It's hard to believe, but we are down to the last couple of weeks of our "Big Trip".
Unlike other portions of our trip, since we're in the western states of USA, we are spending our time with long-time friends and with family I haven't seen in years. While we're still exploring new things, much of our time is spent story-telling and answering questions about our year-long, 19-country adventure.
One question I've been asked a few times is "are you tired of it?" (or varieties of that question, such as "are you ready to stop").
In all honesty, I'd have to say 'yes, I'm ready to end the trip'.
It has been a fantastic year, full of adventures and learnings and discovery of all kind, but...
We know that if all goes well, we will settle in Myanmar (aka Burma) for the next few years. That in itself is an adventure. Where in Yangon will we live? In an apartment or a house? Where will the girls go to school? Will we finally get a new dog (to "replace" Sawa, the white German Shepherd who had been part of the family for 14 years)? What is it like on the coast of Myanmar? And how about the north - we only visited Yangon and central Myanmar when we were there in November. And what about the other expats - what are they like? I want to end the trip mostly so that I can find the answers to these questions!
I'm also ready to stay in a place with a kitchen for more than just a week or two. I like eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I like creating delicious meals from them. I like being able to control what and how much I eat (especially now that we're in USA where food habits tend to be pretty different from our family food culture). I miss being able to open a fridge and make a quick and simple snack or meal without having to go to a restaurant for it.
And (while I hate to admit it), I'm looking forward to wearing some different clothes - I'm tired of my four or five shirts!! I want a few more items of clothing. I don't want to HAVE to do laundry every few days.
Nadia
Unlike other portions of our trip, since we're in the western states of USA, we are spending our time with long-time friends and with family I haven't seen in years. While we're still exploring new things, much of our time is spent story-telling and answering questions about our year-long, 19-country adventure.
Some of the Al-Alawi clan at the Grand Canyon:
Saif, Amira, Mira, Nadia, and Kamal (back row)
Alia and Maya (front row)
One question I've been asked a few times is "are you tired of it?" (or varieties of that question, such as "are you ready to stop").
In all honesty, I'd have to say 'yes, I'm ready to end the trip'.
It has been a fantastic year, full of adventures and learnings and discovery of all kind, but...
We know that if all goes well, we will settle in Myanmar (aka Burma) for the next few years. That in itself is an adventure. Where in Yangon will we live? In an apartment or a house? Where will the girls go to school? Will we finally get a new dog (to "replace" Sawa, the white German Shepherd who had been part of the family for 14 years)? What is it like on the coast of Myanmar? And how about the north - we only visited Yangon and central Myanmar when we were there in November. And what about the other expats - what are they like? I want to end the trip mostly so that I can find the answers to these questions!
I'm also ready to stay in a place with a kitchen for more than just a week or two. I like eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I like creating delicious meals from them. I like being able to control what and how much I eat (especially now that we're in USA where food habits tend to be pretty different from our family food culture). I miss being able to open a fridge and make a quick and simple snack or meal without having to go to a restaurant for it.
And (while I hate to admit it), I'm looking forward to wearing some different clothes - I'm tired of my four or five shirts!! I want a few more items of clothing. I don't want to HAVE to do laundry every few days.
Nadia
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