Preparations

In one week, I will be flying across the Pacific Ocean to begin my Fulbright grant teaching English to high school students in Thailand. I will be living on the campus of a boarding school in Chiang Rai, the northernmost region of the country. Over the course of the next 12 months, I will use this blog to share observations and thoughts on my time in Southeast Asia. My goals for the year include...

* Absorbing Thai culture and a different perspective on life
* Forming meaningful bonds with new people and places
* Helping students learn a language that will open doors for them
* Contributing to the community around me through volunteer work
* Learning about a part of the world I haven't yet been exposed to, with its own culture, religion and issues
* Successfully representing the United States and Fulbright program
* Learning enough Thai to not feel like a complete fool

Mai pen rai is a Thai phrase that encapsulates a key component of the country's psyche - it roughly translates to never mind, or no worries. This is a way of thinking that I hope to absorb during my time in Thailand, and as such is the title of this blog.

Wish me luck!
Alison