Now is better than Never

---

I'm alive! I swear!

I am currently planning out my (fast approaching) Winter Break. I decided to travel to Japan. I had been thinking about it for a while now but I finally decided this week. The sad thing is that I posted it on facebook before I told my parents (oops). But there was a reason for that. I wanted to make the decision and plan the trip myself. I need to be independent, and not be afraid to make decisions and deal with the consequences of my actions.

(And for a slight moment I feel like an adult)

Anyways, I listening to country music, thinking about everything; the past, Thailand, snow, the fact that it is December, Japan, family and what I'm going to eat for dinner. So I decided that now would be a good time to update you all on my adventures from a couple of weeks ago.

Well two weeks ago I went to the Thai-Burma Border. The week was packed with stuff. Frankly a lot of were kind of pissed before we got there because it looked like we were going to meditate the whole. I don't mind meditation. Actually I love it, but it looked like we were not going to learn about Burma and the refugees and the whole conflict within Burma. Well, we were wrong.

We stayed at the Meditation Hill Temple. Which held the abbott and 22 novice monks, most of which are Shan Burmese Refugees. Two monks came with us from Wat Suan Dok in Chiangmai. Phra (title of an ordained monk) Kavi is a Burmese monk and Phra Anon is a Thai monk. They were our meditation teachers.

I could write a book about my whole experience their and maybe someday I will. But for now I will some it.

We woke up (after the monks) at 6 am and had morning meditation at 6:30 am. Ate breakfast and then meditated again. This was our normal morning routine. The afternoon however was different every down. One day we went to a school and taught English (mostly we just played games with the kids). We also taught English to Burmese Refugees in their camp. We talked with monks, We made clay bricks, had mud fights, and harvested rice with the novice monks (my toes are stilll orange). The novices taught us how to make Krathongs (Banana leaf boats) and we set off floating lanterns. We taught the novices English as well. We went in town for a late night parade and danced at the end of floats. We attended a Kathin ceremony at temple were we danced and offered money, food, and new robes to the monks and watched dance performances by local kids. Everyday we rode in the backs of trucks and everyday was beautiful.

That's the quick and dirty from two weeks ago. I will attach a couple pictures later on. My next post will update you on My ISP (independent study project).

Happy Travels!

---