OK - this is getting serious!  I'm finally starting to feel the anxiety...stress...overwhelmingness of my decision to go to Thailand for a year.  My suitcases aren't packed, I still have lots of stuff to do...but - I have confidence that it will all work out just fine:-)

I've rented my house and am staying with Marc & Stacey.  They are WONDERFUL hosts!  Lauren is visiting as well.  My whole little family here together*heart*

Next week I will go to Myrtle Beach with my 3 siblings - our time to bond before I leave.  Then...I'm off to Thailand on September 21st - arriving on September 22nd.  I will be in Bangkok for 3 days before settling down in Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand).

Why Thailand?
We lived there 25 years ago for 5 years.  We all loved living there for many, many reasons!  We were there during a time when Vietnamese refugees were still coming out of Vietnam after the war, and Bob worked with the Quarantine Division of CDC.  Over the 25 years, Bob had the opportunity to return once for work, but I never was able to return...until now.  Although Thailand is a very different country from the Thailand I knew from 1985-1990, I'm excited to experience the country again.  It should be a totally different experience.

Marc, Bob, Gloria & Lauren in Bangkok 1989

 Marc, Bob and Lauren in Northern Thailand 1986

This is my first blog.  I will do my very best to post on this blog once a week from now on.  I may not always meet that goal, but I'll give it my best shot!

Until next week...
Gloria