February 2012
15 posts
Anonymous asked: JenBen - why no link on yoour site to Colin's site - Dad
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away we go... again!
Like I said, life was good in Rawai- and it still is- we just aren’t there at the moment… Our 30 day entry visa was about to expire so we needed to make a border run and fast! The mission: Obtain a Double Entry Tourist Visa from the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. It’s a two day process, but instead of heading right back to Thailand we decided to make the most of the free...
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bangkok {a review}
There you have it, a complete recap of our first week in Bangkok (never mind the fact that we’ve been here over five weeks now). And just to wrap things up, here’s a personal review on the Thai capitol:
Bangkok was the perfect place to acclimate ourselves to Thai life considering there are similarities between Bangkok and major American cities. Of course, there are many differences as...
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the emerald buddha
Here’s a fun fact about Thailand’s most sacred statue: it’s not made of emerald! The surprisingly small 2 foot statue is actually carved entirely from one piece of jade. Above are the three seasonal costumes Buddha wears: a crown and jewelry in the summer, gilt robe and headdress in the rainy season, and a golden shawl in the winter (the outfit he was wearing during our...
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Our day spent exploring the Old City was easily my favorite day in Bangkok. The main attraction is the Grand Palace and its surrounding grounds, including Wat Phra Kaew. We spent the morning walking around in 100º heat with an overcast sky that was begging for rain along with a hundred other tourists. Even a patch of bad weather couldn’t deter from the beauty of this place. Simply put,...
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January 2012
44 posts
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white elephant
Legend has it that the once barren Queen Maya became pregnant with Siddhartha after dreaming of a white elephant. The animal has been regarded in high esteem every since. In fact, the number of white elephants a monarch owns reflects his own significance. The origin of the phrase “white elephant” lies in this very Thai tradition, that all white elephants must belong to the king. They...
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Anonymous asked: Jennifer I need to see more pictures of Thailand. I love that picture of Colin on the beach! Looks like you two are already having so much fun. When do you start teaching?
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26 hours
Colin and I left for the airport at 11:15am on Tuesday and arrived at our hotel in Bangkok 2am. On Thursday. Almost a full 26 hours of traveling.
Here’s how it went:
I hugged my two favorite dogs, kissed my beautiful Mommom goodbye, and then my parents rushed us the nearest Walgreens. After three immunization shots (Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, hepatitis A and B) and one prescription...
bees-knees asked: On a scale of Tilda Swinton to Jersey Shore ( Victoria's Secret swimsuit model is the middle mark ) how tan are you right now? Miss you and am jealous of the beaches you guys visiting. xo, j.
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new blog design! →
A big shout out and thank you to Colin, who helped me redesign my blog this past week. Some of the highlights include: a snazzy new chevron background, blog role, comment section for non-tumblr members, and plenty of links to my other social media outlets… You know, in case your daily fill of me here just doesn’t cut it. To say I’m happy (& proud) with the outcome would be an...
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top ten things i'll miss most
10. Peanut butter and coke (They just won’t taste the same over there)
9. My must see TV shows: The Office, Parks and Recreation, Revenge, Once Upon A Time, Modern Family, Happy Endings, and New Girl (Wow, I watch an unhealthy amount of television)
8. Access to the internet 24/7
7. Chicago
6. My bed
5. My closet (I don’t care how superficial that makes me, it’s 100% true)
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No matter how wonderful, change never comes easily to me. Every now and then the excitement subsides and uncertainty creeps in. I ask myself, what the hell am I doing?
Moving to a country where I don’t speak the language…
With a boy that I love dearly, but haven’t spent more than two weeks at a time with in two and a half years…
Pursuing a job that I have absolutely no...
lissak06 asked: That's awesome news J! Best of luck on the exciting new journey. I am so happy that you and Colin are able to experience this together, sounds like it's going to be one heck of a year for the two of you!! If you keep this blog, I think you are going to have to change the name since you prob. haven't been there or done that :P
“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”
– Ernest Hemingway