Friday, November 17, 2006

Bad Jen

I have found myself getting really annoyed with people lately. This morning I was running around trying to figure out something for someone who easily could have done it a week ago and instead waited until the last minute and had me do it instead. A few days ago I was so frustrated with my scuba diving instructor that when he made a rude, sarcastic comment to me, I responded with an even ruder, more sarcastic comment. A few days before that I was so annoyed with cleaning up a mess caused by someone else that directly affected me instead of them and I told a friend all about how frustrated I was, in some not so nice terms. Usually I am really good about turning the other cheek when needed or having just the right amount of patience. I'm not sure what is going on with me, but I don't like this Jen. Maybe it is just the stress of going home, I hope so anyway.

By the way, I leave tomorrow morning for the states...

M I C (See you real soon) K E Y (Why? Because I love you!)...

There is a mouse in a my room AGAIN and I can't catch it. It kept Gracie and I awake most of last night. Last time I put out traps but this time I can't do that because Gracie seems to get caught in them instead of the mouse. She really is a smart puppy... I hate mice.

Friday, November 10, 2006

There is no place like home

Where is my home? I am having trouble figuring that out right now. Is it Chiang Mai or San Diego or San Jose or is it with my parents when they move to Missouri?

November 1st started the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek which is a flower garden park thing. It is huge and is in honor of the King. I am excited about this because 1) I love to take pictures of flowers 2) Chiang Mai has blossomed into a city of flowers, they are everywhere and they are beautiful 3) I am really fond of the King. I am not excited about this because 1) there is so much traffic everywhere 2) I went to the Night Bazaar area last night for what was supposed to be a quick errand and there was 1 zillion people there. I am not a fan of the Night Bazaar anyway but last night was horrible 3) I am allergic to all the beautiful flowers all over the city and I can't stop sneezing.

I have been driving around Chiang Mai this week and realizing how much I will miss this city while I am gone for two months. I really love it here. I love the streets and I love the buildings and I love the flowers and I love the people. There is a part of me that doesn't want to leave at all.

Last night I was buying a gift from a vendor at the Night Bazaar and I was bargaining with the guy in Thai. He was so happy that I knew my numbers in Thai and he asked me (in Thai) if I was a teacher. I replied (in Thai) that I was an English teacher and he was so happy. He started jumping up and down and thanking me over and over again for teaching English. This exact scenario is not a common occurrence but it is an example of why I love Thailand and the people here so much. Oh, and he gave me a great deal on my gift!

I love my friends Im, Keng and P'Na so much! I hate the thought that I won't see them for two months. On Monday I was telling them what I did over the weekend which consisted of me practically living at church. Im looked at me and said "Jen, I think that you are such a good Christian and I am such a bad Buddhist." Wow, what a great conversation opener about Christianity and why I want to be a good Christian! I will pray for them every day while I am gone.

I leave Thailand on November 18th for America. I will spend two weeks in San Jose and I am really looking forward to seeing all my friends there. I get to spend Thanksgiving with my grandma which makes me happier than I could express in this blog.

I will then go down to San Diego for two days and hang out with Tamara, Katie, Suki and Sammy and then on to Webb City Missouri for one month. I am really happy to spend Christmas with family and excited about a chance to relax there.

I then fly back to San Diego for two weeks and get to spend time with all my friends there. I also hope to make it into Mexico at some point. Then I will fly back up to San Jose and leave on January 13th from San Francisco to come back to Chiang Mai.

I guess that I am at a point in my life where home is just wherever God takes me. I would like to think of all these places as home though. I guess that just means that I am home wherever I go. Praise God for that!

Thursday, November 02, 2006

What are you reading?

1. Grab the nearest book. If you are currently reading something, that'll be fine too.

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the text of the next 4 sentences on your Blog along with these instructions.

5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet I know that is what you were thinking!

6. Tag 5 people

"The cereal. Being the best thing to eat right now. I could go for a big bowl of Raisin Bran and cold milk. I might even take that over the eggs and tortillas."

Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller