Voyager

(Before I say anything about anything, I just would like to tell everybody that all my links to do with blogging are in Chinese right now making it extremely difficult to post this. If anybody has any idea how to fix this and make the links at the top English, that would be very helpful for the future. haha)

I'm in China! The past week has reminded me a lot of Voyager, which is pretty dorky. Voyager is reading program (a reading program that I don't like very much, haha) that Parkdale used last year. I told you that it was very dorky. haha But anyways, in Voyager they read all these stories throughout the whole year where the characters ride rivers throughout the world and travel. Seeing as how I've rafted on a river and traveled to a different part of the world this week, it makes sense that I have felt like I am part of Voyager. haha

I got here Friday night and then Saturday morning my dad and I went with some people from his work on a day rafting trip. It was a long Chinese day. haha We woke up early, got on a bus, took a long ride and stopped to go for a hike up a mountain. On the way up the mountain we stopped and walked into a temple. I had never been into a temple before so it was interesting. They were setting off fireworks to scare away evil spirits and they had large bottles full of alcohol to give to the gods. It was interesting. After the hike, we ate lunch. It was Chinese. That's all I can say about it. haha Chinese food isn't like Pei Wei... haha You just have to be very careful of what you eat, if you find a good place, then it is great. This place was outside under a tent and they prepared the food on the concrete that I had just walked on... Then we got back on the bus and took a long drive to the river. Rafting was a lot of fun. We had to suit up in helmets and life jackets. My dad and I were in a raft by ourselves and we went down 7 little waterfalls. My dad fell out of the boat on the first fall and I thought he had drowned. For a minute there, it was very scary, but then we got back in the boat. The boat completely flipped over on the last fall and two guys had to jump in fish us both out of the water. It wasn't as scary that time. I think it's because I didn't have to watch it. haha

My dad had to work a couple days at the beginning of the week, which was good with me. I was tired. haha Sleep means a lot to me. haha So, I spent my time doing a lot of walking around and exploring a little bit, reading "Twilight" (which I finished and I really enjoyed, but I still like Harry Potter much better, haha), and studying some Thai phrases (which I'm not very good at.)

On Wednesday, my dad and I went to a place called Window of the World. It's basically an amusement park of miniature landmarks from all over the world. My dad and I joked that they had to build it because it's really hard for the Chinese to get a visa and they prolly can't go see the real places, but it was really cool. It was fun going around to see the places we've been, want to go, and the best part was seeing a couple places that I am going to this week, like Angkor Wat and the Grand Palace! It got me really excited! The prettiest landmark they had was Niagara Falls though, plus it was in the shade. haha It's really hot and humid here. haha Then that night we went to eat a Chinese cuisine called hot pot. So good! If you ever get the chance to try it, def do. It kinda reminded me of fondue, with a Chinese flair, and spicier. It was amazing.

Today we went to a place called Honeylake. It really wasn't what we would think of as a lake. It wasn't quite what we expected, but we wandered around town and took a good walk and had lunch. It had a pretty walking path and park and it was nice to just walk and kinda relax. I am getting to ready to go tomorrow to Bangkok tomorrow and Saturday I am off to Cambodia! I should probably go finish getting packed!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I am leaving in 5 hours and I am up painting my toes. I seriously doubt that the Chinese, Thais, and Cambodians (?) will care whether or not my toes are pristinely painted, but I will be severely self conscience of them. I didn't really hit me that I would be gone for an entire year until about an hour ago. hahaha I was on the phone with McKenzie and something in my head went "oh crap..." hahahaha. Or maybe it was when about 15 minutes before that Kristen gave me a really sweet card and it made me start to tear up for the first time. This is very unlike me. I'm usually a crier. hahaha Maybe something is wrong with me. haha I usually go up to my room and cry by myself and hide from people. I haven't been doing that. I'm been unusually fine.

I have gotten to see all my wonderful friends this week though. It has been great. Last weekend all the roommates were together and I had a great time. I would love to go back to Waco and live with them again. Life would be perfect. hahaha I've been to dinner with Leaza and Erika which was hilarious and wonderful, had the perfect turkey sandwich from subway with Anna (haha), sat around and did nothing with Ashley :), and have been to sonic happy hour 6 days in a row to get my diet strawberry limeade. Fabulous. And to top it all off, I went and got ice cream with the mom and sister tonight and it tasted like absolute heaven. Life has been good.

I don't know if all of you know this, but back in April I planted a seed. haha I bought a seed and pot from Target in the dollar section and named him Emilio. Well, he blossomed this week!! He is a sunflower! And I'm really excited that he blosssomed before I left! I'm a proud parent! haha

The next time I post, I'll be in China! I'm excited to read "Twilight" on the plane tomorrow. I feel like that is good quality plane-reading material. haha I'll let you know how it is!

10 days!!

I leave in 10 days! It is very very strange!

Last weekend was very eventful. I took the GRE on Friday, which was a very long day. It was a half hour drive to the site and then I had to wait another hour and a half (sitting on the floor, I might add) to go back and take the test. I had a lot of concentration issues while trying to take it. Anna once told me in high school that I had the attention span of a squirrel and she is right. Nothing has changed. haha But it is over and I am glad.

Then on Saturday we had my going away party! I was very nervous that nobody would come, but people came! haha All the roommates and homies (minus Lucy, who was missed very much) and Anna were there! Plus some neighbors and good family friends! We thought it was very amusing that all the people over the age of 35 seemed to know how to "party" better than we did. I had a fabulous time hanging out with everybody.

I'm glad that I didn't actually have to say bye to anybody that night, but now all of that is starting. It's weird and I do not like it. Tonight mom, Kristen, and I are going to dinner without Kaysen because we wanted to do that before I left, tomorrow Ashley and Leaz and I are having a sleepover :) and Wednesday Kristen and I are going out together. Then on Saturday, all the roommates will be together the last time before I leave. I don't like having to plan these things and know that I won't see all these people for a year. I'm very attached to them and I don't do so well with change. haha :)

I will leave everybody with a friendly reminder to get Skype... hahaha

Holy Shrimp!

My "Things to do before July 3" checklist is complete! I love checking things off lists. It makes me feel like I have accomplished something. Now I'm just busy packing! Today, Mom and I went to Target to get a year's supply of toiletries and medicine. I think I'm pretty much ready. It is kindof more stressful once you are ready than when you aren't. When you aren't prepared for things, you can kindof ignore it and just be excited. When you are prepared, it is the only thing you can think about. You are excited, nervous, antsy, scared, and happy all at the same time. I opened up my suitcases last night and laid out the clothes that I will need and picked out the few pairs of shoes that I am taking. I am only taking 5 pairs of shoes for an entire year. That seems crazy. I'm also only taking one zip-up sweatshirt. That's lunacy, if you ask me. I know it is hot there year-round, but I wear a sweatshirt most days of the week... no matter the weather.

Several people have asked me about the size of group that I am going with and I haven't been able to answer the question. Naturally, I have been very curious about it. I keep having dreams about it and all the dreams end up with me in an awkward situation. In one of the dreams, I am the only single person who isn't married and there with their husband. In another dream, I am the only girl in a pack full of guys. I finally decided to just email and ask my languagecorps correspondent, Linda. Well, Linda emailed me today and guess what? I am the only one starting the program in Thailand on August 2. No kidding. I never imagined it to be that way.

I know I told them when I applied that I was really excited about being independent, but I think being the only person there is little TOO independent for me. Luckily, I already dug out my Harry Potter coloring book and crayons to take with me. haha Linda assured me that in Cambodia there will be about 12 of us for that week. (The others are going to teach in Cambodia, Vietnam, and China.) She also said that their may be a few people who signed up directly with the university. She told me that this was very unusual and that usually they have 8-10 people going at a time. She also told me that I would get a lot of personal attention...

My biggest fear about going to Thailand was that I wasn't going to have any friends. People told me not to worry about it. I bet they won't say that anymore.