Mary Wahl (pictured with her best friend from Thailand) is quite precocious for a teen finishing her freshman year of college. She is fluent in three languages, has lived abroad, and is spending her summer working to help others. She is also traveling with PPS to Thailand next summer as our interpreter and guide. Her knowledge of the language, culture, and people will allow for unique opportunities and a fulfilling experience.

After high school, Mary wanted to "experience something" before heading off to college. She was accepted into the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, and spent the next year in Thailand. She says, "That year changed my life. My choice of friends, the people I am drawn to, everything has been affected by my experience." While in Thailand, she lived with two different families and traveled extensively throughout the country. Mary explains how she can share her experience with PPS: "We're going to visit a friend of mine that is a member of the hill tribes in northern Thailand. That's not something a lot of people get to do. It is a remote part of the world."

Between now and then, Mary will be busy. A native of Livonia, NY, she is currently in Baltimore as an intern with a community organizing nonprofit group and an interpreter for employees at Johns Hopkins. The nonprofit organization works with community centers and churches to analyze the problems facing their communities and then mobilize people to act on solutions. At Johns Hopkins, she helps the dining hall staff to communicate. She states, "They are the people I hang out with. I feel connected to them." In the fall she will return to Goucher College for her sophmore year. Mary is focusing on religion and peace studies. "I want to further understand people. Religion and peace are major issues right now. I would like to learn how to apply my knowledge of them on a personal, practical level."

We are looking forward to experiencing Mary's Thailand first-hand. For more information on the Fascinations of Thailand Tour, click here or email us at info@packpaddleski.com. Come join Mary and PPS on this personalized adventure!

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