Month 1

It's hard to believe my first month in Thailand and abroad is coming to a close.  Yes, I did say first month.  I'm heading to Penang, Malaysia tomorrow to get a proper tourist visa and will be back in Thailand for the near future.  Where am I exactly?  I'm currently on Koh Phangan, an island on the southeastern part of Thailand.  I've been here for the past 2 and a half weeks and am looking to stay for at least the next 6 months.  I managed to find some great work exchange with a health and wellness school called Samma Karuna and will be helping with their publicity and PR.

www.maps-thailand.com

As I look over this last month, I want to share with you all some things I've learned.  Some of them are little gems shared with me and others I've learned for myself.

• Internet is incredibly easy to access just about anywhere you want it.  Quality of connection is another matter.
• If you don't know what to order, pad thai is always a safe bet.
• If you're wearing giant army boots, it's a given that you're a tourist.
• Be sure you have a 3-prong adapter with you, especially when you discover your computer happens to need one.
• Deer can open up tent doors.  And if you try and lock it, they will just tear a hole in your tent.
• There are dirty old men no matter what country you're in.
• If you order buckets (picture beer in a pitcher but rather cocktails in a small kid's sand bucket), be prepared for an epic night.
• I CAN survive on a scooter going up and down steep hills.  I can even give a friend a ride!
• I have the capacity to love and be loved.
• The gecko/lizards make cool clicking noises that also sync with their tail movements.
• Jellyfish stings only hurt for a couple of hours.  About 10 days later they also itch like mad!
• If you put your needs out into the universe, it will meet those needs.  It just may take some time and down a different path than you expected.  (I know I learned this at Burning Man, but it's nice to know it also happens off the Playa).
• Buddhist chanting is beautiful....but not at 3 am.
• If you want to travel somewhere quickly, take the bus.  If you want to travel somewhere and meet a lot of cool people, take the train.
• There are two kinds of Thai food: "It's good for you to eat" or "You don't eat that".
• You may be the tourist, but locals like to take pictures of the oddities i.e. YOU, just as much as you do.
• If you love someone enough, their happiness becomes so important to you that you're willing to let them go in order to ensure their happiness.
• Don't be afraid to climb the boulders; you never know what you'll discover on the other side.
• Sometimes finding the perfect spot to watch the sunset is the biggest challenge you'll face for the day.
• Don't bother wearing a watch on an island.
• 7/11's in Thailand are like Starbucks in the US.  They also sometimes give you your change back in stamps.
• The Irish can say any curse word and make it sound cool.
• If you drink it, it comes with a straw (or a glass...or both).
• Sometimes you just need to go for a walk.

But most important of all.

Don't forget to just be in the moment.  Take it one day, one minute, one second at a time.  Plans change but new doors always open.  It's up to you to walk through them.

Photo property of Kira Zebroski

My awesome wander-nut from Burning Man.  It's been through a lot.