I landed in the United States, in Minnesota, over a week ago. Through a silent airport, and with a quite exhausted body, I trudged to baggage claim. There I stood, waiting to receive my bags, texting my father and dreaming of my bed.
Standing outside the baggage claim doors, in the bitter Minnesota chill, I watched as my father's gun metal grey Mustang rounded the corner. A familiar sight, I felt incredible comfort. I was safe. I was home.
Entering Thailand and exiting Thailand meant taking two insanely long trips. Coming to Thailand, I was simply excited for the journey-- flying in a plane was something important; worth absorbing and enjoying. If I made it to Thailand, I would have conquered my childhood fear of flying. In the back of my mind, the entire way there, I thought, "This is how people die." What I mean by this is that I knew planes crashed, and people died. Leaving Thailand, I was struck with a different fear. "What if I never get home?" Somehow, this was more distressing than dying on my way there. This surprised me, because I was worried in the days before leaving for Thailand that something would prevent me from going. However, I got on the first plane, the second, the third and the fourth without a hitch. I wasn't concerned; it felt like a slow trek instead of an agonizing wait.
Coming back was an agonizing wait. The plane ride from Qatar to Dallas was longer, and the landing left my stomach in knots. The layover in Dallas was agonizingly long as I exhaustedly watched a few fortunate classmates board an earlier flight home. When it was finally my turn, our plane was delayed. We waited for what seemed like an hour, and then we boarded our plane. But, just like out of a T.V. informercial, "Wait, there's more!'' We were stuck, waiting for the plane to takeoff, and there was something wrong with an overhead compartment. We waited an hour for it to get taped and documented. By this point, my knees felt the familiar cramp of sitting in a tight space for too long. My seat-mates had to get up twice so I could use the bathroom. When the flight finally took off, we were still over 2 hours away from home. Out of all the plane rides that was the most agonizing.
I had a dream on the plane that we were stuck flying for hours, and like out of a Twilight Zone episode, we were cursed to wander the skies forever.
Watching my dad's car pull up to the curb, and seeing his familiar bearded face-- all of the anxiety and irritability vanished. All I wanted to talk about was Thailand. I wanted to stay up all night and show my mom pictures, and give my brother this stupid t-shirt with Hanson on it that said Nirvana.
People say flying is hell. I know now what that means.
I get asked, "What were the highs and the lows of Thailand." The only thing I want to say is "Thailand and flying."
Reading about my fears before this trip, I am glad that I see how much I have taken away from this trip. All of my anxieties were overcome, and I handled it far better than I thought I would. Anxiety is a huge problem for me as a person, and I am often paralyzed by it. But that was not who I was on this trip. The things that normally turn me inside out, left me feeling challenged and in the end--pretty liberated. I know flying was my biggest concern, and that has to be the funniest thing. Because, flying was the single most tedious and uneventful part of the trip.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Trying to find the words to describe my emotions..
I've been asked multiple times since I've been home, "How was Thailand?" The words that follow are always, "It was amazing". This primarily because I do not know the words to quite describe how truly incredible this journey was for me. I just took a look back at my pre-Thailand blog and I was worried about flying and the food. Well, although I didn't love the flying, I did it and I would do it again in a heartbeat to be back in Thailand. The food was so incredible and I miss it already. It's interesting because the American food I've been eating has been making me feel sick because my body got so used to the fresh ingredients that are used in Thai dishes. My pre-Thailand blog was pretty surface level but I mentioned something about this being the longest I traveled without my parents and wanting to learn skills on how to travel independently. Boy did I learn that and so much more?
I have to share about my love of working with the children. As a future educator, this is the thing that I was most excited for before the trip. I knew that even if the rest of the trip was horrible (which it absolutely was not) that I was going to at least enjoy working with the Starfish children. I felt so much love and compassion from the children and I really did not want to leave. I think about them everyday and I cry a lot. I cry because I miss them but I also cry because I was so touched by their inspiring stories. I feel tremendously grateful that I was able to cross paths with them, even if it was just for a few weeks. The words that I'm typing can't capture the amount of love and compassion that the children showed us. I have worked with many different groups of kids in America (and I have loved it, don't get me wrong) but I have never felt the love the same way that I have felt from the kids at Starfish. From the first time they saw us, they grabbed our hands and even if they didn't speak very good English; this was their way of saying, "Follow me, I'll show you Thailand". I shared a lot with one girl that was in 6th grade at Starfish and she spoke very good English. She was able to tell me a lot of things about Thailand and about their culture. One of the most special moments we shared was walking through a traditional Thai weekly market. Not a single one of the vendors spoke English, I put all my trust into her and she guided me through the market. I think that was a truly incredible experience for both her and I. We both learned and gained knowledge from this experience. I receive messages from her almost everyday with pictures of her smiling face and many messages speaking the words "I love you Morgan" or "I miss you". It is hard because sometimes I don't think I have the right words but each conversation we have always ends up in us both being happy.
Thanks to all my wonderful experiences at Starfish, I find myself with a new mindset about life and my future career. These kids have come from some really tough backgrounds but they choose to be happy. Reminding me that, even when life gives you a bad hand, it's okay to give life some love back. Why make the worst of everything when you can embrace the good in life? I also feel extremely motivated to finish my degree in Education and travel the world. I can picture myself teaching in other countries and if I was ever given the opportunity to teach in Thailand, I would take the position without question.
I want to finish this post with my favorite quote since returning home.
"I will never be completely at home again. My heart will always be elsewhere, but that's the price you pay for loving and knowing people in more than one place"
How lucky am I to know and love people halfway around the world?
I have to share about my love of working with the children. As a future educator, this is the thing that I was most excited for before the trip. I knew that even if the rest of the trip was horrible (which it absolutely was not) that I was going to at least enjoy working with the Starfish children. I felt so much love and compassion from the children and I really did not want to leave. I think about them everyday and I cry a lot. I cry because I miss them but I also cry because I was so touched by their inspiring stories. I feel tremendously grateful that I was able to cross paths with them, even if it was just for a few weeks. The words that I'm typing can't capture the amount of love and compassion that the children showed us. I have worked with many different groups of kids in America (and I have loved it, don't get me wrong) but I have never felt the love the same way that I have felt from the kids at Starfish. From the first time they saw us, they grabbed our hands and even if they didn't speak very good English; this was their way of saying, "Follow me, I'll show you Thailand". I shared a lot with one girl that was in 6th grade at Starfish and she spoke very good English. She was able to tell me a lot of things about Thailand and about their culture. One of the most special moments we shared was walking through a traditional Thai weekly market. Not a single one of the vendors spoke English, I put all my trust into her and she guided me through the market. I think that was a truly incredible experience for both her and I. We both learned and gained knowledge from this experience. I receive messages from her almost everyday with pictures of her smiling face and many messages speaking the words "I love you Morgan" or "I miss you". It is hard because sometimes I don't think I have the right words but each conversation we have always ends up in us both being happy.
Thanks to all my wonderful experiences at Starfish, I find myself with a new mindset about life and my future career. These kids have come from some really tough backgrounds but they choose to be happy. Reminding me that, even when life gives you a bad hand, it's okay to give life some love back. Why make the worst of everything when you can embrace the good in life? I also feel extremely motivated to finish my degree in Education and travel the world. I can picture myself teaching in other countries and if I was ever given the opportunity to teach in Thailand, I would take the position without question.
I want to finish this post with my favorite quote since returning home.
"I will never be completely at home again. My heart will always be elsewhere, but that's the price you pay for loving and knowing people in more than one place"
How lucky am I to know and love people halfway around the world?
Friday, January 13, 2017
A reflection of our time here, thus far
I know that this is primarily a student blog, but I just had to jump in here and share how incredible our Hamline students have been with the students here at Starfish. Maybe it’s the age difference (not a lot), maybe it’s that we’re actually spending nights at the school, but my hunch is that it’s the make-up of this particular Hamline group that makes this intercultural exchange so magical. These Hamline students are unbelievably caring and playful and engaged and invested (and, and, and…) and they make Jesson and I proud. If only Dick (the founder of the school who passed away in October) could be here to see how special this exchange has been.
The only downfall is that when you love so much, it results in broken hearts everywhere. We are going to stay strong through our goodbye’s and keep in touch with these wonderful children. We are headed up north to learn more about their backgrounds, which is a critical aspect of knowing any human being and deepening our understanding of this country. We are off to experience new adventures together.
So cheers to this group of fabulous students! Starfish students and I both lucked out!!!
Final Day at Starfish
There are many wonderful experiences to discuss regarding the beauty that is Thailand, but the moments that have brought me the most joy were those with the children here at Starfish Country Home School. Now that I am at the final hours of my stay here, I am reflecting on what I have learned. I have compiled a top 5 list (as is the common practice among internet blogs) of the best parts of Starfish School.
5 Things That Make Starfish a Wonderful Place
1. The energy of the students
The children are like any child you'd meet in the United States, but unlike children in the U.S. Starfish students are continuously aware of the gift that education can be. Education is a fundamental right for every person, but these students work so hard because they know that the reality is different for many around them. They demonstrate their hard work and excitement for school so readily.
2. The staff love their students
From the beginning of my stay, I see how hard the staff works from sun up to sun down to ensure that students feel at home here. Today I watched a ballet put on by students, it was clear that there was a lot of hard work and dedication put into Alice in Wonderland. The performance was amazingly choreographed, and backstage amongst the hustle I saw so many staff giving last minute pep talks to the girls and painting their faces in bright shades of blue and pink. What a special experience.
3. The food!
I have loved everything I have eaten. That is all.
4. A strong foundation built by love
Dick Haugland worked hard for students across numerous schools, but you can see his passion in the curriculum and reverence students have for his memory. In the tennis court, two huge banners hang in his memory. Letitia said that on her last visit 3 years ago, he was always playing with the kids. They were his purpose.
5. This school is providing a bright future for students
From the day they arrive to the days after graduation Starfish looks after its students and ensures continuous access to education.
My time at this school has reminded me that childhood is sacred and education is vital to a strong society. Seeing so many children who come from disenfranchised communities coming together to learn, makes me believe that Thailand will continue to grow towards universal quality education for all.
I look forward to the coming days in Chiang Mai and Koh Chang but I will never forget the amazing time I have had at Starfish.
5 Things That Make Starfish a Wonderful Place
1. The energy of the students
The children are like any child you'd meet in the United States, but unlike children in the U.S. Starfish students are continuously aware of the gift that education can be. Education is a fundamental right for every person, but these students work so hard because they know that the reality is different for many around them. They demonstrate their hard work and excitement for school so readily.
2. The staff love their students
From the beginning of my stay, I see how hard the staff works from sun up to sun down to ensure that students feel at home here. Today I watched a ballet put on by students, it was clear that there was a lot of hard work and dedication put into Alice in Wonderland. The performance was amazingly choreographed, and backstage amongst the hustle I saw so many staff giving last minute pep talks to the girls and painting their faces in bright shades of blue and pink. What a special experience.
3. The food!
I have loved everything I have eaten. That is all.
4. A strong foundation built by love
Dick Haugland worked hard for students across numerous schools, but you can see his passion in the curriculum and reverence students have for his memory. In the tennis court, two huge banners hang in his memory. Letitia said that on her last visit 3 years ago, he was always playing with the kids. They were his purpose.
5. This school is providing a bright future for students
From the day they arrive to the days after graduation Starfish looks after its students and ensures continuous access to education.
My time at this school has reminded me that childhood is sacred and education is vital to a strong society. Seeing so many children who come from disenfranchised communities coming together to learn, makes me believe that Thailand will continue to grow towards universal quality education for all.
I look forward to the coming days in Chiang Mai and Koh Chang but I will never forget the amazing time I have had at Starfish.
Monday, January 9, 2017
New experiences and incredible memories!
What a day it's been here in Thailand! We had yet another busy day and I think we are all exhausted. We started off our day by visiting multiple Buddhist temples. This was an incredible experience because many of us were seeing temples for the first time. We were transported from temple to temple via a rickshaw! It's like a wagon behind a bike, it was so nice and relaxing. I really enjoyed the views of the city.
After we came back from the tour and a stop at the local market; 10 of us went to get massages. It was a two hour massage and it was nothing like what I've experienced in the United States. It was really enjoyable though and it really helped us relax after a long week.
Something really unique that we experienced was going to Thai cooking school! We learned how to make a lot of Thai dishes. I made deep fried spring rolls, mango sticky rice, cashew chicken stir fry, some soup, and Khaw soi curry paste! I'm a huge fan of Thai food and I look forward to attempting to cook some food for my family when I get home!
After we came back from the tour and a stop at the local market; 10 of us went to get massages. It was a two hour massage and it was nothing like what I've experienced in the United States. It was really enjoyable though and it really helped us relax after a long week.
Something really unique that we experienced was going to Thai cooking school! We learned how to make a lot of Thai dishes. I made deep fried spring rolls, mango sticky rice, cashew chicken stir fry, some soup, and Khaw soi curry paste! I'm a huge fan of Thai food and I look forward to attempting to cook some food for my family when I get home!
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
I'm SUPER excited! I'm thrilled to share this country, that I absolutely adore, with my students and with Jesson, our fabulous campus colleague. We have a terrific group -- I can feel it already-- and we're going to have the trip of the lifetime! I can't wait to watch my students' eyes open in awe to what they will soon experience.
I feel sadness, however, because we are returning to a school whose founder--Dick Haugland-- is no longer in this world. Having passed away just 2 months ago, he won't have the opportunity to witness our students making lifelong memories together. I am also sad that my students won't get to meet the man whose heart was as enormous as they come.
Yet, I know we are in the best of hands with those who are running the school and already see that they are going above and beyond to make our experience wonderful. Of that I am incredibly grateful.
So here's to an adventure of a lifetime! To Dick! To us! To the wonderful country and children and exciting experiences to come!
I feel sadness, however, because we are returning to a school whose founder--Dick Haugland-- is no longer in this world. Having passed away just 2 months ago, he won't have the opportunity to witness our students making lifelong memories together. I am also sad that my students won't get to meet the man whose heart was as enormous as they come.
Yet, I know we are in the best of hands with those who are running the school and already see that they are going above and beyond to make our experience wonderful. Of that I am incredibly grateful.
So here's to an adventure of a lifetime! To Dick! To us! To the wonderful country and children and exciting experiences to come!
Preparations For Thailand
Before leaving for this trip, I'm revisiting old fears regarding planes and new places. I grew up adamant that I would never get on a plane, and now at 23, I'm taking my first plane ride. I think that there's a lot of nervous energy floating around, and a lot of excitement and anticipation. I'm trying to imagine what will happen on this trip, but everything is completely new and foreign. I'm thinking a lot about the sights and sounds once we land, and what I can compare the experience to. Imagining something completely alien, without having very many things to compare it to, the entire trip carries an excitement for me.
I know that I'm feeling a lot anxiety over the logistics of getting around, and getting to Thailand, but I also feel comforted being with faculty and classmates who have experience traveling. The fact that Letitia has traveled quite a few times to Thailand also makes me feel less nervous about possibly offending people, or getting in trouble. I hope that by having this buffer, I will able to learn and take in my surroundings without being held back by my nerves and anxiety. I am very excited to learn about the culture of Thailand, and the interpersonal day-to-day interactions that people have in the country. I want to see the beauty in the nature of Thailand, and the urban crawl of the city. I hope that this trip will help me better appreciate my own home, and help drive a more adventurous take on exploring the world. I very much want to be changed by this trip, and I hope this helps blossom a sense of global adventure.
Morgan's Pre-Trip Thoughts
I have a lot of emotions when thinking about my upcoming trip to Thailand. I'm nervous because although I've flown before, I have never flown this far before and to this part of the world. I'm SO excited to immerse myself into another culture. Although there are many differences between American and Thai culture, I'm ready to enter with an open heart and mind. I want to take in as much as possible. I have quite a few fears too. I'm nervous about the food. I can be a picky eater but I'm going to force myself to try some things that I'm not certain about because I think it'll really enhance my travel experience. I am afraid that I might get sick there and what I am going to do without the comforts of "home"? I have some personal goals while I am in Thailand. This is the longest I've travelled without my family so I look forward to gaining some knowledge of traveling independently. I also really want to try as many new thing as possible. I'm going to keep being positive as much as possible because even if I'm pretty nervous about this adventure; I couldn't be more excited to start!
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