Thursday, May 05, 2005

On being a citizen of the world

I was talking the other day with a friend about the implications of living internationally - being someone whose work allows them to live in all kinds of places around the globe. Which on the whole is pretty damn cool, I must admit. I get paid to go to places like Laos and Costa Rica. I have friends all over the world. I get to live in new and exciting places.

But the downside is not having a base. I'm getting tired of moving all the time, and living out of a suitcase loses its charm. My friend met this guy at a conference a few years ago who was about to retire, and he was saying how it sucks retiring to your home country when you haven't lived there for the last 30 odd years - you have no existing social networks, probably no house even. And while having friends all over the world is cool, it also means there's lots of friends you don't see for ages sometimes.

I'm not complaining mind you. Just observing.

This is why I'm trying to make Berkeley my home now. But it really could be just about anywhere else. And chances are immigration kicks me out at the end of the year anyway. Sigh.

R.