Packing List

What things do you list when you move to a different country? I've decided that whatever I end up taking it is fitting in one of four bags; my 2 large rolling bags, my laptop case or my rolling carry-on. I am a little worried though that I'm not going to be under the weight limit for the airlines :/ One thing I know will be with me is my VISA!!! Woo-hoo, it came in last week and I promptly went around CougarNet showing everyone. It's all pretty and has the title "Kingdom of Thailand" on it as well as a neat hologram of a Buddah or some dude meditating. So that was exciting.

On Monday I literally packed everything in my dorm room here at Concordia to make sure it will all fit in my luggage and storage containers, and it did. Now the question is whether or not it will all fit in my parents van on Friday. Hmmm... The fun part will be when I get home and decide what stays in those storage bins and what goes with me to Thailand. I know that this is coming with me for sure! Vern and Carol Klotz had me over for a wonderful dinner tonight and then gave me this beautiful journal. It's filled with neat quotes, scripture passages, and prayers as well as many blank pages to fill with stories of my adventures in Thailand. I'm sure it will be full in no time, and a gift I will treasure for a lifetime. Their questions about my travels got me thinking that so much of what will happen when I get there is completely unknown to me. With less than 27 days to go, I've got a lot to do. We discussed however, that no amount of training will be able to prepare me for how to adjust. Parents I'm sure can relate to experiencing this reality. Some things just change everything.

I don't really have any major expectations or anxieties about the move. In fact when I talk to other people, it's almost like they have thought about it more than I have. Right now I'm just thinking basics-short term; as in will I be sick the first couple weeks adjusting to the water or food? Will I learn how to eat seafood? or bugs? (please no!) How long will jetlag last? Will I accidentaly step on someone because I'm so tall? (Just kidding, just kidding!) Oh and another thing...so when Sarah and I get there we will be getting oriented and then we start Thai language courses, but they actually start the week before so we are going to be a week behind. Please pray that we are able to catch up quickly as I only know how to say hello!

Preparations and Progress

A lot has happened since Dcs. Jennie announced what the T in CWEFT (Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation Thailand) means, thus placing me in my internship position.

Graduation was on May 3rd making me the second Karkan to finish college. Dad and Mom drove in from Ohio the day before and we went to Molly's for dinner where Dwight and Angela met us. They drove in from Buffalo in Dwight's new Crossover. The weekend was really nice with them. The graduation ceremony was neat to experience from the perspective of a graduate. Perhaps the neatest part I felt was walking down the hallway lined with all the faculty applauding us on either side (as well as Dr. Bertel's look of confusion wondering why I was graduating LOL). Bri Victor did a fabulous job giving the student address, and Dwight repaid me the compliment of yelling out "THAT"S MY SISTER" as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma. Graduation was exciting, but at the same time it didn't seem real. Perhaps it's the understanding that really... I've only just begun. Unlike being full-speed on a roller coaster ride, I'm just gradually creeping my way up that first hill to the top.

In June I went to LCMS World Mission missionary orientation/training at Concordia St. Paul, MN which was UH-Mazing! All the information (including the tax filing stuff) was extremely beneficial and useful. We had some wonderful speakers and I met several new friends who will be leaving for all parts of the world in the coming months. I believe the number of new missionaries going out was like 46 of us all together. SO wonderful to see how God calls people from all over to serve Him in this way. To throw in a bit of humour some of us were mock-married when we discovered that the Mall of America even has a wedding chapel in it. My grandmother found out through facebook and called to see what was going on. (No worries, we all parted ways as just friends.) Our final week of training was spent with the lovely Char, Nancy, and Sharon who all taught us how to teach English as a Foreign Language. These women were so incredible. We had a blast and learned a lot from them.

As of an hour ago I have 5 weeks before I leave to move to Thailand. I have a plane reservation for August 25th and my visa is en route. Dang, who I'll be working with at the CWEFT office sent a brief itinerary of the first 3 months. To begin with Sarah and I will spend the first several nights in a hotel while we are "oriented" to Bangkok, the mission field in Thailand, and various other things as well. This involves a couple days with our field supervisor Pastor Bob Hedtke, a day trip to the Grand Palace, and worship in one of the local church plants. After that we move to an apartment near Bangkok Grace Polytechnic school for 3 months of Thai language study. During that time I'll be able to visit some of the different sites where CWEFT is working on projects throughout the country. On December 1st I will be getting an apartment nearby the CWEFT offices and I'll go from there.

I'm glad to say that so far everything seems to be progressing quite well. I have started to pack and give away things that aren't coming with me or going home with my parents. In regards to fundraising, I will say that I am one third of the way toward my total goal for the two years and I praise God for that! It's so incredibly humbling to see others being a means through which the Lord's work can be accomplished. Thank you so much to everyone who has given me their support and most especially their prayers.

Do you know how to tie a Thai tie-dye Thai-silk tie?

When I first found out that I would be moving to Thailand I received an email of congratulations from Preceptor Quirk in which he asked me the above question. This cute tongue twister has of course stuck with me and caused me to think. I can't say I know how to, but if it is possible to learn how to tie a Thai tie-dye Thai-silk tie then I want to learn it. This will likely be only one of a million things I am sure to learn in the next two years, and I am quite excited for the challenges that lay ahead. Who knows, I might even try to learn to eat seafood (though I'm guessing that may not even be an option). Whatever I learn, however great or small I know it will be fantastic, for the LORD is and will be with me.