Greeting from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam!
Facebook is blocked in the country, so I cannot update anyone of my whereabouts via that medium. Fortunately, Tumblr has not been touched by the uneasy grasp of the socialist republic, allowing me to send you a vivid depiction of the world around me.
Currently I am in recovery mode from a hangover of various sorts. The one most obvious is from my evening spent riding the coattails of the vivacious nightlife that is ever so present within the fauna and concrete jungles here in the city. Never have I met such a population with such a zest for life, a hunger to please, and all the while maintaining a level of social grace and elegance that I am certainly not accustom. Of course, I cannot offer much social grace, as my family and I continue to make jokes about the name of their currency: Dong. Yes, that’s right ladies and gentleman, I have A LOT of dong in my pants. I’ll leave that up to the ether of interpretation.
The other hangover of course is that of my constant consumption for the beauty in which the earth has shown me. Within the span of a few days, I have seen the mountains of Alaska, snow capped and sun-kissed in the sweet warm glow of a pure, blue sky. I’ve made friends with Canadians in Narita, a small town just outside of Tokyo where I spent a few hours in transit to the heart of the Vietnamese jungle. They too feel the difference in cultures, as we speak in a hushed tone within the silence of the Japanese airport. Its tough to choose whether to be enamored with the mass produced trinkets literring the aisles of the small shops, or the genuine smiles present on the faces of the old and young both here in Vietnam as well as Japan. The smiles here are as frequent here as the motor-scooters abound on the streets, stretching for miles from the every day latex farmer to the young girls selling cigarettes and geisha fans on the streets.
I’ve only been here a few days, and already I prefer this culture to my own at home. Home? What is that anyway? The place where I sleep, talk casually to strangers, and wonder whats next for me? I do that so negatively in Decatur, but here everything is so positive, so uplifting. The landscape begs for an open mind, a sense of direction, a palate ready for a test of undiscovered hues; I am ready.
Of course, I miss a lot of people back home, especially my girlfriend. Despite the warmth of the monsoon season and the constant new experience, I am still left with a feeling of emptiness as I wish to call or text her something that I see that reminds of me of how wonderful she is. Let me tell you, not having your closest friend and not being able to use your cell phone is quite the double whammy, but day by day I am making do.
It amazes me that as I sit on the twelfth floor in this high rise, overlooking the bustling of a foreign world, my friends and family are back home with their oblivious heads nestled in bedsheets. I am not sure if anyone will actually read this, since its nearly the witching hour in my birthplace of the tried and true Midwest. I just want you all to know that I am only beginning this journey, and already I am remind of how beautiful the world is, and how much opportunity is really out there for us to grasp. There is love, there is hope, there is chance, there is everything you want in life. A little corner for all of us to grab and hold tight, and even at times to share with those who understand why we hold it so dear. I miss you all my friends, and I wish you the happiest of days.
Yours Truly,
Colby
Rob a bank. With no pants on.
Bottled water, a guitar, and a knife.
If you scroll down below, I answered that question about 6 or 7 months ago.
The woman I had planned on marrying a few years ago. I’ve never been in love since, and I really do miss having someone in my life.
Five days when I camped out for Cornerstone. Holy shit was that disgusting.
Because its anonymous and easy over the internet, plus I have a sneaking suspicion I’m not as favorably looked upon as I feel I am a lot of the time.
