It has been about a year since I left home to begin my service in Thailand, at that point, I was uncertain as to whether or not I would return home (or to the USA) at any point during my twenty-seven months of service. I knew that I would miss my family and numerous celebrations/life events of loved ones, but I also knew that I could just immerse myself completely into this new life for two years and that my family and friends would still be there when I return. All the same, during the year leading up to my departure, I made it a point to save enough for at least one trip back home, just in case.
"Just in case" came in the form of an invitation to a dear friend's wedding, which would take place during the holiday season and would be perfect for spending time with friends and family, and just enjoying the holidays with loved ones. Although I didn't technically go "home" for the holidays, it was close enough. I spent my vacation surrounded by folks near and dear to my heart; after all, home is where the heart is.
My parents and siblings traveled from their different locations to meet me, so in a sense, "home" came to me. The timing of this trip translated into the perfect opportunity for a family vacation, which we haven't had in over a decade. This was actually our first family vacation since my brother was born, so really, our first full family vacation. We toured four cities in ten days, visiting family, friends, theme parks, and just enjoying our togetherness. It was a great time.
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| All of us. First Family Vacation. Last Sabbath of 2014. |
My two week retreat and family vacation was nothing short of wonderful, here are just a few highlights from my trip.
The Union Of Mr & Mrs Louis. I had the opportunity to witness the beautiful union of my dear friend Tasha and her love, with the company of great friends. Tasha and I became friends during our AmeriCorps service and we have maintained a great bond and friendship even as life has taken us on various separate journeys. I am so happy that she has found a life partner, and I'm glad that I was able to be a part of their special day.
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| Celebrating Love and Friendships |
"Keep Calm and กินข้าว" These souvenir t-shirts were great conversation pieces. กินข้าว (gin-kaao) translates literally to eat rice, and really refers to just eating a meal in general since rice is a given for just about every Thai meal. Lately though, I had been longing for breakfast foods and pasta. My first stop was supposed to be IHOP, but we settled for Denny's and it was just as good to me. Pancakes at midnight, so yum, followed by more of my favorites at Olive Garden, Boston Market, Chipotle, Cheesecake Factory, and homemade Caribbean food at relatives' homes. I kept calm and enjoyed many rice-less meals for the remainder of my trip, and it was amazing!
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| Enjoying a variety of meals with my family. Pancakes, Pasta, and Caribbean Cuisine. Loved it! |
Santa's Enchanted Forest, World's Largest Christmas Theme Park, so magical! My siblings and I have enjoyed the magic and enchantment of this park for the past few years, but this is the first time we all went together. The weather was a bit chilly, but we rode every ride, watched every show, and had countless hours of fun.
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| Enjoying the enchanted forest with the siblings. We had a fantabulous time. |
Bro's first trip to Universal. My sisters and I had our Disney and Universal adventures when we were pretty little, my brother missed out on a lot since he is so much younger than we are, but we felt that he was due his chance to experience the magic. We spent two full days exploring Universal Resort and Studios, and even with the rain and chilly weather, we had a blast! Next time, Disney!
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| We spent two full days exploring the parks, in the wind and the rain, and we still had an awesome time. |
Gifts from Thailand, with Love. When my community members learned that I was going home for the holidays, they brought gifts and souvenirs for me to share with my family. They came bearing gifts right up until the morning that I was leaving. The gifts were all produced in my community, my family loved and appreciated every one.
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| Gifts from my community, all locally made/grown in our villages. My family loved them! |
Congratulating Mom. My mother had a year of great academic achievements, she completed her nursing degree earlier in the year and recently top-scored the national certification/licensure examination on the first try. This is a tremendous accomplishment! My aunt and uncle organized a lovely celebration in her honor, and I was happy to share this moment with her.
In the middle of her celebration, my mother decided to give me a wonderful surprise. See my sister's video for her documentation of our vacation, including my big and wonderful surprise at 5:30. Stay tuned for more!
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