A World of Thanks
“Karibu!” from a different place,
With a different culture and different race,
With different sights to love or hate,
With different days to celebrate.
In Africa, it’s another day,
No pie to eat or phrase to say.
They do not know that turkeys roast,
They do not know that families toast,
They do not know it has a name,
They do not know each year the same:
A reunion for friends with new college lives,
Dad in the kitchen sharpening knives,
Festive aprons on frantic mothers,
Sneaky snitches in the mouths of others.
There’s all that today, then shopping tomorrow,
Not many are packing for Kilimanjaro.
And although I yearn the grand routine,
It’s a fair trade for what I’ve seen.
Plus in the end, it’s as they say:
It’s not until you’ve gone away
That you can sincerely be taught
To appreciate just what you’ve got.
So know that all of you are missed,
My thanks are too many to list.
But while I’m here and you are there,
Let’s set a date – same time next year.
Now off to bed, to get some rest,
The 6-day climb will be a test.
To sum it up on this Thanksgiving:
Thank you for the life I’m living.
Cheers,
Charlie
Happy Thanksgiving dearest one…your other family misses you and sends buckets filled with love, hugs and kisses. We are thankful you are in our lives and we couldn’t be happier to see you living it up all over the world! We are proud to have you as our emissary, the world is a better place with you spreading your joy.
November 24th, 2005 at 2:22 pmOn this thanksgiving day I am thankful for the roof over my head, the food on my plate, a loving family and…Charlie Melvoin.
November 25th, 2005 at 3:51 amthank you for the poem. no one but you could have put it so eloquently.
as always - love you and miss you
Em
Melvoin, that poem from Africa was truly poetic,
I hope that things are copasetic?!
Well anyways, HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING! I didn’t go home for Thanksgiving and stayed with my relatives instead, so, like you, I’m kind of experiencing that out of the valley/jewcrew/hdub circle. o and btw, i tried calling the number but it didnt work! maybe my phone cant call long distance? i dont know.
but anyways…
November 25th, 2005 at 5:24 pmi’m thankful for you, be thankful for me,
bc at this point for sure we’re family.
After being directed to your page by our friend Amanda, I decided to explore the enigmatic world of you….ok, so actually I just wanted to see where you were. My slightly mental friend Nika informed me earlier this year that you ran into her in Thailand (i think.?)…it’s a small world…Just seeing how you are and checking that your travels are leading you to neverending enlightenment or some good fun.hope all is well.
November 27th, 2005 at 8:48 pmxxx
isabel
Hey Charlie!
November 28th, 2005 at 12:33 pmI just wanted to say hi and tell you that we missed you over Thanksgiving. It just wasn’t the same without you. The latest pictures are so great! I cannot believe you went bungee jumping!!!! MIss you sooooo much
xoxoxox
Charlie you stud! Thank you for being… so diligent and compassionate in sharing your incredible experiences with us all–they seem to get more amazing as they go on. all in the eyes of the beholding– and as you be unfolding, your light shines brighter and ignites the flame within us all. yes, my good friend there is a tickling in my heart, and a smile that spreads across my face in the knowing of what has been and is being shared. today i’m back in chiang mai after offroad motorcycle touring through the northern mountains and then spending 5 days in yoga retreat. now here, reflecting on the past with gratitude– ahh what gifted souls we be, we have so much to be thankful for… in particular family, so a special note to jeff and martha with my deepest thanks for playing the leading role in creating a ‘beyond’ this world opportunity for us all. What an inspiration!
November 29th, 2005 at 1:39 amcharlie! i never really commented on the poem but you obviously know i loved it…almost teared up a little! hehe…anyways, missing the posts!! where are you!?!? im getting worried (haha not really…im sure youre jsut not posting cuz you are like sky diving or riding giraffe’s or seomthing haha) anyways, i guess just wanted to say i miss ya and i hope to hear more about the travels soon! xoxo
November 29th, 2005 at 12:13 pmcon
Pat Herson - what a pleasant surprise! thanks for introducing yourself and further thanks for the kind words. im anxious to hear more about your travels (is there a whereispat.com?). looking forward to another post!
Amy - i should pay you commission or something, haha. and how’s the project going?
scategories master aka Isabel - a bit lost, to be honest. what’s amanda’s last name? nika? i dont remember meeting her, but that was ages ago, so refresh my memory (besides “slightly mental”). and scategories master? it’s on…
ky - great to hear from you buddy! you made me realize how much has happened since sri lanka. wow. and always curious to know what monkey man is up to - another yoga retreat? good place (in senaka’s accent)?
connie - you obviously didnt read the poem very carefully, or you would have picked up “packing for kilimanjaro” and “the 6-day climb will be a test,” and figured out where ive been. silly goose. anyway, back now after possibly the hardest thing ive ever done…and im more exhausted than ive ever been. so til tomorrow!
November 29th, 2005 at 12:39 pmCan’t wait to hear your take on “the climb”! Hope there were no altitude headaches or hurling. Ron and I haven’t done Kili, but lots of puff ‘n pant stuff in the Himalayas where we did the Sherpa Shuffle and the Whitney Wheeze!! Charlie, your writing is fantastic, totally entertaining. ’scuse me, I’m off to browse the Gallery - again. Bye, Pat
November 29th, 2005 at 2:44 pmtouche charlie touche…haha i guess i didnt process that line like i should have…anyways..wow can’t wait to here about kilimanjaro..and i want to hear about your feast that you had for thanksgiving…so until tomorrow! miss ya buddy
November 29th, 2005 at 10:00 pmCharlie-
November 30th, 2005 at 1:18 amWhen you come back through Delhi, bring me a little leopard and an ostrich, will you? And feel free to bunge jump off my balcony anytime…maniac.
Babu loved the postcard. If you’re inspired, send another.
Aren’t you glad you listened to your wise old teacher and took the year off?
Harvard’s going to be fun, but… RIght now, I most envy you your ostrich ride. I’ll race you, if we ever get the chance.
l,
Ashby
Good Morning Charlie and Tanya! The Rustic Team is still locked in a boardroom in Bangkok signing off on proof sheets for the catalog. We miss you, and we would (all) like to trade places with you. A few bits of housekeeping as you journey:
1. STOP CLUTCHING THE LARGE FLIGHTLESS BIRDS LIKE THAT - there are enough ridiculous pictures of you both already in circulation, and you are not making my supression efforts any easier. I am trying to look out for your reputation and honor. Do you think the bird LIKES you hugging it like that?
2. WE CHANGED ALL OF YOUR PLANE TICKETS (AGAIN!) - Kay has yet again rebooked you guys to extend you stay in Africa. I am reminding you both that there are NO MORE EXTENSIONS allowed. You get yourselves back to SE Asia before Santa comes, or Uncle David is going to get on his motorized sleigh and find you!
3. TANYA - JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE WAITING FOR YOU - I hope you have had a good time galavanting across Africa with the shirtless, shark-obsessed Ostrich-gripper. We have generated enough paperwork over the past six weeks to keep you deskbound for months as a payback when you return. For further information and a glimpse of your future go to www.tanyayouareinsomuchtroubleforabandoningus.com
4. CHARLIE - YOUR PARENTS ARE COMING - Martha and Jeffrey are gathering up their Asian walking shoes and heading to Thailand for the Holiday Season. If you and Miss Tanya find some clever way to further delay your flight back to Bangkok or try to run away on some winged beast (ah - the avian allusion), I’m going to revolk your ticket and find you a job as a dishwasher for your next life. Tanya has paperwork to do, your parents miss you, and I have several boxes belonging to you in my hotel room. Please come home Charlie! We’re cooking fresh sticky rice and grilled chicken for Christmas Dinner in Udon Thani, and you had better show up as we are setting a mat for you.
5. DON’T FEEL COMPELLED TO EAT EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN AFRICA CHARLIE - we are all discussing your seemingly new-found fixation with consuming the flesh of flightless African birds. Leave the penguins and ostriches alone Charlie. You are leaving a trail of horrified tourists and guides in a wake behind you as you travel. Also - Jamie wants to know exactly what the Japanese tourists were doing with the large ortrich eggs.
6. WHEN YOU COME OFF THE MOUNTAIN, PLEASE EMAIL US - we looked at Kili on googleearth.com and we can see no sign of you (even when we zoom in). When you get back on non-sloping earth, please email us. Otherwise we are sending out the search parties.
7. LAST ONE. (just quietly Charlie, has Tanya really taken a fancy to the somewhat-bovine looking New Zealand farm boy she met on the safari in South Africa? Does it look serious? Do you have pictures? Is she bringing him home to Australia to meet her parents over Christmas? We are worried about this. Please fill us in.)
From all of us sharing your adventures vicariously, we love you and miss you both, and can’t wait to see you back in Thailand for the festive holiday season. Stay safe and well (and leave the birds alone Charlie),
David
November 30th, 2005 at 1:48 amG’day Charlie and our little matey (Tanya),
First of all I would like to say how lucky you are Charlie to spend that much time with Tanya, on average we only see her for about 4 days a year. Actually 4 days of Tanya and her sarcasm is heaps of time.. Just joking you know we love you and your sarcasm. Thanks to you Charlie and your photos we now remember what she looks like and how hard she really works. Tanya do you know what an 9 to 5 job is? We heard a rumor back here in Australia that you may be gracing us with your presents very soon and I know your family is looking forward to that as well as your mates back here. By the way are you still an Australian citizen? How does drinks and a BBQ on your deck sound, it would be great if you could join us for once? Charlie enjoy your time left in Africa and we hope to meet you once you get down this way to the land of OZ. Rinaldi, don’t change one bit and we’ll soon you very soon matey. Cheers, Heidi & Matt
November 30th, 2005 at 8:56 am