A trip to remember!

Hello Guys!

Do you know that feeling of overwhelming joy and peace? Oh have i experienced that feeling the past week.  Let me tell you why!

This past week i was given the opportunity to go on a short service trip that some of the High Schoolers go on. I was very excited to travel a little more in Asia. Little did i know that this trip would mean so much.

The intentions of this trip are to teach English and build relationships with the people, but as i was there i learned more about myself than any other retreat or camp. So wanna hear exactly what happened? Lets start from Day one!

Day 1: We left from the school at 1. Then drove 1 1/2 hours to the train station. Then got on my FIRST ever train ride for 4 hours. Then we all got in a car and drove 4 more hours! Needless to say we were so happy to arrive at our final destination! 

Day 2: We got up at around 8, then left to meet a community/family of a man we were working with. Then took a little to trip to a beach! The beach was so pretty! But ha funny story when we arrived it was empty, roped off, with police and military people guarding it. So we were hesitant to go but they told us we could stay for 20 minutes then we had to go. That day was the day the government was taking over the beach. Crazy!! Anyways,  We then went to our first school! Me and My Partner were teaching a class of 14-15 year olds. It was so much fun! I think they got tired of all our songs tho! We then left and Went back to the house to relax and rest! We then had lots of fellowship and ate dinner! It was a fun night! One funny thing about that night was the group of girls all learned a break dance! Yep that's right a break dance! You should be jealous! After dancing all night it was time for bed! 

Day 3: We got up at 5:30 and left for a new city at six! (I loved this City!) We arrived a few hours later and the world nicest families house! As soon as we arrived they welcomed us with love and just were so kind! They just smiled all the time and I miss them! We then left and met another man's family! After that we went to another school and i would totally teach there if i could! This time i got to teach alone. (with a translator of course). I got to teach 4th grade, the kids were so cute and their attitudes about learning were so cool and all you could do was smile! I was so sad when we had to leave! We then left and went to another School where they had a special presentation for us that consisted of martial arts, and the traditional dance! It was so cool! After we left there we went to a medical school to encourage them to learn and practice their English. That was fun! Then we went back to the house! Where we made some new friends and just had a fun time! That night we went to a fair that was a blast! It was so cool and different from any fair in America! It was such a good night! One of the funnest nights i have had in a long time! I went to bed a very happy person.

Day 4: It was time to go. :( I was not ready to leave. I loved this place. And then we journeyed back home. 

As i was riding in the car on the way home i can not even begin to describe how heavy my heart was. I felt like i was leaving a part of myself there. As i was thinking more and more i realized HE was really trying to tell me this is your future. I really believe that more and more as i spend time here i feel more called to teach but overseas. Each day i am asking HIM if this is his desire. 

Also another thing that i learned was that i need to enjoy and take advantage of the time i have here in Asia! It is a gift and it is such a great opportunity that not really many people get. 

So as i have been back here exactly a week now. I just feel this heavy burden to share His light. I am so thankful to have an awesome gift! I can not wait for more opportunities like this in my future because these are the most life changing!

So there is a little bit of info about my trip. Thanks for reading!

Life in Asia

Two years ago we were planning on moving to Asia. Two months ago we left for Southeast Asia, and the adventures began.

Fact number one, saying goodbyes suck. End of story. I am so thankful that i have such a close family but man has it been hard being away. 

Fact number two,  22 hours in a plane is so exhausting.

Fact number three, I was so glad we finally arrived.

As soon as you step off the plane its culture shock. In case you didn't know not very many people speak English in Asia so it makes for a very stressful adventure. 

Asia is beautiful. It is very different from America, but none the less very amazing. 

The scenery in every area is unique, you never get bored looking out the window.

I remember the first night we arrived, going to sleep was impossible. Me and my brothers talked night and guessed about what was to come. 

That next morning my brothers and I were so anxious to go out, shop and explore.

We were not yet in our final destination but we still had an idea of what was to come. 

A few days later we then arrived to a nearby city of where we would be living, about one hour away. 

That was BIG culture shock. 

One thing though i will never forget is the people that met us to pick us up from the airport immediately treated us like family. They had the biggest smiles and were so sweet to us.

Straight from the airport we went to Pak Chio. It was really good! 

Then we arrived at the guest house. Now i forgot to mention one thing. I hate lizards, and where we are living there are lizards everywhere and i am not exaggerating. The lizards are in your house too. I walked in and saw one on the wall and about died. Now i am so used to them being on the walls i don't freak out like i used to.

The first week was very long. It was hard to sleep and the people say they understand you but in reality they have no clue. By the end of it i was ready to go home. 

One cool thing is i got to have my 18th birthday in Asia which not many people can say! =] 

Now since we moved here alone, we had to find a house. Finding a house is a whole lot different than looking for one in the states. How the process goes is, you go tour the house and say how long you want to rent it then you pay and its yours. Seems simple right? Well for some reason it took forever. Since my brothers were starting school soon we had to find one ASAP! Guess what! We found one finally and moved in ONE day before my brothers started school. Cutting it close right! 

Since i graduated high school in the spring, i will only be here for a short time. So i was left to decide how i wanted to spend my time here, learning language or something. When i return home i will be going to college to be a Teacher. So i thought, Hey, why not ask and see if i can volunteer at the school! 

They said yes! I can not even begin to describe how much i love it and how much it has made me love this city! I work there everyday from 7:40-3:00! I help all over: 1st grade, P.E. , 6th grade math, and 2nd grade! It has been such a blessing and has definitely made me want to be a Teacher more and more!

I have also gotten a babysitting job that happens a few days a week, and that has been good! Needless to say i try to stay busy!

That was definitely very very shortened version of my time here so far but if i told you everything we would be here all day. 

A few last comments i would like to make about what i have learned. 

1. I do not know what i would do without my brothers. With out them this journey would be very different. I have gotten to bond and become so much closer with them and it is just so awesome. As i am getting closer and closer to leaving, i am realizing that i will not be there to watch them grow up and it breaks my heart. I have two wonderful and handsome brothers that are so amazing. I can not wait and see the growth and their stories as they grow up. I am really really really really going to miss them.

2. I never realized how much pressure i put on my parents till now. I always had a bad attitude about moving and even though it has not been easy, It has definitely changed my life for the better! So thank you for putting up with me! LOVE YOU!

3. I am so thankful for skype. Even though i am halfway around the world from my friends and family i have been able to keep in contact. I have gotten to see two new cousins and talk to my best friends to keep our friendships going strong and talk to family members, Oh how i love seeing their faces!

WELL... I think that is all for now! =] 

Thank you for letting me share!

Love you guys! 

Hello.

Hello Guys, 
I decided to start a blog to share all of my memories from around the world. 
I am excited to share all the funny stories and crazy/awkward experiences i have been through!
I hope you enjoy hearing about my life and experiences as much as i have been living through them! =]