A bit of a backstory...
I don't know quite where to begin with this! How does one begin a blog? When I decided to uproot my life and move to Thailand, people asked if I would start a blog. I have always enjoyed writing but writing a blog, to be honest, felt daunting and frankly, a bit too vulnerable. Family and those closest to me have typically been on the receiving end of my notes. In coming to Thailand though, I promised myself this would be a year of putting myself out there, doing what terrified me, and lets be honest, praying/trusting I would bounce back...trusting I would actually get a teaching gig out here, that I would meet friends (no one wants to travel the world completely alone!), and that one day when I do return home, that I will find work again. So, here I am in a little coffee shop, half way around the world from all that was familiar to me, beginning a blog.
I should mention that this adventure in Thailand was not pre planned. If you know me at all, you know I plan everything, almost to a fault. But 2017 has proved to be a year where I somewhat threw caution to the wind and decided to make some changes. If you had asked me a year ago, what I thought 2017 would look like, my guess would not have even been in the ballpark of what life for me looks like today. But that is life for you, always throwing us unexpected curveballs.
In the beginning of this year, my best friends 5 plus year battle with breast cancer went into over drive. And on March 20th countless of us gained a guardian angel. That day will forever be etched into my mind. It has been single handedly the most beautiful and gut wrenching day of my life. Beautiful because Chom was completely bathed in love as she passed away, with some of those closest to her telling her how much we loved her. I don't think I have ever been so present with a group of people in all my life. I will never forget that day. I am forever thankful that I could be there with her and her family, that she was not alone, and that I could have one last conversation, just her and I.
When I last sat with her, I thought about all of our conversations over the last several years. We talked frequently about happiness and joy, what was holding us back, all of our fears and insecurities, and how we knew those fears were preventing us from living our best life. I made a commitment on that day, to her, to myself, that no longer would I allow fear to dictate my decisions. I promised to seek out joy, even when what I was feeling was pain and heartache.
And it is in that moment, during our last conversation, that I truly believe, Chom planted the inspiration behind this Thailand adventure...because certainly this was not of my own creation.
Days after Chom died, I felt an urge to leave San Diego. To travel. I talked with family and friends and everyone agreed maybe a little travel would do my heart and soul some good. But, as Chom told me frequently, YOLO, and I always said back, go big or go home.... I decided not on a summer trip abroad but to leave my career, drop 90% of my belongings off at GoodWill, and move half way around the world to teach, to travel, but mostly, to find myself again.
So, for those of you who care to join, this is where I will chronicle the adventures and misadventures of my life in Thailand :)
To my family and friends, none of this would have been possible without your constant love and support. Thank you for not only supporting this idea, but for encouraging it. And to Chom, I miss you something fierce but I feel you with me always. This year is in honor of you and our friendship.
And with that, I will leave you with a new favorite quote of mine:
"And suddenly you know...It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings."
I should mention that this adventure in Thailand was not pre planned. If you know me at all, you know I plan everything, almost to a fault. But 2017 has proved to be a year where I somewhat threw caution to the wind and decided to make some changes. If you had asked me a year ago, what I thought 2017 would look like, my guess would not have even been in the ballpark of what life for me looks like today. But that is life for you, always throwing us unexpected curveballs.
In the beginning of this year, my best friends 5 plus year battle with breast cancer went into over drive. And on March 20th countless of us gained a guardian angel. That day will forever be etched into my mind. It has been single handedly the most beautiful and gut wrenching day of my life. Beautiful because Chom was completely bathed in love as she passed away, with some of those closest to her telling her how much we loved her. I don't think I have ever been so present with a group of people in all my life. I will never forget that day. I am forever thankful that I could be there with her and her family, that she was not alone, and that I could have one last conversation, just her and I.
When I last sat with her, I thought about all of our conversations over the last several years. We talked frequently about happiness and joy, what was holding us back, all of our fears and insecurities, and how we knew those fears were preventing us from living our best life. I made a commitment on that day, to her, to myself, that no longer would I allow fear to dictate my decisions. I promised to seek out joy, even when what I was feeling was pain and heartache.
And it is in that moment, during our last conversation, that I truly believe, Chom planted the inspiration behind this Thailand adventure...because certainly this was not of my own creation.
Days after Chom died, I felt an urge to leave San Diego. To travel. I talked with family and friends and everyone agreed maybe a little travel would do my heart and soul some good. But, as Chom told me frequently, YOLO, and I always said back, go big or go home.... I decided not on a summer trip abroad but to leave my career, drop 90% of my belongings off at GoodWill, and move half way around the world to teach, to travel, but mostly, to find myself again.
So, for those of you who care to join, this is where I will chronicle the adventures and misadventures of my life in Thailand :)
To my family and friends, none of this would have been possible without your constant love and support. Thank you for not only supporting this idea, but for encouraging it. And to Chom, I miss you something fierce but I feel you with me always. This year is in honor of you and our friendship.
And with that, I will leave you with a new favorite quote of mine:
"And suddenly you know...It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings."
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