1 Month Till Home!

English Camp Photos
http://drake.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41698&l=8ef42&id=512610984
http://drake.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41699&l=2f221&id=512610984


A quick update on my travel plans for the next month. I just have a few things to finish up at KKU and then my time there is done. Tomorrow I'm going to visit Patanadek to help prepare myself for what lies ahead. This past week has been full of farewell dinners (which I always end by awkwardly saying that I'm not really leaving and that I'll see them again! I don't like goodbyes). I've gotten some thoughtful cards and gifts from some students and my arms should be tired from all the hugging I've done-not to mention all the smiling in pictures. All the farewells make me even happier that I'm not actually leaving. I'm just not ready yet.
The next three weeks will be spent traveling with friends and then home to Minnesota! I'm excited for the new adventures but thinking about being home overshadows everything else. But here are my travel plans anyway...

Feb. 23-29 heading south to Nakhon Si Thammarat to visit my friend Adrian's friend. Then we'll slowly travel back up the peninsula stopping where ever we want.
March 1-3 meet with some recent KKU grads (most who were my 4th year students just a week ago) and go to Koh Kud, an island near Koh Chang.
March 3-?? Cambodia with my friend Beam and maybe others. Not too many people want to go on vacation knowing they'll have to speak English most of the time :)
March 18 6am HOME!
April 29 Back to Thailand to start teaching at Patanadek School

I'm very excited to get to Cambodia as I think it'll be different from Thailand and Lao. Isaan is not the different than Lao so sometimes I feel like I've never really seen a different culture even though I've been to two different countries. There's more of a change going to Bangkok! We know we want to see Angkor Wat and other than that, we'll see where Cambodia takes us...and we'll go anywhere as long as it's cheap!

Like I said before, it's sorta overshadowed by thoughts of going home. So in tribute to home, here are some of the things I can't wait to do when I'm home:
-overhear conversations in English
-see different colors of hair and people
-drive my car
-eat Jimmy John's
-cook food
-eat Mexican
-eat a veggie burger
-visit MCC
-see you!
-go to a movie theater and see an independent film
-watch current TV shows
-go to a library
-rent movies
-go sledding and ice skating and play hockey
-wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt
-to wear a t-shirt and not feel underdressed
-to feel cold
-read signs
-see my cats
-see people fatter than me
-eat HyVee salsa
-remember how to speak English with all native speakers
-CONCERTS!
-do things at night
-art centers and museums
-call you on the phone
-forget about time zones because it won't matter
-drink water out of the tap
-use an oven
-not consult a travel guide when traveling
-not staring at and judging every other white person I see!

I think you get the idea. You all know I like it here but there are still lots of things I miss. I'm lucky enough to get to go home for 5 weeks and do those things. Hopefully, by the end of 5 weeks I'll be ready to come back to Thailand. Although there are lots of things to look forward to when I'm home, there are some things I am not looking forward to. It will be a re-adjustment to get used to the fast-paced lifestyle, the different relationships formed with people, adequately explaining the changes I have experienced in the last 10 months and other things I can't anticipate yet. I am prepared to experience reverse culture shock and I do think it'll be harder than my culture shock coming here. Only time will tell how it goes down and no matter what, I'm very happy to be able to come home for an extended amount of time. See you soon!