Born to be Wild

 Dear Family and Friends, 

I am seriously dating not only myself but anyone who connects with the title of this blog entry.

The song Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf created probably one of the most iconic opening scenes in a movie, Easy Rider, in 1969.  I provided you with a You Tube video link.  If you are going to play the music, crank up the volume and roll down the car window!  

   https://youtu.be/egMWlD3fLJ8?si=Nd_d-zHutK1MB3a5 

So what in the world is this about?  Well, the only time that I ride a motorcycle is over here in SE Asia and (with only a small amount of chargin), I sometimes do so without a helmet.  IN MY DEFENSE, when you pick a motorcycle through Grab (their version of Uber), you can pick a car, sub-car (looks like a tomato soup can it's so small) or a motorcycle.  And they do not provide you with a helmet.   Now, when Lee and I are over here together- we either rent or purchase a motorcycle and make sure that we have two quality helmets. Also, you rarely hit a speed above 40mph.  Typically, you are moving along city streets at 25-35 mph. 

I have been here almost a month and my time is quickly evaporting (My brain suddently whipped over to the opening lines of Days of Our Lives, "Like sand through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives".), and I have just tonight, Thursday and Friday nights here before catching a flight to Hanoi Saturday. So, after eating dinner at one of my favorite places here, I decided to take a motorcycle back to my apartment. 

It is a weekday and at 7PM, traffic has slowed considerably.  There is just something special about flying through the brightly lit streets as well as the dark narrow streets of a town over here.  The only things alight are those small businesses trying to capture one more customer for the day but more often than not, you get a very special look at the personal lives of the people who live here.  The lights are on, families are cooking, chatting, supervising children with homework, or cleaning up the day's affairs.  Many people live within the building where they have their shops.  
I am not typically dressed in my work clothes and pearls when I go out for dinner, but I just didn't have the energy to change tonight.  So my cream satin pants, black top and pearls definitely gave my driver [a rather crusty dude] a brief moment's startle when he pulled up.

Since we were moving, the pictures are a bit blurry but that too adds something to the story.  As we rush about, we are invited the unique opportunity of seeing the lives of others and are encouraged to slow down a bit. I'm going to do a walk about tomorrow night and will update the pictures- so please return!

    Last Customer of the Day                                         Part of original wall surrounding Chiang Mai
                                                                                       circa 1296!!

 
    Winding down for the night.  Time for family. 

I will admit that it was not love at first sight between me and Chiang Mai, but it has grown on me and I have certainly come to care for the students and faculty members with whom I work. I know I have shared little of my body of work, but that is still to come.  So, please keep reading and share a "hello" with me.  I speak with my husband, Lee, daily- but there is much about home that I miss.  

Until my next entry. 
Stepping Off the Sidewalk..... Into New Adventures
Karen

Disclaimer: The content of my writing strictly represents my personal views and not those of the University of Florida, the U.S. government, the Department of State, or partner organizations.






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