Mui Chhnam
With little fanfare my one year anniversary of being in Asia has come and gone. My arrival on July 1st, 2004 seems so long ago. I remember stepping off the plane onto the tarmac quite clearly. A wave of hot, steamy air enveloped me as I hustled over to a waiting bus, all bleary-eyed from the twenty odd hours I had been sitting on planes. We were squeezed in like sardines but at least the A/C was cranked. Once I cleared customs I hopped into an unofficial taxi and taken to a dingy sex tourist motel. I paid way too much for the taxi and way too much for the room, though it seemed reasonable at the time. All I wanted was some sleep. That first morning in Bangkok, watching the sunrise through the smog from my 8th story room overlooking the skyline of the city, will always be a vivid memory. That morning it really kicked in. I am in Bangkok. I have no plan. What should I do now? I often recount in my head the events of the past year. Many experiences I have had seem unreal now.
In the five months that I traveled around Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia I have seen so many interesting things and met so many interesting people. I won’t recount them here – read what I have written in previous entries for some of the more interesting stories. Or wait until I get home and I can bore you in person.
I have received a few emails from friends who are concerned that when I come home, they will not recognize me. True I think that a year spent in Asia has changed me. I think that sitting on a bus for 26 hours has shown me a thing or two about patience. Many things that once shocked me now seem quite normal. Deep fried tarantulas and crickets? Nothing but a roadside snack. Seeing a kid with no arms and no legs being pushed around in a cart by his little brother begging for money? Just another day in Phnom Penh. But I really believe that I am still the same old me. I like to think that I have matured a bit, maybe grown a bit wiser, and definitely become more handsome.
I am really enjoying being away from US culture and politics. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, but being away from it for this long has shown me the various aspects of our nation and culture that are flawed. US culture is too materialistic (not that Cambodian culture isn’t, it is just that they don’t have the material part of the equation) and insular. For many reasons living in a place like Cambodia, life seems more “real”. It is hard to explain in a form such as this. Those of you who have traveled to developing parts of the world probably know what I mean. The rest of you will have to ask me in person.
The friends and family who I left behind are never far from my thoughts. I hope to see all of you in the near future. I promise that I will be home next May at the latest. Whether my homecoming will be just a visit or a more permanent move is still very undecided. If May is too long to wait, you are all more than welcome to swing by for a visit. Think about this: when is the next time you will have a friend to show you around Cambodia?
Tags: Cambodia
Neil
July 4th, 2005 at 5:57 am
i will be packing my bags soon…..
July 5th, 2005 at 2:53 am
Neil, congratulations with your one-year-stay in Asia! Next year, you will definitely be too handsome to return to the US…
Well, keep on enjoying and getting surprised once in a while.
Best regards
Bram.
July 5th, 2005 at 7:16 am
Bram,
Good to hear from you. Whats new with you and David? Drop me an email one of these days…
July 5th, 2005 at 8:09 am
Hey Neil,
cool that you still remember us (Bram and me). Happy anniversary, I am really impressed by the fact that you are still there and planning to stay longer. Respect Neil, from the heart. Your analysis in the text above, about yourself, about what you’ve learned so far, about how you changed in all those months : makes me feel proud about you, even though you are technically speaking nothing more but an American guy we’ve met in Vietnam…
About myself, I am a doctor now (since last december) and I got a grant for three more years of research. That means that I can still practise my biggest love : maths. This summer I will make one of the trips I am already looking forward to since I ever started dreaming about travelling : I will go to Kyrzygstan, China, Tibet and Nepal (mainly the Silk Route). I am looking forward to this like a little child looking forward to Christmas, I swear! I will send you some stories as well!
Neil, take good care and keep doing what you are doing now. You can really be proud of yourself!
Hang on,
david
July 8th, 2005 at 1:06 am
holy shit S, when did you lose your nuts? i hope you still have them kept somewhere. you’ll need them for a few trips to lyle’s when you get back. but who knows, maybe if travelocity has a good deal next winter, i’ll venture to the land of sweaty balls and check on yours.