Monday, January 16, 2006
EGA should be in China shortly, if she isn't there yet. It was a funny sort of weekend: Friday we were at the opening of the new Righteous Babe space, which was full of people A and I know who were anxious to express their enthusiasm to her about her adventure. I think this may have ramped up her anxiety somewhat, although it's possible I misread her. Saturday was spent running mundane errands and performing vexing computer tasks-- it took forever for me to get a wireless card installed and running on her laptop, for example. Saturday night we finally got to our holiday viewing of "The Royal Tenenbaums ". Sunday we took her to the airport, and if her departure wasn't moist it was at least dewy. A signal, I think, that she was ready to go.
I can understand the state of anxiety she has been operating under; although I travel a fair bit, I can't say I enjoy the anticipation of it. The transition time, the time spent actually getting from one place to another, is something I try to numb myself to. She had the advantage of traveling on a Sunday-- one of the ways I like to ignore the fact that I'm going from one place to another is by reading as many Sunday papers as I can.
When she comes back, she will be a seasoned traveler, an old Asia hand. It'll be easier for next time, and she'll always be a good traveler-- it comes with practice, I think. The things that we do that are the most extraordinary are often the things that seem the least remarkable, or that we have to keep reminding ourselves are unusual. Most people spend their lives within a twenty mile radius from where they went to high school, but that won't be what EGA does. She may or may not find that she is comfortable in the PRC-- you never know about a place until you try it, and sometimes you are surprised. Even so, she will be prepared to try places out-- she really already is. I can't wait to start reading her impressions.
I can understand the state of anxiety she has been operating under; although I travel a fair bit, I can't say I enjoy the anticipation of it. The transition time, the time spent actually getting from one place to another, is something I try to numb myself to. She had the advantage of traveling on a Sunday-- one of the ways I like to ignore the fact that I'm going from one place to another is by reading as many Sunday papers as I can.
When she comes back, she will be a seasoned traveler, an old Asia hand. It'll be easier for next time, and she'll always be a good traveler-- it comes with practice, I think. The things that we do that are the most extraordinary are often the things that seem the least remarkable, or that we have to keep reminding ourselves are unusual. Most people spend their lives within a twenty mile radius from where they went to high school, but that won't be what EGA does. She may or may not find that she is comfortable in the PRC-- you never know about a place until you try it, and sometimes you are surprised. Even so, she will be prepared to try places out-- she really already is. I can't wait to start reading her impressions.
// posted by Bill @ 11:21 AM 
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