March 2008 (now that’s a creative title)

Cambodia- February 2008. My friend Caroline and I decided to go to Cambodia after really searching, reading, studying, and deciding that yes, Cambodia was the cheapest place to fly to when buying tickets 8 days before you want to depart.

First, let me give all photo credits to Caroline the photographer, and she posted the best of her photos on her photo blog at:

http://www.photoblog.com/carolinece/2008/02/07/

Photos of actual people [such as me and Caroline] will sent separately via kodakgallery, please let me know if you didn’t receive an email to view those and I’ll send it to you.

I want to be upfront and admit that I went to the pool at the Hotel Intercontinental and drank Bloody Mary’s while Caroline went to the Killing Fields. Is that terrible that I was drinking Bloody Mary’s? Probably. But we needed rest and Cambodia was a great mix of tourist sites, out of the way sites, relaxing, and visiting the local genocide sites. I’m not going to recount the entire vacation, but I will relate this one story:

The journey began, funnily enough, at Beijing Capital “we’re ready for the Olympics we promise” Airport, I was trying to sneak through a 120 ml sunscreen, when we all know the requirements are 100 ml, even if the stupid bottle is almost empty. Right when I was about to agree to throw the bottle out, the airport security guard ushers me behind a wall to wear he was disposing of other liquid items and tells me to put the bottle in my pocket where I am out of site of the cameras. You can feel safe about flying into China, I promise.

So you’ll learn more about the trip by checking out the photos.

For me, my update consists of this:

1. Its getting warm in Beijing, but Uncle Hu turns the heat off on March 15.
2. I actually got into business school, so far I’m planning on attending Babson (in Boston) but I also got waitlisted at Boston College, so we will see.
3. Summer plans are up in the air currently… I’m planning on quitting my job end of April, my former college roommate Margo is coming from New Zealand to visit and do some traveling in China. After that, I will eventually leave China (see below for thoughts on that) and probably spend most of my summer at 25 Ford Lane (Connecticut), in addition to visiting my older brother and Carmen in SF and driving my car home from Denver.

So, I’m leaving China. Ever since I returned from Cambodia I’ve had this realization that its time to leave. In short, I’m feeling sad about it. It’s been three years, and at this moment I’m very much liking Beijing. But, there are a few key things that Beijing does not have, namely: The Nelson Clan, clean air, and my sail boat. I’m sure I’ll be back.