As we started trekking, hill-tribe women with baskets on their backs and in traditional clothing tagged along asking us where we were from and our names. As soon as we sat down for meals we were suddenly swarmed with women and children trying to sell us bracelets, bags, and other trinkets. They didn't take "no" for an answer very easily. They would hang after for a while continuing to ask us to buy things and trying to wear us down until we gave in. It was rather annoying and we eventually just ended up ignoring them until they went away.

Sapa valley is breath-taking. Even though it was hazy I could see so far into the distance. It was endless rice-fields designed perfectly so that water runs down the mountains in such a way that all of the fields are watered. It was rather difficult trekking, lots of ups and downs, and I realized early on that I packed entirely too much although it was just one backpack.

My group of 3 stayed at a home-stay with 6 others from France and Spain. We had a delicious dinner and spent the evening trying to warm up by drinking unlimited rice wine, which is not especially good but got the job done. I slept in my warm coat that night and in the morning was wearing a short-sleeve shirt again. The second day involved less hiking, but the hiking we did was basically climbing a mountain at a 70 degree angle or walking through these narrow pathways that were very uneven and on the side of a cliff so the only way to get through involved stepping carefully, balancing, and holding onto bamboo trees. I was out of breath and extremely sore afterwards.

For the week I had little phone contact with anyone except the few times that I had wi-fi at the hostel. There were few people traveling alone, no Americans, and I tended to always be the youngest. I was nervous going into this trip, but it turned out to be a nice weekend, but I am very glad to be back in Thailand with my friends. I learned that I need to pack fewer clothes that all match with each other and I need to put myself out there to meet new people. I conquered a fear and learned that I'm not crazy about traveling alone. I love hostels and backpackers though. I am ready to start planning my trip backpacking through Europe for a few months now.