The Land of Smiles

Similarly to how my trip started, I’m currently sitting in the Tokyo airport (but instead of eating sushi, I’m eating Pringles. What can I say? I’ve missed “American” food!). After accidentally saying, “Kop-kuhn-kah” instead of “thank you” when going through security and hearing a group of Thai people talking about “phalongs” in “Chiang Mai” (could it have been the volunteers of HELP? I have no idea… because those were the only two words I understood), I’m suddenly realizing how bittersweet it is that my summer in “The Land of Smiles” has come to a close. So, without further ado:

The Top 10 Things Meg Will Stop Smiling About Because She Is No Longer in "The Land of Smiles":

• How freaking nice people are. (Side note: Paiboon really outdid himself yesterday evening. Even though our checkout time was several hours before our flight, he let us shower when we came back from the beach and gave us pineapple, water, candy, mango juice, and the cool breeze of a fan until our bus to the airport came. Umm, what?!)
• The fact that I can’t see into the future anymore. Although this one is kind of a joke, it’s also kind of serious. I mean, the volunteers here DID see Batman eleven hours before anybody in the U.S. could…!
• How cheap everything is!
• The high level of respect that students and teachers showed to us volunteers, even if we are foreigners. And strangers.
• Learning Thai! Believe it or not, but I ended up learning more than I thought I would. Even though it’s still “nit noi” (very little), it’s something!
• Some food items that I fell in love with. Even though I’m slightly sick of rice at the moment, I have a feeling that I won’t be able to find pad thai, roti, or sweet and sour chicken that tastes as good in the U.S. Not only that, but I’m certain that the watermelon, pineapple, and mangoes won’t be anywhere near as good at home!
• The culture. Call me crazy, but I have come to love so many things about the Thai culture. Their clothing, their love for the King, and even hearing the monks praying from the temple up on the hill will all be missed. After all, these things, in my mind, are all so uniquely “Thai,” so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to experience them again!
• The easy access to public transportation. I have a feeling that somebody is going to throw in a Metro comment here, but it’s amazing to me how much EASIER everything is there. I literally walked 50 feet down the street, and I could catch a song tao to Fang, or a bus to Chiang Mai, Bangkok… you name it!
• How people drive there. Again, call me crazy (and if you’ve ever been to Bangkok, you might really think I’ve gone crazy), but driving isn’t as… structured. And I like that! The lines on the road are really more like guidelines, there aren’t speed limits a lot of times, and it’s perfectly normal to have a dozen people piled into the back of a pick-up truck. The thing is, people don’t worry about other drivers… they just DRIVE. If you’re passing someone, you honk to make them aware of it. If you’re turning, you move over to the shoulder so that the cars behind you can pass. I know that this mindset of driving can make things much crazier in the city, but in my opinion, it’s just more practical and efficient. And lastly,
• The majestic beauty of the country. I honestly can’t think of an ugly part of Thailand that I have seen. From the rice fields, the mountains, and the windy roads in the north to the turquoise water and limestone cliffs of the south… it was all just absolutely breathtaking. If nothing else, I hope that one day, you get to experience Thailand just so you can see first-hand how gorgeous the country is.

If anybody can find a way to bring any of these things back to the U.S., please let me know as they couldn’t fit into my carry on. Have no fear though! If you know me at all, you know that it's impossible for me to well, not smile... so this obviously doesn't mean that I'll never smile again, as I’m extremely excited to be heading home! I’m so excited to see my dad at the airport. I’m excited to get my nails done with Michelle and enjoy my mom’s company while she has the day off of work. I’m excited to drive (!!!) over to Brambleton to see Mike, Kim, and Myla. I’m excited for ice cream, cereal, and food that isn’t rice. I’m looking forward to not having to carry toilet paper around with me everywhere and to actually put on clothes other than the few outfits that I’ve been wearing for the past few weeks. I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, to having access to my cell phone again, and to peacefully enjoy the last few days of my summer before volleyball season begins. I can’t believe that all of this is only a … long 13 hour flight away? The point is: I can see all of these things in my near future and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

With that being said, I should probably go as my flight will be leaving soon… exactly 25 minutes after I land at Dulles. Ready? Set? TIME TRAVEL! (Mom – Sorry that your mind is blown from this. I’ll explain later. Love you!)

See you soon with a big smile, U.S. of A!