THAILAND! OH MY GOLLY!

I am in Thailand right now.

*Excuse me as I have a moment of freaking out and trying to comprehend that I am actually here*

I have wanted to come to Thailand for as long as I can remember. It is the biggest dream I have ever had. It's been the one thing I have wanted the most. Coming to Thailand is literally a dream come true for me - a dream that at many times I was afraid to dream, a dream that was on the other side of the world for me, a dream that I thought maybe was just not realistic. But my dream as become reality. And I am so happy to be here. It doesn't feel like a dream. It feels so real. Almost inevitably true.

The plane from Kunming, China started to descend. As we broke through the clouds I got my first sight of Thailand. My eyes filled with tears and my face wore one of the fullest smiles it had ever held. I couldn't believe it. After so many years, I was here! I got off the plane and had to try extremely hard not to skip the whole way through the airport to Thai immigration.
All those books I read, all the money I saved from that job in high school, all those photos on my bedroom wall, it all came together and took solid form. Thailand was under my feet. It felt strangely familiar. Though it is a completely foreign place to me, I felt like I have always been here. I felt like I had come home.

Two weeks ago I was nervous to come. "What if it's not like I have imagined? What if I don't like it? What if it doesn't like me? What if? What if? What if?" Suddenly my dream was coming true and I was overwhelmed. Maybe it's safer, maybe it's better in dream form, I wondered. Maybe I should keep it as a wish in a box in the back of my closet. But no. I knew that would never do. I couldn't live without coming here. Without smelling the air, and feeling the red soil beneath my toes. I had to see the kids' faces with my own eyes. I had to hear them laugh. I had to come. I don't know what pulls me to Thailand. I'm not sure how a string got tied from my heart to this country, but here I am!

I can't remember what I imagined it would be like. I can't remember what I thought it would be, because all I can see is what it is really. All I can do is smell the wet air and thank our Father for making my dream, the dream He put in me, come true.

Living your dream is quite demanding though, so I'm going to go grab some insanely delicious Thai food to fill my hungry stomach.

And I will post soon again on what I have seen and experienced to so far! I have only been here 2 days but already have seen things that have made laugh so hard, and things that have made me weep brokenheartedly.

It is such a beautiful place.

I see why the call it the "Land of Smiles" :)



P.S. Big Plus: It's no where near as cold as where I have been living these past few months! First thing I did when we landed: pulled out my flipflops from my suitcase :) It's so nice to not have to wear more than one pair of pants.