My trip was life changing but it also seems like a lifetime ago. I learned so much about myself on this trip. I think the most important thing I gained was my confidence in my own ability to cope in challenging situations. It's one thing to travel through western Europe and be confident in one's own capabilities; it's quite another to be thrown into a situation where you don't speak the language, you don't know the customs and you're alone figuring out a new developing country. I am exceedingly grateful to whatever deity (my personal belief is in a mother earth) was watching over me. So many things could have happened and they didn't. The worst thing to happen was a bout of dysentery and an auto-immune reaction, but in the grand scheme of things, that's pretty minor. I was very lucky.
In the end, I traveled and lived abroad for 417 days, I lived in three countries: Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and visited a total of 12 (in approximate order): Vietnam (3 months), Thailand (nearly 5 months), Lao (3 weeks), Cambodia (3 months), New Zealand (3 weeks), Australia (1 week), Malaysia (2 weeks), Thailand (again), Cambodia (again), Indonesia (Bali, 1 week), France (4 days), Switzerland (2 weeks), Germany (3 days), Austria (1 week).
When I arrived home, I spent a few weeks interviewing for jobs and unpacking, then two weeks in Idaho at my family's cabin. While in Idaho, I received good news that I had been selected for an Assistant Director position at Santa Clara University in the School of Business. I started slightly more than a month after I returned home and I'm approaching my 5 month mark. I'm enjoying my new job and learning many new skills as well. I still have plenty of wanderlust, which will be partially satisfied with trips to Shanghai and Ghana with my students in June. After Ghana I will be flying up to Europe or over to Kenya; decision on location is TBD. I also have a few other trips planned with my boyfriend David. He is Hungarian by birth but grew up in Switzerland so we're planning trips to both countries in the near future.
I miss so many things about Asia and I do miss the spontaneity of my traveling days. It's wonderful to have so much freedom to go to so many places. There are certain advantages to being in one place as well so it's nice to have the best of both worlds. I am hoping to visit Asia again soon. As much as I love Europe, the US, and other western countries, Asia has left an indelible imprint on my life.
