Year 1 Review

Year 1 is in the books.

I was blessed this year with a great job, great students, and great people being in my life.

My form class, P3 Faith, was a blast. I would be surprised if I don’t remember these kids for a very long time. They will always be my first class.

(all bidness)

(wacky #1)

(wacky #2)

(wacky #3)

I was able to visit many places and do many things that I thought I would only get to do in my dreams:

I was able to visit Doha and see some sick architecture.

I was able to see Liverpool play an exhibition in a packed Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta.

I was interviewed live on Jakarta TV.

I was able to visit paradise…er…Bali and the Gili Islands.

(Bali)

(Gili Trawangan)

(Gili with Lombok in the background)

I was able to visit Singapore.

I was able to pet a Komodo dragon.

I was able to visit the largest mosque in SE Asia.

(Monas with Istiqlal Mosque in the background)

I was able to witness, quite possibly, the most stereotypical Asian thing ever.

I was able to visit some of the coolest Buddhist temples in the world.

(Wat Arun)

(Wat Pho)

I was able to eat street food in Bangkok.

I was able to ride an elephant.

I was able to go bamboo rafting.

I was able to go trekking in Northern Thailand.

I was able to hold a tiger.

I was able to see ancient cave art that is thousands of years old.

I was able to see some of the world’s largest crocodiles in person.

I was able to pet a kangaroo.

I was able to drive the Great Ocean Road.

I was able to celebrate New Year’s in Melbourne.

I was able to see Tasmania in all its glory.

I was able to visit the Sydney Opera House.

I was able to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef.

I was able to visit the site of the largest volcanic explosion on Earth in the last 25 million years.

I was able to island hop in the Philippines.

I was able to meet a great girl.

(#regime #szn)

I was able to successfully complete my first year of teaching…in a brand new system…while adjusting to life on a new continent.

It has been a great first year abroad. None of this would have been possible without the love and support of all the amazing people that have been in my life. So many great people have played a part in making me the person I am today, and for that, I say thank you. I truly believe I'm the luckiest man on Earth.

I'm looking forward to Year 2.

I’ll be in Wichita late the night of the 16^th. Will be there through Ian and Hillary’s wedding. Then off to San Antonio to see a lot of family and meet Ellie. My time back home will finish with 2 (I assume to be) epic nights in KC.

I will not have a cell phone while home so the best way to hit me up will be on Facebook or email. If you ever need to get a hold of me, please email me at mattsphillips@cox.net