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January 2009

Hello all!

I’m back at school…I haven’t been here in a while. Time to plug back into my alter-ego, the west-coast version of Tien. I’m not sure how that is different from the other me’s, but I definitely feel like I’m operating differently already. I had a wonderful holiday season in Maryland…it’s always so hard to leave.

Semester at Sea seems like a lapsed dream. It was a saga so far removed from the familiarity of my usual routines. Even when I look at the pictures, I don’t remember what it felt like to be constantly in transit. I don’t know if it ever really sank in.

I’ve been asked by several people what I learned on my voyage. I don’t think I can provide a satisfactory answer to this question. I couldn’t possibly distill my experience into any single realization, or even a handful of them. Every person I met along the way changed my perspective on the world, perhaps not fundamentally, but in a profound personal way. My most optimistic beliefs about humanity were continually confirmed, while many of my concerns became more immediate, particularly those concerning inequality and poverty.

I was provided with a limited snapshot of a diverse collection of societies within a short amount of time, and these observations will continue to inform me as I seek a deeper understanding of the world. I had an amazing time, I met amazing people, and I am so grateful for what was an unimaginably rich and exhilarating time in my life.

This semester, I plan to record my new songs, rekindle Dayplayer, do well in my classes, experience L.A., and continue my creative progress. I’ll have a degree by next December.

Here’s a picture from the plane to L.A.
Take care, and keep in touch!
Love,
Tien

p.s. FYI my new address is 721 W 32nd St Los Angeles, CA 90007 send letters!

Comments

Jeff said…
Looks like an album cover in the making....
January 9, 2009 at 7:48 AM
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