A Familiar, Unfamiliar Beginning

Given the right effort and a positive attitude, it is possible to build a life for yourself anywhere.

A few weeks ago, I found myself yet again in that all-too-familiar unfamiliar environment: a new city surrounded by new faces. I had to find the strength within myself to make an effort, once again. 

My first real wave of homesickness came during this first week in Ubon. Suddenly, it hit me that I've been across the world, away from many of the people closest to my heart, for nearly 8 months. 

My new full-time job, although a complete upgrade from my last school, seemed monotonous and a semester far too long. How was I going to make time pass pleasantly?

Life from a Backpack

The past couple months of traveling have provided me with some of my most eye-opening and brilliant life experiences.

Before I left, I was sure that after 2.5 months backpacking, I'd be more then ready to settle down again. What I found was the opposite - there is never enough time dedicated solely to travel.

Update from Ubon

After celebrating Songkran in Chiang Mai, I headed further north to the Burmese border town of 'Mae Sai' with my friend Emily, where we stayed with her step-mom's cousin. Here, we were able to peer into a 65 year old expat's life on his huge estate housing his 25 year younger Thai wife, her entire family, 9 dogs, and about 10 orphan children that they care for. We attended a local Thai carnival complete with hand-crafted games that wouldn't keep Western children impressed for half a second and a gambling tent for adults (no one minded if children joined in) that functioned from paying off the police. While the visa cost held us back from a day trip to Burma, we did our own exploring of Mae Sai as we struggled to stay cool in the unbearable heat.

In Mae Sai, the Northern most point of Thailand

Songkran

Songkran is a quintessential Thai holiday that I had the pleasure of experiencing last month.

Songkran, derived from a Sanskrit word literally meaning "astrological passage," is considered the Thai new year. Although, the Thai calendar year (currently the year 2055) changes in sync with the Western calender. The origins of Songkran may come from a similar Buddhist holiday in India. Buddhist countries in the SE Asia region such as Burma, Laos and Cambodia celebrate a similar festival around the same time as Thailand (April 13 - 15).

Although officially the festival is three days long, in reality it often encompasses a 5 or 6 day period in which you can expect to be perpetually soaking wet given one step outside.

Hong Kong-ed

Before I came to Thailand, I didn't imagine that I'd have the opportunity to venture further than Southeast Asia. When a generous family friend offered up their empty Hong Kong apartment for a week, the relatively inexpensive flights made the decision a no-brainer.

Right around the time I began considering my friend's offer, I met Emily through our mutual visiting friend, Colette. Next thing we knew, we booked our Air Asia tickets to explore this vaguely familiar place that neither of us knew much about. We were going to China! Or wait, were we? (More on that, later)

Little did we know that our social lives in Asia would reach their peak during this week. While we assumed we'd be on our own, who would have thought we'd be juggling multiple social groups in a completely foreign city?

Cám ơn, Việt Nam

As my Bangkok bound flight ascends higher into the air, the birdseye view of the Saigon night sky becomes but an illusion of the past - and I am reflecting on the past two weeks.

I am left in awe over this incredible country; what respect & fondness I've grown from the rich, troubled history, and how I've been touched by & connected with such a kind population of people. I have learned and seen more then I could have hoped for in two weeks, yet it was not nearly long enough.

Venturing Vietnam

What a world it is! In the realm of just Southeast Asia, each country proudly exhibits a vastly different culture, language, religion and cuisine. Upon landing in Hanoi, Vietnam, I felt for the first time in my 6 months on this continent that I was really in Asia. I'm struggling to pinpoint what feels so much more foreign, which may well be my developed comfort in Thailand.

Imagine the place you thought had the most insane drivers & lack of traffic regulation, and times that by 20 = Hanoi. I once thought Israeli drivers were out of their mind, until I saw the reckless roads in southern Italy, until I witnessed the helmet-less families of 5 crammed on one motorbike swerving in between cars on the wrong side of the road in Bangkok, and now I'm convinced there can not be anything crazier then Hanoi. Saying that, I've been forewarned that the biggest city in Vietnam, Saigon, takes the lead in roadside hysteria. It's hard to describe in words the intersections lacking traffic lights with the swarm of thousands of motorbikes, cars and bicycles maneuvering around pedestrians, but certainly not stopping for them - even people midway across the street are left to dodge the vehicles strategically. A few days in Hanoi, and you'll learn that crossing the street is a skill. Motorbikes often carry enormous loads of wholesale goods triple the size of the actual bike, strapped on with bungee cords, requiring a double glance to ensure your eyes don't lie. Vietnam brings a whole new meaning to honking: it's not used in the negative context that it is often in Western society; instead it's a repetitive harmonious-like symbol to warn others, "Watch out, I'm coming!" And watch out you best!