Happy New Year!

31 December 2008
… “I hope everyone’s holiday festivities have been decorated with love and time with friends and family. I have felt blessed to still be here in Seattle because my original departure date was supposed to be back in November….but now its scheduled for Jan 3rd. So as I sit here today, December 31st, 2007, at my mom’s kitchen table, I am admiring the gorgeous blue sky shining in Seattle, taking in these last few glimpses of the city I have called home for over 30 years. Some of you might be asking, you’re doing what?! You’re moving to Thailand?! How did that happen?! Well, here is the story…”

Can you believe it?! Yep, that was the first day I started to sit down and write about my adventures. My year of writing started EXACTLY a year ago with that entry. Today is December 31st, two thousand and EIGHT.

Since that entry, I have flown across the globe to Thailand, moved from my home on Queen Anne into a room with a bed in a staff apartment building, worked as a holistic physician at a health resort on the beach, have met amazing people from literally all around the world, learned to speak a bit of Thai, eaten more Thai food in a week than I ever had before in my entire life, ate dinner on the roof of a 65-story building in Bangkok, rode an elephant around ancient temple ruins, explored deep into caves in the north of Thailand, snorkeled in clear blue waters off islands in the south of Thailand…and have said good-bye to everyone I met in Thailand…

…Have flown to Indonesia, arrived exhausted from having flown all night, asking myself, “Why the heck did I think adjusting to yet again another new culture would be a good idea?!”…Yet, I found an amazingly cute little place for $10/night where my hot breakfast is delivered to my patio every morning, spent Christmas dinner with my aunt and uncle and cousins who were vacationing here for the holidays, spent today exploring town and met more friendly people that speak English than I did during my entire year living in Hua Hin….and right now, am writing to you from a funky little café, here in this town called Ubud, on this tropical island of Bali.

It has just become dark…must be a bit after 7pm. Living near the equator, it pretty much gets light at 7am and dark at 7pm, everyday, all year round. It’s new year’s eve, so I guess I’ll stay up late and walk around town. But to me right now, its just another day, as have all the other holidays been to me this season. I’ve enjoyed it, really. No pressure to go shopping and buy a bunch of stuff that I’m not sure if anyone will like. No parties where I leave with a belly over-stuffed with holiday cuisine and of course, chocolate of all sorts. No worries like, “Oh gosh, what dress should I wear to the party?” Its just been simple. No stress…no holiday stress that is.

Adjusting to yet again a new culture isn’t exactly easy. Then, on top of that, who knows what hit me… but on about my 5th day here, I was horribly sick. My throat was so raw it hurt to swallow. My ears hurt. Sneezing. More sneezing. Nose running like a faucet. My chest ached. I went out and got a massage and then slept for 14 hours… I woke up the next morning amazingly okay! Thank goodness.

Anyway, back to my cute little café where I am sitting right now. So what am I doing here in Bali? Well, resting, relaxing, healing….and turning all of my writings into a book. My visa allows me to be here for 60 days. And that is all the plans I have…for now anyway.

I only have 8% left on my laptop battery and I really need to go pee. So I just wanted to take this moment to capture the fact that I started writing exactly a year ago to the day…and to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. May the wonderful journeys of life, mine and yours, continue into this next year to come…and may 2009 be a beautiful year for all of us! Jody ☺