My good friend Colin was in town this week. We first met at NC State and shared an office as we worked on our master's thesis under Dr. Lester. Ever since I had moved to San Francisco four years ago, we hadn't done a very good job keeping in touch -- but our time together this week was like we had been hanging out all this time.
We talked about what we had been working on lately, who we had dated over the years, and where we had been and what we had seen. He was especially interested in my upcoming trip to Asia, and we quickly admitted how little we really knew about that part of the world as we talked about the politics, culture and religions of SouthEast Asia.
Often times, when I tell people about my upcoming trip, the first thing they say or ask about is sex tourism. Unfortunately, "sex for sale" is a big part of many tourists agenda in Thailand, and it is unfortunate that the reputation is so strong that it is the first thing people mention to me. Colin took a different tack. "Are you expecting it to be a spiritual journey?"
I had never thought about it that way, but yes, in many ways it is. Who knows what I will find? Or what I am even looking for? But undoubtably Buddhism and spritual traditions of the past 1000 years will play a large role, as it is so intertwined with the culture and the personality of the Thai people. As Colin said, "You can't go to Judea without taking a spritual journey. Same goes for SouthEast Asia."
I have to agree.
Kind words. I had a very good time. Periodically you get opportunities to re-synch with earlier aspects of your life. Its like a seam. The thread gets pulled way away, then rediscovers the fabric and brings it back together. Its grounding.
When do you plan to go to Sydney? Is there a web page I can follow results on?
The Games are the first week of November. I don't know if they will be posting the results online anywhere, but if they do, it will probably be on the official Gay Games website