Thoughts of Traveling and France: Need of a Home

Well I am finally coming home after 6 months abroad. It wasn't (all) meaningless backpacking: I volunteered in India, did do some useless backing in the friendlier parts of Eastern Europe, and settled down for 2 months to consider working, if they'd give a visa to a Yank- they usually don't. It was a complete waste of time (only the French part). I haven't learned or really even practiced much French. I should've counted my losses and come back a month and a half ago.

Today's entry in a multi-blog series will be about nomadic wandering-like the lifetime backpackers, who do exist, folks. I mean, going one place, then moving, then doing the same thing for months and/or years. Possibly do some work here or there to make a little money to extend you trip. The craziest thing was when I got an apartment for a month, I unpacked all my stuff before doing anything else. It was great not to have to lock my bags up cause some tech loving backpacker would rifle through my bag looking for the newest mp3 capable Nokia v.2564738290.

So my shit is going back into its cramped duffle tomorrow, but this time it's to go home. The "travel bug" that makes people like me want to see the world so much that you feel like seeing it all at once, like getting a collection of stamps in your passport collides with my desire to have a place that I can make phat with 70's furniture, a kitchen to practice some cooking- I was told the ladies love it, etc. Since I have been playing the travel bug card for six of the past 8 years, it's high time domestic SF was given a fair shot.

I won't say it's not a bit frightening. No job and no real place to stay but with my mum and dad. It's time to have a home, I really need to be able to answer the question "Where are you from?" next time I go abroad. Well, it's the US but is it Chicago? Cali? or New Jersey? Or am I not even from the US cause I have only lived there as a stepping stone to leaving again. I haven't been in the US too much since graduation and I'm somewhere in between a flag waving patriot and government hater. I can't ever say that one country is overall better than any other so I won't say the US is the best country in the world. I will say that I wouldn't want to be from any other country than the US and wouldn't want any language other than English to be my first.

As for where I am considering living, The Bay is the frontrunner but it could be a photo finish with New York, depending how things pan out through early October. Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, and maybe Miami or Hawaii (the "wouldn't it be cool to live there?" factor) are trying to slingshot out of the final turn.

out, SF