Transitions are tricky. Even when you transition to something better, there’s still a learning curve. My transition to Thailand has been wonderful in many ways: Tony is here and has a year of Bangkok under his belt. My school took such great care of me as I settled in my new house. And thanks to our time in Laos, the Southeast Asian culture is not entirely foreign.

Still, daily life requires learning something almost hourly as I try to navigate life. It seemed all my questions need answers immediately or I can’t function. One of my biggest challenges came as a surprise – being a vegetarian here is not at all simple. I feel like a neolithic hunter-gatherer (albeit hunting lentils, chickpeas, and tofu rather than wild animals) as I try to sort out my meals every day. Worse, my jetlag extended into chronic insomnia, which has robbed me of the rest and rejuvenation needed to power through each new day. I’m left edgy and emotional, not useful qualities in a middle school teacher.

All this is to say many special moments arise throughout my life here, AND I am exhausted. I often think, “Oh wow, I should blog about that!” but by the time I can sit down to write, I just want to crash on the sofa with a glass of wine and a mindless show on Netflix.

I had a revelation yesterday. The whole reason I started my blog was to document this incredible life for myself. I don’t have to wait for spectacular travel experiences or full-length feature stories. I’ll just share the interesting, weird, wonderful, and frustrating moments as they happen. So, stay tuned …

Lovely moment of the week: Our community was introduced to Naziya, a Pakistani woman who trained as an esthetician. Many of her family members have fled to Thailand to seek asylum, and one way they are making ends meet is by selling food. Always on the quest for good vegetarian meals and a sucker for a facial, I invited Naziya to my home for a treatment earlier this week. She cooked saag paneer and garlic naan for me, which was delicious, and I’m pretty sure I look 10 years younger after her glorious facial.