Now in San Diego

I've made it to San Diego and am with my siblings now. It's been good stuff. It's been great (and somewhat new) having home cooked meals again. After 2.5 years of eating rice boxes in Hong Kong it's odd for me to not go out and eat either by myself, with friends, with my cousins, or bringing food back to my home. Here, I actually sit down with my family (siblings and nieces) and we enjoy a meal together. It's really cool. Since I've arrived I've found myself oooo'ing and ahhh'ing over strange things like In 'n Out, Carl's Jr, Denny's, and other fast food restaurants. It's like I've never seen this stuff before. I'm really rediscovering so much of America.

It's also strange being immobile. One really does need their own car in California to get around otherwise you're stranded wherever you live. The most I've driven since I've returned is a whole five minutes worth. It felt like I'd never left the wheel. I find myself wishing for a mini-bus that I could walk to in five minutes, take it to wherever I need to go and then hop off but sadly, that's a dream here. It's been odd riding around in the cars of friends and knowing everyone else who sits in the car as opposed to public transportation where you'll know no one. And I think that's one of the sociological things that I like about public transit: one is forced to see the realities of other peoples' lives because they're in such close contact. It reminds me that there are strangers around me with their own lives, dilemmas, stories, joys, and sorrows that live around me. (Not that I miss it when the guy across the aisle sneezes towards the ground and covers my feet in his mucus.)

I'll be hanging out here in SD until Friday. Saturday and Sunday I'll be in Mexico with some friends. I'm really looking forward to that as I've never really vacationed in Mexico. Now that I've been through mainland China I feel like I can travel anywhere, well, almost anywhere. Next week I'll be back in Palo Alto where I'll see my dad and more of the Chan Clan (my mom's side of the family), friends, and attend two weddings. After that, I hope to be on the road again visiting more friends throughout the states. We'll see if I actually have enough money to travel.