I am guessing a good percentage of the people reading this are not exchange students so you would not understand that although I am in a foreign country, I am not on a vacation. I don't wake up everyday with huge plans to go adventuring, or plans of going to amazing places to take pictures to share on social media. Instead I wake up and live my life. Sometimes living life in Thailand means taking an adventure up a mountain to a beautiful temple, but more often then not living in Thailand is just going to school, drinking coffee with friends, or laying in my bed with the AC blasted as I watch Netflix. I too before I became an exchange student, thought that my year abroad would be filled with crazy adventures, and ever lasting stories of how amazing Thailand is. Not to say that I never had crazy adventures (because i did), and not to say my year wasn't incredible (because it was) but at the same time me going to Thailand wasn’t some relaxing vacation, it was a year of my life.
With my last few weeks approaching quickly, I have really been taking the time to look back, and reflect on my year. There were multiple times where Thai culture and way of life drove me insane, there were multiple times where I wished I was just back home in my own big comfy bed. But as I reflect back on my year I can only feel grateful for my experiences here. I see the things that drove me insane about Thailand as something I am going to dearly miss. I wish and wish for more time to eat incredible Thai food, and I pray for just a few extra hours to live my life here in Thailand.
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone who is reading this post right now, it would be to be content with the life that you live. Take time each day to appreciate things you have never taken the time to appreciate, like the tree in your front yard, how you feel when you sit on your favourite couch, the way your parents look out for you (even take time to grateful for the experience of getting in trouble), appreciate the scent of your favourite coffee shop. Take time each and everyday to be thankful for something new, and take the time to appreciate the little joys in your life. You may feel like life goes on forever, and you have time to be thankful later, but after living an entire life in one year, I can tell you, as things come to an end one of your biggest regrets will be the fact that you didn't take the time to appreciate the things you have/had.
