On the road again... soon enough

I started this blog and decided to name it "musing on the road: here, there, and everywhere" right before I left France the summer of 2008. France was the official start of my traveling curse, which I was more than grateful to embrace. A couple of short trips, one to the Balearic islands, the other to Algeria, and at the end of my time in France, I knew that I didn't want to come back to the U.S. right away. I ended up in India. And after that, punctuated with semesters back in school were months in Peru, Mexico, and Cuba. I went as far as my time and finance would permit. The finale was 2 beautiful years in Hawaii. I was there for school so technically I can't call it traveling. But the islands are so beautiful I just have to brag about them.

I always thought that once i got back home i'd not be able to travel much again, that i'd have to settle down so to speak.

My prediction seemed to come true when i moved back. 4 months locked down in Hanoi. But now with this new job, half of my work time is on the road, here, there, and everywhere (but all within Vietnam of course). I think it'd suit me just fine. I'm excited to see parts of the country that I'm not at all familiar with. I'm excited that i don't work 9-5; i don't even have an office to work in for that matter. What more could a undisciplined soul ask for? I could already see a host of my friends nodding: Yeah you'd totally do something like that. I guess i'm just that predictable, people!

Tomorrow, the journey starts again. I'm nervous, almost like the first time I stepped out on the road, arm out thumb up, having absolutely no idea what was gonna happen. It might seem funny to people but I feel less safe in my own country than in other places (and yes, I traveled by myself to very conservative regions in Algeria and India). I'm Vietnamese, and have to play by the Vietnamese rules. Much less leeway than when I'm abroad and can fake ignorance to do what pleases me.

In a week, I'll know if I like the aftertaste.