goodbyes...

My last few weeks in Thailand were a blur of finishing projects and saying goodbye to the people I called my brothers and sisters and the country I called my home. About a week before I left, we finished up the square foot gardens with the Ayui Foundation. The kids were all so excited to finish mixing up the dirt and to plant their seeds. After we finished planting, I joked and played around with the kids. When it was time to go, I resisted. I wanted to stay at our gardens and play games, but the project was finished. We had one more day of computer and economics lessons that I could look forward to. The lessons went really well. There were more laughs and hugs than usual, but they were mostly the same. After the lessons, the girls performed an Akha dance for us. It was beautiful. Whenever my eyes are opened to a culture, I feel my heart widen along with it.

I went for the first and only time to teach English at soccer school. The kids were sweet and it was quite fun. That afternoon for the soccer tournament, it was so much more fun when I knew the kids who we were playing against. It was fascinating to see their dynamic on the field in comparison to their dynamic in class. The team captain was the most popular kid in the class. When we would ask questions, everyone looked to him to see the answer. They learned about how to describe their friends in one class session; every student wrote about him. The soccer tournament was so much fun and these kids were giving it there all. In the end, they ended up beating us 4-2. They were so excited that it was hard not to be happy that they won!



I also went one last time to the Samah Mit Community to the Watch Tower. The people in the community are like a family. They eat together and work together and drink together. We went the last time to plant trees. It was a way to symbolize our partnership and say goodbye. A part of me will always be in that village because I planted there. Many of my last couple days were spent at the Chiang Rai Regional Hospital. We finished the overflow room and I went to Pediatrics a few times. One day in the overflow room, they were showing the handwashing video. It was so funny to watch everyone's reactions when they matched the Farang in the video with the Farang in the room with them. I said goodbye to the kids in Pediatrics and the staff that worked there. I even did medical supplies one last time.

The saddest goodbye was undoubtedly my last time in the Akha village. Dr. Dum, Ayu, and Laum Chai had become my dear friends. They welcomed me into their community with open arms and open hearts, and I was leaving them. When I said goodbye to Laum Chai he didn't understand I was going away. When I told him I was leaving, he asked me "forever?" Initially, I started to chuckle at his question, but it occurred to me that, yes, I was leaving forever. I told him I was going back to America. At this point, this thirteen year old trickster looked up at me with sad eyes and asked "why?" I told him that I had to go back to finish school and to see my friends and family. He asked if I would come back to the village to see them. All I could say was "I hope so." I wished him "chok dee" (good luck) and went back home.


















I will never forget my summer spent in Northern Thailand. I will never forget the beauty of its surroundings, the kindness in the heart of its people, and the richness of its culture. My work here has reminded me to follow my passions in life. Howard Thurman said "don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is more people that have come alive." My time here has shown me what makes me come alive. Being with these people in their beautiful lives and working with them drives me; it inspires me; it keeps me going. I hope that my life continues to take me down this incredible path where I am able to do things that I love in incredible places.