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It’s officially been three weeks since I decided to hop on a plane to the other side of the world, without a return flight home. I think it’s safe to say that I have no regrets (so far). Thailand really is a whole other world. From the cultural differences, to the typical foods that are eaten here, there is very little common ground between here and home. Regardless, I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to immerse myself in a place that challenges me every day. Post 23 hours of non-stop traveling, I was cranky, smelly, and ready to get into bed. Once arriving in the Bangkok airport on October 17, I grabbed a cab and made my way to the Royal River Hotel. It was about 1 a.m. by the time I got settled into my comfy covers. The following five days I met about forty other people who were also crazy enough to move to the other side of the world. We had orientation most days, but in our free time we were able to explore the bustling city of Bangkok. Having visited three years ago, it was just how I remembered it. The (oh so many) smells of Thailand hit me everywhere I went, and the food tasted even better. Everyone was eager to make friends with one another and explore the big city, so that’s exactly what we did. During the five days I was in Bangkok for training we went to Chinatown, The Royal Grand Palace, a beautiful rooftop bar, and made memories at every stop along the way. The day before everyone in our training group was going to venture on our own to our specified provinces, it all became very real. We weren’t going to be staying in the Royal River Hotel with a beautiful gym, pool, and free air conditioning. We weren’t going to be able to rely on each other for company when we feel isolated from the Western norms we know. We were all leaving, ready to begin our new, independent lives in Thailand. On the day everyone’s Thai coordinators came to pick them up and take them to their new homes, we attended a teacher send off. It was a traditional Thai ceremony in which we are all given fresh flowers to wear around our necks. We then sat down and watched a video that was prepared for us filled with photos and videos from our five days of training. Then, the orientation staff had each of us kneel in front of them as they tied white rope bracelets around our wrists. While tying them, they told us that this experience will not be easy. We will have countless ups and downs, but if we stick with it, it will be one of the most rewarding things we will ever do. After this emotional ceremony, we all dispersed to our provinces. Luckily, I was assigned to Nan Province with another American teacher. Because we are located ten hours north of Bangkok, our Thai coordinator did not come pick us up. We took an overnight bus up to the mountains of the north. Upon arrival at around 6 a.m., two Thai teachers from our school picked us up. We were exhausted, having barely slept during the long ride. We were treated to an early breakfast of pork soup. After we were finished eating, we made our way to my new home for the next year. I signed some paperwork with our landlord and brought my heavy luggage upstairs. I was officially moved in, living in the beautiful country of Thailand. While I face daily nerves, culture shock, and sweating that never seems to stop, I am beyond excited to see what lies ahead.