Late last night I arrived back in America. The flight is incredibly long and I am experiencing jet lag. However, looking back on my trip to Thailand I am incredibly thankful.
For me, certain moments stood out the most. Here are some highlights from my time abroad:
1. Working with children: My favorite part of this trip is the time spent working with the children in Thai daycare. These kids are bright students and I was amazed at their desire to learn. I am happy I was able to have an impact on their lives by providing services such as putting fluoride on their teeth and assisting in basic health checkups. Often I would forget there was a language barrier between us because of the laughter and smiles experienced by both myself and them.
2. Making new friends: I met some incredible people on my trip to Thailand. The other students I traveled with are each unique in their own way. The bond we created over these past two weeks is one I hope to keep for a long time. Aside from the group of students, I also made some new Thai friends. The staff at the primary care unit and the Lam Luk Ka hospital are so friendly and I am thankful for the way they welcomed us to their community. The staff at the CCS house where we stayed also made my trip extra memorable. Like the hospital staff, they were all very welcoming and they did so much for us. Although they are across the world now, I feel confident we will stay connected.
3. Leaving my comfort zone: Traveling to a foreign country is exciting but it can be intimidating. Before departing, I only slightly knew the group I would be traveling with and I did not know a great amount about Thailand. I also had no experience with service learning abroad. Though initially daunting, this is a part of what made my time abroad so beneficial and memorable. Leaving my comfort zone allowed me to grow as a person, student, and worker. Taking risks and facing new challenges has changed my perspective on many things.
My experience with service learning in Thailand was amazing and these are only a select few of the millions of memories made.
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