i haven't written here in ages (in fact, since i started teaching), so i thought i would try to fill in a few of the details of my past four and a half months while i have a little bit of time to do so. i am in kanchanaburi this week, taking a bit of time to get massages, play in nature, and rest before i go to bali to start my divemaster's. if i had the time and energy, i would include everything about my time here, but i can offer a few highlights for now.

1. TEACHING IN TB-RANGSIT. i love kindergarten! i finished school on february 27th, and i already miss my little babies--duckie, crayon-stuffer, fooksam, the fha's, hello kitty, and the happy hearts. i taught 900 kids a week, so if i couldn't remember their very long thai names, i gave them nicknames. my school wasn't the greatest, especially the administration, but i did love my kids there. in rangsit, i also had an amazing gym, where i spent every afternoon taking hip hop, thai boxing, spinning, and hot yoga. my trainers and friends there were my family; we even had christmas dinner (smoothies from the juice bar) together! after i left the gym every night, i saw my thai mom, a woman named nan who had a fruit stand on my street. i taught her children, and she treated me like her daughter. one day i told her i liked her shirt, and then she brought me one much like it two days later. apparently, her sister has a clothing stand. i appreciated the clothes and the fruit, but more than anything, i loved her company for so many nights of pad thai dinners.

2. KOH SAMET. it is one of my favorite places in the world. koh samet is only a couple hours from bangkok, so i used to meet my friends there frequently for weekend of sun, sand, fire, and buckets. we were local celebrities there. i twirled fire there. i was euphorically happy every weekend there, even when katherine and i were robbed. where else in the world would park rangers buy you breakfast and give you money to get home when you are broke?

3. KOH TAO. oh, koh tao. i think of two things when i think of koh tao: scuba diving and boys. i went to koh tao right before i started teaching with leslie and grappan naglin and again with eliza as soon as i finished teaching. i am an advanced diver now! i spent my days on tao diving and the nights playing at buddha bar. i love it there. in fact, i may go work there after i finish my divemaster's.