Hiii everyone. I’M IN CHAING MAI! This week has been a bit of a whirlwind with the traveling and everything, but overall I’m good and I’m so glad I’m here.

Our super comfy bus

JJ and I looking like a sleeping renaissance painting

I didn’t sleep a wink the night before we left Sungai Petani. It was fun though because I pretty much just talked to my squad mates until the morning rolled around and everyone finished packing. At 6:30am, post prayers and goodbyes, our bus left for the border. We drove about an hour and a half to customs, then another two hours to the train station. I passed out in the train station for two hours, then we got some food and hung out the rest of the time.

Dragging our massive bags through customs

Sad Maya UGH 😭

My team had tickets for two hours after everyone else left. It was actually so sad because we had to say bye to the other teams and we watched them ride away on the train. My team left around 6:30pm for an 18 hour train ride. I slept pretty much the whole time which was low key amazing. Then we actually met up with the boys’ team and one girls’ team in Bangkok train station where we ate and chilled, then left for another 14 hour train ride all together. At 4:00am we arrived in Chiang Mai, said our goodbyes to the other two teams, and we drove straight to our hostel above Bella Goose cafe. My team and I slept about two hours and had orientation at 8:00am. 

One building from the view of our rooftop

Carter eating the airplane banana

Naty and I on the train

GORG MOUNTAIN

Sunset on the train

       Soooo our travel time was Sunday since 6:30am to Tuesday at 4:00am. I was SLUMPED all day Tuesday, so I took a four hour nap in the afternoon. I came back alive in the night so the girls and I walked across the street to the mall where I purchased my first Diet Coke since America (SOOOOOO BUS), then we took a spontaneous 17 minute walk to Taco Bell. Wednesday we had a super chill day, then we got to experience a night market. I devoured two ice creams within an hour lol. Thursday was the same amount of laid back which was nice. I ate the BEST wrap of my entire life at Bella Goose and my life actually changed when I ate it I think.

First trip to the store where I got my Diet Coke

Night market!

Scary Ronald in Thailand

BEST WRAP OF MY LIFE

       Friday we actually got to have a taste of what our ministry is like at Connie’s Home! We are divided half and half in the morning and the afternoon so that way the kids have a constant rotation of teachers. I’m on the morning rotation, so we took a bus to Connie’s at 8:30am. I was with the older kids today along with Jaylynn, and three others were with the younger kids. The older kids are very sweet. Today we just got to know them a little and see how it’ll be like when we actually start on Monday.

On the bus to Connie's  

Gretchen cooking up the pancakes

Liv getting her nose pierced

Finally, Saturday was our adventure day and Liv and Kat got their noses pierced! I just got to come along like a mom and relive my nose piercing experience haha. The girls and I cooked our own dinner tonight which was breakfast for dinner. It was actually so perfect with our music and ambiance of our rooftop kitchen. 

       The first couple days being here honestly I felt so weird. Everything was perfect with our living situation and ministry sounded awesome, but I was just stressed for no good reason. I identified that a common theme for the days where I feel off are the days I don’t spend time with Jesus. Like DUDE it makes such a difference. I can’t just say a little prayer in the morning and expect all of the fruits of the spirit to be flowing out of me. The last two weeks honestly I’ve mustered up all of my joy and patience which has been so exhausting. Thankfully I’ve gotten to spend intentional time with God, and within the last two days I’ve been able to actually appreciate everything I have here.

       There’s so much to be grateful for. I literally live above a coffee shop in a room with the kindest girls and I sleep in a bed! We have two rooftops that we have access to where we can overlook the entire city and see the beautiful Thailand sky and mountains. I’m able to leave the property without paying to get driven somewhere! Plus the city is so safe that I can go on night runs. I thought that in Malaysia I was blessed, but here it’s just insane. God is so kind to give us this season to enjoy His blessings, but I also know it’s a time for growth for my team and for myself.

I’m very optimistic about Thailand and I’m already in love. So excited to see what God is going to do here and how He moves.