Back in October, (once the sunshine was officially gone from Oregon:) I started doing more serious research into different tattoo artists and locations in the greater Portland area. I'm lucky in that I have quite a few friends and people that I interact with daily who have had wonderful tattoos done so I did not have to start from scratch. I was pointed in the direction of several local tattoo shops including: Optic Nerve, Anatomy, and Hopeless Ink, to name a few. I made contact with a few artists from the various shops and after further thought I have decided to go ahead and set up a consultation with Adam at Anatomy Tattoo. Mo recommended him to me as he had done some work on her. I sent him a design that I wanted to work from and he seemed excited to work with me. It is super important to me to find a shop and an artist that I feel comfortable with and confident in since this will be my first tattoo. The tattoo I want to design will be similar to the elephant in the corner of this post, but obviously I would like it to be unique for me instead of the picture I found on Google :) Seeing as it is not a very extensive tattoo, it's going to be smaller than the palm of my hand and with no color (that is unless Adam amazes me with a completely different design:) I'm not very nervous to get it done. Well, not yet anyways;) I have been thinking about getting this as my first tattoo for over six months now, probably closer to over a year, and I think I am finally ready. Why an elephant you may be wondering? I decided on an elephant not only because I like what the elephant symbolizes: strength, honor, stability, patience, and good luck to name a few things, but also because I wanted my first tattoo to represent the most important thing I have done in my life thus far...teaching and living abroad in Thailand. It is difficult to put into words just how much this experience changed me for the better and helped me to become the person I am today. It was so much more than I ever thought it would be and I grew so much as an educator and an individual while I was there. The people I met and had the privilege to work with were a wonderful support system for me and made the transition smooth and easy. I will always hold dear to me the memories I made, the people I met and all the amazing experiences I was able to have while living, working and traveling abroad :) What better way to celebrate and treasure my time in Thailand than with an elephant tattoo?
My first pub crawl (ever!) for Gaz's birthday only two weeks after I had arrived in Thailand
Yep, that's me, fire jump roping while at a half moon party on Koh Phangan on my first holiday with friends after being in Thailand for a month :)
Sports week! Me leading my little team of Sharks in some chants, songs and cheers!
Celebrating Teacher Kit's 30th (old man) party with of course KAREOKE!
Fun group dinner :)
Me with Claire-bear, a teacher who joined us in March from Wales :)
Oh just your typical Saturday night silliness! Check out that pasty white girl in the middle lol!
On holiday in June (ish) with visiting friends!
Teacher Rae at her desk at Yuwapat Kindergarten School
House warming party I almost didn't make it to because I wasn't feeling well...best thing about the people I met there, they wouldn't take no for an answer :D
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