JFK to CNX (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

One of many bridges in the gardens

Traveling is a great reminder of how small we are in this big world.  It was a hard feeling to escape my first 4 hours in the JFK airport.

That said, I soon connected with four people while flying: 2 teachers (one high school and one pre-school), a woman who went to school with my brother-in-law and just finished working on the the film “Girl Rising” for CNN which is about education of girls around the globe, and a Thai woman who spoke to me for an hour in Thai.  I am pretty sure that she was trying to teach me how to get a taxi in Bangkok.  She had me repeating things and writing them down all with the money from her wallet on the chair between us :).  Two of these women were on 2 consecutive flights with me.

(Trailer link for the “Girl Rising” video http://girlrising.com/)

Though this journey lasted 26 hours from my first take off, there were virtually no layovers.  I spent 1/2 an hour at each airport once I left the US.  I slept as well as I could on the plane and otherwise filled my time with talking to my neighbors or watching a movie.  On my third flight, I read half of the book Tales from Thailand, mentioned in the tribute to my Grandmother post.

As I flew into Chiang Mai, Thailand, I could’t help but notice some similarities with the geography of El Salvador.  The mountains rise abruptly from the ground and are covered with trees.  Once you land the buildings vary from modern to barely standing or unfinished.  Some of the major differences that I noticed were the rice fields, which are everywhere, the multitude asian style structures with dramatically sloped rooflines and the altars on every block.

As I exited costums, I was met by a Thai gentleman holding a sign for Heartstream and together we took a silent ride to the hotel.  My vocabulary allows me to say two things so far: Yes (chai) and no spices (Mai pet).  

There are topiaries for everything
from dinosaurs to the solar
system

Horizon Village Resort is situated on 150 acres of botanical gardens that rival any I have ever seen.  The owners are dedicated to revitalizing the ecology of their area and have worked very hard to create a haven for plants and wildlife.  They operate their hotel as a nonprofit and have recently been recognized by the king for their efforts.  It really is an inspiration.  Those who are not working in children’s ministry will have the opportunity to hear the owner speak about their work.

Our team of 9 are here to offer support to people serving in full-time humanitarian work.  Most of the staff were missionaries at one time.  Lois, our leader, lived in the jungles of Mexico for 10+ years, Dick was born to missionary parents in Venezuela and later he and his wife served in Thailand, Mike and his wife were in member care services in France, Aasha is living in Thailand where her Father works for World Vision, Patricia has been leading women’s programs around the world for 10+ years, Jack did two tours of duty in Vietnam then became a helicopter test pilot with the black hawk project and Owen has just arrived here from doing conferences with his Grandmother, Lois, in both Abu Dabi and Ethiopia.  I could go on but this list will suffice for now.  We all arrived 2 days early to get to know each other, to plan and to attempt to adjust to the time change.

These flowers are outside my room.
They are constantly falling
from their branches.  Beautiful!

Last night we went into the city to have a look at the market and eat a little Burger King.  Street vender food was pretty low on the list.  This afternoon, Owen, Mike and I took a bike ride through the botanical gardens and grabbed lunch at the Canteen.  I had pork and rice with a side of mashed potatoes and fresh pineapple (chocolate frozen “confection” for dessert).  I am eating a lot of rice and noodles these days.  On Friday I had chicken lo mien for breakfast and today I had ramen noodles to start my day.  :)

It is good to get a better feel for our mission here.  I am glad to have wifi to facilitate communication with my boys and Nate.  Tomorrow the guests arrive and our program begins...

A tribute to my Grandmother, Suzanne Hilton

Yesterday I lost my Grandmother and Heaven has gained a very special woman. I have often felt that my spirit of adventure came from Suzanne Hilton, my dad’s Mom. Today I leave for Thailand, and as I look back over the trips I have taken, I have to see a link between Grandma and my love of traveling.

When I was a kid, we camped our way across the U.S. I ate New England clam chowder from Pennsylvania to California and back across Canada. Grandma spent her days doing research in the Historical Societies, reading diaries and seeking forgotten adventures to share with young readers. When the work was done, we made our own forays into the wild wild west. I will never forget the evening walk when Grandma and I had a celebrity sighting. He was a small dog named Benji. We sat at the picnic table alongside a camper while the pooch showed off his tricks. I still have his paw print.

In 1995, Grandma sent my sister, Darcy, and I backpacking across Europe.  We traveled through seven countries sleeping in hostels or trains.  We saw cathedrals and museums, met interesting people and experienced a terrorist attack on the Saint-Michel metro station in Paris.  We called home to be sure Grandma and our parents knew that we were not the casualties being reported on the news.

When Grandma moved too far away for frequent visits, she left memories carved into my very being. I can still see her office stacked with papers and an old type writer where I wrote my first “book” alongside her own award-winning manuscripts. I can still feel the sugar she loaded on my french toast and see her sewing an “extra-strong seam” around the Christmas stocking we made for a short-lived boyfriend. I can hear the dinghy bouncing on the waves and Grandma calling out “Bumps, Connie” to the dog.

After getting the call from Aunt Diana on Tuesday, I was looking through my box of memories. I could smell the old books. Grandma was an historian and I have all of her non-fiction. She was good at what she did. Her writing brought her the Drexel University and the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Legion of Honor award (1979) and the Western Writers of America’s Golden Spur (1981), but to me the photo albums she made hold the best treasures. I looked through pictures of her as a young mom and as the mother-of-the-groom. I see her on horseback and laying in the sand. What shocked me most as I dug through the cardboard box was a book she didn’t write. Although Grandma didn’t pen the words, I felt the message was poignant and timely. The book is entitled Tales from Thailand and the message in the cover was written by the author:

November 4, 1978 [I was four] 
To Christine, ...with a special wish that you will learn to love the Thai as I did. My fondest wishes are ever with you and your charming Grandmother... 

God gave me my Grandmother to inspire me and love me. I am so grateful for her appreciation of everything around her. I am honored that this book that she gave me so many years ago surfaced now as I head to Thailand and she arrives at the gates of Heaven. Her gift confirms that I am who I am supposed to be and that I can give to others what my grandmother deposited in me.

"T minus 24 hours"

Tomorrow I leave for Thailand.  I haven't gone abroad without my family since Nate and I were married in 1996.  When I saw this youtube video of the Piano Guys today (Thanks, Aunt Cathy), I felt like I could hear my own guys singing along.  I will start this blog with it and maybe you will hear the voice of someone special to you.  Let's get this adventure started!

 Forget the box... Just think outside!

~My favorite shirt of Luke's