its a small world

here's a brief for my few faithful readers, although i might add that i'm less inspired to write and more inspired to stuff my sister's suitcase in the closet and climb into it and sleep away the next 4-11 days (or just go on a mad job hunt). these one day trips back to denver are too tantalizing to motivate me back on the next aircraft. (and i will also add that the few hours that i am back i have tried to contact a few of my long-staying-here compadres...ahem, sean, you ought to pay your phone bill. and dan and zack: was lovely sharing your 23 min lunch break over a 6" sub with you and i apologize again for the reckless driving...still stuck in africa.)

moving on to a mini review of the 10 days in the golden state.
i hung out with my cousins and co-piloted for my aunt as she drove the gang down the coast from San Jose to L.A. on to San Deigo then back to L.A. and finally back to their home for Easter. if you ever want to feel the culture shock of your life: go straight from a sandy school on the east coast of Africa to a crowded ride at Disneyland in Anaheim, California; from watching 7 yr olds balancing the family's daily water supply on their head to 8 yr olds screaming for a pair mickey ear's. i was trying to take it all in stride but somewhere between LA and San Diego an exotic strain of some california flu caught up with me. by then i wasn't even impressed with the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. did anyone else realize they hold the Academy Awards in a mall?? right across the street from a fastfood mexican joint?? when i noticed a homeless guy/gal (?not sure?) a stream of TP in hand, pulling down his/her pants to make a deposit in the front not-so-conspicuous corner of the biggest and nicest looking bank building on the block my mind suddenly flew me back a couple thousand miles and i was instantly connected to images of my third world travels...this world really wasn't so big or so different (i do think the toilet paper is a bit softer over here though).