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Published: August 25th 2010
A champagne toast
as I head home via United First classI am ready to be home--The ultimate DeMilitarized Zone.
This journey has been a physical, mental and emotional rollercoaster. I am glad I took the ride, but I am ready to disembark. I am reminded of a scene in Bram Stroker's Dracula (1992), where Mina asks Dracula to "Take me away from all this death!” I too have been around it long enough. How fortunate that I am able to hop on a plane and make it all go away.
Five weeks ago, I set out to explore the effects of war, and each day they became me. I have seen and heard such horror and found myself sinking into the dark corners of my mind. As I re-read my own travel journals, I see how the heaviness was building and weighing down upon me.
When I reflect upon my travels, my eyes swell with tears and my chest starts to ache--partly because of the weight of my assignment, but also out of pride because I chose to take it on. I accomplished what I set out to do and I am proud of myself.
But it is now time to go home and regroup.
Time to go see my friends.
Time to laugh.
The first friend I see is Billy in the Tokyo-Narita airport. After my travel was underway, United Airlines placed an embargo on friends/family flights from Asia, which meant without a United employee I wasn't able to use his passes to fly home. I would have been stuck in Japan. Bless Billy's heart...he hopped on a plane to Japan, flew 10 hours in coach, met me in the airport, then boarded a plane with me to fly back to L.A. The standby gods rewarded both of us with a return flight in first class. What a great pre-homecoming!
Riding in the plane, I dug my iPod out of the corner of my bag and played the only song that fit my mood...
"I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home..."
Home by Daughtry Oh... the comforts of home...
How nice it will be to take a shower where I know the water will be warm. I can even open my mouth under the stream of water without becoming a sharting Charlotte (SITC--the first movie).
Where I can brush my teeth with my Sonicare toothbrush without rationing the toothpaste.
Where I can machine wash my clothes and they won't be stretched out from being beaten against a rock in a stream.
Hey...I get to wear some different clothes!!!
Home...
Where the temperature and the humidity percentage are not the same number.
Where I don't have to fear mosquitos with malaria, or the countless other bugs living off my sticky skin.
Where I don't get offered Lady Boom Boom, or peed on (without my consent).
It will be so nice to rid my back of a 40 pound pack and get back to working out at the gym and practicing yoga.
I know home has it's responsibility too. The world of cheer awaits me, as does UCLA curriculum, unopened mail, reunion planning, unpacking and the start of the new school year. Duty calls. But what a wonderful set of "burdens" to call my own, especially when compared to those of the people in some of the countries I just visited.
I turn my key to my condo on Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. What a great home I am blessed with. The warm colors and the smell of the wood floor; nice things and the ocean breeze. Paul has been spending time here while I've been gone. He is completing a painting and the paints and canvas are neatly gathered in the corner and the coffeetable. My home is waiting for me, fresh and clean.
I go to my balcony to see my plants. Per my request, Paul repotted and tended to my balcony garden--even adding a few friends. It looks just perfect as it was done with love. I look forward to seeing Paul. I think before school starts, we should hop over to the Grand Canyon--No backpacks or travelblogs, or malaria pills or war museums. Just us. We have both had life-changing journeys this summer and I'd like to compare notes.
I also can't wait to see my friends and family. How lucky am I to have such amazing people who joined me in this journey by reading and commenting on my blogs. Their support has been felt across the seas and helped me to continue through difficult times. I look forward to hearing where their lives have taken them lately. I hope we go out to eat--either Mexican or Italian food...
I can't wait to eat with a fork.
xoxo
The End
Thank you Fund For Teachers for making this a reality. I will bring these experiences to life in my classroom and beyond.
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Tom Emberson
non-member comment
Welcome Back!
HI Jason, Glad your home safe & sound. Sounds like you trip gave you deep insights into history as well as altering your view of life and all it's possibilities. Thank you for all of your sharing. L, Tom~