"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it." ~Goethe

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Nebraska to Boston Road Trip


When one travels by car, they really realize how far one location is to the next! I have been spoiled over the years by flying location to location, but driving from Valparaiso, IN to Falls City, NE and then onto Boston, MA. A total of about 2000 miles, it truly tests the patience and stamina one has with sitting in one seat for 22hrs. I did this journey with my mother after my graduation from college to head out to see my grandma, that I have not been able to see for a long time. It was nice to travel out to the very small town and see my grandmother and spend time with her and also show her all the new things I have been up to. It was also a pleasure to head back to where my family roots are. I was able to see the gravel road where my grandmother was born in 1920 and I was also able to see the old houses that my mother and father grew up in, one having my name carved in the concrete sidewalk still way back when I was in third grade in 1993. The town is still alive and doing well with a new library, even though the restaurants seem to be lacking and the main street does not seem to be a very main street compared to other cities I have been to. It was awesome to come out to this open area and relax and let my mind ponder about everything, including the several life changing things I am about to embark upon. Along with my thinking I was able to help my grandmother out with her apartment, cleaning and organizing and sight seeing the Midwest for one last time before I leave the country. An interesting thing that I was able to notice was how parts of the Midwest seem to be great places for Walmarts, chain stores, and some very large people who seem to hang around rest stops and all you can eat buffets. Going on this Midwest road trip really showed me how large some of the American population is and how people internationally may view us. People told me in Asia that I had a small belly and was large in Asia, I thought to myself that they should see parts of the USA! I want to add pictures to this posting, but that will have to wait until I get a faster Internet connection. The trip went well with flooding and rough rain in the Nebraska area, extreme road traffic around Chicago and the 400 mile thruway in northern New York is always a fun one to drive, my radar detector came in handy, needless to say. Home is looking better and better by the mile and it will be nice to get back to good old Massachusetts before I go to my new home in Hong Kong.