The Grand Finale to Grad School

After being home for hardly any longer than two weeks, I started the long trip back down to So Cal again. The one perk that broke the trip up for me was picking up my graduation gift to myself in Sacramento- a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. Coming back to Loma Linda after a six-month hiatus was quite the whirlwind of catching up with friends and getting ready for all the formalities of graduation. I spent part of the week jumping back on the work circuit as a health consultant out in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica for Health Solutions, Inc again. In the middle of all the chaos surrounding graduation, it was so special to be able to spend some much-needed time with my good friends, Heidi and Lauralen.

Graduation weekend (June 13-15) was packed to the max with a very nice Baccalaureate service at the Loma Linda University Church, the School of Public Health banquet for the handful of my classmates that were able to make it back to the States for graduation exercises, getting to see Lauralen receive her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and then finally receiving my Masters in Public Health for Global Health late on Sunday evening. It meant so much to me to have my parents and sister fly in to attend the ceremony and to celebrate with them all weekend.

And Finally, Home.

I'm finally back States-side and thrilled to have some serious rejuvenation time at home. Dad and I took the Harley out for a beautiful morning ride up to Blue Lake in the Warner Mountains today.

Cambodia

Hanging out with these girls at the orphanage and listening to their dreams for an entire morning while they played with my hair was one of the most priceless memories I will forever treasure from Cambodia.

The Beauty That is Indochina

As multicultural as it gets....our friends from Holland, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, and Argentina.

Riding the "refugee" boat down the Mekong for 2 days. Huay Xai to Luang Prabang, Laos.

Almost to Luang Prabang!

Luang Prabang

Cooking School in Luang Prabang.




Laos seemed like the most logical place for a great splurge. We stayed at the Shanti Villa Resort and Spa on the outskirts of Luang Prabang for one night. For an extremely affordable price, I was able to experience what it's like to be a spinach wrap for an entire hour. Actually, I had a green tea body scrub and massage where the masseuse rubbed slimy tea leaves (that resembled chopped spinach) all over my body and then rolled me up in plastic wrap to marinate. All I was missing was a bag of chips on the side. I also took a peaceful night dip in that lovely pool pictured above.





Showing off our splurge-worthy digs.





5 am in Ventiane, Laos before our flight to Cambodia. Entirely too early for a genuine smile.






Wow, I look like a picture from StarTracks in People magazine where they spot celebrities trying to disguise themselves anonymously in cafes. Except I look like when Britney Spears went downhill. And I apparently read newspapers upside down.




Biking the 26K around the Angkor Wat ruins.



6 AM at Angkor.

Just a girl with broomstick hair in reflection at Angkor.

One of those thrilling Tuk-Tuk rides that leaves your face smeared with dirt and your hair in one huge tangle.

At an organic farm in Vang Vieng, Laos. We were really hoping to hang out with the tree gnomes.

Writing more postcards...that never got mailed. I'm a great friend.

Kinda felt like a rainforest, as evidenced by soaking wet pants. Vang Vieng, Laos.

We couldn't afford to rent a motorbike in Thailand, so we had to go "economy". :)

Riding a cramped chicken barge down the Mekong River for 2 days...not so mmmmm.

I'm either pensive or angry. :)

Trying to get back in touch with my Montanan roots.

They told me I had bad posture and gave me some brass rings to help. :) Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Traveling in style atop an elephant in Chiang Mai.

Going crazy after 3 days in Vang Vieng, Laos.