Losing Control

I don't like not being able to speak at least a few words in the language of the country I'm visiting. Granted, I never learnt anything in Finland apart from the essential curse words, but given the no-smile policy in effect throughout stores in that country, it didn't seem to matter if I said "perkele" instead of whatever the Finnish word for "thanks" is when handing over cash at the register.

Playing the part of the English-only tourist is something I will need to accept here in China. I'm not one to pick up a language without serious studying, especially one as difficult as Chinese. If there's anything good about the situation, it's that it's helping me learn to embrace uncertainty. Traveling isn't something that comes naturally to me - it's been a constant process of learning to leave things to chance. The less I am able to plan ahead of time, the more I can relax and enjoy the experience. Failures are frustrating, but when I do manage to, for example, make my own way to a historic underground tomb using local buses, it's a satisfying success.