Queen of Attention to Detail

I like my life wrapped into one neat and tidy package. I LIVE by my schedule and to-do list. If it's not written down, it doesn't exist in my brain. If I need to remember something, I tell it to my roommate Rachel. She is my brain, and the part of my brain that actually remembers things... Sad, but true. I like knowing what's going to happen and when. Details are key. Boy is that going to be thrown for a loop in Thailand!

If there is one thing i've heard about my trip to Thailand, this sums it up: don't expect anything and don't be shocked when its not what you expected anyway

I haven't even gotten there and my plans have changed countless times. But since i'm leaving in...TWENTY FOUR days, I thought i'd fill ya'll in on what I do know...for now

I will be working with the Life Development Center. It is located in Chiang Mai Thailand which is in the north.

The Life Development Center was started in 1994 by a local Thai name Manop. He still works there today and i'll be with him a lot of my time in Thailand. The LDC promotes community health care, environment conservation, poverty alleviation and community development for ethnic minority Hill tribe people in Northern Thailand

Their main focus is preventing HIV/AIDS problems, illicit drug problems, poverty problems, and environmental problems.

For the first month I am there I will be writing Grant proposals so that the LDC can get more funding. I will also be correcting the English on their websites, grants, volunteer pamphlets etc.

The second and third months I will be in the Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand. From what I hear I will most likely be in the Karen Tribe? Don't quote me on that... While I am there I will be leading service groups from Denmark. Yeah...i'm a white girl, in Thailand, helping the Danish. Weird I know. I am most excited for this part. It will be a LOT of hard work, but it's all part of the adventure.

I will be living at the office where I work. Originally I was supposed to have a host family, one of the many things that have changed so far. The newest plan is living at the office with a girl named Anna. She is Thai, speaks no English, and is supposedly my age. Sounds like a roommate to me! I think it'll be fun, I can help her with English, and she can help me with Thai. And of course I can introduce her to J Bieber. I mean, she hasn't lived if she doesn't know the biebs right?! U smile I smile!

I will be eating from street vendors and floating markets because the office doesn't have a kitchen. I will live off of fruit and rice, so I hear. I also hear I will get rice cheeks. yikes! I am NOT coming home from Thailand fat...mark my words I will be showering in an outside shower, usually by dumping freezing water on my head from a bucket. I will travel around by bike. Occasionally train, taxi, boat thing, trax like thing, I only know what they call them in Thai ha

I will be ATTEMPTING to speak Thai, Anna really wants to learn English so i'm all game to teach her I will be buying all of my clothes there.

Apparently it's the best shopping i'll ever do. I'm only taking a small duffel bag with me on the plane. That scares me but oh well!

On weekends I will get to travel around Thailand with the 8 people from BYU. I'm really excited for this part! I will get my arms stroked daily. Thai people don't have body hair...apparently that means they will be fascinated with mine?

Umm that may be about all I know...

I do know it will be an adventure. I do know that i'm nervous but also beyond excited. I do know that probably all of those plans will change. I do know that I leave in 24 days. ohhh baby!