When my family came as missionaries to Thailand, I really had no idea what to expect. It had been two years since I had even set eyes on it, and I was not totally thrilled about going. I had never really thought about it until after I got there and I was stuck. Well, I don’t feel that way now, but back then that is how I felt. I did not want to leave America. Everything in Thailand was different from America. It was weird they drove on the wrong side of the road. It was strange that they ate rice every single day. I did not understand a word of what anyone said to me. It was just crazy and unbelievable. I thought it was weird when I see three or four people on the back of a motorcycle. I thought it was weird that you had to take off your shoes when you went inside anywhere. Everything they did was different. I hated Thailand and everything about it. I hated the people, the food, the concrete houses, and the Thai signs on the road. I started missing home and I guess I let it overwhelm me a little bit.
All I did was sit around and call friends in America and do school. I had no desire to do anything. Nothing really amused me. I just let it overwhelm me and I felt as if I had no purpose and no reason to be here. There were many times I just wanted to go back to America. After a very long time, I finally gave up wishing for that. I finally got the idea that it was not going to happen. This went on for months. Then in September of 2012, I got saved. I had a different outlook on Thailand then. I no longer hated Thailand, but I knew why I was here. I was here, not to hate these people, but to help them come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I have learned to speak Thai, I like living in a concrete house, I can eat Thai food without a grumpy look on my face, and I enjoy life in Thailand.
Now anytime I begin to get homesick again, I think about what my friend, Emma, once told me, “Not all girls your age get the chance to go live in a foreign country. You should embrace the unique experiences.”
My advice on dealing with a foreign country is to remember why you are there, trust God, and don’t let it overwhelm you.
I hope you all enjoyed this post, check out Kristin's blog and watch out for my guest blog post that she will be posting on her blog.
