The End: Goodbye, Thailand

The time for change has arrived: after over a year living here, I am leaving Thailand.  I am both sad to go and excited for the new adventures that lie ahead.  My last two weeks in this wonderful country have been the perfect end to my time, completing the full circle of my experience in Thailand.  Read on to see familiar faces and places, and enjoy my last weeks in Thailand with me!

Reading time: 9 minutes

After I left Chiang Mai, I continued my solo travels.  This time, instead of going to another new place, I went back to one of my favorite places I have ever been: the island of Koh Lanta!

Koh Lanta

I went to Koh Lanta for the second time with the intention of being more present there, not on my phone so much, and not documenting as much as I did the first time.  I ended up only taking out my phone when there were really salient moments that I wanted to capture.  This made the photos that I did take more meaningful and very special to me.  I will share a few of them below for just a peek into my solo week on the island.  (The photos of me that are not selfies were taken by new friends or random beachgoers, hehe.)

Island paradise part two achieved, it was time for me to travel northeast to go back to my hometown of one year: Nong Khai.

Nong Khai

I came back to Nong Khai for my last week in Thailand, and I am so glad I did.  It felt like closure, going full circle, seeing my loved ones, and saying my goodbyes to the places I hold so dear.  Again, I took minimal photos, but I will happily share some of the ones that I did take.  Maybe you will recognize some things - the river, my favorite temple, the exercise park...

There was a specific reason that I came back the week I did: I planned to take a weekend trip to reunite with two of my favorite people in Thailand.  Do you remember Phil and Pang?  They both taught at my school while I worked there, and they each took me to their family homes in neighboring provinces at different times during my year in Nong Khai.  Phil changed jobs and moved to a different town before my second term, so I did not see her for about six months.  Pang and I wanted to have one more adventure together before me departing Thailand, so we decided that my last weekend in the country, we would take a trip to visit Phil!!  This meant that we would need to go to the province just west of Nong Khai: Loei.

Loei

Pang and Phil and I had the most lovely weekend together in Phil's home province.  We spent the first day exploring the national parks and stunning temples tucked into the mountains of Loei, and the second day we got to be with Phil's family in their town of Chiang Khan.  We took a lot of great photos, thanks to the beautiful places we went combined with Pang's photography talent.  Get ready for a fabulous reunion photo dump!!

Pra That Sri Song Rak

Wat Pa Huay Lad

 

 

 

Chiang Khan Walking Street

  

There was an area of the walking street where artists were set up, drawing anyone who sat on the stools in front of them.  There was no set price; you simply donated whatever amount you wanted in the collection box after your drawing was done.  We got our portraits done, all by different artists, and they turned out... quite differently!  I was so happy with mine, I am now Facebook friends with the artist.  We all had a good laugh about the differences between the portraits!

 
The picture of Phil above is one of my favorite photos in existence.  I crack up every time I see it.

 On our way out, we saw a very talented man doing a custom painting for a little boy named Peach.  We watched the man paint for probably 20-30 minutes, from the painting's start to finish.  It was mesmerizing, and it was so sweet watching the kid interact with the artist and his wife.

More examples of his art are in the left of the photo above.  He makes all of the trees by running a butter knife through the paint!

Morning in Chiang Khan (Reuniting with Phil's Family!)

Do you remember Phil's family from the post about last New Year?  If so, you're about to see some familiar faces!  First, one of my favorites...

PAULA!!!!

 
Then, sweet Aunt Oy.

Then, Grandma, and cousin Mary.  I also got to meet Uncle Hell!  (Fun name, right?)

Us now...

...and us almost one year ago.

It was so wonderful to be with my Loei family again.  They made sure to remind me that I am always welcome with them; they even had me choose a bedroom in the new house they are building, so that I can move there and teach English in Chiang Khan!  I don't think this is in the cards for me as of now, but it is so heartwarming to know that I have a family in this corner of the world.  I so hope to see them again some day.

 Especially Paula!!!

Now, it was time to go back to Nong Khai for my final couple of days.

Nong Khai

I got to continue the reunion train, with some more of my favorite people in the country.  Let's see if you recognize them!

First off, we went to my favorite restaurant for dinner - the one run by PP's family!!  It was late and PP was already in pajamas, but his dad drove him to the restaurant to say hi to me before he went to bed.  We were both so happy to see each other.  My past student, and my Nong Khai brother!

My last night in Nong Khai just happened to be a major Thai holiday, called Loy Krathang.  Last year, I celebrated Loy Krathang in Nong Khai with my friend Teacher Pui.  We got to honor this tradition and spent the night together again, and this time with more friends!

The new friends included two other American girls!  The one on the left is a teacher at a high school in town, and the one behind me is the new English teacher at my past school.  It was lovely to spend some time with her.  I know my kids are in good hands.

Back together with Teacher Pui!

Throwback to last year! // This year!

 Teacher Pang, holding an adorable little family friend.

We went on a boat ride on the river, where we floated our krathangs, in holiday tradition.

PP helped me put my krathong in the river, and he later showed me how to use the fireworks he is holding!

 The view of the Nong Khai shore was so beautiful.  Lanterns lit up the sky, and a full moon watched over it all.

It was simply such a wonderful night.  I feel so lucky that I had the opportunity to reunite with people I love so much, particularly on the holiday that marked one of the first times I got to bond with teacher friends outside of work.  I am so glad that I went back to Nong Khai to end my time in Thailand.

My dear friends sent me off at the bus station.  I love them so much.

This is the end of one chapter of my life, but it is also the beginning of the next.  Goodbye for now, Thailand.  Thank you for holding me with such warmth and care.  Thank you for giving me new family, new friends, and a year of memories that I will hold dear for a lifetime.  I love you endlessly.  I hope to be back in the future!  (Hint hint to all of my Thai friends: when you have an important life event, invite me to give me an excuse to come back!  Looking at you, P Phil.  The sooner you get married, the sooner I'll return!  555.)

Chan rak khun mak, na ka.  Kidthung laeo, Prathet Thai!

I love you so much.  I miss you already, Thailand!

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