Something Needs to Change.
Well I have successfully paid off my vacation debt. That was fast, right? I figured I may as well pay it off instead of letting the interest accumulate. I've still got a pretty good cushion if anything were to happen, but still, my bank account is a bit sad that the number isn't as high as it was. But I know, life happens, and people make £250 mistakes all the time!
I had a really great time in England and Ireland. I think overall the whole thing was a success. Sure, I used up all my vacation days for the year, but I think it was totally worth it. It gave me a lot of thinking time, and I have to admit, I feel more confident about a lot of things in my life than ever. I feel worry-free and happy. But I won't lie about the fact that since I came back, I've been in a little mess. I did a lot of thinking while I was away, which left me perplexed and sad at the same time. I'm a little confused and I'm unsure about the ultimate outcome of this mess once I sort through it, but this much is true: I have a lot of things to do and figure out. The plot thickened.
Belfast was really interesting. The vibe I got there wasn't as bad as Portland, but it was definitely weird. I had a couple of people call me Chinese, and one guy got it right that I was Filipino. Vicky said that it's because he's one of those guys that goes to the Philippines and spends a month in a brothel. Classy.
But I did get to spend a lot of time with Vicky. I really only met Vicky once before this time, and she was then known as my friend's girlfriend. I'm really glad that it went beyond that. She hardly knows me, yet she opened up her home to me and went on misadventures with me. I don't know what it is, but I feel like I've known her for much longer than I really have.
Leo's awesome. The first time I met him, we actually didn't interact very much. I seem to remember him acting bitter in one instance, and then occasionally I'd see him sporting a fake mustache or something. It was when we saw each other on MySpace that we began interacting. I think I type at him far too much about all the stuff I don't like talking or even blogging about, yet over the few years I've known him, he has kindly read and remarked, and I truly appreciate that. So seeing him was actually really nice. I wish the opportunities to hang out with him weren't so few and far between.
Both Vicky and Leo are two people in my life who I spend much more time typing at than talking to. But there's an interesting dynamic in that; I don't need to catch up with them about my life's news by the time we get around to actual personal time. It's sort of strange, yet refreshing. I can pretty much just be myself.
London was fantastic! It made me really think about moving, but I know that's just the quixotic behavior that a good vacation inspires. Hey, maybe it's not a bad idea though.
I know the true sign of a great holiday is not wanting to come back. I felt that way the whole time. It makes me realize how jaded and annoyed I am with home. I've lived here or within an hour of the city my entire life, and maybe it's about time I changed that. I think I need to live abroad, or at least somewhere different. Maybe I should move across the country. There are places I've been to more than once, and I am pretty much ready to go home by the end of it. I didn't feel that way this time. I know it's definitely something I want to do at some point in my life.
Though, if I were to move away, I'd miss this things like this.
(Pictures will be up this week.)