Let the packing begin!

Wow, my last weekend in Summakorn...the mooban I have grown to love and call home.
I seriously LOVE where I live - the neighborhood is absolutely stunning (and totally Thai).
From picture perfect lakes to the best restaurants and food venders around, I have fallen in love with the 'korn.
It has been my home away for home for nine months now and it is time to say goodbye.
Bittersweet really. I am sad to leave, but excited to see where life takes me next.
Off I go to soak up every last bit of this amazing place: the weekend market, my pool, Murrah (Buffalo) Cafe, Salad man, Olan, Sky Nails ($4 pedi), the "house" (best foot massage in all of BKK - for less than $10), 7-11 (for the chocolate milk), random spirit houses/shrines, Hot Chilis...the list is endless.
I am sure going to miss this place!

**Some might wonder where I am going after this since I still have 3 weeks left in Thailand and here is your answer:
1 week left in my condo; the next week I am house/dog sitting (works out perfectly since my lease is up July 3rd); then I am off to the Southern beaches for 8 days to relax and reflect then I am headed HOME!!!!!!!

**This may look like complete chaos, but there's actually strategic planning behind it all: 1 pile for my beach trip; 1 pile for my checked luggage; 1 pile for my carry-on (all my breakable souvenirs) and my handbag. Ahh the joys of packing.

How Sweet!

I have been sick (yes again) for over a week now - thankfully not the nasty bug I had when I first moved here, just an awful cold that won't go away...part of working with kids I suppose.
Anyway, one of the moms of a kid in my class bought me 2 juicy oranges from the market to make me feel better. She told me to drink lots of fluid (she obviously hasn't seen the HUGE jug I lug around from my Healthy Breakfast routine) and get lots of rest and vitamin C.

Glad I can have a mom looking out for me when mine is so far away!
I love random acts of kindness - thank you Judy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY G-MA!

NINETY freakin' THREE years ago a wonderful lady named Doris Irene Earp was born.
She has been a huge part of my life and without her I would not be here today.
She is my grandma and I love her to pieces, every crazy bit of her.
For those of you who do not know her, she is the kindest, gentlest, sweetest lady I know - that is unless you are on her "shit list" (yes this sweet British lady even calls it that).
My grandma makes me smile, laugh and feel loved...when she remembers who I am of course.
I wish I could be with her to celebrate her 93 years of existence, but hey, we have next year for that!
Love you grandma D!
See you in 24 days :)

I did it and I kinda liked it ...#15

For the few of you actually following my blog you read a post below that explained I am compiling a list of 30+ things to do my last 30 days in Thailand.

Well those 30 days have officially started - I can hardly believe it.

My first weekend in and I'm already able to cross quite a few things off my list.

The best/worst being #15: eat a bug; multiple to be exact.

"You can do it Sarah, it's all mental - you're not actually eating a bug, instead it's just a really crunchy french fry with legs yeah?" Okay, not really, but that's what I told myself and it worked. In went the grasshopper and I was done - sure a leg got stuck in my teeth, but I was saving that for later anyway :)

One bug down and one thing checked off my list - well done Ms. Sarah, well done. Or was I done? Nope. For some odd reason I decided to try another...go big or go home right? I decided to do both - go big AND go home (in 30 days)!

Next up was something that reminded me of either the caterpillar on Pixar's A Bug's Life or the fat grub worm like thing that Simba eats on Lion King when living in the jungle with Timon and Pumba.

These bad boys were a bit crunchy on the outside, yet squishy on the inside and oddly enough, kinda enjoyable.

What can I say, I'm officially Thai :)

Here are a few pictures from my experience:

Seattle Seahawks

Natanya is one of my closest friends and one of the only girls I can talk football with who actually gets it - not just the plays, but the stats and strategies as well. I think it was our love for sports that bonded us from day one.

Nearly two years ago we decided to take the plunge and make our friendship lifelong aka go in on season tickets together. We knew this was a big leap of faith - just think how awkward it could get if our friendship fizzled and we were left fighting over which one of our offspring would end up with our 2 tickets. After much deliberation we decided no matter what happened: one got married, one moved away, etc, etc. the Hawks would be what kept us together (even if they suck).

My day was made when I got word that Natanya and I are off the wait list and are officially season ticket holders for the Seattle Seahawks!!! I knew I was moving home for a reason ;)

Here are some pictures of our love for sports.

30+ things to do in my last 30 days in Thailand!

Where has time gone?
I cannot believe I have been living in Thailand for NINE months now!!
This has truly been one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I am not even done yet...with just over 30 days left in this beautiful country I have decided to compile a "to do" list before heading home.
Here it is:
1. Be a total tourist in the country I’ve called home for the past 10 months.
2. Get a massage atleast 1x a week.
3. Go to Hot Chili’s on a Thursday night.
4. Get a pedicure on the beach.
5. Go to Titanium (Friday or Saturday night).
6. Give a random taxi driver a Thai “Red Bull” just for the heck of it.
7. Eat as much street food for $1 as possible.
8. Take pictures around my moobaan, school, random pictures of the King etc.
9. Scuba dive as much as possible – too expensive and cold at home!
10. Sneak into the Sheridan and go swimming.
11. Go to Cabbages and Condoms.
12. Get a drink in a bag.
13. Drink a bucket on the beach.
14. Go to the Summakorn Market: spring roll man, gluay tord man, PICTURES!
15. Eat a bug.
16. Get a tattoo – henna or real…undecided.
17. Ride a motorbike taxi sidesaddle in a dress and heels.
18. Go to the fancy movie theatre.
19. Go play at one of the water parks on top of the mall (Suan Siam Water Park or Bangkapi).
20. Take another cooking class.
21. Do the bike tour of Bangkok.
22. Go to one of the tower top bars (Vertigo?).
23. Cheap Charlie’s.
24. Ride the BTS one last time.
25. Get a dress custom made.
26. Trip to Ayutthaya or the Summer Palace.
27. Go shopping – buy something I don’t think I deserve b/c guess what, I do. Plus money is just money and you only live once so why hold on to it (who is this girl???).
28. Buy and consume as many fresh pineapples, mangoes, rambutans and pomelos as possible – won’t get fruit this tasty for a while!
29. Go to Nest on Soi 11.
30. Drink a beer at Wit’s bar at JJ Market.
31. Go see all the Southern beaches (Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Railay)
32. Go see Central World 
33. Rent a motorbike and ride it around the islands.
34. Take in as much as possible and TRY to blog about it daily!
35. Try using the "bum gun".
36. Buy and try the random goodies (meat, sticky rice, etc) wrapped in banana leaves even when you have no idea what might be inside.
37. Go to the Night Market one last time.
38. Take a picture with Ronald McDonald doing the wai
39. Floating market trip.
Wish me luck - it's going to be a busy month.
See you all oh so soon!!!!

I'm going to miss these little ones!