Summer Vacation.

Quite a lot has happened since my last post, I can't believe it's been so long. *sorry!*

First off, I finished Module 2 at language school the beginning of June. That module wasn't too bad, just a continuation of Module 1- learning more words and sentence structure. I went to school in the afternoon versus the morning like mod. 1 and I noticed that it's definitely a different crowd between the two. The afternoon is filled with moms, housewives, and business men; while the morning is more younger, single, unattached people which means they're more eager to make friends and hang out after school. So for my next module I've decided it's best for me to study in the morning although leaving the house by 7:15am everyday wears on me.

In June two of my great friends I met in Mozambique came out to visit me for about a month. It was so special to have them come all this way and to spend time together. We traveled all around Thailand, hitting all the major hot spots. We went up north to Chiang Mai and did some trekking, in which you hike up the mountain and stay at a hill tribe camp and ride elephants and ride on a bamboo raft down the river. Then we traveled down to my brothers and partook in his ministry with the kids and at the schools. And we finished our trip with relaxing on the beach at the beautiful island of Ko Phi Phi. While there we did various snorkeling and island hopping tours. The water is crystal clear, blue/green, and the view is breathtaking. Ko Phi Phi is definitely the most beautiful place I've seen in Thailand. We were so blessed because it is 'low season' right now so places to stay and the tours are extremely cheap, but usually with 'low season' comes the rain, hence why it's called low season. Even with all the forecasts saying rain and thunder storms we were blessed with 5 solid days of clear skies and sun, allowing us to do all we wanted to do. It was incredible! The day we left it poured rain for most the day. So not only were we able to stay at places and do things for a third of the normal price, but we also had incredible weather. Thank you God!

I also celebrated my 26th birthday in June. We had fun together and had lots of delicious food. Last year we were all together to celebrate it in Mozambique and this year in Thailand--we'll see what next year brings. :)

It was so fun to have the girls here and to now have those memories. Now I am staying at my brothers until Module 3 starts in August. I will have been away from my little apartment a whole month, so I'm hoping everything will be safe and fine when I return. It is so nice and comfortable to be at my brother's. It feels like home. It feels like I don't have to worry or stress about anything, like I can fully relax and let go. Being all alone in Bangkok comes with the added stress of just surviving.

My 2 little nieces are absolutely adorable. I am soaking up every minute with them, it's going to be hard to say goodbye. Lalita is talking a lot now and talking some Thai. At first it sounds like jibberish baby talk but then I realize no she's actually speaking Thai. As her mama teaches her new Thai words I am right there with her learning and practicing the tones.

I have 2 more weeks of vacation and then it's back to school full-time and fully networking and preparing for Iris Thailand.

Lauren, me, and Elais

elephant trek

hiking up to the hill tribe

our trek included us plus 3 Irish guys, we all had a great time

birthday fun

traveling down south to my brothers. I brought some Krispy Kreme donuts
from Bangkok for his birthday gift. He was so surprised!

face painting the kids at the fishing village where we do church. They love it!

Ko Phi Phi!

Maya Bay, where the film, The Beach, was made.

Our beach bungalow. Perfection.

We woke up to the sound of the waves every morning, incredible!

Lalita enjoying her finger paints

Kayla enjoying her first taste of baby food!