A Vacation from a Vacation

I’m having the time of my life in the Peace Corps. I love being abroad, learning new things, meeting new people, conquering challenges, and exploring every day. As I was riding my bike this afternoon, it hit me that I’m really taking a vacation from a vacation in a couple days. While school is closed right now and it really is summer vacation, I feel that my whole time here, working hard or not, is an adventure full of fun and excitement in a place other than my homeland. In September when my plane lands back in Phnom Penh, it won’t be with the small sense of despair I usually feel when returning back to life as usual in the States. I’ll be excited to meet my new site mate and begin planning projects for my second school year.

On Wednesday I’ll fly to Medan on the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a brief layover in Kuala Lumpur. (I’m going to go through immigration just so that I can eat in the airport’s McDonalds. I may or may not have booked my flights around this McDonalds lunch.) Once I’ve arrived in Medan, I’ll meet my friend, Den, and together we’ll make our way to his home in Aceh province. (Peace Corps policy doesn’t allow me to be too specific about my whereabouts…) After a week celebrating independence day and Ramadan and meeting his friends and family, we’ll go to Banda Aceh where the 2004 tsunami hit hardest. I’m very interested to see the remnants of this disaster and also to celebrate my birthday on the 24^th!

Before heading to South Korea, I have a one-night layover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Having already visited the city once, I hope to meet a couple of local friends I got to know during my last trip. Early on the 27^th I’ll fly to Seoul for a four-night stay. I’m most excited for a large war history museum and hopefully a concert at the Seoul Arts Center… and the food! My friend, Jade, who is currently serving in the Korean army, will travel with me by train to his hometown, Pusan, on the 31^st.  I’m looking forward to meeting his family and seeing Korea through his eyes.

Most exciting about this trip is that it isn’t very “touristy.” As my friend, Grace, might say, I’ll be having an authentic experience, except for Seoul, I suppose. I’ve realized that I really enjoy travel which puts me in contact with local people and lets me see the country from their perspective. This intimate connection brings culture to life and allows for a malleable experience. I had fun with my friends Gilbert, Heather, and Johnny when I went the touristy pre-packaged route in Malaysia and Singapore in April, but I’m looking forward to this very different travel style.

I’m so thankful to Den and Jade for welcoming me to their homes and making this trip possible. I’ll keep in touch and post pictures as soon as possible. Thanks to my readers for following along, and please, share your stories with me too! I’ve posted my address on the right side of the page for anyone who would like to send mail my way. Letters, cards, and care packages are GREATLY appreciated. You can also stay in touch via e-mail (lesliestevenmiles@gmail.com), Skype (lmilesl), or Facebook. Take care, everyone!