Unsuccess and Laughter (Four Months Abroad)

April 10
On March 10 I was in Thailand.
On February 10 I was in Scotland.
On January 10 I was in Israel.
On December 10 I was in transit - it's my four month anniversary abroad!

Hmm, how should I celebrate? Maybe a nice night spent sleeping in the shelter with the dogs. At least it can't be worse than last week's.

Just a quick update for today:
-I'm not going to Nepal I've decided. It would be extraordinarily tight with money and the timing doesn't work so well for me. But the idea is there and with any luck I will, one day, go to Nepal.
-I'm going to Arizona! Instead of spending a week and a half in California without a lot to do I'm dividing the time between there and with some old friends' of my dad who live in Arizona. I really like the woman, Carol, and she's a horse lady as well. I haven't actually told her or anyone that I've decided to do this so if you're reading this, Carol (and also my parents), I hope it's still alright for me to come.
-I have the worst shorts tan ever. It's really embarrassing going to the beach, and yet that's my only chance of fixing it.
-I almost had pizza the other day at what I've been told is the one decent pizza place on the island but it was closed. As much as I love Thai food I'd really like some pizza.
-I'd also really like to watch Harry Potter. And I am aware how dorky that may be, but the other night at dinner the tv within sight played a commercial with Harry Potter clips and it was more exciting than it should have been.
-The cat I've been helping force feed with a syringe five times a day was just put down after close to a month of fighting cat flu. I'm quite upset about this; I really believed she was going to get better.
-Someone brought us a one-eyed, white dog named Blackie. We used to have a black dog here called Blackie but he went to Manchester.
-My favorite cat here is Julia. She was attacked by a dog (or hit by a motorbike, depending on who you ask) and one of her back legs suffered some nerve damage so she limps and skitters around, seemingly unaware of any disability that might prevent her from rough housing with the other cats or chasing small creatures - she has a brilliant attitude on life. She was attempting to mutilate my books the other day (how dare she) so I gave her a roll of toilet paper and she had the time of her life.
-I am still bikeless and enjoying the benefits of not paying for petrol and being able to properly gaze at my surroundings frpm the back of others' bikes.
-I'm not celebrating Pesach (Passover) this year. It's just not really something I can do here. I also ate my first Easter egg a few days ago.
-I'm going snorkeling this Thursday with Tilly who is also also attempting to teach me a Welsh accent to great unsuccess and great laughter.
-This Friday is Songkran, the Thai new year. It's mainly celebrated by dumping water on anyone and everyone which seems a bit wasteful to me but who am I to go against customs and traditions?
-I finished Eat, Pray, Love and loved it and now need to travel to Italy, India, and Indonesia. I also now need to find another book, but if that's the biggest problem I'm faced with then that's just fine by me.
-I filled up my first journal which I have never done before, but I've also never travelled and had things I really wanted to write down. Luckily I brought a second journal for just the occasion and christened it with a Thai bumper sticker and my broken anklet.
-I'm really dirty most of the time and it doesn't matter how many (cold) showers you take. Clearly if I think I smell much better after putting on bugspray we have a problem. Also my bag is falling apart and my hair looks like it's on the verge of dreadlocking itself. I haven't brushed it in...months? And now I'm both too afraid to and also curious about what its state will be at the end of the journey.
-Which brings me to...I'll be home in less than a month. I can never decide whether to use "only" or "already" when I say I've been gone four months.

This feels like home. Even, or especially, my impatience with it makes it feel like home just because that is the result of familiarity. It's like when you get to know someone and they may seem really cool and ideal at first but the more you get to know them the more you become aware of the insecurities and personality traits that weren't apparent at first glance, but without those you wouldn't truly know the person.
It also feels like home because of the people. It's like being in a family, what with all the various ages and experiences and stages of life. The age range is 18-39 and we all get on quite lovingly. It will be sad to see a few people go next week but I'm also leaving the week after which is absolute madness. I think I'm out of words for today but chances are there'll be more in a few days. Cheers (the English have gotten to me)