A friend of mine asked me what the purpose of my trip was. Is it to experience the food? For adventure? For the history? Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about it. I’m just kind of…going. Though, I’ve been thinking about it some more and I do think that my trip there will be instrumental, after all. I realized that when I return at the end of February, I will exactly be at my 6 month mark here. Which means…I’ll be leaving in 6 months. And…contrary to what I thought were cemented plans for what I’ll be doing by then…I’m still undecided. I’ve been giving some pretty serious thought to some pretty serious alternatives and hope that Vietnam will give me the insight needed to follow through with preparing for…well, not going back to NYC right away. That’s all I can say for now.
Oh also—there was a 5 second earthquake in the Gyeonggi Province (where I live) a couple days ago. It’s pretty telling that at the time I automatically assumed it was North Korea finally calling its own bluff(s) and then two seconds later, concluded it was just another annoying vegetable truck barreling down my street—well, a barrage of them anyhow (it was pretty damn loud). Nope, it was just an earthquake. Apparently there was also an earthquake in the Chicagoland area? Strange stuff…
Anyway. Maybe I’ll come back looking like Moses when he came down from the mountain, full of knowledge and awareness and an awesome Moses tan. Or I could come back full of red blisters and malaria, having accomplished nothing more than slowly dying in my Saigon hotel room (see: Apocalypse Now)…
I’ll let you know when I get back. Wish me luck!
I understand you wanting to go to Vietnam just for the sake of going. Seeing as many places as you can is a very exciting process in and of itself. I've only been to 4 other countries (if you count Vatican City) and would jump at the chance to go to more.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to read you won't be coming back to New York in September. But if you need to spend some more time abroad, then I support that.
The idea of North Korea doing that must have been pretty terrifying to say the least. When North Korea invaded back in '50 they claimed they were "dedicated to the destruction of South Korea". My first thought was of hope they weren't interested in starting any shit in the present.
I hope you were being facetious about malaria. I hope you got all your vaccinations before you left the U.S.
Don't go all Martin Sheen and cut your hand by punching a mirror.
I slept through the Chicago quake. Oh, and have fun inside the airport in Hong Kong. I know I will :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck dear!
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"And for my sins they gave me a mission". I think he further remarked that after the mission he would NEVER want one again either! May your journey into the 'Heart of Darkness' have much different results. And remember, 'Never get out of the boat!
ReplyDeleteBe safe, be well, and mostly, BE!
Uncle D
(Safely ensconced in Vancouver - USA USA USA!)