Lucky

Lately I've been thinking about specific people and places that I am going to miss the most while I'm going to be in Bangkok, and I've come to the realization that nostalgia, instead of signifying change or instability, can signify how lucky I have been to build such strong bonds with those people and places. I know that this thought isn't particularly original, but it's lack of originality does not take away from its importance in this journey for me. My goal is that in May, I leave Thailand missing the people and places that I form bonds with in the coming semester just as much as I will miss my Berkeley life as it stands this semester.
So much love in my heart right now.

Starting to get excited about next semester. It's about time.

Comfort Zone(s)

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about why I decided to embark upon my semester-long exploration of Thailand and my future studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok. Studying abroad was always on the radar, but until very recently, it was only a blip, something in the distant future. Now, as the time draws nearer to my journey, I have begun to realize that this experience is going to be absolutely necessary for me. I have never allowed myself to escape my comfort zone(s) (Berkeley, camp, family, friends, Los Angeles, etc.) for an elongated period of time, and Bangkok is just about as uncomfortable as it can get. But is uncomfortable always bad? One thing that I always told my kids as a Teva specialist when they were climbing is that you learn the most about yourself when you are outside your comfort zone and that you remember accomplishing the scariest tasks more than the easy ones. It's time to practice what I preach and apply that philosophy to my Thai adventures as well. Most importantly, I feel the need to learn about where my passions lie and what makes me tick. Lately, I have found myself stuck in a little bit of a rut, and I am hopeful that taking myself 7,963.6 miles away from "home" will do the trick.

Now I don't have any dates for the trip and I don't really know much about what to expect, but the unexpected is kind of thrilling. 

Bangkok, see you in about 2 months.