I am back in the US, after a series of unbearably long transfers from trains to taxis to airports to cars. I have been trying to get the energy together to put the finishing touches on the Homeless Afghan Refugees story I just shot, but I cant seem to get motivated to spend more days on something that I have already been working on for several weeks. I am so, so exhausted.
It is funny, the exhaustion, because it hits at unexpected times. I have been working in Europe for the past two months, which is by no means difficult when compared to a lot of the other places I find myself. I expected to be up and running pretty quickly here. I think sometimes the effects of this work are cumulative.
I am lying here for another day, in bed with my computer on my lap. As the sun sets outside my window I notice that the bug sounds are different here—they always are from place to place—but I don't always notice. My e-mail box is packed, missing just a couple of days can allow several hundred messages to go unchecked, and that drives me nuts. I gave up on my Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter, VII, TipIt and MySpace mail ages ago (sorry for all of you that have written, I just cant keep up). To be very honest, I can't stand dealing with all of these "social networking" sites, but I have found them to be a truly fantastic way of getting work seen by the public. The same images that editors claim are too graphic or depressing to print, seem to actually have meaning to great many people who discover them online. So it's ended up being a love/hate relationship.
It is nice to come back to the States. I am usually most excited about the food, as there are things that I crave when I am far away. For instance, I rarely eat Taco Bell, but I always seem to crave it when on the road. In 2007 I got a good laugh when I was with a platoon of soldiers in Iraq, stuck in tank for a long mission, and they all began to talk about how much they were craving Taco Bell. I have had several meals of Mexican and Vietnamese since I have been back...oh how I love them both! However, I wish there was some truly good Middle Eastern food in the States, I have yet to find it.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I am working on several stories and will post them soon. I should have the Homeless Afghans in Paris story up early next week and am re-editing my series on Teoul Sleng, S-21 prison in Cambodia, and will post that soon after. I think I also owe a Behind the Image post and will work on one while I am here.
Food from home is stuff you'll always miss when abroad. There are still a lot of people here in the Netherlands that bring their own food on a holiday (to France, Germany, Spain, Italy etc). Just because they can't adapt to foreign food.
That said, those people are also the ones that go to a camping or all-in resort that mainly houses Dutch people.
Never understood why you would want to have the feeling you're at home while on vacation, but what the hell. If it makes them happy...
Anyway, that was a completely useless anecdote. Sorry for sharing :P
Take some rest, I'm sure you could use it!
Posted by: Jeroen Berkenbosch | July 03, 2009 at 11:46
Get some rest, and some fortifying Vietnamese food. Hope to meet you one of these days -- thank you for all the good work you do.
Posted by: Lisa | July 05, 2009 at 06:22
I suggest Phở - and lots of it!
Posted by: David Erickson | July 07, 2009 at 13:47
I think it is an amazing picture. Unfortunately yes war creates terrible things but the arguement should not be, why are we there the arguement should be why arent people supporting our troops. We follow orders we go to protect our country. Whether you agree or disagree were there.
Posted by: running shoes sale | June 23, 2010 at 03:46