10 is for everything, everything, everything

Tomorrow will be my second to last day, on my last program for this job I have had in Asia. I have been killing myself this past month with all sorts of anxiety, but other than that it has been great. I realized the other day that although the job was not what I thought it was going to be, so many good things have happened since I've been out here. And I think my personal skill set has benefitted, for both my work and play lives. Unfortuantely, my work skill set has not benefitted from the job I am working, but from the people who lend themselves to workin there. That part has been really nice.

I have taken pretty good advantage of my free time lately... getting out and hiking, as well as going climbing with some really rad people. My last venture I went out with my roommmate Emma and our co-worker/friend Megan (who works as a ski patroler in SLC, coincidentally) and I was able to get myself up an arrete climb called Blade Runner... which I think was only a 5.9... but it was probably the hardest thing I had to voluntarily do in a long time. Among being one of the harder ratings I've ever climbed, it was also a really high one. It was a 2 pitch that *could* be done in one, if someone belayed from the top. When I got up there, I couldn't even enjoy the view. But now that the airlines screwed up my thailand flight and I have another two days here... I'm hoping maybe to make it back and try again. :)

I also got truly swallowed by a wave while belaying on an island called Tung Lung, but that is a story I would like to save for late nights where there are beers and campfires and hopefully s'mores involved. If theres' one thing they just DON'T know how to do in Hong Kong, it's definitely S'mores. Chalk one up for America!

We are having a big end of season party on Thursday here, and then most of us will be disbanding and heading to all the different places one could head to from the Hong Kong hub. I was supposed to leave for Bangkok on Saturday, but Air Asia screwed me up and never processed my credit card. Which is really bogus b/c an old Hasher friend of mine and her new husband are randomly IN Bangkok on Saturday, and now I don' t even leave Hong Kong until Monday night. B-O-O, H-O-O. Hopefully, though I will get to see them that night, and possibly the next day depending on when their flight leaves on the 2nd.

Beyond that, I'm hoping to leave for Cambodia soon after I arrive in thailand, mainly to see Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. I am REALLY excired for travel, but a little nervous that there will be sooooooo many people that I will just feel incredibly overwhelmed. Either way, plans are to meet up with my rommates in Krabbi to check out the sweet crags and climb our little hearts out. I am especially psyched about this, because I figure by day 3 I will no longer have to remind myself to breathe, and I can actually get some enjoyment out of it DURING the actual climbing!!

I spent 500 bucks on tickets last night, and I'm wondering when I will remember that I am actually POOR. I am heading to Salt Lake in January to volunteer for the Sundance Festival. Old friends have already GRACIOUSLY accepted me into their homes, new friends will most likely be traveling over from the West, and there will tons of BRAND SPANKIN NEW friends to meet during the festival........ which is always a good time... but a better one now that I can enjoy the parties b/c I'm not workina day job :) FUN!


Ooh, AND plans are pretty much set for Guatemala coming in February. So if anyone wants any part of that... the more the merrier! :) I believe myself and my good friend Audrey will be attending Spanish School somewhere in that little country... we haven't yet decided. And I plan to go til I'm good enough to keep it up on my own (i.e., read Harry Potter in Spanish) or til the money runs out. (Or til I can salsa the socks off the locals... and kay-bear.) Oh, and anyone who knows Patio should tell him to come too.

Tomorrow starts the firsts of lasts for me on this journey. I'm sad to be leaving the people I've met here, but really excited to be heading again into unknown territory.