comforts of home.

i don't quite know what to do with myself now that i am home,
and with a recent change of plans
i am staying in av until sunday.
i think i am supposed to be
catching up on some sleep.
but for some odd reason sleep doesn't appeal to me right now.

the trip home wasn't too bad.
we left for the airport at 5:45 am thursday - hong kong time,
plane left at 8a...
had a little lay over in tokyo,
and then a 10 hour flight to mpls.
arriving at 10:30a thursday.
longest thursday of my life.

the flight from tokyo was a little brutal.
i thought that i would be able to just sleep --
not the case.
i watched 3 and half movies instead.
i just get sucked in -- i can't help it!
the cutest little japanese woman was sitting next to me
on my flight home.
even though she didn't speak any english, we tried our best
to communicate.
when we landed in mpls the landing was really smooth
until the very end when the pilot slammed on the
breaks
and our bodies flew forward.
the little old japanese woman and i grabbed each others hands
as a reaction.
i really liked her & her simple grace.
and her lipstick that seemed to stay on fresh the whole plane ride... no idea how.

stepping into the cold coming out of the plane
in the breezeway was not a great feeling.
it was that i can't breathe
its so cold feeling.
hated it.
and customs took awhile.
those u.s. officials all hopped up on power.
not my favorite scene.

but just as i pulled out a cell phone to
call my dad
him and lexie were at the other end of the doors
waiting for us.
so nice to see family & get some hugs.
and with a real quick goodbye to my
travel companions,
and a little watered eyes --
i was on my way home to freshen up quickly.

i had promised my mom i would come into her
classroom and talk with her classes.
they had been following my blog & travels.

so lexie and i went in and met some of her students.
and i hope they enjoyed hanging out with me...
i sure had a good time meeting them,
and getting to know them a little bit.
they are really cute & friendly.

my mom made me scalloped potatoes,
a personal favorite of mine...
(only because i requested)
i stayed up till 7p -- a total of about 28 hours
with no sleep.

woke up at 1am & am still awake.
got caught up on the bachelor & real housewives of orange county...
how lame am i?
interesting how the little comforts feel so good.

i uploaded my pictures to my computer
and i am just starting to go through them
and pick out the good ones
that i want to share.

promise to put them up soon...

as of now i am really anxious to get back up to duluth,
and to get caught up in school.
i really have missed school &
am a little embarrassed to admit that i can't wait to dive back in.

i bet i won't be feeling this same way in a week or so,
but it feels good to feel it for now.

i am still processing the trip --
it just went by & happened way too fast!
and i come home,
and life goes on.

just feels a little weird being alone,
and not having a daily schedule to discuss.

traveling is strange that way...
you put more emphasis on each day
and try to get out as much as you can.
you wake up excited to see
what the world has to offer and
show to you.

and now back at home,
that raw feeling
of life
seems to fade away all too quick.
and i am left with a little bit of emptiness.

i have felt this way before -- as i often do when something
ends.
when you are planning for it,
and all of the sudden it is over.
its almost a loss.

but i am so thankful.
because there are some things that you learn about
yourself,
and the people that you are traveling with
that you can't quite describe.
and there are things that happen,
and inside jokes
that only they get.
and i am lucky to have that commonality with
bonnie liz & kathy...
(and a few target people)
it is something that cannot be replaced.

and i want to thank the few who have read my blog
while i was blessed to go on this amazing adventure.
it has been a nice way to hear from family members
all over the u.s.
and it made me feel a little bit closer
to everyone --
knowing they were following
& that they genuinely cared.

i have liked this blog thing &
maybe i will keep it up.
(even though right now -- i am seriously sick of talking about myself)
and would love if you stuck around too.

slight breakdown.

our trip up to the rain forest ended up being a really great time...

the last trip that i said we were heading to ended up being the highlight.

it was just liz peter & i,

and we went to the cascades...

it was kind of a natural jacuzzi -- very relaxing & surreal.

did have a tiny breakdown when we got back to peters though...

i found a cockroach crawlin in my bedroom & maybe over reacted a little bit.

it just caught me off guard.

coming from the jungle where there was a little bit of everything

to here where there is a

there is a real mix of bugs, bats, dogs, geckos -- not to mention

the muslim call to prayer that wakes you up bright & early in the morning.

regardless -- the cockroach got the best of me &

i might have shed one or two tears.

only tears of the trip - i might add. (i am proud)

made me think of what i miss from home

and i concluded that i miss having straight hair & my dad.

i think the dad part is mainly due to the fact that i have seen 5 lafarge (where he works) trucks

since i have been in KL.

dad, it is my goal to get you to go abroad with me!

and just the comforts of everyday life & schedule.

the last few days we have just been hanging out here

in kuala lumpur...

site seeing a bit.

we went to the bird park, the islamic arts center &

did a little shopping.

went out for mexican food which was interesting..

a cantina with a hooka bar & pictures of american indians on the walls?

yeah -- we couldn't figure it out.

but the hooka part was fun...

getting the OK's (older kids, aka bonnie & kathy) to try it out.

we had fun.

this morning liz & i helped peter out & talked

in front of the congregation here that he is

doing his internship with.

i am not a huge fan of getting up & talking in front of people,

but it wasn't too bad... actually went really well.

we just talked about our trip to africa together --

and how traveling & getting to know other people

and cultures

has shaped us to be the people we are today.. etc.

then just have been lazy today.

have met & spent a little time with a few people that peter

works with.

so it has been fun to see a tiny taste & hear about their

lives as a christian minority

in a muslim dominated country.

i have really enjoyed malaysia

but i am ready to move on &

am really looking forward to hong kong.

i think it will be a nice way to wrap up the trip

& to decompress a little bit before heading back home

via nice target hooked up hotel.

funny.. early in the trip i felt guilty of the luxury.

now, after the bug incident....

i am ready for a little comfort.

oops.

well its nearly 2am -- early monday morning...

i hope to wake up to a vikings win!

xo, love.

taman negara

just a quick update...
this morning we went on a little jungle trek
and on a canopy walkway.
it was pretty sweet.

in a little bit we are going on boat ride to
then hike a ways till we reach a waterfall..
i'm excited.

then tomorrow we head back to KL --
quick little trips are fun,
but get tiring.

just when i get comfortable we move to the
next place.

and the malaria medication i take gives me crazy
dreams at night.
 like -- really crazy.

and i just checked my email
and have a few from teachers
about classes...
and what we are doing.

stressed me out a little...
trying not to think about it
and deal with it when i get home.

love.

adventure upon adventure.

after a 3 hour bus ride...
a 2 hours and 40 minute 14 person boat ride
down the river.
we have arrived in the middle of the rain forest
to our resort.
very beautiful
serene
relaxing
and hot.

night jungle walk tonight.
hope the leeches leave me alone!

a little heavy --

the last night in chennai was really great ...
a nice dinner at the hotel over looking the
beach.
is this my life?


we spent our last day in chennai visiting a school.
bonnie got the contact due to the fact that a girl her and
liz have been sponsoring goes to a school that has ties
with the school in chennai.
bonnie had emailed with the school,
and all we knew i that, they were expecting us
and that the girl was coming to meet us from
her school which was about 6 hours away.

so we have a driver and a person accompanying us
to the school.
and as we are driving through chennai
we get into a neighborhood that all of the sudden
feels completely different.

i don't really have words to explain it,
but all i can say is.

my eyes saw a lot,
and my heart just felt so heavy.

and it is a feeling i have never felt before.

it was a little hard to pick ourselves up after the experience getting to the school,
but once we felt the energy of the headmistress & the teachers.
it was really great.
they were really proud of their new library,
and their work is admirable.

the neighborhood that the school is located in is in what they call the platforms.
basically -- it is a neighborhood that consists of homeless people,
that live on the street.
and the parents typically keep their kids out of school
to help them in their shops.

so this school is there to help educate those kids,
on a secondary & high school level.

and meeting with the girl that liz and bonnie sponsor was really special.
she was adorable and so sweet.
definitely ended up being worth the trip.

i had such a great time in india.
lucky enough to have gained a little piece of their culture.
met some really great people from bangalore & chennai that i hope to keep
in contact with.

and some really great people from target.
we already are planning a dinner back in MN :)

late last night we got to the chennai airport,
and it was FULL of people.
everywhere.
all going their own ways.
and i pointed out --
this feels normal now.
masses of people, traffic & cows.
feels fine.

flight to malaysia wasn't bad.
all of the sudden i hear... strawn, elizabeth
over the loud speaker.
i got upgraded to business class -- not bad.
bonnie thinks that is because i was traveling alone.
and there happened to be a lot of,
we think ... monks?
they were all ages, men.
all dressed in long skirts -- beards.
long hair.
bare feet.

different world.
seriously... 70 percent of the people on the plane were not wearing shoes.
lets just say that i am the minority.

so far malaysia feels great.
a completely different vibe from bangalore/chennai.
a lot cleaner & more western.
and seeing a friendly face was nice too.

peter's digs are great.
he is letting liz & i crash here,
while bonnie and kathy are at a hotel not far from here.
he is allowing me to use his computer -- i am thankful.

i have felt a little disconnected from the world outside
of my current bubble.
but it has been nice.
i don't miss my phone.
you realize that you gotta rely on trust.
so that people are there when they say they will be.

and this trip has made for some great conversation.
thanks to my handy dandy chat pack (a box with conversation starters)
conversations have been wonderful & insightful.

today,
we are just relaxing here a little,
liz & peter are taking naps.
i probably should too -- haven't slept for a day or two.
then going into kuala lumpur for the evening to hang out.
then tomorrow we are going to the rain forest for a few days.
so i probably won't be able to update until i get back from there.

maybe post pictures soon?
i don't know.
i might just wait till i get home.

love,
xo.

p.s. -- i am missing school tomorrow.  i wish i could be there.
i am being serious.

henna.

i love coming on and reading the little comments.
natalie -- don't you worry.
i got you a gift -- one of my favorite items i picked up.
you are tough to shop for.
actually - i have found it nearly impossible to buy anything for dad or jackson.
i hope to find something in malaysia or hong kong.

it is the afternoon on sunday right now.
today was a nice, relaxing day.
it was the first day that we have slept in a little.
we did a little shopping in the morning and relaxed
this afternoon at the resort.
a woman came and gave us henna today.

the weather is beautiful -- very warm and the sun is intense.

i really don't have much to update.
the past two days have been nice and relaxing.

i am getting a little sad to leave india.
where we are staying is on the outskirts of chennai --
so we didn't have as much time to see the city,
as we did in bangalore.
but the differences are noticable.
i haven't decided if i prefer one city over the next,
but all i know is that if you want to see india...
you have to spend a lot of time here.

i didn't realize how huge it is,
and how different each part of it is.
each have their own sub culture.
there are about 27 states in india, and
there are many different language spoken.
so between the states to communicate they rely on
english & hindu. 
i thought that was very interesting and confusing!

my experience here has been one i think i will continue learning
from the more i allow myself to soak it in.
it has been tough to be treated like such royalty when you don't
believe that you deserve it.
target india & tcs have treated us well -- and for that i am so thankful..
but in a country where the caste system is so prevalant,
it is tough to find peace.

tomorrow we are going to a school in chennai where bonnie and liz
have sponsored a student.
i am looking forward to it.
then late in the night, about 11pm we take off to head to
kuala lumpur.
i am excited to see what malaysia has to offer.

i am hoping once i get to peter's that i will be able to
upload a few photos.

till then,
love.

fisherman's cove - chenai

it has been a few days since i have taken time to update --
i wish that a computer could just read my mind & write every little thing down that i am thinking.
we have now traveled to chennai - via 40 minute airplane.
the best service ever, by the way.
they gave me 3 bottles of water, a meal & turned on my reading light for me -- all in a little plane ride.
liz and i thought it was funny.
chennai defintely has a diferent feeling than bangalore.
i loved bangalore -- there is a certain energy about the city and i feel like i did not have nearly enough time to see everything.
bangalore has a nearly perfect climate -- it is quite far above sea level, and has great weather.
our driver told us we wouldn't like chennai due to the climate &
because the people here have darker skin....
interesting, huh?
yeah -- there is supposedly a little tension between the two cities, considering they are in diferent states & there has been a conflict with their means to accessible water.
anyways --
chennai is humid & right on the bay of bengal.
the place we are staying at is beautiful.
the city defintely has a different feel.
it is a little more run down - and we are staying in an area that is more rural.
there is a holiday that is celebrated all weekend here - it is for the farming community so
everyone has work off & everyone is celebrating -- they have sugarcane everywhere and have
things very beautifully decorated.

this area of india was hit by the tsunami.
today we visted a temple -- the only one of 3 that survived the tsunami in the area.
due to the damage of the water -- it exposed old ruins. 
it was very cool -- got some great pictures.

then we went to this market -- art -- thingy.
run by the government.
and there was a lot of things for sale -- pam i got you a little gift.
and they had music and henna and all these things.
liz, laura & i had a woman read our palms.
it was a lot of fun & very intersting.

according to the woman i will be married between 25-27
and i have already seen him
and she told me other fun secrets...
but i wont share :)

tonight we are just hanging out.
i haven't really stopped since i got here.
yesterday bonnie, marsha and i went to this art festival in bangalore
while laura and liz rested.
it was really amazing.
i got some great pictures.

also -- wanted to talk about the traffic/driving here.
i wish i could explain it.
i decided it is its own culuture.
and language.
you could not pay me to drive here.
they have no boundaries -- they pass and go wherever they please.
and they use their horns every 5 seconds
but - they never ever lose their tempers.
i tried to take a video of it --
i will try to upload things when i get home.

hope everyone is well --
love love xoxo