Departure Day!

Wow!  I can't believe it's already June 3rd and I'm leaving for Thailand today.  It's weird to think that I only found out I was going a short 4 weeks ago...so much had to get done before today and I somehow pulled it off (with the help of great friends, family, and boyfriend!).  We will be leaving around 1:00 to head to Miami, and my flight leaves at 5:40pm.  I am flying Gulf Air, which will be new experience, as well as the two connections in Paris and Bahrain (Saudi Arabia)! I'm all ready to go, so now I just have to wait *sigh*.  I found out yesterday that we will be staying two days in a hotel in Bangkok before taking an internal flight to Udon Thani where the base is where I'm staying.  One of the company's guides will be taking us around Bangkok to sightsee on the 5th - Yay!  Then, it's off to the Ricefields Base (Take a tour here!).  Don't be too jealous, I'll be working lol ;)

For those of you that don't know, I'm working for a teen travel and community service company called Rustic Pathways.  My job as Program Leader is to make sure the teens stay safe, have a great time, and get as much out of the experience as possible.  It won't be hard seeing as I'll probably be more excited than all of them put together!  When I was a teen I was constantly looking through catalogs of teen travel programs, but never had the oppurtunity to actually go.  So now's my chance...10 years late, but better now than never!  I'm excited to meet some cool kids and experience some crazzzzzzzzzy cool things there.  It will be hot and humid but hey, I live in Florida so what's new lol. 

In case you would like to send letters (You know you want to! I wouldn't send anything after July 20th as I might not get it before I leave), here is the address:

Attn: Christine Schmidt
Rustic Pathways Ricefields Base
c/o Panuwat Noikamkong
141 Moo 2
Tambon Chiang Yean
Udon Thani, Thailand 41000

Good luck spelling all that correctly!  I don't know how often I will be able to post, or if pictures are even an option, but I'll do my best :)  I hope everyone has a great summer, and please keep my safety, travel, and health in your prayers - I would greatly appreciate it!  I'll be back August 15, so I look forward to sharing stories and pics then!

Bye!