What 's next?
Trip Start
Oct 08, 2007
1
37
110
Trip End
Dec 16, 2008
Goa,
India
Friday, January 4, 2008
It's been 3 months since I left. I feel like I'm closing a chapter. It hasn't been a vacation in the "Kick back and relax" sort of way. The constant change of scenery and societies does live you confused and grasping for some quiet time for reflection - striking mountains, big cities, one street towns, busses, trains, dirt roads, traffic, monasteries, prayer wills, temples, sky burial, funeral pyres, beggars, tourists, monks, noodles, curry, pat thai, sushi in Tel Aviv, Tamil music, Tibetan music, "Om mani padne hom", tolerance, intolerance, poverty, morality, inequality, languages, religions, spirituality.
In some ways, I'm looking forward to traveling in the more developed New Zealand and Australia, where world's poverty is out of plain sight. I do need a break from the tough questions I can't help but ask myself when traveling in Asia: Do I have the right to be irritated by the beggars, or do they have the right to say, hey, we are here, we are hungry? If I can't help everyone, should I not help anyone? How do I feel about the subservient role of women in most Asian societiespal? Is China helping of hurting Tibet? Is education more important than religion, or vice versa? Not exactly the "paper or plastic" type questions, even though that one always gets me off guard.
What else happened/is happening?
Many of you responded with an open hearth and an open wallet to my appeal 100 Girls Back to School. I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! We have collected $3,600 so far, which is enough for 14 girls to attend school for a year. Good job everyone!
It is my 35th birthday on Jan 13th. Big 35! I'll be in Singapore, and of course you can send me a Birthday card at Vlad's address, but I would much rather you contributed the few dollars to my appeal instead. You my friends, and you strangers. There have been more than 2,000 hits on the blog since I started it, so unless you, my friends, are logging in as par of your everyday morning routine, there must be some strangers who read it too. You are welcomed to read, of course! I'm mostly flattered :) Don't be shy to send me a "Birthday card" either. What the heck, ask your friends to send me one too. No "Birthday card" is too small! Please, send Vik a birthday card at: www.justgiving.com/100GirlsBacktoSchool
Lastly, my journalist project is finally moving along and my first story will be published in Light tomorrow http://capital.bg/light/ . I'll be putting up the stories on the blog for all of you people who don't speak Bulgarian to read. Needless to say, I'm contributing all proceeds from the project to 100 Girls Back to School.
Next update from Singapore.
Big smooch, Vik
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WORLD CHANGE STARTS WITH EDUCATED CHILDREN! Give a girl the life long gift of education! Support my appeal 100 GIRLS BACK TO SCHOOL! Donate at: www.justgiving.com/100GirlsBackToSchool. Your money goes directly to ROOM TO READ (www.roomtoread.org)!
Hugs & Kisses, Vik
