homecoming

Taken again at Đà Lạt from my hotel room. At the time, I liked the idea of a narcissistic flower, but interpret as you will.

Everyone has asked me how my trip was, and every time I reply that it was good because the truth would be too long and complicated. I got to see my family and it was great, but as for my country, I'm not altogether sure. The fields are still there, the grooves, the heat, and as most of you have heard, the mosquitos greeted me quite nicely too. But now the vespas have made room for too many cars. The girls are running around in jeans (with rhinestones!) and the boys sport American Eagle polos. Hands grab mobile phones as lips form English phrases and I'm glad the country is growing in its Industrial Revolution, but the scenes were fake and it all felt ... insincere. I'm not sure how else to put it. Perhaps when two entities starkly contrast, they can coexist in your sphere, but when they begin to overlap, you're forced to compare and choose the better of the two. Perhaps not everything can be amalgamated. Before leaving, my dad corrected me in saying we're going to Vietnam, not coming home to it, that it stopped being our country, stopped being our home the day Saigon fell. And he's right, but no worries about me confusing loyalties. This last visit made me realize I have a new home now.

hello world

Taken at the Flower Park in Đà Lạt, Việt Nam this past March. My parents and I went on a tour of the city mainly to escape the heat of Sài Gòn.

I'm back! Vietnam was ... hot and much more Americanized this time around, but it was nice to see everyone again. I'm sorry I didn't send more postcards, but it was such a hassle each time. I'll be uploading pictures from the trip obviously, but I'll also email pictures to those who asked since apparently I upload them too slowly.

I got in around 6 p.m. yesterday, unpacked, caught up with everyone then slept from 12:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. And I'm still tired, it's amazing. Hopefully I will see most of you for sushi this week?

I'll save posts of the actual travels for another day. In other news, I have a shameful crush on Edward Cullen. His eyes were so magnetic that I kept grinning the entire time. I'm also in love with a Mercedes I saw at the airport as well as the man driving it. Ah, America. My trip was good, but it's great to be home.

mea culpa

Taken at Salt Lake City in September. The sign is carved by the Great Salt Lake in honor of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

I've just realized what an idiot I've been for the past two years, in addition to all the stupidity I'd committed before then. But I guess it's better late than never. Here's to waking up, righting wrongs, and taking back what's mine.

my everything

Taken at the Capital Building in Salt Lake City this past September. Something about the lighting makes me feel like I'm in a Harry Potter novel.

I am so very stressed at the moment and while I know that's not worth updating about it, I can't sleep so you'll have to bear with me. I've got so many things to think and do in the coming days, but I'm staying calm and handling it fairly well. Slowly I'm becoming more of my old self whom I've been trying to dig out for the past four years. It's pathetic; I know.

Loan invited me to join Twitter tonight, which I did, and Skot then laughed at my inability to keep up with the times. Yes, I'm becoming old and outdated in my ways and will probably not know how to turn on a computer in 5 years. Slowly but surely my dreams of being that hip, cool mom are slipping away, evident by my recent mishap with an iPhone that I will omit out of sheer embarrassment. It's funny how we once vowed never to be our parents and now involuntarily wag our fingers in the same manner or how we hated TAs for being so mean and hard sometimes and now make our students jump through the same hoops. But you know what - it's not so bad fitting the mold now and then. In fact, it's almost comforting.

Alas I'm off to bed for my very early morning tomorrow. Kevin and I are getting some people together for the GetAway this Friday so if you are around the area, swing by! 'Night lovelies.