SAE BAI DI!!!

Wow, I dont even know where to start about the last week. The day of my last update was an extremely rough day. We got a van ride to a small town and then when we got there they didnt have any more rooms left and they really werent keen on foreigners staying there anyway. But the bus was coming through at midnight so we hung out until the bus came at 3am. (the culture here is very event based not time based so its a weird transition from American culture) The bus was NASTY!!!! It was the middle of the night, we were exhausted, we all needed a shower, and quit frankly we all wanted to go home at some point during that bus ride! We finally arrived in our destination at 10am. We immediately showered and ate lunch. That made us feel a little better. This town was very nice. The people were so sweet and the food was good. (different but good) Father lead us to an English teacher who helped us out sooooo much!! We spent a couple days here then we took another bus to another place and booked a trek with an English speaker.

We then got on another bus to another town and the next day we set off on our trek! About an hour into the trek one of the girls decided that she was not going to make it so the 2 other girls went back to the guesthouse and stayed while me and the guys went on the 3 day trek! That trek was the hardest thing Ive ever done. We walked through many rice fields, over mountains, through the jungle, through mud. Then went done the other side of the mountain and I slide the whole way down. It was a very difficult day. But as soon as we got to the village it was worth it. We were the first foreigners that had EVER been to the village so everyone was staring at us and all the kids followed us wherever we went. It was a weird feeling! We played frisbee with them and I handed out stickers! It was awesome! We had dinner at the "elders" home and they were very inviting and so hospitable! We were sitting in the room talking with our translator/guide and all the sudden a guy brought a dead chicken into the room and we then knew what we were having for dinner. haha. About half way through the meal "the elder" went to the fire picked up something with his chopsticks and brought it back to the table and offered it to me to eat. It would have been extremely rude for me to decline it so I PRed that Father would keep me from gagging and I downed it. I smiled at him and thanked him, but it was disgusting!! We have our guesses as to what exactly it was but we arent sure. (dont worry the guys got to share one and I had to eat a whole one!)

The next few days were amazing! All the villages we visited we were the first foreigners so we kinda felt like rock stars. The kids loved us, but they were scared of us at first. Father was so faithful in giving us strength and endurance! Our guide, Son Chan, showed Glenn and I how to fish with a net. It was a lot of fun. I caught a couple, but Glenn caught like 5 in one throw! Yesterday, we trekked for 4 or 5 hours back to where the 2 girls were staying! It was so good to see them! I was needin some estrogen. All the women that I meet in villages I couldnt really communicate with so I was in desperate need of some females! haha!

We are almost done witht the first leg of our trip. Its so hard to believe! We are on our way back to where the Ms are right now its a 3 day trip to get back there. We are traveling by river all the way back. We should get back either on the 15th or the 16th and thats when Ill have internet again! (and yes i do realize thats my birthday and we are already planning on getting a cake!!) We are going to rest up and get some sustainable food for a few days and then head out again!

Kop Jai Lai Lai for all of your PRs!! I really have felt them over the past week! Continue PRing for perserverance since we are coming up on halftime! I cant wait to hear whats goin on back in America! I especially want to know how the Azams made it at the lake! And if Brady rocked the slalom!!! haha!!!

I love you all very very very much!!!!