the home stretch and the homestead.

After the hustle and bustle of an exam-filled week, the students here at B.G.I.S. have now completed all their assignments and final grades are being recorded. Our last day of school is next Wednesday, a half-day, which will consist of nothing more than an extremely tiring and drawn-out series of productions and presentations for the Kindergarten graduation. This school is extremely unique in several of the ways they do things- certain procedures, protocols, etc.; and honestly, I find it rather entertaining and nothing less than confusing that the last day of the school year is dedicated to nothing other than the Kindergartners graduating. For an entire year, I've seen the Kindergarten class possibly a total of 2 times as a whole. They wander onto the school's campus an hour and 1/2 after school has begun, eat a bunch of snacks, run around in a circle from time to time, and leave before we are dismissed from school each day. And now, the entire school, grades 1-9 will perform various acts in celebration that the youngest tikes of the school have completed their school year. So, my year of teaching grades 3-9 all comes down to a celebration of tiny little students I've never even met, and better yet, we get to sing and dance for them as these mother-goose-loving strangers parade around in their cap and gown regala celebrating their completion of coloring inside the lines.
AWESOME. so, so awesome.

I'm not trying to sound overwhelmingly pesimisstic about this joyous jubilee; rather, I'm just taking it from the realist perspective, honestly and openly admitting that it's absurdity at it's finest. Tiny tikes in gowns or not, Wednesday is our last day of school, and my heart couldn't be more content. Though the challenges have been trying, the ups have have up, and the downs have been down, this year truly has been the greatest year of my existence. So many different aspects of myself have been stretched, and pulled, and twisted in various directions this year that I've somehow come to accomplish things I never thought possible.

As I was punching out at the timeclock yesterday, Pastor Mike asked me if I'd miss Thailand. I honestly didn't know what to say. I feel like my eyes have been so fixed on the prize of returning to my American nest and comfort that the idea of 'missing' Thailand hasn't really entered my mind. I quickly manuevered my emotions through the idea, and responded that I'll undoubtedly miss some of the people- the students with their unique minds and personalities, I'll miss my new community of friends from Newsong (my church here,) and a few trainers I met at my gym here- but I don't know if I'll 'miss' Thailand as a place to live. Transportation is very affordable (pro). Everything is very affordable (BIG pro). The Thai lifestyle is rather depressing (con). The pollution of Bangkok is smothering (con). Everyday feels like a slight emotional struggle (serious con). Therefore, yes- the people I've met over the past year will be missed, but as for Buddha, temples, rice, and dirty, sewage-covered sidewalks- I say I've had my fill for now.

Though I will not be returning to America with an impressive fluency of the Thai langauge, or flashy craftsman skills in basket-weaving, jewelry-making, or of traditional Thai cooking methods, I will be returning to America with much appreciation.

Appreciation for a year survived.
Appreciation for God's protection when I very well should have died a few times (sorry, mom)
...effective communication
...the people God has so lovingly brought into my life.
...the opportunity to try something out-of-the-ordinary.
...the fact that I lived on my own in Asia for an entire year.
...ethnic cuisine
...train tickets
...random bits of the English language that made me feel at home
...scooters
...ten-baht pieces
...a sense of completion
...newfound contenment
...spontaneous trips to countries I never knew anything about prior to coming here
...guesthouses
...handmade Valentines
...random pizza parties with 10 year olds
...nights with nothing but a quiet, empty apartment, a notebook and a pen
...free fruit samples
...the warm smiles of the 7-11 ladies
...a 'dirty' passport
...international phone cards
...The US Postal Service
...calendars

and anticipation for..
...hugging my mom
...warm water
...the chance to sit on a couch for the first time in a year
...a soft mattress
...a dryer
...people over 5ft tall
...the radio
...driving
...highways
...Walmart
...sidewalks
...fresh air
...mountains
...English
...English
...English
...friends
...reunions
...and most of all..my family.