I vividly remember the moment the first two lines of this piece fired up out of my core. It was my 4th evening on my first solo traveling trip ever; I was stretching in a hostel in Northern Thailand, Pai to be exact. The walls were bright teal and the fans worked. “This place is Fantastic,” I thought.
I had linked up a day prior with a group of travelers in Chiang Mai also on their way to Pai, and was in their room while they played drinking games.
I laughed at something- nice and loud like I sometimes do, and the girl from Holland snarks, “Your laugh is really weird.”
I wondered to myself, “is she an asshole, or am I incorrectly hearing her tone because of her accent?!”
Then in that same tone she complained about how hard the beds were (mind you this accommodation was 3 usd per night, there was a private bathroom, and the fans worked!!) It seemed the whole crew could find anything wrong with anything.
I kept stretching and observing as their drinking games rambled on. Then when the booze was running low I was encouraged by the whole group to go on a liquor run for them, you know… since I wasn’t drinking anyway.
Immediately my whole body felt irritated and resistant to do anything for this group of people, I said “No thanks, I actually gotta go. Catch you later, maybe.”
As I strolled out of that room my body was almost trembling with this rush that I can only describe as self-assuredness. Something inside me was deeply thrilled by my choice to move on, and in the most spunky of tones this is what came out of me…
Hard beds don’t bother me,
my laughs a little weird.
Chronic hiccups,
there’s no cure.
I travel solo,
I’m into men with beards.
I’m not a vegetarian,
but if it’s not chronic I wont eat your meat.
Don’t like TV,
Can’t brain wash me.
I’m a simple chick,
I’ld be happy livin’ in a tree.
Never lost,
Im where the universe wants me to be,
bear backing elephants in the midday heat.
Doin’ me for 4 years strong,
every day I’m more in tune with what I want.
Can’t catch me on the stairs,
’cause I am the master.
I’ll race you on my motor-bike,
bet you I’m faster.
Blap, blap!!
You can find me doing yoga,
the world is my
Mat, mat!!
I love my own company,
nothing more beautiful than that, that!!
Karissa did that. 