Happy Monday

Today I found out what city I will be living in once I move to Laos! I have been waiting to find out for what feels like FOREVER & now I finally know. So without further ado I will be moving Luang Prabang and I will be teaching at a university there. It might sound cheesy but my heart is so full of joy right now. I am so happy, blessed, and content with life. 

Lao Lessons: Hello

I finally bought that Laos dictionary I said I would. The dictionary I bought has a three parts, The first allows you to look up an English word to see the word in Laos, the second part lists Laos words and then what they mean in English, and the third section shows the Laos word and how to pronounce it. So far it's much better than any apps I have found or teaching books, which are scarce to begin with.

I've decided to start with basic words rather than learning the alphabet or grammar. I think this will help me more once i'm there than anything else.

When Childhood Dreams Come True

Confession time, I have had a running bucket list since I was five years old. I don't know if its normal for a five year old to have a bucket list but I did. As years have passed I have continually added and crossed off things on my list, but as a five year there was only one thing, see The Broadway production of The Lion King. Oh you think i'm exaggerating but sadly I am not. Disney's The Lion King came out when I was two years old. I have grown up watching this movie and to say I was am obsessed with it is an understatement. As a kid I could not only quote every line in this movie and sing along with every song, but I would also act it out. And no matter how many times I watched it during that one part (you know what part i'm talking about) I would shout at the TV for someone to save Simba, hoping that this time the film would magically change and Mufasa would live. Although this never happened my childhood dream of seeing the show live and on stage finally came true this past Friday!

My 3rd b-day, look closely & you can see Simba & Pumba on my cake

My mom and dad "surprised" me with tickets for my birthday & by "surprise" I mean I found out at Christmas because my dad is really bad at keeping secrets. So after four long months of waiting the day finally arrived and I was as excited as a little kid going to Disney World for the first time. I seriously started giggling as the first note from the Circle of Life pierced through the Theater, and I may or may not have been one of those obnoxious people that sang along. Oops.. 

posing with Mufasa

Feeling 22

It's my birthday! WAHOO!

Today I am twenty-two years old and while most people are super excited on their birthdays, I'm not really sure how I feel about this whole getting older thing. It's not that I really fear growing up and of course I still love to celebrate, but getting older means the less young I am. Duh I know that's obvious, but I like being young. I like not having to worry about responsibility and still having the freedom to pursue anything I want. There are so many things I want to do and so little time to do them. So I guess for now you can call me Peter Pan, dreaming of flying off to Neverland where I can stay forever young.

How this girl feels about turning four is exactly how I feel about turning twenty-two

& of course what is a twenty-second birthday without playing this song on repeat all day long