#phbgtu

[wanderbeer]

Can you spot all them craft beer labels? Phuket, Thailand. Wild to have so many good beers!!! An honor to be @phbgtu pop up 3! Raising money for a good cause. . . . . #craftbeer #thailand #phuket #popup3 #phbgtu

[laurenisvolunteering-blog]

Happy Six Months, Thailand! You Saucy Minx, You

What has it been, a month or so since I updated this thing? Goodness gracious, how time flies! I can't believe I've already been in Thailand for six months.

The past few weeks have been a whirl of long days (and nights!) at work, events, nights out, and general Phuket living.

The biggest happening in the past month has definitely been our major fundraising event of the year, the Mystic Mirage! Big Boss Tina and event manager Hayley put together a fantastic night that raised more than 750,000 baht ($25,000) for our organization. I'm really proud to have been a part of it, not only because we raised so much money for the Foundation, but also because it truly was an incredible event. We worked super hard to make it happen, and I think that effort paid off. (Also, now that the rainy season has started, we were super excited about the lack of rain that night!)

Speaking of the Foundation: school starts again soon, which means the residential students will be back in no time! I miss the Coconut Club children so much, so I'm super excited to see them again. It's been so long since the students went on break, who knows if my favorites will remember me at this point!

Like I said, I've been in Thailand for a little over six months now, and at the Foundation for nearly six as well. It's a strange feeling, realizing that I've sort of built a life here and Phuket has become my world. And what a crazy world it is! Back home, it would be very out of place seeing my neighbor digging through the neighborhood trash for recycling, cats sitting on motorbikes, a random goose pen in the alley next to our office, or a near total lack of traffic rules, but here all that--among so many other quirks--is just normal.

Since I've been in Phuket for nearly six months, that means my contract with the Foundation is almost up. I know I'm going to extend my time working here, I'm just not exactly sure for how much longer. Part of me wants to keep working here, while part of me is anxious to get back on the road again and continue my long-term travel plans. Hopefully I'll know more after my dad's visit in a couple weeks and my upcoming quick trip to Singapore and Malaysia.

Until then, I'm going to continue enjoying my time in Phuket and try to make the most of it!

(In case you can't tell, this is me being a sweaty mess and enjoying myself in Phuket--specifically at a Paul Oakenfold show!)

[laurenisvolunteering-blog]

Welcome to Kamala

Greetings from Kamala, Phuket!

The weather is mostly hot and somewhat humid, it usually rains at least a couple times a week (but only for brief periods at a time), and the nights are pretty cool. I've found myself wearing jeans a couple times outside, during the day, so I think that means I'm getting used to it. The constant, intense heat means that it's incredibly important to stay hydrated, but my strong liking for coffee and Diet Coke is not conducive to that goal.

Kamala is very small, mostly consisting of a beach road, main road, and little lanes throughout. Since it's high season, the beach road is littered with tourists (making driving through the very narrow street very difficult and causing me to mutter "Stupid farang!" every thirty seconds) and the beach itself is drenched in stands, beach bars, and lounge chairs. I live in an apartment above the Phuket Has Been Good to Us office, about a one-minute walk from the beach. I try to go for morning walks along the beach, but it's already quite hot by 7 am... and I like to sleep in. Don't worry, though, I make it to the beach plenty.

I'm really enjoying volunteering for PHBGTU. My co-workers in the office and our teachers at the schools are really great people who I find very inspiring. The children at the schools are absolutely precious and sweet and I adore them. Spending time with them makes me feel very good about being here. And, of course, all the experience I'm gaining in coordinating events and cultivating sponsorship makes me feel very good about being here too!