Return to the West

Due to popular request, and the pokings of my own instinct, I’ve come back to California.

I had just secured a job teaching English for $20/hr (which is nothing to scoff at these days), had rented an apartment, and was learning important new phrases in Vietnamese, such as “How many rooms does your house have?” and other such necessities.

And then it just wasn’t fun anymore. After some long, weary days of traveling, challenging episodes in culture shock, and a general fatigue of white rice and peanuts, I realized I was just down-and-out depressed, homesick… done.

And so I came home.

I know this isn’t the end for Vietnam and I, but a right decision for the Now, nonetheless. In the meantime, I have arrived back at home perfectly on time to enjoy my 28th birthday this weekend. And to celebrate, I’m celebrating not me, I’m celebrating simplicity, I’m celebrating home.

Because what I learned more than any great ephiphany, was that I know myself most when I am truly loving others, I’m feeling most rich when I am holding on to nothing, and my most favorite world destination is the place from which I started.

But I still have more to tell. I’ll continue to post travel stories from Vietnam (round 3) as I work of this jetlag, and watch my sun rise in the West.