No more count downs, last day in San Diego!

It’s always easier to leave town when you are fed up and sick of your situation at that moment, however, these last days in San Diego were great. That doesn’t mean I’m not ready to leave by any means, I need a change of scenery and an escape from my overly structured life to let loose for awhile. Whenever I become too comfortable I feel like I’m not challenging myself enough, in order to keep my mind alive I need to put my soul to the test. That test is adventure and it is what I have been mentally preparing myself for these last few days. I am really interested to see how this trip is going to change me and if I will even come back in May. Thoughts keep running through my head that I might meet someone who will offer me a job I can’t resist or opportunity to continue traveling or better yet fall madly in love and change the course of my life around. Optimistic? Of course, but who knows what will happen. Next time I post I will be in Thailand (well, knock on wood)! I’m ready for this trip to begin, there have been too many “last” things, haha for example last Friday, last Saturday, last day at work, last night in my apartment, last time here or there- I’m ready to switch it around to be “first” this and “first” that.

This is my packing gear- to anyone who knows me this is nothing because I tend to be a pack rat (Right James?) Anything else I need I am sure I can buy while I'm there but I can't travel without a few cameras. The bulkiest of what I am bringing is first aid- I bought heavy duty mosqito repellant and this stuff to spray on your clothes. I have over 100 pills for malaria, a bottle of pepto, advil, 12 horse size pills for stomach sickness, and so on. That waterbottle is amazing, it filters water from any river inside of it and makes it ready to drink. I figured that might come in handy in the jungle! We'll see what all comes back with me.

Ten days to go!

Everything is finally coming together for my trip to Thailand, I just received my visa, my scholarship, and placement details for the volunteer project. I will be traveling with Global Crossroad with the help of the Gilman Scholarship. I am ready for the journey to begin as soon as I take care of a few last minute errands. Before now I was a bit unsure about the whole trip, not knowing if it would work out or if I'd be comfortable leaving everything here in San Diego but now I am ready. In ten days I will be on the opposite side of the planet.
Living in a non-Western country is what I am most excited for so I can really open my mind and learn something new. I'm ready for the culture shock to really make me question everything I do and expose me to a new concept of the meaning of life. I love to travel and push my limits of comfort to the threshold. This trip is going to take my independence to the next level and hopefully assure me that Cultural Anthropology is the major I want to continue with. This is a time for me to see the world and see things with new eyes.
I just got a new toy that is going to help assist me in making this blog worth checking out, an underwater digital camera with video. I hope that I will be able to show everyone who checks out this website a glimpse of what life is like in Thailand, the land of smiles. I'm incredibly interested in seeing everything I can and being about to share those experiences. I will be in Bangkok for about a month and from what I have heard there is Internet access available almost everywhere. However, while I'm staying with a host family I don't know what kind of access I'll have in Chaing Mai- We'll see!