Hostels and Chinatown Buses

I've recently enjoyed both lodging and travel that were inexpensive and full of welcome and cheer. I'm referring to the Chicago Parthenon Hostel, where I stayed during a convention, and the Apex NY->DC bus out of Chinatown, which I took to visit my sister.

Thanks to my Rick Steves European excursions, I've found hosteling to be the next bet thing to staying with friends. While the facilities aren't usually luxury, they are clean and safe, and there is the possibility of meeting friends from all over the world. During my stay in Chicago last week, I met new friends from Brazil, the Netherlands, Dutch Indonesia, and the US. I met medical students preparing to interview for residencies. I met friends preparing to travel to Wisconsin to work at ski resorts. I met gypsies who travel and work, travel and work for months and years at a time. I met a wife and mother taking a short vacation as her husband and son carried on (she did plan to meet them this week for Thanksgiving). We talked about my conference (American Speech Language Hearing Association), Chicago, our respective countries, our faiths, and Twilight (which opened last Friday).

I first rode the Chinatown bus to visit my sister for Thanksgiving two years ago. It's become a tradition. While the buses aren't deluxe, they are clean and fairly safe, and you can meet people from all over New York. The crowds were large and organization was sparse, but I prayed that all my fellow travelers and I would arrive safely at our holiday havens. In the process of travel, I met Tamim from Lebanon, Ying from China, and Salamon from India. We talked about politics, Lehman Brothers, assertiveness of the Chinese (this from Ying), Indian writers of plays, and speech language pathology (one of my professions).

I've been reminded that travel is recess, and [I] need it (Rick Steves). I need to rub shoulders with those of cultures and traditions different from mine. I need to visit places that are new to me. I need to challenge my intellect with classes and study. I need to share time with family and reconnect with my source of strength. And I always enjoy welcome and cheer.

मोथेर मारी...

Tonight I went to itunes, wanting to hear some good Sabbath Day music, so I typed a search word... one of the songs that popped up was 'Christmas Lullaby' by Jason Robert Brown. A woman sings of her desire to be like Mother Mary, with the future of the world inside of her. As I listened to the beautiful words, I was reminded of a friend's testimony today... she said she'd always felt she would be a mother, and though she didn't know if it would be in this life or the next, she looked forward to that blessing and responsibility. As she held her beautiful baby and spoke, and as I read many of my friends' facebook motherhood posts today, I was reminded that being a mother, while it can heartwrenching and busy beyond belief, is the greatest blessing a woman can have. I look forward to it.

This is a picture of me and my fabulous friend May Anderton at the stake Spelling Bee a couple of years ago. May was the winner and is also my spelling idol. I feel honored to have been her study-buddy for this event because she lifted me to higher heights, meaning I think I made it to the third round! And let me tell you, these were not easy words. If we ever have this event again, I plan to study the /s/ words because that it where I went out. I just didn't get to them! You would think they would be the first set I would study with the frequent occurrence of the /s/ sound in the English language and all, but no, I started with /a/ and /z/ and sort of worked my way up and in.

Anyway, May is really awesome. You should check out her blog. You will probably grow a few more brain cells if you do, because her writing is very witty and thoughtful. Also, as I was recently checking her blog, I think I realized that she 'tagged' me and so I need to respond to that. I will do so very soon.