Monday, April 11, 2011

Re-Culture Shock

I’m currently sitting in the BKK airport eating a large mango-almond

blizzard (their large is the same size as an American small…and I’m starting to think that I won’t be able to finish it….so much ice cream!!!) and feeling pretty uncomfortable. I feel like I don’t belong in this world of cushioned chairs and nicely boxed candy; of donuts with sprinkles and deep dish pizza. I feel …uncouth? I feel…country bumpkin-ish. Too dirty and poor to touch anything.

I got to Bangkok two nights ago, and was VERY happy to be able to hide in my hotel room away from all of the neon lights, traffic, and street vendors. How can people live amongst so much…stuff?!!! My eyes hurt after only an hour outside—the buildings were all so BIG, and everything was so LOUD and chaotic. I’ll admit, there’s a certain excitement to it all, but mainly I just felt overwhelmed and little. Yesterday, after zooming through traffic for awhile on the back of a motor-bike, I made my way to a mall with movie theater (I have NEVER seen such a large mall OR such a hi-tech, complicated movie theater) and pretty much just closed my eyes through the movie, “Hop” (didn’t like the movie—don’t recommend it).

I’m really glad that I don’t live in a big city in America. I don’t think I could ever adjust to the chaos… I like trees, grass, cows, and horses. It’s like in Ernie’s song, “I Don’t want to Live on the Moon.” The city is a cool place to visit…to take in all of the sights and sounds, to blend in to the masses, but I don’t think I’d like to live there. It’s going to be hard enough for me to adjust to the wealth of Hurricane and Rexburg when I get back. It’s one thing to remember home and think, “Wow….I used to live like that? It will be another thing entirely to adjust to living that way again.

I really can’t get over how comfortable these cushioned café seats are…and I took a hot bath yesterday it felt simply LUXURIOUS. I never thought that comfort could feel so uncomfortable. I’m anxious to get back to my wooden bed and squat toilet in Sangkhla.

2 comments:

  1. Wow, who knew you could feel uncomfortable with comfort so quickly.....crazy. Glad you are safe. Laura sounds wonderful.

    I love you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. so I thought that I was done... It's addicting to hear about everything... And it's really fun to hear about it from another angle.

    I'm really glad you're safe, too. Reading this makes me think of the last time that I visited NYC. Thank heavens for a safe and quiet hotel room! :)

    ReplyDelete

Followers