Farewell: Been There, Done That, Would Definitely Do It Again!

A week ago, today the world mourned the passing of the great Steve Jobs while I was preparing to board the flight home from Maryland, USA. It had been 6 months living by myself in the land so familiar yet so alien at the same time. A place I could almost call home given different circumstances. I arrived with barely a whimper. Last week I left with barely a bang.

I got there armed with 3 decades of Americanization etched to the back of my head. And thus when asked on how I came to know so much about American pop-culture while only being there the first time, well, I simply replied “We had TV”.

For 6 months I lived my dream. I finally got to see the grounds where my mom pushed me out into the world with epidural pumping down her veins. I covered more ground on foot around the great Manhattan than any typical American citizen usually would. I paid my respects at Ground Zero. I walked along Wall Street where the world economy makes and breaks. I shook the gates of the White House, home of arguably the most powerful authority in the history of modern civilization. I was there when the great USA almost defaulted on their debts. I was there at the beginning of the end.

I crossed the borders of 17 out of 52 free states. I was there when both Casey Anthony and Amanda Knox were set free. I was there when that rogue magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the East Coast. I was there when 70mph Hurricane Irene left a trail of destruction along her furious path. I was there when the world bid farewell to the great Steve Jobs. I've known some, I’ve learned some, I've seen some, I've done some, I know I haven’t done it all, but I was lucky to have known, learned, seen and done as much as I did at all.

I was unsociable, as usual, but of course inevitably made friends. Some would probably fade away, others would probably stick around for as long as time and memories allowed to. I called them friends. They probably called me nuisance.

So to you, my friends, I didn’t say things as well as I would like to. I misunderstood conversations half of the time. I didn’t really care about what was being discussed most of the time. I laughed my way out of every possible awkward situation, I laughed out loud, and perhaps I laughed out too much. I had my way, and if I offended anyone, well, too bad, because me no speakee Inglish. Above all, I would like all of you to know that despite my abrasive, obnoxious, vulgar, rude, offensive, horrid, disturbing, psychotic, maniacal, despicable, irrational behavior, I meant well. Most of the time. At least. Thank you for not banging my head to put me in my place. (Well, if you did, yeay lawsuit!).

Thank you Tom for talking to me when nobody would. Thank you James for going out with me when no one else would. Thank you Yasmin for showing me how things work when no one else could. Thank you Marty for free donuts, bagels, candies and meals. Thank you everyone else for your friendship and for being there when others would just walk away. I may never see any of you again, but you have each left a metaphorical mark in my life. So for that, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now get your asses back to work! xD

Clichés: When Did You Come Back?

I returned from my 6 months' work assignment in the US last weekend. Thought about writing a tear-jerking farewell for those crazy caring and loving people I call friends there but nothing came to mind. Yet. I imagined that as hard as I try to make them cry, it is more likely that they will be rolling on the floor laughing their asses off. Or maybe they really will cry. In horrid disbelief. Or utter disgust.

But yeah, I took the entire week of this week because I needed the break. And because I wanted to put off meeting people from the office as long as I can. But I can't. Apparently God had other plans for me.

And so began a series of conversations with numerous different people with different words and sentences that basically revolved around the conventional theme of welcoming me back.

Hey you're back! (Yes, I am.)
When did you come back? (Last weekend.)
You look... fit. (Yes I got fat.)
You're back to work so soon? (Nope. I'm playing Santa Claus. I come bearing gifts.)
When are you leaving again? (Back for good. Too bad.)
But I thought they wanted you to stay longer? (Yeap, but not without my family. I woke up at night. Crying.)
Hahaha. (Hahaha.)
Awkward. (Awkward.)
Alright, glad to have you back. (I guess I'm glad to be back.)
Bye. (Bye.)

Aaaaaannnnd.... the next person came along. Repeat.

Maybe getting this seemingly compulsory social exercise done and over with is not such a bad idea after all. At least by next week they will forget about me being gone at all and I can move on.

"At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland and already they were singing again as they went. But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap. He drew a deep breath. 'Well, I'm back,' he said." -the last paragraph of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King-

Well, I'm back.