More Than Just an Adventure

It is rainy season in Hanoi and wow, does it RAIN. I thought being from Florida that I knew what rain was. I didn't. This rain is a constant heavy rain lasting for days on end. My hair looks terrible and my clothes won't dry :)

When I decided to move to southeast Asia, my main intention was to do something different, to travel, and to have fun. In other words, completely selfish intentions.

I had no idea what this experience was going to teach me about myself. I mean, I expected that I would learn to be more independent and more worldly but I have already gotten so much more out of it, and it's only been a week.

The foreigners that you meet here, that are living here, are so different than anyone you have ever met. These are people who have a much bigger and open view of the world and approach to life. Their world is not defined by their high powered job and what the latest greatest party is. They want to talk to you, to know YOU, to travel, to learn, and to cherish each day.

Friendships are formed quickly over here. I find myself being more honest and open about myself to people I have known for under a week than I probably have been to some of my closest friends. I find myself really thinking about the kind of person I am and what I can do to better myself. I find myself wanting to be the best person I can be. To improve.

I think living in NYC, I got a bit sidetracked about the value of life and what we can make of it. I think i got so caught up in what can i do to make me happy that I fell a little bit short in being a good person.

I realize that there are a lot of things about myself that I want to improve. And that instead of thinking about myself and what I want, I should start thinking about how my behavior and actions affect others in my life.

I know this post is a bit rambling and it is actually very difficult for me to articulate what it is I am trying to say, and the profound effect the way of life here has made me examine myself, but what I can clearly state is that when I return from here I will be a better, kinder, and more considerate person than I was when I left.