Well the 14 months are over and I am headed back to the US, with a brief stop in Canada. It doesn't feel real that I left Thailand...I don't want to say "for good" but you know what I mean. I feel like I will be back there next week. I had so much fun the last month I was in Thailand! I went back to the elephant camp, did the Flight of the Gibbon zipline course, broke my toe playing in Sticky Falls, got to ride in the back of the truck a few more times, and mostly laughed a whole lot with friends.
Now back to real life. I'll be settling down in Lake Forest soon and looking for a job. I'm hoping to really be able to reflect on the past year and grow through what I've learned. I don't know how much I've changed but I know I must have and I want to be able to incorporate the "new me" into what I see as my old life.
When I was at the airport to leave, there was a group of other people I knew also heading home, and with them a huge group of people to say goodbye. I overheard one of their leaders talking about all the groups she's seen come and go and some of the advice they give their interns as they head back. One of the things she said was "don't dwell." We've just had an amazing, life changing experience in Thailand and it's hard to let go. We made a lot of friends and had some wonderful experiences. I can totally see myself living wondering what I would be doing if I were still in Thailand. Wondering if I should be going back. And who knows, maybe I will. But my job right now is to remember but not dwell. I need to be present wherever God takes me next.
Now back to real life. I'll be settling down in Lake Forest soon and looking for a job. I'm hoping to really be able to reflect on the past year and grow through what I've learned. I don't know how much I've changed but I know I must have and I want to be able to incorporate the "new me" into what I see as my old life.
When I was at the airport to leave, there was a group of other people I knew also heading home, and with them a huge group of people to say goodbye. I overheard one of their leaders talking about all the groups she's seen come and go and some of the advice they give their interns as they head back. One of the things she said was "don't dwell." We've just had an amazing, life changing experience in Thailand and it's hard to let go. We made a lot of friends and had some wonderful experiences. I can totally see myself living wondering what I would be doing if I were still in Thailand. Wondering if I should be going back. And who knows, maybe I will. But my job right now is to remember but not dwell. I need to be present wherever God takes me next.
