It has been just over six weeks since I returned home from my first six months as a full time missionary in Thailand. It has been very bitter sweet — while it is great to be home with friends and family, I have also left a lot of friends and family back in Thailand.
As many of you can imagine, my first six months were extremely busy and even more adventuresome. When I returned back to the States, I was expecting questions like, “What was the craziest thing that happened to you while you were there?” or “What do you eat the most of?” And while these questions got asked a lot, they still were not the most common question I have been asked since getting back.
The most common question I get asked is “What do you do all day?” or “What does a typical day look like?” So, to answer this question for everyone I will share with you what my day looks like on most days.
7:00 AM: I usually wake up and spend some time alone with Jesus: reading, praying, worshiping, or a combination of these things.
After this, I spend some time catching up on the emails and messages that I missed from the night before. (Or if I am really lucky and the Internet is running well and the Rangers are playing, I will be able to watch the game from my laptop before starting my day!)
8:30 AM: I get washed up and prepared for the day and by 9:00, I am out the door.
9:15 AM: I arrive at the cafe, greet the girls as I walk in, order my breakfast, and catch up with Liz, my coworker before getting into the day.
10:00 AM: By this point, I am usually running around like crazy trying to answer all the questions the teams have about ministry or free time or toilet paper.
12:00 Noon: I run out or grab some Thai food from the cafe for a little while. If we get a team in that day, I will run orientation for a few hours before their brains are totally fried and they need a break for the day. If we don’t have a new team in, I will either continue the morning’s work of answering random questions or I will take some time to counsel team leaders or members until they head back out for more ministry.
4:00 PM: Around this time I get to head downstairs and hang out with the girls in the cafe. My favorite ways to pass this time are to crack some jokes with Gwang, color some pictures with Mai and Pi Dok Mai, or tease Pi Bing as much as possible.
After a couple of hours of spending quality time with the girls working in the cafe, the teams begin getting back from ministry, so I answer any questions they have and make sure they are all set for the night. If the cafe is busy, I also help out with greeting customers and waiting tables.
8:00 PM: My day at the cafe is coming to a close. I say goodbye to the girls and sometimes grab a bite to eat with a friend before heading home.
9:00 PM: I wrap up my day by answering emails, catching up on work for CODE, reading, and preparing for the next day.
10:00 PM: I climb into bed and watch a movie as I fade off to sleep so that I can wake up ready to begin again!
Although I get most Sundays off, this schedule gives you a pretty good idea of where you can find me Monday through Saturday. I know this sounds like a pretty crazy schedule, but I love it!
I get to spend a lot of time with people I love, doing the things I love and that is what really helps me get through the long days and crazy times. Although it has been great to visit the States, I can’t wait to get back home to my life and the people I love in just a few days!