My last month in Thailand, but I will return again...

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." - Richard Bach


While I was packing away some of my belongings that I had collected over this year I felt great pain. As if the box I was packing was not just my possessions but apart of my life here in Udon Thani. Packing my life away in a box...This year is nearly over and I am leaving a piece of my heart behind. Though I have had many difficulties to overcome this year, without them I could not have grown and matured into the young lady I am today, like my auntie Sabrina McKenna says,

"...people who haven't experienced adversity have little to prove."

I am so grateful for this past year and I will never forget it. Time goes by so fast and in many ways this year felt like a dream; flowing through my mind and filling it with adventures, trials, and crazy moments then drifting away as I return to the real world around me.

Though my year as an exchange student is ending, I know I will be returning to Thailand again, someday...

Orchids, moleskin art, and the road home....帰り道

Since I have returned to Udon Thani the days are calm and quiet. I retreat to the small garden in front of the house and listen to my Thailand. The world becomes a more seldom place as I realize that I am only in Thailand for a short time more. Udon Thani has become my home this past year and I feel a piece of my heart is slowly being torn from me. It will be very hard to leave in May... I also know that it will be many years before I can return to Thailand. One exchange student said that, "When I returned to my home country it felt as if everything the year before had been a dream..."

When I am in the States again the summer will be full of activities; graduation, family get togethers, friend's grad party's, grad night at Disneyland, Kristy's wedding, and moving to California for college. While these things are all very fun, I am worried that I will be unprepared for this step in my life. It is also painful to think that I will only be home in Kona for a short time and then, once again I will have to pack up and go somewhere, its just that now I have no clue how long it will be before I return home.

The southern tour reminded me so much of Hawaii and when I would go to the beach with all my friends. I am amazed at myself for wanting to go home so badly but not wanting to leave either. Conflicting emotions are never easy to describe. Well, I thought I might put up pictures of some of my pages from my moleskin journal. When ever I was overly emotional, thought too much, or just wanted to pass the time I would either write or draw. So out of my head and on to paper, creativity and boredom reign! Just kidding.

There have been new orchids blooming recently. Small, fragrant yellow ones fall from the tree and hang lightly in the wind. Those are my favorite of all the orchids at my house. I really fancy trees and flowers that hang down, almost like they are trying to touch the ground instead of reaching for the sky.

I feel more at ease now, so I can get to work on finishing so very difficult essays and sort out all my scholarship "to do" list.

Karaoke night....

My mother had a surprise birthday party for me at this Karaoke bar outside the city. I thought we were going to her friends house but when we pulled up into the parking lot i knew she had lies. I was so happy because my friend P'Mob was able to come to my party, even though he had final exams the very next day! P'Ked gave me bananas...its sweet but a total guy thing to do! ^_^ Everyone loves to sing here and karaoke is perfect for them! P'Ked lost his voice after the night was over!

It was a fun night, something that I will never forget!

my birthday!!!!

My 17th birthday was spent in Thailand...I have had two celebrations, one at the Rotary meeting, and the other at school. At school my teachers bought two cakes, one that said happy birthday in Thai and the other said it in English. One was vanilla and the other was chocolate favored with jelly candy on top.I was so surprised when I saw the cake because I didnt think that anyone would remember my birthday! This ia birthday that I will never forget! At the rotary meeting they had a cake with mini animals around the edges and in a heart shape.

D3340

There has been some stress over my student visa this past month and I am just hoping that everything will work out in time. The travel agent had emailed that August 1st will still most likely be the day that I leave Kona but I will have to be traveling for about three days. On the bright side, I have a copy of my school guarantee form. The name of the school that I will be going to in Thailand is called, "Udonpichairakpittaya".... I am trying to figure out how to pronounce it.... Sad I know, I should know how by now but Thai is very difficult for me. The uniform is very interesting, with a pink button down top and navy spotted pants. I saw some pictures of the uniform and the school on the Internet the other day. I am very curious about the students and everyday life at school since...I will be there a majority of the time. I have also contacted my host family in Thailand. The problem is that they don't use their regular names!! In the emails that I have gotten they have been using their nick names or something cause the name Tooman doesn't ring a bell in my mind! I'm already confused and I'm not even in the country yet! Well anyway the district that I am going to is Rotary District 3340. They are so organized and seemingly really intense! But its good because my mother can be equally intense and I know that she loves how organized they are.

I had my Bon Voyage party this past weekend. I enjoyed being with my family the most. Its sad when I think that I won't be seeing them for ten months. But going to Thailand is something that I can't give up for anything. A lot of people came to the party, but that wasn't what I wanted at the beginning. I wanted just my family and maybe one or two friends and ended up with so many people..... But in the end it was okay. Most of my friends came and I stayed up really late with some of them just talking and having fun. I loved how Steph and Nana came all the way from Hilo for my party. I was so happy to see them both and it made my party that much more enjoyable.