Final Year at BYU

Since 1994, at the age of four I have been going to some form of school.  Starting off as a preschooler clear up to being a super senior at BYU.  I officially feel like a cougar!! However, I think I feel like a cougar regarding age rather than school pride ha.  I have been to several different schools, been enrolled in classes ranging from human biology, prehistoric life, pilates,  public speaking, to my final class of family processes.  I have moved houses and apartments nearly 5 times in the last 4 years.  My life has been everything but stable... I have spent my last two summers half way across the world either in the land of the Massai Tribes and with the king of the Jungle the lion himself in Tanzania, Africa.  Or up in the rice patties and jungle villages of Chiang Rai, Thailand.  Needless to say my life the last 4 years has been nothing but a new journey full of surprises every year.  Well, this next year I believe will be my biggest one yet.  I will be graduating BYU in December and not sure if I'm ready for the mystery of what lies ahead.

If there is one thing I have learned over the last several years it is to be open to what life throws at you.  Sometimes it is challenging and feels unbearable but down the road (possibly years down the road) you will look back and understand those were the moments that placed you where you needed to be today. Three years ago I moved to Provo to start my bachelors degree I remember asking myself everyday, "what are you doing here?" Nothing made sense and my vision was completely blurred and distorted by confusion and a pessimistic attitude... I seemed to be there for a while.. but sure enough year after year I was lead to where I am today, and that is a state of unstability, confusion, and at times still pessimism.  However, I look back and can pick out a 101 reasons of why I went through what I went through.. I was blessed to meet some incredible people, gain an education that has led me to what I love and look forward to doing in the future.  I have laughed a lot, cried a lot, got some A's and even got a C or two. I have moved apartments several times a year, traveled the world, and traveled the magical town of Provo haha.  I have embarked on a special journey.  A journey unlike any other, because it is my journey.  I have learned to LOVE what LIFE hands you.  I can't wait to see what the future holds, because I feel it is exactly what I'll need... Here's to putting faith in life's mysteries!

The End of an Amazing Journey...

Well I am in shock my summer in Thailand is over... Very bittersweet. These past ten days have been spent traveling all over Thailand. First, we spent a few days in Chiang Mai. Then we took a ten hour bus ride to Bangkok. While we were there we saw the huge city by taking a river-boat tour, it was awesome!! Our final stop was down south to the beautiful island off of Phuket, ko phi phi!! I have never seen such a tropic, picturesque phenomenon... The huge cascading limestone cliffs, the vivacious turquoise water (Chrystal clear), white sandy beaches, and our very own secluded private beach. While we were there we sat on the beach, snorkeled, and soaked up the tropic sun waves. I honestly felt like I was in what could only be described as the ultimate paradise. The fish we saw while snorkeling were the bright neon rainbow fish, it reminded me of one of my favorite childhood books :)
All in all it was the most ideally-perfect way to end this journey! I have has the time of my life in the "land of smiles" which couldn't be a more fitting name for Thailand... Can't wait to return home to family and friends, but will forever be impacted by this once in a life time adventure!!!

"life's a journey, not a destination."


"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived."

7 Weeks Come and Gone!!!

Well I had my final week teaching English at the mirror foundation!! Bittersweet for sure... I feel ready to be coming home, but at the same time I have met some of thee most amazing people. I have been blessed to work with some of the mirror staff over the last five weeks and have really gotten to know them really well. This week I learned the greatest lesson of all from this whole summer... And that is to strive to have a pure, giving heart in all that I do. Some of the staff members have traveled half way across the world and made Chiang Rai Thailand their new-permanent home. All out of the motif that they wanted to give and keep giving... And their impact and great influence leaves me speechless. I felt impacted and influenced by the culture just in 7 weeks, I can only imagine what one year, five years, a decade can do to change several lives.

We were able to go to some of our favorite places for our last week. We enjoyed the temple, hospital, and a few of the primary schools. It was a great week to end on... And now we are off to the islands can not wait!!!


“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.” ― Bessie Anderson

Thailand peeps :)

So I have officially been here 5 weeks!! So crazy to think about... The longer I'm here the more I fall in love with the incredible people. I have never been happier and felt so blessed to be here. I catch myself at moments sitting there in silence with a huge smile on my face... Feeling nothing but blessed and grateful for this experience! Don't get me wrong I'm still human haha, there are times mainly the moments I realize I have to go to the bathroom (which means squatter time) that I find myself asking "what are you doing to yourself?!" All in all though I feel blessed to be here...
We are lucky enough to be teaching at a variety of places... A few primary schools, a few temples, some child care villages, an orphanage, and volunteering at the hospital. They each offer such phenomenal experiences and many memories are made every time I am in the presence of the people I teach. I enjoy the presence of the students at the primary schools and their eager attitudes to learn English. The monks are such happy people with kindest hearts I have ever met. The village children are adorable and always happy to see "white people." the place that melts my heart the most is when we attend the hospital. We go there once a week to make crafts with some of the children there. All of them are terminally ill with cancer or other various diseases. Although heart wrenching I feel blessed to spend time with these special children!!

Chiang Rai The Beautiful

So we have already been here a month crazy to think we are halfway done with this journey!! We have seen some beautiful places here in Chiang Rai... The white temple was breath taking, the waterfalls, and the black house had some unique beauty to it. All in all it is a gorgeous place and I am blessed to be seeing it!! I have met some amazing people and am frequently in awe at how humble and happy the people of Thailand are!! Liz and I work hard during the week and on the weekend spoil ourselves to 3 dollar foot massages and ice cream that we can find in town...
I was lucky enough to have my birthday here... It was truly a birthday I won't forget. I woke up to my good friends here singing happy birthday and wearing the party hats my sister packed. When I walked out for breakfast my leader here at mirror foundation had a birthday cake for me as well as a card from all the volunteers!! One of my favorite surprises was the package of notes my family sent... I am truly a blessed girl!! The night ended with a trip into town for a grilled cheese sandwich dinner and a performance by some "lady boys" dressed up in scandalous outfits lip singing to female pop artists haha. Like I said a memorable day :)

Staying Among the Villagers!!!

So our home stay experience was quite the event!! We drove two hours through the straight up jungle... When we arrived at the school we were so excited to teach.... Well who would have ever guessed that it was three holidays in a row the three days that we were supposed to teach... So we got in a lot of reading time while gazing at the beautiful view from our patio.

Then we were lucky enough to get to stay with a family in the village!! Let's just say we weren't as lucky as the other girls with our homestay in the village. Liz and I got a family that acted like they didn't really want us, speak no English, and thought everything That came out of my mouth was hilarious... I was trying to communicate through hand signals and eventually became
The laughing stock of the village... There was a little three-year old girl who was adorable and kept sitting on our laps... She had her fists clenched and we wondered what was in it.. Come to find out it was dead moths! She came up with the game to throw dead moths and beetles on us through out the night. Let us not forget stoner grandma! She was in the back corner smoking and making her own homemade cigarettes. Haha, and the village gathered in the room Liz and I were supposed to sleep in to watch Thai soap operas for three hours. All in all it will be an experience I forever cherish and remember!

After our week in the village we were given the opportunity to go on an Elephant ride!! Seriously one of my favorite memories I've ever had. I even got to sit on the head and steer it. We trekked through the river and through local villages.

All in all we are having some amazing moments!! The good and the bad moments are what makes it so memorable, and I feel so blessed.

Sawadee ka!! (Hello in Thai)

Greetings!!!!

Sorry, keeping a blog can be pretty complicated in the middle of the jungle. Internet connection isn't so grand :) so things here are going great! We have our good moments and our not so good moments... but all in all we are making many memories and having quite thee experiences!

Last week we began teaching, which was awesome!!! I had the opportunity to teach some monks (they are awesome!) I also was able to go to day care and play with all the beautiful little children! Teaching english is pretty difficult, because for most of them it is their third or fourth language. Most people here speak Thai, but also come from different hill tribes so they speak their tribal language! I'm telling you ASIANS ARE BRILLIANT! ( I dont mean that as a stereotype in any way...)

As far as the food goes... ya, I'm struggling!! Haha I wish I were more adventurous like Liz and some of these other girls that try most things... but I just cant! So rice and little sugar candies have become my new diet..

Last weekend we were able to take a bus into Chiang Mai... it was absolutely stunning! The bus ride there was three hours long, and had AC!!!!!! We were in heaven.. When we got there we took a Songteaw to our hostile.. and were loving the flushing toilets ( a nice break after using a squatter for a week.) We then got up and went to this amazing Buddhist Temple that was up on the hill, I believe they said it was the tallest point in all of Thailand.. it had the most incredible view looking over the city. Afterwards we took our songteaw back down the hill and went to the Zoo for the day. The Zoo was also unbelievable! The cages are so much closer to the people, so we had the chance to feed Elephants and pet them, along with hippos, and the zebras. Afterwhich we ate some dinner (we found a Mcdonalds!!!!!) Praise the day for french fries!! Sunday night we went to the Sunday market in town.. it would have to be the worlds largest market! It stretched out across several blocks.. me and liz enjoyed ourselves' to a nice $2 foot rub that lasted 30 minutes! Talk about heaven!!!!!! On our way back we ran into an LDS church!!!!!! Literally, ran right into it! We were so excited, we ran in to see if anyone was still around. Sure enough the sister missionaries were there! We had a nice chat with them, and even found out that we had some mutual friends! It was a great weekend in Chiang Mai..

liz and I at the Temple teaching the Monks.

My class of Monks.

The children are seriously beautiful!! I already am in love with all of them!

Reading to day care, they sure love story telling!

They like to grill, marinate, and feast upon their insects over here, we on the other hand just want a picture!

At the Buddhist Temple in Chiang Mai, such a beautiful place!

All the volunteers at the mirror foundation!

"Do not dwell in the past, Do not dream of the future, Concentrate the mind on the present moment." -- Buddha