I wanted to tell them

I wanted to tell them that in St. Petersburg the nights are white for two months out of the year. I wanted to tell them that in China old apartment buildings were built facing one another, with a courtyard in the middle where neighbors meet. I wanted to tell them that in Tahiti it’s ok to hitchhike your way home. I wanted to tell them that in Finland hardly anyone uses cash anymore. I wanted to tell them that the prayer calls in Melaka are so beautiful that I still want them as a lullaby and as an alarm clock. I wanted to tell them that you can buy Colt 45s at roadside stalls in the Philippines. I wanted to tell them that the bar atop the Swissotel offers a stunning view of Singapore. I wanted to tell them that in Surabaya, sidewalks hardly exist. I wanted to tell them that we can change the way we measure time and that, according to the Balinese calendar, a year has 210 days. I wanted to start by telling them this, but then it dawned on me that I didn’t know who they were and whether they would want to listen. So I kept it to myself, and so I keep it to myself.