I'm sitting here in my friend Sarah's apartment in Washington, DC. She's been good enough to give me free reign of her couch until I move into my own place, which will be next Saturday.
It's been a tough week plus being back in the US. Not tough in reality, but in my head. First, trying to wrap my head around not traveling as a way of life any more; second, actively making the various decisions involved with getting ready to start a new job; and third, recovering from my travels, both the recent trip to Sri Lanka and Turkey and the entire last twenty-two months.
To start with, I'm finally getting used to the idea of living in DC. After a few days of roaming and exploring on my own, both on foot and on bike, it's starting to feel less onerous to "settle" in DC, and more exciting. To be honest, I can't yet say that I'm thrilled to be putting down in one place yet; it's too soon for that. But I'm getting used to the idea and not feeling so much dread, anyway. I've been looking around at different things to get involved in: community gardens, hiking groups, farmer's markets and so on. It's fun - and frustrating - to think about how I'd like to live, in terms of frugality of how to spend my time, money and efforts to be 'green' or at least less wasteful.
On the other hand, I still find myself moping now and then. One of the things I took from this last trip is an exact opposite from what I tried to glean from my year abroad; that is, I'm no longer trying to convince myself that being alone is fine. I don't want to be alone any more. I want to meet someone, I want to care about a person who cares about me, and start living a life together. How to do this, I'm not sure, but I do know it's something I want.
Other reflections from my travels? I find myself more motivated to be involved with helping people in some way; English lessons, perhaps, or volunteering in some fashion. I find myself judging my society and myself, knowing what others have, and have access to, as compared to us, and how little we even know we have.
Also, I want to become fluent in another language, and that language is going to be Spanish. I hope to combine Rosetta Stone with finding a local conversation group.
I want to minimize my "stuff" and my spending. And increase my walking and biking and hiking. I want to manifest my travels into a book, be it one of pictures or stories or both, not sure yet. I want to host people from Couchsurfing. And I really want to be more knowledgeable about my building, my neighborhood, my city and my country in terms of news and politics and basic history.
So, yeah, I want to open my eyes and my mind wider. That should be easy... right?!
It's been a tough week plus being back in the US. Not tough in reality, but in my head. First, trying to wrap my head around not traveling as a way of life any more; second, actively making the various decisions involved with getting ready to start a new job; and third, recovering from my travels, both the recent trip to Sri Lanka and Turkey and the entire last twenty-two months.
To start with, I'm finally getting used to the idea of living in DC. After a few days of roaming and exploring on my own, both on foot and on bike, it's starting to feel less onerous to "settle" in DC, and more exciting. To be honest, I can't yet say that I'm thrilled to be putting down in one place yet; it's too soon for that. But I'm getting used to the idea and not feeling so much dread, anyway. I've been looking around at different things to get involved in: community gardens, hiking groups, farmer's markets and so on. It's fun - and frustrating - to think about how I'd like to live, in terms of frugality of how to spend my time, money and efforts to be 'green' or at least less wasteful.
On the other hand, I still find myself moping now and then. One of the things I took from this last trip is an exact opposite from what I tried to glean from my year abroad; that is, I'm no longer trying to convince myself that being alone is fine. I don't want to be alone any more. I want to meet someone, I want to care about a person who cares about me, and start living a life together. How to do this, I'm not sure, but I do know it's something I want.
Other reflections from my travels? I find myself more motivated to be involved with helping people in some way; English lessons, perhaps, or volunteering in some fashion. I find myself judging my society and myself, knowing what others have, and have access to, as compared to us, and how little we even know we have.
Also, I want to become fluent in another language, and that language is going to be Spanish. I hope to combine Rosetta Stone with finding a local conversation group.
I want to minimize my "stuff" and my spending. And increase my walking and biking and hiking. I want to manifest my travels into a book, be it one of pictures or stories or both, not sure yet. I want to host people from Couchsurfing. And I really want to be more knowledgeable about my building, my neighborhood, my city and my country in terms of news and politics and basic history.
So, yeah, I want to open my eyes and my mind wider. That should be easy... right?!
yup ... all good stuff / always growing / more unfolding / deep rich past / bright today / discoverys on the horizon
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