Ooooofah. Thailand -> Cambodia
-> Indonesia -> Thailand -> 13 hour layover in Moscow. I’m so glad
Caroline could come meet me in Southeast Asia. While we definitely spent too
much money, we would’ve had to spend much, much more for me to question whether
or not it was worth it.
Cambodian culture is fascinating
and full of pride. On a morning market tour in Phnom Penh, we met this elderly
lady who makes the most delicious noodle salad I’ve ever had. Also, please put
noodles in all of my salads moving forward thankyousomuch. While the most
interesting detail of this experience should’ve been how to recreate such a
salad (JUST PUT NOODLES IN EVERYTHING but also make spring rolls and an amazing
sauce, etc.), the idea that once sold out only a few hours after opening, the
woman packed up and went home to spend time with her family. These non-touristy
Cambodian food stands (I say this because as our tour guide pointed out, we
were the only white people in the entire market) choose breakfast, lunch, or
dinner and satisfied with the income of selling out one meal, chose home and
family time over earning extra profit.
I’m realizing there’s a
peacefulness to be enjoyed when witnessing the embodiment of “being content
with one’s lot.”
I’d really love to work towards
that. Pure capitalism seems to run counter to that idea. Maybe that’s why I
like Bernie so much, though the dude has some work to do.
Moving from an apartment that had
access within 3.5 minutes to a wonderful poke place to hoping that no one else
sits atop my usual sunset rock structure while I’m there to indulge in solitude
(possibly to sing a little bit) is a stark contrast.
The traditionally Than indulgences
have mostly subsided. I guess most of them had to do with food. I still lament
moving away from my apartment in Chicago from which I could walk three blocks
to the greatest grocery store ever erected, Mariano’s. If you live in Chicago,
please say hi to Mariano’s for me.
When I really think about it
further, it’s all about comfort and vulnerability. I’m proud of myself for
moving away from Chicago and starting this two-year whirlwind of whatthefuck
that landed me in this place. I moved for two reasons: 1) I wanted to challenge
myself because of how comfortable I was in Chicago, and 2) LA had always been a
pipe dream.
I loved the idea of pushing myself
to be uncomfortable, but I hated how uncomfortable being uncomfortable made me.
I hastily chose to join a program
and move to another country because I knew I wouldn’t be alone; there’d be
others like me who wanted to take a year to do something different to escape
life in the US. I’ve felt all the emotions here. I need to use this word doc (I
haven’t decided if I’ll put it online yet) as a place to share thoughts and not
procrastinate from forwarding my professional development and prospects upon my
return in a few months. A FEW MONTHS!
I finished Parable of the Sower (and Freakonomics)
over this last vacation. If you haven’t, read both. They’re unrelated but
equally captivating. A couple days ago, I started the sequel of Parable, Parable of the Talents. IN THE FIRST 5% OF THE BOOK (WHICH WAS
PUBLISHED IN 1998 AND THIS IS SO CRAZY), the narrator describes the campaign
slogans of a Christianity-extremist, right-wing presidential candidate AND
GUESS WHAT HIS RALLYING CALL WAS (AGAIN, THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED IN 1998!)!
“Make America great again.” I shit you not. Octavia Butler is an oracle. Also,
the religion her first protagonist “discovers:” God is Change; is a pretty
remarkable concept. The shaped and the shaper.
Anyway, Octavia Butler wrote very, very, very well.
Dude.
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