My niece Emily recently departed on an exciting and challenging three-week trip to Thailand. Originally, the excursion was scheduled at this time last year, but as you may recall, demonstrations and civil unrest in and around Bangkok disrupted many travel plans then. She is traveling with a group from Westside Christian High School from Lake Oswego, Ore., from which she graduated last spring. Under the auspices of World Vision, the teens and adults will be spending most of their time in Krasang, a district in the northeastern section of the country, several hours by train from Bangkok. There they will be working in one of several safe houses/orphanages which Grace Ministries has established throughout the country. The homes provide schooling, work experience and a loving, supportive environment for children and teens at risk of exploitation by the sex industry. Emily and her friends will be teaching English and working on a variety of service projects while being immersed in a culture quite foreign to their own.  The first few days in Thailand were spent in Bangkok. Emily wrote of enjoying tuk tuk rides in the city and experiencing a brief but drenching downpour walking back from dinner one evening. She also visited NightLight, which operates both a business and a non-profit in Thailand, designing and manufacturing high-quality jewelry. Like some of the businesses whose products are featured in Global Traveler’s monthly Marketplace  feature, Nightlight is in business for a cause. The women it trains and hires for positions from management to design are seeking an escape from life on the streets and in the brothels.  In just her first few days in Thailand, Emily’s eyes have been opened to some difficult and almost unimaginable realities in this exotic land. At the same time, she has already been charmed by the adorable children, warm welcome and beauty there. I’m looking forward to hearing more of her experiences and impressions as she travels through this new frontier. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor