2008 Blogs

Traveling light???

09/08/2008

I lie awake at night wondering...should I buy a new suitcase?  How much DO you take for a 5 or 6-month trip?  Is it possible to travel light?  What can I buy there, and what indispensable items do I need to take.  I understand that Sunblock (SPF 50) is a must! I always thought I traveled light, but a trip home to visit my family confirms that I am not.  In addition to the necessities, an academic or student often travels with a laptop, books, tablets.  There's no such thing as traveling light!

This week I watched the Oliver Stone film, Heaven and Earth (1993).  It's a bit Hollywood, but worth the time.  It portrays the impact of the war on a Vietnamese village girl.  A surviver, she endures too much, is forced to prostitute herself at times, marries an American marine (with PTSD), and adapts to life in the U.S.  The story is far more complex than my brief summary.  When I looked the film up, the Internet Movie Database said that the girl (Le Ly) represents Vietnam, and the men she has relationships with represent the U.S.  It's interesting to ponder.