"Why on earth do you want to go to Thailand?"

It has been interesting fielding the reactions of my friends and family when they hear that I am choosing to leave the glorious U.S. of A. to live in Thailand. The most commonly asked question: “Why would you go and do a thing like that?”
Well, why not?
For the past few years, I have toyed with the idea of living and teaching abroad. I love America (my older sister says I’ll love it even more after living elsewhere) but there is a gnawing curiosity to step out of my comfort zone. For 29 of my 31 years of life I have lived within a 150 mile stretch of land from Richmond to Norfolk. I’ve traveled some but that isn’t the same as living in another country. I want to stretch my knowledge and flexibility, realize that the things I take for granted—air conditioning, toilet paper, finding my size shoes, French fries—are not universal. I want to see how the Thai people treat each other, what they value, witness their work ethic, see why students still respect their teachers. I want to be able to come back and say with confidence that the American way is not always the best way.
In short, I want to experience. Is that such a foreign concept?
The second most commonly asked question: “Aren’t you scared?”
Not yet.