Hot Town, Summer in the City...

The end of the school year with my class wasn't quite as emotional as I was expecting it to be. Coming at the very end of school (for both teachers and students) meant that my kids were coming off 4 straight days of testing, and that I was running around like a madman trying to get all my grading done, my copious amount of useless end-of-the-year paperwork completed, and print out certificates for my kids, while fighting off all the other teachers trying to get all of their paperwork done and printed on our one printer. So I was frazzled, and the kids were off the wall! 2 days of English tests, 2 days of Thai tests...they finished at about 2:30 and spent the last hour and a half in the cafeteria for an end of the year party. Which consisted of all the left over candy and snacks from the whole year, along with eleven birthday cakes from the combined first grade classes summer birthdays. Straight mayhem. And because it was the afternoon of the last day, and everyone was so wound up and ready to get out of there, we escaped an emotional parting like my one a few days earlier with my ESL class. And honestly, it was better that way, cause I don't think I could have handled another one! Got some hugs goodbye, and we were all out the door an onto summer, a child's (and teacher's) best friend.

My lazing around was short lived though, as Lex's sister arrived from San Fran on Monday. We did the cooking school with her (my third time - the staff was actually having me help out.) Hung around Chiang Mai, helped show her around. OK, I guess mostly Lex and Adam showed her around, and I helped a little but was mostly just super lazy. And I don't know what it was, maybe I was recalling my time before I got a job here when I just laid in bed all day and was pretty depressed and didn't even know it, but I was done with doing nothing after like 3 days. Which was perfect, because on Friday we left for our vacation!

TPWWLT - 'Summer In The City' - St. Lunatics

National Elephant Day

Today is National Elephant Day, so when I opened up Google, this is what the image was. Bet you didn't know they had different images for the holidays of different countries, did you? Oh Google, you are the best.

Sett Laou

The last day of the school year is of Thursday. We had English tests the second half of last week, and the next three days are all taken up by the kids' Thai tests. So all that's left for me to do is grade, and finish up my portion of their end of the year report cards. Mostly I'll just spend the next three days sitting at my desk in the room, marking tests, entering scores in my computer and helping Mai with anything she needs. But I'm done teaching. And while I'll still be with the kids in my homeroom for the next three days, today I had my last class with the other classroom I teach, P1 Pink. And it was tough.

While my desk is in my homeroom, and I teach my homeroom 6 different subjects (12 hours of class) throughout the week, they aren't the only class I teach. I have had these other 31 rascals everyday since last May. I don't see them nearly as much as my homeroom, but everyday for 8 months is still plenty of time to develop a bond. And since I'm not the one disciplining them all the time, or writing their names on the board under the sad face, or snapping at them on a Friday afternoon while awaiting the weekend, I might be just as close with them as I am with my homeroom. They are the ones that get me out of my classroom for an hour everyday when I'm sick of yelling at the same kids over and over (I'm looking at you, Miyuki.) They are the class they tried to take away from me last December when they switched around my schedule, and I put my foot down. They are the ones that want me to throw them in the air, the ones that hold on to my legs and won't let me leave the classroom, the ones that stand on my feet so they walk when I walk. They are the ones that love to play Bau Yung Choop (Rock Paper Scissors) with me, that aren't good at Simon Says, but still love it anyways. Last class ever today.

I had made up some awards for the class (Best Speller, Best Test Taker, English All Star, etc), so I started off class with those. Went outside, took a bunch of pictures, came back in, played 2 games of Simon Says, and it was over, just like that. 10 months, poof. I remember the first day of class, I only managed to learn one girl's name, and then found out that she switched classes two days later. I was convinced I would never learn them. But I did, and I now I doubt I'll ever forget them. So here goes

Dear P1 Pink

To each of you, in turn:

Otto - You never behaved, you can't speak English, and I'm pretty sure you have ADD, but I never minded.

Pear - Haha you are partially deaf, and said maybe 3 words to me all year. I'll never forget trying to give you your speaking tests, having to yell over the movie I was showing to the rest of the class, and looking over and seeing Kru Mon almost fall off her desk laughing at me.

Win - You are a smart boy, excellent speller, and someone I could never figure out in Bau Yung Choop

I-Nam - So cute. Thank you for your hugs, your smiles, for trying so hard and for always being scared of snakes.

Both - Such a smart girl. Best student in the class. Thank you for always having the answer and being patient enough to wait till no one else knew it before I called on you. And for always bringing me the book to sign at the end of class. And I'm sorry that I would forgot how short you are and have to pick you up so you could write in the answers on the board.

Tong Tong - So happy, all the time. You loved to speak English, got way better throughout the year. Loved to read, thank you for always coming up and asing me the English words in the Thai comic books you were reading.

Name and Fai - So alike that I still mentally mix you guys up sometimes. Name, I'm sorry for making you cry that one time you cheated on your spelling test, but thank you for never doing it again, and for becoming such a good speller. Fai, as always, I love your earrings. And your smile.

Ben - Aiyiyi. You may not have understood a single thing I was saying all year, and refuse to stay in your chair or stop talking or stop kicking Name's desk. But at least you did it with a smile on your face.

Phet - Thanks for being patient with me as a native English speaker. You are a smart boy that loved cars and fighting things, like most 7 year old boys.

At - Oh At. Finally learned to tell you and your identical twin Aut (in a different class) apart. (He's got the freckle on his forehead.) You definitely weren't the brightest, but you never caused trouble, just sat in your desk and stared off into space. You also got a lot better as the year went on. And you have a belly that rivaled the Pillsbury doughboy for making one want to poke it.

Soman - So much personality. I'm sorry that you didn't get an award this morning. You tried so hard, and you loved to speak English. Thank you for always making me laugh by imitating me. :)

Aut - Aut Aut Aut...my little movie buff. Your English was great, even if I still never could get you to just raise your hand silently instead of yelling out the answers. I could ask you every Thursday what movie just came out, and talk to you every Monday about it, knowing you had just seen it, even if it was something way too scary for me to ever go see. How you were so well adjusted despite seeing so many horror movies at the age of 6, I'll never know. But you sure loved to talk about them with me. 'One, two, Freddy come for....AUT!'

Pleng - Thanks for always answering the higher up questions on the board. You are super smart, did great on tests, and were the first one to tell me my bum was big.

Lita - Thank you for always waiting by the door for me to leave so you could be the last one to say goodbye to me for the day. Love the flowers in your hair and never lose that smile.

Poom - I'm sorry I always yelled at you for talking. I know everyone was doing it but you had the unfortunate seat of being directly in my vision in the middle of class. And you also talked a lot. But you get so excited to see me around school that I always loved running into you.

JJ - Oh JJ...could never keep you in your chair, you don't speak a word of English, and you never shut up. Ever. But you really were a sweet kid. Thank you for all the times you ran up to say hi while I was eating lunch.

Dragon - Thank you for leaving me with that look on your face where you pretended to get something I was talking about, and really had no idea what I was saying, I don't think I'll ever forget that. And I'm sorry that I always called you 'dragon' instead of however I was supposed to say it with a Thai inflection. It's much cooler my way.

Davy - Haha if there is one kid that needs some ADD meds, its you. But thanks for always being excited to see me, I'm sorry you could never see from your seat in the back, tuck in your shirt and yes, you can go to the toilet.

Nice - Sorry you were too big for me to pick you up, and you need to be a littttle quieter, but thanks for always being super happy.

Pin - I really will miss your mock indignation over everything. Thank you for being sneaky smart and for always being willing to come up and answer something on the board.

Nam King - Thank you for always knowing the day, and always being a little saucy with me. You have a great smile and you wear your heart on your sleeve. You stay happy, and keep curling the bottom of your letters.

Champoo - If there are two things I will never forget about you Champoo, its the constant crusty boogers you had around your nose every single day this year, and the way you would shout, 'Teacher Mike, Oh No!' every time you got had made a mistake. You are loud and slightly disheveled always, but are super sweet.

Stang - When you started loving me, I'll never know. You didn't like me at all in the beginning of the year, and got super mad at me when I made you play that game. But something changed, and I'm not looking forward to pulling you off of my leg the next three days. Thank you for trying so hard at spelling, for working on your spoken English. Thank you for the hugs at the coffee shop, and everyday thereafter. I'm sorry that I made you cry today, and that I couldn't take you home with me when I went home for Christmas. I'll miss you..

Tiger - Oh man. Thank you for helping out with the class and translating when I would need. Thank you for saying hi to me on the fourth of July, and for telling me every day for the last week how much you will miss me. Thank you for chatting with me when we were supposed to be doing our speaking tests, and for always trying to make me laugh. Thank you for always offering me some of your lunch, but you need to eat it kiddo. I hope your mom was right and you really will have a new little brother or sister soon. (Don't worry, I know you weren't supposed to tell me, I won't tell anyone.) You be good, remember not to yell at anyone else, and try not to talk to Champoo so much in class. Take care of yourself Tiger Lily.

Zen - Don't tell anyone, but you were my absolute favorite. Thank you for the look on your face every I announced you got a smiley face on your test. Thank you for following me around all the time. Thank you for always trying to come with me back to EP1 Blue after class was over. Thank you for always making me throw you in the air, for sitting on my knee and for all the times you would kiss your hand and reach up and touch my cheek. Thank you for making me feel loved, even 8000 miles away from my family.

I wish you guys could see me right now, and see how I can barely see my computer through these tears. I wish all of you were old enough to know how much you meant to me, and how much I'm going to miss you. And I know someday when you are old (like 25), you won't even remember 1st grade, I know I hardly do. But I'll remember you guys. So good luck, have a good summer, enjoy P2, remember to make sure that 'Simon' says and not just Teacher Mike, remember the three rules of taking tests (no talking, no copying, stay in your seats), when you get your paper, first thing, write your name (Name, you can just write 'name'), and if you have any questions, remember, raise your hand!....And good luck. I'll miss you guys.

Love Always

Teacher Mike

TPWWLT - Chris Brown - 'Forever'

Birthday!

Turning 25 is actually kind of a bummer when you think about it. Sure I can rent a car when I come home, but it also means I'm a quarter century old! Whoa, quarter life crisis. But my day was turned out to be pretty excellent. It was on a Friday, and for about a week and half, we had a countdown on the board in my classroom. And to be honest, I think my kids were about four as excited as I was. Every day that week, as soon as I entered the classroom, they immediately swarmed me and demand that write the new number in the countdown. So as you can imagine, I was a little excited to show up that morning.

At the beginning of the school day, all of the classes line up in the courtyard outside for the prayer and the National Anthem. So on my birthday, I was running about 5 minutes late and the kids in the primary grades had already started lining up. So as I was making way through all the kids, I noticed that no one from my classroom was in our line. I was a little perplexed as to where everyone was, but as I started walking up the steps outside my classroom, it became pretty obvious. The kids had attempted to hide in our classroom and surprise me. Unfortunately, there were some eager beavers who had to run down the stairs and start pulling me in the classroom. Regardless, once I made it into the classroom, I was greeted with shouts of 'Surprise' and 'Happy Birthday Teacher Mike!' and mobbed as soon as I walked in the door. And really, I wish I had a camera sitting on my shoulder, because I swear I have the best job in the world and this would have just helped convince the rest of you. Seeing dozens of adorable Thai children 17 times more excited for your birthday than you are....it was awesome, there is no other word for it.

Anyways, the day went great, we had classes and stuff all day, so we didn't get to have cake until the afternoon. As is our tradition in EP1 Blue, the birthday boy (me) sat in a desk while everyone else in the class surrounds him (or her) and sings Happy Birthday as the teacher (usually me, but Mai in the case) brings over the cake, candles alight. Mai was great and managed to get some pictures of me about to blow out the candles with everyone. (Usually we make a rule that only the birthday child can blow them out, to avoid tears and multiple relightings, but you can see me asking everyone to help starting to count down in the picture.) Then we cut up the two cakes I had bought and ate till our hearts content.

I also got plenty of presents, which, admittedly, was 40% of the reason I made a big deal out of my birthday in the first place. Obviously getting anything is awesome, and honestly, I like all the homemade cards best of all, but the presents I got were just....interesting. A quick list: A suede wallet sized picture holder, a leather wallet, 3 things of chocolate, a 12 pack of vitamin loaded prune juice, a brown coffee cup and saucer with a picture of a cowboy and 'Rodeo' stamped on it, a set of elephant salt and pepper shakers, a brand new music manuscript notebook, two clutch type things (both rather girly), a four pack of soap, a pen from Universal Studios Singapore, a wooden beaded bracelet, a wooden beaded keychain doll, and my favorite, a silver, script, 'M' keychain with like fake diamonds on the whole front of the M...just so random and funny. But very awesome. (And I did get some real gifts, tshirts from Lex and Adam, Mai, and the Thai teacher in my other class, Kru Mon.) I also finished the day up with a delish meal of tapas that Lex and Adam were nice enough to treat me too. Overall, it was a pretty excellent day. And I'm a pretty lucky guy.

TPWWLT - Big Pun - 'Still Not A Player'

And the flip side

I've been home two weeks, so its had a little time to sink in...

10 Things I Missed About Thailand While I Was Home In America

10. Thai - I'm getting pretty good at it. I'll have whole conversations with people, I'm picking up idioms, flirting with girls...It feels kinda cool to speak a another language (semi) fluently.

9. The Time Zone - Chiang Mai and Chicago vary from being 12 and 13 hours apart, depending on Daylight Savings Time. In other words, its like the worst possible distance to adjust too, as day becomes night and night becomes day and your body has no idea whats going on. At home, I would go to sleep normally but was waking up for a few hours in the middle of the night before going back to bed. It wasn't until the last night I was home that I got a good 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. When I got back to Thailand however, my extremely confused body settled on sleeping hours of 5pm to 1am. This was puzzling as that would correspond to times of 4am to noon back in Chicago. Like my body wasn't sure which way to go so it just split the difference. I mean it was doable, I basically get home from work and go right to bed, but it's not very social, as there are not many people to hang out with from 1am when I wake up till about 6:30 when I have to get ready for work. I have managed to break this in the last two weeks, but it was a pretty bizarre feeling when your body was dead tired everyday at 5pm.

8. My Kindle - OK this one is cheating because I didn't actually get one until Christmas and I had it at home for a while, but I've really grown to love it here. It's awwwwwesome. When of the few electronic toys I've ever owned and I just love it love it love it.

7. Bake N' Bite - Being home meant I had to break my streak of like 22 consecutive weekends having brunch there. Luckily Lex and Adam were gone as well so I don't feel as bad. Don't worry, we started up a new streak.

6. My Commute - Yes I love driving, and it was good to be behind the wheel. And I love my job, but its not like I spring out of bed every morning at 6:45 itching to go to work. But I will admit that I really enjoy that 25 minute bicycle ride every morning. Kinda wakes me up, gets me ready for the day, and I usually spend the time to and from school listening to a podcast.

5. The People - I tell ya, something that I definitely take for granted living here. Everyone is just so friendly and nice. It was a little better at home than I thought it would be (I think because it was Christmastime), but here, you walk down the street and everrrryone smiles and says hello. It takes me half an hour just to walk around the corner to 7/11. Back home, I unthinkingly was smiling at people as I was walking past them on the street, and I got quite a few strange looks. Not that I stopped doing it...just way different than Thailand.

4. My Bicycle - Yes, it's pink, and yes, it looks like something straight out of Wizard of Oz, but I really do like transporting myself on my own motive power (Objectivism alert!). That, and its cheap (the El + cabs + Metra + filling up the gas tank once = around $70) and is pretty much the only form of exercise I get, aside from maybe once a week basketball. And that hour on the bike everyday is about an hour more than I got at home.

3. Food - Mu gatiam, kao soi, khao man gai, milo dip, nagi khao mu, mam saparod....really just white rice in general. When I got here, I could only eat Thai food like every other meal, I needed something western. The longer I've been here, the bigger and bigger (or smaller and smaller) that ratio got, until now I have western food maybe twice a week. And being home, I found that I missed the simplicity of just some meat and white rice.

2. Weather - I got off the plane at midnight, it was 75 degrees. I was in shorts and a t-shirt and sandals. On January 4th. Um, awesome.

1. (Tie) - Sai, Nammon, Nakoa, Don, Sim, Nina, Bam Bam, Miyuki, Jaja, Chan, Aomsin, Bella, Aueng, Tata, Thee 1, Nine 2, Kaning, Tee 2, Pet, Emma, Panda, Asmee, Yok, Pooh, Shumie, Poon, Dominique, Nine 1, Bible, Pear, Win, I-Nam, Both, Tong Tong, Fai, Name, Stang, Guy, Phet, At, Tiger, Champoo, Zen, Gun, Nice, J.J., Pin, Nam King, Soman, Aut, Pleng, Lita, Poom, Ida, Dragon, Davy, Lily, Nalin, Bew, Mengjai, Boss, Jetty, Khreena, Pang, Indy, Ja, Numfah, Gorkaw, Champoo, Numwan, Katang ,Tonnum, Almond, Kimmy and Uki.

TPWWLT - Fall Out Boy - 'Chicago Is So Two Years Ago'

PS - It's my birthday tomorrow, and if you think we aren't having a party at school then you are sadly mistaken. I have to admit its pretty awesome though, my kids are wayyyy more excited about my birthday than I am. We actually have a countdown on the board counting down the days, and the first thing my kids do every morning when I get is tell, nay demand, that I change the countdown to one less than yesterday. Imagine how excited you were for your birthday when you were 6, and now imagine that you have 32 six year olds that are all that excited about someone else's birthday. And it happens to be yours. Do I have a great job or what?

Rabies? No thanks.

So I got bit by a dog yesterday.

First, let me drop a little knowledge on you. Dogs lounging around on streets are a way of life in Chiang Mai. This isn't a country where pet care includes a lot of leash walking and pampered indoor beds. Most people that own a dog will put food out for it once or twice a day, but the majority of a dog's time will be spent roaming streets and lounging around where it sees fit. I spend an hour on my bike every day going to school and back, and I see dozens of dogs outside in that hour. 40, 50 maybe? 60? I really have no idea, I honestly don't even notice them anymore, they are so prevalent. And even with my ever increasing knowledge of Thai society, I could not even begin to guess how many of those have owners in the truest sense, how many maybe have someone that feeds them semi regularly, and how many are truly wild. I would say....35% have some sort of owner, the rest are wild? But wild only in the sense that they have no regular place to sleep. (I feel like I should watch Lady and the Tramp for some research into what exactly constitutes a 'wild dog'.) They don't range in packs, terrorizing the city or anything. They are just forced the fend for themselves, find their own food, and try not to get hit by a car or motorbike. And this country is full of people on two wheel vehicles, so even on my pink bicycle, I hardly merit a second glance. In the year I have been riding my bike, I have had maybe a dozen instances where a dog saw me ride by, and started to run along side me while barking. But 11 or 12 instances in a year is pretty good, and I have never had one so much as take a chomp at me. Until yesterday.

I was biking home from work, right around the corner from my place, almost home, and I see a mangy looking mutt laying down on the side of the road. He looked pretty beat down and mean, even before I saw he was wearing a muzzle. And as I said above, I really don't even notice dogs anymore. So by the time I realized he was chasing after me and that maybe I should be a little more worried considering the muzzle, he was right next to me. With nary a bark or growl, he managed to open his jaws enough to jab a single canine (pun/irony fully intended/realized) into my left ankle as I was pedaling past him. All the while while wearing an, admittedly rather ineffective, muzzle. With the bite, he stopped chasing me and melted back to his vantage point overlooking the road, waiting for his next victim.

The bite hurt pretty bad. He had bitten me through my sock and/or pant, and as I was almost home, I figured I could wait to see if he had managed to break the skin. But I had a pretty good idea. So I was hardly surprised when I got home and pulled off my sock to find one little wound and a little blood dripping down my foot. My first thought was almost annoyance. Knowing the status of most dogs in this country, and knowing the Thai's in the area I was biking through weren't likely to be ones that spoke much English (and my Thai knowledge does not include the word 'rabies'), I realized heading back there to see if I could A) find the owners and B) find out if the dog had been vaccinated wasn't really an option. (And quite frankly, I am not going anywhere near that dog again. I was a little scared biking to work this morning passing all those dogs. None of whom even looked at me. Though I was convinced they could smell my fear.) The fact that the dog had a muzzle on meant that not only had he probably done this before, but that he most likely had owners or someone who cared enough to muzzle him and not just put him down after the last incident. Still, not really a factor in the vaccination status either way. So, after much googling into the effects of untreated rabies (ie, DEATH), I resignedly made plans to go to the doctor.

Went to work today, talked to Mai, learned the word for 'rabies test' (pitsooknakbaa dtrooah, spelled phonetically), covered my last class, and left school after lunch. Came home to change real fast, ended up sitting around for 2 hours, because honestly, who really wants to go to the doctors? Forced myself to google 'rabies' some more (did you know that in the end stages it warps your brain so you are actually afraid of water? crazy), realized that dying by rabies because I was too lazy to go to the doctor would have to rank in the top 5 most idiotic ways to die of all time, and finally got down to it.

And it was easy as pie. I had been to the hospital before for work, so I had my registration card and insurance and everything. Made it known what I needed, sent me to the ER, took my vitals, met with a doctor who spoke excellent English, and got the first of what will end up being 5 shots over the next month. Insurance even covered the first visit, though the next four will end up costing me about $100. And really, I'm just annoyed. It's definitely the wrong attitude to have, but I have literally like the smallest bite possible that still broke the skin. It happened yesterday, the doctor took one look at it and didn't even bother to clean it out. And this one little bite is costing me all this time and money. And rabies? What is this, the 1820's? The Office did a whole episode mocking the idea that people get rabies. (PS, so hard not to quote that episode this whole post. 'Myth: 3 Americans every year die from rabies. Fact: 4 Americans die every year from rabies.') Oh well, I'm not complaining. Just a silly occurrence in this zig zagging path we call life. I dated a girl used to say, 'If this is the worst thing that happens to you all day, you are probably doing pretty good.' And it makes a lot of sense. If a minor dog bite/mild rabies scare is the worse injury/most grievous bodily harm/closest I've come to death in my 14 months here, I guess I'm doing pretty well.

But seriously, rabies?

TPWWLT - Kanye West and Chris Martin - 'Homecoming'

PS. 'A woman shouldn't have to be hit by a car to learn that she may have rabies. But that is where we are in America. And that does not sit right with me. And that is why I'm hosting a fun run race for the cure for rabies. To raise awareness of the fact that there is a cure for rabies. A disease that has largely been eradicated in the U.S. But not very many people know that.'

Ruminations on America

10 Things I Missed About America

10. Winter - HA! Just kidding, it was miserable. Like seriously, I don't miss it at all. Wearing all those clothes, having to pack gloves, a scarf, a hat, extra socks...blah.

9. My boots - That being said, I did really love stomping around all week in my boots. The only times I put on socks and real shoes in Thailand are for work and to play basketball, so it was nice to put on some heavy duty work boots and stomp around Chicagoland. Makes one feel much more manly than wearing white flip flops.

8. Christmas! - I think I like the Christmas season more than the actual holiday, and I only got to experience the last 2 days of it, but I loved it. Everyone is happy and nice and its the best time of the year.

7. My bed - We have done so much room switching at my mom's that I'm not even sure whose mattresses they are, but the bed I was sleeping in while in 'my room' at home was huge and soft and incredible. It was a rude awakening getting home and sitting on my bed here and brusing my tailbone.

6. Driving - Wasn't planning on driving at all when I was home, but after plans changed and I averaged 3 hours behind the wheel each of my first 4 days home, I realized how much I miss being in control of your destination like that. Just not the same as on my bicycle here.

5. Food - Chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips (thanks Joe!), deep dish pizza, burgers at Five Guys, Frisco Melt, Mom's bacon and eggs, Pancakes with real syrup, Resse's PB Cups, HC-Orange from McDonalds, Chili's Queso Dip, Portillo's hotdogs/vanilla shake, Dad's lamb-chops, buffalo wings with lots of bleu cheese dressing, Potbellies ham and cheese, and crab cakes and a medium rare ribeye from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.... My tongue and heartstrings loved it, my newfound potbelly, not so much. (Also, dad cooking on Christmas Eve and mom cooking us breakfast that one morning were the only two, home cooked, not-eating-restaurant-food meals that I had all week. No wonder I got fat.)

4. Gambling - Sure I lost and came home smelling like smoke, but being able to throw dice and sit at a blackjack table for an hour with my friends was like scratching a much needed itch. (And one that would get me arrested in Thailand. Hey, if I have to leave the country to gamble, might as well head home to do it, eh?)

3. Live Sports - Went to a Hawks AND Bulls game. Atmosphere for the Hawks was so much better, even if only the Bulls managed to pull out the win. Still, both were awesome. And seeing D Rose in person...speechless.

2. Culture - Saw 2 plays ('The Importance of Being Earnest' and 'Who's Afraid of Virgina Wolff?') and a musical ('Million Dollar Quartet'). And I'll even include going downtown to sing Christmas carols and watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the big screen. I really do get an inordinate amount of enjoyment from being able to digest different types of culture like that, and considering I get very very little of that here, I was very fortunate to be able to do so much when I was home.

1. My Family and Friends (duh) - From walking off the plane to hug from my 8 foot tall little brothers and a 'Welcome Home' reception (complete with a sign), to a trip the casino and a New Year's Eve party with some of my oldest friends, to seeing two plays with my best friend, to spending some time with my brothers and them letting me win at Ticket to Ride (not to mention treating me to lunch!), to not one but TWO breakfasts with my aunt and grandparents, to a burgers/True Grit/Hawks game boy's day with my dad and brothers, to Illini Bowl watching and New Year's Day football watching parties filled with catching up with college friends and old roommates, to having my mom spend a day treating us to a play and a very fancy dinner downtown, to numerous lunches and dinners spent catching up with random people, to finally having an extended family Christmas with all 30 of there (and being the last ones to leave), to a concert downtown with my sister...it really was an incredible week.

I am incredibly incredibly fortunate and my week was super busy and packed with some very fun activities - I mean you go to one sporting event or play or nice dinner, and its a good week...I went to what seemed like 15. (And thank you very much to everyone who helped make all those happen, esp you Mom and Dad. I know everyone worked really hard and planned a ton to make my week fun, and even though I had crazy high expectations, it was like a million times better than I could have hoped for, so thank you.) But even despite getting to do all these things, (and I know this is super cliche) it's perfectly clear to me that it's not what I got to do, but the people I got to do it with that made it such a great week. Just being able to see and spend time with the people that I care most about in the world was what made it so good. So thank all of you for taking the time out for me and working with me as I tried to squeeze all of you in to my crazy busy week. I have an incredibly tough decision coming in the next few weeks (which I will try very hard not to agonize about on this forum) and regardless of if I decide to come home or not, the biggest thing in my pro list for returning to America, the thing holds more of a pull than all the other factors put together, is the ability to be near those I love. So I guess I just want to say thanks for making the decision so hard.

TPWWLT - 'Hey Jude' - Across the Universe Soundtrack

PS I've tried to thank them numerous times, but one last public shout out to Mom and Dad. Besides making my week home so enjoyable, you were the ones responsible for financially getting my home. I really appreciate it, and I love you.