In Closing

Clearly I'm not much of a blogger. But for anyone who happens to stop by here, I'll post this one closing entry. Yesterday I left Cambodia for good. I cried on Monday night, and off and on yesterday morning until I arrived in Bangkok. I never expected it to be that difficult. As I reintegrate into life in the US, I think the achievements of the past year will solidify in my mind. I left wanting to change the country and was afraid that I would leaving without accomplishing that goal. In a sense I did. It really wasn't until we arrived at the airport and I saw the impact my leaving would have on the family I now call my own that I really understood the depth of my work in Cambodia. I think the days, weeks, months, and even years to come will clarify it even more.

Reflection from Europe

As I've been parading around Europe spending excessively despite trying to save, my parents have been delving deeper and deeper into Burma - a country largely untouched by tourism and western influence of the 21st century. I've been traveling with my good friend Brandy Ma. Before we met up in Madrid, I knew she would be a great travel partner. She left this morning, and I'm only beginning to grasp just what a joy it was to travel with her. She never complains, knows when silence is the best conversation, and is persistently strong in spirit. From reading what my dad has written about Mom in their travels, the two women are very similar. Fortunately for me, I too will get the chance to explore the third world with a great traveler at my side when Brandy comes to Cambodia.

 

This trip has been really great for me. I was a little skeptical how much I would get out of it, as I had already been to all the places we saw. Traveling with Brandy (who is an avid museum fan and advocate of the touristy sights), it was like seeing completely different cities from what I saw before. Now I've seen both the cafés in the back streets of Paris as well as the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. I've been able to do a lot of reflection (nothing new for me, but always satisfying) and some solidifying of beliefs and goals. Not bad for three weeks' vacation.

 

Tomorrow I leave for Bangkok, where I'll meet with my parents (who arrive a day before I do). They're coming from Burma, land of the oppressed, and I'm coming from Amsterdam, one of the most liberal places in the world. To meet again in Bangkok. Then back to Cambodia. Bittersweet return.

Madrid Again

I'll write more detailed entries later, but Spain is everything I remembered and loved. I got a haircut at the same place I went last year for my (in)famous haircut. The guy who cut it before wasn't there anymore, but I got another good haircut. More importantly, it was just nice being back in a familiar place. I remember my way around the city very well. The hostel was nice (and in the perfect location...not by coincidence). Then I met Brandy, and we had a great day talking and wandering around the city on foot. We caught the first metro of the morning to the airport, and now I'm writing from Rome. We're having a spectacular time everywhere we are, and that doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon. Ciao for now!

Bangkok Again

I find myself in Bangkok again. This time I am en route to Europe, where I'll meet my friend Brandy, with whom I'll be traveling for three weeks. I'm staying here with some friends, and last night I slept better than I have ever slept in Cambodia. AC makes a huge difference. Anyway, I leave tonight and will arrive at 6am in Amsterdam, where I will connect to Madrid. Next post will be from Madrid (probably prior to meeting Brandy).

Holidays

Well after a brief spurt of frequent updates, I’ve fallen into a lapse again. It seems to be the way of things when living abroad rather than actually traveling. The good news is that I’ll be traveling on holiday in Europe for the next four weeks, so I’ll be posting frequently.