Not for me, but for my children...

Posing at Doi Suthep temple, the iconic landmark of Chiang Mai

Right now I feel like I have accomplished something great in my lifetime; at a time when every official said "No", I chose to follow my heart and do something crazy (slightly dangerous) driven by knowing the simple truth that it was the right and just thing to do...not for me, but for my children.

I don't want to get into too much detail here, but at the end of a long week of "No's" and "Never will non-Thai children travel freely in Thailand", I decided, with locked jaw and stubborn determination, to take a small group of children with me to Chiang Mai for one week of tourist holiday and educational fun.

I had full support from the Home (and founder) since she understood my frustration. "Stefanie, if I listened to everyone who told me "No" in this lifetime, I would not have the children I have today and I would not be who I am today..." I felt a surge of resistance and fight in my veins, something stronger than me that I never could imagine before....

getting chic haircuts for free thanks to Queen's friends

 We were invited by Lek, founder of Elephant Nature Park, to visit her elephant conservation project, and this has been a life's-dream accomplished for me...finally after years of thinking of (and fundraising for) this moment, I was able to get my kids to her park! They learned so much about elephant conservation, and the tears streaming down their cheeks when they heard some of the elephant stories makes me hopeful that one day they will look back and share how that educational experience impacted them.

 They had plenty of other great experiences: enjoying the hustle and bustle of a city (quite the shock compared to our dusty village); meeting new friends and smiling faces; exploring new sites (temples, waterfalls, national parks and botanical gardens to name a few); all the while experiencing what it truly feels like to travel  in their own country. They traveled by train for the first time in their lives, and they lived like kings and queens in a hotel resort (complete with swimming pool!); such luxury they never imagined for themselves having grown up in an environment where sleeping on the floor is all they've ever known.

exploring the jungle waterfalls outside of Chiang Mai city

 As far as I'm concerned, these kids are Thai. They have lived here for most of their young lives; they're enrolled in the Thai government school system; and they communicate freely in Thai with each other since it is the common language for each of them despite their ethnic backgrounds. They deserved this opportunity just as much as any other Thai national, and I intend on fighting every time someone tries to tell me "No" again.

These kids learned so much, and they met so many inspiring individuals (tour guides with similar backgrounds; founders of organizations fighting similar causes for Burmese minorities) and they learned so much about themselves too...I could see the little lights going off behind their eyes as they expressed dreams of studying in Chiang Mai, and pursuing higher education outside of our small village.

at Elephant Nature Park

First and foremost I have to thank TJ. He's only 15 years old, but he is the driving force behind this journey, since I  promised nearly 2 years ago to bring him to Chiang Mai. I'm so happy I could keep that promise.

Before we left Bangkok, I had a moment where fear overcame my senses...TJ responded to my fear, and in a teary mess he cried and begged me to go back home. I asked him why, and he said only that he didn't want anything bad to happen to me. "If something happens to you Stef, I will have no one again."

I looked him in the eyes and asked him "Do YOU still want to go?" His small nod was all I needed to tell him we were going and no one was going to stop us. After that all my fear melted away, because it had to. I found inner strength buried deep in my love for TJ, and I knew whatever the risk, this was likely to be his one and only opportunity to travel before he got too big for people to look the other way.

In the end, I did this all for him. I love him so much I'm willing to risk all for his happiness, now and forever. This kind of love is scary, and humbling. He's started calling me 'Mom' recently, and while my heart swells each and every time I'm also very aware that I am bound to him for the rest of his life...Our bond has stolen me.  I don't know how many more happy months (or years) we will have together in our Home, but I do know that even when he is old and married I will always be nearby, watching over him as long as he needs me to.

I have to thank all of my friends and family who pitched in for this adventure; I really could not have managed the costs of transport and accommodation on my own, so from the bottom of my heart I thank you all so much for putting your faith into my love for these kids.