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Kirsten Bystrom - Seattle, Washington, USAI first met Kirsten during High School in Seattle, Washington, USA. Over the years, we have sporadically kept in touch through social media where I learned about her amazing trip to Thailand. As of 2015, Kirsten is teaching in primary school in Thailand. Her generous nature is perfect for the children she works with. Not many people can pick up everything they own and move to a foreign land.
Kirsten has the ambition, knowledge and power to make her own life decisions as she travels the globe. This combination is dynamic is the real world. As she grows, her experiences from Thailand and other countries she has visited will help her shape the life she wants. World travel teaches more in one year than any 4 year college would teach an individual about world problems, cultural aspects and local perspectives. Kirsten has seen it all. ~ Dan Hellinger |
What improvements do you want to see the US make in the next 5 years?"People need to lighten up. Everyone is so uptight and concerned about everything and everyone around them. People need to learn to just go with the flow and be happy.
That's a change I don't think the U.S. can do as a whole, but individuals can definitely work on it for themselves." |
What aspirations do you want to achieve in life?"Aspirations, that's a deep one. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing with my life and where I'm headed. I want to be happy, but that might be a bit too broad. I'm learning to set small goals in order to work my way up to bigger things that I don't have figured out yet. I went to school for teaching and have been teaching in Thailand and I love it. Through out the years I've lost touch with hobbies I used to love doing. One of which being art. When I get back to the states I want to enroll back in school (something I never thought I'd want to do again) but, this time focus on art classes so that I can be an art teacher.
I want to continue helping children learn and learn from them in the process." |
"I want to continue helping children learn and learn from them in the process." |
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Is money important or is the power of knowledge more crucial to you?
"Money is definitely not important. I'm about broke and happier than I've ever been with a big bank account. Obviously money is necessary and you need it in order to survive. But, money isn't going to help you when you sit down with a student or a local and have a conversation about what they enjoy in life. I've been able to do a lot of really awesome things while traveling, but the conversations I've had and the people I've met along the way have been what made everything so amazing. I've learned more from watching my students and talking with them then I ever did at my $40,000 grand a year university."
What would you want to tell a fellow traveler about your home country?
"It's big and expensive. Make sure you really know where you want to go and take advantage of the city you visit. Getting from city to city in the states isn't cheap for anyone, and you need a lot of time to do it.
Try the local foods, each city has something unique to offer."
Try the local foods, each city has something unique to offer."
Kirsten's Travel Story
"Craziest?! Oy. There's definitely not just one story. I think the best experiences I've had have come from just jumping in someone's car and going. Thailand is a lot more trusting than the states and people just want to help you and have a good time themselves. I was lucky enough to be placed in a real small town in northern Thailand. And I mean real small. One main road. At one end you have 711 and the other end you have the high school and the elementary school, with some local family owed shops and restaurants in the middle. That's it. When I arrived in SiNakhon at 5 in the morning a year ago I didn't know what the hell I was getting myself into. In fact I had a minor break down the first week because it took me over an hour to find where I even was on google maps. In the end the best experiences came from that town and the people in it. My last weekend in SiNakhon my neighbors son was becoming a monk. Men can become monks when they turn 20. For this monumentous occasion the whole town gathered together to celebrate. The night before the official ceremony they put together a stage and what looked like a hundred tables. Everyone from town was there, families and friends were sitting around tables enjoying dinner and Hong Tong whiskey. Mid dinner the monk and his parents went on the stage and gave their thanks to everyone for coming. I had no idea what was actually being said, but it was emotional and both his parents were crying.
As the festivities continued, there were performers on stage singing and dancing along with the guests. The monk made his round giving individual thanks and collecting donations.
The next morning at 6am sharp the families on my street were getting ready for the parade and temple. Everyone gathered at the end of our street, the monk and his parents on a decorated truck and we danced our way down the street to the temple. When we arrived at the temple we danced around it three times before the monk took his place in front of the temple and tossed origami wrapped 1 bahts to the crowd for good luck. He went into the temple for a while and when he came out he was dressed in his orange robe.
It was by far one of the coolest experiences to have been apart of. Dancing through the streets with people from the community of all ages and celebrating. Something I wish I could do again." ~ Kirsten Bystrom
As the festivities continued, there were performers on stage singing and dancing along with the guests. The monk made his round giving individual thanks and collecting donations.
The next morning at 6am sharp the families on my street were getting ready for the parade and temple. Everyone gathered at the end of our street, the monk and his parents on a decorated truck and we danced our way down the street to the temple. When we arrived at the temple we danced around it three times before the monk took his place in front of the temple and tossed origami wrapped 1 bahts to the crowd for good luck. He went into the temple for a while and when he came out he was dressed in his orange robe.
It was by far one of the coolest experiences to have been apart of. Dancing through the streets with people from the community of all ages and celebrating. Something I wish I could do again." ~ Kirsten Bystrom