Thailand to Turkmenistan
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2004
1
27
Trip End
Dec 28, 2006
Bangkok,
Thailand
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Well I have made it back to Turkmenistan in tact. It was defiantly a lot of traveling and a lot of thinking about what the hell I am doing. Being in Thailand, I really questioned every last thing of Turkmenistan; meanwhile living a completely normal and happy life in Bangkok. I really am looking at this place with different eyes, integrating my first year bitterness with my post leg injury second year to see many realities of this place and of life. So there is some news in here: I will finish my real commitments to Turkmenistan and then move on. I am planning on leaving here about 3 months early and (at this moment of time, no commitments), and possibly teaching in Thailand while trying to find some international NGO/company to work for. It is time to move on from the volunteer lifestyle and work and get working on whatever I will be when I turn 50. As Tom Petty sang the words, ¡§time to move on, time to get going, what lies ahead I have no way of knowing. But under my feet babe, the grass is growing.¡¨
I am excited to finish up my sports project that will buy about 100 jerseys and balls for local sports clubs and do my village and city camps. It will take a lot of work and energy, but also give me just enough down time to plan the future move and say my goodbyes, properly this time. So that is the news, I have committed to moving on and finishing up this experience, I just decided that teaching 50 year olds the Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round can only last so long¡Kbut I loved doing it and glad I did it. Someone had to.
On to my great week in Thailand. I arrived in BKK at 4 am and then had a day of MRIs MRAs dr. appointments and such. The hospital was absolutely crazy, it was an international hospital/resort where people come to get plastic surgery and spa weeks for super cheap. It was amazing seeing the irony in the Saudi women walking hand and hand with their husband out of a nose job and shopping¡K.interesting. But yeah, my head was fine, got some meds and then had a week to slowly explore BKK. I wanted to get out of the city to ride elephants, but it just never happened. Instead met some really cool South Africans and they showed me the ¡§normal expat life.¡¨ It was great, full of good food, good conversations and did I say good food. I ate the spiciest chicken and veggies (sorry Moira, this is better than your stir fry fº ) and also got some amazing Mexican food. I relaxed and understood what it would be like to have a real job and not be a damn volunteer that feels responsible for everyone¡¦s problems. I didn¡¦t have to make any one happy all week; they actually smiled back at me. And I had an AC to come home during the day to. I met up with a friend of a friend who showed me the local life in BKK as well. I witnessed one of the funniest, most Asian public health implementation of public aerobics and the thought of it still makes me laugh until I cry. I went out to Buddhist temple opening, realizing that yes, Buddhism is a religion and I don¡¦t want to join, but met with a modern monk who taught me exactly what I wanted to hear. It was interesting to see the countryside and find where I want to try to live for a few months¡K.on my own.
So I am back in Turkmenistan. Please call as much as you can. It will be a struggle to finish up, but knowing that freedom is close, I will make it just fine. I hope that Thailand or wherever I end up will draw a few more tourists than my current situation. I guess this is the email that is saying that it might be time to think about visiting, since it might be awhile before I am ¡§home.¡¨
I love you and miss you all!
KD
