Life and Traditions

Wow. This has been an intense, but good week. I know it's been a while since I wrote last, but the last thing I've wanted to do is type anymore after homework :) But here's whats been going on.

Alan has had us lay off of the ministry since we got back from being up North so that we can catch up on our homework. We have one more paper due on Tuesday, and then the Buddhism section homework, and then we are completely done with this semester. So about 20 more pages to write, and 800 more pages to read. The end is in sight!

This week was a little bit weird; if we hadn't changed our plane tickets, we would have left on 17th, and gotten home on the 18th. So I would be home right now. For some reason, knowing this has made me really homesick over the past few days. But at the same time, I absolutely love it here, and dread the day we pack up and leave, possibly for good. Khruu and Lynette leave tomorrow to go to the States for a few weeks, so we had to say bye to them which sucked.....

When I'm not being dumb and emotional, I've been having a fantastic week, which makes leaving even harder. But at the same time, God's been getting me ready to leave emotionally. He's placed a lot of anticipation in my heart for next school year, for work, for my new living situation, and, of course, for seeing my family. So it's kind of a catch22. I guess the only way to say it is that I'm excited to go home, but not excited to leave. Guess that's life, ay?

We went to Bangkok's Chinatown on Friday, after Thai lessons. It was crazy. Tons of people, cramped streets, and lots of noise. It was a blast, but exhausting. It felt like being in the market part of Rosarito, Mexico, but I understood a lot less than I do in Mexico. Tammy and Kaitlyn got Christmas decorations for APSAI, so that we can be in the Christmas mood when we get home.

On that note; I love Christmas. We were talking about it in the car on the way home from Church today, and it made me really excited. It must be the little kid in me, but everything about Christmas makes me excited; butterflies in the stomach, huge smile, etc. I love snow. I love getting to wear clothes to keep yourself warm; jeans, leggings, flannel shirts, boots. Snow.  I love Christmas lights. I love decorating the tree, and the house. Making winter food. Anticipating snow. The happiness that people typically have during holidays. Snow. The excitement of seeing family. The chance of snow. But my favorite part is the silly family traditions that come with holidays.

Like, every year at Thanksgiving, we watch the dog show, the one that's on after the Macy's Parade. It's dumb. And boring. But we watch it every year, and it's fun with everybody sitting around in a food coma, commenting on the stupidity of some of those dogs.

And at some point over Thanksgiving weekend, my Aunt makes orange biscuits and bacon; the mix should be disgusting, but it's the best breakfast you will ever eat.

On Christmas Eve, we always have a candlelight service at church. And it's always a little bit stressful (anything would be when you hand 6 year old's candles), but so much fun. It's peaceful, and amusing, and quiet... and just perfect. Even when it doesn't really seem like it's going well.

I was thinking about traditions today, and I think that the reason they make me so happy, and so excited is because of what it means. Year to year, we are not who we were. For better or for worse, we are different people by the next year. Things happen that change our worldviews, God speaks new things into our lives, and people shift; but every year, you can count on a few things, like orange biscuits.

Every year, you can do the same things you  do every year, but as a new person with new perspectives.

I can't wait for Christmas!

Thailand So Far

Caution: the worlds about to end. This is the third post in three days!

If we hadn't changed our flight, we would be packing up to come home right now. We would be saying bye to all of our friends here, walking through the slums we love teaching the little kids how to say goodbye, and we'll miss them. We would be making sure we had souvenirs for everybody, and frantically trying to fit activities in that we haven't gotten to do yet. 

But, thank God, we changed our tickets. Even know, the thought of leaving in 32 days breaks my heart. I don't want to leave these people, the beauty and craziness of the city, or the awesome church we've had the honor to be a part of. 

I was thinking though, of all the really cool thing's we've gotten to do. We've seen a huge amount of the country; on an airplane, a train, and in a car. We've gotten to go to Cambodia. We went to a FIFA World Cup Qualifier game, for $3. 

We've had the incredible honor of working with an amazing teacher, Al; who has also given us the opportunity to learn with other fantastic people: Jim, Ken, Paul and Larissa, Mark, John and Barbara, Wayne and Tammy, Deanna, Kara. 

We've gotten to meet people all over Bangkok, on our Soi, on Ekkamai, in Bandan, SaamSip. 

We recognize people walking around; the lady making our dinner, the guy making roti, the girl that came to English class. 

We've only been here for about 3 and half months; but it feels like forever. This has been a crazy busy semester, but its been amazing. Our minds have been stretched, and pulled, and shifted as our perceptions changed; as we saw the effects of things that we'd only heard about before we came. It's been awesome. 

Thank God for another 32 days. 

Loy Krathong

Tonight is a festival called Loy Kratong- Festival of Light. It's celebrated in November, on the night of the full moon. It's kind of been adopted by Buddhists, and basically, this is what happens here in Thailand. They make little octagonal boats with styrofoam and banana leaves, and lotus flowers, put candles, and money and incense in them, and then send them down the river. Some people had bread baked into the shape of a turtle, or dessert type things that were shaped like flowers. Though it isn't a traditionally Buddhist thing, they believe that by sending these things down the river, they can earn merit, and escape the cycle faster. 

Sorry the pictures aren't that great. It was dark, and there were tons of people there. 

We went to a temple near Ekkamai, to see what was happening. There were hundreds, if not thousands of people there; big stages with people dancing and singing; decorated images to pray to; extra bowls out to drop money into. 

The air was thick with smoke from the candles, and incense that people were burning to get more merit. We kept hearing the clinking of people dropping 108 coins into bowls and the ringing of bells that "please the spirits". You could buy baby turtles, eels, and catfish to re-release into the river, because by doing that, you would be freeing them, and gaining merit. 

At first it was kind of exciting, because there was so much going on. And then it got really depressing. There were millions of people who placed little boats in the river tonight, all over Thailand, Laos, and Burma, who are going to bed believing that they are one step closer to escaping from the cycle of life and death. 

But it's not going to help. Because there is no cycle.

That's why we're doing, what we're doing. 

From Bangkok and Back Again

Sorry it has been awhile. The past two-ish weeks have been crazy and hectic and so much fun. But let me explain with pictures. First; our itinerary.

We started in Bangkok; to avoid flood waters, we drove South and West for about an hour, then started to head north. We drove up to Lampang, then headed farther Northwest to Chaing Rai. While we were in Chaing Rai, we went up to Mai Sai, to cross the Burmese border:

I didn't actually go into Burma (Mynamar), but shopped in the market on the other side. Burma is apparently famous for their jewels, and off on one of the side roads, we found a whole bunch of shops that had rubies and amethyst, and sapphires sitting in bowls, or on counters or tables. It was weird seeing so many of them, because they seem so rare and expensive in the States:

While we were in Chaing Rai, we taught English at Chaing Rai Vocational College- Monday through Thursday, from 8-12:30. In the evenings we went to the Night Markets, the mall, to delicious restaurants, etc.

 One of the afternoons, we went to some villages, with people from the Karen Longneck tribes, the Akha hill tribes, and a couple others: 

I'm not quite sure why it didn't save the one I cropped... but now you know what Barb and Mark's shoulder looks like )

We spent almost one week in Chaing Rai, then went down to Chaing Mai. Refer to the map above. In Chaing Mai, went to Ricks, which we found when we were there in September. We also found an amazing American food place called Duke's, which had some of the best chili I have ever eaten. The burger was also fantastic. Some days, you just need that stuff. 

Anyway. On Sunday, we jumped in the car and drove to Kohn Kean, in Eastern Thailand. The drive was crazy gorgeous. Check out my Facebook for more pictures, but here is an idea:

This place is extraordinarily beautiful. But it was good to get home. Going to Soi 40 for dinner, sleeping in my own bed, doing laundry myself, having fast internet. It's a good life here. 

So we'll just keep swimming.