The Barbo Baggins Blog

Alright, to be honest, Thailand was a long time ago. I didn't write at all while I was there, I was too busy being there. And while I remember it so vividly, the order of events is a little jumbled. I can't remember what we did for dinner that first night after exploring Khaosan  Road. I think I was pretty wiped out from the journey so nothing too outlandish, I might have even eaten on the plane? But I vividly remember breakfast the next morning, and every morning actually. Leave it to Ryan to find the closest thing to an American diner in the middle of Thailand. I was in a new country, a new timezone, and a new mindset of not knowing what was coming next, so the familiarity of scrambled eggs and toast was more than welcome. The proprietors of this cozy little hole-in-the-wall establishment welcomed Ryan like a son, something I'd learn to expect and thoroughly appreciate in all the Tai people I encountered. Unlike the Parisians I met during my time in the 5th  arrondissemen

During my semester abroad in New Zealand, I had the extraordinary opportunity to visit a friend in Bangkok, Thailand. I'll do my best to do it justice, but some places are too unique to be described second-hand. If you can, go there. It's worth it. The best way I know how to describe Thailand is to compare it to a carnival. A riot of people. A sensory overload that somehow manages the delicate balance of overwhelming and fun that makes you want to keep going every year. And if Thailand is a carnival, then Bangkok is the giant Ferris wheel in the middle of it all. Stay with me, I promise the metaphor makes sense.... My 10 days in this indescribable place taught me more about humanity than I have learned in my entire life. One such "the more you know" moment occurred when I had a conversation with a local about our national identities. I had been struggling with mine since I was often painted with the broad brush of ugly American tourist. I asked the local what the