Time…Day One–Getting to Southeast Asia.

Time makes no sense after traveling half way around the world. Time zones. International date line. On the plane, I thought it was daytime, but the lights in the plane went out and we were told to have a good rest. I wasn’t sure if that was a kindergarten teacher move and the flight staff was pretending it was night to get 1000 people to sleep and quit asking for water and pillows. I tried to do airplane math and figure out how many people could fit on a massive air carrier, but I gave up. I did remember a TV show about someone who had gutted an airplane and made it into a house. I wonder how windows would work? I wonder if the exit doors could be modified into great big glass vistas? I had a lot of time to imagine things like that, because 12 hours on a plane is FOREVER. I watched Grease, A League of Their Own, and the girl next to me watched Wild Robot and Dirty Dancing. I tried to knit, but the yarn ball fell off my lap and rolled away and I had to reel it back in. I didn’t want to be THAT traveler, so I just tried to be zen with being wide awake in a cramped space for a very long time.

I had a four hour layover in Korea. It was kind of nice to be able to stretch and walk around before getting on another flight to the Philippines. I do have to shout out to Korean Airlines. There was actual food on the plane. It came with real silverware. And a small carton of the most delicious strawberry ice cream of my life. Also the seats were bigger and I didn’t feel like I was becoming one with a stranger. The lady next to me was a teacher in the Philippines and she also teaches reading. We had a good talk. She said that a lot of teachers leave the Philippines to teach in America, because it pays better. Hmmm.

I left on Tuesday and I arrived on Thursday. It was night. I like arriving places at night. I think the energy of the place comes out best in the dark. In Detroit, night felt alive, in a flashy, dangerous way. In New York, night was glittery and loud. Here, night feels busy. People out and about. Lights on, stores open. My brother instructed me to sleep, but there is too much to see and do. I just want to take it all in…I can’t wait to see what the daylight brings!