My Explanation-In Defense of Me.

What can I say? These past few months have not been what I’d been hoping for. I love my classes, friends, and the feeling of being the oldest in the school. I love being the leader for all of my freshman and sophomore friends. There is one thing; however, that has been weighing on my happiness: the way I have been treated throughout the school for being a cheerleader. I became a cheerleader my junior year to make the change I so desperately needed in my life. Every second of the cheer seasons last yearI loved. I was part of something amazing. The student section wasn’t always the most supportive, and yes, it’s true, the poster wars we had with the stats did turn into full-out catfights, but at the end of the year we all came together and celebrated an almost miner victory. This year most of the student section agreed to be more supportive and the stats and cheerleaders hugged it out. I thought we were on track to an incredible year. Something happened though. If you’re curious with what went wrong I encourage you to keep reading.

1. The beginning of football season started like any other, stressful. Learning a new school song routine, hello-cheer, and floor cheers isn’t the easiest thing to do. It takes creativity and a nice calm, “CRASH!” wait...what was that? Oh. I just got hit in the head with a basketball. Who did that? My coach’s kid. Let’s face it; it’s hard to practice with five children running all over the place. Hopefully our coach will get here soon. Maybe then we can stretch in peace.We can’t practice without a coach being there consistently to support us and focus on our improvement.

2. We had two cheer captains that the other three girls were never made aware of. Ever heard of a power struggle? Yeah..I feel like I don’t have to explain that any more.

3. Having to work concessions, fundraise, make posters, get a sports physical, practice, and show up to games are some of the tasks we had to do. This is what I like to call a double standard. The school seems to think we are a club and a sport. Still not sure how that works…

4. Our high school administration did not even once clap or shout with our crowd cheers. I know this for a fact. Every game I would watch them. They paid no attention to us, or blankly starred at us. Thanks for the support.

5. We can no longer find you guys a coach, so we have to cut the program. No one wants to deal with you cheerleaders and the coach has to be part of the school system. For everyone’s information, last year the girls head basketball coach wasn’t part of the Beulah School Staff. The dance coach also isn't part of the school system.

6. The five of us girls were not perfect, but the way cheer was handled, set us up for failure. Mistakes were clearly made and priorities were not where they should have been.

Near the end of football season, we were told by the athletic director that our squad looked like a joke and there was no point of us cheering for basketball season if only two girls consistently showed up. We just make the school look bad. Showing up to a game, the next day, with that mentality is detrimental. The crowd and a few students would tell us how bad we looked and pointed out all our flaws. This went to my head quite quickly. Being constantly bullied by everyone is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with in my life. That’s the only reason I left the football field that day. I was being bullied, and honestly I still am.

But leaving the field that day was the worst decision of my life. Everyday someone will bring it up. People try to blame it on my coach or another cheerleader. Even though I was also being put down by them, they aren’t the reason why I left. I never give anyone a definite answer to that question. I have never once talked bad about my coach or another teammate to any other student or faculty member. I am aware however of the rumor that I am trash talking these individuals, this rumor is not true. I am ending that right now.

The way the cheer program has been handled is completely unacceptable. We are not treated fairly or are given the opportunities to succeed. We have zero support.

The way I have been treated these past two weeks is what really hurts me. My coach never asked why I left the field that day. She still doesn’t know to this day. I got a twenty minute lecture yesterday about how the cheerleaders are full of drama, and we don’t deserve a basketball cheer team. We were told the administration doesn’t care about the little cheerleaders and we need to immediately stop talking to them about it. We are just annoying them. Every day I feel attacked by students and faculty about my decision to cheer and my decision to walk off the field. I am being treated differently. Every day I am being bullied, and I have kept it on the inside for too long. It has gone too far in these past weeks. I no longer want to attend school. I’ve had enough. I’m not asking for an apology. I am just asking for everyone to back off. Enough is enough.

Just Think.

I figure one thing out, and then another unknown comes flying my way.  I finally have realized this is how life works. What should I eat? Who should I be friends with? What should I be when I grow up? Is this really a good idea? Decisions, decisions, decisions…

My mind is constantly in panic because of all these choices! I’ve had a constant headache for the past two weeks because I think way too much about everything. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big decisions or a small one. I always wonder, “How will this affect me later in life?” I want to do the right thing, but I don’t know what the right thing is. The last thing I want to do is be filled with regret, but I don’t want to miss out on opportunities because I’m too busy weighing the pros and the cons.

My gut, head, and heart always pull me in different directions. Lately every single decision I make seems like the wrong one. No matter what I say or do, my friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, coach, or boss will be unhappy with me I’m sick of it. I should be making decisions based on what I want to do and what I believe is best.  I need to find the balance of over thinking and not thinking at all. I have a brain, and I trust it. Hopefully people can learn to trust me.

 

16 Lessons

            There are only 16 days left before the school year of 2012-2013 is over. Only 16 days left of calling myself a junior.

            This year is a perfect example of how time flies. I have learned and experienced hundreds of lessons that will impact me for the rest of my life. Not everything has gone exactly according to plan, but looking back I wouldn’t change a thing.

            The biggest lesson I learned this year is that things won’t always be perfect. The best example I have is, 8 months ago my best friend moved away. This was one of the hardest transitions I ever had to go through. I quickly learned that things won’t be how they used to be.  With different time zones, new friends, and busy schedules, people grow apart and long distance relationships (of all kinds) take more work than I am usually willing to put into them. Other relationships are worth the work.

            I made a major change in my life when I joined the Beulah High School Cheer Team. Celebrating victory and victory again was incredible. Getting to know the football and basketball team and learning how determined and dedicated these guys were, inspired me to never give up until it truly is over. I’ll never forget all of the joy, memories, and tears I’ve shared with these people.

            As I turned 17, I learned what it means to be a true friend and how easy it is to make a difference in someone’s life. I took chances, like letting a complete stranger move in with me and opening myself up to different friends. Through this I have gained not one, but two new best friends. Others have taught me exactly what I don’t want to be.

            I know these aren’t all the important things that have happened to me, but they are the stories that have stuck out to me the most. My junior year has taught me to watch what I say. It’s easier to learn through other people’s stories than your own, and its okay to let go sometimes. Doing stupid things is part of high school. I know when my senior year comes, I will make a thousand more mistakes. I’m okay with that though. I’ll just add it to my list of 16 lessons and keep on moving on with life. 

The Typical Crazy Stressful Busy Working Teenage Life

“Ring, Ring, Ring”

I can’t be late today. I just can’t, not again. I run out of the school doors straight for the parking lot. I have no choice but to ignore my friends’ waves of goodbye. I drive straight to Tesoro.  Sprinting to the bathroom I pull on my black pants and visor. I’m ready and it’s only… 3:35. Of course, I’m late. I ignore the glares of the day ladies as I walk into the tiny back of Subway and punch in.

Not only am I late, but I’m also hungry. No, more like starving. There is no chance that I will ever get to eat until the supper rush is over. Sometimes I don’t even get a break at all. I guess stealing pickles from the bane will have to suffice for now. The hours go by 4,5,6,7. Seriously! Does everybody have to eat at Subway today? There has been a line out the door for three hours! I feel like a robot.

“What can I get for you?” What kind of cheese?” “Would you like the works?

 I have all these phrases memorized. I know how to make every sub by heart. This job isn’t hard, but I just want to go home.

 I can’t stop thinking about the assignment that is due at 11:00 p.m. I need to submit it on time. My grade cannot go down. It’s now 9 p.m., then 10. How am I going to study for the history test and get all my algebra done? Finally, 10:30, closing time.  I’m leaving. I speed home to turn in my online assignment at 10:59. What a relief!  Now time to study and teach myself Algebra. At last 1 o’clock a.m…time for bed. I can’t wait to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Foreign Exchange

Ever since I was a freshman in high school, my sisters have abandoned me for the college life. I have been left in Beulah as an only child. I did not like being alone. The house was too quiet and I had no one to help me with Algebra. Something must be done. Then came my first encounter a foreign exchange student. A girl from Thailand needed a home and I needed a new sister. Bingo! I just solved my problem! A girl named Bam moved in with us, and although we were completely different and two years apart, we were best friends. I was devastated when Bam moved away at the end of the school year. I was an only child again. I completed my sophomore year by myself, feeling like something was missing.

This year, I had my second encounter with the foreign exchange student program. Again, a girl from Germany needed a new family and I quickly offered to be her host sister. It took some convincing, but my parents finally agreed to become a host family again. As soon as Emy walked in the door, I knew we would get along great. As the news reporter said, “We connected faster than magnets.” Emy and I are practically the same person from different countries. We are always laughing and having an awesome time. She has become my best friend.

Being a host sister can be a lot of work. It can be a lot of pressure knowing that it is up to me if they have a positive or negative experience in America. But I know the pros outweigh the cons. I have grown as a person from hosting two foreign exchange students. I have a better sense of culture and have made a difference in two girl’s lives. I will never regret my decision to share my family and my high school years. I have gained two amazing friends! If anyone is thinking of hosting a foreign exchange student I would definitely recommend it.  It is an amazing opportunity that I wouldn’t change for the world!

Kitty

Here furry! Come Furball! Stinky! Sassafras! Come here already! Kitty! She looks up from her designated pillow, lets out a quiet, “Meow”, then goes back to sleep.

My 12 year old cat, named Kitty is the cutest, fattest, and laziest cat on planet earth. Her day consists of sleeping, eating, laying in the sun, begging for food, and then sleeping even more. She absolutely hates being brushed and I’m still trying to recover from the traumatic experience of trying to give her a bath! She is constantly trying to lick my fingers, but just ends up biting them. She is so old that she is barely able to jump up unto her chair and walks with a permanent limp.  I’m honestly surprised she even lived through my years of being a toddler. I would pick her up by the neck and throw her into my baby carriage. When I got older, I always had friends over for my birthday party. Kitty would hide underneath my parent’s bed and shake while we all tried to pet her. Let’s just say, this cat has been through a lot.

Kitty is truly my best friend. While most girls my age are hanging out with their boyfriends or other friends, I have my cat. I can always count on her and she will never tell anyone my deepest darkest secrets. She is always there for me with her soothing licks and purrs of encouragement.

 

However, if you aren’t my dad or I, my cat will hate you. She is not afraid to hiss or bite any stranger that even looks at her! The only possible way of ever becoming friends with her is to give her ice cream, her favorite food.

Even though sometimes it is hard to live with such a princess, I love her. She is the best kitty I could ever ask for. So I guess you can call me a cat person, but in my eyes I am a Kitty person.

My Not-So-Secret Addiction

Okay, I give up. I admit it. I have a Facebook, Pinterest, Wanelo, Tumblr, Twitter, and MLIA addiction. I cannot go a day without these glorious apps. They make my life complete. I will never EVER be bored again. Facebook and Twitter keep me updated on what my friends are doing. Pinterest and Wanelo make me want to start planning my wedding and become rich. Finally Tumblr and MLIA let me know I’m not the only weird person in the word. What could possibly be better!

In addition to these addictions I also have an Unblock Me, Fun Run, Temple Run 2, and What’s the Word obsession. The only problem I ever encounter with these games is when my phone glitches out or dies. When playing these games all my worries go away. Nothing in the real word matters anymore.

Well…Ever since I got my new smart phone, I guess I have encountered some problems in my non-virtual life. I’ve noticed as soon as I pick-up my phone, time starts to fly! What feels like a minute, has actually been two hours. Although I’ve updated my status and beat two levels in Temple Run, I have yet to even start my school work. On Saturdays I will lay in my bed until the afternoon, because everything I need, I have in my phone. Why would I actually get up and do something productive in my life?

I know I’m not the only one who has this problem, but I do believe I am one of the few to admit to it. This problem is affecting my school work and my social life; however, I have no intention of giving up any of these social networking sites or games. The apps will remain on the home screen of my phone and I hope one day soon I will get more self control.

Cheerleader

“It might be the last game of the season. Make sure to cheer loud and be prepared to lose your voice. Ready? Okay, let’s do this.”

“R-O-W-D-I-E that’s the way we spell rowdy, rowdy. Let’s get rowdy! Woo!”

Toe-touches, big bows, intense games, long nights, and McDonalds. This is what cheerleading is made of.

The seven month season is finally over. I am relieved, but heartbroken at the same time. I will no longer have to attend three hour long practices that consist of perfecting our school song, starting lineups, and sideline cheers. The bruises on my arms and ribs can finally heal from the stunts that didn’t go quite right. And the elementary school will no longer have to worry about me spilling paint all over their carpet every time I attempt to make a poster.

This was my first year being a cheerleader and I have learned so much! There is a lot more to cheerleading than meets the eye. It takes dedication, a positive attitude, and a lot of flexibility. Because of this sport, I have met six amazing girls. These are the other Beulah High School Cheerleaders, but I call them my best friends. We can trust one another and always have each other’s back. That’s the unique thing about cheering, unlike any other team where there is about 30 students stepping on each other to become a starter, our squad can only have a maximum of eight girls. No one thinks they are better than someone else. We support each other, because we understand each other.

The thought of cheering gives me butterflies. There is no other feeling like being in front of a crowd, the passion radiating off the players and the excitement bouncing from the crowd. It gets my adrenaline pumping so fast I feel like I’m going to explode! I take huge pride being on the sidelines cheering for the Beulah Miners. We will always be there to cheer and support the team, even if they lose the biggest game of the season. Cheerleaders are the team’s number one fan (well after the parents).

I know a lot of people don’t have enough respect for us. Some think we get annoying and are in the way of their view. Others may have the irrelevant opinion that what we do isn’t a sport. This year I have been disrespected at every single game I have cheered at. People, especially teenagers, have ripped our posters down, cursed at us, have told us that we look stupid, and even have thrown rocks at us.  This used to hurt my feelings, but it doesn’t anymore. I love what I do and nothing will change that.

 If you are one of those people who decide to talk bad about us or tell us to move, just remember that cheerleaders are part of the team they are cheering for. We aren’t going anywhere. We are at the game for the same reason you are, to cheer on the team. Criticizing us won’t make us disappear and it certainly won’t help the team win.

I think cheerleading is one of those things that someone doesn’t understand until they become one. Therefore not a lot of people understand us, and that’s okay. I just ask that you don’t criticize us before you get to know us. Cheerleading is my life. It’s made me a more confident and determined person.  I have made six amazing friends and some of the best memories of my life. I can’t wait to see what next season will bring, but I do know one thing for sure. I have no intentions of letting anyone ever dull my sparkle.

Coach and Teacher?

Coach or Teacher?

High School is one of the most important parts of a person’s life. It prepares us for college and the work force. The education we get in high school can either make or break us. With so much riding on our education, I think that schools should be focused on preparing us for our future, but I believe they are focused on something completely different, athletics. Teachers are pushed to the back burner to make room for the more important adults, the coaches. Many coaches tend to be teacher because coaching alone isn’t a full time job. Every year well qualified and passionate teachers are overlooked for jobs because a school wants to hire a teacher that can also be a coach. If we have the best coach, we have the best sports team, therefore the best school.

I believe teachers should not be allowed to be coaches. Education needs to come first. This year more than half of my teachers are coaches. I have noticed that during their season the teachers sometimes seem less focused on teaching the lesson and come to school ill prepared. Our class is given tests or study halls coincidently the day after a game. When we ask why we have to take a test the teachers openly admit that they didn’t have time to prepare the next lesson. Yet, they expect the athletes to have time to study. If that isn’t a double standard, I don’t know what is. Shouldn’t teaching always come first? Isn’t a teacher’s job to teach?

            I do acknowledge that this isn’t always the teachers fault. I feel that the school puts a lot of pressure on them to be the best coach and teacher possible. There is only so much time in a day and I’m sure it is hard to get all this work done.  Although coaching shouldn’t come first, the fear of repercussions puts even more fear and pressure to always win.

 On a weekly basis my coach teachers have spent over 15 minutes talking about last night’s game with the interested students. Last time I checked sports has absolutely nothing to do with school work. 15 minutes of my time has just been wasted. I could have been taught new material to better prepare me for my future. Teachers are also often unable to teach their afternoon classes due to away games. I’m tired of feeling that I am getting shorted out. I am an athlete too and I realize that sports are important and it does teach lessons and builds character. But if we lose it won’t affect my whole life. If I don’t get to learn all my needed material because a teacher is tired from coaching, it will affect me. It could potentially cost me needed ACT and GPA points, which I need to get into college. That will affect me for the rest of my life.

I realize that I go to a public school, but this concept still seems unfair. It is not in the best interest of the students. I would love for the administration to comment on this and make their stance on the matter. I know some teachers are an exception to this blog and really do love teaching and coaching and do a wonderful job at both. I’m not trying to burn any bridges or direct this at anyone in particular, but I believe in my opinions and needed to make myself known.

The 56th Session

 Tossing and turning. Tossing and turning. Just go to sleep, I think. Stop worrying. It’s 11, then 12, finally 1. It’s 1 o’clock in the morning and still I've had no sleep. Just tossing and turning. That’s it! I can’t take it anymore! I jump out of my bed and tiptoe upstairs to the computer. I just have to know. Shaking, I slowly type in my username and password for my g-mail account. This is the moment of truth. I click on the new email I knew would be waiting for me. Taking a deep breath I look at the message, “Congratulations”, it reads “You have been selected to represent Girl Scouts Dakota-Horizons at the 56^th session of the commission on the Status of Women taking place February 24- March 2. I keep reading that sentence over and over again. Excitement creeps into my body, but so does panic. My heart is racing; my palms are damp with sweat. I am stunned with disbelief. I can’t believe they chose me.

The next months were a blur. Listening to webinars every Sunday evening, researching gender equality, packing my bags, and doing a weeks’ worth of homework didn't even faze me. My heart was in a permanent race. New York is all I could think about.

February 24, the day I was leaving, quickly came. I drove to school to take one final quiz and then I was on my way to the Bismarck airport. I've never even been on a plane and now I have to get on one and fly all the way to New York by myself. At least I would be able to meet the three other girls in Minneapolis. The flight was also free, so that’s always a bonus!

When I got off the plane three girls’ happy yet nervous faces greeted me. After introductions, we all silently walked to our next gate to fly to New York. On the plane I start talking to one of the girls, named Lorisa. She was from Webster, South Dakota. It turns out we have a lot in common! Our adviser then tells us we will be rooming together in the hotel. We couldn't be more excited!

Every day in New York brought us a new adventure. We got up at 4:30 each morning and were usually out the door by 6. We went to sessions, conferences, and caucuses at the United Nations and discussed how to improve gender equality. People really valued our opinions! None of us even cared that we didn't get to sight see in this grand city!

During this week, 5,000 people along with me changed. We were all from different parts of the world and at different stages of our lives.  We all learned through each other’s experiences and came to value each other’s culture. I gained a deeper respect towards women and learned that gender equality really is a serious problem in today’s society, especially in places outside of the United States.

Even though almost a year has passed since I've gone to this conference, not a day goes by when I don’t remember this incredible experience. I still keep in contact with many of the girls I met while in New York, and now call one of these girls my best friend. I can honestly say I will remember this journey forever. I want to wish CSW a happy 57^th anniversary! Keep on changing lives, like I know you did to mine.

S.A.D.

                Flowers, chocolate, sugar cookies, flowers, teddy bears, hugs and kisses, jewelry and flowers. Did I mention flowers? All these objects have to do with one thing, a holiday. It’s a holiday that either a person loves or hates. It makes someone feel like they are on top of the world or are getting sucked into a black hole of doom. What could this most powerful important holiday be? Valentine’s Day, or as many of the less fortunate people of the world call it, Singles Awareness Day (S.A.D).

                This holiday all started out with a baby, but not just any baby, a baby that had wings and shot people with a bow and arrow of love and made the unsuspecting victim fall in love with the next person they saw. Yeah, I’m sure this actually happened in real life, not.

                Valentine’s Day is nonsense. First of all, it is over commercialized. It gives every company in the United States a reason to make their products pink and put hearts on them and sell them at an increased price. I suppose they are actually being smart about this. Americans are the foolish ones who buy these “romantic” products.

                This is also a huge waste of money! After Valentine’s Day a guy's wallet is five pounds lighter because they spend so much money on flowers, chocolate, and jewelry for their special someone. Also, 15% of women send flowers to themselves. Why? They waste their money and then watch the plant wilt and die. I really don’t think this would make me feel better about myself. Here’s another news flash, if someone really cares about their spouse or girlfriend/boyfriends they shouldn’t need a holiday to send them something. They think, “Here take these flowers .I had to get you these because of Valentine’s Day or else you would think I’m an insensitive boyfriend”.  If someone really loves you they should buy flowers out of the goodness of their heart, not because of a holiday.

                I propose that we stop celebrating Valentine’s Day all together! It would help men save their money and stop making people feel sorry for themselves. I think we are all of tired of dealing with the overpriced candy, busy restaurants, and crying people. The day Valentine’s Day gets taken off of the calendar will be the happiest day of my life, but until then I hope you all have a happy Singles Awareness Day!

All I have left is this photo..

I walk into the house. It’s perfect. It has two stories and is open with plenty of room, but there is something funny about it. It is layered in a thick coating of dust. It hasn't been lived in for fifty years. I walk unconsciously down the wooden stairs. I somehow make it to the bedroom at the end of the basement. It still has black, grey, and pink strips painted thoughtfully on the wall. I walk onto the freshly put in carpets. The expensive carpet that covers the blood stains. Not even thinking anymore I open the closet; in the corner I see a photo.  The photo is of a family; 3 girls, a mom, and a dad. I flip to the back side of the photo. It’s from 2012, fifty years ago. This is the family who used to live in this house. They look happy, all wearing matching blue shirts.  “They look happy”, that thought echoes in my head.  I don’t know much about this family, only from what I've heard from people. They were active in their community and their church, always willing to help out anyone in need. This family is a legacy around here. Some even say they haunt this house waiting to take revenge on the next innocent home owner.

Luckily, I know the truth. It was the youngest daughter’s 17^th birthday and the family was celebrating. Without any warning, two men broke into the large white house, one from the main entrance and one from the glass French doors. The family was drug apart and taken to each a separate room and duct taped to their beds. One by one they were slaughtered. Even to this day no one knows why.

That brings me back to her room, the birthday girls, supposedly the one who was murdered last. She almost escaped I once heard a lady say. This photo doesn’t tell the story of the murder though. It tells a completely different story. A happy story of a typical American family and that is how I want to remember them. Some people say they had it coming, that they deserved to die a miserable and young death. That’s why I moved into this house. I need to uncover the truth, but until then, all I have left is this photo.

Camping

Childhood Memories

Crackle, crackle, crackle...do you hear that? It's the sound of a fire, but not any fire, a camp fire. Let me take you back in time to my childhood, a happy place filled with water balloons, sunshine, boat rides, and of course, camp fires.

I am the youngest of three girls. During the summer it was always a tradition for our parents to take us camping as much as they possible could. Our camper was little and white with green paint chipping off of the side. It had one microscopic bedroom, two bunk beds, a couch, and a table that folds into a bed. The camper also included a tiny kitchen, one only big enough to wash the few dishes we ever used. None of this really mattered to us considering we were rarely inside the camper.

 As soon as we got to the camp ground we would roll a large green rug outside of the camper and would set up the awning out to shade us from the blazing sun. After getting smothered in sunscreen we were allowed to run around, ride our bikes around the loop, or my favorite thing to do, collect sticks. If we were really lucky sometimes our parents would take us down to the beach to build sand castles or play in the semi cold water. No matter what, at the end of the day we would always have a camp fire and my dad always roasted us a delicious red hot dog. We would end the campfire with him reading a scary story and us taking a blue poker stick and setting the tip of it on fire and holding it to the sky and at the top of our lungs we would scream, "calling all aliens!". This is something only we would understand.

Camping was a huge part of my childhood and I had some of the best times of my life in that small campground Pick City. It was great bonding time with my family, especially my sisters. Even now that we have sold our camper, my sisters are no longer living in the same house as me, and life is moving on. I will never forget all of the funny and precious memories we had going camping.

Thailand

Imagine a place where you can do almost anything and everything your little heart desires! Well believe it or not there is such a place. This wonderful place is called Thailand. If I could go anywhere in the world for my dream vacation, this would be the place. Thailand is near the ocean and they have gorgeous beaches all over.Just imagine running into the deep blue ocean with the warm sand squeezing between your toes! Thailand is also home to some of the most beautiful temples of all time. These temples include the temple of the reclining Buddha,temple of dawn, temple of the emerald Buddha, and finally the temple of the golden Buddha. I can just imagine walking into one of these temples in Bangkok and embracing the culture of the Thai people! Thailand also has awesome shopping opportunities. There is almost every American store in Thailand plus unique shops that you can find no where else. Riding the sky train would also be a must. Finally the biggest reason that I would want to go to Thailand is to see Bam, a foreign exchange student that stayed with me a couple years ago. I would want to spend tons and tons of time with Bam and want her to show me her favorite restaurants, stores, and favorite things to do.When Bam came to America I showed her the rules to follow in America and I would expect her to do the same for me in Thailand. With all of these amazing things to do and see in Thailand this makes it the perfect vacation spot for me!