My Last Month (and Last Days)

    Well it's down to my last month here in Thailand. I hope all have enjoyed the blog. In the last month, I have started school again, gone to Bangkok for some last minute sit-seeing, said goodbye to many friends as they return home, had a farewell party at my school and tried to do as much as I can with my friends here because of the chance that I might never see them again. It's been a great year, and this month has not shied in comparison.

    First I went back to school. I got to start seeing all of my friends on a regular basis again. I didn't realize how much I missed going just to see my friends, but after the first week or so the feeling started wearing off. My Thai language skills had improved over the break, but I still didn't know enough to understand the teachers in class. I found myself starting to daydream or nod-off in the middle of class, but I still had my friends.

Just a random day in class when someone had a camera.

One of the days I wore my jacket to school, and of course pictures were mandatory.

 
     Finally I got a break from school, and I went on a trip with my friend Joao to Bangkok. We went with some of the members of our host families, and we stayed with friends or family of our host families (We didn't stay in the same place the whole trip).

We got the chance to visit China town in Bangkok!

We met up with some friends and went to a temple in Ayuttaya, the old capital of Thailand.

This was at a show of old-time soldiers in the floating market of Ayuttaya. It was really cool.

This is the Siam Museum. We went, and because we had our passports we got in for student prices! It was all about the history of Thailand.

      We did some other cool stuff while we were there as well, but for some odd reason Joao and I both forgot our cameras so we don't have very many pictures. After our return from Bangkok, we began to start seeing some of our friends off at the airport. They were all sad occasions.

The first to go that was close to us was Diego. He is also from Chicago. He is second from the left.

The second to go was Raul, the exchange student from Mexico. There were a lot of people at the airport. 

As you can see we like to do one final group hug before we all depart.

This was the last one to leave before me: Fabio. He is from Venezuela. Rest assured we did do the group hug, but no one got a picture of it.

    After saying so many goodbyes to people that were leaving, it was time for me to start saying goodbye to the people that were staying while I was leaving. I did a kind of farewell ceremony at my school. It wasn't that big of a deal, but the director of the school gave a speech, I gave a speech, I performed a song on my trumpet, and some of my friends sang a song for me. It was a great way to say goodbye.

A video of me playing the trumpet at the farewell ceremony.

After the ceremony my teachers took a picture with me. My host mom slipped in the picture as well (she is the one in the pink sweater).

Me playing the trumpet at the ceremony.

A picture with the head of the English department at my school.

  Like I said before, I am also doing as much as I can with my friends before I leave. I have done a lot already, and this upcoming weekend (my last here in Thailand) is full of plans. I think I only have one night (and only late at that) to do all my packing before I leave, but I think I shall survive (and enjoy every minute of my last days).
 
    I do believe I will miss all of the people that I have become close to here in Thailand. I have my families (three altogether), my mentors (teachers and Rotarians), and my friends (foreign and Thai). But that being said I do have a lot to look forward to. I have a college to prepare for, friends to become reacquainted with, and a family that is ready to have me back. But I have also been told that my parents are throwing a coming home party, and that anyone in the area is invited to come by.

    So now I am very close to going home. I can't wait to see everyone there, but I will miss my Thai friends and family. จะคิดถึงคนไทยทุกคน  คิดว่าจะเจอก้อนอีก My next post will be after I have returned. I do believe I am excited...