Thailand, here I come!

In 24 hours I will be on a plane headed to Thailand… Wow.

To be completely honest, I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I’m moving to the other side of the world and I’m incredibly calm about the whole ordeal. I’ve even sat alone in my room trying to psych myself out and make myself anxious about the big move, but it hasn’t worked. I can’t feel anything other than pure excitement and curiosity over what the next year will bring. And while I’m sure I’ll experience serious culture shock upon landing in Chiang Mai, for now I’m enjoying the calm vibes surrounding my last full day in the United States.

Since accepting the offer of being Global Playground’s next Teaching Fellow in Thailand, I have been doing all that I can to prepare myself for teaching in the rural Mae Hong Son province. And while I’ve picked the brains of previous fellows and GP board members, I know that there is not much I can really do to prepare myself for many of the things I will experience in the next year. No matter how many expat’s blogs I read or how many friends I talk to now currently teaching in Thailand, I know I will be thrown out of my comfort zone and be required to adapt to new environments and I know that it may at times be challenging. With all of this in mind, I intend to board my flight tomorrow with few expectations. And although I think holding almost no expectations of my experience will work in my favor, I’d like to highlight the few expectations I do hold for my yearlong fellowship:

I expect to learn.

While I hope that my students learn from me, I also expect to learn from them. I want to learn about their friends and their families and their dreams and interests. I want to learn everything there is to know about the kingdom of Thailand and its history and people. I want to learn how to be a better version of myself in order to become a better teacher for my students.

I expect to be amazed.

I’ve placed bets with my friends on how many thousands of photos I will take in the next 12 months and I have a feeling that even the loftiest guess might be surpassed. If images on the Internet do Thai landscapes and architecture any justice, I have a feeling I will constantly be drooling over the incredible natural and manmade beauty I’m about to witness.

I expect to be humbled.

In the coming year I’m going to learn hundreds of new faces and names and listen to hundreds of new stories and personal experiences. Some of these stories might be happy and joyful, some might be sad and upsetting, but no matter what, I expect these stories will make me reevaluate my own personal experiences and my own personal stories. I will be surrounded by people who were raised in situations totally different from my own and I know that my knowledge and understanding of the world will grow with each personal connection I make.

With all that being said, please follow along as I use this blog to post about my experiences as GP’s Teaching Fellow in Thailand. I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for me!