Privilege

Floating above a bed of clouds, last night’s home was a little pod of luxury 11,277 meters up in the sky – yes, I checked the little info screen for that. You might recall me telling you about how I got a crazy amount of help when booking my plane tickets, resulting in me happy-crying in the bathroom at work. In case this photo of me being bougie as shit doesn’t tip you off, I’ll tell you more about it now. Because yes, that’s right, this little chicken ended up flying business class all the way to Bangkok. Whaaaaaat?

I don’t know about you, but to me this is absolute, amazing insanity. I’ve never flown business class before and to do so when embarking on a journey like this is just the icing on an already overly gorgeous cake.

I’m not gonna lie, I debated whether or not I should share this detail of my trip. I wondered what people might say. And then I thought: fuck that. I was gifted this. It’s a beautiful gift and I am going to soak it up. I refuse to censor that.

And so yesterday I checked in my backpack. I stood on a red carpet while doing so. I said my last goodbye and headed in towards the gate. But first: the business lounge because guess what? I’m allowed in there –ha! I boarded via the priority lane and once on the plane, I was looked after by a happy, smiling lady called Nicolette. Giddy with ever-growing excitement, I told Nicolette that this is my first time in business class. I told her I’m going on an adventure and this is the first part. I said to her: can you imagine? How lucky am I? She agreed. We bonded over our eerily similar names. What are the chances, right? She told me the next plane would be different but that I would love it too – “I’ll bet,” I said.

Giddy with excitement, I drank champagne and ate beautiful little hors d’oeuvres. I sprayed my face with a moisturizing mist and applied face cream. I went to the bathroom and laughed because it was almost as big as the bathroom in the apartment I just moved out of.

I did all of those things and was acutely aware of how crazy lucky I am. Acutely aware of how privileged I am to have all of these experiences; of how grateful I am that I have people who will do this for me.

I did all of those things and enjoyed it thoroughly. I savored every sip and I slept like a little angel baby in my fully reclined chair.

Today I’m in Bangkok. Today things aren’t pretty little hors d’oeuvres laid out on perfect china. Today isn’t wrapping myself in a cozy blanket while someone brings me tea.

Today I am giddy with excitement because it’s hot here. I’m sweaty and could definitely use a shower –seriously. Today things are loud and a little bit dusty.

Today I will board a night train where I will sleep in a bunk bed in a train car with a bunch of other strangers. Tomorrow I’ll be in my first hostel of this trip –with many more yet to come.

Yesterday and today are wildly different. But as I happily sit in a hot, crowded train station waiting to depart, I am acutely aware that today is a privilege all the same.

Where am I going with this? Not anywhere, really. I suppose today I want nothing more than to share the importance of thoughtful examination and recognition of privilege. I am privileged and I know that. I try to remember that, always – like this post, I write these things down so I won’t forget. I try to remember my privilege and to acknowledge it. I feel that when I do so, that’s the moment I am able to use it for good.

I can’t say for sure, but I am going to posit that there’s a big chance that like me, you have lots to be grateful for. So let’s do it. Let’s be thankful, let’s try to do so as often as we can.

Yesterday and today are wildly different and I am giddily excited about them both. I am grateful for them both and I am aware that both are an absolute, total privilege. So I’m going to give them that recognition and I’m going to tell you another hundred or so times how grateful I am to be here.

For now, see you tomorrow in Chiang Mai. I’m off, time to go be giddy in a train car.