Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Arnab's Year in Cities, 2011

The year 2011 began with New Year's celebrations in Seoul with my hostel mates. I soon returned to China, wrapping up my 2.5 year odyssey at the end of May. I came back to Canada in time to attend a friend's wedding, and spent a few months there job hunting and soul searching. After securing a position at Teach For India, I set off on an expedition through Southeast Asia. A couple of months later I was in Mumbai, joining the noble movement to end educational inequity.

All told I stayed overnight in 24 cities in 2011, far fewer than in 2010 or 2009. I atoned for this by reaching double digits in countries visited in a year for the first time:
  • Bangkok, Thailand
  • Beijing, China
  • Daman, India
  • Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Hoi An, Vietnam
  • Hue, Vietnam
  • Kolhapur, India
  • Kolkata, India
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Luang Prabang, Laos
  • Mahabaleshwar, India
  • Mumbai, India
  • Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  • Ranchi, India
  • Saigon, Vietnam
  • Seoul, Korea
  • Siem Reap, Cambodia
  • Spokane, USA
  • Vancouver, Canada
  • Vientiane, Laos
  • Wenatchee, USA
  • Wutaishan, China
  • Yan'an, China
  • Yinchuan, China

*****

A whole new world
Don't you dare close your eyes
A hundred thousand things to see
Hold your breath - it gets better
I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far I can't go back to where I used to be

~ "A Whole New World" from Aladdin ~