Module 3 Complete & Moving Day :)

Today was the last day of Module 3. I am now finished with language school and the work begins! I am really excited about the summer work at the university but am a little sad that I won't be returning to language school. I have really enjoyed attempting to learn Thai for the past 3 months at school. I still have so much to learn but am hoping that my speaking will improve as I am around lots of students this summer. I will also miss all of the great friends that I have made with the students and teachers at school. (The pictures above are of my module 3 class and my teacher "khruu Wanthanee".

Tomorrow (actually today because I am writing this past midnight) is my moving day! I am so excited to move into my new house. I am a little sad though that I will no longer be living on the sky train route. I will be riding the bus now and taking taxi's once in a while. I will be finding new places to shop, eat, and hang out. All of the changes bring about all new adventures so get ready to hear about a whole different part of Bangkok that you haven't met yet.

My first house!

I never would have thought in a million years that my first house would be in a foreign country! The first house that I can actually call just "my house"! I am so excited! I found the cutest little pink house (yes I did say pink) that is in a great neighborhood near the university that I will be working at this summer.

It was really nice and spacious on the inside also. I only have pictures of the outside for now but I move in next week so more pictures will be coming soon! thanks to many of you who prayed for me! It was a perfect fit. I saw it today and it is move in ready and I have the keys in hand right now.

By the way--it is a 3 bedroom house so all visitors are welcome!!

Lessons of the Week

Do you ever feel like you have heard things before but this time you are hearing/seeing/learning it differently? Maybe you are seeing it differently because of experiences in your life or maybe your perspective is different? This past week was one of those weeks for me. I hope you don't mind me sharing:)

Compassion--this word received a whole new definition for me this week. I always thought about how God has compassion on us and how He loves us no matter what. Even when we disappoint Him by making the wrong decisions in life, irritate Him by committing the same sin for the 100th time, and sometimes even turn away from Him but He is still there. This week I was challenged in my Tuesday night Bible study when my teaching leader asked the question "God has compassion on us even when we disappoint and irritate Him-do you have compassion on other people when they disappoint or irritate you.?" That question hurt a little! I really had to think about it--do I have compassion on other people when they disappoint or irritate me?? I am really going to work hard to be more compassionate towards others. I am so thankful that God never gives up on me when I disappoint or irritate Him and I need to show the same compassion towards others! What a challenge!!

Perspective- this word has really been heavy on my heart since arriving in Thailand. You can see the things around you in so many different ways and either find the positive or the negative in them. This week I was challenged when I heard a story about a Marine General in World War II who was surrounded on all sides by the enemy and had just heard word that no help would be coming. What he told his men was this "All right-the enemy is on our left, on our right, in front of us, and behind us, and they can't get away this time!" We have the opportunity to shoot at them from every direction." Life is full of challenges/hardships (the enemy). How are you going to face them? Are you going to feel defeat and surrender or are you going to see things from a different perspective and fight with the right attitude?

Along with learning Thai culture and the difficult Thai language I am learning many other great life lessons!

Is it May already?????

Ever since arriving in Thailand 4 months ago the one thing that has never changed is that the time passes by really quickly! I feel like a month is just beginning and the next thing I know it is over and the next month is here. A lot has been accomplished in the past 4 months but in some ways the time has gone by a little too fast! Time passing by also brings about changes. It means that some things that you have grown to love and have done routinely are coming to an end but the exciting part is that it means new things are beginning!

I only have 2 more weeks of language and I will be finished with school. I am actually really sad because I like going to school and learning Thai and there is so much that I need to learn. I have really developed some great relationships with the teachers and some of my classmates that it will be really hard for me to say "good-bye". Hopefully in the future I will either be able to go back to school or get a tutor because I still need a lot of help with my Thai!

The new beginning though is that my summer work with university students will start in June and I am really excited. There are univ. students coming from America to work with the Univ. students here in Bangkok for 8 weeks. It will be a very busy but fun summer. Hopefully being around Thai students all summer will help my speaking to improve since I won't be in school.

I keep reminding myself that change is good and as time passes by lots of changes will continue to happen. I look forward to seeing what changes God has in store for me here!