“Stanford is still pricking my mind but there is still fear and hesitation to take the plunge. The main concern is the work hours. . . Matt would have to work so much more . . . not to mention that we would have to rent and live in an apartment . . . Ugh. I can’t wait to be with Matt to talk about all this in person. I am sitting on a plane right now in San Francisco, CA waiting for departure to Tokyo, Japan and after that 11 hour flight I will have a 4 hour lay over and then an 8 hour flight to Bangkok, Thailand where I will then have a 7 hour lay over before the hour and fifteen minute flight to Chang Mai where Matt is. Matt has been in Thailand for almost 3 weeks doing a medical rotation and 5 have just left the kids with Matt’s parents so that I can join him there for 11 days – it is actually only 8 days because of the travel time. It takes about 32 hours to get there and fifteen hours of just layovers!
Feb. 23, 2010
KENSUKE – Ken
That is my Japanese friend from my flight to Japan. Different cultures are so amazing. He is 23 yr. old but you should have seen him eat his food- it was so proper and he was so humble and polite and apologetic about everything. He seemed so innocent – trying so hard to speak to me in English. He was so eager to learn. He wants me to come back to Japan to his home and to learn Japanese – at one point he tried to get me to promise. I know someone in the future might read too far into this saying “oh this 23 yr old wants you to come home with him” but it was nothing like that. I felt like I was talking to a sweet 8 yr. old that wanted me to be his pen pal. Complete innocence and pure excitement to learn the language and life of an American. I was a novelty to him of sorts. It was sweet and tender and I met his mom and she took a picture of me, Ken, and Cloase – the other man on our row that was retired and is now traveling the world. – Cloase was a very happy man that I’m glad I met as well. Corey is another man I’ve met on this adventure. He’s who sat by me on my leg from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. He’s a family doctor and probably 10 years older than me. I really enjoyed talking to him and we talked about everything from what was going on in the newspaper to residency programs to family and my fear of bugs and water to whatever else. We could have talked or not talked for hours and it was completely comfortable. There were never awkward moments and it was just nice. I love meeting new people. I love the chance to give a first impression and to get to know other people’s stories. What totally threw me for a loop with Corey is that after we got off the plane and said our goodbyes he shook my hand and slipped me a hundred dollar bill. I almost couldn’t breathe. I was so shocked and speechless. I can’t even write how stunned I was. I of course tried to object but I was stumbling over everything like me head was spinning. I knew we got along great, but you don’t just give someone $100! He told me to go get a taxi to go see Stanford (we had talked about that on the plane). I still fought him but he practically scooted me away saying that he was sure someone had helped him along the way too and that I had better hurry because my layover time was ticking away. I ended up staggering away stunned and confused. I managed to find a taxi but I was still in shock over what had actually happened and I had never really taken a taxi by myself and so I felt like a complete little girl standing there in front of the bustling line of taxis. I ended up telling my WHOLE story to this random woman standing on the sidewalk and she took me under her wing as she began checking with the taxi drivers about how much it would cost to go to and from Stanford and how long they thought it was going to take. She found out that time wise I was going to be fine, but that it was going to cost $180 dollars to go there and back! Matt and I don’t have the $80 extra dollars for the trip. I had no clue what to do. Corey had given me the money to use on the taxi and now if I didn’t take the taxi what was I supposed to do with his money. I had no idea where he was and if I did find him he would probably try to give me the $80 more dollars to go and I didn’t want that either! I felt disloyal or something all the way around. I still do! The $100 bill is still burning a hole in my pocket as I lay here on a bench in the Bangkok, Thailand airport. Speaking of the airport and friends I have made another friend here who I’ve banned up with to watch each others stuff while the other goes to the bathroom or gets something to eat. He has blonde curly hair and a beard and seems to be on a world trek without a shower :) He is way nice though.
Speaking of Bathrooms, in Japan I experienced my first authentic badae. A.K.A the bum squirter. This is honestly the picture outside the bathroom door.
A public sign is a picture of a naked bum being squirted. Inside the stalls there is the super high-tech looking toilet with all of these digital type buttons that you can push on the side. One button changes the water pressure of the squirter and there was a button with musical notes on it that didn’t play music but rather it made a fake flushing sound to cover up the sound of you going to the bathroom! Isn’t that crazy!! Then there on the stall next to me there was a sign like this
So I stuck my head in to see a porcelain hole in the floor with a little back splash and drain for you to squat on the floor and pee in. This is a public restroom at this big nice modern airport!! It is so crazy! This world and life can be so crazy and fun!
The wee hours of Feb. 24, 2010
Yes, it has taken 2 days to travel and I am still not with Matt. I left Monday the 22nd on a 6:35am flight out of SLC and I land in Chang Mai at 7:50am on Wednesday the 24th.
There is a little boy on this flight that has to be close to Noah’s age. I almost started crying. . .I miss them so much and I worry that they are so sad without me. As Quin would say though – I’m not nearly as important as I think I am. :) The kids probably don’t realize I’m gone! Ugh. Is that good or bad? :) I certainly can’t imagine it. I hope this isn’t selfish of me to leave my kids to spend this time with Matt. Will they forgive me? Will they understand? Will they be completely scarred and never trust me again? Do they cry themselves to sleep at night? Oh I’ve got to stop thinking about this – I’ve got to start focusing on Matt. I am about to see him for the first time in 3 weeks. The longest we have ever been apart. I wonder if I should record the cheesiness and impracticality of what I am doing? . . .he he . . .I am still laughing at myself! In Bangkok during my 7 hour lay over I went in the bathroom, washed my face and put new make-up on and redid my hair. I then put on this “little black dress” and these pointy black spiked heals!! I can’t even tell you all the looks I’ve gotten. “That crazy American girl! Who does she think she is? . . . or IS she someone I should know??” :) And I am doing all of this with the hope that I am going to just knock Matt over when he sees me. I want to totally blow him away and get this second honeymoon started off right!! I feel like such an idiot though – stumbling in these heals with my luggage and all dressed up like a movie star while everyone else is sleeping in PJs on the benches . . . all for the sake of love :)
The wee hours of Feb. 24, 2010
Yes, it has taken 2 days to travel and I am still not with Matt. I left Monday the 22nd on a 6:35am flight out of SLC and I land in Chang Mai at 7:50am on Wednesday the 24th.
There is a little boy on this flight that has to be close to Noah’s age. I almost started crying. . .I miss them so much and I worry that they are so sad without me. As Quin would say though – I’m not nearly as important as I think I am. :) The kids probably don’t realize I’m gone! Ugh. Is that good or bad? :) I certainly can’t imagine it. I hope this isn’t selfish of me to leave my kids to spend this time with Matt. Will they forgive me? Will they understand? Will they be completely scarred and never trust me again? Do they cry themselves to sleep at night? Oh I’ve got to stop thinking about this – I’ve got to start focusing on Matt. I am about to see him for the first time in 3 weeks. The longest we have ever been apart. I wonder if I should record the cheesiness and impracticality of what I am doing? . . .he he . . .I am still laughing at myself! In Bangkok during my 7 hour lay over I went in the bathroom, washed my face and put new make-up on and redid my hair. I then put on this “little black dress” and these pointy black spiked heals!! I can’t even tell you all the looks I’ve gotten. “That crazy American girl! Who does she think she is? . . . or IS she someone I should know??” :) And I am doing all of this with the hope that I am going to just knock Matt over when he sees me. I want to totally blow him away and get this second honeymoon started off right!! I feel like such an idiot though – stumbling in these heals with my luggage and all dressed up like a movie star while everyone else is sleeping in PJs on the benches . . . all for the sake of love :)
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