returning to the mundane

i’m back.

why do i always feel like i’m behind on my LJ? so i’ve been back in this hemisphere of the world since friday and i’m completely jetlagged. i’ve come back and everything feels the same. there’s no major gossip to be caught up on except that eddie murphy is gay; pat morita has left the earth; nick and jessica have really split up; marlon hates miami; america is still at war and bush is still a fuckup. i’ve returned to one dead plant, unpaid bills, no food in the fridge, a shitload of new design projects and a $50 ticket for expired plates. i’ve returned to the mundaneness that is my life and i miss the freedom of being elsewhere. i’m getting up in the middle of the night around 1 or 2am and going to sleep at 4 or 5pm. this 5 week trip to asia can best be described as “solid” despite the fact that my fecal matters would say otherwise. i know its cliche but you really do learn so much from traveling the world. in fact i wish it was mandatory for all students to take a year off between high school and college to just travel around whether it’s just around america or around the world.

so here are 10 lessons i’ve learned on this trip:

1. 2 weeks is the maximum amount of time i can travel with other people before they annoy the phuck out of me.
2. 99.9% of travelers are tourists. accept that and move on instead of getting mad at family and friends who just don’t have the same kind of invested feelings that you have towards southeast asia.
3. try to leave chicago when it’s much colder so i don’t have to deal with freezing my ass off when i return
4. when in a “squatter” toilet situation wear a damn skirt and remember it’s usually more hygenic ‘cuz ain’t no ass been on it.
5. wear sunblock when you’re sitting on top of a boat for 6 hours…especially on the face
6. mail out postcards during my first week otherwise forget it
7. remember to pack more immodium pills for myself and bring antacids to give out to my khmer friends
8. i love my hairdresser here in chicago and should never get my hair done overseas by any other hairdresser. they’ll either try to make me look like an anchorwoman or a young shirley temples.
9. there is a huge difference between bangkok and phnom penh. it’s the difference between a nation who’s enjoyed peace and one that is just learning to survive the peace.
10. there is a huge difference between seoul and phnom penh. it’s the difference between being adopted and being bombed by america.