to nakhon, with love.

To my dearest Nakhon,

Thank you for one of the most exciting, interesting, challenging, and adventurous years of my life. Living in you has brought many struggles, but also many amazing times. You have changed my outlook on life and the way I want to live. You taught me to live a simple life with owning and having the bare minimum. Simplicity brings me happiness. There were days that I wanted to pull my hair out living in you. Crossing the street was a challenge. Ordering food was a challenge. Getting around was a challenge. Walking on "sidewalks" was a challenge. Washing my cereal bowl was a challenge. Hanging out in my room was a challenge. Going to the bathroom was a challenge (I have used the bathroom in a hole with no toilet paper far too many times).  But all of these challenges are something I would never want to trade, ever. I lived in a small room with the only place to hang out was a bed and a chair. For the first six months, Stephan and I had no transportation. Walking every where was our way of seeing you, getting exercise and staying safe. When we got a motorbike it was as if you grew 100 times bigger. You actually had beautiful greenery, waterfalls, AND beaches. More times than not, dishes were placed in front of me that I had no idea what was in them. As long as there was no meat I ate it. I ate rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nakhon, you gave me the most Thai experience, that most people will never ever know or understand. I am even struggling right now putting into words the kind of experience you gave me. I will not miss the weird looks I received every. single. day. walking down the street. Not like I stand out or anything. But way to make foreigners feel really out of place. People yelling "farang" everywhere you walk or screaming hello and cracking up. The people in you just have a funny sense of humor that I will never understand and that I gave up trying to understand. Your way of life is so simple and I admire that, but I will always wonder why people seem so in a hurry on the roads. People are so careless and destructive on your streets. I hated seeing the ambulances flying down the streets and I hated seeing the motorbikes stuck up under trucks and people laying lifeless on the road. Why is safety not important? Why are people always in such a hurry to get places, but then when you see people all they do is sit around and sleep or watch tv or eat rice. Even the teachers in my office sat around playing computer games or sleeping on pillows that they brought from home. I like how work does not consume people's lives, but it still baffles me walking in the one mall you have and seeing employees playing on their phones, checking themselves out in mirrors for hours or simply sitting on the ground. You taught me that not every one is the same, that every one has a different way of thinking and that the culture that you are raised in will forever influence you. I still don't understand the Thais that live in Nakhon, and as many other foreigners have told me, I never will. So for now, I am grateful for the sweet relationships that Stephan and I made with the employees at the five(ish) restaurants we ate at and the random people that generously said hello every day they saw us. I am thankful that washing my cereal bowl with the butt sprayer connected to the toilet is over and done with, but I am thankful for this silly memory. I am thankful for the safety that I had in Nakhon. Even though the mafia is all over you Nakhon, I'm glad they weren't after me. I am glad that the shooting that happened so close to me, did not effect my views of you. I am thankful that not everyone in you is violent. I am thankful for a full on traditional Thai experience. I am thankful for you, Nakhon. I am thankful for the experience that I had--for that life changing year that I would never trade for anything, but probably never want to do again. So for now Nakhon, it is goodbye for good (I think). Thank you for not being the only town in Thailand that I have to live in. Thank you for teaching me the crazy Thai way and for teaching me how to appreciate so many things. The idea of having more than one room to move around in makes me more excited than anything right now. The thought that I can get real healthy food, makes me want to stuff my face all day long. The thought of having more than one electrical outlet is crazy and awesome. You showed me how to live with the bare necessities and for that now I appreciate the smallest tiniest things, that most really don't think about. Thank you again, Nakhon Si Thammarat. Don't you go changing. (I don't think that will be a problem, because I don't think you have ever changed). May you inspire and teach many more farang to come. I will never forget you. 

With love, 

Sarah