Monday, July 31, 2006
Home Sweet Home
So, I had mentioned before that I would write some stories from my adventures abroad, and I do have many. I shall attempt to recount to you the hightlights of my time in England, and try to do so in a somewhat concise and entertaining manner.
In my first week Sarah and I headed south to the lovely area of Devon, where we stayed in a small beach town and soaked up the sun. It was incredibly hot my entire time in the country so driving was an arduous process, especially in a car with no air conditioning. On our way home we were finding it particularly sweaty, although all the windows were down and we were in wet bathing suits. Nothing really seemed to make a difference. While driving through a small town we spotted people jumping into a river, and were immediately enticed to see whether this was possible for us as well. Basically we ended up walking through some farmer's property, nearly getting attacked by a very angry bull, and army crawling undernieth some electric fences. We finally reached the group of young boys who then proceeded to lead us across the river to a rope swing. As we were crossing the river, this ridiculously yappy dog started swimming towards us then swam with us, and then eventually started to drown. It got incredibly chaotic...the dog yapping and gurgling, the owner screaming, and everyone trying to get said dog. Finally, Sarah saved the day. She grabbed the dog, who thought she was trying to drown it and so fought back mercilessly as she swam it back across the river to the owner. Heroes never go without their scars though, and she had some amazing bruises splayed across her back and stomach.
A few days later we took a journey up north to see my friend's band mime for a music tv show (for the God Channel actually...who knew God had his own tv channel?). We were going to be a part of the fake audience. The trip was only supposed to take 2 hours, but in true-random-Jess-fashion, it took us 5 and a 1/2 hours. It had taken us 2 and a 1/2 hours to drive a distance that should have only taken us 30 minutes (good ole traffic), and we were already late. After we had already turned around and began heading home, we got a phone call from one of the band members telling us to come back because they had started late and we could still make it. In a sudden burst of spontanaety and adventure we decided to go for it, and turned back around and got stuck in traffic again!!!! It was amazing! We joked about getting there and the band strumming their final chord on the guitar, in some sort of anti-climactic joke on us...the ironic thing is, that's exactly what happened! We walked in just as they ended the song. They had them do one more take (I think simply for our sake, because we were so psyched to be there), so basically I'm going to be on tv in England...
There are many more stories to be told, but I think I will save those for when I see you face to face. My time away was everything and more than I had expected or anticipated. I enjoyed being with my friends so much! It's also good to be home...I only have 4 weeks left here so let's make the most of it!
The photo at the beginning of this post are of my adventure buddies whom I got to know well that fateful day we spent 5 hours in a car. Long live Team Adventure!
In my first week Sarah and I headed south to the lovely area of Devon, where we stayed in a small beach town and soaked up the sun. It was incredibly hot my entire time in the country so driving was an arduous process, especially in a car with no air conditioning. On our way home we were finding it particularly sweaty, although all the windows were down and we were in wet bathing suits. Nothing really seemed to make a difference. While driving through a small town we spotted people jumping into a river, and were immediately enticed to see whether this was possible for us as well. Basically we ended up walking through some farmer's property, nearly getting attacked by a very angry bull, and army crawling undernieth some electric fences. We finally reached the group of young boys who then proceeded to lead us across the river to a rope swing. As we were crossing the river, this ridiculously yappy dog started swimming towards us then swam with us, and then eventually started to drown. It got incredibly chaotic...the dog yapping and gurgling, the owner screaming, and everyone trying to get said dog. Finally, Sarah saved the day. She grabbed the dog, who thought she was trying to drown it and so fought back mercilessly as she swam it back across the river to the owner. Heroes never go without their scars though, and she had some amazing bruises splayed across her back and stomach.
A few days later we took a journey up north to see my friend's band mime for a music tv show (for the God Channel actually...who knew God had his own tv channel?). We were going to be a part of the fake audience. The trip was only supposed to take 2 hours, but in true-random-Jess-fashion, it took us 5 and a 1/2 hours. It had taken us 2 and a 1/2 hours to drive a distance that should have only taken us 30 minutes (good ole traffic), and we were already late. After we had already turned around and began heading home, we got a phone call from one of the band members telling us to come back because they had started late and we could still make it. In a sudden burst of spontanaety and adventure we decided to go for it, and turned back around and got stuck in traffic again!!!! It was amazing! We joked about getting there and the band strumming their final chord on the guitar, in some sort of anti-climactic joke on us...the ironic thing is, that's exactly what happened! We walked in just as they ended the song. They had them do one more take (I think simply for our sake, because we were so psyched to be there), so basically I'm going to be on tv in England...
There are many more stories to be told, but I think I will save those for when I see you face to face. My time away was everything and more than I had expected or anticipated. I enjoyed being with my friends so much! It's also good to be home...I only have 4 weeks left here so let's make the most of it!
The photo at the beginning of this post are of my adventure buddies whom I got to know well that fateful day we spent 5 hours in a car. Long live Team Adventure!
Monday, July 24, 2006
England or bust...
Hey friends...this is just a quick post to let you all know that i'm doing well and having a blast. Things have been interesting. i came over and found out i couldn't get any of my money because they have a different system (it's worked out fine now...but it was a tiny bit stressful at the start). On my birthday I fell over and broke my camera (which has worked itself out as well, but I just don't have a camera for the rest of my trip), and then the other night I was out in the park with some friends and my purse got nicked...thankfully I didn't have too much in it as I had taken a different bag and had only taken a few things with me, but my friend's phone was in there, and my best lip glosses (this is sad for girls), and £30 (which equals about $60).
So, other than a few gliches in my English journey it has been fantastic, filled with sun, laughter, friends and fun...meeting tons of people, and connecting with old friends.
I have so many stories...they might just have to wait until I come home, but know that I love you all and miss you and will see you shortly.
So, other than a few gliches in my English journey it has been fantastic, filled with sun, laughter, friends and fun...meeting tons of people, and connecting with old friends.
I have so many stories...they might just have to wait until I come home, but know that I love you all and miss you and will see you shortly.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Lop Buri
To give you guys a bit of a visual, my first year will be spent in Lop Buri, central Thailand. That is where I will be going to language school. Here is some information about the city as well, to give you an idea as to the environment I will be living in.
"Today, Lop Buri is administratively divided into 11 Amphoes (Districts) including Muang, Ban Mi, Chai Badan, Khok Charoen, Khok Samrong, Phatthana Nikhom, Tha Luang, Tha Wung, Sa Bot, Lam Sonthi and Nong Muang.Apart from historical attractions, Lop Buri provides opportunities for nature lovers to visit its famous Sap langka Wildlife Sanctuary in the north. Another special landmark of Lop Buri is monkeys. To tourists, the city is known as the land of monkeys. To the people of Lop Buri, the monkeys are descendants of Hanuman who, according to the Ramayana, built Lop Buri as his kingdom. The food offerings in San Phra Kan drew the monkeys from nearby forests. These mischievous monkeys have taken over several attractions such as San Phra Kan and Phra Prang Sam Yot. A big feast for the monkeys on the last Sunday of November is held annually at Phra Prang Sam Yot and is one of the most attractive and most talked about tourist events in Thailand."
"Today, Lop Buri is administratively divided into 11 Amphoes (Districts) including Muang, Ban Mi, Chai Badan, Khok Charoen, Khok Samrong, Phatthana Nikhom, Tha Luang, Tha Wung, Sa Bot, Lam Sonthi and Nong Muang.Apart from historical attractions, Lop Buri provides opportunities for nature lovers to visit its famous Sap langka Wildlife Sanctuary in the north. Another special landmark of Lop Buri is monkeys. To tourists, the city is known as the land of monkeys. To the people of Lop Buri, the monkeys are descendants of Hanuman who, according to the Ramayana, built Lop Buri as his kingdom. The food offerings in San Phra Kan drew the monkeys from nearby forests. These mischievous monkeys have taken over several attractions such as San Phra Kan and Phra Prang Sam Yot. A big feast for the monkeys on the last Sunday of November is held annually at Phra Prang Sam Yot and is one of the most attractive and most talked about tourist events in Thailand."
Officially Tired
I haven't had many moments in the last 2 weeks to just be...to reflect, rest, and give my time to...well, nothing. I think we take those brief lapses in time for granted because when you lack them, they seem so much more golden.
I had the grand opportunity to go see Superman (3D by the way...) with lovely Carmen. It ended up being one incredibly random night. We met some strangers in the line up and ended up sitting with them...not only sitting with them, but sitting in the middle of their group of friends. I came away with a nickname, and we both came away with many laughs (photos to come when I charge my batteries).
The one night I thought that I would be able to go to bed early, my brother got very ill and I had to take him to hospital (like the good sister I am), and I ended up being there until 2:30am while he ended up spending the night. I had the misfortune of having to be up at 5:30am...a grand total of 3 hours. Thankfully, Rebecca was gracious to me and took the rest of my shift so that I was able to go home and sleep and bit and take care of very ill David.
So much change has been taking place. I no longer live in Linden, but reside in the basement of my parent's house. I leave for England in 3 days (so exciting), and head to Abbotsford in a month and a half. I have been experiencing emotions that I never thought that I would...this whole thing has been harder than I ever thought...thankfully I have friends who have gone through this very journey, and have felt the same way as I do and so I am not walking through this alone. Although the difficulty of this is true, there is also so much joy and excitment in doing what I've been called to do and what I have wanted to do for so many years! I remember the feeling I had when I was leaving Bangkok in February, and how devastatingly sad I was. I can't wait to be where I love to be! But the other side of that is leaving the people that I love. I actually believe whole heartedly that if I wasn't sad about leaving then I wasn't doing what I was supposed to do while I was here, which is loving people and sharing myself with them. So, it's good and it's healthy. So please, I want everyone to know that it's not easy for me to leave you. I love you all dearly and have been affected by each of you in some unique and beautiful way...basically, that means you are all going to have to plan a trip to Thailand sometime in the near future. How about it?
Anyway, if you see me wandering around in a catatonic state over the next few days stop and talk, but please don't be offended if I struggle with forming words or have brief lapses in memory. That's tired Jess acting on my behalf.
I had the grand opportunity to go see Superman (3D by the way...) with lovely Carmen. It ended up being one incredibly random night. We met some strangers in the line up and ended up sitting with them...not only sitting with them, but sitting in the middle of their group of friends. I came away with a nickname, and we both came away with many laughs (photos to come when I charge my batteries).
The one night I thought that I would be able to go to bed early, my brother got very ill and I had to take him to hospital (like the good sister I am), and I ended up being there until 2:30am while he ended up spending the night. I had the misfortune of having to be up at 5:30am...a grand total of 3 hours. Thankfully, Rebecca was gracious to me and took the rest of my shift so that I was able to go home and sleep and bit and take care of very ill David.
So much change has been taking place. I no longer live in Linden, but reside in the basement of my parent's house. I leave for England in 3 days (so exciting), and head to Abbotsford in a month and a half. I have been experiencing emotions that I never thought that I would...this whole thing has been harder than I ever thought...thankfully I have friends who have gone through this very journey, and have felt the same way as I do and so I am not walking through this alone. Although the difficulty of this is true, there is also so much joy and excitment in doing what I've been called to do and what I have wanted to do for so many years! I remember the feeling I had when I was leaving Bangkok in February, and how devastatingly sad I was. I can't wait to be where I love to be! But the other side of that is leaving the people that I love. I actually believe whole heartedly that if I wasn't sad about leaving then I wasn't doing what I was supposed to do while I was here, which is loving people and sharing myself with them. So, it's good and it's healthy. So please, I want everyone to know that it's not easy for me to leave you. I love you all dearly and have been affected by each of you in some unique and beautiful way...basically, that means you are all going to have to plan a trip to Thailand sometime in the near future. How about it?
Anyway, if you see me wandering around in a catatonic state over the next few days stop and talk, but please don't be offended if I struggle with forming words or have brief lapses in memory. That's tired Jess acting on my behalf.
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