20/20b. Sunrise at Narita

I’m writing this from a hotel some 20 minutes from NRT, after volunteering my seat for an oversold flight last evening. I couldn’t imagine taking another 7-hour flight back home after a 18-hour journey. The break and the night at the hotel was pretty much welcomed, as well as a day flight on ANA setting at dusk on the sunny island.

20/20a. Last Stop.

Now that I’m back in Greensboro, this is my last stop in the US with less than 48 hours left to my flight back home.

I have learnt a lot in the past 20 weeks.

The three weeks of touring around the States was tiring, but amazingly enjoyable with Jessie and her family.

If the amount I blogged reflects how much I have to say about how I feel now, it is a complete reverse reflection of reality.

20/XXa. Sleepless in NYC.

Not exactly in Manhattan, but in Queens instead. Queens is one of the five boroughs that make up NYC, a good one hour away by public transport from Times Square.

It’s my final night in NYC. Did a rather ritualistic routine today: Liberty & Ellis Island, walked around Times Square, had the mandatory final night nice dinner at Olive Garden in the middle of Times Square, and bought last souvenirs.

All I hear now is the hum of the aircon, and my mom’s gentle breathing as she slips into dreamland. And I’m feeling all warm and ambivalent, don’t know if I should feel all happy that this holiday is ending too soon with DC as my next and final stop, or sad that I am leaving this four-month fantasy in a week’s time.

Reading about people returning to Singapore and resuming their social roles in the CS community makes me shudder. Not that the standoff has changed anything (not that it hasn’t), but it seem like such a chore to re-assimilate into the community all over again. I have grown to like breakfast by myself, post-dinner long-night internet surfings, and doing virtually everything by myself, enjoying the occasional company of one or just a few others. Doing all the loud, socialising thing just seem so… tiring.

I have forgotten this is which week I spent in the States, all I know is that I have only a week left. I could stay here forever.