Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2000 06:57:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jay Schneider
Subject: What’s up with Jay?
Okay, this is my first mass-mailing thing, so I need to put in all the usual disclaimers and apologies…
For some of you, you know all this already because I just e-mailed you two seconds ago. Others, haven’t heard from me in a while and have no idea what I’m doing (and wondered how I tracked you down.) And still others may not even know who I am. If that’s the case, you wanna be my friend?
Okay, here we go…
After 3 incredible years in Japan, I said farewell (sayoonara?) to my school, my friends, and the wonderful life I had been living, packed my bags and headed out into the world, intent on travelling until I spent all the money I’ve saved, and returning to the States, homeless, jobless, flat broke, but with a lot of stories and pictures to bore everyone with for years to come.
My first stop was just a four day stopover in Seoul. Food was great, shopping very tempting, but fortunately, my pack was full enough. I definitely want to return, but hopefully I’ll be able to stay longer and see what the country has to offer besides its capitol.
Next stop, Bangkok, for a few days of resting my mind and body. Bangkok may not seem like the ideal place to do this, but I was finally able to sleep off the hectic final weeks of good-bye parties and packing in Japan.
Just having no schedule, and no pressure to see the sights (been here before), brought me a great sense of calm. Plus, I needed to get my Cambodia visa, buy travel insurance, and take care of some other preparations, which can easily, and inexpensively be done in Bangkok.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll catch a bus for the border, where I’ll cross overland into Cambodia. I’m stopping off to spend a few days exploring Angkor Wat, and then heading down to Phnom Penh.
For the next three weeks, I’ll be volunteering at an orphanage. A bit of teaching, playing with the kids, helping “run” things, and there’s talk of building a basketball court.
After the workcamp, I’ll probably see a bit more of Cambodia, then head back to Thailand on my way to Nepal, where I’ll again be volunteering.
But I’ll keep you posted, and let you know all the details after they unfold.
Feel free to send e-mails anytime, though while I’m volunteering, I may not have the easy (cheap) access to computers for daily, quick responses.
That’s all for now…
Jay “where in the world is…” Schneider