Where in the World is Brandon?!

Ciao, amici (Hi, friends)!
My name is Brandon.


Perhaps you know me, perhaps you don't. I'm basically a living version of "Where's Waldo" since I'm usually on a plane, bus, or train to somewhere around the world. This semester, I'm studying abroad at Loyola University Chicago's John Felice Rome Center (JFRC). This is actually my third study abroad experience. I spent my senior year of high school in Surat Thani, Thailand with the Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad program, and then my sophomore year of college in Chiang Mai, Thailand with the USAC program. Since then, I've explored about 40 countries and picked up a few languages along the way. I guess you could say the travel bug infected me a little too hard!

I am currently writing from Guelph, Ontario, Canada (say what?!). Since it's fall break, I decided to spend the week here in Canada with my lovely partner. I am fully enjoying the beautiful & crisp air, vibrant leaves, sweater weather, and Halloween spirit that Rome sadly does not have. However, Rome has so many other things to fall in love with. It was pretty hard to leave for even just a week.

You may be wondering, "why did you choose Rome?". Well, I can tell you it wasn't for any cliché reason. I didn't choose Rome for it's impeccable food, unique coffee culture, rich history, immaculate cities, or warm climate. Those aspects are all more than great, but I actually didn't have much choice in where to study abroad. When I decided that I wanted to study abroad for a third semester, I jumped through several hoops in order to make it to where I am today. I knew I would need pretty specific courses to complete my degree plans since this experience would be during my last year of college. Thus, choosing a Loyola center (Rome, Vietnam, or Beijing) was my only option. I felt I had spent a lot of time in Asia respectably, so Rome it was. I will admit that I was not the most excited at first (I know! Hear me out). I am a person who thrives off adventure, the unknown, and very "out there" experiences. Rome felt "safe" compared to other possible study abroad destinations. In a way, I had a vendetta against European study abroad experiences... I always believed there was so much of this world to see that Americans too hastily overlooked. Once I was accepted to the JFRC, something sparked. It made my upcoming journey real. In the spirit of adventure, I looked at this semester as an opportunity to do what I love most: explore new countries, learn a new language, and make priceless memories. Any adventure is worth going on. And truth be told, I've been proven so wrong about Rome and Europe as a whole. This continent is fascinating, and is so rich with history that there's no possible way to learn it all.

I started the semester off by leaving Chicago on August 10th. Between August 10th and the 29th, this was my travel path: Chicago --> Toronto --> Montréal --> Paris --> Copenhagen --> Malmö --> Bangkok --> Koh Samui --> Chiang Mai --> Kuala Lumpur --> Gold Coast --> Auckland --> Melbourne --> Los Angeles --> Chicago --> London --> Rome. My head hurts just typing that! Anyways, I found incredible flight deals that lead me to both familiar and unexplored cities. I connected with friends, ate awesome food, witnessed cool sights, and snapped the best pictures I could. Eventually I ended up in Rome and started this crazy semester.


This semester, I am taking 6 courses. I am taking: Italian 1o1 (ITAL 1o1), European Masterpieces (LITR 200), Emperors, Bishops, & Barbarians (HIST 300 TP), Italy in the 19th and 20th Centuries (HIST 324), The European Union (PLSC 347), and Ethics (PHIL 181). So far, I feel as though I've been able to truly dive deep into European studies and learn quite a bit that I normally wouldn't. I highly recommend taking country/region specific courses during a study abroad experience!

I would be lying if I said my favourite part of this semester WASN'T all the travelling I get to do on the weekends. When a roundtrip flight to Morocco, Germany, Israel, or Turkey (or everywhere in between) only ranges from 20 to 100 dollars, why not take advantage of it?! So far, I've travelled to Romania, Turkey, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. I guess Canada counts too ;). After Fall break, I have plans to travel to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Bulgaria, Morocco, Spain, Israel, Palestine, France, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, and Colombia (the last two are on my way home in December). It is so fascinating to bring to life all of the knowledge I'm learning in my classes. I would say that Istanbul, Turkey is my favourite city I've ever visited. I think my next post will be dedicated to these awesome places I've been to. This post just can't do them justice!

I may have actually just lied. How could I forget the lovely friends I've made so far? Study abroad has a strange way of bonding you to new friends so closely, so quickly. It's almost as if we subconsciously understand that out time abroad together is limited and that we have to soak up every minute of it. I want to give a special shout-out to Kaitlyn, Midori, Alyssa, and my uber cool roommate Bruno. You guys make everyday hilarious. We've coined ourselves "the wine moms at the end of the hall" since we all live at one end of the hall of our hotel/dorm and highly enjoy the fabulous wine that Italy has to offer. They are my travel buddies, confidants, and joy makers. I love you, and I can't wait for more adventures!

I'll be sure to write soon. Thanks for following along!
#NeverStopExploring
~ Brandon

Andiamo a Roma!

I'm currently situated in a Toronto Starbucks awaiting my Greyhound bus back to Chicago. I came here for 5 days to spend some time with Vinny, and just spend quality time in a city I feel very comfortable in. I know this city like the back of my hand. It's always a grand time in Toronto. I believe this was trip #18! Many iced capps have been consumed, but I'm ready to go back to my apartment, my sweet baby Koguma, and my friends in Chicago. I have 24 days until depart the United States for another 6 months of adventure around the globe.

I am spending the Fall 2018 semester at Loyola University Chicago's John Felice Rome Center, in Rome, Italy! The details of being able to study abroad for a third semester of college are long and complicated, but somehow the stars aligned and I put in the hard work to make this opportunity mine. Life is too short to watch opportunities come and go without reaching for them. It's a motto that's brought me so much joy and world experience. I am also a recipient of Loyola's B.O.L.D. Scholarship! The B.O.L.D. Award, or "Building Opportunities for Leadership through Diversity" of $3,500 is a merit-based scholarship that supports historically underrepresented students in study abroad. Being gay, first-generation, and having a STEM major, I essentially checked most of the boxes! In all seriousness, I thank Loyola from the bottom of my heart for making the cost of study abroad a bit more manageable. 

I get asked a lot how I afford to travel the world. I work very hard to make money from my job, and have a few different streams of income. I typically don't spend a lot of money in my everyday life. I don't buy many new clothes (the concept of minimalism is my new friend lately!). I hardly every spend money on expensive luxuries like alcohol, fancy dinners. You'd be surprised how much the average college student spends on that kind of stuff! I do have my vices, including Chipotle and Starbucks... but what Millenial/Gen Z doesn't have that problem? In general, study abroad is the best way to see the world while in college. It often ends up being so much cheaper tuition-wise. And once you're in a new part of the world like Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, etc, the surrounding countries become 10x more accessible! Everyone there is wanting to make friends, so travel buddies are abundant. I pay my rent, my bills, and dedicate money every month to loan interest. I budget cash for groceries and food/supplies for my cat as well. Whatever is leftover I dedicate to traveling the world, or saving for my adventures. Don't get me wrong, I run into road blocks all the time. Budgeting can't predict everything. Just know that college students everywhere are struggling, and sometimes I do too. I should make a whole post about this, which I now plan to do soon!

But, back to Roma! I am really now just getting excited for this adventure. It might sound a little strange, but I've felt a bit jaded by Rome. I've studied abroad already for 2 years, I've seen so much of the world. And honestly, if given the opportunity, I would choose a more challenging experience and location than Rome. I have written off Europe in favour of more exotic destinations because I live for the thrill of overcoming culture gaps and all of the beautiful lessons and experiences that come along with that. My logic indeed was quite flawed. This experience will be nothing like Thailand. And that is very special. As for my classes, I am choosing to take 18 credits, and they're all humanities classes. The hard sciences have truly taken a poor toll on my creativity, happiness, and my perspective on my college experience as a whole, so I'm very happy to only learn subjects that make my heart happy while abroad. Here's what I'm taking:

HIST 300: Emperors, Bishops & Barbarians!

HIST 324: Italy in the 19th and 20th Centuries

ITAL 101: Italian Language 101

LITR 200: European Masterpieces 

PHIL 181: Ethics

PLSC 347: The European Union

I also know my roommate! His name is Bruno and he's from São Paulo, Brazil. I met him in our history class this spring, and we decided to be roommates. He's a very intelligent, interesting guy who loves tattoos, travels the world, and enjoys fountain pens... so similar to me! He's a Ricci scholar who will be studying in Rome for the fall and Beijing in the spring. I'm jealous. Ha! We're actually going to be living in the Zone Hotel near campus, since the campus housing cannot accommodate every student. We'll be paying the same price, but we'll have wifi, air conditioning, free breakfast every morning, cleaning service, access to cool lounges and the gym, and more. This is shaping up to be the Suite Life of Brandon and Bruno, eh? 

It may surprise you that my plans for this semester are very up in the air. But, that's how it's meant to be. I know I'll be traveling, but where? when? with who? The spirit of studying at the JFRC is going on spontaneous weekend trips, volunteering for random organizations and events, and living by the Italian saying of "La vita é un viaggio!" or, "Life is a voyage!" Go with the flow and see what happens. Not having concrete plans in advance is definitely something that's hard for me. I do hope to visit a few places in particular, including Turkey, Morocco, and Germany for Oktoberfest! I'll probably be coming to Canada to see Vinny for my fall break, which I am ecstatic about. I'm stoked for what adventures I'll get up to!

In addition to Roma, I have some amazing adventures planned before and after the semester! On August 10th, myself and Marshall are going, literally, on an around-the-world trek! We'll be going from Chicago to Toronto and Montréal, Canada. Then onto Paris, France and Copenhagen, Denmark. Then, we're meeting up with the one and only BRIANNA MARIE MAYE and her cousin in Thailand! We should be visiting Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the south! I will try my best to see my host family too. Then, Marshall and I will head to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Melbourne, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand. Finally, we'll have a long journey home via Los Angeles. We arrive back on the 27th at about 7 in the morning. At about 9:30 pm that very same day, I have a flight to catch to London! I'll spend a night in London and then head off to Rome to start my semester. Does your head hurt? So does mine, and I'm a pretty seasoned frequent flyer! Now for after the semester in Roma, I'll be going to London, Paris, and then Portugal before heading to South America for a graduation backpacking trip with my best friends from high school, both of the Ashley's and Paris! My #Caublasian crew since 11th grade. We'll be heading to Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. And who knows? maybe more... 

Thanks for reading, and thanks for being a friend of mine.

Andiamo a Roma, and when in Rome, do as the Romans do!

- Brandon 

YES Abroad PDO 2018

My first time visiting the Royal Thai Embassy
to the United States

From June 19th-23rd, 2018, I had the immense privilege of being the YES Abroad group leader for the 5 new students gearing up for their exchange to Thailand at their national Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO)! Along with 12 other group leaders, the YES Abroad staff, and 65 students, we had an awesome week of study abroad prep, getting to know each other, sub-par 4H food, and visits to embassies and the State Department!

I have always wanted to participate in a PDO ever since I became an alum. Any event that I have been to involving my fellow alumni have seriously been highlights of my life. There is something about being exchange alumni that allow us to instantly bond and become close. It's also incredibly peculiar and amazing to connect with friends who you've known online for years. Meeting in person for the first time feels like it's the 100th time you've seen them.

Marina and I got to see my oldest favourite
friend, Queen Paula!

Joe and I, being goons

I won't go into mundane details about the everyday things we did, but I will say that the 5 days I spent in DC were tiring, enthralling, full of love, and truly inspiring. We all had a lot of fun and learned a lot. The best part was probably telling and hearing exchange stories from the alum. I am beyond excited for the new students and their adventures. If any of you are reading, I'm rooting for you, and you've got a friend in me. Welcome to the YES family!

Oh, the passport pouch that
unites us all!

One of the best days was on Friday, June 22nd. That was "D.C. Day" where we visited the Royal Thai Embassy, the State Department, and the Lincoln Memorial. It was like déjà vu from my own PDO back in 2014. After visiting the embassy, the Thai group as well as the great Allen Evans had lunch at Bangkok Joe's, an awesome Thai restaurant in the Georgetown area. Then we were onto the state department for a talk by Ambassador Jennifer Zimdahl Galt, and breakout sessions with cultural experts (which I highly enjoyed and learned a lot!). Afterwards, it was Lincoln Memorial time, which is always such a fun affair. I gave my Thai group the photoshoot of a lifetime! I know they were embarrassed and so happy. I absolutely loved it. I got pictures with the other alum, and some of my friends.

From red handbooks to blue handbooks

YES Abroad Thailand, 2018-2019!
Sofia, Chloe, Kenna, Sydney, and Luke!

Overall, my experience as a group leader at PDO felt like an amazing capstone to my "Post YES Abroad" years. It will forever be a highlight of my life. I already miss everyone so much! Let's not even discuss the airport goodbyes on Saturday. I always say this, but I am seriously in awe at what YES Abroad students and alumni do everyday. It's hard to keep track of the amazing things around the world that we are accomplishing. I gain constant motivation to do better and strive for my dreams because of you guys.

Stay adventurous. Keep going for the stars. Make this world a more accepting place.

With much love, and until next time,
Brandon

Canada, Cairo, Chiang Mai, and Everywhere Inbetween!

I never thought in a million years that my college study abroad experience would include an almost 4 week long trip to Canada to visit the love of my life, but it did! I'm back in Chiang Mai now with only a few more weeks left of my fall semester. I've noticed that for a few years now, I have had a constant and persistent feeling of bittersweetness almost every single day. Today, and everyday that I am here in Chiang Mai, I feel bittersweet to be where I am. I am constantly exploring new places, expanding my knowledge, learning new languages, trying new foods, and overall changing my life. But the trade-off to all of those spectacular things is that I am always away from my family, best friends, and now my other half. It isn't ever easy, and I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes breakdown and cry my heart out. But I know it will all be worth it one day. I am not a person who was born to stay in one place for too long.

Kristen, Arielle, Paige, Caroline, Allie, Me, and Annarose
in our treehouse on the beach!

Anyways, a lot happened before I went to Canada! I got a new tattoo, and went to Krabi for a fun beach weekend! I decided on a travel-themed emoji tattoo, because I always want to remember how my life has been impacted by travel, technology, and the ability to communicate with the people I love from wherever in the world I am. In Krabi, we had a lot of boat rides to various places. We visited Krabi town and Koh Phi Phi islands. Friday night was a night in Krabi that I barely remember, and saturday night we stayed in a treehouse on the beach in Koh Phi Phi. Apparently, on Friday night, I completely broke down and sobbed about how much I loved Vinny (lol). My life seems to always lead me to crazy places and crazy things. I love it.

Piccadilly Circus in the morning

I departed Thailand on October 12th and had a couple layovers in Mumbai and London before reaching Toronto. I didn't have much time in Mumbai, but the airport is absolutely stunning! While in London, I had to transfer airports, so naturally I decided to take the long way and discover a bit of the city along the way. I visited London back in 2009 when I was just 12 years old. Since then, London has transformed drastically. Part of the city has sprung up with towers and skyscrapers that weren't there 10 years ago. I got to take the tube and visit Piccadilly Circus, King's Cross, and passed by the Tower Bridge while on the train to Gatwick airport! I then flew to Toronto, and met Vinny that night at our Airbnb. That weekend, we visited University of Toronto, ate chicken souvlaki at this hole-in-the-wall Greek restaurant, ate poutine, went shopping at the Eaton Centre, went back to our favorite Jamaican restaurant to eat jerk chicken, and spent a ton of time sleeping because I for one, was exhausted. That sunday, the 16th, we went back to his school in Guelph.

Guelph, Ontario

Not too much happened during the 3 weeks I spent in Guelph. Most of the time, Vinny and I would go to his classes, eat on campus (usually burgers or poutine because why not?), hang out, get coffee from Tim Horton's, and go on Walmart snack runs. Since it was the middle of Fall, the leaves were really gorgeous! For Halloween, we dressed up as Dr. Mcsteamy and Dr. Mcdreamy from Grey's Anatomy! And although we didn't really do too much, those 3 weeks were some of the most joyful, formative, and loving weeks of my life. Some people may question why I left my study abroad program for so long just to spend time with Vinny, but I do not regret it in the slightest. After all, I am here for an entire year. I needed those almost 4 weeks with him, and I know he needed them with me. Being a long-distance couple, we search for any possible time to be together that we can, and I am so grateful that we were able to spend this time together.

Mcsteamy and Mcdreamy ready for operation

I love Vinayak with all my heart, and I do believe he's the person I will spend the rest of my life with. This young man is my best friend in the whole world, and he's changed my life in so many ways. He has loved and supported me from the very beginning when we met, and he has never judged me, hurt me, or made me feel inadequate. In fact, he provided me the constant encouragement I needed this past spring to start my health and fitness journey, which I am still on and doing well! He helped me not only come out to my family, but to own and feel comfortable in my sexuality (And let's be real here; It's 2016, literally everybody is a little bit gay!). Also, he has made me a more emotional person which I have had trouble with in the past. This little brat annoys me constantly with "funny" things he finds on the internet, likes to make sharp turns and randomly change directions while we're walking together just to piss me off, thinks it's cool to trick me when we play Monopoly Deal, and likes to hog all of the chips and dip. But, I secretly love all of those things. I want you all to know how much I love him, how much he makes me smile, and just how much joy he's brought into my life. It hasn't been the same since, and I can't wait for more adventures with him. I'm quite the lucky guy, eh?

Me, Narjis, and Marshall

Little Monkey and Koala Bear

This picture is probably my fav

In the middle of my time with Vinny, he had to go home one weekend to celebrate Diwali with his family, so I went back to Loyola to visit my friends! It was so much fun to see everyone again.









On November 5th, I departed Toronto for... Cairo. Freaking Cairo, Egypt. It wasn't really any easier to say goodbye to Vinny this time than in August, and I cried quite a bit. This time, I knew when I would be returning. I'll actually be going to Canada for a little more than two weeks in January, so that comforted me a bit. My flight to Cairo was alright,and I arrived at about 5 in the morning. I had about a 6 hour layover... so hell yeah I decided to leave the airport! I immediately got into a taxi and headed to Giza which is about an hour away by taxi (with no traffic). Once I arrived, I hopped onto a camel and explored the pyramids!!! It was early in the morning and a little bit before the pyramids opened to the public (and I paid quite a bit more as I found out --- my whole situation with the taxi and the camel tour company was very shady). Therefore, I was there during sunrise! It was absolutely beautiful! The air was cool, and the sun wasn't beating down on me. My guide took me around to all of the pyramids and stopped in the middle of the tour so we could enjoy falafel together on the back of the camel. At the end, we saw the sphinx. My guide was quite the photographer and took about a hundred photos of me. He had me doing all sorts of things to get good shots. After it was all set and done, my driver swiftly headed back to the airport. There was major traffic, and it took 2 hours to get back to the airport. I was cutting it close to get to my flight! At times (out of the traffic), my driver was going 120+ mph. IT WAS TERRIFYING but also electrifying. I made my flight, and was on my way to Dubai. the Dubai airport was very dead while I was there, but it's very nice. I got food, and skyped with Vinny. My next flight to Bangkok was on the Emirates A380 (the double decker plane!), and it was the fanciest flight I've ever flown on! I arrived in Bangkok and eventually ended up in Chiang Mai and slept for a good 18 hours.

I only have a few weeks left, and I have some major adventures coming up! First, I'm going to Australia (?!?!?!!?) for 10 days starting on December 10th with Brie, who's also doing the yearlong program. Then, my best friend Ashley Cox is flying out to Bangkok and we're backpacking through Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia! We both fly back to North America early on January 5th. I'll have long layovers in Beijing, China, and Calgary, Alberta. I can't wait!

I will try to post again before I leave, but no guarantees. Haha.

Until next time,
Brandon

Tongue Thai-ed

สวัสดีครับ (Sa-wat-dee-khrap)! I've been in Chiang Mai for about a month and a half now, and so far, it's been a completely different experience than the first go around! Once I left Canada, I flew to Taipei, Taiwan, and had a 5 hour layover. The gates at the airport in Taipei all have a different theme, and mine just happened to be letter-themed (I love sending letters to people). Other themes included an African safari, a forest, and even Hello Kitty. I then flew onto Bangkok, and then onto Chiang Mai. I got here around 8 pm and settled in. Orientation started the next day, and classes started the following week. During orientation, we got to visit Doi Suthep temple again, which is absolutely stunning! It's even more stunning when the sun is shining, but that's okay! I'm here for a year, I'll definitely return.

My classes are going great; I actually ended up changing up which courses I enrolled in, so here's what I'm now taking this semester:

World Economic Issues

Sustainable Development

Global Health Issues

Gender & Sexuality Studies 

My schedule is set up pretty nicely since I have Thursdays and Fridays off! I would have to say Global Health Issues is my favorite class, for obvious reasons. My classes tend to be very discussion-based, and its honestly very important to me to be able to hear so many different opinions about different issues that are going on. 

But enough about my classes, you probably wanna know how I'm feeling here, so here we go. Remember, this is my blog and I'm not here to mitigate my emotions or hide things, so bear with me.

To be completely honest, I've had an pretty rough time here. I'm having no issues with adapting to the culture, food, language, etc. In fact, I'm learning a lot more Thai, so that's great. But, I've been dealing with some health issues and haven't been feeling very mentally-fit here. Actually, I would call what I've been going through as straight-up depression. I don't use that term lightly, because I know some people suffer from it constantly, and I don't suffer from it and never really have. I don't really know exactly how or why, but the second week here I just fell into some kind of funk. I wasn't feeling myself. But, it was more than just a funk. This felt different. I started sleeping a lot more, losing my appetite (and therefore losing a lot of weight too quickly), and not going out and participating in fun activities. My physical and mental well-being bounces off of each other and always has (maybe it's like that for a lot of people), and since both weren't good, I really wasn't feeling great. late this month, I ended up in the hospital for 4 days because I started experiencing weird physical symptoms (cracked lips, joint pain, eye pain, fatigue, lack of appetite, brittle hair). Apparently I had a bunch of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I got put on daily vitamins and I started feeling better very soon after. I mentally felt better too after the hospital visit. Those 4 days gave me a lot of time to think and reflect. I'm ready to experience Thailand again, and I'm excited to continue my health and fitness journey that I began in May. It's important to me to share how I'm really feeling, as I do not want to people to perceive that living abroad is all fun and adventure. It's pretty damn difficult sometimes. Many days, you just don't feel like dealing with the daily hardships that being a foreigner here brings. I miss my friends, my family, and the love of my life, and for some reason, homesickness hit me pretty hard this time. My oh my, how being away from Vinny has hurt. I have never felt the way I do about him. He's my best friend, and a lot of days I just want to hang out with my best friend, you feel? I miss that little brat so much that I'm flying back to Canada next month to spend my fall break with him! I'll also be taking a weekend trip to go see my friends back at Loyola! I leave October 12th, right after my midterms end. I'll be there until November 5th, and I'll get back to Thailand on the 7th. I'm really looking forward to this trip, and it's one thing that's keeping me going these last couple of weeks before fall break. 

Things are looking up, and I gotta remember how lucky I am to be here. :)

Until next time, 

Brandon 

Toronto, Trains, & Tim Horton's

Toronto, for some reason, has become one of my favorite cities I've ever been to. And now, I have some pretty incredible, unforgettable, and special memories attached to it.

For several reasons, August 11th was a huge day for me. I said goodbye to Caublasian (Ashley, Ashley, and Paris), had TWO biology exams, left the United States, and met Vinny for the very first time. I hadn't slept much all week, and I was honesty the most exhausted I've ever been once Thursday rolled around. Once I finally arrived in Toronto, I went through customs, and waited in the international arrivals area for Vinny to arrive. I don't think I've ever been more nervous in my life for anything. No exaggeration there. I waited for about 20 minutes, and suddenly someone tapped on my shoulder. It was him! In that moment, everything in the world was okay again. To be completely honest, this summer has been especially challenging. Summer classes were beating me down. I was working hard on my health and fitness journey. I was alone most of the summer (which, come to find out, I don't particularly enjoy very much). And, I began to come out as bisexual to everyone (except my best friends and everyone at college who already knew). I think I'll write another post about that soon. But ANYWAYS, Vinny and I made our way to the airbnb on the Go train after about an hour of sitting and chatting at the airport. He was very nervous too, to the point where he was shaking when he first sat down next to me. I won't let him forget this. :) That night, we just got pizza from Gino's, and I ended up sleeping so good that night. 

Vinny and I at the ROM

The next day, we visited the Royal Ontario Museum (The ROM), tried street meat for the first time (A Toronto specialty --- various kinds of sausages/hotdogs), and walked around the University of Toronto. We actually saw a bit of the medical building. After some research, it's definitely on my list of schools that I will be applying to for medical school. Later that day, we got shawarmas and Vinny had me try Tim Horton's for the very first time. For those of you that don't know, they have Starbucks everywhere in Canada (just like the rest of the world), but what's even more popular in Canada is Tim Horton's. Tim Horton's is famous for their coffees, teas, and donuts. I'd say it more closely resembles Dunkin Donuts than Starbucks. Probably their most iconic drink, the 'Iced Capp' is an iced cappuccino and it is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I instantly became addicted. I had it three times during my time in Canada I believe. I can't wait till I go back JUST for the Iced Capps.

On Saturday, we hit up the Kensington Market, Eaton Centre and Dundas Square (they spell center as centre up there). It's a very big mall downtown. We also saw the famous Toronto sign that lights up in different colors. Finally we got some bubble tea and just chilled that night. We didn't even really eat dinner, we just ate a bunch of snacks we had! I remember we had a fun day riding the TTC (subway) everywhere, trying to get back to our place. I actually highly appreciate the Toronto transit system; the trains come every 3-5 minutes (Chicago, take some tips).

POUTINE from Smoke's!

The only important thing that happened on Sunday was that I ate Poutine. Poutine needs recognition because my life was changed. Poutine is french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It is now one of my favorite foods on this Earth. America needs to start selling this stuff everywhere. Other than that, we tried to visit the St. Lawrence Market (it was closed) and the distillery district (which we arrived to too late). But nonetheless, it was fun to walk around the city! We also saw the Toronto sign again, and got to see the CN tower up close.

Monday was hard for me, because i knew I was leaving that night. We didn't do too much that day, but we did get to eat jerk chicken from Jerk King down the street, and it was so so so delicious. Once ten o'clock rolled around, it was time to get to the airport. Me and Vinny said our goodbyes, and it was off to Taiwan and Thailand! I already miss him like crazy. I'm not too sure that I can go 10 months without seeing him...

Perhaps another adventure soon? Knowing me, probably.

I'll update on how Thailand is going soon enough! 

Until next time,
Brandon

Thailand | Round Two

A lot has happened since I last updated. I'm going back to Thailand in just 17 days! 9 more incredible months of adventure, exploration, learning, weird smells, strange foods, elephants, and constant smiles. Before I make it to Thailand, I'm going to Toronto, Canada, to spend a week with my best friend in the entire world, Vinny! I leave the USA on August 11th, which is coincidentally the same day I left for Thailand back in 2014. Summer classes are almost done, flights are booked, visas are ready, and all I have to do now is pack my bags and say my goodbyes!

I'll be spending my sophomore year with the USAC program in Chiang Mai at Chiang Mai University. Chiang Mai University is one of the best universities in Thailand, and has about 50,000 students! I'll be living in an apartment with another USAC student, but I don't know who quite yet. Most of the classes that I will be taking this year will apply towards my Political Science and International Studies majors, so I won't be doing much with Neuroscience until I return to Loyola in 2017. Here's what I'll be taking this semester:

- Diplomacy in Southeast Asia
- Global Health Issues
- Reading and Writing Thai Language
- Sustainable Development
- Thai Civilization
- World Economic Issues

I'm probably most excited about Global Health Issues and Sustainable Development! While I'm abroad, I'm planning on working with the Chiang Mai 'Care For Dogs' Foundation, where I'll just be volunteering and taking care of some sweet pups. I'm also planning on interning with a local hospital and the U.S. Consulate. One of my goals this year is to occupy my time with any and all opportunities that are available to me. Last time, I wasn't as progressive with going for opportunities as I was so swamped with college applications and preparation, exams, and other things. I know for sure that I will be doing things that I don't know about yet.

As for how I'm feeling about leaving for another year, I do have to say it's a whole lot easier. I'm not exactly feeling very nervous or excited either, I'm just ready. I am however, feeling pretty blue about leaving my friends and family. That part hasn't gotten easier. BUT, I do get to see my host family a few times this year, and my best friend Ashley Cox is coming all the way to Thailand to backpack with me around Southeast Asia for Christmas break. Also, my roommate this summer, Noah, is coincidentally planning on doing the Chiang Mai program as well next spring, so I'll get to see him! I'm sure I'm going to meet so many incredible people this year, and I absolutely cannot wait; that's one of the best parts of living abroad in my opinion.

Possibly the best part of my experience this year will be all the countries that I will be visiting. I received an awesome travel grant to work with because of my blog and my previous experiences, and I am so grateful! Here's where I'll be going this year:

Canada, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, France, Netherlands, Germany, Iceland, and Canada (again)!

Some of these destinations will be random weekend trips, some will be during my winter break, and the rest will be part of an around-the-world trek I am undertaking by myself while on my way home from Thailand. I know it sounds astronomically wild and maybe a bit dangerous, but there's so much world to see and I'm taking this opportunity and running with it! It's going to be a blast!

That's all for now, but I will update again before I leave. Follow my blog or add me on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter to stay up to date!

Facebook: Brandon Penrod (I'm sure I'll pop up).
Instagram: @bdawg3008
Twitter: @BrandonPenrod97
E-mail: brandon.penrod1997@yahoo.com

P.S. I know a lot of students interested in YES Abroad come across this blog, so if you have any questions or want to talk, please feel free to add me on any of the above platforms or e-mail me!

Until next time,
Brandon

Exchange: 11 Months Later

It's difficult to gauge the impact of exchange on daily life until after it's over and you've lived life outside of it. And once you do, you come to realize just how incredibly imprinted you are by your experience. The effect isn't always so obvious either. Of course, speaking with Thai people at Thai restaurants or seeing something explicitly Thai instantaneously brightens my day, but it's the subtle impacts that really catch me. Being able to view almost everything now with cultural relativism is the greatest effect of my exchange. I don't find myself pulled to one side versus another of social/political issues, mine and others' emotions, or controversial concepts. It is so easy now for me to put myself in another's shoes and view something like they would. That's something you truly don't understand until you're displaced into another part of the world and are forced to adapt. In addition, and this fact also correlates with being able to view the world with cultural relativism, I find myself so much more consistently calm, collected, and prepared. Emergencies do not phase me. Stress motivates me. I tend to lead in intense situations. When us YES Abroad students were abroad, we had to think on our feet. We sometimes had to make split-second decisions, and sometimes those decisions were big ones. There wasn't always someone there to hold our hand in choosing what direction of life we were going to go next.

This kaleidoscopic year was a bridge in which our paths in learning how to become autonomous adults was put on hyperdrive. And now that we're almost one year post-return, I don't know many people our age that are more mature, intelligent, open-minded, driven, or tenacious. I am in awe when I see what my fellow alumni are doing with their lives. One visit to Facebook takes you on a tour around the world. YES Abroad alumni have literally stepped foot on all 7 continents, explored countries you never even knew existed, assisted in major global health efforts, met and discussed with so many powerful members of our government and governments abroad, advocated for social justice for those underrepresented and disenfranchised, learned a plethora of foreign languages, won hundreds of thousands of dollars in forms of research grants and scholarships, attend(ed) the best of the best universities, continued the legacy of study abroad with further study abroad during college, and lastly but most importantly, sacrificed so much valuable time to bettering the world we live in.

We all share at least one thing in common. We are all hyper-adventure seekers who possess these vagabond hearts & minds that aren't satisfied with complacency, stagnancy, or the status quo. I became a part of the YES Abroad family 2 years ago before my program even began, and it's been such an exciting roller coaster with everyone so far. I exponentially learn every single day from my fellow alumni and current programmers. I truly appreciate the privilege of gaining global knowledge every single day; not everyone has access to that. I am so proud of our accomplishments and I know we will keep working so incredibly hard to impact the world just as it has impacted us. Alone, our accomplishments don't seem too big or meaningful, but together, we're already bettering this world in such a huge way.

20 years from today? I can't even begin to imagine where we'll be.

Until next time,
Brandon

Exchange Never Ends

     My life has carried on for almost 6 months following my return to the United States, but I continue to struggle with post-exchange reintegration and blues.

     A lot has happened in my life since May 15th, 2015. I graduated, moved to Chicago, and began college at Loyola University Chicago (Go Ramblers!). I'm majoring in Political Science and International Studies on the Pre-Law track. I'm still debating about a possible third major or a couple of minors; there's almost too many interesting subjects to even make a choice! My mind is ever-expanding from all of the flooding knowledge, and opportunities for my life both personally and professionally are popping up all around me. Countless new friends have entered my life and I've made several close relationships. Life seems to be going a million miles an hour (kind of like exchange). And, any time I feel like I need a break from college life, I remind myself of how lucky I am to be attending university in such a magnificent city with the support that I have. Not everyone has what I have; that's a sentiment I wholeheartedly learned while living abroad. 

     I think about Thailand every day. The experience as a whole affects almost every aspect of my daily life. It's 100% true that regardless of how one's exchange went, a little (or large) piece of that culture will forever become grafted into you. It's incredibly difficult when nobody around actually understands how impactful living abroad was to you. Looking back, I've never felt happier than as an exchange student. It wasn't because of lack of obligation, the immense freedom and carefreelessness I possessed, or the exhilaration of living in a foreign country. My great uncomfortability was the greatest factor in my overall happiness, ironically. Believe me, it was an interesting paradox to me as well when I realized it. Living life almost entirely out of my pre-exchange comfort zone made life itself incredibly interesting! Outside of my comfort zone was the place in which I learned the most Thai, ate the strangest things for the first time, gained the most cultural knowledge, and fostered the strongest relationships with my family and friends. While abroad, I was thrown into new experiences whether I wanted to be or not. Although I didn't appreciate the uncomfortability then, I definitely do now. 

     College is the place where you learn to establish that "uncomfortability" on your own. I have struggled with that a bit, as do many other students, and now I'm recognizing what I need to do to experience an even better college career. It's far too easy to fall into routine in college and forget that life exists outside of your 12x14 dorm room. It's also far too easy to become so entrenched in college life that you forget life exists outside if your campus/city. It's also possible to experience both of those at the same time, even in the same day.

     I recognize that there remains so much that I want to achieve in life, many things in which I can begin working on today. I have the tools to achieve my goals, so what's stopping me? It remains a challenge to me to remember that my exchange is over... it's now a memory. I continue to crave that "carefree" life that comes with living in a foreign country, but that's not my reality anymore. Many times, as this reminder rolls through my head, I become quite confused and upset. But, I'm almost at that point where I can finally let go of the irrationality and truly utilize the tools my exchange gave me to lead the life I want to live. 

     There's a lot of life to live, and living in Chicago has really shown me that just as much as living in Thailand showed me. Work hard to chase your dreams, and work even harder at the obstructions that are blocking you from achieving your dreams. 

Until next time,

Brandon 

     

The Emotional Rollercoaster that is 'Going Home'

     As I write today, I have 2 weeks left in my country. 2 more weeks of exploration. 2 more weeks of aggravating my palette with new and exciting tastes. 2 more weeks of finding myself and what I believe in. 2 more weeks of cherishing moments with my host family. 2 more weeks of speaking my newly-acquired language on a daily basis... I could go on forever. The past week and most likely the next 2 weeks have been/will be the most painful and difficult 3 weeks of my exchange. I am a complete emotional wreck; I've never quite felt like this before. This blended concoction of satisfaction, confusion, pure bliss, anxiety, love, and sadness that I am feeling perfectly captures my feelings throughout this past year. There is no one single word to explain how exchange students feel during these critical, last few weeks or throughout the entirety of their year abroad. One thing is certain: my life is about to be turned upside down once again in just 2 weeks.

     What I may be most confused about is how I will easily integrate back into a life not completely obsessed with exchange. For the past three years my life consisted of connection with past, present, and future exchange students. I would listen to music, close my eyes, and daydream about my daily adventures while on exchange. These dreams kept me going. They kept me occupied. They gave me a purpose and a will to keep pushing so hard with my academics. When I finally received the YES Abroad scholarship 2 years later, I was over the moon. I have lived and continue to live the daydreams that I once had... they've come true. What will my life be consumed with now that my exchange will be just a memory? It really is frightening to me. What I do know is that when I wake up every day and have the privilege of connecting with people from all over the world with just a few taps of my thumb, everything was 100% worth it, and everything will be okay.

     Many non-exchange students may be thinking: "But Brandon... you just spent a year on vacation in Thailand. It must have been so fun! What was difficult about it? Why will returning home be so hard?" My Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter really only show one side of my life here. As exchange students, we're obligated to project our positive experiences on social media, not the negative. There is enough negativity on social media these days, and my mission is to try to uplift someone's day, make them smile, and inspire them through what I post. I'm incredibly proud and humbled that so many people now look up to me and tell me that on a daily basis. However, it must be understood that my life here is not everything you see on social media. I'm not riding elephants everyday or marveling over the Bangkok skyline all the time. Many days are so frustrating that you just want to get away, and that's when irrational judgements and stupid mistakes get made. Sometimes, somebody makes a rude comment about your appearance and it sours your entire day. Other days, you feel so alone that all you can do is sob yourself to sleep to the blissful sounds of Lana Del Rey. What you see online stands a small representation of who I am and what I do. As much as the positive experiences shape my life, so do the negative experiences. I learn from all of my experiences, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

     These next 2 weeks, I am determined to truly live it up as much as I can. No street food vendor will be shunned, and no pair of elephant will remain unpurchased. 2 weeks may seem like a short time, but for exchange students, it's an eternity.

Until next time,
Brandon

70 Days Till Departure & Reflecting Back

70 days till I leave my home here in Thailand for my home in America.

Where did the time go? I seriously only have 2 months till I go back to AMERICA? I'm almost positive that I'm being lied to and actually have more time. We'll see about that.

What I may miss most about Thailand:
beautiful temples everywhere you look.
Pictured: Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai

As I've said before, journaling is an important aspect of exchange for me. Journaling provides a written log of my experiences I can reflect back upon (which I am now doing!). To future exchange student and all YES Abroad semi-finalists, start journaling NOW. Record your feelings. You will thank me later when you're looking back on your own exchange experiences and feeling a strong sense of nostalgia.

My journal is my private account of life, and it's not something I'm willing to just throw out into the world for everyone to read. However, a particular passage I wrote stuck out to me while reflecting, and I've decided that it may be a good idea to share it. Read for yourself and take a step into my mind during the first 2 weeks of exchange:

Ahhhh, it really rattles my brain feeling the same emotions that I did 6-7 months ago. Let's be real here, I was a tad melodramatic in the first paragraph, but those were my raw emotions speaking at the time! I remember feeling like I had sacrificed my life for this experience... as if it were a second life or something of the sorts. But, in reality, it's another year of my life... it's simply being spent doing something I never could have imagined. Through the ups and downs, I'm having the time of my life.

And one more thing, I am STILL adjusting. You are always adjusting wherever you are in life, regardless of how long you've lived in a particular place, whether you realize that or not. That is one of the greatest lessons I've learned about life during this experience.

Until next time,
Brandon

Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy Chinese New Year)!

Gong Xi Fa Cai, or, Happy Chinese New Year, everybody!

You may be wondering: "But, Brandon, you're in Thailand, why are you celebrating Chinese New Year?" Well, something I didn't quite realize till I arrived in Thailand and learned more about the ancestry of Thai people was that about 40% of Thai people have Chinese ancestry. Also, there are many Chinese immigrants in Thailand, especially in Central and Northern Thailand. Where I live in Suratthani, there is a significant Chinese population as well. My host family, however, is of mostly Malay origin, but we did celebrate some of the traditions of this exciting holiday!

Chinese New Year this year is celebrated today, Thursday, February 19th, 2015. It is currently late afternoon, and festivities have been taking place all day long. Tonight, there will be a large firework show down on the riverfront. Fireworks are an important celebration of this holiday. Did you know that the Chinese invented fireworks thousands of years ago?

On Chinese New Year, many businesses and homes display decorative red, gold, and white decorations and tapestries stating "good luck" or "good fortune" in Mandarin or Cantonese. Red and gold (red particularly) are considered "lucky" colors. Children often receive red envelopes of "luck money." I, unfortunately, did not receive any luck money! Those who celebrate will also place flower bouquets on the grills of their cars. Like I previously mentioned, my family doesn't really celebrate this holiday but they did celebrate with a feast at dinner! We ate Thai food, but Thai-Chinese families will celebrate by feasting on traditional Chinese dishes with friends and family ALL day. Many tangerines/clementines/oranges are also given as gifts on this day or eaten with the meals.

Many countries around the world have strong Chinese influences and therefore celebrate in varying ways. This was my experience celebrating Chinese New Year here in Thailand!

Until Next Time,
Brandon

Photo Journaling!

I recently realized that although I post pictures on my blog posts, there are many more I would like to share that do not fit with a particular post. Not everyone who comes across my glog are friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Therefore, I will start posting periodic photo journals of the random photos I take here. I hope you guys enjoy them! 

Suan Mokk Temple, Suratthani

Me, Mohk, and Ice Cream

Offering marigolds to the gods for a
happy, prosperous, fulfilling 2015

Wat Phra Mahathat, Nakhon Si Thammarat

Host grandmother's cat, "Jop"

Siamese cats actually do come from Thailand!

I painted this in my painting class!

Near my home. I love Suratthani.

Halfway

     ก่อแล้วต้องสาน (Gaaw-laaeo-dtawng-saan) (Never do things by halves).

     First of all, Happy New Year! I've reached the halfway point in my exchange. You read that right. In fact, in just a few days, I will have been here five months with only four more to go. And, I will admit, I spent so much time counting down to the halfway point as if it were the most exciting event in the world... but, in fact, now that I have made it here, I now feel incredibly nervous, anxious, confused, and really just craving more snacks from 7-11. Although it is completely validated to have those feelings - and most of us exchange students do - I'm not sure why I'm feeling those things. I suppose it's because I realize that there remains many sights to see, foreign words to comprehend, conversations to be held, life lessons to learn, and battles to be conquered that I only have four months to complete. But, don't get me wrong, the past five months have been jampacked with extraordinary experiences. Even the bad times have strengthened my character and taught me crucial lessons about life... most of the time, even more so than the great experiences.

     I do not recognize myself anymore, mostly physically (as Thailand has kicked my butt into shape). Mostly, I feel much more mature in my thinking than I did a few months ago. Something interesting I have been doing tonight is going back and reading past YES Abroad blogs, watching YouTube videos, and comparing my experiences to theirs now that I am here. I remember that pre-departure elation I possessed the entirety of Summer 2014, and how once you arrive on program, that feeling dissipates. I FELT those feelings again. It's a feeling quite difficult to explain. And, as I now chat with new YES Abroad applicants on Facebook, I realize my transformation is starting to come full circle here. I'm now sharing my experiences and advice with current applicants as current YES'ers and alumni did for me.

     The next four months will be even better than the last five. January will be a quiet month; a month where I will enjoy the last few weeks of my Thai school experience, and continue flowing through life with my host family. In February, I will travel to Chiang Mai for the AFS enrichment camp where we will ride elephants, jungle trek, shop at the night bazaar, visit a local school, and connect with each other about our experiences. I haven't seen Sarah since the September camp, or Emily and Grace since we arrived! I will also travel to Bangkok directly after the camp for another doctor's appointment. I will have a Digital-Motion X-Ray to further check out my knee. Hopefully everything checks out! Although, I just got a new knee brace that I will have to wear for quite a long time. It's actually pretty comfortable, it just limits my motion a little bit! In March, I will travel to Koh Samui with other AFS students, staff, and actually my host parents and family who will be the local guides for the trip. Should be pretty relaxing to finally visit the beaches that the island is so famous for. I should also be attending a massage camp in Ayutthaya in either March or April. In April, I turn 18 and want to go to Bangkok to celebrate, but we'll see how that pans out. Me and the other YES Abroad students would like to plan a community service trip or two for March and April, so I am excited for those as well. I will be leaving my host family on May 6th for Bangkok, where I will be taking AP tests for a week before attending the end-of-stay camp with AFS and departing for the U.S.A. on May 13th... It's mind-blowing to know this is happening so soon.

    I'm not sure how to end this post... I have conflicted emotions as stated earlier... but I guess I'll end by saying that I am extremely proud to have made it this far considering all of the circumstances. I made it past the hump of exchange - the holidays. I will always remember this experience. 

Until next time,

Brandon, Paradon, Don, or "good-smell-handsome-boy" as that one teacher at school calls me.

   

 

A Thai Halloween!

Today is Halloween, and as I'm on bedrest, I did not celebrate one bit! To be honest, this is a trying time for me... I was not in the Halloween mood today at all, and I'm not sure if it's due to my injury, or being in Thailand in general. I miss the crisp, cool fall air and the vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and browns of nature in Missouri. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I was always the one to put up decorations at my dad's house, and I unfortunately/fortunately can't do that this year. But, I'm taking it all in stride! I'm sure I'll be celebrating many more Halloweens in my lifetime. I did get a huge kick out of seeing all of my Thai friends post selfies on Facebook and Instagram of their fake blood makeup jobs! Thai students cannot wear costumes to school like we can in America, so this is as scary as anyone got on this holiday. I'm truly missing my beloved candy corn and caramel apple slices... I can only dream!

Until next time,
Brandon

A Little "Dislocation" in the Road

Exchange will throw you many curveballs, but I never expected to sustain a serious injury!

Gotta keep smiling!

While teaching at an English camp at Khanom beach, Thailand, I tripped and fell backwards into the sand during a game of dodgeball with all the kids (I rebounded too hard after throwing the ball at someone... this is why I never played sports - haha!). I ended up dislocating my knee and twisting up my ligaments (I don't know the exact results yet, I should have the MRI results soon). Also, my femur and tibia have been slightly shifted in opposite directions and are no longer aligned. I went to the hospital and was there for 3 days. Now, I'm just chilling at home. Won't be going to school for a while. I'm not in any pain unless I put weight on my leg, so it's not too bad to be treated like a King while I'm on bed rest! I'm holding up, and I've been smiling through the entire experience. I mean, at least I got injured in paradise, right? I've decided to stay in Thailand despite the injury. If I'm going to fight through this, I'm at least going to do it in this beautiful country. Besides, I've worked too hard to just give it all up! I may miss a few opportunities in the coming months because of what happened, but I'm going to make the best of what I can. It also may be more difficult to ride an elephant now, but you better best believe it's still on my bucket list! Thank you to my wonderful host family who has already done so much for me this year, and who are so willing to take care of me. To all of my exchange friends, fight through whatever issues you're dealing with today. You guys can do it! If you're ever feeling down, "Su Su!" (Fight on!) Something Thailand has taught me is to have a "Mai pen rai" attitude about everything in life. Things happen, and if you can't help it, make the best of the situation. 

Khanom Beach, Nakhon Si Thammarat

But woah woah woah, hoooooooooold up. Did I mention I was at one of the most beautiful places on earth, teaching English with some extraordinary other English volunteers? And did I mention that the kids were incredibly bright and interesting? I had such a fun time. I got to see WIlly, who is one of my best friends here! The English camp was sponsored by AFS for Satree Thungsong School. We traveled to Khanom beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province which is about 2 hours from where I live in Surat Thani. The beach was incredibly beautiful, but there was a jellyfish issue -- a few kids got stung and actually went to the hospital about an hour after I arrived at the hospital! I had a peaceful, relaxing time for 2 days until my accident, and I'll forever be grateful for that! 

Myself (USA), Willy (Indonesia), and Lennart (Germany)

I'll be up to my normal Brandon Penrod antics in no time. And hey, now I have time to work on all those college applications and essays!

Until next time,
Brandon

Gratitude

We all go through bumps in the road as exchange students. But, it's important to remain grateful for what's going right and what you have. So today, here are three gratitudes:

1. The arguably most delicious fruit on the planet can be found right in my country, right down the street if I ever want it!

2. I have the cutest little neighbor named "Preen" who is two years old, and loves to ride her little bike around the street and give me kisses on the cheek.

3. I can't say I've ever been as confident as I feel here. It feels liberating to feel so good about yourself when you wake up every morning.

Until next time,

Brandon

My Everyday Routine

I moved to a place that is farther away from my home than anywhere else on the planet. There were bound to be changes in my everyday life, but I never expected my entire life to flip upside down! I want to share with you the changes in my daily routine. It took about a month and a half before I felt mostly comfortable with my life here, and could perform daily tasks without much hesitation. That's not to say I don't cringe during my daily bucket baths --- I still do! I may not exactly "like" every change, but I've grown to appreciate how people live their lives in this country, and I've also grown to appreciate the things I took for granted growing up. Here is an example of my typical day here in Thailand:

6:00 AM: Wake up and spend a few minutes thinking about how I'd like to go back to sleep (only half-kidding). Take a cold bucket bath, put on my school uniform, and go downstairs to drink a hot cup of Milo (similar to hot chocolate) and maybe eat a few 'platong koh' (rice-donuts) or a banana.

7:15 AM: The whole family is ready, and we're off to school!

7:40 AM: Arrive at school just in time for the 30-40 minute school assembly (which occurs everyday).

8:30 AM: Begin classes which include English, Genetics, Calculus, Thai language, and Thai painting.

12:00 PM: Gin khao! (Eat lunch)! Lunch will usually consist of a rice or rice noodle base with some kind of protein like chicken or pork and/or an egg, and some kind of sauce. My favorite is khao gai tohd (rice with fried chicken and plenty of sweet chili sauce). Sometimes kids will get ice cream or fruit for dessert, or go to the shop in the canteen to purchase treats. The lunch break is always an hour or more, so there's plenty of free time to do whatever you'd like!

1:00 PM: Resume classes. For some reason, Thai teachers don't always hold class. You're almost guaranteed at least an hour of extra free-time each day. These free periods tend to occur in the afternoon. Most students usually just study, do crafts, eat, socialize, and you can count on some music to be playing in your home-base classroom!

4:00 PM: Classes are over! Since my host mom is a teacher at my school, I usually have to wait for her in her office until she's ready to leave school.

4:40 PM: Depart school and go pick up my siblings from their schools. Most often, we'll stop at the market to pick up dinner.

Here is an example of Thai "fast food."
This is "khao mook gai tohd," which is
turmeric rice with fried chicken, crispy
onions, and sweet chili sauce.

5:30 PM: Arrive home. This is the time to relax, or do whatever you want until dinner.

7:30 PM: Dinner time! Although Thai food is extremely delicious, there isn't a great deal of diversity. You can count on eating rice, 99.99% of the time. There's usually a few different dishes, from curry, fried meats, soups, and sometimes vegetables. Vegetables are kind of a rarity here. Many times we'll all just eat "fast-food" which is really just rice with some kind of protein and sauce.

8:00 PM: Time to do any homework, use the computer, or talk to the family. We are all usually busy with something, so a lot of the socializing occurs on the weekends.

11:00 PM: Time to turn out the lights and hit the hay. Sometimes I'm a little rebellious and I keep using the computer or my phone until midnight or 1 in the morning, but I always regret doing that when I have to wake up in the morning!

I hope this provides a little bit of insight as to what I'm doing on a typical day. Eventually, I will write about what I do on the weekends and on special holidays, so look out for that!

Until next time,
Brandon