Living Large!

The phrase living large in today's understanding is having the mansion, exotic cars, and having expensive things. In a Christian's perspective living large is living for God! When we choose to live for God all the material things don't even add up to the abundance of life and opportunites God will put in your way. Today we got to experience a little of the abundance of living large for God.

It was the Language School's Spritual Retreat and what better way to be one with God by going to the beach! We went to the Rayon beach that is about 2 hours from our place in Bangkok. So to get a full day's worth we left at 6:30 AM to make our way to the water.

After making a few caffeine stops and taking long naps to energize us for the day we finally made it to the beach. I was extatic! As soon as I set foot out of our van my notrils were instantly hit with the fresh breeze of the warm salty air. This was probably the freshest air I had breathed in a while and I took in every breathe with sheer thankfulness. Then we all ran down to the beach to get a better look at the view. It was amazing! There were fun little food stands lining all along the base of the sand and beach chairs and umbrellas were everywhere to lounge upon. As soon as I saw the water I had to go put my feet in! and to my surprise... It was warm?! A perfect temperature to swim in. I knew this was going to be a great day.

We all gathered together and began to walk down the beach to a clearing that was surrounded by huge boulders and rocks that sat in the crashing waters. Trying not to step on the millions of tiny crabs that had made holes in the ground we made our way to the first area for our meeting. Pastor Williams began talking to us about "Living Large" and what we all thought it meant to us. He explained that WE are living it!? We are right in the opportunity of God and are being used according to His plan. Missions is living large for God. And what is the difference between Joy and Happiness? To me I said that joy was an all body feeling and true sense of pure delight and excitement. Joy is something that is long term and stays with you everytime you do something. Happiness is temporary. Its a moment of laughter or emotion when something great has been done. Living Large should bring one joy. The long term effect of loving God.

After the meeting we took pictures on the surrounding rocks that faced the Sea. And began climbing on the rocks to see what kind of interesting picture we could get. Then we went back to the lounge chairs with out stuff and got ready to embrace the water! It was salty, wet, and tons of fun as Mike, Leah, Erin and I had fun laughing, diving, and body surfing the waves.

After lunch and taking a rest we went back to the clearing for our second meeting of the day. This time we talked about commitment. What does it mean to give up? Its when you have lost all faith and you don't want to try anymore. You have lost hope in something. Being commited is a faith and hope understanding. Where you are dedicated to the task or given belief, but it is something that you must act upon. If we are commited to Christ shouldn't we have the responsibility to act upon our own beliefs? If a person believes he is a Christian but goes and abuses another person, where is the religion? where is the belief? If you believe in something you have to act on it.

After lounging around the beach, taking in the beauty and lounging we made our final stop at a bay near the beach where we were all annointed. I've never had the opportunity to experience being annointed but God was working through us all that day and we could definately feel his presence as Pastor Williams dipped his finger into an urn of olive oil and blessed us through prayer. He gave us a task. We had to quietly talk to God by ourselves and ask Him for two things. Two things that we want Him to change and work through us; one we were to say out loud and the other to keep to ourselves just between us as our Father. The one I spoke out loud was that I asked God for more faith, just to show me His will for my life and put forth the opportunities that He wants me to embrace. And well the other... We will just have to see ;)

The day came to a close as we finished our worship and made the two hour trek home. We made a few stops on the way back, one stop we went to a market that was full of packaged foods and open air foods. The smell of Durian and fish and unpleasant aromas took stake at the base of my nose. It was aweful.. but soon we left and Pemam got some Durian chips. They tasted just like potatoe chips with a little hint of sweetness. Now that is the type of Durian that I can handle. Salty and not stinky.

We finally got home at 8:30 in the evening and I was exhausted and sunburned and ready for some sleep. Unfortunately my night was just getting started since Mike and I were summoned to sing for church that Saturday. But all in all the day was totally worth it and what a blessing the beach and fellowship was to me.

Things I've learned about Thailand...

Its humid 100% of the time...

Don't be surprised to find out that the woman you thought you were talking to, actually used to be a man...

Don't ask how much unless you plan to buy it...

Personal space? There is none, you will get pushed and crowded upon on public transportation...

The tone that you speak can mean something entirely different to someone else...

On most mornings you will wake up sweating...

So get used to cold showers... They feel great!

Just going simply to a convenient store may take you an hour or two just to travel back and forth...

Your fan becomes your best friend...

Kareoke is a must!

The currency exchange changes everyday...

The white and yellow lines on the road are just merely guidelines for Thai drivers... People take up two lanes, drive the opposite ways, and sqeeze their big trucks and motorcycles into tiny spaces...

People will cut you off...No matter how close you are or how fast you are going...

Thai people are very helpful...

Toilet paper is optional for toilets (aka bathrooms) but you won't find a restaurant without toilet paper served on your table as napkins...

Glass bottled drinks are just washed and reused...

The fruit is amazing, and eating hot fresh corn in the morning is delectible...

Vendors will rip you off, but there is Always room for bargaining...

Everyday is a new possiblity and learning new routes and foods is the best part of living in a defferent country.

Ayutthaya

Today was Mother's Day here in Thailand and so our school got a day off from the holiday. So we decided to go to Ayutthaya which used to be the capital city of Thailand and now is a hot spot for tourists to view the ancient ruins. I wasn't sure about the whole excursion but this day ended up being an incredible experience...

Anywhere you want to go outside of our Uni-Tec you have to take many forms of transportation. It can be an exhausting but fun experience everytime you travel. It ended up being us five SM's to make our way to Ayutthaya by ourselves with little direction. We started out with a Song Tao which took us to the BTS station (sky tram), then riding it to the end where we took a taxi to the bus station. From the bus station it was an hour and 15min drive to Ayutthaya. Altogether is was about a 2hour trip to the city. The nice thing about being American and with a large group is that people always know that you need help. Even if the squinted eye brows, blank faces, and hands in the air of "I don't know where we are or what to do" did not come across as a big hint.

After the long bus ride we got out and were immediately bombarded with tour guides; wanting us to pick their tuk tuk for a tour. We felt pretty proud of ourselves when we brought the price down from 1000 Baht to 800 Baht. Even though I think I could have haggled him down a little more with a little eye batting... But anyways, we were off to this enchanted city that encaptured us from the touring Thailand book.

Our tour guide took us to several stops; most were ruins of what used to be temples and wats. The first place we visited was full of white statued buddhas that had bright yellow material garbed around them. The statues and colors looked indescribable, bringing you back to the time when they were once built and used everyday. The gardens were well taken care of as while we walked through them you could smell the sweet refreshing aroma of these little white flowers.

Then we went to Wat Machu That where the famous Buddha head is encaved in a tree. This was the main site to see at these ruins. There are signs posted all around the buddhas that you cannot stand taller than them when taking a picture. A policeman blew his whistle at some tourists who stood on top of a Buddhas base while taking a picture. The policeman ran over to them and made them erase the picture! That just shows you how respectful they are to their Buddha. They won't let anyone get away with disrepecting whether you practice or not. After the scene we continued to walk around the ruins. I was amazed at the size and intricate details that still remained on the ruins. hundreds of years standing but yet the foundation still in tact.

Finally I got to experience my first temple! I was very excited as we approached the white and gold building. There was a place off to the side of the temple where we had to place our shoes. I was so glad I wore tennis shoes with socks to walk around... I wish that I understood the customs and the reasons for what the people do. This place was packed! people were lined up to put flowers infront of their buddha and candles and incense for people to light and pray in front of. As we continued to walk inside you saw this huge gold belly! Then as you got into the door you were smack infront of a 12.5 meter tall buddha!There must have been hundreds of people walking in and out of the temple as they continued to pray and finish praying. People knelt in front of buddha with their hands clasped while saying their prayers to this golden image. Others were walking in circles around the Buddha with hands clasped while saying their prayers. I didn't understand what exactly they were doing or why they were praying to other smaller Buddhas on the side. It was a mystery as I just watched the people with the utmost respect and sanctitude that they had. It was humbling just watching the dedication.

After the temple we made our way to three more ruins. By this time most of the ruins began to look the same and the excitement of "Oh look a the ruins from this old city!" now became "Yay the rocks on piles of this foundation".. But all was not loss because we had gotten beautiful pictures of this ancient city that will not give it justice unless seen in person. The other reason for our discontentment was the fact that it was very hot and humid outside with a small breeze. It was getting unbearable to our half eaten sun burned bodies.

At our last stop we came to another very famous buddha. This large buddha was laying on its side with a carved smile. It was one of my favorite places of the day. People were laying more flowers and food out for the gods/spirits. But the stray dogs and cats find their way to the food so all is not lost. People take kindly to the stray animals because they believe in reincarnation and that that ugly stinky dog was once a person. So most animals are somewhat well fed and respected.

Our journey came to an end and we made the 2 hour trek home back to Bangkok. The day was an experience as we tried to talk to the Thai who do not understand much english and us not knowing little to no Thai. We made it through finding our way from one place to another. Making mistakes and figuring out what to do and where to go along the way makes your time more memorable. And with each passing day the customs and language barrier is becoming more easy to adjust to.

Tao Lai Ka? Floating Markets

We first began at 6 A.M. where a tour bus came to pick six of us up at our uni-tec. We were on our way to the floating markets which was about an hour and a half away. I was so excited cause ever since I got to Thailand I really wanted to experience the floating markets and to see what all it was all about. To beat the crowds we first stopped at the elephant farm where we got to pet and feed the elephants. It was really awesome to be up close and personal with these marvelous creatures but it was sad to see the scars from their trainers all over their bodies. At one point the little baby elephant began to sway and dance to the music playing! But we were informed by Ashley that they do that because they are tied up so much. After that we made our way to the boats at the market.

As I got into the boat the surroundings really let me catch a glimpse of the real Thailand and how some people live. We took a short ride in the boat as we made our way to the marketplace. The water was dark brown and cloudy from all the mud and probable pollution. It was sad to see some of the make shift homes along the river and know that we are so fortunate to have clean water and a sturdy homes. I saw many people using the merky water to bathe themselves, wash their clothes and most likely use the water to cook and drink. This was the Thailand I was expecting to see...It was sad.

We made our way slowly down the river not really knowing whether or not our boat will tip?! It was a little rocky, but our driver knew what he was doing. We saw a few random animals on the way. The first was a few monkeys that someone had tied up in their yard and then as we kept moving forward we saw this huge head pop up out of the water and then began crawling out of the water?! It was a Monitor Lizard. It was the biggest/wierdest creature I have ever seen, but very awesome to see in the wild.

We finallly got to the markets! It was incredible! Boats are scrambling to fit down the small strip of river full of people and colorful fruits and vegetables. Vendors are yelling out their prices and food choices and everywhere you look there is someone right behind you trying to hand you something to buy from them. I have learned not to even look at goods if I am not going to buy them! They will chase you down until you finally bargain a price that both of you are happy with. They will hand you a calculator with their price then you have to respond back with a price that you will pay. Its quite a gambling game and I definately got ripped off today... But you do feel a sense of accomplishment that you worked for that purchase!

The smells are overwhelming! You have a million different smells coming from the river, the people, and all the various foods that are being cooked. Your nostrils get swarmed and all the smells hit you at one point with greasy stagnant unpleasant air. At that point you just need to get some fresh air and fast!

After the markets we got back into our bus to go to the hand crafts fair. I have never seen such art taken place before. Each design piece is so tedious and looks as if it would take years to finish! most of the designs are of elephants and the jungle scene. The artists hand carve on hard wood for art pieces, chairs, tables ou name it! It was beautiful to see the intricacy and dedication that was put into each piece.

After all of the hustle and bustle of the markets we filled the rest of our day with a cobra farm, crocodile farm and then to Rose Gardens. I got to see shows at the crocodile farm displaying the sad lives that the elephants are raised to live and near death hand tricks with the crocodiles. Then lastly we experienced some of the old culture of Thailand. The Rose Gardens has shows to watch the dances of the different parts and Thailand and to experience a marriage and their rituals.

It was a great, but tiring day.

Lovin every minute!

Sawadee ka! Greetings from Thailand. This country is exciting, busy, and never to disappoint. I am constantly learning new words and culture tips. I live in a uni-tec that is about a 2 minute walk from my school. The SDA Language School is in the second level of a huge white building. Everyday we have to cross a four lane road ready to play frogger as the busy streets are swarmed with cars, motorcycles, and people.

Going places has made it very convenient since the walking distance to most places are very accessible. But my very first day here in Thailand I was taken to the National Monument where I experienced the Song-tuk which is like an open back shrort bus, then the BTS (Bangkok Train Station), and a taxi. Most of the taxis are a bright pink or purple color so they are very hard to miss. Then we walked the streets, the mall, and went to my first Thai cinema and saw Mummy 3 in English with Thai subtitles. It was 3 stories tall! Each movie theatre had its own level. The unique things about the theatre here is that you pick your seats before you go in to sit down and then before the movie starts everyone has to stand when they begin playing the national anthem with a short video showing pictures of the king.

My image of what I thought Bangkok was going to be like was very wrong. The malls here are beautiful and everyone is very dressed up when going. I mean there was a Farari store inside of the mall... yeah. There is very much a tropical feel here just by seeing the variety of plants and crazy delicious fruits! My new favorite for the week (lol) is Rombutan which looks like a hairy strawberry with a tough skin that when you break it open it has an egg shaped fruit inside that tastes similar, but sweeter, to a grape. There is an almond shaped seed inside so you have to be careful.. Also Dragon fruit is another sweet fruit. Its a bright pink with green tips that looks like its on fire. The inside is white with small black seeds; it looks like a white kiwi.

7/11 Has become our new best friend. It is where everyone goes to get things quick. And the new walmart is Big C. Both are in walking distance and we have learned to love 7/11! It is very underappreciated in the States..lol

After attempting to eat some of the chicken here, I have decided that I will be vegetarian... It was a bad experience. There are many smells here on the streets and most are not appetising.. The smells come from the sewage water and when walking through the street vendors lots of cooking is going on. Lots of meat and vegetables are cooked right on the street that is very inexpensive. but you have to be careful because most is unrecognizable. It has been a little difficult to find things that I like, but I really like Pad Thai with Tofu and Egg. Also I enjoy getting Taro bread, which is a sweet bread with a sweet purple potato like fruit. Eating on the streets is very cheap! And for most meals I usually spend about a dollar or less. Most things to eat is about 30 baht which is a little less than a dollar. Although we did spoil ourselves and ate at the Pizza Company.

This week I have been observing various classes and learning the ropes. These next few days I will be co-teaching. On Thursday they will start me out with two classes: one of English/Social Studies to younger students and then a women's adult class for English. Our school is open from Sundays to Thursdays. It was really weird going to school on a Sunday.. But its nice to have a Friday off. Most of the students at the Language School are Korean, not many Thais can afford to send their children to a Christian school.

The weather is very hot within the 80s and 90s with over 60% of humidity. And since A/C is to expensive we have to do without in our apartments. Basically electricity is expensive. Water is always on hand and bottled water comes very cheap. We can refill bottles for 1-5 Baht, which is about 5cents or less.

There are three other SM's at my school and we are already laying out and planning trips to take on our breaks. Things are going well for me here. It has been very easy to adjust because you can always find things to remind you of home. There are lots of opportunities here. Until then.. love you tons and miss you lots!!