Stranger in a strange land
The thing about being the sort of person who has no roots is that, paradoxically, you feel at home anywhere you go. Without safety and comfort waiting for you back in Whereversville, you are free to be safe and comfortable out in the world.
Also – and I’ve noticed this before but today I was impressed by the fact again – I feel no more out of place in Thailand among people speaking a completely incomprehensible language and behaving with cultural subtleties I can’t begin to understand, than I do in Los Angeles among people doing the same.
In fact, I feel far less out of place in Thailand (or Vietnam or Tahiti or Italy or wherever) than in Los Angeles because I don’t have the burden of feeling that I’m supposed to fit in here. I’m not supposed to be creating any sort of future for myself. I’m not supposed to be succeeding at anything other than finding food every day. And I’m not supposed to know what the hell is going on. I’m just as baffled (and often annoyed) as ever but that’s natural and to be expected since I’m in a foreign environment. So then – voila! – my internal response is suddenly appropriate to the external situation. And that, my friends, is why I love to travel.
Tags: Chiang Mai, Thailand
sandra_101
I just had a chance to look at your blog. I love how up-to-date your staying! Good to see you are enjoying your travels. I like this entry because I can relate. Although it is hard to imagine not living in LA (fyi: PB wants me to move to Chicago, I said no), I suspect I could easily travel (INTL that is) and feel relief not being in the states going to work M-F and all the pressure that comes with that. I’ll def come back to see how you are doing. Thanks for posting! Take care.
Oh Sandy!
I have so much to say…I wonder if there’s a limit to these reply thangs’. Oh well, I’ll give it a shot and cry later when all the time I spent writing is for naught as Internet Explorer crashes or some shit.
First of all, I am ashamed to say that Mahesh had to tell me about your travel blog since my time on myspace is limited (patting myself on the back here) and I didn’t see your entry noting the url. But there was nothing more pleasing than screwing around on the clock reading all your entries this morning as I drank my coffee. I laughed out loud several times (the F*&#@ t-shirt, the plastic spoon nazi, Korn’s name and how ironic that the band was so shitty and terrible, your poor belly/bowels, your french fogginess, peanut butter, and well, you get the picture, I’m enthralled by your sense of humour).
I am THRILLED that you are blahging and that you are on such a wonderful adventure. I selfishly miss you and wish you were. Actually, what the hell am I saying? I wish I was THERE, with you. Please please please promise me that we will travel together at some point. Please.
My meeting with Mahesh last night was amazing and I’m so very glad you told me about him. He’s a gem in so many ways and the insights he offered were irreplaceable. I can’t wait to talk to you about it! And I can’t wait to see him again. And I was right: “artist” plays a role and the solo shite I mentioned to you the other day wasn’t so far off either.
Will you find me some form of a Garuda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda) while you’re there in Thailand – perhaps a little picture I could hang on my “bird wall” at home? I would be ever so grateful.
I can’t tell you enough how ever so happy I am to know you. You inspire me greatly. Have a wonderful, safe time.
Much xoxo