Good Vibes Only

You know that feeling when you move halfway across the world and wake up in the middle of the night and forget where you are?

Neither did I… until last week! I recently finished my orientation programming, which included a few days spent in Bangkok and a quick trip to the western province of Kanchanaburi. Orientation was an informative, jam-packed week filled with sessions about lesson planning, adapting to different cultures and the Thai language. I learned so much and I have a newly filled notebook to prove it! Yet, the most remarkable thing I learned last week wasn’t in a PowerPoint or a workbook. It was the realization that against all odds, 200 strangers can instantly bond when they begin a new life experience together.

I spotted a rainbow the very first day I was in Thailand. I definitely took this as a sign that this is where I am meant to be! Click photo to enlarge.

It boggles my mind to think just 10 days ago I didn’t know a single soul in Thailand. Now, I can’t fathom my life without these newfound friends. It never ceases to amaze me how it truly is a small world. Weekend excursions are already in the works, but before I can explore the rest of Thailand I am working to get to know my own province.

 During orientation we were treated to dinner and a show at Siam Niramit in Bangkok. Click photo to enlarge.

It was nerve-wracking to connect with so many other teachers at orientation, and then once again be yanked out of my comfort zone as we all relocated across the country. On Friday I took a 2-hour bus trip from Bangkok to the province of Chachoengsao, where I will be teaching at a public secondary co-ed school.

I inadvertently matched the Chinese temple located near the bridge over the River Kwai. Click photo to enlarge.

Anytime I am worried, stressed or anxious, I remind myself of the Thai concept “Mai Pen Rai.” This phrase translates approximately to “it’s no big deal” and is reminiscent of “Hakuna Matata,” “wag more, bark less” or “c’est la vie.” I always try to live my life with positive influences and good vibes only. It’s reassuring Thailand values this mindset, too.

The sunset was beyond beautiful during our river cruise outside of Kanchanaburi. Click photo to enlarge.

Mai Pen Rai definitely came into play when my roommate and I tried to order lunch at a local restaurant. I wasn’t making much progress with my Thai, so the waitress called in backup. Moments later we were greeted by the sweetest Thai woman who looked to be about our age. She explained her family owns the restaurant, they were happy to have us and whatever we wanted could be specially made to order. As if her presence wasn’t lovely enough, she treated to the meal and guaranteed us that we were welcome anytime. It was heartwarming to be so graciously accepted into the community and I’m already thinking about how to pay it forward for someone else.

Thailand is seriously THIS beautiful! Click photo to enlarge.

That being said, current struggles include: not sleeping past 7 am (shout out to Texas for providing me a 12-hour time difference), increasing my tolerance for spicy food (prik in Thai) and remembering I AM STRONGER THAN ANY BUG. AND THE BUGS CANNOT HURT ME. Even if they are really big. And really scary. I’ll be fine… right?

Other than that, life is good! When in doubt, I just remember Mai Pen Rai.

From Texas to Thailand

Today is the day - I am going to teach English in Thailand! What started as a farfetched daydream last summer is finally turning into a reality. My passion for travel started in the fall of 2014 when I studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. If I learned anything from living in South Africa (and I'd like to think I learned a lot!) it's that people will react in the most unusual ways when they hear I am going overseas. Since I've revealed I will be teaching in Thailand, I have been asked everything under the sun, such as...

"Do you know Spanish?" Nope. Luckily in Thailand most people don't speak Spanish either.
"Will you eat pad Thai?" I certainly plan on it!
"Are you crazy?!" Well... that's for another blog post entirely.

So here I am: a post-grad Texan moving to Thailand (who is only fluent in English and American Sign Language). The most popular question I get is:

"How in the world did you choose to do THAT after graduation?"

When I got back from studying abroad in the spring of my junior year, I started thinking about careers that would let me go overseas again. At first this was something I only dreamed about because I thought it was impossible. Yet, by the summer of 2015 I was almost positive I wanted to go back abroad post-grad. I began reading about teaching overseas as an English as a Second Language teacher and quickly realized this career path would be the best fit for me. It made sense both economically and in terms of practicality. I am very fortunate to have parents who won't stop me from living my dreams. (Although it did take a few weeks for them to realize I am going to Thailand not Taiwan!) My family understands that this is something I feel the need to do for myself and that it won't be detrimental to any other career I want in the future.

A little bit more about me! Seen above is a teaching aid I created for my future classroom. Click photo to enlarge.

When I tell people I am teaching English in Thailand, they often reply saying that I am brave or strong for choosing such an unorthodox path. Bashful as I may sound, I completely disagree! I have no idea what is in store for me and have no clue what to expect. I'm simply committed to having an open-mind and learning from new experiences. I was blessed (or cursed) with this type of personality, so when I get an idea I will do anything in my power to make it happen. I'm also my toughest critic and definitely struggled with self-doubt during this process. However, once I convinced myself that teaching abroad was a viable career choice, I never looked back!

I will also admit this is a selfish decision. Selfishness has a negative connotation, but honestly I chose to teach abroad just as much for my own benefit as for the students I will be teaching. I value that I am at a point in my life where I can put myself first. I know this will be invaluable in shaping me as a young adult.

I am excited to get to Bangkok for orientation, though 3 airports and 2 layovers stand in between my final destination and me. I will be blogging regularly while abroad and would love to hear feedback! I am eager to report back on my success, missteps and lessons learned. People often say, "You only get one life so live it!"

This is the Life of Bryna.