Mixed Emotions

Hey Everybody,

Well I have less than 48 hours left in SE Asia! I definitely have mixed emotions. I want to come home and see everyone, but we have made some great friends here and its gonna be hard to say good bye to them, to this wonderful country, and the awesome food!

We got back to base 2 days ago. Yesterday was an all day debriefing session of everything we have done in the past 6 weeks. We wrote report put all of our pictures in very organized files and put it all on flashdrives. I kinda felt like we were in school, but this project had so much more meaning to it!

Today was our free day! We hung out this morning and played Ping Pong with our friends, then the girls and I walked around town and got a manicure and pedicure for a grand total of $5! I love it here! I think the boys have made plans for us to go bowling with all of our Asian friends tonight. I will not be participating because of my injured foot. I just want my mother to know that I am being responsible. haha!

Tomorrow is our integration day. We will spend a huge part of the day talking over everything that Father has done in us and in Laos and then talk about going back to America and fitting back in. We have already experienced some reverse culture shock with some of the tourists here. haha. We also are going to get spiritually prepared for our reentry back to the states.

Thursday we fly out at 2:20pm then we are in Bangkok for 7 hours then off to Tokyo then to Dallas! We get into Dallas at 9:15am, then my flight to Lubbock leaves at 2:20pm. The team has already decided that we are going to Freebirds during my lay over in Dallas. We miss burritos!!

I will officially be back in Lubbock on Thursday at 3:30! Words cannot express how much I miss my family and friends! But I hope to bring a little bit of Asia back with me to share with everyone! :)

Things Im going to miss about Asia:

1. Everyone is so laid back. No one gets angry on the streets. No horns honking whatsoever eventhough the streets are packed with cars and motorbikes.

2. Oh the food! Yes I have eaten some pretty nasty things while Ive been here but Im gonna miss me some sticky rice, beef lap, and fresh spring rolls!

3. EVERYONE wakes up every morning around 4:30 or 5am! Asians dont mess around about starting their days here! I have enjoyed waking up early and still going to bed late and having Father give us the energy we need for the day.

4. Im gonna miss living a simple life out of my pack. I love not worrying about tomorrow. Just pull out a shirt and some pants/skirt and get going. No makeup! Braid or pony tail, then Im done!

5. The people here are the most hospitable people I have ever meet. Everybody is friends with everybody! No one is a stranger! Everyone is always smiling!!

6. Im gonna miss walking everywhere. I dont want to come back and have to drive places. Its so much nicer to walk to the restaurant to the store to the market, anywhere and everywhere.

7. Im gonna miss bargaining! At the market you bargain for EVERYTHING!! So when I get back to the states and strawberries cost me a whoppin $8 Im gonna get a little frustrated when I cant barter the United check out clerk down to $5!

8. NO SHOES! You take off your shoes to go into any building or house! I love it! I might make people take their shoes off before they come into my house! haha!

9. Oh the mountains and the rivers! We dont have these in West Texas and I have become accustomed to waking up every morning and looking out at the mountains and the river! The rain goes along with this point! I love the rain!

10. My wonderful Asian friends! They are the most joyous people I know! I will never forget them as long as I live!

With all this said I probably will not be blogging until I get back to America, so this is my last good bye from Asia! :(

Ill see ya back in the states!!