the end...or just the beginning...?

okay so I'm starting the writing of this email in Bangkok but probably not posting it til I get to Victoria so I can add stuff

I just wanted to kinda sum up my travels a bit, give my blog some closure, if you will

These past 6 months have been amazing and I don't know if I can really say it's "changed" me in any noticeable way but it definitely has helped me see the world in a different light so I wanted to write out some of the things I have learned:

-as much as you can be told about something, read about it, see pictures, etc, you never really KNOW about it until you see it
I'm not claiming to be an expert in anything about the countries I've been to, but being in them and meeting the people and travelling around taught me more than any book ever could
at the same time there are people who come here and still learn nothing, which totally baffles me

-Thai massages from men are more awkward than by women, this is less on the serious side but yesterday I went for a massage and the dude was doing something to my stomach, like pressing it hard with the tips of his hands and when I opened my eyes and saw the look of intense concentration on his face I got the giggles

-plans are for chumps
I had plans and they fell apart, then I changed them and the new ones fell apart. At first this really bothered me but then I learned to take it in stride, just take a deep breath and tell myself "it's time for plan B." and C and D etc. One person I met, Maja, who I travelled with for a month, had a great mantra that we said all the time and it was the last thing she said to me before we parted ways "remember, everything always works out." This has been true time and time again and I will continue to believe it when I return to Canada.

-after successfully living out of a backpack for 6 months I've realised I can live with a lot less stuff than I have, I knew this before but until putting it into practise I was pretty skeptical.
this does not mean I don't love all my stuff though, I'm very conflicted about this

-a sense of humour can get you through any disaster
every time something bad happened if I was able to see the humour in it then I was almost glad it happened. sometimes something horrible would happen then I'd be telling someone about it later and they'd be laughing and I'd realise, hey at least it makes a good story! sometimes I'd be the only foreigner somewhere and something shitty would happen and I'd be laughing by myself and all the locals would look at me like I was crazy, which would make the situation even funnier.

-drink PLENTY of water

-never ask for "extra happy" pizza, trust me

That might be it for now, but now that I look at how much I wrote perhaps I should just post this now and then do another one from home if I think of anything I want to add.

Alright, so I fly out tomorrow and I'm kinda apprehensive for the reverse culture shock that will greet me when I arrive.
Excited for dins Friday at the Fag Haigh House, however! I'll be the one carrying the Santa sack of gifts!

also, a VERY happy birthday to my Stepmom-extraordinaire, Sarah! enjoy it cuz tomorrow there'll be another body in your house leaving their shoes in your way and not putting cups in their proper place and leaving the lights on in empty rooms (I was just getting a snack, sheesh...)!

much love
Alexis

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