USA: Recap Time; But Next Up, Malaysia!

I've made it to Malaysia!  And it is the warmest, muggiest place ever.

I was debating between Asia and S. America to start off this leg, but South America this time of year costs an arm and a leg - so that was how that decision was made.  Given I booked my flight three days prior to leaving, I had my choice of the worst flights ever - the one I ended up choosing flew me the wrong way around the world, with a stopover in Germany, and another in Bangkok.

But first, a quick recap of my time in the States.  My past couple weeks back home were great/a frenzy of activity.  All I wanted to do was eat Mexican food and sushi. Seriously, all the enchiladas and tuna in the world.  And Target. I just wanted to go to Target.  Let's just say, mission accomplished.


Cliffnotes of the Past 3 Weeks:

• Attended the weddings of two incredibly dear friends (and the reason I came back!).

My dearest childhood friend Catherine got married in San Francisco

Her wedding was the classiest - Congrats, Catherine and Kevin <3 

Then went cross-country and road-tripped up to Maine....

.....for my bestie/Austin life partner Libby's wedding

Libs' wedding was by the gazebo overlooking the water and it was so, so pretty - Congrats Libs & Rob!

In Maine, I had a lobster roll for every single meal 

•  Crammed in all my Fall/Halloween activities (wahhh, so sad to miss Halloween this yearrrr).

Apple-picking!

Pumpkin-carving! Totally normal in September. My work of art is the panda

Pumpkin carving, round 2 (in my defense, I looove Fall activities). I'm sure I don't even need to specify which one is mine.

My dear friend Kate taught me you can actually roast pumpkin seeds in a delicious, I-want-to-eat-the-entire-plate kind of way. Hint: lots of butter



• Visited friends in SF, Boston, NYC, and Denver.  I loved getting to hang out with all my familiar, lovely friends.

Lady friends in NYC. On a side note, NYC was freezing and rainy and windy the entire time I was there. Way to welcome me back, City of Dreams. 

More NYC friends. There was a special request that this photo make the blog.

• Daily Fall walks/hikes with the parents in the beauty that is Colorado. 

Deer! This is a golf course, not a shooting range (*cough*Drew)

The park near our family's house

Fall foliage

• Cooked. Cooked like it was going out of style.  I literally have eaten every meal out since I've started traveling, and so I went to the grocery, bought entirely too many groceries, and went to town on cooking.  Annnnd two minutes into chopping veggies, I was over it and just wanted to quit and go to Chik-Fil-A.

L to R: coconut curry quinoa, chicken tortilla soup, and omelette cups

• Painted my nails with the Disney princesses.

Because guess who doesn't have to worry about work-appropriateness anymore?

• Celebrated Taiwan Independence Day (aka the Double Tenth, 10/10) with my mom at a fancy hotel event in Denver.

I subbed in for my father, but seem to have misplaced my "Joseph Wang" nametag

• I also read a zillion books. If anyone wants any book recs, I'm your girl.

I appreciated so many little parts about being home - being able to spread all my stuff all over the floor and not having to pick it up for days (sorry, parents!), requesting soy milk in my latte (that was my first reverse culture-shock being home: I very hesitantly asked the barista if they maybe, possibly had soy milk and if so, if it was possible to maybe replace the whole milk in my coffee with soy?  This was in an SF coffee shop and the lady looked at me like I was the biggest idiot ever and went, "Uhhhh yeah [OBVS]"), and most of all, queso. 

And onto present-day!  I spent my first day in Kuala Lumpur groggily trying to stay awake (riveting, I know). But now am much more with it, and ready to take on this part of the trip! I have no idea how long I'm staying here and just very vague ideas of where I'm headed next (suggestions welcome!), but am tentatively headed West-bound towards Africa. Olé!