Today we visited the ancient city if Ayutthaya. It was the Thai capital for 417 years before it was burned by the Burmese.
It was humbling to visit this “Holy” place and watch as worshipers placed gold leaf on Buddhas.
Travel
A World Away
I don’t think this is the culprit–but today a monkey peed on me.
On the same day, two groups of children make their own play dough. It was so amazing for me to see kindergartners in Thailand making their own play dough. It is an activity my own children engage in at their school.
Later that night, I was looking online at what my daughter had done at school and was a bit shocked to find out my daughters class made play dough in class as well. It just struck me how interconnected we really are and how all children are the same and enjoy the same things. I think my kids will find it fascinating that the kids in Thailand are just like them.
I am still processing so much of the trip. I’ll be writing about this for some time.
Another World
I am currently in Thailand. It is an amazing city. I’m not getting to see it the way I would if I were traveling with my husband, but I cannot complain. We have wonderful hosts. Today we went to the Grand Palace and it was really different from anything I have ever seen. We were fortunate to actually get to go INSIDE the palace and see the receiving rooms, reception rooms and throne room. To walk on the same carpets that Kings have walked on. It was a powerful moment and really neat to get to go where 99% of people don’t get to go.
The decision to get my PhD has offered me so many amazing twists and turns from my original life path. I am so thankful for these opportunities. We have 3 people in our group who have never traveled outside of the US and it is do great to get to experience their wonder and excitement.
Home For Now
I just got home last night from 4 amazingly exhausting and intellectually stimulating days at Harvard talking about charter schools. I learned more than I thought possible and made some amazing connections in this really small community that is charter schools. My brain is still buzzing with so much information that I can’t wait to begin to be able to process some of it. I know that will take a few days.
It was so great to see my kids and husband when I arrived. I missed them so much. I am glad that I don’t travel a lot for work. When I write that statement, I’m conflicted. Not about how I feel, but about the statement itself. Because in reality, I do travel quite a bit for work. I will continue to travel more for work. I leave again in 3 weeks for a 3 day trip for work. I will travel at least 6 days a month with my new job–two night away every other week (more than likely). I love it, because it keeps my job interesting. I hate it, because I miss my family and we are such a unit that it is hard when one of us is gone.
But I am home now and my to do list is quickly filling up. Quickly.
Happy Things
With all the political rhetoric being quite nasty and the memories of 9/11 being broadcast, I am in need of some happy. So, I am simply posting some pictures from our family vacation–I didn’t take nearly as many as I wanted to/should because with two little ones, I was often very busy swimming, etc chasing them around. Our vacation was great and the kids had a good time hanging out with their uncles and grandma. Here’s a glimpse at our vacation. The highlights included shelling, wave jumping an seeing the dolphins “play” in our boat’s wake.
Embracing Imperfection 