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Thailand in a Nut Shell!!!
 

I am not sure I can capture the beauty of Southern Thailand!  I think some of these picture are wonderful to look at but it does not compare to sitting in a hammock, drinking a Mojito, watching the sun set and realize you are in the Gulf of Thailand!

If you had asked me 10 years ago where I saw myself at 27...I would have said college degree, married, thinking about having kids...living in Colorado!

But that is the wonderful thing about life it never works out how you plan!

So instead at 27 I am wondering the world making friends, new family, and for the first time in 10 years I am completely and utterly happy with not knowing where my life will lead.

But for now it leads me to Thailand for my fall break....

View from hotel room in Ko Samui!

Thailand has dozens of islands scattered around it.  Most of them are in the south.  I took my adventure to the 3 islands grouped together on the Gulf.  Ko Samui which is the biggest and most popular, Ko Phanghan the second in size and known as the party island...last but not least Ko Tao (means "Turtle Island").  This was my favorite, it was small and relaxed with just enough energy at night.  Check out one of the main roads in town.

The busy road of Ko Tao

But at the end of the day the best part of my trip was going home!  Which surprised me more then anything, it has been years since I was really excited to return home from a trip.  Last summer I spent my 7 hour flight from Ireland to the states in tears because going back just felt wrong!  It was shocking to me how in 3 months this place is home and I am so very happy to call it that.  And with those feeling I would also like to say I have decided to stay for a 2nd year in Ha Noi, Vietnam.  Whats more exciting is life can never be planned so we will see where I really am this time next year!

To my friends and family back home thank you for your support and love.  Its because I know you are and that I can count on you that I feel free to explore!  Love you all!

2 Months and Counting!

Tom's giving me a ride to the airport!


 The places you can go in just 2 months!

I have a feeling it has been a good 3 weeks since I have updated.  I have been in Vietnam for over two months now.  I am loving it!  The places I have been the people I have met.  Most of all the changes it has made in my life!

 

River in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)





Beer pong is fun everywhere! Matt and I in Saigon.

 

Flight home from Saigon with Tom and Jeff

  My adventure have been in the country so far.  A week from Friday is my Fall break which will be spent in Thailand.
Which I hope to have many great picture to show you all and many more memories.

Three weeks ago I went to Saigon for a quick weekend trip.  I met more friends, saw a tiny bit of Saigon but enjoyed being out with the Air Mekong Crew who is stationed there plus a few of the Hanoi group Matt, Jeff, Tom and Nate.  I had my first experience in the Cock Pit.  Friday night Nate and Jeff were the pilots and Sunday Jeff and Tom were the pilots and Matt was past out onboard somewhere.

                                              Halong Bay

Last weekend was an overnight to Halong Bay.  Halong Bay is one of the 30 (7 wonders of the world ;)

This place is absolutely beautiful, if you ever make it to Vietnam you must go.  I hope to make it there again as well. I went down Saturday night, had dinner and then went to bed.  Sunday we board a boat out to Halong Bay.  The boats move very slow, but you need to take everything in.  

 Many of these rock formations have giant incredible caves to explore.  There are beaches to swim and delicious food to eat.  If you love seafood you are missing something if you never make it on board one of these ships.



Thuy, Phuong, Dr. Yutzy, myself, Luan

 Inside the caves are probably on of the COOLEST places in all of Vietnam, Literally!  It dropped about 10 degrees when we walked inside.  

The turtle is a very spiritual symbol in Vietnam.  This rock is the shape of a turtle with its head sticking up.  People give around 1000 to 2000 dong to rub its head.  That is about 5 to 10 cents.

 

Huong mummy wrapping someone, my boss to the right being mumified!



But there is always time just to have some fun at home





5 WEEKS!!!



Water Fall in Sapa!  I am at the top it drops down about 4 to 5 hundred feet!

In some ways it's hard to believe 5 weeks have past since I boarded the plane for Vietnam.   

Hanoi is quite an adventure with new experience's every day.

But sometimes you just need a break from the city.  A weekend hiking, sweating, swimming in the rivers, wearing the same clothes 3 and going shower less for a few days!

This would be SAPA!!!

Rice Country!

Every where you look it is green and beautiful.  Oh and don't forget you sweat just looking at it!  There are many things to experience here, from Water falls (BIG and small).



To

My New School!!

Our First Day of School!!!

I never thought I would say this but I may have to much room at the moment!  I have two kids with the 3rd arriving in September and the 4th in January.

My classroom was designed to be a 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment.  There is plenty of space for my very adorable and Egocentric class 4 year olds.



This is the main room for more "academic work"



 To the left is the reading corner and the right is half of the play area (ball pit and everything)
We have the opposite problem here then in Colorado, we have indoor recess because of the Heat and Humidity!

Flat screen and DVD player, plus other 1/2 of playroom


And the best part I know you have all been waiting for it well look below
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Smallest toilet EVER!!!! hehe love it!  However makes thing difficult for me. 

*I can not put any pictures of my kids on my personal blog but if you want to see them I will post pictures on the school website in a few weeks!

 

A week today!!!



*Some of my words are being translated from english, and I don't know how to stop it, so good luck!

So today marks my 1st full week on the other side of the world!  I have done a ton of wandering these last few days and my legs and feet are killing me!  It is about time I find a famous foot massage spa.

Satuday I spent Breakfast to Dinner out seeing the city with Joanna a teacher at another international school here.

We went to Hoan Kiem lake which is right near Old town (the shopping district).  So naturally we also did some shopping!



From there we visited Hoa Lo Prison (well known as the "Hilton Hotel" by U.S. pilots during the American War (you know it as the Vietnam War)).

Hoa Lo was built by the French about 1886.  It was originally created to hold vietnamese political prisoners.

Model of the Original Hoa Lo

Men and women who were fighting for there freedom!  French and then American are only the latest in a long line of countries who have tried very hard to control Vietnam.  After the French left the Vietnamese took control of the prison to hold American pilots who were shot down.  

 Main holding cell for Vietnamese men during French control.

1 of 2 Guillotine's that was used to behead many Vietnamese men and women.

The cell to the left is for women and the cell to the right is for women and their babies.

               

On a lighter note!  Here are a few more adventure of my trip around the city!

Wrecker taking down a building.  No blocks or safety signs.  You just need to pay attention and watch out!

By Plane!!!

Here are a few pictures of my way over!!!

DIA airport



Korean Air in LA

Boulder, CO by plane

So I flew from Denver to L.A. to  Seoul, South Korea and finally to Hanoi, Vietnam.
























There are three classes on Korean airlines.  1st class, Prestige, and Economy.   The 1st class has about 4 seats across, Prestige has 7 across, and Economy is 9 Seats across!  Just to give you an idea how big this plane was!

Prestige Class

This plane is very small as you can see! NOT

South Korea

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Hanoi
Vietnam!
 These pictures were taken by taxi, which was an experience alone. :)

I have a lot of time on my hands currently!  I am the first teacher here so far, so I am just working on my classroom, working out and getting use to the area I am living.  So I have some time for my blog.  But don't expect so many update once school begins!  Hope you are all doing well!