Week 7

So for this week, it was a little bit different from all the other weeks so far. On Sunday, we packed up and headed out to the Ywam base in Chiang Rai which is a couple of hours away, near the very top of Thailand. On our way there, we stopped at the highest hot spring in the country.
The reason that we are in Chiang Rai, is to go to a two week DNA conference put on by YWAM. We are actually quite lucky to be able to come to the conference because its technically only for the leaders of YWAM, and DTS students are almost never invited, but this year they let our base come.The orphanage next door let the base use their land and buildings so we all have a place to sleep as well as a big classroom for the sessions. There are 4 sessions every day, lead by three main speakers. One of the speakers is Darlene Cunningham. For those of you who don't know, Darlene and her husband Loren started YWAM. Loren is going to be coming to the conference this week so it's really really cool to be able to meet them and everything. The conference itself focuses mainly on what makes up YWAM and who YWAM is. The teachings are also about how to lead and i really like listening to those ones. It's a nice change of pace.
The orphanage that we're staying at is empty. All of the kids are on a break right now. But we realised that both of the orphanage buildings have huge flat open roofs. PERFECT for sleeping on!!! So a  couple of the girls and i have spent some nights star gazing. Its so much nicer because the rooms are cooking hot, so being outside all night is nice and cool. That is one thing that I like a lot about Chiang Rai though, its quite a bit cooler than Chiang Mai. I've actually been able to wear a sweater at night.
OH and i cant forget to mention our bathroom situation... squatty potties and freezing cold buckets of water to dump on yourself as a shower. It's oh so wonderul.
Now for the coolest thing that we did this week. We got a whole group of us together and went to the Golden Triangle. It's a place where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand all meet. You can also see China in the distance. So we went for a boat ride and stopped in Laos for a few minutes.
Afterwards we had some lunch and then went to a market in Mae Sai, which is the northernmost part of Thailand. We shopped around there for a bit and then we headed back to the base.
On the way back to the base we took vehicles called Song Taows. (we take them everywhere, they're Thailands form of taxi.) They are basically pick-up trucks with covers over the back and benches in the box. They also have a platform on the back by the bumper. So me and Kathryn, (one of the other girls from my base) stood on the back the whole time. You get a really good view of the scenery standing there. I love looking at the fields back in Abby, but let me tell you, there is no field quite as pretty as a rice field. They're such a deep and bright green. I love them. i tried taking pictures, but as usual, pictures just cant capture it.
Well that's it for this week! Talk to you all later.

This Weeks Fun Fact:

Of all the 32 people that are at our base, guys and girls,

there are only 2 people that are taller than me. Lame.