Hey you guys!
sorry I couldn’t post on my birthday was really busy that week and then had my last week of school! That is right school is now over in Thailand and I am now 16 years old. Its strange if you want to know. On my birthday I was like ok so now I say I am 16 (sip hawk) in Thai language, I can do this. Don’t feel any different just was glad I got to celebrate my birthday in Thailand. 
^ The good looking class of M.5/6 now proud to say M.6! My whole class surprised me by all 44 classmates giving 10 baht to buy me a cake! It was a complete surprise and so sweet! It was really funny when I found out that all 46 of us were going to eat it.
A little fun fact about Thai culture on birthdays, every birthday is important and they do give birthday cakes, sing happy birthday (in English). But until they surprise you with cake they act like it is a normal day and do not give presents. In fact, you give them something on your birthday. That surprised me when a teacher took me out to lunch and asked what I got my friends. Don’t panic. I got my friends some Thai treat things.
At dinner my family was at our friends house and they made sure they had food the foreigner could eat, which is really sweet of them. Dinner had at least 5 plates full of food that they could add chili peppers themselves so I could eat everything. As an exchange it is a unmentioned requirement to EAT EVERYTHING or try everything given to you. Let it be squid, small fish, the chili peppers cooked with every meal. Luckily I did not have to take such adventurous action that day.
My favorite part of that day was during dinner my older brother told me he forgot the cake at home. I do hate to admit I was deceived very well. He showed me the bag of spoons and paper plates and smiled and said sorry no eat cake in broken English and I fell for it. I was fooled even to the moment when everyone brought out a small Chinese food cookie thing that I can’t explain in English much to my horror. My mom put 6 candles in the cookie and started to sing happy birthday to me. I was laughing and smiling so hard because it was so silly looking and my Thai mom was speaking English to me for the first time. I started to get confused after she continued to sing for 3 minutes… Then everyone came in through the door they apparently left through during my mother’s singing to bring in the really cake! I am was completely surprised by friends and family twice in one day. I called my brother a liar, happy as I was to be lied to then “Wai”ed (pressing both hands together and fingers pointing upwards) and made my birthday wish. As much as I would like to share my wish I think the internet does still count by not telling anyone.
These past two weeks have been really nice. Without school I have been staying home most days and spending time with my family. I have officially been with them for 3 months and have never been happier here in Thailand. I am not thinking of the past just the moments I have left with them.
My little sister graduated kindergarten so I got to go to her school. I would love to show you pictures but my computer is slow with the internet here so I will be uploading them soon to Facebook if you care to stalk me.
I have a little less than 70 days left in Thailand and by the looks of my schedule I will be enjoying them completely. I will be going to Chiang Mai. You may not know, but it is very famous in Thailand and said to be breath taking. I am going there for my later than planned mid stay camp do to the very real situation in Bangkok. I hope to talk more about that some other time to let you know what really is going on around the world. From there I will go traveling to do a community service project that I am super excited for. The project is a part of my program with YES ABROAD. Later on in the month hopefully one of my friends on my program scholarship will be able to come to my amazing province to hangout for a week.
Then through all of this I will be working on my Capstone Project which is a final project that students of Y.A. are required to do and it is a way to share something that reflects the country I have called home for the past year. I am excited and freaking out over it but, do not worry things seem to be coming together. I will not inform you, not because I am writing this at 12:20 at night, just I want to keep it a surprise.
Overall dear friends and family, I am doing wonderfully and happy/ heartbroken to see you all so soon. I am eating all the food I can to make sure I am living up to being a fat exchange student. I am speaking Thai language every single day. I am making memories with my Thai family that does not need to share the same blood or language to know I love them. I will be better now with summer in full swing and things actually happening to be posting of my bitter sweet weekly adventures in Thailand.
Swadiee ka,
Mary
My Land to Thailand 