I made a point of not making any posts while I was in US. I figured that I spend my time on other things than being on the computer or watching TV. Overall, I think I did well on that commitment to myself. I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to while I was in the States, but I think I hit the major goals, which were spending time with friends and family.
It was wonderful to be back, but also a bit strange, knowing that it would be a relatively short time before I was back in Cambodia. To start, it was a bit difficult to comprehend that I was even back – not physically, but as a state of mind. Periodically, I would compare things around me to things in Cambodia. Reflecting on the fact that the roads were so much nicer, that the buildings were so tall, that not all the people are Asian, you know, the simple things.
However, slowly, I started to notice the things that I love about the US: the bustle of a city, the sounds of street musicians, the taste of American microbrews (as opposed to the omnipresent lager of SE Asia), the way the Pacific Northwest is surrounded by astounding nature. Perhaps the greatest thing about the US, as I experienced it, is that it is so easy. It is easy to communicate, easy to get around, easy to buy things. However, the thing that I appreciate the most is that the problems are easy.
In Cambodia, small problems are endemic and point to larger problems. A cough that turns into a fever and then into malaria. A barely-funded classroom packed with children that points to a mismanaged school that points to pervasive government graft. That is not to diminish the problems of the US, but just to say that they are more manageable. The most complicated problem that affected me was downtown Seattle traffic. I even went on a police-ride-along with my best friend where we encountered an abusive boyfriend and two mentally impaired individuals who were. Although these sights were upsetting and point toward significant problems in US society, they still seemed small and conquerable.
That said, I don't envy anyone who is severely struggling as a result of this recession. However, I have come to realize that, for now, I do not need the easiness of the US. In spite of all the United States' comforts and fun, I am happy to be living, and sometimes floundering, internationally. Plus, I am comforted by the knowledge that wonderful family and friends and the comforts of the US will be waiting for me whenever I get back. Thank you.
