Where am I?

For the past two days I've been waking up at 8 AM, which is good. Unfortunately it goes downhill from there because I'll pass out at 10 PM, wake up at 10 30 in an anxious fit thinking it might be 3 in the morning and I haven't brushed my teeth, and not be able to sleep again until 2 AM. This doesn't make sense, seeing as 10 PM here is 2 PM there.

Adjustment Costs

Back in LA, where...
I am no longer a pedestrian, but a driver
Space is no longer a luxury but a built-in feature
Shanghainese no longer punctuates the conversation around me
"Exotic" food like burritos are no longer a treasure hunt
I no longer have my bed to myself but instead have to share it


Meet Nina, a mini Pinscher. She is the smallest thing and I can easily pick her up with one hand. I researched the breed online and they are one of the most hyperactive, attention-seeking dogs out there. I don't think my mom did the research before deciding to adopt her from my uncle. My mom is also an elitist when it comes to dogs--she'll shun mutts from the shelter but oohs and aahs over Nina since she's purebred. So in the end, I didn't get to choose my pet, but this one is a handful so I think I'm good for now.

I finally had the meeting today I've been anticipating for...oh, about a year now. My announcement to quit has been made official, and it went over a lot better than I thought it would. The director was especially receptive, which I was pleasantly surprised about, because it's never easy breaking this kind of news to a program that has invested so much in you. What a relief--it really feels like a great burden has been lifted off my shoulders. A good indication that I made the right decision? But this also means I'm potentially working on a shorter deadline than I initially thought. I could be graduating in May, which is half a year from now. This puts something else on my mind...the prospects of being employed after everything is done and settled. Time to start job hunting now. Now...now...now...

Why is it so hard being an adult? I wish I was a child, or Nina, who plays around with chew toys all day and just snuggles up to nap in my sheets once she becomes tired.

Love the Chang

I'm sitting in the Chiang Mai airport right now waiting for our noon flight to Bangkok, where we will have a three hour layover before boarding another plane for Phuket. Everything was going smoothly until Valerie realized she left her phone at the hotel. So here I am, glancing at the security gate every few minutes hoping she'll come through those doors and make the 11 50 final boarding call. And then I mistakenly thought the checked baggage was under my name when it was under hers, so I had to pay an extra 428 baht (~14 USD) to check in our luggage. No worries, just one expensive Thai meal. Food here is so cheap and good. I can't get enough lemongrass, green curry, kow soi, and pineapple fried rice, not to mention staples like pad thai. All the situps I did were quickly undone. The beach better be ready for the extra pounds I've packed on.

Chiang Mai was such an awesome city. I wish we could have had an extra day or two there. Amazing wats, such lush greenery, and elephant trekking. The elephants were such majestic creatures. So intelligent, serene, gentle, yet playful. Valerie says it was a life-altering experience. It definitely has made me see elephants in a much different and respectful way.






Dodo enjoying his bath.


...and then giving me one.

I don't know why we're leaving beautiful Chiang Mai for possibly horrendous weather conditions in the South. If it rains the entire time I'll just be thinking about what we're missing out on.

UPDATE: The Valerie has arrived. Whew.

Same Same But Different

Every time I hear Thai being spoken I can't help but think it's a language I should understand. It sounds like an alternate form of Vietnamese. But then it's strange, because I don't understand a word of Vietnamese either.

Flooding going on in the South right now. The travel agent said Phuket and Phi Phi should be fine, but who knows? Valerie might have to save me from the torrential waves since I'm a weak swimmer.

Loving Thailand so far. The people are charming. Chiang Mai is a city of history and delights. Looking forward to our elephant trek tomorrow.

It's Over

The Expo ended yesterday without all the huzzah that had characterized the opening. It was quite anticlimatic. Except for maybe when our very last visitor walked through the pavilion doors.

A flurry of emotions right now churning inside and making my stomach queasy. Each time I come back to Shanghai it becomes harder to leave.

A Post on Gluttony

I had so much food at teppanyaki today I thought I was going to explode. All you can eat sashimi, meat/veggies/seafood, and drinks for 150 RMB are deadly. I'm going to miss it back at home. After I thought I couldn't eat anymore, we got mango dessert at 許留山 on the Pudong riverfront. Then I remembered it's ok because there's a separate compartment for dessert. My stomach and jeans didn't protest.

I already miss Shanghai.

Today was not a good day for 文明-ness

I visited the notoriously hard to get into Japan Pavilion today. It was a pretty good experience. The robot playing the violin was better than I thought it would be, though like all other pavilions here, I would not wait over half an hour for it. After that I decided to go pavilion hopping around the Asia area. Got in Malaysia (basically a huge tourism-promoting space) and Singapore. Did some picture taking at Saudi Arabia, India, New Zealand, and Indonesia. Speaking of which, I was turned away at their fast access lane for having an American credential. Talk about diplomatic friction.

The highlight of the day: I was sitting on the floor in the theater of the Singapore Pavilion when I felt something warm soaking through the side of my shirt and pants. I looked over and there was a kid, wee wee out, spraying an arc of urine on me. After that my desire to pavilion hop abruptly ended and I went home.

5 more working days. Exactly a week before Expo ends. Then Thailand. Then Hong Kong. Then back to the good ol' US of A. Can you believe it?