As I write this, I'm 30,000 feet up somewhere over the northeastern side of China. I had originally intended to start this blog the day I left Google on July 12th but... well, life got in the way.
My last weeks at Google were so much better than I could have hoped for. A week before I left, my family came to visit and we spent a few hours touring around Google. As I was showing them all of the amazing things about where I worked, it really hit me how truly one-of-a-kind this place is. I think most people would agree that I probably took advantage of what Google had to offer more than your average Googler (attending TGIF, author talks, musical guests, bowling at the bowling alley, trying out new cafes, etc.). Even still, those last few days left me feeling like I hadn't soaked up enough in my time here. So many amazing people I never reached out to to grab lunch. All the gFit workout classes I never took. The crazy amount of resources to help me learn how to code that I never used. These last few days were the first time I had ever seriously considered coming right back to Google after school, instead of doing something else and maybe heading back here eventually. The outpouring of love and support from my friends and colleagues in those last few days was also so much more than I had expected and reminded me just how much Google really was home to me.
That last Friday was weird. And great and sad and unnerving and exciting. I said my goodbyes, had my exit interview, and hopped on the last Google shuttle I'll ever take (unless I come back...). Fittingly, my favorite bus driver was driving so I didn't need that temporary bus pass my exit interviewer had given me. After I got off the shuttle, I reached down to tuck my badge into my pocket only to realize that I didn't have my badge anymore. Weird.
I took the next week to do absolutely nothing productive. It was one of the best weeks I've ever had in San Francisco and I highly recommend it to anyone who is similarly able to do so. That first Monday I went for a run/jog/walk that I originally intended to be just a mile (gotta start somewhere, right?) but ended up taking me to the Golden Gate Bridge and back (~8 miles round trip). It was the perfect way to start funemployment. The rest of that week I saw a bunch of friends, I didn't worry about planning my trip, I just enjoyed my city.
The following three weeks I started doing all of the things I needed to do before I left for my trip: sketch out my itinerary, get visas, get all of my finances in order, figure out health insurance, get vaccinations, buy plane tickets, buy stuff for my trip, sell all my big stuff, and see everyone before I left, among other things. It was more stressful than I thought, so I'm glad I gave myself those extra few weeks in San Francisco before leaving to get it all done. In retrospect, I think it would have been nicer to spend one more week here just to relax, but that's a slippery slope that ends up with me still being in San Francisco come December.
On my second-to-last night in San Francisco I had a going-away thing at Blue Light on Union Street. As usual, I only planned it two days earlier, so I was surprised to see how many people showed up over the six hours we were there. Moral of the story: my friends are awesome. So, so awesome.
Selling stuff on Craigslist sucks when you're rushed. I got a lot less money for stuff than I wanted but I'm just glad to have gotten rid of it. Thankfully, my brother rented an SUV and though his magical packing skills, we managed to fit all of the rest of my stuff into it.
The first stop on my trip is Bangladesh. My dad was headed out for some business thing and he invited me to tag along. It was actually what prompted my entire Asia trip. I knew I wanted to see Asia at some point this year, so I figured, why not start in Bangladesh and go on to do the rest of my Asia trip? My five-year Stanford reunion is in mid-October, so I've set that as the end date for me to return home. I miss San Francisco already, so I'm kind of glad to be headed back soon. I say that now but... we'll see what happens after two months of Asia. Right now I'm planning on spending about 10 days in Bangladesh before heading off to India and then to parts unknown.
And so my journey begins. As far as this blog goes, I'm hoping it will serve not only as a travel log, but a life log. Not just about the places I've been to and the things I've seen, but the thoughts I'm thinking, the feeling I'm feeling, and the experiences I'm experiencing. So to you, dear audience, I say this: this is my blog and it is one small part me doing me for the next year. A whole year! It'll be over before I know it, I'm sure.
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