Home again, home again.

Coming back home has opened a Pandora’s box of emotions that I really don’t think I was prepared for. I think back to my last night in New Zealand. My last night abroad before returning home after 8 months in foreign countries. I was so excited, ecstatic even, to board that plane back to Boston. I couldn’t wait to see my mom, and my siblings, and my dog, and my cat, and Belle and Beau, and my friends. I couldn’t wait to reunite with all of the clothes I left behind that waited patiently in my closet for me. I couldn’t wait for all of my favorite comfort foods at all of my favorite local restaurants. I couldn’t wait for American beer. I couldn’t wait to see familiar faces and places and spaces. I couldn’t wait to see if my sleepy little hometown was the same as when I had left it. Well, it was the same. It was exactly the same. It was completely and painfully, the same.

Don’t get me wrong. My first few weeks home were everything I had hoped they would be and more. I got to have so many (surprise) beautiful reunions with the people I love most in my life. My dad’s reaction was priceless. He was so overcome with happiness and shock to see me running up to him, he was actually screaming. I also got to surprise my best friend Rose, her reaction was also incredible. She doesn’t cry, like, ever, and she was bawling. Those kinds of reunions are the best ones, when you can finally hug someone that you’ve missed so much, someone that you have missed with every fiber of your being, and it just reaffirms the love you have for that person. But after a few weeks, the novelty and excitement of being home started to wear off, and I was left feeling more lost and alone than maybe I ever have in my entire life.

Coming home brought back a lot of the very same emotions that made me want to leave in the first place. Before I left on this incredible journey, I was feeling stagnant. Uninspired. Left behind. I felt that I was lacking any sort of real purpose in my life. I wasn’t the best version of myself. I was waking up everyday just aching for something else. I didn’t know what it was at the time, I didn’t know what I was searching for then. I thought maybe going to Thailand would help me figure that out. And it sure as hell did.

Going to Asia reconnected me with one of my greatest passions, writing. It connected me to new people whose energy and light was so absolutely contagious that I still wake up everyday missing them. It showed me how to appreciate coffee in its most basic form, black, and to drink and enjoy it without any sweeteners or additives. Maybe we should all appreciate life in that way? In it’s most simple form. Simplicity, it showed me how to appreciate just that. It showed me that I don’t really truly need much to be utterly and completely content. It showed me how to soak in a moment. A sunset, a warm smile. Holding hands with a child. A phone call from home. It showed me how to be in uncomfortable situations and thrive in them. It showed me that I can live by myself, in a skyscraper condo, in the middle of one of the craziest cities in the world, and do so fearlessly. It showed me that it actually is possible to wake up every single day, genuinely excited to go to work. Genuinely excited to see what the new day would bring.

When I first came home, the idea that everything would still be how it was when I left it, was comforting to me at first. It’s what I was hoping for. It’s what I was counting on. But once I actually got there, it became depressing to see the sameness, when I felt like I had changed so much. It was like I was coming back to a place that was in the shape of a triangle, and I was now suddenly a square. I felt like I just didn’t fit anymore. But as much as things stayed the same, there were some big things that were different, which at first was hard. I was tempted to go right back to certain relationships and habits and people, because that was second nature to me, it was all I had known before I left. But how can I expect to go back to the way my life was before, after everything I went through and experienced when I was abroad? Isn’t the point of traveling to expand your mind and your heart and your standards for what you want out of this crazy life? Of course it is. So of course I can’t go back to who I was before, or the life I was living before. But much to my surprise, it gets easier everyday to leave all of that behind. Surprisingly, it has been helpful that some things that I once knew so well are long gone. It is giving me a chance to reinvent Amesbury as I used to know it, and it allows me to continue to reinvent myself. I’ll still drive down those same streets that I used to for every year of my life, and I’ll think of those memories and those people, I always will. But pre-Thailand Katara is just a girl of the past now, and that’s freeing.

My biggest priority right now is not falling back into old habits. I learned so much and grew so much and the girl I was when I was living abroad is who I’ve always wanted to be. She was fearless and she would try anything at least once and she would meet the wonders of this world with an open mind and an open heart. But most of all, she was happy. Truly happy. I think that girl was always deep down inside me somewhere, but Thailand brought her out in full force. I won’t let that girl disappear again. When I was away, I was more aware, of everything. I was more aware of myself, my actions, my power to make a difference. I was more aware of our environment and our planet and how I can help to preserve it. I was more aware that every single thing you do or say has an effect and a consequence of some sort. I was more aware that a perfect stranger could end up being one of the most influential people your soul has ever connected to. I was more aware of how good we have it back home. I don’t want that awareness to slip away now that I’m back to my cushy cozy life in the states. I’m already itching to go away again. I think a piece of my soul will always be somewhere else in the world from here on out, until I have the chance to go searching for it again.

Vietnam

 

Vietnam was cool air and cloudy skies, fearing for your life when crossing the street, sleepy boat rides through a picturesque bay, and learning how to correctly pronounce Pho, considering it’s what we were eating for every single meal. Vietnam was the best massage I’ve ever had in my life, it was harrowing was museums and stories from war veterans. It was fresh flowers and vegetables from a street cart being pushed along a busy alleyway by a smiling woman. It was egg coffee and fun bars and newborn puppies in a cardboard box. It was a husky on a motorbike on the highway and it was the most beautiful seashells I’ve ever collected. Vietnam was breathtaking, it was madness, and it’s a place that we did not get to spend nearly enough time at. It’s a place I can’t wait to explore again.

Bali, baby.

I swear, there is no place on this Earth quite as magical as Bali. I think Elizabeth Gilbert would agree with me. I know I can’t actually say that in true confidence without any bias, as I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to our big, wide, beautiful planet. But after spending an entire month in this paradise, my love for Bali is pretty immense. Where to even begin? It’s a small island but that’s what makes it so charming. You can hop from place to place via motorbike relatively easily and then pick your favorite spots to chill out at, which is exactly what we did for one entire blissful month.

Our first stop was Ubud, the biggest city in Bali. Ubud is located in the heart of the most gorgeous, green, luscious forests you can even imagine. I absolutely adored Ubud. There’s no way to describe its beauty and do it justice, you just have to see it for yourself. The rice fields, the colorful markets, the temples, the sunsets, the coffee, the monkeys, the mountains, the rain forests, and most importantly, the people. The people of Ubud were so lovely and welcoming. One of the major differences I’ve been seeing in Indonesia compared to Thailand is that mostly everyone speaks English in Bali because tourism is much more developed here, so it’s a lot easier to communicate with the locals and carry on a conversation. The first place we booked was a hostel, but after just one night there, we decided that we were officially over the hostel life. That lasted long, right? In my opinion, it takes a certain personality to be able to comfortably enjoy staying in a hostel. Sure, you save a ton of money, and (usually) you get to meet a bunch of cool, like-minded travelers. But after spending one night cramped in an uncomfortable squeaky, creaky bed, in a damp, dirty, booze-infested dorm room, shared with 4 smelly boys who talked in their sleep, we collectively decided we would spend a few extra dollars and stick with private villas for the rest of our trip. Best decision we’ve ever made. We went from spending $8-10 a night for a bed in a nasty hostel to spending $15 a night for an entire villa all to ourselves. A few extra dollars well spent. After leaving that hostel, we stayed with a local Balinese family that we booked through Air B&B (which I highly recommend if you’re traveling Bali- especially in a group!) in a gorgeous place set back in the middle of a rice field. We had the entire house to ourselves- so as you can imagine, several dance parties ensued. Or at least I danced, and the rest of the girls watched on in horror/embarrassment/disbelief. Our host was a kind, hard working Balinese man, who was very eager to make sure we had the best time possible. He arranged everything for us, from motorbikes to rent and restaurants to try, to transportation to our sunrise hike, he took really great care of us. My favorite part about this stay was definitely the sunrise hike up Mount Batur. We groggily awoke at 2:30 in the morning and headed north to the mountains. Mount Batur is an active volcano, so that was equal parts terrifying and awesome. We followed our very sweet guide up the almost vertical slope, each holding a small flashlight for guidance. He told us that he works on the mountain before school everyday, waking up in the early morning hours and leading groups up the steep terrain. Every morning. And then he goes to school. When he noted the shock in the tones of our voices, he simply replied, “It’s okay! I stay in great shape!” Talk about a positive outlook on life! Climbing up that mountain produced a feeling for me that I really don’t think I can describe. The air was so fresh and crisp, and even though I felt sweaty and tired and incredibly out of shape, as we ascended up that mountain, my senses had never felt more activated and I had never felt more alive. Something about hiking up a slope in the pitch blackness, not able to see what’s above you or beneath you until the sun comes up, yet still imagining a scenery so beautiful; it was exhilarating.  About two hours and over 1,500 meters later (comparable to the hike to the summit of Mount Washington!), we finally surpassed the clouds and actually sat inside them, waiting for the sun to rise. While we waited, we had eggs cooked for us using only the hot rocks of the volcano, fruit, and Balinese coffee as we huddled together trying to stay warm in the mist of the clouds. Finally, the sun began to peak through and light up the sky completely. It was unbelievable to see the sun unveiling a whole world below us, one that had been entirely invisible during our hike up mountain. A crystal blue lake appeared below surrounded by miles of mountains and rice fields far off in the distance. Once again, the planet that we call home continues to leave me speechless.

Our next stop was the beloved Canggu, our favorite place in all of Bali. Canggu is a trendy little surf town on the coast, absolutely littered with organic cafes, restaurants, beautiful Australian surfers, and cute boutiques. The food in Bali was just….out of this world. I could go on forever about it, I really could. Our favorite restaurants featured fresh organic goodies, like poke bowls, dragonfruit smoothies, Nasi Goreng, roti wraps, fresh kombucha, chia pudding, and the most delicious espresso I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting. We spent our days waking up at whatever time we felt like it, eating, drinking, swimming, shopping, writing, laughing, surfing (attempting to at least) and collecting, usually seashells and/or memories. From Canggu we hopped to Uluwatu and did more of the same, lathering ourselves in coconut oil and soaking up the sun and ending each day watching the surfers from the high cliffs of Single Fin.

I know it sounds like absolutely nothing went wrong in Indonesia, and everything was paradise and safe and perfect all month long. That is mostly true, honestly it really is. But to be fair, I think I also need to disclose some of the problems with Indonesia, as no country is perfect, that’s for sure. I already blogged about this, so I don’t want to harp on it too much again, but the horses. The horses in Indonesia are severely overworked and severely mistreated, not just in Gili, but in Jakarta and Bali and pretty much every city throughout Indonesia. And the dogs, and the cats, and all the other animals that get left behind. There are so many stray animals that fill the streets, alleys, and beaches of Bali; they are sick and underweight, with matted, mangy coats, and usually they are in really bad shape. It’s hard to see this kind of abuse when you’re traveling and trying to have the best time possible, because it really does affect you, or at least it should. It had a major affect on my entire mood and it gutted me to the core seeing these animals suffering.

Police corruption. Another really sad and dangerous part about Indonesia in general. There was one instance when the girls and I were riding our motorbikes when we were flagged down and told to pull over by a police officer in uniform. We’d read the research and heard the stories about police corruption in Bali, but until it happens to you, it’s kind of out of sight out of mind. So we stopped, we complied as much as we could given the language barrier, and we got harassed. He took all of our American licenses hostage and told us that since we didn’t have international licenses (which no one ever does in Bali) we would have to pay 500,000 Rupiah each, which is the equivalent of $40 USD. It doesn’t seem like a lot, I know, but $40 goes pretty far in Indonesia, and it was just the principal of it; he was trying to rip us off. He told us we could either pay him the money upfront now, or he could write us an official ticket and we would have to go to Denpasar (a good distance away) and pay it there. We knew we didn’t want to go all the way to Denpasar and legitimately pay the fine through the courts, but we also didn’t want this dirty cop to make all of this money off of us. Luckily Claire wasn’t buying it, literally, and she told him we would pay him half of that amount if we could just get our licenses back and go home. He agreed, and sketchily brought Claire behind a parked truck to pay him, so that no one could see what he was doing and report him. It all happened so fast, and it was scary, I’m not going to lie. It’s scary being in a foreign country, with a language barrier, with a lack of knowledge about your rights and their laws. In retrospect, I wish we had gotten his name, his information, and reported him properly, so that something like that wouldn’t happen again to someone else. But realistically, the report probably never would have even made it to the courts, and it will happen again to someone else regardless of what we try to do about it, because the system is broken.

The drugs. Drugs are definitely present in Bali, but realistically they’re present everywhere. You have to be careful anywhere you go, even in the United States. Our next stop in Bali was Kuta, a city that we had heard many mixed reviews of (most of the negative reviews were in regards to the party scene and drugs) but we decided to check it our for ourselves anyways. We spent one night in this city, this touristy, dodgy, tacky city, and in retrospect, we wish we had never even gone there at all. Upon our arrival, we met these two very sweet Italian guys at the beach and decided we would all go to this bar called the Sky Garden for an all you can eat (and drink) buffet. The night started out great, the music was fun and the food was delicious. But after only a few drinks at the bar, I noticed one of my friends was missing, and had been missing for a few minutes now. Naturally I checked the bathroom first, assuming she had gone in there and was maybe checking her phone or fixing her make up. But what I walked into was one of my best friends in the world with her head in the sink, vomiting uncontrollably. I immediately rushed over to her and tried to gauge what was going on, but she was completely incoherent. I’ve known her for many years now, and I have never, ever seen her in this state, so I knew this was serious. She didn’t just have too much to drink, she had been slipped something. Panicked and worried, I cleaned her up as best I could and brought her outside to tell the others that we needed to get her home immediately. The Italians and the rest of our crew immediately rushed over to help but I told them to go down and get a taxi and that we would meet them out front. I gave both our purses and cell phones to the other girls, and I put my friend on my back and carried her down the three flights of stairs. Finally, I got her out to the street where I sat her down and tried to keep her upright. I turned around to search for the other girls and realized they were gone. We had somehow gotten separated, later realizing that they went out the other entrance to the other side of the building accidentally, and now I was on my own with no phone, no money, and no idea how I was going to help my friend. As I sat on the sidewalk holding her, trying to ward off the drunk people in her face just “trying to help”, three women came over with water and sat next to us. “We’re American, we live in Bali, we work with the Women of Kuta Against Rape and Violence organization and we’re here to help you and your friend. This happens frequently here. What happened?” They were a godsend, actual real live angels, they really were. I burst into tears, explaining that I thought she must have been slipped something, as I had been with her all night and she hadn’t had that much to drink. I hysterically explained that I had no money to get a taxi, and without my phone for directions, I had no idea where our hotel was in relation to this bar. They calmed me down, loaded us into their car, and without complaint, they drove us all around Kuta until finally the landmarks surrounding our hotel became familiar enough that I knew where I was. They helped me carry her inside, and told me what to watch for and numbers to call if she got worse or became unresponsive. Thank god, she didn’t, and aside from feeling absolutely terrible in the morning, she was okay. I woke up the next morning feeling angry, so angry that something like this happened to someone I love. But I also woke up thankful, thankful that nothing worse occurred. The whole ordeal, among the aforementioned ordeals, kind of put me back on me toes and reminded me that sometimes these beautiful, picturesque places aren’t safe. Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes you see things that really destroy your soul. But part of traveling is seeing things that break your heart. And you know what, that’s okay. We need to see these kinds of things, and we need to see that corruption and crime and suffering is widespread across the world, and sadly, it’s much worse in some places than in others. It’s important to see that even in a paradise destination, bad things happen. And more often than not, there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. That’s a hard realization that I had to face throughout my 8 months of travelling. I’ve been told that sometimes when you’re travelling, you can’t see things with your heart, because it will destroy you. You have to travel with your head and your eyes and see the world for what it is. And sometimes, it’s a bad place. It’s a really bad place. But you see this hardship and you see this suffering and even if you can’t do much to help in that moment, it can light a fire in you. It did for me. And that’s what traveling is all about. Go see the world, let it break your heart, let it change your views and your perspectives, and then come home and use what you’ve seen and what you’ve learned to make a difference in any way that you can.

Sooooo in conclusion, Bali, baby. Bali was the best. So many beautiful places and spaces and people. I’m grateful for every moment spent in Bali, even the bad ones. And I’m grateful for the people we met along the way there. We met some really freaking awesome people. The young couple in Canggu who opened their beautiful villa to us and treated us like family for an entire week, the surfers who took us out and gave us free lessons just because, the beautifully sweet and genuine brother and sister we met from California, our driver Gusti, and his son Gusti 2.0, who drove us all over Bali whenever we needed them, and every shop owner, server, Air B&B host, random person on the street, they were all just wonderful. If there’s one thing I’ve learned being abroad, it’s that every corner of this world is filled with incredibly good people and no matter what country you’re in, you will always find people who light up your world.

Backpacking for two months with three girls who I now consider my very best friends, was truly an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Living out of a backpack wasn’t always easy. Having to dig through my bag blindly every day in an attempt to find a new, clean outfit (when realistically I would eventually just give up and revert back to the salty, sandy, sweaty dress I had been wearing for the last three days) wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy getting sick and it wasn’t easy getting a handle on the different money conversions and it wasn’t always easy making group decisions. But these experiences, even the tough ones, especially the tough ones, and these friendships have made my heart and my mind grow and grow and grow and I will be eternally grateful for these girls and this world.

Chiang Mai and Pai

After a week of sand and sunshine on the southern islands of Thailand with my sweet family, it was time for another tearful good-bye. Having them here was so special but so short. I wish they could have stayed longer but I was so happy to show them at least a little taste of my world for the last 6 months. We shared so many laughs and precious moments in the sweet seven days we spent together, but one moment in particular that I’ll never forget was pulling upto this gorgeous blue lagoon in the middle of the Andaman Sea, hidden away and surrounded by cascading limestone cliffs. The sun was shining brighter than ever, we had relatively cold Changs on deck, and we each took turns gleefully jumping off the side of our long-tail boat. It took my mom and her sister, my auntie Liz, a good five minutes to muster up the courage to jump. I’ll never forget sitting there watching them, laughing hysterically at one another. Just two sisters being sisters. It made me think of Auntie Lou, and in this moment my heart ached for her and I desperately wished she could have been there, next to her sisters. She probably would have jumped first, without hesitation, because that’s who she was. Fearless. But I know she was watching over them in this moment; giddy, silly, and as full of life as they have ever been. I won’t ever forget it.

Another memory I won’t ever forget is dancing wildly with my own sister, the light of my life, in a crowded Koh Phi Phi dive bar. There was a great cover band, playing all the songs that just make you want to MOVE. Holding hands, clumsingly shaking it all over the dance floor, and singing at the top of our lungs; we were having the time of our lives. But the best part of the night was when the band played “Where Is The Love” and they handed Cassie the mic. Everyone, including myself, was blown away when she started to rap every single word. I had tears in my eyes from laughing, but that certainly isn’t a new thing, it happens anytime I’m with my sister. Cassie has the ability to bring people to their knees in utter hysterics, buckling over, and almost in pain, from laughing so hard. I missed her so much.

On Saturday evening, Janelle, Claire, Sara, Bethany, and I headed to the airport to board yet another cramped, low-budget Air Asia flight to the Northern region of Thailand. Just when I thought I couldn’t fall in love with this country any more, the North went ahead and proved me wrong. We went to Chiang Mai’s famous night market which was a street lined with stalls selling just about anything you could imagine. “Designer” backpacks, trinkets, accessories, clothes, jewelery, home decor, shoes, you name it. It was like a mini-Chatuchuck, it had all the same cheap knockoff items but it was a much smaller market and it was way more relaxed. At Chatuchuck, I really could never last more than a half hour there before feeling like I was going to spontaneously combust from the unreal bargains and heat exhaustion.
In the morning we rented motorbikes and started on our journey through the mountains to the small city of Pai. I was a little nervous about the drive, as other travelers we spoke to said it was pretty dangerous due to all of the sharp hairpin turns and winding roads. It was a little daunting at parts I’ll admit, but we made it unscathed. It was such a beautiful ride. The air was so fresh and crisp, such a contrast to the smog and heat of southern Thailand. We stopped off a few times to check out temples and even a tucked away waterfall. The journey took us about 4 hours in total. We pulled up to our accomodation just before sundown. The hostel was of a bunch of separate little shack-like houses made out of bamboo rods and leaves. The inside felt like an actual tree house, it was so unique and different from anywhere else we’ve stayed. And it was all built right in the middle of a rice field, which reminded me of beautiful Isaan. There was no air-conditioning, but it was cold enough at night that it wasn’t a problem. We each got our own mosquito nets to sleep beneath, so that was cool too since I stopped taking my Malaria medication a long time ago.

Pai was absolutely lovely, one of my favorite places in all of Thailand, for sure. Lots of expat hippies reside in Pai, and I can see why. It’s so slow paced and relaxed. We spent our days lounging at different cafes, taking naps in hammocks, sipping iced lattes, and making friendship bracelets and hair wraps. On one of the days there we decided to stop being lazy sloths and we took a day trip to Lod Cave, which was so cool. Our guide led us by lantern light through the pitch black caves, pointing out drawings that were thousands of years old. Then we hopped on a raft made out of bamboo and fearlessly cruised through the blackness, surrounded by hungry catfish nipping at the raft, hoping for food. When we finally reached daylight again, there were a few young Thai children laughing and playing, bathing in the stream with someone who was presumably their grandfather. It was such a beautiful scene, I can’t even tell you how big the smiles on their faces were.
We spent the rest of the evening strolling around Pai and just taking it slow, we had no where to be and no real agenda, which I think was my favorite part. That evening we went to this little bar called Edible Jazz. The place was filled with hammocks and mats on the floor, and everyone just hung out sipping cocktails and listening to the incredible talents of the live musicians that were playing. Unfortunately I started to feel kind of weird towards the end of the night, so I decided to go home early, and good thing I did, because within 15 minutes of arriving back at the hostel, I started getting violently ill. I must have gotten food poisoning from the chicken I ate at lunch (I think). I have never been that sick in my entire life, it was horrible. What was worse was the fact that there was one shared bathroom at the hostel, among like 50 people. There were only two toilets, and of course one of them was out of order. I’m not kidding, I was out of bed every half hour getting sick until about 7 a.m. the next morning. Who knew that the human body was capable of projectile vomitting 20 times in one evening? Th next day I was so weak, starving, and exhausted, but naturally I was too scared to eat, so I was just a lifeless waste of space for the entire day. But thank god for good friends, who fed me Royal D (electrolyte powder) and Gatorades all day until I slowly but surely came back to life. I ALMOST got away with being in Thailand for 6 months without getting food poisoning, but I guess I was due for it. Thank god I only got it once! It is NO joke out here.
On Friday, we headed back to Chiang Mai for the trip I’ve been waiting for since December, Elephant Nature Park! When I first came to Thailand, I was super naïve about the abuse that elephants face in the tourism industry. Like many other travelers, riding an elephant here was on my bucket list. But after seeing a baby elephant chained to a tree in Koh Samui, pacing frantically in the small area he was allowed, I decided that it was time to do some research about the industry. I horrified at what I found. I spent hours reading different articles and journals about the different forms of abuse that elephants face here. In small villages at markets or fairs, elephants are often paraded around by their mahouts through the hot, crowded streets for tourists to come and take a photo or give them a treat. We saw this a few different times when we were living in Isaan. They are offered no relief from the sun, and they are in close proximity to the dangerous traffic and excessive crowds. Imagine how terrifying? In the mountains and other tourist areas, they’re forced to succumb to trekking companies that offer rides through the jungle on top of a painful mount. On a more positive note, many tourists have become more aware of the cruelty that the elephants face, and there has been a positive shift in the demand for ethical tourism in Thailand. However, these companies that offer such services have also caught on to the Western desire for ethical tourism, and they have adjusted their marketing strategies accordingly. Many companies now advertise as being elephant “sanctuaries” where only bareback riding is allowed, which obviously would seem like an attractive, responsible alternative to riding with a mount. However, in reality, it’s just an ploy to lure tourists who think they’re doing the right thing. But what many people don’t know is that there are levels to ethical tourism, and unless you do your research, you might be contributing to the problem unknowingly. While some people think riding an elephant bareback without the mount is an ethical alternative to traditional elephant trekking, it’s not. In order for that elephant to allow a human on its back, it had to be broken. And for it to be broken, it had to go through unspeakable cruelty. I can’t even write about it without getting emotional. The only truly ethical and humane way to see elephants in Thailand is to go to a sanctuary where they are not ridden at all: Elephant Nature Park.
The story of Elephant Nature Park is inspiring. The organization was founded by Sangduen “Lek” Chailert, an unbelievable woman who has dedicated her life to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused Asian elephants. I was inspired by Lek’s story for a number of reasons, but primarily because of the adversity she has had to overcome in order to be an advocate and a savior to these elephants. Since founding ENP, Lek has been disowned by her family, blacklisted by the Thailand Tourism Authority (for opposing the industry that serves as a major source of income in Thailand), and her life has even been threatened on more than one occasion. Yet, despite it all, her unwavering love for these animals has not faltered, and thank god for people like her in this world.

We spent the day getting to know the elephants, feeding them watermelon, bathing them in the river, and hearing their heartwrenching stories of survival. Some of the treachery that these elephants faced before arriving at ENP is just unfathomable to me. The most sickening story of all is the story of Jokia. Jokia was forced into the brutal logging industry at a young age where she spent several years in chains, forced to carry back-breaking loads. While working in the industry, she became pregnant. Heartbreakingly, she miscarried while carrying a load up a mountainside. Her stillborn baby tumbled down the mountain, and Jokia was unable to stop working to even see if it was dead or alive. In extreme tremendous emotional pain from the loss of her newborn, Jokia refused to work. As punishment, her mahout stabbed her in both eyes, intentionally blinding her. It is absolutely despicable that this kind of cruelty towards animals exists in the world, but thanks to Lek and ENP, Jokia was rescued, and like many other elephants at the sanctuary, her story has a happy ending. But sadly, so many other Asain elephants throughout Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar are still in great danger at the hands of tourism. Please spread the word and continue to help me advocate for the elephants of Thailand.

The very best travel buddies a girl could ask for!

The Gili Pony Crisis

This is the first blog I’ve written since sending my computer back home to the states with my family when I first started my travels 6 weeks ago. I’m writing this from my iPhone- so please excuse any errors! 

I have been having the MOST incredible time traveling, first in northern Thailand to Chiang Mai and Pai, then to beautiful Vietnam, and finally to Indonesia, where I am now. I will have plenty of other blog posts coming that detail each destination and experience I’ve had over the last several weeks once I finally get home and have time (and a computer!) to write. But this is a blog I simply cannot wait to publish. 

I have to say that Indonesia has been my favorite destination by far, so far. Bali is everything I hoped it would be and just so, so much more. Ubud, Canggu, and Uluwatu have been absolutely blissful. This entire country is breathtakingly beautiful and I continue to feel speechless and enormously grateful with every new meal I try, new beach I visit, and new friendly face I meet.
Yesterday we arrived in Gili Trawagan, off the coast of Lombak, Indonesia, about a two hour boat ride from Bali. The Gili Islands are a sequence of three islands with stunning beaches and an increasingly growing tourist development. This is one of the islands I had been most looking forward to visiting when we first started planning our trip to Indonesia. Photos of this paradise location have been featured on all the trendy Instagram travel accounts, all of the big travel blogs on Pinterest, and it’s the number one place fellow travelers would recommend when we would discuss traveling Indo. “Go straight to Gili,” they would say, and it’s so obvious why. It really is stunning. It boasts the bluest waters and whitest beaches I have ever seen; it’s so picturesque that it almost doesn’t even seem real. 

    
  

      

 

But there’s just one thing. One major thing, in my mind at least, that no one tells you about Gili T, and for the life of me I just can’t wrap my head around why. After all of the research and all of planning we had done, for some reason this never came up. And now I’m making sure that it does- to future travelers, who might share the same mindset and the same unwavering love of animals that I have. 

Gili T has a major animal abuse crisis. Ponies and horses are living treacherous lives at the hands of tourists, tourists just like me.

There is no motorized transportation on the Gilis, so tourists have three options. They can either walk, (it takes about an hour and a half to walk the entire island) rent a bicycle for less than $5 USDfor an entire day, or pay for a “cidomo,” a horse and cart, which costs about $6 USD.

As soon as we stepped off the ferry and onto the beaches of Gili T, my heart broke. I watched on, disgusted, as this small (not more than 12 or 13 hands tall) beautiful pony’s cart was loaded up with at least 4 suitcases and 6 adult bodies, including the driver. As I got closer to the pony, I could see the distress in his eyes. He was panting wildly, his coat was drenched in sweat, and he had a frothy film developing at his mouth. The bit was rusted and too small, painfully pinching at the sides of his mouth. The harness had no supportive padding, and as I looked closer I could see welts on his chest and his girth from the constant rub of the harness on his skin. And beyond all of that, this poor animal was expected to carry far more weight than his back could bare. 

It only got worse from there. As we walked down the sandy roads with our big backpacks trying to find our hostel, at least ten other cidomos passed by, carrying tourists with gleeful smiles on their faces. Some were even taking selfies in the carts, with a thumbs up. How can anyone be so utterly numb to their surroundings, I though to myself. The ponies weren’t walking, either. They were at a full blown trot, (down hard cobblestoned roads) almost a run (like how Jasper would trot when he was being fresh). If they went any slower than that, they would quickly be whipped by their handlers. 

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or even know anything about horses to take one look at these animals and see how much they are suffering. So I just don’t understand. How can anyone be that incredibly lazy, and choose such a devastating alternative mode of transportation? Listen- I get it. I know it’s hott, it was easily 100 degrees when we arrived on the island. I know the roads are bumpy and in many areas they are mostly made up of sand, and lugging heavy suitcases or backpacks across them is certainly not ideal. I know some people are not even physically able to walk for extended distances. I get it. But then it’s your job as a tourist to do your freaking research and pick a different, more accessible location. This is responsible tourism. And sadly, even in 2016, people are so completely blinded by their own selfish desires and agendas that they can’t even be bothered to consider the horror that they’re contributing to. If you can’t easily access your accommodation by foot, don’t come to Gili. I know it’s a harsh reality, but the alternative, supporting this slavery of these horses, is a million times worse.

I’ve felt conflicted since the moment I’ve been here, and quite honestly I’ve wanted to leave. I couldn’t wait to leave. I feel helpless. What can I do? It’s not my country, it’s not my place, and some things you just cannot change. I understand that quality of life and standards of living are different in developing countries, I’m not naive to that. Tourism is a major contributor to how these countries and these people are surviving. I understand that these cidomos are a necessary source of income for people to support their businesses and in turn, their families. I understand that they are also necessary for transporting supplies and building the island’s infrastructure. But there is a big difference between the ethical use of animals to build an economy, and what is happening here. Here, it is slavery. It is unspeakable cruelty. These ponies don’t have access to clean fresh water (when they do provide water, which is not often, they give them salt water to cut down on costs) they have no pastures to graze in, no other horses to roam freely and socialize with. There’s not even a veternarian or a farrier on the island in case of medical emergencies. Instead, they are isolated in dirty enclosures, and allowed only minimal hours of rest before the next grueling 14 hour day of work begins. Their owners don’t even take their harnesses off while they’re not carting tourists around. These poor ponies are forced to just stand there, still bearing the weight of the carts while their owners sleep in the back, waiting for their next customers. And quite possibly the most heartbreaking statistic of all: these horses only have a 1-3 year life span here on the Gili Islands, whereas on average, a healthy horse can live up to 25-30 years. They are literally worked until they die. 

My heart breaks for these animals. I am just so sad. It is destroying my soul being here and seeng this and facing the fact that I can’t do much about this devastating crisis. But, I can raise awareness, in hopes that others who feel the same will become more educated about this place than I was before I came, and then maybe they’ll choose a different destination. In retrospect, had I known then what I know now about this place, I would have. 

I’m attaching a few different articles which further go into the painful reality that these ponies face. Viewer discretion advised. It it hard to read. Please share and please consider donating. 

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-severe-cruelty-and-abuse-that-occurs-in-the-horse-carriage-trade-in-indonesia-replace-the-horse-carriages-with-solar-powered-tuk-tuks

http://animalaidabroad.org/how-you-can-help/28-news/campaigns-petitions/575-gilli-island-horse-and-pony-fund
      
  

Kintsugi

I can’t believe I’m actually writing this, but as much as it pains me to type these words out right now…my time teaching in Thailand has come to an end. Everyone told me that this experience would fly by, and I never really took that cliche phrase seriously. But I should have. Because they were right. It has flown by, faster than I had ever imagined it would. In this past week, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on this whole journey from start to finish. I think back to who I was before I decided to come to Thailand. I had just finished graduate school, earned my certification in teaching, had a decent amount of money saved up, and the world, as I knew it back then, was basically my oyster. I thought I had it all figured out. I would apply to teaching jobs in the North Shore area, I would finally move out of my mom’s house, for good, and I would start the next chapter of my life as a young professional 20-something. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I decide to completely change my plan, or the exact reason why. But what I do know is that it was single handedly the best decision I have ever made in my entire life.

Before I came to Thailand, I was a little lost. Maybe not as far as my career path goes, that part I had figured out. But emotionally, spiritually? I was lost. Something was missing. I was aching for something that only a fresh start and a new continent could give me. Before I came to Thailand, I had a disillusioned, naive, and painfully simple idea of the world. I had only been out of my comfortable little bubble of a country one time in my entire life- when I went to the Bahamas, and does that even really count? Not when I stayed in a resort for most of the trip. Was I nervous to travel to a developing country across the world from everything and everyone I had ever known? Of course I was. I was terrified. But as soon as I stepped off of that plane, that nervous energy turned into a rush, a high even, that I haven’t stopped feeling since I’ve been here. It’s a feeling I really don’t ever want to go away.

Traveling to Thailand changed how I view myself, how I view others, and how I view the world. Being here made me realize how small I really am, how small we all are. It’s made me realize how insignificant our lives are, and more specifically, how insignificant our problems are, when you are able to step back and compare them against a grander scale. The world is such a massive place, and being on the other side of it, literally, has humbled me far beyond what I can convey through a simple blog post. I have seen suffering in Thailand. I’ve seen rice farmers, now permanently doubled over at the waist from years in the fields, work from sunrise to sunset every single day to earn what we would spend on a movie and popcorn back home. I’ve seen a young couple spend their own life savings, devoting all of their time, resources, and energy into building a Muay Thai gym in a poor, corrupt village, so that young Thai children have a chance for a better life, a chance for a future. I’ve seen one of the smartest, hard-working people I’ve ever known hold back from international job opportunities simply because he doesn’t have a passport, something we can so easily obtain and take for granted back home. I’ve seen young Thai women being sold and bought. I’ve seen Western men abuse their wealth and their power all because they feel they can here. I’ve seen a newborn baby lying on dirty cardboard boxes in the streets with its other young siblings and mother. I’ve seen thousands of homeless animals, sick, underweight, and never knowing when or where their next meal will come from. I’ve seen things in Thailand that have made my heart break. I’ve seen suffering in Thailand. But what I’ve seen more of is perseverance and strength.

I’ve also seen kindness. A kind of kindness you can only dream about. A willingness to help others that you can only pray that you will someday have the capacity in your heart for. This country has a inexplicable warmness to it that I’m not sure you can find anywhere else in the world. I know you can’t find it back home in the states.

And I’ve seen beauty. I’ve seen more beauty in my 6 months here than I ever dreamed I would see in my entire life time. I’ve sunk my toes in soft white sand beneath crystal turquoise waters, surrounded by colorful schools of gorgeous fish. I’ve hiked through the most luscious green forests to find perfectly serene waterfalls. I’ve seen the grandest of temples, with so much history, intricacy, and detail bursting from its exteriors. I’ve seen the sun fill the sky up with the most brilliant mixtures of crimson hues as it sets over the miles of rice fields. Some of the sights I’ve been lucky enough to see here are comparable to what you would see in a Google Images search. But this wasn’t a Google search, this has been my reality. And I can’t even express how entirely grateful I am for that.

Beyond all of the beautiful things I’ve seen throughout this country, the most beautiful experiences have been within the four walls of my classroom. My time with my students at Naruemontin School compose some of my most cherished memories here. Those fifty 1st and 2nd graders moved me in a way that only children can. The genuine excitement I would see on their faces each day as I opened the classroom doors is something I’ll never be able to convey. I remember one day I wore earrings to class for the first time. A small change to my wardrobe, but I can’t even tell you how many compliments I got from my kids on that day. This one student, Austin, a hopelessly romantic little boy who is half Thai half English, walked right up to me in front of the entire class and said “Teacher Kat, you just look absolutely beautiful today.” I was at a loss for words. Kids have a way of doing that though, don’t they? When they give you a compliment like that. When a little hand slips into yours without you noticing. When you’re on the bus home from a field trip and suddenly you have two little heads resting asleep on your shoulder. When the most quiet child finally has the confidence to raise his hand and answer the question. And the look in that same child’s eye when he gets that question right. These were the precious moments that left me speechless everyday.

It’s no secret that Thai teachers are notorious for being very strict, harsh, and sometimes cruel. I’ve seen them scream at and even slap children for the most ridiculous things. It made me so mad, but as I know it is not my place at all to try to overstep, I would instead just try to use my time with the kids to make it as fun as possible for them. We sang and we played and we danced almost every class. From the outside looking in, it probably looked crazy. It probably looked like madness. Uncontrolled, uninhibited madness. And it was. That was the magic of it. One little boy, Mark, came up to me on the last day of classes and said that he “loved me more than Teacher Darren (the teacher I replaced), because Teacher Darren teach so much and Teacher Kat play so much.” I can’t tell you what that meant to me. In his broken English, this was his way of telling me that he did not feel like I was “teaching” him. I didn’t stand at the front of the room and have them copy pages and pages of notes or do busy work. We played games to learn the content. We had a party and cut up pieces of cake to learn about fractions. We sang songs to memorize the grammar rules. They didn’t even realize how much they were learning, because they were just having so much fun. To me, that’s really special. To me, that means I’ve done my job. School is important. School success and good grades are important. But as a teacher what I place the most value on is relationships. Of course I want to teach them as much as possible and help them learn and grow to their fullest potentials. But beyond that, if I can reach a student in a way that shows them I care about them, and that they are safe and valued and loved when I’m there, that’s the most important thing to me.

And lastly, the people. The people I’ve met here. Where do I even begin? My Samui Crewi, I will forever hold you all so close to my heart. We all came here as individuals, with different backgrounds and different stories. But we’re leaving as a family. And to the countless others I’ve met along the way, thank you. The relationships that I’ve made here are so much stronger than what I would have expected to come out of such a short period of time. But there’s just something different about meeting people when you’re traveling. You share common interests, common mindsets, this is true. But beyond that, there’s a rawness and a realness about the relationships you form while abroad. There’s no time for bullshit formalities, so you can cut through all of that surface stuff much quicker here, which allows you to divulge into the deeper, more meaningful conversations much quicker as well. Those are the conversations that matter, those are the ones that really bring people together. The people I’ve met here have inspired me, they’ve challenged me, they’ve made me question everything I’ve ever known and thought, and they’ve made me a better person. So thank you, thank you so much, I will never forget you.

I think about the night before I left for Thailand. Cassie and I decide to go to Brown Sugar, a local Thai restaurant in Newburyport, MA. It seemed like a fitting place for my last meal at home, and I actually had never tried Thai food before, which was ironic that I would try it for the first time on the eve before my departure. I ordered a dish which I now know as Pad See Ew, something I eat all the time here now. I asked the waitress, who was Thai, what beer was most popular in Thailand, so I could try it. She suggested Chang. Little did I know at this moment that Pad See Ew and Chang would become staples for the duration of my time here. It’s crazy to think about the difference between how I felt in that moment and how I feel now. In that moment, I think I knew my life was about to change, but I just didn’t know how much.

I’m scared to go home, I honestly I am. I’m scared I wont be fulfilled with life back in the states. I’m scared of who the next President might end up being. I’m scared of being bored. I don’t have a plan. I don’t have an apartment or a car or a job lined up for when I get home. I have no savings. I have $20,000 of student loan debt. But what I don’t have is a single regret. Not one. My mind and more importantly, my soul, are wealthier than they’ve ever been. Traveling has given me a fullness and a richness that no amount of money ever will. I can’t explain how sad I am to be leaving and I can’t explain how much I will miss this place and these people. But something tells me that this isn’t the end of my journey. I’m not ready to settle, and so I won’t.

Update: Claire arrived back in my arms and my bed yesterday and it was the happiest moment ever. It’s so good to have her back, Thailand really wasn’t the same without her here for the last few months. And Sara, my first college roommate and one of my very best friends, just arrived today, too! That moment was also so special, to see a familiar face from home for the first time in 6 months. I am so happy she’s here, and I’m so proud of her for what she’s doing. Cassie, my mom, and Auntie Liz arrive next weekend and I can already foresee the absolute meltdown I’m going to have when I can finally hug my family again. Claire literally said to me that she’s glad she won’t be with me when I pick them up at the airport, and justifiably so. It’s going to be such an emotional reunion after being away from my whole WORLD for such a long time. We’ll spend an entire blissful week exploring the south islands together, and I could not be more excited. After that, Claire, Sara, Janelle, Bethany, and I will be heading up North to explore Chiang Mai and Pai, the hippie vibe mountainous/jungle region of Thailand. From there, we’re off to Vietnam for a week (in retrospect I’m wishing we had planned more time there!) and then an entire month in Bali and other parts of Indonesia. Claire and I will end our travels with three weeks in New Zealand, staying with a WorkAway host family to volunteer in exchange for housing and meals. And then I’ll be back on U.S. soil just in time for my baby brother’s high school graduation! Very exciting few months coming up, and I am just so thankful for these opportunities.

I won’t be bringing my computer with me, so unfortunately this is the end of my Thailand blog for now. It has been a beautiful ride, thank you for following my journey and sharing these experiences with me via the good old internet! Sawadeeka!

Visa Running Into The Heart of Laos

After a fairy tale dream of a weekend spent exploring the beautiful islands around Krabi, I was rudely thrown off the plane and back into reality. A reality which included the always dreaded visa run. A visa run is something that every foreigner must experience at one time or another while teaching abroad, simply because of the slow-paced nature of Thailand’s paperwork process. Here’s how it works: when you come to Thailand, you either come on a Tourist Visa or a Non-Immigrant B Visa. I applied for and received my Non-B before I left Boston, which made my life a lot easier for the first few months here in Thailand, as the Non-B is good for three months, instead of the tourist visa which is only good for 1 month. Once you have a Non-B, the school is then able to process a work permit for you (which is required to legally teach in Thailand) and that is good for 1 year. But it’s a very long, bureaucratic process which can take several months. Hence the need for visa runs. If your visa expires before the school has processed your work permit, you have to leave the country and then come back in on a new visa. I would have already had my work permit by now had I stayed at Satuk School, but since I changed schools, the process became even more delayed. Claire and I did one visa run to Cambodia a few months ago, which was a pretty easy and painless process. But unfortunately, those 30 days on that new visa came and went very quickly, and it was time to do another run. Except this time I had to go to Laos, and I had to go by myself. I was really dreading it at first. For starters, I would have to get back on one of those god awful coach buses and drive 12 hours through the night. I would also have to miss three days of school, which normally would be a welcomed nice little break. But it’s my last week of teaching!!! So I wanted as many moments with my kiddos as possible before I have to leave them. Another issue is that visa runs aren’t cheap! You have to pay for a visa to the bordering country (Laos) and then pay for your visa back into Thailand, plus accommodation and transportation as well. Not really what I want to be spending my money on when I’m trying to save every last baht for my travels. But, as I have been trying to do with every experience here, I decided that instead of complaining I would simply just make the best of the situation.

I decided to spend a few dollars more on a “VIP” bus, and I am so glad I did. The seats reclined all the way down, basically converting into a bed, which was AMAZING. Free blankets, water, and snacks were also provided- another major bonus. The journey was long, but since I was comfortable, I was able to sleep pretty much the whole trip. It was so much better than that 14 hour ride from Koh Samui to Bangkok (with a toilet that was barricaded by suitcases, making it inaccessible) and a bus driver who almost crashed on multiple occasions. To this day, that trip takes the cake for the worst journey of my life. But anyways, I digress. The bus pulled up to the Laos border at the early hour of 5 a.m. Groggy, tired, grumpy, and a little disoriented, I stumbled off the bus to at least 8 men screaming in my face, even grabbing at me “You, you!!! Tuk tuk!! Where you go!!!” Oh man, I was not in the mood. In Bangkok, I had become perfectly comfortable avoiding these type of men, politely replying with “Mai aow, ka” and continuing on until I could find a metered taxi or a public bus (cheaper options). There’s a little joke in Thailand about Tuk Tuk drivers, they’re called the Tuk Tuk Mafia. They are SO in your face, almost to the point of being aggressive, and they overcharge ridiculous amounts. But tourists almost always fall for (or just accept) the scams because they think taking a Tuk Tuk will be an “authentic” Thai experience. I definitely didn’t know any better either when I first got here. But now, I try to avoid them at all costs, and I’ve done a pretty good job of doing so, except for at like 2 a.m. when I’m just desperately trying to get home from a night out- only then will I succumb to the Tuk Tuk Mafia.

But I wasn’t in Bangkok anymore, I was in Laos. Another new, foreign country, with a different language and a different currency. This is something I actually forgot about- the difference in currency. Laos actually does accept Thai baht and even American dollars (so weird) as forms of currency, but their main currency is called Laos Kip (LAK). And it’s not an easy conversion, its like 24,000 LAK is the equivalent to 100 baht. All those zeros seemed unnecessary and confusing to me, especially after getting off a long night bus. After making my way through immigration unscathed, it was time to figure out where my hostel was. The only problem was that my Thai phone plan didn’t work, since I was now in a different country. I didn’t even think of this ahead of time- poor planning on my part. So here I was, completely clueless as to how I was supposed to navigate myself to my hostel or even how far away it was. Without a cab in sight, I knew what I had to do. I had to give in to the Tuk Tuk Mafia. The driver was a nice enough guy thankfully, young and very smiley. But despite my attempt to negotiate, he charged me 60,000 LAK (close to 300 baht) for less than a 5 mile journey. I could have easily walked to my hostel, had I known the way. Grrrrrrr. I was a little angry, because I hate being vulnerable to the unknown, at the mercy of someone else with no choice other than to be ripped off. It was a unsettling feeling arriving in Laos, feeling lost and like an outsider. It made me miss home, not my home in the U.S., but my new idea of home, which was Bangkok. I missed the comfort of knowing how to navigate the public transport systems, knowing where to go and how to get there. I missed the 7/11s and ATMs on every corner, providing me with anything I needed at any given moment (I walked around for almost two hours looking for an ATM to convert to LAK, by the way), and I missed the familiarity of the Thai dialect and phrases. I even missed the Thai drivers on the opposite side of the road. How weird is that?! Laos people drive on the same side as back home in the U.S., and yet THAT felt wrong to me! It was a surreal feeling, missing Bangkok and thinking of it as my home. Surreal, but beautiful, that I found my niche in such a big city.

The hostel was called Lucky Backpackers Hostel, and it certainly wasn’t glamorous by any means. But at $5 USD a night, how could I complain? The hostel served its purpose for one night; I had a decently comfortable bed, a hot shower, and free breakfast. My only complaint is that my bed was tucked in between the beds of two other men (silly me for booking a mixed dorm room) and they were old and gross and SNORED SO LOUD. There were moments in the middle of the night when I honestly sat up in bed and contemplated pinching their noses with my fingers. Or covering their whole face with a pillow (just kidding, kinda). It was THAT infuriating, but thank god for headphones. After dropping off my visa paperwork at the Thai Embassy, I set out to do some exploring. I only had to walk for about 10 minutes before running into the heart of Vientiane. It was this one long road, littered with modern, chic, French-inspired cafes. Laos was colonized by the French pre-World War II and only granted full independence in the 1950s, so its influence in the capital is still heavy and widespread. But oddly enough, that was my favorite part about Laos- the French influence. I do adore Asia in every single way, but I have to say that it was nice to feel like I was entirely somewhere else in the world for a few days. I spent my days (waiting for my visa to process) bopping from cafe to cafe. Baguettes at one spot, a crescent at another. A few ice cream cones here and there. A glass of white wine with an Italian-styled pasta dish for dinner. And I think I had four lattes in one day, each with a new design expertly crafted into the foam. It so was nice to just sit on a patio in the sunshine and watch the world go by, and go by slowly. It gave me some time to write in my journal, which I haven’t had a chance to do in months. It also gave me time to read a few more chapters of my current obsession, Shantaram (thanks Beth). The most fitting emotion that comes to mind when I think of my brief time in Laos is just 48 hours of bliss.

When it came time the following day to go back to the Embassy to pick up my visa, this time I was PREPARED. I grabbed a map of Vientiane, an actual paper map, from the hostel front desk and decided to walk the 5 mile trek myself instead of taking a Tuk Tuk. 5 miles isn’t super far by any means, but when you have a backpack and its 90 degrees out, it is a little bit of a workout! Which was a good thing, considering how many carbs I had consumed over the course of just two days there. I felt like a BOSS navigating my way through the side streets and alley ways of Laos, all with just an old-fashioned map. It’s crazy how much we rely on our phones when traveling, they’re absolutely essential, I’ll be the first to admit that! From booking hostels and reading reviews, to using Google Maps and finding restaurants. But I was proud to know that I could still survive on my own without technology for a few miles, LOL. When I finally saw the Embassy, I did a little victory dance to myself as I walked past all the Tuk Tuk drivers eagerly waiting outside the Embassy walls for their next scam. I couldn’t WAIT to walk right on past them on my way back out, no longer needing to rely on them. After picking up my passport and visa, I had planned to go back to the hostel to have them arrange a ticket for me to get onto the bus to the border. They were charging 50,000 KIP, about 220 baht, to organize the transport, which seemed pretty steep to me. But at this point I just kinda wanted to make the trip back as direct and as easy as possible. But on my way back to the hostel, I stumbled across the local Laos Bus Station, so I popped inside to compare prices. They had the exact same bus, at the exact same time, for 15,000 LAK. Which means that the hostel would have been charging me almost FOUR TIMES as much as the local rate. This infuriated me but at the same time I can understand that these businesses need to make a living as well, and they make that living by ripping off unknowing tourists. But not me, no sir, no way. I bought that 15,000 LAK ticket and hopped on the bus with a huge sense of pride in myself for saving all that money.

I arrived at the bus station way too early, because I was nervous about making sure I would secure a ticket, which led to over planning on my part. The bus back to Bangkok wasn’t until 8:00 p.m., and I showed up to the bus station in Nong Khai at 5:00. Pre-Thailand Katara would have been annoyed. I would have probably been whining and complaining and feeling bad for myself that I had to sit and wait at this dirty, boring bus station with no phone to entertain me for 3 hours. But like I’ve said countlessly throughout these blogs and this experience, I’m not the same person I was back in September when I left for this journey. I’ll always have a little type A in me, a little OCD, but instead of seeing my early arrival as a negative thing, I used those three hours to wander. I wandered for an hour around Nong Khai until I finally ran into the Mekong River. What a way to end my trip up north. There I was, looking out over the river as the sun began to set. In the distance, across the river, I could see beautiful Laos, connected to Thailand by the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge. I was back on the Thailand soil now, but seeing both countries at once was incredible. As I sat there, in awe of nature once more, a friendly Thai man sat down next to me and offered me some green mango. It was tangy and delicious. Together we sat, watching the sun go down, and we didn’t say much because his English wasn’t great, and neither was my Thai. But we were both smiling, and a smile’s a smile right? Across all languages.

I was sad to leave Laos. First impressions definitely aren’t everything, especially when you’re traveling, and especially in Vientiane. It was such a precious little spot, and I do wish that I had more time in my travel plans to allow a longer trip as there are so many beautiful places to see all over the country. But I am grateful for the short time I did have there, thanks visa run!

 

Long Tail boats in beautiful Krabi!

Going to miss my kids

Sunset on Ao Nang

Railay Beach, my new favorite beach in Thailand

Got to check out the Wax Museum for a class field trip! The kids LOVED IT!

My fave street in Vientiane

Laos beer!

HAHA my Thai teacher Wan loving on the Thai wax celebs

A dream….

Laos

Laos

Tonsai Beach

In awe, as usual!

Laos

Laos

Feeling inspired :))

You know it’s been a good field trip when kiddos are passing out on your shoulder on the ride home!

Mekong River.. Thailand on the left and Laos across!

A night in Bangkok

Lovely blog post written by a dear friend about his experience in Bangkok, and more specifically, a night out with a bunch of cheeky American gals!!! Hmmm wonder who they could be!!??

dannylangs

Regretfully (at the time) I found myself in Bangkok once again. Regretfully as I refuse to break my word, especially to myself, and I vowed to myself the last time I was there that I would not be returning, following a terrible sickness my company and I seemed to have picked up during our stay. Presumably of a result of inhaling the thick toxic air that clouds the city, emitted through the countless tuktuks on display, and discolouring everything in sight, from the walls to the pavement. Or maybe the sickness was derived from the excessive drinking we continuously participated in, that Khao San road demands of you. Either way it left myself and friends with a dreadful cough, that we were yet to shake two weeks on, and a throat comparable to swallowing razor blades.

Unfortunately, through my lack of experience and foresight I failed to consider that I…

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Cheeky Monkeys

With each new day that passes, I fall more and more in love with Bangkok. There is such a uniqueness about this city that I continue to be captivated by every single day. At any given moment, on any given day, I find myself feeling this sense of enchantment and wonder from one thing or another. The sweet buzz of the city never stops. From the moment I step out of my condo, my senses are just entirely overloaded by the beauty that is Bangkok. As I walk towards my bus stop, like I do every morning, I pass the friendly faces of street vendors pushing their carts, ready to embrace a new day of work. The sweet scents of fresh fruits like pineapple and/or smoked meat fill the air. I’m still very confused by the scents in this city. One moment, the air may be filled with a mixture of heavenly aromas, while the next it quickly changes to the most vile smell you could possibly imagine. I catch my 2 cent bus to school and I can hear the song of car and motorbike engines zooming past, eager to get to their destinations. My routine in the morning has become very predictable, but in the best possible way. I head straight to my favorite coffee shop when I get off the bus. It is called Block Coffee and it’s this little stall tucked away from the busy street. Beautiful plants and soft mint green succulents hang from the ceiling, covering the entire perimeter of the shop, which I love because it reminds me of my mom. The coffee shop is owned and run by a mother-son duo and they greet me with huge, warm smiles. They have my order down perfectly, which is only natural considering I frequent this same shop every single morning. “Sawadee Ka Teacha! Latte yen mai wan?” (Hello Teacher, iced latte not sweet?) they confirm through wide eyed grins. “Chai, ka” (Yes, thank you) I reply, also with a big smile. Such a simple exchange, yet I look forward to it every morning. After leaving the shop, I walk past the street stall where I usually get lunch. Through a thick cloud of smoke rising from her cooker, I see Wan, the woman who always prepares my delicious Pad Pak Gai (mixed vegetables with chicken). “Good morning, teacher” she says, grinning wildly. She loves to remind me of her English skills, and I can tell how proud of herself she is by the way she smiles after she finishes speaking.

I turn down the entrance to Naruemontin School and I am immediately greeted by the cheerful sounds of Prathom students. I weave through the masses of children, some playing tag, some engaging in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors (I had taught them this game the week before). The bell rings and the children begin to congregate to the center of the school where they stand in unison for the King’s song and the morning prayer. The band starts playing, and everyone immediately stops moving in order to stand still to pay their respects to the King. This is a fascinating part of Thai culture that I was able to witness in the Victory Monument BTS station when I first arrived in Bangkok back in September. Whenever the King’s song plays, no matter where you are, or what you are doing, you stop and stand still. This was very cool to see amidst the madness of the BTS station. Thousands of people, frantically hustling and bustling around in every direction, and yet the very moment that song came over the loudspeaker, everyone stopped. It felt like a flash mob, I was so confused. And then as soon as the song was over, everyone went right back to their missions of catching their trains. They play this song so frequently in Thailand (including at the movie theaters, accompanied with a slideshow of pictures of the King, and everyone stands and sings along) that I often catch myself humming or singing the song to myself sometimes.

In school this week we were learning about fairytales, so naturally I had chosen to read Cinderella to them. The kids absolutely adored it. They would literally start squealing when I take the book out, which makes me so happy, seeing how excited they get about reading. They were so enthralled by the idea of a fairy godmother, and even though a few of them did not quite understand the concept due to the language barrier (they were confusing fairy godmothers with actual mothers, bless their hearts), the majority of the students quickly grasped it. So, I decided to do a little creative writing activity with them, and I was a little worried that it might be too abstract and difficult, but they completely nailed it. I gave them a simple prompt, “If I had a fairy godmother, I would wish for…..” and I told them to think about what they would wish for if they could have anything in the world. Without much guidance at all, I was blown away by some of their responses. Some students wrote typical, adorable age-appropriate responses like “I wish to be rich” or “I would wish for her to make me a princess.” But others wrote responses that far surpassed what I would have expected from a 1st grader. “I would wish for her to protect us from a meteor” one student wrote. “I would wish for a new hospital and to be a doctor,” wrote another. My heart was literally exploding. These kiddos are just 6 and 7-years-old, and yet they already have such big dreams and aspirations. It is days like that when I am especially grateful for this career.

After a long and busy week of writing exams and grading assignments, the weekend finally rolled around and we headed to Ayutthaya which is a city about an hour north of Bangkok. It’s a famous tourist destination, known for its temples and ruin sites. We rented motorbikes and explored at least 5 different ruins around the small city. I’ve heard the phrase “you’ve seen one temple, you’ve seen them all” from a lot of people when discussing which temples to visit, but that simply isn’t true in my opinion. Although many of the temples are similar, each one tells a different story, and each one has a different element of beauty. Even though the Ayutthaya temples were gorgeous, I will say that I really preferred the temples that we visited a few months ago in Isaan, (Phi Mai and Phanom Rung). They were much quieter, as they are about 7 hours from Bangkok, far off the beaten tourist path, and since the air was also much clearer in Isaan (without all of the smog and pollution of a busy city) the ruins just looked even grander against that crystal blue sky.

On Sunday, we travelled a little bit further North to the lovely city of Lopburi, to visit Becky and Fiona. It was such a cool little gem of a city. We stayed at this place called Nhoom’s Guesthouse, which we all absolutely loved. The owners were so friendly, and although the rooms were not glamorous by any means, the relaxed and warm vibe of the guesthouse definitely made up for it. They also had the absolute BEST Massaman Curry I have tasted yet since being in Thailand. Lopburi is known primarily for its Monkey Temple and Sunflower Fields. I had heard mixed reviews of the Monkey Temple. Some told me that it was absolutely terrifying, just hundreds and hundreds of cheeky monkeys (who are not afraid to jump all over you) hanging around an abandoned temple in the middle of town. Others told me that it was a really cool place, so I decided to check it out and form my own opinions. Ummmmmm……ya it was terrifying. It was funny for like, the first five minutes but after that we were all ready to get the hell out of there! Becky was the absolute monkey whisperer, she would have four or five of them at a time hanging all over her. It’s cute at first when they run up to you and climb up your body. It’s also cute at first when they lovingly play with your hair. But it became a lot less cute when their friends joined in, and then all of a sudden you have three monkeys on you, pulling at your hair, unzipping your backpack, trying to steal your sunglasses. At that point it became terrifying. One actually even took a nice bite at my head, but luckily it didn’t break the skin or anything (and I have my rabies shot!) But it was just way too freaky having these guys all over me, they’re just too unpredictable and cheeky to be trusted! So when I decided I would actually like for them to please dismount from my head, that is when the trouble started. They wouldn’t get off!!! I eventually had to bend over and try to shake them off of me, but they literally were holding onto my hair for dear life and swinging from my head. It was horrible but also hilarious. After saying goodbye to the monkeys, we headed to the sunflower field. We just barely made it there before it started to rain, which was a bummer, but the sunflowers were still absolutely gorgeous!

This past weekend Beth, Adriana, and I decided to explore some cool new bars in Bangkok that we have been meaning to check out. The first one we went to was a rooftop bar overlooking the Chao Phraya river. It was so pretty, but way overpriced, as all rooftop bars seem to be. Next we headed to Sukhumvit, which is a really fun areas with a lot of unique bars. We found this one called Nest, tucked high away from the rest of Soi 11. It was such a cool place, there were beautiful red lanterns everywhere (in observance of the Chinese New Year), the floor was laid with sand and there was a great DJ playing music while another guy played the drums in the background. I had the BEST Mai Tai ever created, and I don’t even like Mai Tai’s usually. Next, we headed to this super secret place called Havana Social. We had only heard about it by word of mouth, Adriana had met a woman in 7/11 who invited us to her show there. She gave us directions and a secret code that we would need to get inside. The outside entrance was just a telephone booth and you had to punch in the code to get in. Once you enter the correct code, the false door swings open and you’re suddenly back in the prohibition-era. How COOL! We made it inside just in time for her show. It was traditional Cuban music, to go along with the bar’s theme of the 1940s pre-revolution Cuba, and they were unbelievable dancers.

On Saturday morning, we headed to the mountains of Khao Yai for a Thai music festival. It was a three hour bus journey away, but I actually don’t long mind bus rides. I have a great playlist for this very type of occasion (literally the title of the playlist is called Bangkok Bus Rides), which always makes the ride much more enjoyable. It was refreshing to get out of the city heat for a few days and feel that cool Isaan mountain air again. It was sweatshirt and leggings weather, such a nice change! The festival was so much fun. There were tons of incredibly delicious food trucks set up throughout the festival, as well as cheap beers stands, a ferris wheel, a rock climbing wall, and hay bales for seating. They even had a few horses hanging around. I obviously tried to say hi to one of them, but he quickly pinned his ears back, signaling that he wanted me to back off. He was not a very friendly guy, but I won’t hold it against him. There was an area where everyone had set up camp in tents, which we had intended to do also. But when we arrived and discovered there actually was not a place to rent tents (like we had been told there would be), we were kind of like…oh shit. At the time, with the help of a few Leo beers, I was convinced that it was no big deal that we had no where to sleep, I would be entirely comfortable sleeping on the grass/on a pile of hay. However luckily my friends are a lot more rational than me and decided that no, that actually would not be a good idea. So we started walking in an attempt to find some type of hotel, but unfortunately every single one we checked was booked. Finally, after several minutes of walking aimlessly with no taxis in sight, two Thai police officers pulled over and offered assistance. They drove us in their truck 45 minutes away to the only available hotel. They didn’t even ask for any money, though we tried to offer. They were just genuinely concerned about us finding a place to sleep. THAI PEOPLE FOR THE WIN, again. Just such unbelievable kindness. Sadly, the hotel was extremely questionable and dirty and probably the worst place I’ve ever stayed in my life (there were blood stains under the mattress……) but I’m just thankful we didn’t have to sleep outside!

Yesterday was Chinese New Year, which is HUGE in Bangkok! We ventured to Chinatown, underestimating just how busy it would be. The main road was absolutely packed, you couldn’t even move at all. The streets with beautifully littered with red and gold EVERYWHERE. Traditional Chinese Dragons danced throughout the streets to the beat of the drums. With a Chang in one hand and a spring roll on a stick in the other, we wandered down the Yaowarat Road, just soaking it all in. It was so cool to be in Southeast Asia for such a significant holiday. Happy New Year!

Bangkok Has Her Now

It’s wild being back in the city that I so totally loathed when I first arrived in Thailand. I remember my first impressions of Bangkok. They weren’t good ones. I had that mean taxi driver who tried to rip me off right after I got off of my grueling 18 hour flight. There was so much traffic. The streets were dirty. There was trash everywhere. There was this GOD AWFUL stench, it was too hot, the sky was filled with smog, there were too many people. I was overwhelmed. I was jet-lagged. I was in a foreign city. But I’ve changed in the last three months. I’ve changed in a lot of ways, but I think one of the biggest changes is my new ability to accept things that are different or strange. When I first arrived in Bangkok, I was just like every other tourist. I was blown away, and if I’m being honest, I was completely intimated by the intensity and the buzz of the city. But after living on an tropical island for nearly a month, and then in the middle-of-no-where-Isaan for two months, being back in Bangkok is such a contrast to those two settings, and it is a refreshing and exciting feeling being back here. I’m no longer scared of Bangkok. To be honest, I’m not really scared of anything here anymore. I’ve been exposed to so much and it has made me a stronger, wiser, more tolerant human being. I’ve zip-lined through a jungle in the pouring rain. I’ve jumped over a rope that was on fire. I have used a squatty potty in a cement enclosure in the middle of a rice field, with no lighting except for the flashlight on my phone. I’ve gone to restaurants where no one speaks any English and I’ve successfully ordered all my food in Thai. I’ve eaten street food from super questionable restaurants and stalls (my stomach has really evolved in the last three months also….) I have been chased down and nearly eaten by a German Shepard street/guard dog while I was pulled over on my motorbike just looking for directions. I have captured a massive eel with my bare hands while knee deep in swamp water. I have seen (and lived amongst) cockroaches and lizards and spiders and snakes and rats and bats. If you told me a year ago that right now I would be here, doing this, I would have laughed. I’ve conquered some fears and I’ve taken some risks and it has been the best experience of my entire life.

So, anyways, what I’m getting at is that I am so happy to be back in Bangkok. I was a little stressed at first, starting a brand new job in the middle of the semester while also trying to find somewhere to live for the next few months. But everything worked out even better than I was expecting it to, I got really lucky. I ended up finding a condo to sublet through Air B&B, which was such a relief because most of the apartments I had looked at required a 6 month lease contract, but this one I just pay monthly and I can leave whenever I choose. It’s this gorgeous sky-scraper condo with a pool AND a fitness center in the Tha Phra area of BKK. The security is really good which can give my family some peace of mind, I know they were a little nervous about me living in such a big city. I even have my very own door man, who greets me with the biggest smile and salute every morning while saying “Good morning Teacher!” School is only a 15 minute walk away which has encouraged me to exercise a little more (although I will admit that do usually take the 5 minute bus ride instead because some mornings at 7 a.m. ya just feel really lazy, am I right?) And I’m only like a ten minute bus ride away from some really awesome tourist sites (with great restaurants) like Khao San Road, The Grand Palace, Wat Arun, and Central Pinkalo Mall. It’s amazing having access to international restaurants now for when I’m having those Western food cravings, like pizza and french toast and smoothies. But I’m also still just steps away from authentic Thai street stalls, too. Actually I’ve been eating Som Tam (spicy papaya salad) every night for dinner recently, I just cannot get enough of it! It only costs me 30 baht ($1 USD) from the street stall across the street. But if I were to order the same dish from an international restaurant in a touristy area it would cost me 120 baht! (like $5) I know that’s still really cheap but it’s crazy how much they raise the prices in touristy areas and how many suckaaaaas fall for it. I love having options here, whereas in Satuk I literally had two restaurants to choose from….

My new school is absolutely lovely so far. It is called Naruemontin School and it is a small private school that is family-owned and operated which is really nice. Since it is a private school, it’s very elite and according to the director (although he may be biased hehe), it is one of the “best private elementary schools in all of Bangkok”, which explains the high salary and benefits they offer. They only hire qualified teachers for their Advanced English Program, which is uncommon in most Thai schools. Usually, schools will hire anyone with a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL Certification, which is why so many foreigners come to Thailand to teach. But this school requires legitimate credentials, and I quickly learned why. This place is INTENSE. The students take all of their lessons (Math, English, Grammar, Science, Health, Social Studies) in three different languages, English, Thai, and Chinese. They have a swimming pool for swim lessons (most Thai people can’t swim, believe it or not) and a dance studio for their Thai dance lessons. It’s just very over the top, especially in comparison to some of the other schools I’ve seen that are barely getting by on government funding, but it’s a really great school. Almost all 50 of my students are entirely fluent (what a beautifully small number right, compared to Satuk School where I had about 2,000 students). That is really incredible if you really think about it. These kids are only 6 and 7 years old. I think about my 1st grade class that I had at home, and most of them were just learning how to read fluently. These students can read and write in three different languages by the end of Grade 1. That really blows my mind! I think one of the biggest differences between here and the government schools in Isaan is the parent involvement. Many children in Isaan either don’t have their parents around, or their parents are not willing or able to help them with their schooling. But the parents at this school are super involved, almost to the point of being overbearing. They are comparable to the average psycho American PTA-loving-my-child-is-an-honor-roll-student-sticker-on-the-car-soccer-mom types. But as intense as it is, these kids are really lucky to have supportive and loving parents. There’s also many other differences between this school and Satuk School. There’s loads of planning to do for each class and it’s definitely a lot of work each week, whereas at Satuk School I had a ready-made (terrible) script to teach from every day, so I really didn’t have to do much prep. Teaching here feels much more similar to teaching back at home now. I feel like I have a purpose again. At Satuk School, as wonderful as it was there, I really didn’t feel like I was doing a service to the students by just teaching them useless vocabulary from a Powerpoint slide. I don’t know if you can even really call that teaching. Honestly, I felt like a robot. But here, I’m able to be creative and plan fun lessons and activities the way I think would be most beneficial for the students. Another difference between the two schools is the relationships between Thai teachers and foreign teachers. Essentially, there is none. Claire and I were so close with the Thai teachers at Satuk School. Here, the foreign teachers (there’s 8 of us) seem to stay in the foreign teacher office, completely segregated from the Thai teachers. It almost feels like the Thai teachers really don’t like the foreign teachers, which makes me sad. But all in all, I am really happy with where I am now. My students are HILARIOUS and the sweetest children you will ever meet. They have the best nicknames ever (given by their parents). Some of my favorites are Punch, Kiwi, Fighter, Ant, Rifle, Peace, Titan, and Nut. The kids work really hard and are extremely dedicated which is refreshing, it makes it so much easier to teach children who are that eager to learn. I’m finally doing what I was meant to do here in Thailand and that makes me the happiest gal in the world.

Aside from my perfect new school, living in Bangkok so far has been a trip. I’ve only been here two weeks but I’ve already seen some crazy s***. For example, the other day I was walking down the street and I saw a man driving a motorbike, going easily 40-50 mph, and a little doggy head was poking out of a backpack. This is not uncommon to see in Thailand, I’ve seen plenty of dogs on motorbikes with their owners before. But all of a sudden the dog started wiggling out and trying to jump out of the backpack, and I was just watching this entire scene unfold, with sheer horror on my face because I thought for sure the dog would land in the road and immediately be crushed beneath another car. But this dog hops out and SOMEHOW manages to land all four feet directly on the back of the bike seat. It was like a circus trick or something. Absolutely wild. I’ve also experienced my first motorbike taxi ride recently, and it is completely terrifying. They weave in and out of cars, they don’t look before they go flying through an intersection, they drive down the wrong side of the streets to avoid the traffic (they also drive on sidewalks for the same reason). But they get me from point A to point B I guess, so that’s good. They seem confident as hell and like they really know what they’re doing, but I still say a little prayer every time I hop on the back of one. I try to take them only if it is absolutely necessary. Instead, I have recently conquered the Bangkok Transit System and I prefer to take the public buses instead of taxis. They are SO cheap…13 baht (which is like 30 cents) flat rate. Foreigners don’t really take the public buses here. Usually, they’ll just take a taxi, a tuk-tuk, or the BTS Sky Train. So I feel pretty damn proud of myself every time I get on a bus and I’m the only white person and I successfully make it to the correct destination. It took a couple of tries to get it right, and I definitely hopped on a few wrong buses (entirely confident that I knew the route) but then obviously ended up in the complete wrong area. But being forced to explore and figure things out via trial and error has actually become one of my most favorite things about this city. I have definitely adopted the “Mai Pen Rai” attitude and I try to just go with the flow and wherever the wind may take me. You have to here. That was kind of a struggle at first, because I’m very type A in a lot of ways and I like to have a plan and know what is happening at all times, but you can’t think like that in Thailand. You will absolutely lose your mind if that’s your mentality. If something goes wrong, it’s just like, “Okay, oh well.” If I end up somewhere random, it’s fine. If I order one thing but I get something entirely different, no big deal. Sometimes you try the best new things and find the most beautiful new places by just stumbling upon them by accident. Like tonight for example. I felt like exploring, so I did a little walking, I ran into the river pier in my town, I paid 3 baht to get onto a riverboat taxi, without any idea what the destination would be. But I ended up on the other side of the river, so I did a little more walking, and then I walked right into one of the most stunning restaurants I’ve ever been to. It was a 6-story building right on the Chao Phraya River, and even though I had to climb 6 flights of stairs to get to the rooftop bar, the view of the city from the up there immediately made it worth it (as always). I had a perfect backdrop of Wat Arun (one of the most famous temples in Bangkok) while sipping on a deliciously overpriced sangria (but mai pen rai, it’s okay), and the temple was all lit up and glowing with the sun setting behind it and it was just pure bliss. I was alone, but I was blissfully alone (BUT SHOUTOUT TO CLAIRE I DO MISS YOU SO MUCH AND WISHED YOU WERE THERE WITH ME).

This past weekend all the gals were back together again in Bangkok for Becky’s birthday, which was so much fun! And I was able to offer my place for people to stay, which is just another one of the many benefits of living in Bangkok. Beth stayed with me for the whole weekend, hooray! On Friday night Janelle, Beth, Alicia, and I went out on Khao San Road, the crazy international-backpackers-infested party road. Khao San is so chaotic but it is also super entertaining. I always have a fun time there, but ugh….tourists are kind of annoying huh? I know I can’t REALLY talk because I’ve only been here for just under four months, so I’m not THAT far removed from being a tourist. But everyone on Khao San kind of makes me mad, in their elephant pants (especially guys..why…whyyyyy do guys wear elephant pants) with their henna tattoos and their dreadlocks. I’m being judgmental and kind of bitchy, but aside from all that silly stuff what makes me the most mad is the way some tourists treat the Thai people. Foreigners who are just passing through Bangkok on vacation definitely haven’t adopted the Mai Pen Rai attitude, which maybe is to no fault of their own because they’re only here a brief time and their standards might not quite match up to the reality of Thailand tourism. But I’ve seen so many tourists yelling at servers because they didn’t like their food or their accommodation or whatever it is, and so many drunk backpackers literally spilling into the streets and upto a taxi, yelling at a driver to bring them somewhere. It’s no wonder Thai people don’t seem to be as friendly in BKK as they were in Satuk. Because of all the obnoxious and rude tourists they deal with all the time. In Satuk, we were literally the only foreigners there so they welcomed us with open arms and treated us like celebs. But in Bangkok, Thai people see thousands of tourists on a daily basis and some of them are just not very nice and that makes me angry; they must get so sick of it. I try to use my Thai language skills as often as possible when I’m in touristy areas, so that the Thai people know I live here and to please not associate me with the meanies!!!!

Saturday night we headed to the “Gay District” in the Silom area. Oh my god, it was like the most fun night ever. We did karaoke which is my all-time favorite past time. I sang Waka-Waka obviously because is it even a night out if “Waka-Waka” isn’t played at least once? And then I also did “No Scrubs” which was a crowd favorite but my oh my that song is hard to sing and I was actually panting and short of breath by the end. And then Sunday we spent the day nursing our hangovers and getting massages and pedicures and passionfruit smoothies. It was such a great weekend, as always with those girls, but I was definitely missing my Claire! It’s not the same without her. I’m excited for buffalo chicken caesar wraps and Dunkin Donuts coffee and so many other little American luxuries. But I just feel like my head is going to spin when I finally get back home. So many big decisions to make about the future and I am super torn on what my next move will be. HELPPP I think I’ve caught the travel bug. I just really don’t feel like I’m ready to start the 9-5 lifestyle yet. I don’t want to settle into a job that I don’t completely love and I don’t want to start looking for a new car (since I sold mine before coming here) and I don’t want to dump my paycheck into an apartment that I can’t afford. Living in Thailand has totally shifted my perception of money and it’s going to slap me super freaking hard in the face when I get home. The cost of living is just so drastically different here, and I can get so much more for so much less than I can in the U.S. It’s made me appreciate the value money so much, after seeing how hard people work for it here. It’s also made me resent the Western obsession with materialism and the need to spend, spend, spend. I could go on and on but this is a blog post, not a whiny Facebook rant, soooooo I’m going to stop right there! We’ll see what happens, I guess I will cross that bridge to the future when I get there. Maybe I’ll stay home and find a great teaching job in an awesome school district. Or maybe I’ll go Au Pair in Australia or New Zealand for a year. Or maybe I’ll go teach English somewhere else in the world. I’m not sure yet what I’ll do, but I do know that teaching abroad has been the most fulfilling thing that I’ve ever done in my life, and I just don’t want this feeling to end.

Okay, it’s midnight. I need to go to bed. Every night I say I will go to bed earlier than the night before. And every night I never do that.

-Katara

FRESH SMOOTHIES R BACK IN MY LIFE

View from my balcony!

The sweetest.

Fun night out in Silom!

Making clocks!

Unpacking is always FUN

Cheeky bevs with my Al

Bangkok gals!!

Lol Panyah…the little cross eyed cutie in the front!