“I come to the sea to breath.”

“I come to the sea to breath”, a quote by Mary Anna Radmacher. I read that while perusing the Cannon Beach shops yesterday, and logged it away, because coming here is breathing. It is like home to me, and man I miss it! I miss wearing Oneil board shorts and flip flops, surfing…. the lifestyle here. I could do it again. I could definitely enjoy something a little less urban. I was hanging out with my friend yesterday, we had breakfast at Pig ‘n’ Pancake (Why is eating there every visit a must??), walked it off through town, took a nap on the beach…. visited Indian Beach (I wish I would’ve made it work with fitting my board on my wee car). Driving separately and having Mondays off of work make for a good, good day as it’s just me and one of my favorite places to be. I want write some more, as I can so much more easily write when I am here, but not now. My cup of Bella-coffee is gone, and I don’t want to waste this time on my computer. I’m off….

November.

Three years.

Two years.

Time ticks.

back.

That was several weeks ago – that I arrived “back”! It’s been close to a month of being here!!!… and an absolutely ridiculously, out-of-control month it will have been!

 Oh my goodness… where to begin? Maybe I won’t even begin… because then I would have to finish, and I don’t have time for that. Like my last post, “I’ll be back and finish writing this”… it never happens, so I’ll just sum it up!

August 29th – landed around noon, and hit the ground running! Running fast! I drop my bags off at a completely NEW place – my own place! Finally. And it needs paint. It needs a lot. Sarah’s getting married. I have a lot to do. Shower invites. Moving in. Catching up with friends. I started work that Monday – Labor day. I am asked to work more. Perfect. Really, that’s fine, but a lot for just getting back. So five days a week, 10 hours a day, give or take… but mostly give, and actually, there isn’t any taking! Annual camping trip! Fun!Work. More painting, unpacking, getting things in order (trying to, at least), wedding and pre-date events prep. I’m staying up late, and getting up early. I LOVE living right beside Ben and the other guys. It’s fun. A nice change. This list could go on…

But aside from the busyness, and the Becky-needing-to-catch-her-breath-ness, I do have some returning home thoughts. Thailand almost feels unreal, like it didn’t happen. I lived and had a life there for a good two-and-a-half months. Coming back is weird. It was just a short while, and I didn’t really believe it when I heard people talking about culture shock in reverse, and with less than three months, I knew I wouldn’t deal with that, but I was wrong…  And while I was gone, my little life in the NW/surroundings/the people in it changed, and again, in less than three months, I didn’t expect to notice anything. But I did. It all just kept going while I was away, and now I am back – getting used to it all… getting re-adjusted to all I used to only know? Things make more sense though (in a blatent-awakening kind of way). What’s important and what’s not. What and who you need, and what you don’t. Time. Money. What you invest yourself in – and where you should be investing! I have a poster on the fridge in my kitchen. It’s decorated with colorful paper sqares, glitter, and covered in pictures of the kids I spent my days with in Chiang Mai. I see it everyday, just as I think of all those faces everyday. I pray that I will never forget them. I pray that I will never forget Thailand, what I saw, explored, learned, was exposed to. It was so good! It was one of those things that you don’t know just how good it is until it’s over and you’re out of it. And then there’s the lingering taste that you want to keep in your mouth forever.

on my way out.

Tomorrow will be my last full day in Thailand. I don’t know what to say. The months have just flown by. I said good-bye to Chiang Mai Saturday after sitting down to one last meal with my new friends (that feel like family) – a pleasant breakfast of cheese pancakes, coffee, and conversation. My stomache was uneasy though as I knew that I would be boarding my flight within the hour. After a full day, I procrastinated in packing up my space and crossing last minute tasks of my to-do, so my sleep that night was little. I always do that – cram SO much into the last hours of being somewhere. I think it is best that way though.

For the last few days, I am wrapping up my time in Bangkok – catching up with a friend from Bible school who just happens to be in the city as well.  It’s nice seeing a familiar face in the midst of so much unfamiliarness.

These are my final minutes on the internet cafe computer, so will pick up here later today or tomorrow.

Until then, sawasdee-ka!

Mondays and Wednesdays…

I teach English at the (all girls) children’s home. It’s down the street from where I live, which is the upstairs of the bilingual pre-school that I volunteer at.

“Sure.”, I said. “Yeah…. (with a little bit of hesitance in my tone, I’m sure), I can teach 12 girls English… by myself.”

That was when I first arrived. I had never done it before, and had no idea where I would begin, but the girls eagerly wanted to learn, and I thought, “Why not give it a go?…”

To at least have someone consistanty spending time with them, speaking in the language that they are striving to learn, and trying to help them understand… that has got to be better than nothing.

So that is what I do.

Tonight was so great! As a hands on learner myself, one who despised studying and school, I am doing this my own way, especially after last week, where I tried a lesson plan with no interaction. It was too hard for their beginning level, and I walked away upset with myself for putting them through such misery (especially for how much time they spend in a classroom as it is).

Someone recently told me that in teaching english like this, you have to approach it in this way: as you would with a child at the age of learning to talk (and I can do that). Activity. Talking. Talking about what we are doing.. what we are eating, painting, singing. Repeating. Playing games that get them talking and saying what you are saying.

So for this evening’s class, I found the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, made a trip to Lotus (Thai Super Wal-Mart), and bought all of the foods that the caterpillar ate in the story. We all had a picnic together, laughing and talking about how funny farangs are for liking cheese… talking about every part of the picnic and object of food in the story. Basic, but they loved it. How could they not? It involved ice cream and chocolate cake.

The girls are the cutest too. Tonight, I had just walked in the door, and was talking to my friend who I live with when Air and Ning came skipping to the gate. They had my bag… the one that I hadn’t even noticed leaving behind yet. I’ll miss them. I have two classes left. Ten days more here in Chiang Mai before I leave for Bangkok. And from there, my next flight will be in the direction of home.

(the last three sentences are hard for me to believe)

the beach: on flickr

Take a look.

I can not believe that I was there, swimming in the rich, deep turquoise sea, and feeling like I had stepped into a calendar.

visit http://flickr.com/photos/rebekahkristine to view a handful of sights I captured with the shutter!

Hello Hanoi.

Crossing the street takes a certain amount of consentration and skill (maybe guts, too). I have to gauge the traffic, waiting for a safe spot. There is no such thing as a right-of-way and the motorcycles keep coming. I step off the curb– two, one, and five steps it takes. They inch around, and I weave and dodge my way through the motoring chaos.

It’s so interesting to learn, see, and experience the new and contrasting culture of the Neighboring country. I am here in Hanoi, city capitol of Vietnam.

A beautiful place!

Only a few days left, but I am loving every minute of it…

to Burma…

Thirty days have passed. It’s a hard thing to believe, but as thirty days marks one month in Thailand for me, it also marks the end of my tourist visa, so I left the country and spent the day in Burma.

A few friends and I left yesterday. There were actually two of us that needed to make a border run, so why not make a roadtrip of it? A few stops and four hours of driving placed us in Mae Sai where we stayed the night in a motel just outside of town. This morning we slept in (7:30 is sleeping in for me these days), enjoyed a Thai-style breakfast which I can’t remember what it was called – some type of rice soup, and crossed over.

Just across a bridge, and over mucky, brown river, it only takes a few steps to walk into something completely different than Thailand. Burma is poor. Instantly, you are in a market, people need money, children are begging. It smells different, feels dirtier, and you feel even more ungrateful for the life you have. There is much to see and buy – fake Louis Vouton and Coach everywhere… dvds, watches, and more ripped-off name brands. And although I enjoyed the browsing and shopping, I continued to notice the level of poverty. I walked back into Thailand with eight pirated dvds (in a Christian Dior, plastic shopping bag), and a glimse of life that I’ve only read about. It isn’t fair.

Sticky rice and mango…

It is my new, favorite Northern Thailand delicacy. I consumed nothing of substance this evening while meandering the Sunday Night Walking Street. For blocks and blocks, the street is closed to cars, and transformed into what they call a night market. Colorful Umbrellas with hanging lanterns line the streets. It’s busy, festive, and beneath the lights are the sales – rich, Thai silk wraps, fresh fruit, incense, art, jewelry, and dinner for under ten baht.

Today has been good – very relaxing.

I spent the afternoon at the pool, reading and swimming – in that order. I would lounge on the edge, read half a chapter, then need to take a swim due to the heat. And I would repeat the cycle. It was about 3:00 when clouds rolled in and the last person wrapped up in a towel and left. It is beautiful here. I sat a bit longer by the still pool before jumping in for the last time. Really, it’s so beautiful. That may have been my favorite part of the day (aside from the sticky rice and mango) – swimming laps under the dark, stormy sky.

Oh, and this morning, I almost forgot, we had church.. and then lunch out afterwards. I am just getting to know people here, but really enjoying the community and fellowship.

So the weekend was refreshing. And why that was needed is because the week days hold lots of activity. I am volunteering in a pre-school. LOT’S OF ACTIVITY. I think it’s funny. I go from kids, to more kids. Nannying in Seattle, to teaching in Thailand. I’ll probably always be involved with kids in some way, all the way up to one day having my own.

I’m getting into the groove here. Adjusting. Learning the culture. I love it. I’ll write more soon about the school, the children’s homes, the KIDS (I am surrounded by them!), etc…. ect…

Good night Chiang Mai.

This is my first time, since arriving, to actually spend a little time catching up over the net. My access is limited (but that does not mean you should not write). I wanted to leave a quick post.

I am here, in the land of smiles.

There is so much to take in.

It’s getting late, my day starts somewhat early, and I need nothing more right now than to go and coat my body with bug repellent.

Good night!