Seeing as I will not be able to properly celebrate my favorite holiday yet again, I figured it would be important for me to take time and celebrate the true meaning of Thanksgiving and write down the top 10 things I have learned to be very thankful for since moving to Thailand.
One. The amazing and overly welcoming community of Ban Thaen and my adorable and obnoxious students.
My adjustment to this tiny town has definitely had its challenges, but I can not express enough how grateful I am for the people that I am surrounded by. Every day I walk out of my door I have people saying hello to me, trying their damn hardest to come up with any English they may know to have a little conversation with me. My Thai teachers go above and beyond to integrate me into their lives and this country and my students, although little brats sometimes, bring me more joy and happiness than they will ever know.
Two. The fact that I enjoy running.
This is simply because it allows me to do something I enjoy after school. If I didn't have running, I would be coming home everyday after school and doing nothing until it was time to get dinner, and then falling asleep. It also allows me to feel more apart of this town. Because this town is so small, the school is the central point. Once school is over, the kids don't leave. They play soccer, volleyball, or just use it as a place to hangout with friends and it is where I go for my runs. Even if it is just for 10 min, I feel more like someone who lives here and less like "Teacher Sarah".
Three. Having a strong stomach.
Might sound weird, but I have never been more thankful for having a strong stomach than I have been since being here, especially living in rural Thailand. Even during my time in Hua Hin, where there are plenty of western food options and more sanitary Thai food stands, I had friends getting sick due to the food all of the time. Thai people will always joke about how weak most western stomachs are because we are always getting sick from the food. Knock on wood, but thankfully I have yet to REALLY get sick from the food. Yeah, I have had a few upset stomachs and days were I felt sluggish but it pails in comparison to what some of my other friends have dealt with. I have been able to fully enjoy Thai food and try everything that they dump on my plate without having to worry if Ill spend the next few days regretting it. Plus, I am able to save so much money because I can buy the cheap street food instead of living off all the processed stuff from Tesco and 7/11.
Four. WhatsApp! and Facebook
Basically technology in general. I have multiple group chats on both Facebook and WhatsApp with my friends that I have made in Thailand and they are such a source of strength for me day to day. Whenever I, or any of us, are feeling skeptical, frustrated or homesick, I have that immediate support from 20+ people who either give me a good pep talk or assure me that I am not alone in my feelings. There was nothing better during my first week here than reading our group chat and seeing that other people were going through the same thing. I can also, always count on it for a great laugh. Not only am I able to talk to my friends I have made here, but I am also able to talk with my friends from home, and my Mom and Dad. No words can ever express how thankful I am for that luxury.
Five. Travel
I have yet to find anything in my life that brings me more joy and sparks my insides more than seeing the world. Because my parents are amazing, they exposed me to the world outside of the "Hopkinton Bubble" when I was younger, but it wasn't until going to Germany and seeing Europe that I developed a passion for learning about and seeing different cultures and cities. There is such an incredible irony in how alive and significant I feel the more I travel and realize how expansive this world really is and how small we all are in comparison.
Six. Being a US Citizen
This is one that I never really fully appreciated until coming to Thailand. Just by sheer dumb luck, I was born in the US, which means I could apply for a US passport and can speak English. In terms of traveling, having a US Passport is basically King. Along with a UK passport, having a US passport means you can get into 147 (I googled it) countries, the most in the world. Endless travel opportunities. Now on to the more significant perk of being born in the US...speaking English. I always knew English was the international language of business, but I never really thought much of it, because I spoke it. Since being here, I have seen that just by knowing English, my opportunities abroad are limitless. It is basically essential for Thai people to learn English if they want a well paying career or if they want to do any sort of traveling. Just within SE Asia, so many different languages are spoken that if they want to do any sort of business with each other there has to be some common language, and that language just happens to be English. The moment I got my TESOL certificate, I basically got job security as well. I was raised to speak some silly language that people all over the world are wanting to learn, and now I have the ability to teach them. I don't know if what I just said really made sense, but just know the fact that we speak English is so damn lucky and it makes our ability to turn our dreams into reality so much easier than people in other parts of the world.
Seven. Cultural Immersion.
Not many people have the opportunity to do what I am doing right now. I am getting to see Thailand in a way almost no one, aside from Thais, get to see it. Before coming here, I thought of Thailand and I immediately thought of Phuket and the islands. Now, I have yet to go and I can't wait for March when I am able to, but I know that is not going to feel like Thailand to me. I have been so fortunate enough to experience Thailand in a way that most people will never be able to. After this is all said and done, I will not only be able to say I lived in Thailand, but I lived like the Thai as well.
Eight. My Health.
This one is pretty obvious. Over the last few years, so many people I love in my life have unexpectedly gotten sick, and it reminds me how fast life can change. As of right now, I am happy and healthy and I need to make sure I don't take that for granted.
Nine. Friends, Family and My Dogs.
Because they are what bring me the most happiness in my life. If I did not have the people (and animals) in my life that I do, my world would be unrecognizable. I am so inspired by them all everyday, it makes me feel so lucky to have them in my life and to be apart of theirs. They have helped me through the lowest parts of my life and been next to me during the best. The support, love and laughter they provide for me is more than I could ever ask for and I am beyond blessed to receive it.
Ten. Mom and Dad.
I have and will always believe, that I was raised by the greatest duo a kid could ask for. My list for why I am thankful for them is endless, but since being in Thailand the one thing that stands out and makes them incredible, is their unwavering support for any and every crazy decision I make. Their faith in my decision making is actually almost questionable. Coming to Thailand was one of the most scary decisions I have ever made, yet my parents were on board from the get go. They were so much about this whole thing that I was literally sending them information on different programs and begging them to read about it because they never had any questions. They trusted that if I was going to make this decision, I was going to do it right. They had more faith in me than I had in myself. All they knew is that I had a vision, I was seeing it through, and that was enough. To add to that, they have never once pressured me to start looking for a career because they know that is not what I want or need to be doing right now. Just the other day I was talking to my Dad about what my plans are for when I return from Thailand and I was talking about how I am thinking about possibly using my TESOL again and moving to teach somewhere in Europe. Without hesitation he said, "I love hearing you talk like this". I was honestly shocked. For sure, I thought I was going to be met with some hesitation, yet there was none. The encouragement they give me to approach life on my own timeline and use my twenties as a time for adventure is the coolest thing that they'll ever do for me and I love them for that.
I know this post is as cheesy as it gets, but it is honestly all so true. Being here has started to help me slow down in life and realize that I have got it really, really good. Some days may be tough, and having to carry toilet paper with you at all times can get obnoxious, but I wouldnt trade this, and everything else in my life, for anything...
except for maybe a Thanksgiving meal and an Olivia Pope sized glass of red wine....
One. The amazing and overly welcoming community of Ban Thaen and my adorable and obnoxious students.
My adjustment to this tiny town has definitely had its challenges, but I can not express enough how grateful I am for the people that I am surrounded by. Every day I walk out of my door I have people saying hello to me, trying their damn hardest to come up with any English they may know to have a little conversation with me. My Thai teachers go above and beyond to integrate me into their lives and this country and my students, although little brats sometimes, bring me more joy and happiness than they will ever know.
Two. The fact that I enjoy running.
This is simply because it allows me to do something I enjoy after school. If I didn't have running, I would be coming home everyday after school and doing nothing until it was time to get dinner, and then falling asleep. It also allows me to feel more apart of this town. Because this town is so small, the school is the central point. Once school is over, the kids don't leave. They play soccer, volleyball, or just use it as a place to hangout with friends and it is where I go for my runs. Even if it is just for 10 min, I feel more like someone who lives here and less like "Teacher Sarah".
Three. Having a strong stomach.
Might sound weird, but I have never been more thankful for having a strong stomach than I have been since being here, especially living in rural Thailand. Even during my time in Hua Hin, where there are plenty of western food options and more sanitary Thai food stands, I had friends getting sick due to the food all of the time. Thai people will always joke about how weak most western stomachs are because we are always getting sick from the food. Knock on wood, but thankfully I have yet to REALLY get sick from the food. Yeah, I have had a few upset stomachs and days were I felt sluggish but it pails in comparison to what some of my other friends have dealt with. I have been able to fully enjoy Thai food and try everything that they dump on my plate without having to worry if Ill spend the next few days regretting it. Plus, I am able to save so much money because I can buy the cheap street food instead of living off all the processed stuff from Tesco and 7/11.
Four. WhatsApp! and Facebook
Basically technology in general. I have multiple group chats on both Facebook and WhatsApp with my friends that I have made in Thailand and they are such a source of strength for me day to day. Whenever I, or any of us, are feeling skeptical, frustrated or homesick, I have that immediate support from 20+ people who either give me a good pep talk or assure me that I am not alone in my feelings. There was nothing better during my first week here than reading our group chat and seeing that other people were going through the same thing. I can also, always count on it for a great laugh. Not only am I able to talk to my friends I have made here, but I am also able to talk with my friends from home, and my Mom and Dad. No words can ever express how thankful I am for that luxury.
Five. Travel
I have yet to find anything in my life that brings me more joy and sparks my insides more than seeing the world. Because my parents are amazing, they exposed me to the world outside of the "Hopkinton Bubble" when I was younger, but it wasn't until going to Germany and seeing Europe that I developed a passion for learning about and seeing different cultures and cities. There is such an incredible irony in how alive and significant I feel the more I travel and realize how expansive this world really is and how small we all are in comparison.
Six. Being a US Citizen
This is one that I never really fully appreciated until coming to Thailand. Just by sheer dumb luck, I was born in the US, which means I could apply for a US passport and can speak English. In terms of traveling, having a US Passport is basically King. Along with a UK passport, having a US passport means you can get into 147 (I googled it) countries, the most in the world. Endless travel opportunities. Now on to the more significant perk of being born in the US...speaking English. I always knew English was the international language of business, but I never really thought much of it, because I spoke it. Since being here, I have seen that just by knowing English, my opportunities abroad are limitless. It is basically essential for Thai people to learn English if they want a well paying career or if they want to do any sort of traveling. Just within SE Asia, so many different languages are spoken that if they want to do any sort of business with each other there has to be some common language, and that language just happens to be English. The moment I got my TESOL certificate, I basically got job security as well. I was raised to speak some silly language that people all over the world are wanting to learn, and now I have the ability to teach them. I don't know if what I just said really made sense, but just know the fact that we speak English is so damn lucky and it makes our ability to turn our dreams into reality so much easier than people in other parts of the world.
Seven. Cultural Immersion.
Not many people have the opportunity to do what I am doing right now. I am getting to see Thailand in a way almost no one, aside from Thais, get to see it. Before coming here, I thought of Thailand and I immediately thought of Phuket and the islands. Now, I have yet to go and I can't wait for March when I am able to, but I know that is not going to feel like Thailand to me. I have been so fortunate enough to experience Thailand in a way that most people will never be able to. After this is all said and done, I will not only be able to say I lived in Thailand, but I lived like the Thai as well.
Eight. My Health.
This one is pretty obvious. Over the last few years, so many people I love in my life have unexpectedly gotten sick, and it reminds me how fast life can change. As of right now, I am happy and healthy and I need to make sure I don't take that for granted.
Nine. Friends, Family and My Dogs.
Because they are what bring me the most happiness in my life. If I did not have the people (and animals) in my life that I do, my world would be unrecognizable. I am so inspired by them all everyday, it makes me feel so lucky to have them in my life and to be apart of theirs. They have helped me through the lowest parts of my life and been next to me during the best. The support, love and laughter they provide for me is more than I could ever ask for and I am beyond blessed to receive it.
Ten. Mom and Dad.
I have and will always believe, that I was raised by the greatest duo a kid could ask for. My list for why I am thankful for them is endless, but since being in Thailand the one thing that stands out and makes them incredible, is their unwavering support for any and every crazy decision I make. Their faith in my decision making is actually almost questionable. Coming to Thailand was one of the most scary decisions I have ever made, yet my parents were on board from the get go. They were so much about this whole thing that I was literally sending them information on different programs and begging them to read about it because they never had any questions. They trusted that if I was going to make this decision, I was going to do it right. They had more faith in me than I had in myself. All they knew is that I had a vision, I was seeing it through, and that was enough. To add to that, they have never once pressured me to start looking for a career because they know that is not what I want or need to be doing right now. Just the other day I was talking to my Dad about what my plans are for when I return from Thailand and I was talking about how I am thinking about possibly using my TESOL again and moving to teach somewhere in Europe. Without hesitation he said, "I love hearing you talk like this". I was honestly shocked. For sure, I thought I was going to be met with some hesitation, yet there was none. The encouragement they give me to approach life on my own timeline and use my twenties as a time for adventure is the coolest thing that they'll ever do for me and I love them for that.
I know this post is as cheesy as it gets, but it is honestly all so true. Being here has started to help me slow down in life and realize that I have got it really, really good. Some days may be tough, and having to carry toilet paper with you at all times can get obnoxious, but I wouldnt trade this, and everything else in my life, for anything...
except for maybe a Thanksgiving meal and an Olivia Pope sized glass of red wine....