Vietnam

As I'm sitting here on this Vietnam sleeper bus trying not to freak out, I have this weird feeling of joy. Haha I will explain the bus then the weird feeling of joy. First I'm claustrophobic and extremely so. When I first got on I thought it was a double decker bus, since we had 2nd level seats. Only when I fully finished taking off my shoes at the door ( this should have been warning sign) did I realize it was a bed full of 2 level bunk beds and you can't even fully sit up.  We were all on the top bunk and I fully curse being in Asia for the first time since arriving in Korea. This is because if I were in America this level would fully be above average height for me, but, since I have enjoyed the benefits of Asian height average ( bus handles, pants lengths, kitchen cupboards and chair sizes) I knew there would eventually be a con. Given my still recovering foot and the crazy driver who seems to have forgotten he had live ones in the back, I'd say I'm coping pretty well.

Ooops forgot to mention why I was on this bus. We're on our way to Nha Trang, which is between Hanoi (north) and Ho Chi Minh City (south). It is approximately 5- 6 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City, but because people have to pee 3 times a night, it becomes a 9 hour drive. We are doing the overnight bus, which is 930-630 and it is currently 130.

Return to original reason for this post, so I'm trying not to think about the small encasing box I'm in or imagine the bus flipping over. I take a moment; something I was advised by my wedding dj and mc, Dave Beal, to do whenever I'm doing something important in my life. I did this at my graduation, the week before my wedding. As I was sitting on the stage staring into the dark crowd that was filled with dark mysterious figures of family friends, I took that moment. I congratulated myself for having the courage to come back and finishing what I needed to do. Also for not doing it half way, but giving it my all and finishing 2 years in a year and 4 months with a 7.8 GPA in sociology. That time made the difference to where I am capable of being this year.

The second time was rightfully so at my wedding, Matt and I took it together. It made my memory of that night a cemented experience that I will forever cherish.

The third time was half way through my Korean Air flight over to Korea. It finally hit me as the plane at great speeds took me away from my loved ones and every bit of safeness my life had. I took a moment and started to think about ways I can make the plane turn around or how long I would be in debt if I just booked a return flight upon arrival. LOL just a little secret I decided to share finally. I came up with some pretty interesting ideas, that I will just keep to myself.

Okay, finally back to the fourth and current time I am taking this moment. I'm in Vietnam... I are traveling  along the coasts of Vietnam. Next month I'm heading to Hong Kong and more plans for July. *breath out... Last year at this point I was in a different but not worse situation. Never did I think I would be able to cross something, let alone several items off my bucket list. I've missed my mom and dad and when I saw them I was very excited. But I am not a mess, I'm fully aware of having to depart from them in 9 days and then it will be 8 more months before I see them again. I feel the growth I went to Korea to find, among the goals like eating all of Korea's GamJaTang, redesigning myself to become Korean, and learning Han Guel. Obviously only one of those are true, I will leave that for you to make crazy assumptions. I feel my 26th birthday coming up and for the first time I'm embracing it because this past year has finally given me experiences I can be proud to have had by this age. It is weird for me to not feel an over whelming feeling of anxiety and hyper ventilation whenever I think about how old I am and what I have to show for it. Always the over achiever, before 2009 it was looking pretty grim.

I don't know where I got the courage to just pack up and leave the only side of the world I have ever been on. But not almost 5 months in I am grateful for what ever I was thinking back then. My experience in Korea has been almost near perfect. I have honestly met amazing people and gone to places I never thought I would go on my own. Granted every time I'm somewhere amazing I always imagine my family and the girls back home standing with me. I want to share with them the amazing feeling of freedom that washes over me. Learning Korean has been a great aid in feeling at home in Korea. My life has indefinitely been changed by this relocation of "home sweet home" but I will push only forward and be strong. I'm going to truly live a life with no regrets, a mantra I have been quoting since the day I've join the online community, haha hello Asianavenue.
"I'm living life and it's Hella awesome" muahahahahahah LOL okay maybe I don't need the evil Dr.Evils laugh but why not! Muahahahahhahahaha :p