Vagrancy has its lure, but I’d miss too many things.
I love the differences of other places when I go there. And those differences have, at times, made me tempted to move there. Not a fantasy or a whim. Actually tempted to retire there. Hence, I’ve given this a lot of thought. And I’ve concluded that to stay there permanently and visit other places rather than to stay here permanently and visit other places would just be, for me… too much of that and not enough of this. Not enough of America.
Things I’d miss:
American culture. Sure, it gets slammed, and it has its low points. But it’s not home if it’s not American.
My friends and (extended) family. Of course. Sure, you could make new friends over there. But it’s not the same. For instance, you take up a new hobby here, and you’re likely to meet lots of people you can relate to. It’s harder to make that connection and have it last with somebody from a different culture. At least the percentages would be different. Having a few (or a lot of) friends from other cultures is interesting and fun. Having all of them be from another culture… I think that’d be another story. Having 8 Cambodian guys over to watch (American) football (if you can find it on your satellite) on a Sunday afternoon (although if you want to watch it live, it’ll actually be on very early Monday morning) isn’t quite the same.
A half-decent steakhouse. Doesn’t have to be Morton’s. Outback is just fine. They might have the occasional steakhouse there (if Malaysia is any guide) but it’s not the same. Things taste different, the service is different, everything’s different.
The steakhouse is really just a representative for bars, restaurants, museums, amusement parks. Heck, even beaches and golf courses. Almost anything you do for fun. Sure, they have them there, but they’re different. Which, like I said, is fun for a week or a month or maybe even a year or two. I think I’d really start to miss home at that point.
Relatively short trips to Big Bear, San Francisco, L.A., Vegas, even Chicago or New York.
There are more, but I’m off to Outback with the family. Then a movie on the big screen. And then to pick up a banana cream pie at Von’s on the way home. I love life in America.
