Where is Chaing Rai?

"What can I say, I'm a Thai pleaser." -Kristina Roberts

Sa wad dee ka!

We made it to Thailand. After over 48 hours of traveling we are in a our cute little hostile/hotel in Chaing Rai.

The trip started off great however when we landed in LAX things went down hill. We found a flight for Bangkok which wasn't ours only to find out that we had to completely exit the airport to go to the international terminal (but like I said that flight was going to Bangkok?) All of our flights were delayed which meant we got qaulity time in airports across the globe.

On our 12 hour flight we sat next to a girl named Tan. She was studying in Boston but going back home to Bangkok. She helped us pick our meals on the plane which were actually amazing. Way to go Thai airways.'

We had a pit stop in South Korea which was fun. There we ran into a couple of LDS guys. He said he knew we were Mormon when crazy said "dang it." That flight was only 6 hours but by the time we got to Bangkok we were completely messed up time ways. There is a 12/13 time difference so we lost a some sunlight flying.

When arriving in a different country you have to go through customs. So we did. Kris even managed to make the stone cold guard guy smile. (Hence the quote.) So we did then found the baggage claim. As we were standing there I made the comment to Kris that there was no point because our bags weren't there, trying to be sarcastic. Well they weren't. We watched hundreds of people come and go, but no bags for us. Luckily one of the baggage guys spoke English and we are expecting (fingers crossed) to receive our bags by the 14th.

By the time all this happened it was around 2am so we tried to go check back into the airport to hang out in the comfy lounges, but it was closed so we couldn't. So we walked around, read signs, danced with vagabonds, and ate our snacks until we could get in.

Getting to Chaing Rai was the smoothest part of our travels. Our taxi driver knew exactly where to take us despite Kris's square address print off. We settle in to our hostile, slept, then went off to check things out around us. We have a Mcdonalds just around the corner and lots of little markets. We even found 7/11 with slurpees! We bought some baby shampoo so we could somewhat shower and skirts so we can change our clothes.

So Thailand ready or not here we come :)

Thai Fact #1: They don't use toilet paper. So our room has a "bum hose." Neither of us have been brave enough to try. We will blog about that later.

Kap Kun Ka! (Goodbye)

What Up Asians?

"A life without adventure is likely to be unsatisfactory, but a life in which adventure is allowed to take whatever form it will is sure to be short."

-Bertrand Russell

I'm about to embark on a remarkable adventure and this blog will be how many of you keep up with me for the next little bit. I'll also be able to receive emails and of course there is always the FB option. If you are a cool "iphone" kid, I'll be able to receive imessages at my email address so don't be a stranger. 

I'm excited and blessed to have the chance to take such a fun trip! Watch out Thailand, here I come!

Where: Chaing Rai, Thailand

Who: Me, Alex (Roommate), Kristina (Cousin), & Alex's BFF from St. George (Name unknown)

Why: To volunteer with the Mirror Art Foundation in serving the people of Northern Thailand

When: June - Aug

Sweet Summertime

"And so with sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow fast movies, I had the familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

This summer is bringing me new life. I've already had some great summer adventures all culminating to my trip to Thailand. I've been to the Hogle Zoo, Sandy Aquairum, cabin sleepovers in Midway, and of course my quick trip home for Mother's day. I'm a pretty lucky girl to have so many fun things all happening at once. This summer is exactly what I needed to have just enough motivation to finish up my last semester of my undergraduate degree. Watch out world. Here I come.

Surprise!

"Surprise is the greatest gift life can grant us."

-Boris Pasternak

So a few months ago I was sitting at work thinking about summer and realized summer is when we celebrate day for parents (Mother's and Father's day). Then I thought what on earth could I get my amazing mother that would be good enough to show her just HOW much I love her. What else but a surprise trip home?

Luckily my big brother is amazing and helped chip in on a plane ticket so the plans were in action to get me home for a brief little vacation to surprise my parents.

 I texted my mother when I landed in Dallas for my plane change to brag about how she would be getting her present early this year. Her response scared me because I thought she knew.

I didn't blow my cover regardless.

Miranda picked me up and we laid low until Richard-Ross got into town. Then the fun began. :)

The following two videos are my parents reactions. Priceless.



I'm so glad I got to come home to visit. It will be the last time I'm home until December. Ah. But here is to a seven day trip home! :)

Define It

Expendable

• not worth preserving
• dispensable: not worth preserving or saving for reuse
• expendable item: an expendable person or thing

Synonyms- dispensable, disposable, superfluous, unessential, nonessential.

Paper plates are expendable, q-tips are expendable, but people are not.

Enough Said

Color Me Mine

"There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they can produce more hues than can ever be seen."

Grab life by the horns. Apply to grad schools you think are outrageous, drink diet coke, knock on a strangers door, and go to Hindu festivals. Life is way too short not to have experiences. Experiences are what makes your life colorful. Dance in your living room to awful music and leave a roommate a random note. I'm starting to understand and appreciate the "five-minute" moments that make life so fun. 

Grades are important, jobs must be worked, and responsibility doesn't go away but none of these matter if you aren't enjoying it. 

Thanks Hollywood House for reminding me how to live.