thailand: a land rich in culture, history and amazing food

In 2017, I had the opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia for three weeks with my family.  Let me just say it was the most culturally beautiful and spiritually eye-opening trip I've taken so far. 

Thailand is a country with many different types of people, including my own. My parents took my siblings and I to visit some of our Hmong villages and old refugee campsites in Northern Thailand and it was quite an emotional journey for all of us considering how deeply rooted those places are in our family history. 

One of my favorite memories was visiting my great grandma's grave site to pay our respects. I couldn't help but feel like she was there with us, watching over us and saying "hello". Sometimes I wonder how different life would've been if she had made it to America like the rest of us. Would I still be the same person? Would I still be here?

The people of Thailand are kind, humble and hardworking. Though life isn't easy, they embrace each day with smiles on their faces and a positive attitude and I really felt that everywhere we went. It makes you look at life a little differently when you see how people in other parts of the world live. We'll never forget the efforts that the Thai government made back then, taking in our people and offering us safety and shelter during a time of suffering. This beautiful country that my parents and their parents once called home. One day, I hope to return again...