Thank you so much to those of you who helped celebrate my birthday, here in Thailand and on the other side of the world in various locations. Your cards, emails, phonecalls, hugs, “love tolkens”, etc. were much appreciated. I know I say it often, but really: I’m blessed by you. Prajaw oi pawn.
Some highlights of my 21st birthday included:
- a card from my little sister Ning, strategically placed in my coffee mug: “happy brith day, pi das! love, ning”
- skype time with the ‘rents, doug, danielle and chris early in the morning :)
- homemade cards with limited resources (my favorite)
- a surprise birthday party lunch at the best canteen on CMU’s campus, complete with mangos and sticky rice for dessert (YUM) and rice crispy treats! (with imported marshmellows and rice crispies)
- Aj. Ann and Aj. Mike are such givers: they gave me a beautiful personalized cake (1) and an elaborately woven purse made by a Karen woman
- a surprise stop at the market on the way from the elementary school where i teach to Baan Agape; Aaron, Steph, Lindsey, Rachel, and Kaitlin bought ice cream, popcorn!, and flowers to celebrate me
- enjoying the breezy afternoon eating the beautiful cake with Pi Wara and Pi Jim and Kaitlin
- receiving a special verse and blessing from Pi Jim
- walking home at dusk, being reminded of the ways God’s glory is manifested in this place
- Khun Me cooked a Vietnamese birthday feast and bought a beautiful birthday cake (2), and we drank wine coolers together, for a special treat (ooh la la)
- Khun Pa arrived home for my special birthday dinner a little tipsy, bringing whiskey and champagne and ANOTHER cake (3) (miscommunication between the khun ‘rents)
- demonstrating sounds that Americans say when they hear animals (cows... we say “mooo” they say “maaa”; frogs... “ribbit ribbit”, they say “gop gop”) there are some significant differences between what we hear and what they hear...and the differences are HYSTERICAL
- laughing to tears with Khun Me, Ning, Nom and five million neighborhood kids who came out for cake because of those animal sound differences
In other news, this weekend was full of more good times: I went on a motorcycle ride with Paige (a soc major who graduated from Messiah last year and is teaching English in Chiang Mai for the time being). She took me to some cool places in Chiang Mai that I haven’t seen yet. Spending time with her and learning about her challenges/joys of living in a foreign country by herself really encouraged me. On Saturday, I had some quality bonding time with Khun Me before I went to Baan Agape to spend the afternoon with my older sisters. My family took me to this really cool restaurant later that evening where you cook your own food over hot coals and a griddle.
On Sunday morning, I met Lindsey and Sarah for church: Chiang Mai Christian Fellowship. I was a little startled to find the entire congregation to be made up of white foreigners. The sermon was really good, but I felt the same way I feel at home when I’m in a homogenous group of Christians. And this “feeling” was amplified because I’m in Thailand and there were no Thai people in the church... another topic for another time. Regardless, it was good to be with believers. Jonathan and I went shopping at the Walking Street market and bought some gifts to bring home that night. We walked through the biggest cloud of bugs I’ve ever seen; I inhaled one, ate two, and found three down my shirt later that evening. It was kinda like a plague. Kinda. Gross or cool?
Major conclusions I’ve made this week:
- if Henri Nouwen was alive, we’d be friends.
- if I eat more cake, I will surely die.
- wherever I go -- no matter where -- I always feel like I’m surrounded by people i love/who love me.
- I’m a ragamuffin, through and through.
- waiting is never easy but important nevertheless.
- bargaining is just a part of this culture so I should just accept it.
- it’s very possible (dare i say probable?) my seventeen year old host brother has a crush on me...oh dear.
rak khun. [love you]
