Graduation!

Jan & Noo as proud as I am.

Sorry for my lapse in journal entries, the past 5 days have been full of non-stop adventure and I haven't had very much time to just sit down and write. I have so much to share with you all and I will don't worry but for now I think the most exciting news is that I've graduated!!!

5 weeks of school in a foreign country halfway around the world, all by myself, learning and doing everything I've dreamed of for years and years and years. Pushing myself past my comfort level and just going for what I wanted and knew I needed. Meeting so many amazing people that I will never forget and so many experiences that I will carry with me always! It was hard not to cry when it was all said and done!

Thankfully I had my loving husband by my side to keep me calm and to capture this wonderful moment. He arrived just two nights before I graduated and I am so happy that he came sooooo far to be with me for this! It means a lot to me to have him by my side especially since he has supported me every step of the way.

Noo, Byrd, Me & my diploma!

I've also had loving support from so many other friends and family members that have helped me get here, the most important being my Mother who has taken the entire business on her shoulders for the past 6 weeks in my absence so that I could live my dream. It hasn't been an easy 6 weeks without her business partner & daughter by her side and I appreciate every effort she has put in so that I could make this happen. Love you Mom!

Our graduation banner.

And to all my trusty RMT's who have picked up my shifts and worked their butts off while I was away, taking care of my regular clients - Thank you! I couldn't have done this without you being there and knowing that I could trust my clients in your hands when I could not be there for them. I have so much to share with you all when I get back!

My amazing teachers!!! 

A big thanks also to my Father who has supported me every step of the way as well as my beautiful Baba (Grandma) who was a beaming ray of sun whenever I talked about Thailand. I've very much appreciated the support of my Mother-In-Law as well, who has repeatedly shared my blog with all her friends and family as well as the rest of the MacLeans who seemed just as excited as I! It means so much to have my family be there for me    and to have my back.

So many friends have given me advice and been there for me as well, I won't name you all here but know that your words and support mean the world to me.

Me & Meow - so much fun to work with!

I would also like to send out my warm thanks to all of my clients who have supported me and given me their thoughts and advice - even when they didn't want to see me go for such a long time! Thank you so much for your patience, for your on-going kindness and for being such a source of strength in my life. I have missed you all so much and I know it hasn't been easy for all of you having your trusty therapist go halfway across the world.

Know that I have thought of you often and am bringing back as much knowledge, products and skills as I can to make your treatments even more effective and interesting. I can't wait to reunite with you all!!! Hang in there, only one more week and I will be back at the clinic again. I have so much to share with you all but most of it was shipped via boat and won't be there for another 3 months - we will have quite the party and show and tell as soon as it does though!

Giving flowers as thanks from all the i5 students.

And last but certainly not least I want to thank all of my teachers at TMC. It was so hard saying goodbye to you all because I just did not have the words to say how thankful I really am or how much you have influenced and changed me. Your skills, teaching methods and continual support helped me to grow by leaps and bounds as a Thai Massage Therapist and I will never forget you. I will think of you every time I give a Thai massage from now on and I hope to return one day in the future to learn even more. If I could have stayed for the GCT 10 week program I would have in a heartbeat!

Futoshi, myself & Ratree. 

And to all my fellow students who I was so sad to bid farewell to - thank you for the laughs, for the good and the hard times, for the cultural lessons and well, for just being the awesome people you are. I hope we will all stay in touch for a long long time.

And.... now that this sounds more like an oscar speech than a journal entry, I will bid adieu... and try not to cry all over again! Words cannot express how I feel right now, but I hope my efforts at least got a fraction of it across to all of you.

Myself & Joy giving thanks.

With loving kindness,

Dylan McEwen, RMT