Not-So-Fun Fact(s): Loneliness and Lionel Both Begin with "L"

About three days ago, I befriended one of the waitresses who works at a local cafeteria I frequent. Her name is Li. She started talking to me, asking me where I was from, and what I was doing in Vietnam. We had had a nice conversation and she told me she had been very happy to meet me. We traded phone numbers, and I returned for dinner the last two nights in order to say hello and ask how her day was.

What I noticed, though, was that she had a habit of telling me I looked really lonely. Whenever I saw her I made sure I was bright-eyed and bushy tailed because, well, I had made a new friend and was excited to speak with her. But her first words would be, "Oh you look lonely. Are you by yourself? Where are your friends? Why are you here alone? You must be bored."

Now, keep in mind, I had already answered these questions the first evening I spoke with her. I told her I am here alone studying, I am a student, I have a couple weeks left in the country, my friends are back in the United States--as is my boyfriend-- and of course I cannot wait to get back.

Tonight, I had another run-in with Li. Unless this woman forgot that we had already talked about this, she seemed pretty keen on beating me over the head with my perceived loneliness. But to a certain extent--she is correct.

I am lonely.

Now, Wikipedia says: "Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person experiences a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships." Well, I certainly don't feel empty, nor do I think I have inadequate levels of social relationships. Naturally, I'd love to share these wonderful experiences with my loved ones. Of course I'm tired of eating crepes with lemon sugar by myself. Of course I'm tired of walking along the Perfume river by myself.

But you know what? It's ok. It's really ok. I will be home so soon. It's not even an issue. But when someone keeps bringing the damn thing up like it's the only thing she's got to talk about cause she can't talk about anything else--it gets really irritating. Still, I'm not depressed. After all this, though, I'm discouraged from even showing up at that cafeteria to enjoy the one thing that should bring me some pleasure in my life right now. I'm afraid that this woman is gonna come and shit all over my crepes! I don't need that. This entire study abroad program was one huge exercise in avoiding getting shit on my crepes and you know what?  

I got shit on my crepes.

I just want to eat my dessert in peace and think about the beautiful things I'm gonna see as I travel back to Saigon. Until then, I will be listening to my Lionel Richie playlist because honestly, the man knows how I feel.