what's cooking?

In Chiangmai, we took a Thai cooking class. I never cook in EA...or America. Cooking in EA is an art- you have to learn how to substitute certain ingredients that aren't available here. I don't have those skills (but thankfully my roommates do!). I didn't have high expectations for the cooking class. I had a lot of fun and ate the best food of vacation- food that I made myself!

appetizer: spring rolls

i couldn't eat enough of these in thailand

chicken in coconut milk soup

green curry paste

grinding up the ingredients for curry, usually takes a few hours!

some made green curry and some made red curry

In the middle is the curry, after a few hours of grinding (or throwing it in the blender!)

my green curry with chicken, just mix it with some rice

main course: pad thai with chicken

the ingredients

caught in action

main course complete!

dessert: mango sticky rice

our teacher. he said we could call him "Kong, like King Kong"

they took us into the market, showing us what to buy

these are fermented eggs. yup. they're black inside.

Now that I have the skills (and the free cook book) I think I'll have to cook a Thai meal for my family when I'm back in America this summer.

15 days until my family is HERE!

back in the sun

The journey to reach our second stop of vacation was extensive. From Siem Reap, Cambodia we took a taxi to the border of Cambodia and Thailand. Walked our bags through customs. Jumped in a van. Rode a few hours to Bangkok. Hopped on a plane to Krabi, Thailand. Stepped into another van. Rode the van onto two different ferries. And finally arrived in Ko Lanta- an island off of Krabi!

beautiful beaches

 We spent our days in Ko Lanta doing a lot of nothing! We had a great group of single girls and  a couple guys and married couples! We also had two little babies to keep us entertained the whole time.

Maddox and Noah

We ate an endless amount of Thai food and drank our fair share of cocktails and fruit shakes. I read the first book of The Hunger Games and also started The Reason for God. One day we went snorkeling and I loved it! We rode in a boat out to one spot full of coral and cool fishes. Then we rode over to an island where they cooked us lunch.

perfectly clear water and a beautiful beach

While we were eating lunch these monitor lizards started to creep out of the trees. Because people come and eat on this island almost everyday, the lizards came looking for food. They looked like alligators! People were throwing them chicken bones and they swallowed them whole. They had some Thai men with long sticks that would scare them off if they got too close to any of us.

some people got pictures and came a little too close

monitor lizard!!!

Other than snorkeling, we sat on the beach and by the pool! 

this is how Chinese do the beach. absolutely no sun!

our resort

we spent a lot of time by the pool

me and Meg by the ocean

me Meg and Anne Marie at sunset

I loved relaxing in Ko Lanta!

kingdom of cambodia

Vacation is over...already?! This past month has flown by.  Vacation was exactly what I needed to escape the cold, dreary weather of our city.  I am already missing the warm, sunny air of Thailand. It was difficult walking off the plane to the gray, smoggy sky in our city.

I want to recap some of the things I learned during my vacation around Thailand and Cambodia.  The Lord was trying to teach me to relax and listen to him. I usually love to relax- just ask any of my friends- but this past month was tricky with so much on my mind. I wanted so badly to clear my mind but I had different relationships and future plans weighing on my heart.

During our first week at the midyear conference in Cha'Am one of my favorite people spoke to all of the women.  Her name is Sandy and she is a counselor/lifesaver.  She spoke to us from Isaiah 30.

This is what the sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved, in quietness and confidence is your strength, but you would have none of it." 

(vs. 15)

Sandy said that in the midst of chaos, we often defend ourselves, not just trust God. I had to ask myself, what does my chaos or pain look like right now?  When I feel anxious, it's because of the loss of control. 

RETURN REST QUIETNESS TRUST

Yet I often say "No! We will flee on horses" like verse 16...as if I can run from God.

"So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help." (vs. 18)

I am thankful that the Lord reminded me of this truth.  He longs to be gracious to me and he wants to show me compassion. And right now, I will just wait for his help. I am anxiously awaiting his voice.

Considering I don't have many pictures from Cha'Am, I'll start with Cambodia.  We drove from Cha'Am through Bangkok, to the border of Thailand and Cambodia.  We got out of the van and rolled our suitcases across the border and through customs.  I got a new stamp in my passport and jumped into another van that drove us to Siem Reap.

welcome to Cambodia

we woke up early to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat

we had our own tuk tuk to drive us around each day while sightseeing

many temples ran together, but this one is unique!

how did that red van fit through?

reminds me of the hidden temple

so many precious kids everywhere

monkeys came out from everywhere

Will, Meg, me and Hughes

downtown Siem Reap, lots of great restaurants

the boys shot machine guns, the main reason they came to Cambodia

so proud of their skills

overall, I enjoyed Cambodia

I'll add pictures from the rest of my vacation in another post. Now less than a month until my family comes to visit! I am ecstatic!!!

vacay

I've been out of touch with the majority of my friends and family for the last month. It's been a great time of relaxation and adventure! I'm still traveling around but headed back "home" soon! I won't be able to update you on everything in one post but I'll give a preview!

first stop: 

Cha'Am, Thailand

The top picture is the view from my hotel room! We had our midyear conference at the Marriott and it was a great time to rejuvenate, learn and gather with  other believers.

second stop:

Siem Reap, Cambodia

We drove from Cha'Am through Bangkok and across the border to Cambodia. The border-crossing was an interesting experience! In Cambodia we did a lot of sight-seeing to different temples. I found out they filmed Tomb Raider in Cambodia and I felt like I had really stepped into the movie.

third stop:

Koh Lanta, Thailand

After  running around Cambodia for a few days, we traveled by car, plane and ferry to get to Koh Lanta. It was a great time to lay on the beach and the pool and eat great Thai food! We even went snorkeling one day and I felt like I was in Finding Nemo!

last stop:

Chiangmai, Thailand

I am currently here! I think it may be my favorite stop thus far. We have been on an elephant trek, white water rafting and took a Thai cooking class. It's such a fun city!

I will update more stories from my travels when I get back "home" and add all of my pictures to my computer. I miss all of my family and friends and can't wait to catch up soon! Countdown to when Mom, Dad and Kyle come to visit: 

ONE MONTH AND A WEEK!