I can’t believe that we are leaving Thailand today! It is very bittersweet for me. I have enjoyed so much about this trip, this country, the culture and the people… I feel like I have just started to finally fully adjust to things and get used to the lifestyle here and now we have to leave 🙁

Bangkok has been an experience in itself – it’s a city that has such life and energy. I have really enjoyed taking in all that this city has to offer… the many sites, sounds and smells. I love walking through the streets, wandering around the markets and people watching. It is a different pace than how it was in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, a lot more chaos it seems… but I think the “chaos” is what has made it so interesting for me. There is so much going on all of the time – the traffic itself is enough to keep you on your toes. The funny thing is, to me, amidst the busy hustle and bustle that I have noticed in Thailand, I still have a sense of relaxation and simplicity when here. This don’t seem as complicated as they do back at home, life seems simpler and I think that is something I will miss the most. I believe a lot of this comes from the culture of the Thai people, and maybe relates to some of the Buddhist principles that we have learned so much about… self realization, simplicity, peace of mind, happiness… even in a busy city, I can sense these things in the people around me and I have started to feel it myself.

Overall, I have enjoyed putting my life in perspective while being on this trip and looking at things from a different lens. This experience has opened my eyes to so many new experiences and overall has taught me so much about myself, about how i want to live my life and about what really is important. Upon returning home, I just hope I can keep these things with me and remember all that I have gotten out of this trip. I love Thailand and all I have experienced while being here… it’s a beautiful place and the people I have met while here have made it all that much better. So, this is why I say that leaving is bittersweet – I miss home but I also know that I will miss being here once I am back into my normal routine. It’s been 3 weeks that I will never forget and I can only hope that I will come back someday!