สวัสดีค่ะ

My new address is:
2/1 Soy Prachasuksan
Muang Nakhon Phanom City
Nakhon Phanom Province
48000 THAILAND
If you would like to look at videos from my trip I am uploading them at www.youtube.com/user/emma1elizabeth

"The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly - that is what each of us is here for. "

"See things as they are and write about them. Don’t waste your creative energy trying to make things up. Even if you are writing fiction, write the things you see and know."

Sometimes my weeks are full of adventure,
And sometimes my weeks are relaxing and slow.
So please be patient with updates,
You want to read them as much as I want to write them.
Peace and Love.

PS. As this is an imperfect world and as this adventure I am on is full of unexpected surprises, I would like to apologise in advance for any comments that may seem offensive or full of frusteration. This whole experience is new and exciting for me, but there are things that I find different and frusterating. I'm not writing about them to complain, but to write the truth of my exchange, the people I meet and all of the places I go to. Because if everything were perfect, it wouldn't be an adventure... it would be a vacation.


Monday, July 28, 2008

some pictures from the party!








woooot!!!!




I lurve you all to death!

It's interesting how much time I have spent looking around lately. I've lived in Canada my entire life... in my house for almost 7 years and there are so many things that I have taken for granted. The colour of the flowers in our backyard when the morning light hits them perfectly... the birds that wake me up from perching in the maple tree on our front lawn. Every crack in the floorboards, each piece of fur on my pets... and with each hug from my parents I hold onto them a little longer. It seems as though I am trying to take mental pictures to last me a year away from home.

So yesterday really put me into perspective of all the people I am leaving behind. At church my youth director called me up to the front along with my family and friends and he got everyone to lay their hands on me and he said a beautiful and passionate prayer for me. I couldn't help but start crying... in front of the ENTIRE congregation... but it was worth it. It made me feel so special and loved by so many people.

Then, last night I had my going away party and I was so content to see all my best friends there to celebrate with me. It was a night to remember. My family prepared so much food along with the help of some of our friends and family :) It was fantastic! Chips, cip, crackers, shrimp, brownies, rice krispies, creme puffs, spanakopita, hummus, mozzarella poppers, sandwiches, veggies, fruit, salsa, bruschetta.. there was so much to eat! And it was a good thing becuas ethere were lots of people who showed up :) We sat around in my backyard and talked about everything and anything, ate tons of food and reminisced previous memories. I couldn't have asked for a better sendoff.

Then after it started to rain we came inside and watched The Pirate Movie as people slowly started to leave. It was sad saying good bye but my friend Steph told me "I'm not going to think of it as I'M GOING TO MISS YOU!... I'm going to think of it as WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE" and because of that, I only cried a little. Instead of dwelling on the people I will miss, I'm going to look forward to the amazing adventure I am about to embark upon and all the NEW people I will meet. I know that anyone who really cares about me will keep in touch, and I will keep in touch with them. I will see them again... that's a promise (:

I started to pack today and MY LORD there is so much I want to bring but I can't.. I'm sure I will pack.. and un pack.. and repack.. then unpack and repack a few times until I have left 4/5 of my closet behind. I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF!!

I have started making a scrap book [nothing professional.. just pictures with some stuff written and some drawings] with my friends and family in it. I am also going to take some picture frames to put in my room. I will be taking small cd case and a small case with DVD's so I can watch them on my sister's portable DVD player that she so graciously is lending me :)


NEW TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.

So it turns out that since my host sister is going on exchange shortly after I arrive, I will be staying a few days in Bangkok after I arrive at my host aunt's house. This is because my city is about a 12 hour drive away and it would be pointless [and tiring] for me to drive ALLLLLL the way to my city and then a few days later drive ALLLLL the way back to drop my sister off at the airport. I'm excited to meet my aunt and uncle and cousin and I'm really glad I get to spend a little more time in Bangkok :)

I can't believe that today is my last Monday in Canada, and tomorrow is my last Tuesday and soon the week will come to an end and I will be off on the most spectacular and radiant adventure of my life. It feels like yesterday that I got picked for Thailand and now it's here.

I can't believe it... and yet... I can't wait!!!!


Peace and Love.


Emma.

Monday, July 7, 2008

A Big Adventure





Less than 4 weeks to go.


I only just realised a week ago when I was in Ottawa for Canada Day, how much I am going to miss not only my family and friends, but all the people in Thailand when I have to come back home. You see, all of the inbounds were on their Cross Country Canada trip and they happened to be in Ottawa the same time I was. I was very fortunate to see them [which I was really surprised about] and I got to spend a Canada Day with them, as well as the train ride to Toronto the next day.

It hadn't really hit me any of the times I had ever said good bye to them, that I wouldn't see many of them again [or at least for a very long time]. At Karoliina's goodbye party I didn't think I would see them again but I didn't cry when I said fairwell to everyone.

On the way home it didn't really register with me that at the end of the train ride I would be saying goodbye to a few of my friends for good. However, when the train stopped and we were cueing to leave the train, Bam called my name out and gestured to me for a hug. When Bam looks sad, you can't help but be sad as well and I struggled to keep back my tears. Saying goodbye to Karoliina, Bam, Yuki, Carla, Henrique and Antonin was so hard. Maybe that time it was the hardest because I knew that I wouldn't have another chance before they went home to say goodbye.

Rotary is crazy. I would pay every single dollar I am paying for my plane ticket, my insurance and spending money, even if I didn't end up going to Thailand. Just meeting all the inbounds and all the outbounds and spending so many awesome days and nights together has been worth all the money in the world. And I can't believe that the adventure doesn't even begin for another 4 weeks. I feel like this year has been an adventure already. After seeing how upset I was from saying good bye to my rotary friends, I cannot even fathom how upset I will be leaving my family and friends, and when I leave Thailand.

This year is going to be the best year of my life. I won't ever forget it; I know this and I haven't even left yet. It's amazing, every piece of it. And the adventure starts in less than 4 weeks.


Peace and Love