Home is where the Cat is!

It has been a while since I last updated.  A lot had been going on and it is often hard to think of time to write.  I will get better.

So I said that I would introduce where I live.  I will also give you an update as to what I have been doing lately.

One of the first things that I had to do when I arrived in Chiang Mai was to find a place to live.  I looked at 2 houses and God really directed me to take the larger of the two.  I am not entirely sure why that is but I know that God has a plan and I am trusting him.

My house has only ever been lived in by missionaries so that is nice.  You can often tell how long it has been since someone was in Chiang Mai by who they remember living in the house.  I wonder how long it will take before it is known as Jen's House?  It is also known as the: pink house, hot house or (if you are my present housemate) the Crazy House. :-)

My Front Gate

There is a dip in the road outside my gate so it often floods.  However, my house is basically flood proof.  There is a about a 1 to 1.5 meter incline that the water would have to raise before it could even get in the front of the house. 

I live very close to the Mekong Centre where I am based out of.  It is very nice to be so close to where I study.  I also am only about a 6 - 10 minute bike ride to my school (depending on how long it takes to cross the main street).  It is very convenient.  I have started to meet some of my neighbours as well. 

In another post I will show you some of the great places I have found in my neighbourhood to eat.  There is really great food here. 

I live presently with my cat, Mimi.  She really does own the place and I am just there to take care of her every need.  She is a very effectionate and loving cat.  She is playful to the point that I can't let her in my room when I want to sleep because she is trying to play when I am trying to sleep.

A very rare calm moment.

I go to school at The Manna Thai Language School but I study at the Mekong Centre Language Desk.

Very studious, can't you tell.

Please see the attached video for a tour of my new home. My Thai House  

I look forward to hearing from you.

Life in Thailand

Hello Everyone,

So first of all, I finally feel like I am settled enough that I can take some time and update my blog.  Life has been so busy that I have not had the time.  I do appologize.

Over the next few posts I want to introduce you to the different aspects of my new life.  In this first one, I want to give you a bit of a rundown as to what I have been doing since I arrived in Thailand.

I arrived in Chiang Mai on August 13th.  I was staying at the OMF Guest House, called Hudson House while I got settled and found a home. 

Mekong Centre and Hudson House

During the first few days I was given some orientation on living in North Thailand and started to get introduced into the different aspects of my new life.  I looked at a couple of homes, went shopping for a cell phone and bike.  I also got shown different areas of the city. 

The Friday, August 16th I went to visit the Language school I would be attending.  I actually ended up sitting in on a class.  The class I was joining had stated on August 12th so I needed to catch up with the rest of the class.  So on Saturday, August 17th I went for a 2 hour catch up class.  I will tell you, trying to cram 4 lessons (2 hours a piece) into a 2 hour session was exhausting.  But my teacher is really nice and my class mates are really patient with me.  I am attending the Manna Thai Language School.  I am in class with a Korean couple.  My teacher is called kruu Anee.  Kruu means teacher in Thai. 

The school is not to far from the Mekong Centre where I have my language desk and do my individual study and homework.  It is only about a 6 minute bike ride.  The schedule for my language study is putty full.  I am presently doing fulltime study, and trust me, I need it.

Language study is from Monday to Friday:
9 to 9:40 am - review previous days lessons
10 to 12 am - Lessons with Teacher
          Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have group lessons
          Tuesday and Thursday I have Individual Lessons with the teacher.
               - Sometime this time is changed to 1 - 3 with a different teacher
1 to 5 pm - Homework, Culture Lessons and Individual Study at Mekong Centre

In the evenings and on Weekends I am trying to expore my area of the city and try to use what little Thai I now have. 

Well that is a glimps into my life of Language study.  Next time I will introduce you to where I live.  I will even give you a tour of my house.

Thanks for Praying.

First Stop... Singapore!

Wow, I am so bad at writing.  I have been in Singapore for over 2 weeks and not yet written.  In my own defense they keep us so busy that I have had no chance to write.  So much is happening and going on all the time.  There are sessions during the week and fun events in the evenings and on weekends.
After having a busy few weeks getting ready to leave for Asia, it was time for me to leave.  

PIBC @ Airport

I truly feel blessed to have a supportive church and family that are standing behind me during this time.

It has been a crazy time of change and transition.  I am not even sure if it has fully hit me yet that I have really left.  I have spent so much time traveling over the past couple of years that it feels like I will be home in just a couple of weeks.  Yet, this is not one of those trips.  I will be heading to Thailand from Singapore and truly begin this adventure.  I pray that I am ready for this. 

Yet my time in Singapore has had its fun moments as well as its emotional times.  I have had the opportunity to experience some fun things and enjoy the times outside sessions.

A Park in Little India

A Chinese Church in the middle of Little India

Then on Friday a whole group headed to Santosa Island for an afternoon at the beach.

The Tram

That is a Peacock walking around.

Saturday was quite and then topped up with a trip to the Singapore Gardens by the Bay.  The most exciting part was getting to visit the indoor garden called "Cloud Mountain".  If you ever get to Singapore you have got to go visit this garden.  It is truly one of a kind.  

The night was a lot of fun.  You can see more photos of the garden on my Facebook.  I will try to write again before I leave Singapore.  I am so glad for everyone who is following along on this adventure.

A Week of Meetings and Fellowship

The past 3.5 months have not been the easiest or the most restful.  My schedule has been busy and getting busier.  I realize I have not written for a while but Serve Asia is getting really busy.  I am in a conference for the week.  This is the Home Staff Mobilization Conference.   A time for regional mobilizers from across Canada to join together with those of us on the Home Staff, working in Mississauga, a time of fellowship, growth and sharing.  I am not a huge fan of meetings but it has been nice to see people that I only e-mail with.  The meetings are not that much fun, but the conversations have been amazing.  This week has been one of facing the changes that are coming on all of us at the office, as well as facing the changes that are coming for me and my department.  It is beginning to look like I may actually be able to leave for Asia on schedule.  That thought along is terrifying. 

God often uses songs to really speak to me in times when I have gotten so busy I have trouble stopping long enough to listen.  Songs are what God uses to touch my heart many times.  This week a couple of songs really spoke to me.  I want to share them with you all.

Be Exalted, O God by: Brent Chambers

I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the people.

I will sing praises to thee, Among the nations

For thy steadfast love is great, Is great to the heavens.

And thy faithfulness,

Thy faithfulness to the clouds. 

Be exalted, O God, Above the heavens. 

Let thy glory be over all the earth, 

Be exalted, O God, Above the heavens          

Let thy glory be over all the earth.

I have also been extremely tired lately, and then a song was brought to my mind.  It can sometimes be hard to fully trust God when we are tired, yet, the more tired we are, the more we need to rely on His strength.

The Steadfast Love Of The Lord by Edith McNeill

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases                    

His mercies never come to an end      

They are new ev’ry morning                                                 

New ev’ry morning

Great is they faithfulness, O Lord                            

Great is they faithfulness!                       

May God grant each of you and myself His mercies this day.

I challenge each of you to allow yourself to be renewed each day, in God’s perfect wisdom and love.   How is God speaking to you?