So, I spent a month in Asia. As predicted, it was incredible. Here's a quick breakdown:
Korea with my brother
Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with the first main tour group
Vietnam with the second second main tour group
Korea was all self-planned, and I did make my brother follow me and take pictures as I searched for anything related to BTS.
but I traveled the other countries through Contiki, a travel company for 18-35 year olds (https://www.contiki.com/en-us). I went as a part of their Big Indochina Adventure, which is a combination of other, smaller tours. There were seven of us who did the whole 27 day trip.
And the first thing I will say was that our trip manager, Zoe, was the best trip manager I have ever had. She was with us all 27 days, and her organization, enthusiasm, and knowledge really were a highlight in and of themselves. She had restaurant and free time suggestions at every stop, and went above and beyond to organize meals, transportation, nights out, and so much more. This trip would have not been as good as it was without Zoe. Basically, I stan.
But anyway, let's talk about sweat. And Buddha. These two things were inescapable in the tour portion of my trip. And I'm from Memphis, which is known for being super hot and humid. But we got nothing on Southeast Asia, particularly the jungle area. We're talking an average of two showers a day just to deal with the sweat and stickiness. And Buddha was everywhere, and I learned that Buddhism has different sects, and the sects have their own images of Buddha. Learn more here: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/beginners-guide-asian-culture/buddhist-art-culture/a/the-main-branches-of-buddhism
Now for self-reflection, we have to talk about the Vietnam War. Or, as it's known in Vietnam, the American War. Yes, most American history courses teach about the Vietnam War, but it's usually a quick overview at the end of the year. So let's face some facts: we, the Americans, were not the good guys. And we lost. We did some awful things to a country that had been under foreign rule for generations. And our actions not only affected Vietnam, but also Laos and Cambodia, where they are still dealing with unexploded bombs we dropped in an effort to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Those bombs injure and kill thousands of people every year. Obviously, there are multiple sides to every story, and we are not the only ones at fault, but there were atrocities in the Vietnam War that we need to own up to (among other things).
Which leads me to another point: as Americans, I do think we are getting better at owning up to our past and trying to improve. But it seems like individuals from other Western countries continue to want to blame us for everything and point out everything wrong with American society. There were other Americans on different parts of the tour, but it was mostly Australians and British people, with some other nationalities mixed in. And just talking to them (not all and not all the time clearly) and hearing their conversations lead me to several conclusions:
1. There are those from other Western nations that I think would blame America for everything if they could. They do this, of course, without acknowledging the past horrors committed by their countries (British empire anyone?)
2. Republican policies (the American Republicans) are mostly despised by the rest of the world. I get that one.
3. Non-Americans really don't understand America. They base their assumptions on one trip to Florida, New York City, or California.
4. As much as these individuals may hate it, America is a superpower. They could easily the name American president (and vice-president, and former president), but had to think a minute to remember their own prime minister. I've seen TikToks that compare it to this Mad Men scene:
Of course, 99% of the people on the trip were incredibly kind, welcoming people that I had a wonderful time with. I have found that people who travel, who willingly sign up for tours and trips in which they know they will be pushed outside their comfort zone, are my kind of people.
But they do need to admit that they like Taylor Swift. You can't say you don't like her music, then know every word of "You Belong with Me" and "Love Story" at karaoke. Stop trying to be cool, just enjoy it.
Anyway, 15/10 would recommend Korea and Southeast Asia. Expensive to get there, but cheap once you are there. Hit me up if you want more details.
I'm also going to include three links here. The first is a charity that trains rats (yes, rats!) to help with landmine detection. The second is an English tutoring program in Laos. The third is my classroom wishlist, because yes, it is that time. I gave myself a weekend to recover from a month of traveling before in-service started. I am questioning that decision. But yeah, it was worth it. Just see the pics.
Big Brother Mouse- https://www.bigbrothermouse.com/donate.html
Classroom Wish List- https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/30HO0E8Z0B5G3?ref_=wl_share
