Current Temp: 33
Current Song: I know - Shift K3Y
Taken September 24th 2014 at SFO :)
Now fast forward to September 2015, whoa! I realized I haven't put much photos up lately, part of that is due to my stolen iPhone (Chiang Mai, you and your backpackers suck sometimes!) so alas without some photos. I actually transferred all of my photos onto my Google Drive right before I left for Chiang Mai so I didn't lose any photos, but still. Whatever, joke's on the backpacker - it has a broken screen oye. Oh well, everything happens for a reason, no?! So I really have been living a life offline, which has been quite nice actually. My days are filled with playing with the students with a side of teaching ;) I've been inhaling Thai food lately, my friends and I can't seem to stop eating, not huge amounts, just always going to get a bite of something (noodles, soup, rice, curry, ice cream, chips, fruit, smoothies...) Not exactly a bad life! So some updates. School has been INSANE this past month, part of the reason I haven't blogged much. My down time is spent sleeping. How much is too much sleep? I should research this because my naps are becoming a necessary thing for me now. My friends can tell if I've napped or not after class. Seriously, such a wimp. Okay well the school opened a school bank at the office and so of course that means a huge ceremony and a million photos taken. This was taken at the entrance and the party favor was a little "piggy" bank - I picked an elephant because it's Thailand and I now have this little handsome fella sitting on my desk and I put my baht coins in there. I will have to crack it open once I live Thailand (if I ever leave). This is my poor attempt at 
My friends and I chowed on some Som Tam Thai (papaya salad) and two of us opted for Prathom (3 peppers) and Emily got Mattyhom (8 peppers) and well we called this our "emotional dinner" because we were all in tears by the end. Why we do this to ourselves I just don't know...it's just soooooooooooo good.
This is my P...means little sister in Thai. She's the little sister of one of my Thai friends. We drove to Mae Sai for this delicious "steak" and I ate my first mystery meat-meat ball...won't do that again, but I survived haha. Love Thailand!
So I have an American friend that lives in my little town and we meet up for dinner and binge watch American shows for hours and eat crackers and candy and sip soda water. He works for an international company here in Thailand and has been out here for 2 years. He's also been 6 years sober and works as a counselor at an institute here in my little town. Honestly he is just amazing, his stories amaze and terrify me, but he is the happiest person I have ever met. It's been really great getting to escape Thailand be a lazy American in A/C. Unrelated, just after I posted my previous blog about the lack of rainfall - a HUGE thunder and lightning storm roll in, it was seriously insane. I posted that blog at lunch and I was teaching on the 3rd floor and it just went dark and windy and then the lightning started striking down across the street! However, my friend was also watching the storm and he got hit by a small bolt!!! Note to self: never complain about the weather again in Thailand, poor guy. Thankfully he's okay, just a bit shaken up...Okay so...anyhow, one night we caught this beautiful sunset and left us speechless. This temple is the one temple in my little town by the night market, where food carts are open from 4PM till around 2AM...every day. It's the best thing. So here are some Mae Chan skies and why I love where I live...
And here is a selfie when I was killing time in the office and trying to survive the heat. I have been avoiding photos since my parents visit, trying to steer clear of technology a bit but hey...selfies can be fun :)
This was taken at Gemma's Gym - our nickname for Gemma's place. This is where we get together to do yoga and aerobics and we will soon be starting a bicycle club once the temperatures start to drop. Biking in 34+ weather = one hot sweaty mess. And I wanted to see if I could still do some inversions so had Gemma snap this pic for me. I love my Thai fashion skills. Clearly I don't own a full length mirror - I wonder if I would pay more attention to my clothes when I'm not all dolled up for school haha. 
My feeble attempts at modeling are displayed here hahaha. Basically was told not to smile and Emily was trying to make me laugh so this is what you get. You're welcome Thailand, YOU'RE WELCOME!
Actually it was a lot of fun. And I have had a little crush on one of the PE teachers (the one that drove me to the airport when I left for California). He speaks as much English as I speak Thai (maybe even less because I am a bit lazy about learning Thai) so we just smile at each other and just do the whole awkward bit. My friend Jess was with me one time when he was near and I just told her "watch me make my move" and he said hello and I just said "hi" and then rushed off.. Her and I couldn't stop laughing at that, I have zero game with Thai men, it's rather hilarious because I'm super awkward and they can't speak English and I can't speak Thai so it's really just a hilarious situation to witness in general. My parents have witnessed this awkwardness in my life and just find it funny. And yes he has a girlfriend, my Thai friend broke the news to me even though I knew nothing would ever evolve other than our greetings haha. I still jokingly acted like I was crushed, but I forget that Thai people gossip A LOT so now I'm pretty sure she told him I have a crush on him. Just my luck. So now I completely avoid him...however I knew he would be at this party and my friends know about it and just find the entire situation completely hilarious and ridiculous because well it is. So the male Thai teachers dressed smart for the four teachers that are retiring (they're all women) and my friends told me to look at him and I glanced his way and basically just fainted hahaha. I don't know what it is about a suit, but even though I can be a traveler/backpacker, a proper suit...swoon. So once I was able to regain consciousness I jokingly told my friends I was retiring too and that I wasn't renewing my contract and we just busted out laughing. Pretty sure our table was the loudest. So all in all, this party was quite fun. Way too much food (said no one ever) and the drinks plentiful. My Thai teachers LOVE to drink, and man do they. I stuck with a wine cooler and it just kept refilling itself, we cut ourselves off when we were headed back to Chiang Rai though. Lots of singing and dancing happened. We actually went on after some of the Thai teachers did a traditional Thai dance. However we ended up winning the prize money so we're treating ourselves to a nice meal on Monday at school haha. Oh and the selfie photo, I was getting ready for our dance and Jess was painting a moon by my eye and PE teacher walked by and smiled at me and told me I looked beautiful. I turned a deep red and Jess and I couldn't stop laughing because of how ridiculous this whole situation is. I'm so happy term is almost over and I don't have to show my face to him for a long time. After the dance I had my friend's HUSBANDS tell me they love me and asked my name. Oh Thailand...Can't help but laugh.
I have made exams and started giving them out and now the never ending grading begins...so naturally I am writing a long blog to procrastinate just a bit more on this lazy Sunday. My friends and I met for tea at Mae Chan Coffee this morning and we complained about the heat and how nothing is open on Sunday and basically hated on our little town for a little bit. haha. Our hanger had kicked in after we went to Tesco and was disappointed by the lack of A/C in the store. We refused to go to 7-11 so we just complained and thankfully found a noodle shop open and caved to our hunger and then went to nap. What a Sunday! It rained for a few minutes earlier and thankfully it lowered the temperature a bit. Can't believe it's almost October! Where has the time gone?!
More on the retirement part. Well these four amazing women are retiring with much sadness and this has been a month long even for the most part. Parties in Chiang Mai and Mae Chan and the big hoorah in Chiang Rai. Friday at school this is what was happening...The school has a big assembly room of sorts and Prathom 5-Mattyhom 3 students were all present (as the 4 teachers taught their classes) and oh my goodness...what a beautiful experience. I cried of course, but were a lot of people. Students broke down when they hugged their favorite teacher and the teachers cried giving speeches and when the students sang Wai Kru - honestly my favorite Thai song. It's beautiful. It's about respect and thanking the teachers for everything they do. All the students sing this which is led by two Mattyhom girls who sing in the mic. It brings chills just thinking about it. Then they bow and give the highest level of Wai (reserved for The King and Buddha) and "wai" the teachers. Well they did this for the teachers retiring and it was just incredible. I have goosebumps thinking about it. Here are some photos I stole from FB of the event.
At the retirement party - they are beautiful
Faculty in traditional Lanna (Northern Thailand) wear
I love this photo of them
The Wai
My boys setting up for the event
Term ends this Friday, but staying up north for a bit to get my visa extension all sorted before I start traveling South. I'm meeting up with friends in Chiang Mai for a wine crawl (UM YES) and relax by the pool for the weekend. Meeting the new teachers and GVI is paying for everything for Emma and I that weekend, YES PLEASE. I'm trying to save all my money for Indonesia since it's a bit more expensive than Thailand. Still cheap compared to Western world, but expensive for us Thai people haha. I have my loose plans all sorted for Bali, but know they will probably change because that's the beauty of solo travel! Going straight to Ubud to relax and yoga it up every day at this beautiful yoga studio (actually there are 5 studios so I can't wait!) and they offer all types of yoga as well as salsa dancing! I can't wait! Staying at this adorable place called The Happy Mango - UM YES PLEASE. And then will go from there...headed to Lembongan top stay at Yoga Shack where I will stay with Bethel for a few days. Thinking maybe 4-5 days on the island then heading to Gili to explore the 3 islands and possibly stay on Gili Trawangan. thinking 4-5 nights, perhaps? Who knows! I just know I need to be at the airport on 30th (I think...) so I can fly back to Thailand to make The Color Run on Halloween with my friends! I need to come up with a costume by then...However that's in a month, I'll deal with that later!
Well I guess all in all, life is pretty good. Still reading a lot, but have to not read so much before bed because I have been having some weird dreams! I guess that's what I get for reading a book about an ex-KKK member that is on death row in the deep South back in the 90s...oye. So I think that is as much as I can update on my life. I am still loving Thailand and the thought of leaving this place to try a new country out is terrifying, but know it's the next move. I can always come back to Thailand. I have been hesitant about the Oz thing and I think after Bali I'll have a clearer mindset on where I stand and where I'll want to travel next. I have the application basically all filled out, just need to press that Submit button...So scary! November...And then will hopefully find out by January?
OH! MY BROTHER IS COMING TO THAILAND!!!! It's his bday/xmas gift - he'll be 25 so what better way to bring in a quarter century birthday than by being in Thailand! I can't wait to show him around and have him here. I can't stop talking about it to my friends, my Thai friends can't wait to meet him...I told them he has a girlfriend but they don't seem to care haha. Oh Thailand...So that's some new news...
I am still thinking Myanmar for Christmas/New Years with my friends. Want to bicycle through Bagan (considered equal if not more impressive than Angkor Wat and since I've already done that - holla, why not Myanmar?) I am still researching tickets and costs and whatnot, it's a bit expensive and Myanmar (aka Burma) isn't too farang friendly as in it's hard to get there from Thailand and you have to get the visa before entering (like Vietnam), but I have to see Bagan before I leave...But yeah...January will be a broke month for me as I'm saving my entire salary for my next big adventure. Vietnam in March for a month then The Philippines until I figure out if I'm going to Australia or Vietnam in May...In theory Oz is to save money and explore Oz, Fiji, and New Zealand before hopping to South America to meet up with one of my oldest and dearest friends and start in Colombia and hitting up Ecuador, PERU (DUH), Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and ending in Brazil for the New Years...I want to jump off a waterfall and over waves 7 times and make a wish in the falls (their tradition). However South American visas are EXPENSIVE for Americans hence why I need to make some serious money before I get to go back (I will be paying over $1,000 in fees)...I also want to get my Peruvian citizenship back (it was stripped when I became a US citizen when I was 12). And maybe quite possibly look up my birth mother and birth brothers...Just to see if I can find anything on them...But that's just a tentative plan. Then after South America if I have any money left over (yeah right, me and money and budgeting doesn't happen too often) either head back to Thailand to teach or Europe to make one of my last big moves for awhile. I've always wanted to live in Spain. My aunt is from Spain and I love her culture and of course all the Spanish cuisine. I blame The Red Balloon for my wanderlust. It was my favorite movie as a child and I think that Red Balloon is one of my earliest memories. But who knows, maybe I'll want to go back to California or maybe just decide to live in Peru (also on my list). Still want to dive with the great whites in Cape Town and visit my South African aunts (the women I hiked the Inka Trail with) and climb Kiliminjaro and visit Ehtiopia with Bethel. And also recently am thinking about The Trans-Siberian Railway to adventure. Ah so much to see in this world! I love it!
Okay enough with my head in the clouds. I'll find a new nest to settle in and make my home somewhere in the world.
Until next time Thailand! Sawadee Jao :)
Actually it was a lot of fun. And I have had a little crush on one of the PE teachers (the one that drove me to the airport when I left for California). He speaks as much English as I speak Thai (maybe even less because I am a bit lazy about learning Thai) so we just smile at each other and just do the whole awkward bit. My friend Jess was with me one time when he was near and I just told her "watch me make my move" and he said hello and I just said "hi" and then rushed off.. Her and I couldn't stop laughing at that, I have zero game with Thai men, it's rather hilarious because I'm super awkward and they can't speak English and I can't speak Thai so it's really just a hilarious situation to witness in general. My parents have witnessed this awkwardness in my life and just find it funny. And yes he has a girlfriend, my Thai friend broke the news to me even though I knew nothing would ever evolve other than our greetings haha. I still jokingly acted like I was crushed, but I forget that Thai people gossip A LOT so now I'm pretty sure she told him I have a crush on him. Just my luck. So now I completely avoid him...however I knew he would be at this party and my friends know about it and just find the entire situation completely hilarious and ridiculous because well it is. So the male Thai teachers dressed smart for the four teachers that are retiring (they're all women) and my friends told me to look at him and I glanced his way and basically just fainted hahaha. I don't know what it is about a suit, but even though I can be a traveler/backpacker, a proper suit...swoon. So once I was able to regain consciousness I jokingly told my friends I was retiring too and that I wasn't renewing my contract and we just busted out laughing. Pretty sure our table was the loudest. So all in all, this party was quite fun. Way too much food (said no one ever) and the drinks plentiful. My Thai teachers LOVE to drink, and man do they. I stuck with a wine cooler and it just kept refilling itself, we cut ourselves off when we were headed back to Chiang Rai though. Lots of singing and dancing happened. We actually went on after some of the Thai teachers did a traditional Thai dance. However we ended up winning the prize money so we're treating ourselves to a nice meal on Monday at school haha. Oh and the selfie photo, I was getting ready for our dance and Jess was painting a moon by my eye and PE teacher walked by and smiled at me and told me I looked beautiful. I turned a deep red and Jess and I couldn't stop laughing because of how ridiculous this whole situation is. I'm so happy term is almost over and I don't have to show my face to him for a long time. After the dance I had my friend's HUSBANDS tell me they love me and asked my name. Oh Thailand...Can't help but laugh.I have made exams and started giving them out and now the never ending grading begins...so naturally I am writing a long blog to procrastinate just a bit more on this lazy Sunday. My friends and I met for tea at Mae Chan Coffee this morning and we complained about the heat and how nothing is open on Sunday and basically hated on our little town for a little bit. haha. Our hanger had kicked in after we went to Tesco and was disappointed by the lack of A/C in the store. We refused to go to 7-11 so we just complained and thankfully found a noodle shop open and caved to our hunger and then went to nap. What a Sunday! It rained for a few minutes earlier and thankfully it lowered the temperature a bit. Can't believe it's almost October! Where has the time gone?!
More on the retirement part. Well these four amazing women are retiring with much sadness and this has been a month long even for the most part. Parties in Chiang Mai and Mae Chan and the big hoorah in Chiang Rai. Friday at school this is what was happening...The school has a big assembly room of sorts and Prathom 5-Mattyhom 3 students were all present (as the 4 teachers taught their classes) and oh my goodness...what a beautiful experience. I cried of course, but were a lot of people. Students broke down when they hugged their favorite teacher and the teachers cried giving speeches and when the students sang Wai Kru - honestly my favorite Thai song. It's beautiful. It's about respect and thanking the teachers for everything they do. All the students sing this which is led by two Mattyhom girls who sing in the mic. It brings chills just thinking about it. Then they bow and give the highest level of Wai (reserved for The King and Buddha) and "wai" the teachers. Well they did this for the teachers retiring and it was just incredible. I have goosebumps thinking about it. Here are some photos I stole from FB of the event.
At the retirement party - they are beautiful
Faculty in traditional Lanna (Northern Thailand) wear
I love this photo of them
The Wai
My boys setting up for the event 
The teachers
Beautiful
I cried when they gave their speeches even though it was all in Thai
Giving respect
Disporn - my favorite teacher. She has helped me with everything in Thailand, has been my Thai Mom, I will be sad when I walk the halls next term and won't see her every day...
Okay so...switching back to happy moments
Term ends this Friday, but staying up north for a bit to get my visa extension all sorted before I start traveling South. I'm meeting up with friends in Chiang Mai for a wine crawl (UM YES) and relax by the pool for the weekend. Meeting the new teachers and GVI is paying for everything for Emma and I that weekend, YES PLEASE. I'm trying to save all my money for Indonesia since it's a bit more expensive than Thailand. Still cheap compared to Western world, but expensive for us Thai people haha. I have my loose plans all sorted for Bali, but know they will probably change because that's the beauty of solo travel! Going straight to Ubud to relax and yoga it up every day at this beautiful yoga studio (actually there are 5 studios so I can't wait!) and they offer all types of yoga as well as salsa dancing! I can't wait! Staying at this adorable place called The Happy Mango - UM YES PLEASE. And then will go from there...headed to Lembongan top stay at Yoga Shack where I will stay with Bethel for a few days. Thinking maybe 4-5 days on the island then heading to Gili to explore the 3 islands and possibly stay on Gili Trawangan. thinking 4-5 nights, perhaps? Who knows! I just know I need to be at the airport on 30th (I think...) so I can fly back to Thailand to make The Color Run on Halloween with my friends! I need to come up with a costume by then...However that's in a month, I'll deal with that later!
Well I guess all in all, life is pretty good. Still reading a lot, but have to not read so much before bed because I have been having some weird dreams! I guess that's what I get for reading a book about an ex-KKK member that is on death row in the deep South back in the 90s...oye. So I think that is as much as I can update on my life. I am still loving Thailand and the thought of leaving this place to try a new country out is terrifying, but know it's the next move. I can always come back to Thailand. I have been hesitant about the Oz thing and I think after Bali I'll have a clearer mindset on where I stand and where I'll want to travel next. I have the application basically all filled out, just need to press that Submit button...So scary! November...And then will hopefully find out by January?OH! MY BROTHER IS COMING TO THAILAND!!!! It's his bday/xmas gift - he'll be 25 so what better way to bring in a quarter century birthday than by being in Thailand! I can't wait to show him around and have him here. I can't stop talking about it to my friends, my Thai friends can't wait to meet him...I told them he has a girlfriend but they don't seem to care haha. Oh Thailand...So that's some new news...
I am still thinking Myanmar for Christmas/New Years with my friends. Want to bicycle through Bagan (considered equal if not more impressive than Angkor Wat and since I've already done that - holla, why not Myanmar?) I am still researching tickets and costs and whatnot, it's a bit expensive and Myanmar (aka Burma) isn't too farang friendly as in it's hard to get there from Thailand and you have to get the visa before entering (like Vietnam), but I have to see Bagan before I leave...But yeah...January will be a broke month for me as I'm saving my entire salary for my next big adventure. Vietnam in March for a month then The Philippines until I figure out if I'm going to Australia or Vietnam in May...In theory Oz is to save money and explore Oz, Fiji, and New Zealand before hopping to South America to meet up with one of my oldest and dearest friends and start in Colombia and hitting up Ecuador, PERU (DUH), Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and ending in Brazil for the New Years...I want to jump off a waterfall and over waves 7 times and make a wish in the falls (their tradition). However South American visas are EXPENSIVE for Americans hence why I need to make some serious money before I get to go back (I will be paying over $1,000 in fees)...I also want to get my Peruvian citizenship back (it was stripped when I became a US citizen when I was 12). And maybe quite possibly look up my birth mother and birth brothers...Just to see if I can find anything on them...But that's just a tentative plan. Then after South America if I have any money left over (yeah right, me and money and budgeting doesn't happen too often) either head back to Thailand to teach or Europe to make one of my last big moves for awhile. I've always wanted to live in Spain. My aunt is from Spain and I love her culture and of course all the Spanish cuisine. I blame The Red Balloon for my wanderlust. It was my favorite movie as a child and I think that Red Balloon is one of my earliest memories. But who knows, maybe I'll want to go back to California or maybe just decide to live in Peru (also on my list). Still want to dive with the great whites in Cape Town and visit my South African aunts (the women I hiked the Inka Trail with) and climb Kiliminjaro and visit Ehtiopia with Bethel. And also recently am thinking about The Trans-Siberian Railway to adventure. Ah so much to see in this world! I love it!
Okay enough with my head in the clouds. I'll find a new nest to settle in and make my home somewhere in the world.
Until next time Thailand! Sawadee Jao :)
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