where it all began

"I REALLY MISSED YOU GUYS"
- Anthony

Beijing: A Second Opinion

A constant grayish-white cloudy layer covers the entire city so that you always feel as if your standing in the middle of a very large movie set. This only adds to my feeling of almost complete disconnectedness, as I haven't been back to Beijing in 14 years and I have a sadly diminished command of Chinese.

In my forced role of observer, I see that China has changed: it seems desperate to be America, and it's slowly succeeding. Every store ad features a white person as a model and all the commercials feature white people as scientists and doctors telling you to buy things. The Chinese restaurants all carry American dishes, and coffee shops appear more frequently than they should. The Chinese youth is sluttier, rowdier, and fatter.

I met up with Francis and went to his girlfriend's send-off dinner party. We all gathered at her apartment, 8 Americans and 2 Europeans, drank our Chinese-brand liquor, smoked our Chinese-brand cigarettes and ate our Chinese take-out and Pringles. But we could have been anywhere.

I've also done the culture thing (The Great Wall, authentic food, traditional festivals) which hasn't seemed to have changed. It's as if there are two parts to Beijing, like trying to "discover who you are" at college while mimicking your peers, but then going home and being the respectful child your parents remember.

well, if you MUST....

We came across this sign during our last weekend in Botswana. We were at once repulsed and intrigued by it; we hated that it existed, but at the same time, we knew its existence was appropriate and, in this context, even perfect. It was as if we suddenly understood the two months of interactions we had engaged in and consciously avoided, as if someone had simply come up to us and effortlessly explained all the frustrations we had spent so many of our nights trying to express.

Here, smacked onto an official piece of plastic, is (edit: what I believe to be) the attitude of Botswana. It acknowledges a less than ideal state without necessarily seeking to improve it. It voices a desire to reach higher but discards the element of personal responsibility, instead suggesting that “Well, I can’t really do that much about it, so maybe someone else will.” There is no shame, it seems, in comfortably lounging around all day, dreaming of the better life but openly relying on--and even begging for--some more ambitious character to create it for you.


During the past few weeks I've been home, despite all the voices telling me I am the only one who can do anything for myself and for my future, I think I've sadly resorted to adopting this sign's attitude.

Why Hello There

This summer has gone by too quickly. I still have till September to enjoy what's left of that which could very well be the last summer vacation of my life. I bought weekend ferry tickets for Uruguay, to tour the cities of Colonia and Montevideo, with a fellow intern. It should be ...

Well, here is where I'd like to explain to you my newfound discovery about traveling.

I thought I loved it. But I don't.
It's exhausting and many times stressful.
It's really not that fun...I mean, all I really enjoy are the hotels and the meals...not the street tours, the architecture, the parks, etc. I only enjoy those things which I could enjoy with equal intensity back at home. Those things which are not unique to foreign locations.
And all I can do is compare things to home...and in developing countries, most of these things don't compare so well.

Other interesting things...
>had a meeting with the head economist at the British embassy in Buenos Aires. he was really cute and witty. i mean, i think he was 40 years old, but i couldnt stop eye-fucking him the entire time. it was fun
>went to a club, got plastered within 2 hours, pretty much got kicked out...was incredibly sick and vomiting...was dropped off at a hostel, where I woke up the next morning...didn't know how the hell I got there
>the bunk above me was rhythmically creaking at 10am that morning. nobody else was in the hostel room. i cleared my throat to let the intrepid masturbator know that he had conscious company. he then looks down and asks me if i'd like to lend a hand.
>met a bunch of korean-argentines in the past few weeks. it's really weird not being able to speak korean or english with some of them cause all they know is spanish.

Hmmmm....

This is quickly becoming my own personal blog. Oh well, China tomorrow morning!

Presentation: Success

So the intern team project I've been working on into 11pm for the past week is finally over. We presented in front of like 150 people, including vps from my team and the co-presidents of the entire company! There were three groups overall, and while the others were good (one was cute, the other nerdy) ours was the most professional (yeah penn).

It feels awesome to finally be done and to have done the best (or so I've heard), especially in front of the people I've been working with all summer. I have three days left and have been invited to more lunches and meetings than the entire two months. Also, I'm slightly tipsy after celebrating with fellow interns and just overall bonding, so right now I'm just really happy happy.

:) :) :)

(i think) I HAVE CABIN FEVER

I have my bags packed. I want to drive to Philadelphia tomorrow morning. Rash, rash, rash! I already told my mom I want to stay with a friend for a few days at Michigan State, so I'd only be lying about the location...

I can't focus on/do anything at home except for wish I could be somewhere else.