Tales From A Broad

R.I.P.

2007-01-05T23:53:00.000-05:00

It's official. I'm putting this blog to sleep.

I figure that a) it's a new year b) life in America is not nearly as exciting as it was in Asia and c) I'm lazy. It was fun while it lasted, but this is def the last.

To those who read along with my mostly unintelligible observations in the land of bizarre--THANKS!! Your dedication and wasted time at work fed my narcissism to write about myself.

おぎんまで!

California, here I come

2006-12-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

Bye Bye Asia. Hello USA.

From Hong Kong, I flew into my original hometown, Los Angeles, to spend a few days with all the family we left behind. Words do no justice, and my time with them flew by a lot faster than I would've liked it to. Here's a brief recap:

Day 1: Met up with my aunt, uncle and cousin. Ate extra cheesy lasagna. At that point, my jellyfish sting was leaking ooze through my bandages. I saw another pharmacist.

My repulsive jellyfish foot a few days after the scene of the crime.

Day 2: Met up with my other aunt, uncle, and cousin. Aunt and uncle take me to the East L.A.--the most Mexican part of the city to feast on the best chimichangas money can buy. Mama likey. Also, met up with 2 buddies of mine from college (Hey Leia and Kris!!).

My uncle and some mariachi players at the BEST Mexican joint ever

Day 3: Meet up with cousin who takes me to his job where he works with the MTV show "Pimp My Ride." Cousin shows me the fixed up Aston Martins and Cadillacs. I take many cheesey pics with the staff.

One of the top dogs from Mtv's Pimp My Ride and the cheezin as always, me

Day 4: Cousin takes me to a Halloween party. Him and his friends dress up as Mexicans and I dress up as an Asian with a Chinese dress and a Vietnamese conical hat. I held my breath all night, hoping to not get shot.

My cousin Jeff and me

My cousin Adrian and me
Day 5: Say farewell to my family who pampered me like crazy. They're incredible. I took a flight to Jacksonville, Florida to go home to my immediate family.

My parents, sisters and me :)

Another Napolean-Dynamite-Glamour-Shots family photo

The 2006 Cee Pee Awards (The Best & Worst of Asia)

2006-12-21T20:36:00.000-05:00

The #1 question people have been asking since I've come home is, "Which was your favorite place?" I can't possibly answer that questions without giving a million different answers. I loved almost every place for different reasons. Instead, I'll give each country their fair share in the First Annual Cee Pee Awards.*

Cambodia
Biggest culture shock
Most corrupt politics
Best looking women (TIED with Thailand)
Most beggars
Least developed
Saddest history
Easiest place to lose your soul
Least likely to improve anytime soon
Best temples
Easiest place to get an STD (TIED with Thailand.) and no, i'm not writing from experience you naughty kids!
Most fascinating

China
Best bargain shopping
Most superstitious
Dirtiest streets
Most likely to get your picture taken by a local (TIED with Taiwan)
Best bootleg stuff
Most materialistic locals
Most likely to improve
Least amount of English spoken (TIED with Japan)

Hong Kong
Most English spoken
Most international
Most exciting city
Easiest place to befriend the locals

Japan
Most racist locals
Least value for your money
Shyest locals
Fastest trains
Most vending machines
Most in denial of their existence
Least amount of English spoken (TIED with China)
Most helpful locals
Most polite locals
Worst looking men

Laos
Least likely to get ripped off(TIED with Malaysia)
Best herbal saunas
Most spacious
Best locals
Best place to eat a French baguette
Least touristy
Cheapest place (TIED with Cambodia)
Easiest place to get off the beaten path

Malaysia
Best place to eat Indian food in SE Asia
Best beaches
Best for nature buffs
Best fruit shakes
Most conservative & religious
Least likely to get ripped off (TIED with Laos)

Taiwan
Most likely to get your picture taken by a local (TIED with China)
Tallest building in the world

Thailand
Best place to get a sex change
Best parties
Best massages
Most touristed
Best place to find your soul
Easiest place to fall in love
Best chocolate and banana pancakes
Best place to meet backpackers
Best looking women (TIED with Cambodia)
Best food
Easiest place to get an STD (TIED with Cambodia)

Singapore
Smallest culture shock
Cleanest streets
Safest place to sample new foods
Strictest laws
Best high-quality shopping
Best English accent
Most technologically advanced
Most boring city

South Korea
Best looking men
Best place to eat BBQ
Proudest locals

Vietnam
Most likely to get ripped off
Most likely to get pick-pocketed
Best beer
Best place to buy a new wardrobe
Worst locals

*Disclaimer: These are just my humble opinions that are solely a result of my personal experiences in each country. Surely everyone has different experiences, so please don't chew my head off if you disagree. Instead, why don't you leave a comment? Also, these are just generalizations. No, not every Vietnamese will rip you off, and who knows? You may even get food poisening from a chocolate banana pancake in Thailand. Catch my drift?

Hong Kong can do no wrong

2006-12-20T20:01:00.000-05:00

Hong Kong photos -------> HERE

The skyline on top of Victoria's Peak.

My Hong Kong-German buddy, Jörg, and me

Hi Zania!

Such a lively city

Artsy-futuristic architecture

Hong Kong is a utopia of sorts. It's the best Asian example where Western and Eastern people, idealogies and customs can truly work and live side-by-side. I'm sure there's loads of prejudices and social barriers, but it might be the place in Asia that holds the least amount of both.

Thanks to England and its colonizing, virtually everyone, not just the people who deal with tourists, speak English. The streets are cleaner than mainland China and it's one of the most diverse places in Asia. The city is relatively rich so I didn't see any homeless people (although I'm sure they exist). When I showed my pictures to my sisters, they both remarked how much it resembled New York. In short, Hong Kong is the shit.

I was only their for a couple of days, just enough time to get a haircut, get on top of Victoria Peak to look at the skyline by night, take the star ferry, shop at the markets, party in Lan Kwai Fong, and sleep in Chungking Mansions (EEK! actually not as bad as people say). My trip was officially unwinding, and in a matter of hours, I'd be heading back to "the land of expanding waistlines*," the US of A.

*Nice one Adam! Ha!

stung by a jellyfish, really!

2006-12-06T21:47:00.001-05:00

Extra! Extra! My photos from Vietnam are here.

I'm not going to write much about my stay in Ho Cho Minh City (Saigon) even though that's where some of the largest underground tunnels were bult to protect the Vietnamese aginst the Americans. I don't have any pictures to put up since I lost my cheap-o camara, and as a result, I've lost the motivation to recreate everything.

F.Y.I. Did you know that the Vietnamese, while hiding underground, washed themselves with the same soap American soldiers used, to throw off the sniffing dogs?? They also stole Playboy magazines and scattered them around random locations in the jungles to trick the U.S. soldiers into believing that other American soldiers already checked that area? Smart Vietnamese.

My last stop in Vietnam was on peaceful Phu Quoc Island. One week of lying on the beach, writing, reading, eating delish seafood, swimming, drinking Vietnamese wine, and living in a bamboo bungaloo was just what I needed to take a "vacation" from this vacation. Early wake-up calls to go sightseeing weren't needed here, but mainly, I escaped to this remote island to get away from the irritating locals who would love nothing more than to sell tourists something--all the time. Thankfully, there was none of that here.

One morning, I was swimming, just minding my business, until I felt a sting on my foot that turned into a buuuurning sting in a matter of seconds. I looked down and holy shit---I got stung by a MASSIVE red jellyfish (maybe the size of 2 phone books). I went to a pharmacy where--Vietnam being the developing nation it is--they prescribed Vasoline and cotton. Consequently, my foot swelled up to the size of a rotten mango that had bursted yellow goo outside of its' skin. Disgusting? Yup. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of the beautiful scenery or of my "gangrine" foot (appropriately coined by my cousin).

a new wardrobe, a crazy house, and water puppets

2006-12-06T01:30:00.000-05:00

At the entrance of a Buddhist temple.

The rest of Vietnam looked a lot like other parts of Asia. The Chinese temples, the dragon statues, the markets, and the pagodas. Maybe it was b/c I was visiting it at the end of my trip, but I didn't find much else about Vietnam exceptional.

I made my way from the north to the south by train and bus, stopping in Hue, Hanoi, Da Lat, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).

Hanoi was quite charming because it has retained much of the colonial buildings that the French have left behind from their imperialist days. It's one of those few cities that is large, but has still kept much of its personality. One of the alleged "must-see-things" is their special water puppet theater where miniature dragons and warriors dance in a black puddle of water to the orchestra of traditional Vietnamese musicians. The magic behind the water puppets is that they are controlled by attached underwater wooden poles that are controlled by a human cast behind a curtain. That was pretty entertaining for awhile and definitely made for a unique thing to do.

Adorable Vietnamese children playing in the streets during the Moon Festival in Hanoi.

Hanoi is also known for Beer Hoi, a roughly 10¢ beer that is homemade with no preservatives or additives. The ridiculously cheap price assures that everyone--tourists and foreigners alike--get happy while the brewer sells it before it goes bad by the end of the day. No preservatives also means no hangover, a nice plus. So, all we did was sit down on those tiny plastic chairs, ordered ourselves a few rounds, and watched all the people walking down the charming Old Quarter.

Pouring Beer Hoi.

Hoi An is world famous for all the tailors around town. I swear you can buy a whole new wardrobe for less than $200. I'm talking tailor-made boots, suits, ties, dresses, skirts, pants, everything!! I went crazy in this town and got myself a new wardrobe compliments of the local village ladies and their sewing skills. I had to mail home all of my new, perfectly made clothes.

Hoi An was right on the river.
Hue is the town where a lot of the country's crafts and cultural items are made. Think conical hats, sandalwood incense and sandals.

Rows of hand-made incense in Hue.

A woman making the notorious conical hat in Hue.

Da Lat was a bit of a let down since it was recommended to me by so many people. It's the Vietnamese highlands, which means there's cooler weather and nice scenery. That turned out to be true, but I also heard that Easy Riders--a group of middle-aged Vietnamese on old motorcycles who gave special tours--were amazing too, but I found them to be average at best.

Maybe the most enjoyable thing about Da Lat was "The Crazy House." It was built by an eccentric, artsy-fartsy woman that dreamt of a topsy-turvy house with stairways that lead to nowhere. God knows how many drugs she did when she dreamt it up, but it's pretty spectacular to see it.

The psychedelic "crazy house" popular with locals and tourists in Da Lat.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

2006-12-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

Not many sunsets rival this one.

A cruise in Vietnam? Halong Bay is where you can do it, where almost 2,000 limestone islands dot the coast of northern Vietnam. A Vietnamese legend tells of a family of dragons that came to Vietnam to protect them against the Chinese invaders by spitting jewels in the ocean, which eventually turned into these jungle islands.

Cruising through all the tiny islands.

One of the caves we went to (thanks for letting me steal this one Dave).

Caves and beaches can be found on many of these islands, and a picturesque sunset/sunrise is a given. We took a 2-day cruise boat along this UNESCO heritage site that turned into a party boat by night.

We explored caves, jumped off our boat into the ocean, slept on the rooftop,played the guitar, and just vegged out. It was the perfect relaxation from the hiking we did in Sapa.

The cops who tried to negotiate my hand in marriage.

at the market

2006-12-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

The Sunday market where this Vietnamese tribe sells EVERYTHING like vegetables...

...sugar cane...

...tobacco...

...and pigs.

sleeping with Vietnamese hill tribes

2006-11-28T18:53:00.000-05:00

These women from the local tribes helpes us along the way.

Sapa is probably the best place Vietnam has to offer. This northern town is near the Chinese border and has the most beautiful mountains. After centuries of hard-work, the locals have cultivated rice terraces into the mountains. If there is a stairway to heaven, Sapa is where it is. These lime-green rice paddies look like large steps on the dark green mountains.

Mountain rice paddies = Stairway to Heaven

For only two day, I went trekking through these mountains to visit hill-tribes in their villages, eat their local foods and take lots and lots of pictures of the scenery. The hike itself wouldn't have been so difficult if it wasn't for the muddy floor and rainy conditions. Each person in my group took a bamboo stick and hoped for the best.

A 6 year-old girl from one of the nearby villages followed me the entire afternoon. She told me about how she walks these 9 kilometers every day with her sisters. In some ways, she reminded me of those pictures that you see in brochures from non-profit organizations for the poor. Her hat was tattered and her clothes were plain. For sure, she was poor. Once we got to her village, she asked me over and over again if I wanted to buy something from her.

My little buddy who took me to her village.

It struck me. Of course, these tribes are poor. Money was never an object in their lifestyles until tourism banged on their doors: a new opportunity to pry into another, otherwise, isolated community. This was the first time the word "poverty" didn't carry a negative stigma for me. These people were happy and self-sustainable without money (what a novelty), but now they're addicted to tourists.

That night, an old widower from the village cooked us dinner and let us sleep in her house. Dishes of friend garlic and greens, steamed rice, tofu and tomatoes, fried beef and ginger....oh man. I hadn't eaten so well like that in a looong time.

To finish us off, she brought 2 jugs of homemade rice wine to celebrate one of the Isreali's in my group's birthday. So you've got to imagine it: 2 Swedes, 2 Isrealis, 3 Russians, 1 American (me), 1 Danish, 1 Ozzie, and 3 Vietnamese taking shots from this old lady who didn't stop pouring our glasses until we passed out. They sang traditional songs. We sang the "Happy Birthday" song in our respective languages. They exchanged farming stories. We exchanged traveling stories.

Everyone congratulating Roi for being born a couple decades ago.

Group shot right after dinner. Mmmm...

Iness shwowing our hostess the Russina way to drink.

The next day, we continued our trek through the mountains in our hangover haze. Along the way there were schools to visit and farmers in conical hats to see. The trip was practically over and I was soon on myway back to Hanoi.

Good Morning Vietnam!

2006-11-28T18:28:00.000-05:00

The scariest and most painful journey of my life was getting from Luang Prabang, Laos to Hanoi, Vietnam. Going 90 MPH over a dirt road with pot-holes in a mini-van with worn down suspensions in the middle of the night isn't exactly a vacation. Alas, we made it alive, so I can't complain.

In less than one hour of arriving into Vietnam, I'd witnessed an angry woman scream and throw a bicycle at another angry woman; a restaurant-owner boast about his virtual immunity from the corrupt policemen and his drug trafficking across the Vietnam-Laos border; and the bus driver push my friends and me to the back of the bus with the suitcases, a [probably broken] computer tower and a bag of bananas.

Vietnam and I were already getting on a bad start.

What was it about the Vietnamese that pissed me off? In my 3 weeks in that country, I found a lot of them (at least the ones who deal with tourists) to be liars. It's sad that I have to write them off like that, but I found that to be true more times than not. A driver would assure me that he really was taking em to a market, only to take me to his brother's shop. We'd pay for a kayaking trip only to get taken to a restaurant-boat. Some may say that maybe it's a misunderstanding, a language barrier. I say that they know perfect English when they're selling something to foreigners. They tell us what we want to hear, no matter how false the reality really is.

I knew this would happen

2006-11-26T17:51:00.000-05:00

I knew I'd come home and be so consummed with seeing everyone and doing everything that I wasn't able to do while I was away, that I'd completely neglect my blog. Seeing family, friends, doctors, unpacking, calling, job-hunting, sleeping...i've been B-U-S-Y. So here's my last attempt at remembering the rest of the trip-Laos, Vietnam and Hong Kong--and I'll try to get it done ASAP.

This woman was one of the many locals feeding the monks at dawn. This is commonly known as the Morning Alms.

VanVieng, Laos was one of the hardest places I pulled myself away from. The people i met, the kids I taught, the town itself, swimming the Mekong Delta, everything about it was addicting. Alas, time and money were running out so i headed north to Luang Prabang. The charm? It has on of the biggest monk populations in Asia, and any walk down the streets at 5AM proves it.

It's called the Morning Alms and it happens every day in this religious little city of Laos. Dozens of lines of about 15 monks of all ages walk down the streets with urns strapped around their shoulders. They use them to collect food from the local people who have wait patiently on their knees to donate food to these monks on their daily walks. Usually balls of sticky rice, the local people place it in each of the monk's urns for blessings.

To see the otherwise vacant streets with dots of bright orange is one of the best wake up calls I've ever had. Before the sun rises, men and women faithfully get on their knees, everyday to feed the monks.

Other than that, the city has the usual wats (temples) and a calm night market to buy lots of local crafts like woven blankets and handmade fans. The second biggest draw though, is the massive waterfall a few kilometers outside of town. I had befriended a couple of American guys who came with me to the waterfalls. These were people I had met when during our tubing trip down the Mekong River where one of the owners of a restaurant negotiated the price of his daughter--in dirt--to these guys. Despite the "No Swimming" signs, we got in for some good ol' catching up on that ridiculous day.

Buddha Park.

I also didn't get to write about going to capital of Laos (Vientienne) where the random Buddha Park is. There had to have been at least 30 Hindi-Buddhists statues strewn across the lawn of this massive park. Monks and tourists alike come here to compare heads with this bug Buddha statue.

asian classifieds: calling all monks

2006-11-16T12:40:00.000-05:00

Tired of your faded red bamboo mat? Sick of being the only monk in town?

Dream no more because Luang Prabang, Laos is the perfect monk-friendly community. Bask in Buddha glory as you and your new monk friends frolic through the rice markets in the afternoon.

4AM wakeup calls getting you down? Set your gold bells with your new friends!

After midday meditation, enjoy the smells of sandalwood incense from some of the more than 60 wats (temples) in Luang Prabang--a gentle reminder that this is one of the world's largest communities for monks just like you!! There's something for everyone in Luang Prabang, whether you're a novice or you've attained enlightenment:

Eat all of your rice and lemongrass meals along the Mekong River.
Fasting? Stroll by Western restaurants serving meat to supress your hunger and scoff at their sinister ways.
Get all of your Buddhist festival gear at the local night market.
Not holy enough? Enjoy self-mortification at one of the many stunning watrefalls just a few kilometers outside the city's center.

This holier-than-thou city community comes complete with many spectacular views, including this one over the city.

If dreams of new orange robes and friends to match have been keeping your pensive chants away, come to Luang Prabang, Laos!! Buddha's #1 choice for holy living.

stay tuned

2006-11-10T15:56:00.000-05:00

I'm home in Jacksonville, Florida and there's so much to write. Here's a preview:

Waterfalls . . Angry women throwing bikes . . A 33 hour bus ride . . Vietnam . . Trekking through the mountains . . Sleeping with hill tribes . . Rice wine . . Night cruises . . Caves . . Singing on rooftops . . 10¢ beer . . Water puppets . . A new tailor-made wardrobe . . A cute Englishman . . Remote Vietnamese island . . Night swimming . . Glow-in-the-dark plankton . . Bungalow on the beach . . Stung by a jellyfish . . Scammed out of $140 . . Underground tunnels during the Vietnam War . . Haircut in Hong Kong . . A cute German . . Mountaintop at night . . Flew to Los Angeles . . Ungodly amounts of cheese . . Jetlagged . . Visited relatives there . . In N' Out burgers . . Halloween party, 4 Mexican guys and an Asian. The set of MTV's Pimp My Ride . . Flew to Florida . . Sooooo jetlagged . . Sick from all the cheese . . Trick or treated with Ferny . . Disney World's International Food & Wine Festival . . Jury duty . .

i'm coming home*

2006-10-23T07:45:00.000-05:00

As you can see I've been updating this blog like a maniac in the past few weeks. There's just too much for me to catch up on, and I was slightly worried that I wouldn't have time to do it when I get home. Alas, this is my last post until I settle down in the US.

This is it. Almost a year and half ago, I left America for Asia, fresh-eyed and optimistic. Clueless about what would happen there, but excited nonetheless. I had no expectations. Now I'm at the end of it, and my head is overflowing with new ideas and opinions about everything. I could go on and on about what I've learned, but I'll spare you a lot of it.

I left home to make myself as vulnerable and insecure as possible by taking away all the familiarity that being home cacoons me with. I wanted to learn my boundaries so I could defy them. I'm not sure if I've accomplished any of this, although maybe I'm making a start. One thing is for sure though--exploring Asia woke me up.

Never in my life have I been more aware of myself, of life and the of world. My strengths and-- especially--my weaknesses. How much potential there is in life. All the opportunities in the world. It makes me so excited, my head feels like it's going to explode.

How did this all happen? It's not just because I was in a new country with new people (undoubtedly this is the fundamental part of it though). It's seems more than that. I believe that a lot of it has to do with the solitude. The isolation from everything I've ever known. No one pressured me to leave. If anything, there were some who discouraged me to leave, or at least were baffled as to why I chose this path. No one was with me from the beginning to the end. In spirit, yes. But in the physical, no. No friends from home. No boyfriend. No roomate. No co-worker. Every single decision has been mine. All the mistakes and successes were solely mine.

In the past I mostly kept this to myself, but now I'm not afraid to say that my time abroad, occasionally, put me in a dark place. I don't think I've ever experienced more dissappointments in my personal life than during my time in Japan. And this isn't a direct result of the country at all. Death. Love. Family. Old friends. New friends. Details are boring. I just left home at a bizaare time in my life. Many people stood by me, and some even tried to help. A few walked away. Most didn't suspect a thing.

Make no mistake. There are no slit wrists here. It seems like the worst is over and I'm slowly surfacing, noticing so much about life like it's my first time. Luckily, I had so many unforgettable, phenomenal, life-changing, unbelievable experiences to enlighten me. This blog doesn't do justice to my time away. It only scratches the surface. How can I describe what it's like to see Laos women faithfully get on their knees at dawn to sacrifice food to monks? Or how I felt when my tiny Japanese students walked me home, as far home as their parents would let them? Or what the sunrise over an unspoiled Malaysian island looks like? Or how many eye-opening conversations I've had with Russians, Singaporians, Isrealis, Dutch, Thais, Australians, Colombians, Welsh, Angolans...?

I'm finally awake and I'm coming home.

*I'm a private person. I tend to shy away from revealing personal info, the real stuff, that makes me "Christine," on my blog. After all, its a public website! But, I think I'm going to make an exception this time as to commemorate my homecoming. Plus, I owe to you guys--the people who have kept up with me the whole way through. Thanks for reading!

once home, I'm excited to...

2006-10-23T04:56:00.000-05:00

...walk down the streets without being noticed [for being a foreigner].

....wear flip-flops in the winter again.

....go to the dentist.

....drive my car.

....eat Mexican food. The kind out of the back of an old pick-up truck off the side of the road.

....eat a variety of real cheeses and cereals, chocolate, whole grain bread, wine, soft chocolate chip cookies that are a little raw in the middle, BBQ cheeseburgers, buffalo chicken sandwhiches, dipping pizza in ranch sauce, my mom's Cuban food, hummus, salsa, chocolate cake, macaroni and cheese, lasagna...

....watch all the good movies I missed.

...take Lucy to the dog park. :)

....meet outgoing guys [who aren't afraid to approach a girl].

....be home for the holidays.

...take my nephew trick-or-treating.

....sit-down toilets.

....my bed.

...see everyone!

....fly 13 hours in a plane.

tubing down the mekong-part 2

2006-10-22T07:04:00.000-05:00

My pictures from Laos are all here.

Our last beer stop before getting back on the river. FYI: night swimming and drinking in a foreign country is totally safe.

Check out the sign directly above his head. Hmmm... Interesting.

These are some of my favorite people I met on this trip. From left to right: Damien (Australia), Sylvie (France), me (USA, but you already knew that), Peter (Germany), Adam (USA)

tubing down the mekong river-part 1

2006-10-22T06:15:00.000-05:00

From left to right: Peter, Sylvie and Tim farting around in tubes on the Mekong.

Some would describe Van Vieng the "Cancun of Laos." It's notorious for the long afternoon trips down the Mekong River. We, the crew from the organic farm, were addicted to tubing and would take as many opportunities to do it. We floated the river 3 times before we all left town.

The beauty of tubing, is that there are little bars/restaurants along the river that pull in energetic tubers from some wholesome drinking. Thus, it earned its' Cancun reputation. As if drinking and swimming weren't safe enough, they also have these huge flying swings where people can test their mortality, or show off with summersaults into the Mekong. It was so much fun!! The first time is such a rush and you feel like you're never going to slow down enough to fall in the water.

Me on the notorious flying swing.

The whole experience is without doubt, one of the "must do's" of Southeast Asia. There's no other place in the world like it. Aside from the fun to be had meeting fellow tubers, dancing in the bars, tempting fate off the swings, and floating lazily down one of the most famous rivers in the world, it's also stunningly gorgeous. Giant limestone cliffs line the river all the way to the end. This has got to be one of my favorite places in the world.

working on the organic farm

2006-10-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

Sylvie with our primary school class.

The organic farm had lots of chances to volunteer. We could do anything from paint houses to landscaping to teaching English to the village kids. I had originally had my heart set on helping the women make mulberry tea by hand. I've never done anything like that before, but my very first day on the farm, Peter and Sylvie asked Adam and I if we wanted to help out with the English classes. We couldn't turn the invitation down.

Recess time: this shoe and rope game was the most popular game at the village.

I'm still a bit weary about teaching English again since my job in Japan is still so fresh in my mind. I never thought I'd be doing it so soon, especially on my vacation! We tagged along and it was a lot more enjoyable than I thought it'd be. It hardly felt like work. There were 2 classes, the first filled with young children, no older than 10. This was, by far, my favorite class. "teaching" them is a another word for playing with them. The second class is comprised of the teens. We were all so impressed with how much English they all seemed to know. Way more than any of my classes in Japan. Sidenote:I found that the poorer a country is, the more English the locals know. Survival surely plays a part in this.

Peter and I singing the classic, "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes."

I had only planned to volunteer in the English class that day, but the kids were just too addicting. So many of them asked us to come back the next day. Eventually, I ended up teaching English to them for a week!

At the end of the older class, the students performed a traditional Laos dance and tried to teach it to us too. We were pitiful, but it was still a lot of fun to try! Thankfully, Sylvie has been dancing her whole life and did a Dirty Dancing-esque routine for all the boys and girls. How can I describe to you what it was like to see Sylvie booty-dancing in front of all these teenage boys and girls? Whether the students were scared or impressed, or both, was hard to tell, but one thing was for sure: they wanted more and they wanted to learn how to dance!

Our older students teaching us the traditional Laos dance.

By the end of the week, Sylvie gained the unofficial title as the "Hip-hop instructor." Now that's internationalization!

the organic farm

2006-10-19T10:29:00.000-05:00

The infamous organic farm.

The organic farm in Van Vieng, Laos is the perfect place to get away from it all and feel like your doing something good for the community. Mr. T is the owner of this farm, not a man of many words, but still interesting, nonetheless. He used to live in Bulgaria, which for a Laos person, is pretty extraordinary. The farm is also a guesthouse and restaurant. Goat cheese, mulberry pancakes, pumpkin soup, and Harvest curry are just some of the choices on their menu. All organic and all tasy.

Our rooms overlooked the cliffs.

All of these things are nice and all, but the main reason why I loved this farm is because I met an amazing group of people who were staying there as well. There was Sylvie, a Parisian, who has got to be the only French person I know who doesn't like Paris. There was Peter from Munich who worked on the farm last year and loved it so much, that he came back. There was Adam from New Jersey who did the Peace Corps in Bulgaria and even taught English in Japan on the same program as me (JET program)! There was Tim from Oregan who is taking a year off to travel the world. And there was Matt from Texas who just finished his 2-year job teaching English in Vietnam. We were a force to be reckoned with.

Our furry wake up calls--the baby goats.

Every morning, I'd wake up to baby goats walking up and down the hall outside our rooms. They were only a week old and were so friggin' adorable. One of them was like a little puppy and would let us pet him. It was really sad though because a mosquite bit his eyelid and by the end of my week at the farm, it had completely swollen shut. Thus, the name "Quazimoto." Hopefully, he's still alive. If not, R.I.P. Quazi.

Coming soon: Working on the organic tubing and tubing down the Mekong River!

the wonderful world of laos

2006-10-17T08:41:00.000-05:00

A Laos boy filling our motorbike with gas.

The way north to the Cambodia-Laos border is long and dusty. I took the local bus, a long-tail boat, a taxi and a motobike. When I finally arrived to Vientienne, the capital of Laos, 2 days had passed.

The bus was nothing more than a pick-up truck with railings on the sides. I soon learned the best way to get a bus in Laos: sit on the side of the road and frantically wave your arms in the air. I was lucky enough to sit inside. The order went like this: the driver on the left, me pushed against the stick-shift, and 2 Laos women. We were lucky.

My 4-hour "bus" ride through Laos.

With every crazy arm in the air, the driver pulled over to let them jump on. Just when I thought we couldn't possibly pick up another person, the resourceful Laos would climb on the roof, or hang off the sides. The process never stopped until we arrived in Vientienne. Drive. Crazy arms. Pull over. Pick up. Drive. Crazy arms. Pull over. Pick up. Drive. Each time I turned around, to see who or what we actually picked up, a fresh smily face was pressed against the window. I was already liking Laos.

The passengers (and motorbike) on the boat over the Cambodian-Laos border.

By the time I had passed through the Laos border, I had already missed the next bus north to the capital. I was in a remote fishing village off the Mekong River. A village so small, that not even the locals could pinpoint the exact location of it on a map. This was going to be my new home for the night. At first, I was annoyed that I had been mislead, but then I saw it for what it was: an adventure. This truly was off the beaten path.

The Mekong village I stayed in.

My patience was truly tested. Yet, I'm happy to say, that I passed. What was supposed to be a straight shot through the Cambodia border to Laos, according to the travel agent, turned into a loooong process with a lot of waiting around. I've heard this story a million times by other travellers. How typical it is for a bus to break down, only to wait for another bus to "rescue" passengers for a small fee. Or how immigration police give travellers trouble until they give them a bribe. There's usually a challenge. Luckily for me, the only inconvenince was the waiting and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

my flight home

2006-10-16T04:57:00.000-05:00

FLIGHT RESERVATION ==================

DEP/ CITY DATE TIME DAY FLIGHT/ CLASS/ STOPS ARR AIRCRAFT STATUS ---- -------------------- ----- ------ --- -------- ----------- ------------

DEP HO CHI MINH CITY 24OCT 18:55 TUE CX764 ECONOMY NON-STOP
ARR HONG KONG INT'L 22:35 (333) CONFIRMED

DEP HONG KONG INT'L 26OCT 13:20 THU CX884 ECONOMY NON-STOP
ARR LOS ANGELES TBIT 11:35 (744) CONFIRMED

DEP LOS ANGELES LAX 30OCT 08:30 MON AA2430 M NON-STOP
ARR DALLAS DFW 13:35 (M80) CONFIRMED

DEP DALLAS DFW 30OCT 15:10 MON AA2434 M NON-STOP
ARR JACKSONVILLE INT'L 18:25 (M80) CONFIRMED

AIRLINES ========

CX - CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LTD.
AA - AMERICAN AIRLINES INC.

final thoughts on cambodia

2006-10-16T04:30:00.000-05:00

All my photos from Cambodia are here.

I can't believe a place like this exists. It was an unforgettable week, but I was happy to be able to walk down the street again without someone grabbing my attention to sell me a tuk tuk ride, drugs, or his empty baseball cap for money.

The Khmer people are a sad race. Virtually every family has been traumatized by the systematic killing by the Khmer Rouge, been injured or killed by landmines planted by the Americans, or just too poor too eat. Life throws salt on their wounds by giving them a heartless govnerment that couldn't care less about their own people. The Cambodian government has left their people to the streets. They've left them with nothing. It's pathetic.

The power of money in Cambodia shocked me the most. EVERYTHING is for sale. Women. Guns. Murder. People, particularly the vicous government, are so money-hungry, that they are willing to sell things that the Western world teaches us are priceless. Things like love, justice, and life can all be bought for a pretty penny.

Experiencing Cambodia is like stepping back in time. All you have to do is look at the capital, Phnom Phon, which looks more like a sprawled-out village than a city. People sleep when the sun sets and awake when it rises. Wooden shacks house families of 8 people or more. Naked babies sit on windosills. Women wash laundry outside in tin bins. Dirt roads are the streets. Everything is so rudimentary.

Every minute of Cambodia fascinated and shocked me.

Don't play with guns!! But if you do, try them in Cambodia.

2006-10-16T03:37:00.000-05:00

Chris, Tony and I with our weapons of choice.

As an America, it is my God-given right to be a gun-fanatic, but I'm just not. Still, this didn't stop me from trying it while on vacation. What could be safer than firing guns from a shooting range in Cambodia that was taken to us by our tuk-tuk driver?

Tony in the hottest 2006 fall fashion. And also tryingnot to die on the way to the shooting range.

Chris, Tony and I pile into our tuk-tuk, a glorified lawn-mower with wheels, to be driven 20 minutes outside of Phnom Phen to the shooting range. Without any seatbelts, doors or sanity, we bobbed around the inside, while our driver manueuvered us through every obstruction imaginable-- pot-holes, herds of cows, 20 ft. bamboo poles, whole families on motobikes, clouds of dust from all the traffic...

The traffic behind us. Ooops! My hair is in it, but I was trying so hard not to fallout!

As if straight out of the MTV show Cribs, the gates opened to a tiny kingdom. The owner sat us down and gave us the most dangerous menu I've ever seen:

$200 Rocket Launcher
$25 AK47 (25 bullets)
$25 M16 (25 bullets)
$30 Grenade
$25 Colt45

There were about 20 weapons to choose from, and at the bottom of the menu read, "Do not take picture of this menu!!"

Tony chose the grenade first and was instructed to throw it in the little swamp outside this guy's house. It was the most normal thing for him and his family. His daughter, who couldn't have been older than 13, was browsing a girly magazie. She was completely uninterested in the fact that the earth just shook or that her lake had just burped up black smoke.

Next was the M16, AK47, and Colt45. We all had our turns on each, but one shot was enough for me. As with every good Cribs episode, the owner of the shooting range wasted no time escorting us out, shutting us of those gates.

Asia's Holocaust

2006-10-10T04:34:00.000-05:00

After the temples of Angkor Wat, I take the morning bus to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Phen. I befriended Tony, an Ozzie guy who recently quit his job as a nurse at a prison and had went to Cambodia to do a 10-day meditation course. Needless to say, he had some interesting stories. He also introduced me to his friend Chris, an English guy who had just finished his job teaching English in Cambodia. The three of us ended up spending our days in crazy Phnom Phen together.

Some of the 2 million genocide victims.

We went to the genocide museum in Phnom Phen to witness the horror of Cambodia's past. The Khmer Rouge was the brutal military in power during the 70's. They were an extreme communist government convinced that they had to kill off any "traitors," which was a very loose term applied to practically anyone. Men, women, children, babies, scholars, students, reporters, foreigners, monks and many others were some of the people selected as "traitors."

To learn more about the Khmer Rouge and the genocide, click here.

The Khmer Rouge turned a high school in Phnom Phen into a fully-functional concentration camp where they imprisoned these innocent people. The prisoners spent an average of 3 months in the old high school, working as forced laborers until they were sent to the killing fields and murdered in atrocious ways. Like so many of the victims in Hitler's holocaust, the Khmer Rouge victims were made to dig their own graves and shot, stabbed, or beaten to death once completed. Babies were spared this and were beaten to death against a tree instead.

One of the torture rooms.

To make matters worse, the victims were tortured on an almost daily basis. Not only did they face terrible living conditions like starvation and disease from the lack of personal-hygiene in the prison, they were also sent to rooms to be tortured with wrenches, hammers, or hung from trees. One of the worst examples is that they pulled of their toe-nails with plyiers.

The rules enforced by the Khmer Rouge to control the innocent victims. Click to make the picture larger.

Unfortunately, the genocide of the almost 2 million innocent victims is a large fact, mostly unknown to the average Westerner. Sadly, Cambodia still suffers to this day because barely any of the torturers faced any sort of punishemnt or even a trial after the Khmer Rouge fell apart. Not even the organizer of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, was brought to trial and it's too late to do anything about it now. He died before anyone could bring any justice to the people.

please, please, please

2006-10-08T03:56:00.000-05:00

Begging is big business in Cambodia. Pay no attention to the fact that Cambodia recieves some of the world's largest donations from NGO's and the UN. Not to mention loads of money from the booming tourist industry. The government is outrageously corrupt and sees to it that the people don't see a single penny of it. As a result, begging has become an essential part to survival. Locals take to the streets and stalk tourists like vultures for a meal, a drink, a dollar.

Begging in a bowl. There were even beggars in lakes and riversl

They play on Western guilt (Non-existant in the East as they see life as the product of karma. Born a beggar? Oh, you must have done something horrendous in one of your past lives.) by waiting outside of museums. Or stalking people in restaurants. So profitable is begging, that families send their children to the streets than to schools. The locals are professionals, especially the children, and it's become a game to them. They teach each other the English they need to know to talk to tourists and have even learned the capitals of the most common Western countries, as to impress tourists. The omnipresent question, "Where are you from?" had never been more annoying because my reply was always met with, "Washington D.C. is the capital of USA." I decided to mix it up:

Beggar: Where you from?
Me: Nowhere.
Beggar: Oslo is the capital of Norway.

I eventually caved in and invited a little beggar boy to have dinner with me. Not only was he happy to accept, but he also ordered the MOST expensive thing on the menu. When his french fries and chicken breast came out, he wanted to order a bowl of rice, admitting that he didn't even like french fries. I found it all laughable because the motto, beggars can't be choosers, was actually coming into play in front of my eyes. That was the defining moment when I stopped feeling guilty.

The little beggar I ate dinner with.

Probably the most disheartening part of the begging problem is that many of them are victims of landmines left by the Americans during the Vietnam War. Unfortunetely, most of the landmines haven't been deactivacted. Consequently, locals roam the streets with stubs for arms and pathetically point them to traveller's in the hopes that they'll spare a dollar.

one of the 7 wonders of the world: Ta Phrom

2006-10-07T02:35:00.000-05:00

Completely unrestored, Ta Phrom temple has become a beautiful and willing victim to nature. Carpets of moss blanket the stone roof, while monstrous vines dig through the ground. This was, by far, my favorite temple at Angkor Wat. I listened to my Ipod to drown out the hordes of Japanese and Chinese tour groups and laid on a crumbled wall to take it in all its' majesty. Two girls behind me had the same idea, spending the afternoon sketching the dark greens of the temple in their notebooks.

Ta Phrom temple had an eerie feel to it.

The Khmer boys who were my mini-travel guides.

While inside, these 2 Khmer boys singled me out to follow them through the dark passageways. They led me by the arm to a dark corner, with absolutely noone around, to show me the head of a tiny statue that was almost completely strangled by tree vines. Pleased to show me their little secret, they ran off laughing, hiding themselves from the rest of the tourists.

The secret tiny face. Can you see it?

one of the 7 wonders of the world: Bayon

2006-10-07T02:20:00.000-05:00

Pensive at Bayon temple.

So many head statues.

Bayon temple is notorious for the countless carvings of Buddha-Hindu heads. Although most of them are missing ears or mouths due to nature and time, they are still pervasive. I climbed to th very top to find an old Khmer woman worshipping in a small room. When she finished praying, she spotted my curiousity and motioned for me to meet her at the top of the stairs. Despite the language barrier, she taught me how to properly pay my respects by letting me copy her. She gave me incense sticks, clapped a few times, bowed here and there, and sat motionless. After I followed her lead, I thanked her and put my donation at the alter.

The beautiful Khmer woman I worshipped with.

I took the rest of my time to sit in a nook to write in my journal. The ideal place for introspective inspiration.

one of the 7 wonders of the world: Angkor Wat

2006-10-07T02:12:00.000-05:00

The sunrise over Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat was finished in the 12th century.

Siem Reap, Cambodia is the proud home of the temples of Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders of the world. Why are they wonderful? Comprised of more than 100 temples, Angkor Wat served as a metropolis for religous, social, and administrative buildings. They also were built to mimic one of the constellations at that time. The sheer size of it all is humbling, making it pretty easy to avoid the mobs of tour groups around.

This was quite possibly the best sight I've seen during my travels in the past 15 months. No other place I've been to was as mystical and relevant as the temples of Angkor Wat. Unlike many other ancient marvels, this sight is still used on a daily basis by the locals. Khmer people still come here to worship. Monks still meditate and chant on the temple grounds. Families still live next to them. The corroded stones are the only reminders that time, centuries, have passed.

price tags in cambodia

2006-10-06T06:35:00.000-05:00

$1,000 a cow
30 a grenade
30 to blow up a cow at a shooting range with a grenade
2 a pizza
3 a "happy" pizza
1 to upload one whole album on your Ipod or Mp3 player
400 to hire a hitman
500+ a "Get Out of Jail Free" card; a bribe
5 a prostitute
1,000 a virgin, soon-to-be prostitute

All prices are negotioable.

These services/items were either offered to me, the people I was with, or told to us in secret by the locals and expats.

No cows were harmed in the making of this post.

welcome to cambodia

2006-10-06T06:07:00.000-05:00

I spoiled myself--just this one time--by flying from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia because I saved my unused plane ticket from my last trip [due to a certain Swede ;)]. I didn't have to pay a penny and it saved me all the trouble of sitting on the back of a shoddy pick-up truck for 7 hours on a dirt road. Thank God.

The airport in Siem Reap is strikingly modern and rich--a sick contrast to the impoverished people who work them and the pot-hole roads that lead up to it. I paid my $20 for a visa and checked into my guesthouse to prepare myself for the insane week ahead.

Cambodia is a ridiculous place. Much more on that later.

"Food" ive eaten in asia

2006-10-01T09:26:00.000-05:00

...continued from a previous post. Click here to see the full list of "foods" I've eaten in Asia.

The lovely black spider I ate. The legs were like beef jerky. The lower body (the poo part) was a luscious sack of gooey barf.

Sauteed snake eggs. Don't they look like over-sized pearl necklaces?!

The typical entree selection at your average Asian market.

21.) sauteed snake eggs in Siem Reap, Cambodia
22.) fried crickets in Surat Thani, Thailand
23.) fried spider in Phnom Phen, Cambodia
24.) spicy frog soup in Qingdao, China
25.) dog in VanVieng, Laos

To be continued, I'm sure....

Coming soon: guns, girls & ganja in Cambodia!!

A Solo Backpacker

2006-09-29T06:57:00.000-05:00

<><>My photos from Thailand are finally here!<><>

Whenever people find out I'm travelling alone, its met with either awe or pity. Awe because they tell me that it's brave of me to be a a lone lady on the road. Pity because they tell me I'm a lone lady on the road (this comment is usually from the locals who can't fathom a woman travelling without a husband or a father).

Travelling alone makes it so much easier to meet people because I'm a lot more approachable than if I was with someone. Whether I'm waiting for a train, sitting next to a stranger on the bus, sharing a bunk bed with another backpacker, or taking a day trip , I've met people from all walks of life. Usually these instant friendships only last for the few days that we are in the same place, but they still make for eye-opening conversations and quality time spent with a person from a different part of the world. That's what I love about travelling; what normally takes ages, speeds up 5 times or more. Friendships form over a breakfast, people fall in love (infatuation?) on an overnight bus. Other backpackers, complete strangers, will come to your rescue if you lose your passport or get pick-pocketed. Things are much quicker and intense.

Travelling alone also lets me do whatever I want, whenever I want. The freedom is liberating.

Admittedly, meeting travel buddies comes in spurts. There are days when I can't meet someone or click with people, no matter how hard I try. During these dry spells, I use the "3 Question" formula given by my buddy Leanna who is the female guru of travelling alone:

1. tell me something i don't know about you.
2. tell me something you like about me.
3. tell me something you think we have in common.

Yea, it sounds cheesy, but it really works!!

There are other times when I can't get any alone time to write in my journal and just collect my thoughts.

The biggest misconception is that it's dangerous for women to travel alone. People--the media, our parents--are too quick to label countries, and even whole areas of the world as "risky." What's more dangerous? Telling an aggressive vendor at a Chinese market that you don't want to buy their bootleg Gucci purse or walking down some parts of (insert any major U.S. city here) at night, even with a group of friends? I'll take the former any day. The fear of guns is very real in America, not Asia. Rape is a factor that women should consider no matter where they are in the world, but in Asia, the fear of "losing face" (not to mention prison time and fines) is enough of a deterrant. The same can't be said back home.

Street smarts and common sense go a long way when travelling solo. As long as a woman practices both, she'll most likely be alright.
My only complaint is that it's a lot harder then I could have ever imagined to meet girls. I don't know if it's because I'm travelling during the low- season (less people), but I'm shocked by how rare it is for girls to travel this part of the world alone. The girls that I have met were backpacking with a big group, a best friend, or--much more common--a boyfriend. What's the deal ladies?! It's 2006 and the world is only getting smaller. If you're a female reading this, and have ever thought about travelling alone--do it!!! You will not regret it. It is a serious adventure!

cabbages and condoms

2006-09-29T03:18:00.000-05:00

Guaranteed to not cause pregnancy!

Sex is a commodity in Thailand and, unfortunatley, it shows since it has one of the highest HIV rates in the world. Thankfully, Cabbages and Condoms came to the rescue, being the first socially conscious restaurant in Bangkok. They offer every amazing Thai dish (green curry, sticky rice, and my all time favorite, Tom Yam soup and spicy papaya salad) and most of the profits benefit the local Thai women who've been stranded or afflicted with an STD by the hellish Asian sex industry or by their unfaithful husbands. Not only does the food at this restaurant taste AMAZING, but it's all for a good cause. Even the decor is cool with mannequins wearing condom suits and condoms being offered to customers instead of an after-dinner mint. As if the sexy cuisine wasn't enough, customers can go upstairs for a $5 foot massage provided by the local village women.

Screw after-dinner mints. Condoms are the best way to assure a "happy ending" in Bangkok.

The cool decor at this hip restaurant feature life-size condom mannequins.

My fave Thai dish: spicy papaya salad and Tom Yam, a spicy lemon soup with seafood.

Magic Fingers

2006-09-24T04:20:00.000-05:00

Sore limbs? Let me pull you, stretch you, pinch you.

My teachers, Yan and Ella, and my certificate. Want to be my next victim?!

Trying not to hurt this poor Thai lady.

I'm so addicted to Thai massages, that I thought I might as well take a class and learn it. All it took was one week of practiciting on a few Thai victims, reading a little blue book and $50. It's hard on the knees, but good on the soul. Word.

Why I love Koh Phanghan, Thailand

2006-09-24T03:08:00.000-05:00

1.) Gorgeous beaches

2.) Seriously cool people from all over the world (Irish, French, Isreali and American peeps shown here)

3.) $4 liquor Buckets of Love

4.) Jungle parties, Half-moon and Full-moon parties.

jungle party

2006-09-24T02:03:00.000-05:00

Koh Phanghan's parties are stuff of legends. Most backpacker's make a hedonistic pilgramige around the SE Asian countries and Koh Phanghan's Full Mooon Half Moon, New Year's and Jungle parties are number one on the list. Whether you drink, dance, or do both (or more), its a must to experience them on the island at least once. This time around, I went to the jungle party, a black-light trance fest with the DJ and his synthesizers set up on a bamboo stage. Derek and I made a very late 3 AM, appearance, and it was still swimming with Thai girls with glow sticks. The scenery was enough to guarantee a big night.

Black light tattoos

The ridiculous ride home.

Thailand, revisited

2006-09-20T00:57:00.000-05:00

Para mi familia: Dejé Tailandia antes de las problemas con el militar. ¡No te preocupes!

Thailand is so good that I had to come back for seconds. Seeing how I had to head north anyway, and I'm travelling on everything except planes--motorbikes, cars, trains, buses--Thailand is THE gateway hub to the rest of Asia. The "hardcore" Asia. I'm not going to write too much about Thailand since I already did that when I came here for Christmas. There are just some things that I'm really noticing the second time around.

Missed out? Read about my last trip to Thailand here!

Thailand is the most Western-friendly place in Asia: guesthouses are everywhere, restaurants serve Thai and Western food, practically everyone who deals with tourists in any way speaks decent English and there are tons of places that can arrange anything and everything for you. Need to get a visa for Camdodia? No problem. Want a bus from Bangkok to Chang Mai? OK! Said you want to call home? I've got a great deal.

Thailand is EASY. Anyone can come here and pretend like they've conquered Asia, but it's a slight illusion. Everything is geared to the tourists and its pretty hard to have an adventure that wasn't organized by some company or guesthouse. Unlike the rest of their neighbors, Thais have embraced Westernization, tourism and modernization, while the rest of Asia would rather cry themselves to sleep than see a McDonald's in their villages (Completely understandable, in my humble opinion). You won't see Burma running to Starbucks to get a franchise anytime soon.

Regardless, I was happy to be back in Thailand, the Land of Smiles. Things are just so much more laid-back here. I made a week-long stop on the tropical island Koh Phnanghan to learn how to do Thai massages and drink those lovely buckets of joy.

walking out of Malaysia

2006-09-18T01:38:00.000-05:00

...and into Thailand was cake.

(*^_^*) Hooray! My pics from Malaysia are finally here!

I split a taxi with 3 other travellers to the border and had no problems with the immigration police on either side. We literally walked right in. Instantly, I felt the stark difference between easygoing Thailand and strict, Muslim Malaysia. Women in short skirts, not long black burkhas; men and women holding hands in public; buckets of liquor for sale in almost every store. Thais love to play and seem more open to breaking free from the constraints of the staus quo. Welcome ladyboys and interracial couples!

We waited for the next train to Surat Thani, the launching point to the islands off the east coast. We were in for a 9 hour train ride from hell. The cheap plastic covering the hard seats could only stick to my thighs from the lack of A/C and sweltering humidity. In case we wanted a beer or water, there was a suspicously friendly vendor asking if we wanted to buy any drinks from him every 10 minutes--for 9 hours.

"Want drink?
No thanks.

Now want drink?
No.

Now?
I'm fine. Really."

Oy vay.

Once in Surat Thani, we took an overnight ferry to Koh Tao, that sort of reminded me of pictures of slave boats I used to see in my high school's textbooks. We were tightly packed little cigars on the deck of this slow boat, sleeping nose to nose with our neighbors.

Forget coconuts. Thailands biggest import: poor backpackers. Our overnight ferry to Thailand's eastern islands.

Surprisingly, the gentle rocking of the sea put me right to sleep, and I awoke to a new place, another group of aggressive locals offering me a tuk-tuk (local taxi) or a guesthouse. A tropical rude awakening, but it felt good to be back at a beach!

i'm scuba certified!

2006-09-15T08:53:00.000-05:00

I'm a scuba Buddha.

Just call me Padi O' Perez because I've finally gotten my official scuba certification with Padi (scuba assoc.). It's about time, seeing how I'm from Forida, a place famous for its beaches and dive sites. That was the running joke with the people at my dive place, that I came across the globe to do something I could've done in my backyard.

The world's first underwater manicure.

We did some amazing dives, and I especially liked this one of the tiny feeder shrimp who swam to our fingers to pick at our nails. We got our very own underwater manicure! I think the Horny Hoff (my instructor) took it a little too far though when he took his regulator off to let the shrimp pick at his teeth. Eeeeew....

None of my pics do the dives any justice; the bright plankton, striped giant clams, or trigger fish didnt show up very clear, so you'll just have to take my word for it. The Malaysian ocean is spectacular and its easy to see why so many people from around the world come here to dive and take their honeymoon.

Here fishy, fishy...!

underwater breathing

2006-09-15T06:34:00.000-05:00

As I wrote before, there was nothing to do on the tropical Perhentian Islands but to decompress and scuba dive, which is exactly what I needed! Malaysia suposedly has the cheapest scuba diving in the world and some of the best underwater scenery. I signed up for a class, watched the generic videos, took the test, practiced my dives, and got certified by the end of the week.

The best part of the week was meeting the people in my class, especially my scuba partner, Connor. He's a lawyer from Dublin and even though we were supposed to be responsible for not letting each other die in the water, we joked off instead by secretly teasing our scuba instructor (We coined the name "the Horny Hoff" for him and his dubious, middle-aged-David-Hasselhoff charm, and mission to make me his 4th wife. Yikes!!), losing each other in the water and giving each other the answers to the final test. Thanks to that class, he and his Irish buddy, Derek, (an ex-professional rugby player), became my lucky charms during my stay on the islands (excuse the Irish puns; i cant help myself). Night BBQ's, Tiger beer, good company, coconut oil...this was def the first time my trip felt like a VACATION!

The Horny Hoff

My Irish comrades, Derek and Connor.

take me to the islands

2006-09-11T06:21:00.000-05:00

The Perhentian Islands had the most remote and beautiful beaches I've ever seen.

Cameron Highlands was great and all, but I'm a beach girl and have been without them for too long. It was time for me to head east to the beautiful Perhentian Islands, which are world reknowned for its scuba diving. I spent a week doing absolutely nothing there. No bargaining with cab drivers. No blogging or writing emails. No waking up early. No sightseeing. My toughest decision was whether to drink a papaya or mango shake. I stayed in a cheap bungalow with a mattress, a mosquito net and 4 Finnish guys. Life was good.

This eagle came every evening to harass one of the bar owners for a plate of fish.

I came to the islands at the perfect time: mother turtles were making their nightly journeys on the sand to lay their eggs. By morning, baby turtles were trying to break their shells and crawl in the water. The locals don't let tourists watch the females at night as to not disturb them with camara flashes, but they do let us see the baby turtles hatch in the dayttime. They're no bigger than my palm and are unbelievably adorable.

These newborn baby turtles are too young to walk to the ocean by themselves.

MUAH!! A turtle kiss.

My only complaint was that there were way too many couples on the island and I was later told that it is one of the top honeymoon destinations for Europeans. Not a place for a single American. *le sigh*

P.S. I'm pretty bummed that my digi camara is still taking super fuzzy pics, so all of these pics are taken with a crappy disposable camara that really doesnt show how gorgeous this island is. :(

The Salad Bowl of Malaysia

2006-09-11T05:32:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to catch everyone up with what's been going on, but I'm still stuck on writing about my time in Malaysia. Since then I've already left Malaysia, stayed in Thailand, and am in Cambodia now. Loads happen in just one day, so much randomness that it's virtually impossible to write about it all, or even most of it. To those of you who are reading this, thanks for staying with me and I'll try my hardest to blog as much as I can in these next few days.

From Kuala Lumpar (the capital of Malaysia), I took the bus north to Cameran Highlands, a mountain resort area that is known for being cool (as in the weather) and has lots of tea plantations. Accoridng to my guide book, it's "the salad bowl of Malaysia." It's more like Romaine lettuce, not Iceburg or cabbage.

A salad bowl or tea plantation?

The main thing to do here is explore the jungles, which is what I did. I took on some trails through the jungle that led me to the most picturesque places like giant waterfalls and little streams. Once at the top of a hill, I found acres of tea plantations and local farmers waving me hello. It almost felt like I had discovered a secret little village.

The Chinese shrine at the top of the jungle trail.

It was in Cameron Highlands that I met an amazing English woman well in her 70's. She was travelling from Europe to Asia, alone, on a motorbike. She;s been on the road for 16 months now and has to plan her trip accoridng to the monsoon season, "becuase driving this bike on muddy dirt roads is not like having a laugh." Here's to you, old-daredevil-Bristish-motorcycle-lady!

Walk Like A Malaysian

2006-09-08T00:03:00.000-05:00

In the Asian countries I've been to, I've found the locals to be hospitable, but the Malaysians were different. The locals were always looking for ways to talk to me. In other countries, I'd normally think that they just wanted to sell me something (read: China), or that they were trying to take advantage of a women travelling alone (read: Thailand), but Malaysia is one of those rare gems where not only is it illegal to scam tourists, but the punishment is worse than scamming a fellow Malaysian. This means that, officially, there is no such thing as a "local price" (which is almost always cheapest) and a "foreigner price" (which is almost always the most expensive). Not only was this good for my wallet, but it was also good for my social life.

These gals spotted me in their local market and asked if they could snap a shot with me.

People genuinely wanted to help me find the perfect place to stay, or wanted to have dinner with me, or wanted to know what Cuban culture is like. Malaysia is one of the easiest places in Asia to meet and truly bond with the locals. Generally, there's no agenda or scam. They're just genuinely curious.When I needed to get to an ATM that was 40 KM away (I was in a tiny fisherman village), one of the local girls offered to drive me to it, instead of me paying for a taxi. After giving her a million thanks and secretly slipping some money in her dashboard, she drove me and we had one of the best conversations. I was asking her about Islamic culture (she was Muslim) and about life in Malaysia. There's so much I didn't know:

Dogs are considered filthy. Muslims aren't allowed to touch them, but cats are OK.
It's completely legal, socially accepted, and popular for a Muslim man to have many wives.
In Malaysia, the police follow Muslim law. They will arrest a Muslim if they are drinking or eating pork, both of which are strictly prohibited.
At the mall, movie theater, and other public places, lines are seperated by gender: one cashier is for men, and the other for women.
Malaysians have pet monkeys to climb their palm trees and collect coconuts.

Afterward, she took me to a local market to buy some coconut juice and lunch: various meats on bamboo sticks. We brought it back to her family and they insisted I stay for lunch. I met her sisters, mother and their friends from the village. For being conservative Muslims, they were completely funny and down-to-earth. The girls were teasing one of the older men about having all these random girlfriends. They were not stuffy or uptight at all.

The Malaysian family I had lunch with. The girl on the left with the blue head gear was the one who drove me to the local market to buy fresh coconuts.

On the islands, one of the many locals I bonded with was a 22 year-old guy who loved to play me his guitar. Even though he knew how bad of a singer I was, he still made me sing along with him. That was the catch. He played, I sang. A few Jack Johnsons, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tracy Champman's later, and we were laughing like we knew each other for years. It was one of those warm fuzzy Hallmark card/Lifetime movie moments.

Me and Wan, a local from the islands was always sweet with me by having dinner together and giving extra chocolate on my pancakes. (*^_^)

Crossing the border

2006-09-07T08:31:00.000-05:00

I took the bus from Singapore to Malaysia with an American guy I met in my hostel. He's one of those well-to-do business types who made millions in his twenties (!!) by owning his own futon business (how random is that?!). He said he got burned out from the lifestyle, the "fake people who stick around when you're cool," the stress and, admirably, left it all.

He sold everything he owned--the house, the Porsche, the yacht, so he could travel Australia and Asia. Now he supports himself with the oddjob here and there like picking fruit, working as a carny at a local fair, painting with the Aborigines... Far from the power lunches and suits he was used to in the States--now he was sharing his butter knife with me, a hopeless gypsy, and my peanut butter on a $2.50 bus to Malaysia.

I've found loads of people like him in the past year. People with incredible stories who I just dont get to meet when I'm home. There's always a hint of desperation with them...and restlessness. If I met any of these people while I was still in college, I probably still would've thought they were amazing, but that their lives of travelling were impossible for a nobody like me. Thanks to people like him, I've changed my mind.

We arrived in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia's capital just long enough to sleep, eat DELISH Indian food and look at the world's 2nd tallest building in the world, the Petronas Towers. But, Oh no!!!! My digi camara wasnt working! I couldnt take a pic of the towers and I still havent managed to fix it, so all my pics starting from Malaysia are a bit crap b/c i'm using those cheap-o disposable camaras. :(

There's not much to write about Kuala Lumpar:
Ridiculous Traffic + No Traffic Laws + Pollution + Lots O' Cheap Shopping + A Chinatown = A Big Asian City

The next day, I took the bus up north for some jungle trekking and tea!

a singapore sling in singapore

2006-09-02T07:47:00.000-05:00

~ ~Extra! Extra!! My pics from Singapore are up. Click here!~ ~

My 11AM Singapore Sling.

Raffle's Hotel is one of the poshest hotels in the world, which gives me absolutely no reason to go there except that they are the ones who invented the world-famous drink, Singapore Sling way back in the day. I only had a couple hours before my bus left for Malaysia, so I had to make a made dash for the hotel. Once there, I paid the 20 Singaporian dollars to taste the fruity drink. It was soooo delish because it was sweet, just how I like it, but still really light. The bartender was nice enough to give me a stack of the recipes for me and my friends back home. The courtyard where the bar is looks and feel a lot like New Orleans, pre-Hurricane Katrina. It was fun to pretend like I was a high-roller, but playtime was over and I had to catch my bus!!

The Original Singapore Sling Recipe:

2 dashes of Orange Bitters
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
The juice of half a lemon
8 gill of Benedictine
1/8 gill of Dry Cherry Brandy
1/2 gill of Gin

Pour into a tumbler and fill up with cold soda water.

The ridiculously posh Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

Allah is my homeboy

2006-08-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

An Islamic mosque

A Muslim man praying during mid-afternoon. Muslims have to pray 5 times a day.

If you're in the mood to go "shopping" for a religion, Singapore is one of the best places to do it. It's a surprisingly religous nation, but not comprosed of a dominant one like so many other countries (read: USA and Christianity). From what I could tell in the few days there, there's a large Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian population and they all play seemingly equal parts in Singaporian culture. Admittedly, I've never been exposed to Hinduism or Islam, apart from the superficial things like pictures, movies and strangers on the street who wear the clothes. Even though I've never fell for the media hype in the States that likes to typecast Muslims as "terrorists," I also never had any desire to seek a deeper understanding of them either. Thankfully, Singapore is the first place I've ever been to where Muslims made up a large part of the population.

Without getting to much into it. i was suprised to learn that Allah is essentilly the same God that Christians pray to. The fundamental difference is that they don't believe in the Holy Trinity or Jesus as the son of God. They do believe that he is a divine prophet though and that Mary was divine as well. Both religions demand that worshippers commit themselves to their one God. I know I only got a superficial glance at Islam, but it's not as different from Christianity as I previously thought.

Little India

2006-08-29T07:27:00.000-05:00

The markets in Singapore's Little India. There were NO women!

As soon as I arrived in Singapore, I dropped my bags off and wandered the streets. My hostel was located in the middle of Little India which was easily one of the most fascinating experiences I've ever had in Asia. For starters, Little India was crowded with so many people and they all were men! I really was the only woman I saw in the whole market, but surprisingly, I didn't feel threatened in the least. Not only was I safe, but no one was even payoing attention to me, whcih was so refreshing fresh out of China. Did you know that heterosexual Indian men hold hands and it's not considered gay like the Western world perceieves it?

An Indian woman in a Hindu temple, drawing religous pictures with chalk.

The atmosphere was so lively and energetic. Nagchampa incense smoke was burning from within the little mom-and-pop shops that sold Henna ink, elephant statues, lotus flower garlands to donate to the temples. The deeper I got in the market,m the more enthralled I was. I stumbled upon a Hindu temple that was doing the Sunday nigt serv\vice. People were eating rice on the floor with their bare hands while I was staring at all the statues. Maybe I saw one too many Buddhist temples in japan, with teh same plain black, white and brown woods, but I fell in love with the bright colors and graphic statues that this temple had. I wa sso lucky becaused they were doing a special festival that night where they put one of the statues of their goddesses on a float in the middle of the street. One of the minsters lit a plate of vegetables and offered it to the goddess. Even in this traditional ritual, hundreds of Indian men were snapping shots with their cell phones. Being exposed to Indian culture so much, eating the curries (the cheese naan was amazing!), listening to the music, meeting the people really piqued my interest to go to India some time soon!

the Night safari

2006-08-28T07:54:00.000-05:00

Maybe San Diego has one of the world's largest zoo'z, but Singapore's night safari defintely makes it the most interesting zoo. Some English girls in my hostel and I went to see what it was all about.

You get in and they herd you in this outdoor arena lit up by dim green and red lights. I was expecting the normal stuff like feeding lions and what not, but what came out was much cooler. All the animals in the show are obviously nocturnal and they do tricks that don't suck. Three otters came on stage to seperate the paper and plastic trash into recycle bins. A leopard caught his prey in the dark from a tall, impossible tree.

A beaver walking the rope above our heads

After the show, they took us on a tram ride through the massive zoo. Since everything is in the dark, we could only see the animals under sensitive lights placed far enough away to bother them, but close enough for us to see them. The vultures twitched their wings. The owls almost turned their heads backwards to see us. The hyenas circled their caves nervuosly. The lions yawned when we passed.

What make's Singapore's Night safari so unique is that it's the most animal-conscious zoo I've ever been to. Absolutely NO animals were confined in cages or degraded in any way. If anything, it felt like we, the humans, were the ones confined within the tiny trams we squeezed into, driving through the narrow dirt paths that seperated us from the animals with electric fences. That was it. No cages. No fake rocks or fake trees. They had no bedtime.

The zoo clearly knows it's awesome and was trying to convince us, the tourists, to be the same by being environmentally aware. "This species is killed by the thousands every year. We can protect them by doing more of so and so," The zoo keepers in the show and tram ride would throw in little messagesd like, "This species is killed by the thousands every year. We can protect them by doing more of this," and, "The earth is changing at an alarming rate and we can change that by recycling."

Singapore zoo's Night Safari gets two BIG toe-thumbs up from me!

Singapore tastes so good

2006-08-17T09:40:00.000-05:00

China was great and all, but I was ready to get back the comforts of a developed nataion, and Sinngapore was the perfect remedy. For the first time in weeks, I could walk down the streets without having people grab me, stare at me, or yell at me to buy something. For the first time in weeks, I was just a fly on the wall, observing this new, clean and wonderful city that is Singapore.

Yes, it's true that the streets are immaculate and trashless. It's also true that you can be put to death for drug trafficking or even having drugs in your system. But, it's not true that chewing gum is illegal as the myth would suggest. The truth is you can chew it, but you just can't import it. There are lot so wacky laws in this little country.If you want to buy gum, you need to go to the pharmacy and get a pescription by putting your name on a list!
I was also happy to be in Singapore because it was the first time in more than a year that I was surrounded by lots of food from home. Starbuck's Frappuccinno bottles, Tim Tams, a wide variety of cheeses,Slurpees, etc.--you name it, and they got it. This, of course, was on top of the already delish food they have like spicy lime noodles and fruity ice desserts.

I loooove these icy-fruity-slushy-desserts.

Singapore reminds me of Miami. They both are hot, sticky and humid; have tons of palm trees and men selling mangos on the street; have a large and diverse culture; and pink and yellow buildings are all over the place in both cities. All you have to do is subtract the Cubans and replace them with Indians and you've got yourself a nice little replica!

Maybe that's why I was so impressed with Singapore. It's the only Asian county I've been to that can TRULY classify itself as diverse. There's a large Chinese, Muslim, Indian and Western population and each of their religions are equally prominent: Islam, Hindu and Christiantiy

miso sad to leave china

2006-08-17T05:51:00.000-05:00

* * Woo Hoo!!! I've uploaded my China pictures on my website. Click here! Plus, I added pics on my previous posts, scroll down to take a look. * *

Bye China, it's been fun. It feels like I just got here, and yet 3 weeks have passed.

Goodbye near-death experiences with traffic. Fighting motorcyclists, bikers, drivers, spicy chicken vendors to cross the street just won't be the same with you, China. I'll miss the adrenaline rush borderline nervous breakdowns.

Goodbye crowded buses. You saved me from nearly dying on the streets and threw me in another dangerous situation: crushed or suffocated to death by selling too many tickets on an inadequate bus.

Goodbye saliva. Where else in the world will I hear pretty women hawking loogies, feel the rickashay of an old man's spit, or see a "No Spitting" sign in a subway station? China, you're one of a kind.

Goodbye ridiculous gap between the rich and the poor. By the end of my stay, I wasn't as startled to see a black Bentley pull over to buy watermelon from the local guy at a trolley-- shoeless and dirty.

Goodbye Avian Bird Flu. You made eating chicken an exciting adventure, and I owe it all to China.

Goodbye China! See you in 2008 for the summer Olympics!!!

attacked by an octopus

2006-08-17T05:49:00.000-05:00

Ouch!!!!

It's no surprise to those close to me that I'll try just about anything once, and I'm especially interested in quirky, sometimes strange things (fortune tellers, ghosts). That's why I couldn't resist trying out some good 'ol traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture? Sure! Fire cupping? Oookay!

So, I set up an hour long appointment with a local Chinese doctor, a little lady who wore panty hose socks and a long flowery dress. She felt more like my grandma than a doctor, so I felt like I was in safe hands. The agenda for the day would be to release the tension in my neck, shoulders and upper back by inserting long, thin needles in my pressure points (acupuncture) and suctioning my skin with small cups (fire cupping).

In less than 5 minutes, she had stuck about 10 needles starting from the ends of both of my hands, up my arms until they met up to my neck. I couldn't feel most of them, but the few that I could feel were a little uncomfortable because they were piercing my nerves. The trick to the whole procedure is that I'm supposed to lay with the needles in my body for about 20 minutes, so I couldn't feel them after awhile. Of course, all of that changed when she'd stepped back into the room, twisting each of them. When the 20 minutes were up, she pulled them out and started on the fire cupping.

She lit the outer rims of tiny cups (think candle holders that you put tea lights in) to activate the sticky substance outlining it. Then, in one quick action, she put it on my skin while twisting it. This formed a sort of vacuum that suctioned the cup to my body. Again with the waiting. 25 minutes passed before she pulled each on off, creating a farting sound that made me want to giggle, but for fear of tempting the Chinese gods, I controlled myself.

My appointment finished, and I met back up with Jamie and Ben to show them my battle wounds. "You look like you got attacked by an octopus!" Jamie said. These circle bruises stayed on my body for about 4 days. Did it work? Hmmmm... Well, I only did one treatment, so I wasn't expecting a whole lot. I did feel like someone punched my back, but I'm not sure that it made me feel more relaxed. It was fun to try though!

our 2nd day trip: suzhou

2006-08-17T04:51:00.000-05:00

Suzhou is the Venice of China. This is us on a boat ride.

We couldn't stay put in Shanghai, so we took another daytrip to a little town called Suzhou, which is allegedly the Venice of China. It's featured in the book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, and I can understand why because the whole town is built over canals. I've never been to Venice, but this town looked a lot like the pictures I've seen of it. We went to yet another garden that is world-reknowned for the immaculate positioning of all the brdges, plants, buildings, etc. So feng shui.

Pathways were built in a zig-zag to prevent bad spirits from coming in. Poeple used to believe that spirits could only walk a straight path.

A local woman who lives on the canal.

It looks like this town is sinking, doesn't it?

Riding our bikes in hangzhou

2006-08-17T01:31:00.000-05:00

Since Shanghai is just another big 'ol city, Ben, Jamie, Adam, and I took a daytrip to Hanzhou, which is famous for its gardens.

Jamie discovered that my fan is edible, so she tested it on Ben. On the train to Hanzhou.

It would've been just another day of sightseeing, except that we decided to rent bikes. What a fabulous idea!! Even though China is ridiculoulsy hot right now, the breeze on the bike was our saviour.

Ben, Jamie, and Adam on our "pimp" ride.

The gardens surround a massive lake that has traditional Chinese boats floatong above.

It was a pretty lazy day of us hopping off our bikes to eat, take pictures or drink a beer. There were some steep bridges we had to get over that made us have races to see who would get to the bottom first.

Hanzhou was really picteresque. In this picture, Adam, Jamie and Ben are trying to cool down b/c it was SO hot.

Hi from Shanghai

2006-08-11T01:05:00.000-05:00

I got Mao's Revenge today. They call it that b/c he was their big communist leader that all the Chinese adored 30 years ago or so. Apparehently, he comes back from the dead in the form of watery poo and dumpling chunks. I'm in Shanghai, and have done almost everything there is to do here, so am just waiting to leave in a few days to Singapore. In the meantime, I'll try my best to get my pictures uploaded.

Jamie, her friend Ben, and I set out to Shanghai on another overnight train. This one was much nicer than the first one I took with Selena. Not as much spitting on the floor and the bathrooms didnt make us want to puke. Looked like we were on a good start! Jamie and I got the top bunks of our sleepers, which made us turn into little girls giggling at a slumber party. "Take a picture of me with my head squished by the ceiling!! tee-hee-hee!"

You should've seen us trying to climb to the very top.

Hopeless

What's Shanghai like? If you can imagine a city fashioned after Batman's Gothic City, well, Shanghai would be it. As Ben commented, there were too many tall buidlings. It's hard to imagine how much concrete and steel was used to make everything that it almost takes on a fake-like quality that's quite impressive. By night, the skyline seen from both sides of the river that runs through it is stunning. A synchronized light show from the Pearl Tower, the 3rd tallest building in the world, colors the boats cruising the river below. The endless erray of open air cafes makes the whole business area much more apporachable, touristy and even glitzy. It's so modern. It's so Westernized. It's so hard to believe that this is China.

The Pearl Tower is the building with the ball at the top. I couldn't decide when the skyline was the most stunning. Daytime...?

...evening?

...or nighttime?

There's really not many historic places to see in Shanghai, so the highlights of our stay in Shanghai ended up being the food and day trips outside of Shanghai. Although we did visit some nice gardens, a Daoist shrine, the Bund, Nannjing Road, and other scenic streets.

Nanning Road

These random, slightly disturbing statues kept showing up at the most random places: next to trash cans, in the middle of sidewalks, etc. Jamie and I just oculdn't resist being retarded.

FL State Uni in China

2006-08-11T00:21:00.000-05:00

Chinese/FSU limbo?!

Good 'ol Tallahassee drinking games, "F*ck the Dealer."

Baylor and I were locked in the dorm room! Eeeeek! This little Chinese man had to climb through that little window to help.

Gloria, Jamie and I trying to NOT be silly. Didn't work.

Visiting Jamie in Tianjin was slightly surreal seeing how I haven't been around that many Americans in a year. She was doing my university's, FSU (Florida State Univ.), study abroad program with around 100 other students, so I was surrounded by college-aged Floridians the whole time I was there. In so many ways, it felt like I was back home:

In Florida, the only remedy to a sweltering humid afternoon is to go to the pool or beach. In Tianjin, the only remedy to a sweltering humid afternoon is to play with water guns and water balloons.
In Florida, the best way to celebrate the end of final exams is to drink cheap beer. In Tianjin, the best way to celebrate the end of final exams is to drink cheap beer.
In Florida, the night is not complete until the group has made the obligatory food run to the nearest, late-night cheap place. (See: Hungry Howie's, McDonald's) In Tianjin, the night is not complete until the group has made the obligatory food run to the nearest, cheap place. (See: the guy selling fried dumplings on the road, McDonald's)
In Florida, on the next morning, you laugh at others, exchange pictures, and swear it will be your last time doing all things mentioned above. In Tianjin, on the next morning, you laugh at others, exchange pictures, and swear it will be your last time doing all things mentioned above.

I'm glad I got to see Jamie, even if I caught her at a stressful time. She's decided to stay in China until December to teach English, so she was mega busy getting her new life together. Good luck with that and thanks for being the hostess with the mostess!!

Climbing the great wall

2006-08-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

A "secret" and unrestored part of the wall.

The highlight of our stay in Beijing was definitely climbing the Great Wall because our hostel offered tours to a "secret" part of it where we were literally the only people there. We hiked uphill to an unrestored part with overgrown bushes and loose rocks--the view was stunning.

The loose rocks made climbing a bit tricky.

Mountains surrounded us and the strangest looking bugs were the only other life to be seen for miles. 12 kilometers later, we found ourselves at the bottom of the mountain region in a local village that fed us vegetarian Chinese food like chili noodles and peanuts, steamed rice, salted bean sprouts, and sauteed green peppers in a garlic sauce. That was the best closure for us since that was our last day in Beijing. That night, Selena and I checked out of our hostel and split ways: Selena took the train to Shanghai (she'll be flying back home to Scotland from there) and I took the train to Tianjin, another large city just outside of Beijing. It was strange to say goodbye to Selena and the other backpackers we met in our hostel. Selena made an ace travel buddy and we made an easygoing, up-for-anything, combo. The other backpackers were some of the funniest people we've ever met. There was Jess, a Welsh chic with Guatamalean and Arabic descent who had got in a fight with a girl in Tokyo (Harajuku) who had a mannequin attached to her outfit. There was Daniel from Sweden who smoked his way through South America. There was Alex from Ghana who was stalked by random Chinese people who wanted to take his picture.

The Beijing crew. Top: Selena, Alexander, Jess, Erin, Richard, Nicole, Nicole. Bottom row: me, Jeremy, Alex, Camille

We did all the touristy stuff in Beijing. The Forbidden City, Tiannamen Square, market shopping and of course the Great Wall.

The Forbidden City

Tiannamen Square

So, this is where I am now, Tianjin, the place where my friend Jamie is a student at the FSU study abroad program. I've got to meet most of her friends here, and it's been a nice reintroduction to Floridians, especially crazy college kids. :0) We'll be here for a few more days until we decide on a new town to travel to. More on that later.

Me Love China Long Time

2006-07-30T01:05:00.000-05:00

Disclaimer: This is long.

Maybe we've been in China for only a week, but it seems loads longer considering how much Selena and I've done. We've wanted to blog about it sooner, but we didn't know that communist China would block all blogs from public servers, so I'm sorting writing this post in a backwards way.

Getting on that boat to China was my pot of gold at the end of rainbow. When the post office in Japan was giving me hell about what I could and couldn't send home, I'd close my eyes and think about the boat. When my Japanese friends tried to make me feel guilty about leaving after, "only one year."....the boat...When I rode my bike to school in torrential rain, dropped my farewell gifts (cakes) to the teachers in school in a puddle of dirty water, and no one offered to help me...the boat...When my supervisor didn't want to help me with important Japanese government papers...the boat...

28 hours later, Selena and I arrived in Qingdao, China, a medium-sized port town in between Beijing and Shanghai. The Germans colonized it way back in the day, but the buildings and streets still feel surprisingly European. There's not much in the way of sightseeing, just nice beaches and China's arguably most famous beer, Tsingtao beer.

Qingdao's skyline

Luckily for us, one of my Japanese friend's brother lives in Qingdao and in good Japanese form, gave us all his contact info to meet. His name is Kenji and we had absolutely no idea that the would lead us to one of the best adventures we could've ever wished for in this otherwise unremarkable town. One phone call later, he comes to our hostel and had his personal driver pick us up and take us to this nice Chinese restaurant . His Chinese translator/friend joins us and she just happened to be our age and a socialite. From that night on, Kenji and his translator, Catherine, were like our own personal tour guides/chauffeurs/translators for the rest of our trip.

Catherine & Kenji

They took us out every night for dinner, and something special after. There was the free 2 1/2 hour full-body massage where they put hot ginger packs on our legs that left them stinging all night. There was dinner at a spicy Chinese restaurant with shrimp that you boil in chili water. 20 minutes after eating a few of those suckers and your lips turn from tingling to just numb. It was the best meal Ive had in China yet. There was the manic club with a bouncy floor, tiny fly girls, and a performance by an ambiguously gay pop star. There was the gothic bar with Koreans and sketchy Chinese men with young girls. A cultural experience indeed. Before leaving we met some French guys who live in Qingdao and had a little dinner party at theor party. It was all pretty random, but nice to bond with them and know that they didn't perpetuate the "French stereotype." ;)

Selena & I getting our free massages

The dancefloor was like a massive trampoline!

The delish dinner that our new French friends cooked for us.

Our whole stay in Qingdao was the best introduction to China we could've ever asked for!

The most striking thing about China is that there's life spilling all over the streets. Sure the streets smell like piss and rotten garbage, but the people play card games on plastic tables and mini chairs. Sure people don't form lines and push if they need to, but they laugh loudly, smile freely, and walk hand in hand with their friends and boyfriends/girlfriends. Sure, the air is dirty and your tissue are dark green after blowing your nose, but people like foreigners and aren't shy to approach them, even if they don't know any English. Life is everywhere here and anything goes. Eating on the sidewalk. Sleeping on concrete ledges. "Potty training" kids without diapers, only pants with slits in the back.

It's really hard for me not to compare the Japanese to the Chinese, although it hardly seems fair b/c they really are complete opposites. I may not be much of an authority on Chinese culture, but the way the Chinese hold themselves in public says a lot. In general, they aren't afraid to be loud, have many friends of the opposite sex, and are really outgoing, especially to foreigners, while Japanese are quite reserved , shy to speak to foreigners and people of the opposite sex, serious about work, and mechanical with all the polite mannerisms. This is obviously a stereotype and not true of all people, but it just seems like Chinese people are more genuine and sincere.

We took a 28 hour train ride to Beijing and have been doing lots of sightseeing and shopping. Everyone in China is a friggin' businessman (I keep forgetting that it's a communist country). I've bought $1 DVD's (the new Superman!!) from a guy's apartment; fake Puma's for $10; a "Max Mara" trenchcoat for $20... Everything is fake and cheap. As far as sightseeing goes, we've done markets, the Forbidden Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Tianmanen Square, and we're going to see an acrobat show tonight and climb the Great Wall tomorrow. The hostel we're staying at rocks the casbah and they're are tons of backpackers from all over the world. It's been good ammo for interviewing for my new blog. I'll try to upload pics in the next couple of weeks.

Sayonara Nihon

2006-07-21T22:01:00.000-05:00

I've mailed my stuff home, received all my cash from work, said goodbye to friends and co-workers, packed my backpack, made my farewell speeches, got my next trip ready, went bonkers a few times, organized everything for my successor, started my new blog (but, its not ready to be shown to anyone yet. sorry for the delay!); and have answered the, "What are you going to do next?" question a million times. I suppose I should probably spell it out on my blog too. The answer is, I don't have any concrete plans, just ideas in my noggin.

All I know is that I'm about to backpack Eastern Asia for the next couple months or so, until my money runs out. This is what I've got so far (these details will probably bore the JETS who might be reading this, so this is mainly for the peeps back home):

Selena (another JET) and I are taking the boat to Qingdao, China on July 22.

We'll make our way to Beijing

From Beijing, Selena and I will split up and I'll go down to Tianjin to meet up with Jaime (a friend from home) who's studying abroad there

We'll go to Shanghai and explore some towns along the way

From Shanghai, I'll fly to Singapore, Jamie will fly back to Florida

Once I get to Singapore, I won't have any plans or schedules. I'm totally up for anything...

Get scuba certified in Malaysia?

Take massage classes in Thailand?

Learn organic farming in Laos?

Volunteer in Cambodia?

My flight back to the States leaves from Saigon, Vietnam. I got an around the world ticket, but am sticking to Asia and North America, so it only takes me to Hong Kong, Los Angeles (maybe visit the family?), Dallas, then to Jacksonville, Florida

PHEW!! Recover from jet lag, curl up and die.

Spend time at home, eat lots of damn good food (get ready Lili), deal with reverse culture shock (have shampoo bottles always been that big?!?), catch up with friends (Mandarin Ale house, anyone?) , etc...
Find a job! I'm looking at magazine companies in particular, but anything in marketing will do. If you're reading this, and have heard of anything opening up in Jacksonville, could you please keep me in mind?

These are mainly juust ideas. Who knows? I may run out of money the 2nd week I get to China! Regardless, there will start be something to look forward to and that's going home. All I can say, is that the next few days are going to be exciting. :) I will be blogging during my trip, so be sure to keep checking it because I probably won't be sending emails.

my school's farewell party

2006-07-21T09:41:00.000-05:00

wow, i cant believe I'm still blogging. So busy, but I want to keep posting so that when I look back on all of this, I can still remember! I've said goodbye to all my schools and theyve been so sweet. Long story short, i had to give the farewell speech to my main high school in English and Japanese, which turned out pretty well. Here they all are:

My girls in my English club threw me a suprise party, which was pretty funny b/c if you clivk the picture, you can see that one of them drew a picture of Doraeman crying (he's a famous Japanese anime character who is a blue robot). hehehee

While their intentions were sweet, they still managed to misspell my name on the cake. Looks like my job teaching English here is done.

last healthy dose of engrrrish

2006-07-19T07:05:00.000-05:00

Read rule #4. You'll poke your eye out.

We accept cledit cards. Sank you.

The lady doesn't lie.

Those cats look out of of control.

Customer service at its finest.

OK, so the English is fine, but how disturbing is this billboard? "Children of the Corn", Japanese style.

"Why would any kid do this?" --David M.

A sexy pizza.

ummmm...?

I am never guilty, wrong, loud, rude, nude, obnoxious, spastic, or abusive when I drink.

some medicine

2006-07-17T05:46:00.000-05:00

Here's an idea one of my student's came up with for a newspaper we made in class. It sort of reminds me of that 80's movie, "Weird Science." Ever seen it? Click to make it larger.

Japan taught me...

2006-07-17T03:06:00.000-05:00

...how lucky I am to be a native English speaker. It may not be the most widely spoken language in the world, but it sure as hell is the most international. If you were in a room full of Germans, Mexicans and Chinese, I'd bet they'd try to converse in whatever English they know, not in their native tongue.

...how undeniably hard it is to learn English. I know too many Japanese that would give anything to be fluent, so they study every day for 10-20 years and still can't hold a decent convo. They work so hard, but can't seem to grasp it. I have an even deepened respect and admiration for every single immigrant in the USA, including my parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. To move to another country, learn the language, and be successful...damn. I've got to hand it to you.

you get angry when someone can't speak English

you tell an immigrant to, "Learn English or go back to the country you came from!" (I've actually heard too many people say this back home, including some of my friends). What the hell do you think they're trying to do? You can't learn a new language, get a job, learn all the new social norms, support yourself and even a family, and everything else overnight. It takes YEARS. Be patient. Get over it.

you think the government is "wasting" tax dollars to make important official documents in several languages.

Think about it, I'm an educated, childless, unmarried college graduate, from a developed country, already bilingual in English and Spanish, and for me, learning a whole new language was SO time-consuming and difficult. Honestly, I didn't get that far in one year. If you're a poor, uneducated immigrant from (insert any 3rd world country here), only fluent in your native language, and you come to America, imagine how much harder the obstacles must be for them. Double that if they have children and a spouse to support. Oh, and don't kid yourself: the USA would become extinct if there weren't illegal and legal immigrants. Who'll build roads and bridges? Who'll work on the farms? Who'll fix your car? Not your average ivy-league alumni.

...to have faith in not having any answers. The fact that I did the JET program for no particular reason other than to travel, forced me to believe that there was something more for me here. I found that there actually is. A lot of my friends here are a major inspiration for me. The fact that I'm OK with leaving Japan with no real plans--just faith, proves that.

...how to be a good sport. There were too many times when I was asked to do something that I didn't want to do. Wear a florescent butterfly costume to school? Sure. Go skiing at 5AM with a killer cold, and the vice principal? OK. Ride my bike in snow or a typhoon? Yes. Give an impromptu speech in Japanese and English to the entire staff at school? Fine.

..how to be responsible, really. Probably to the point of, "being a grandma," as Steph said, but it's a new characteristic for me. So, I'm still trying to learn how to balance it. Living alone, paying off all my debts and actually making progress, making a whole new social group, etc, on my own. Seemingly impossible and rewarding at the same time.

...to be patient. Things will start to make sense and the world doesn’t owe me anything.

...what I don't want my life to be. I don't want to work 12 hour days all year with no vacations. I don't want to inhale my lunch and dinner in 15 minutes. I don't want to have so many social rules over me. I don’t want to have such distant relationships and friendships, where the only way to communicate is by texting on a cell phone. I don’t want to see my husband (?), boyfriend only on the weekends because we're just too busy to catch up during the week. I don't want to send my children (?) through a school system that teaches students to conform, follow the rules, and above all, not to think for themselves. I don’t want to feel undesirable just because I have an opinion, am loud sometimes, and independent. I don't want to be "cute." I don't want to talk in a high-pitched, nasally voice and giggle over everything a guy says. I don’t want to care what the neighbors think. I don't want to be obsessive over the time and being "on time." I don't want to live in a homogenous society. I don’t want to separate my trash into 6 different bins.

...to slow down a bit. I eat slower. I walk slower. Now if I could just talk slower. :)

...that I love the USA, but that's it's also overrated. Also, where Japan lies on one extreme of the spectrum--too much of the group mentality, people are sooo considerate of others that they neglect themselves too much, non-individualistic, bizarre, small everything, work too much--the U.S. lies on the opposite extreme--too much of the independent mentality, people are too self-centered/focused on themselves that they neglect their groups too much, bizarre, big everything, work too much.

...that I have a clearer understanding of what life really means.

"I felt that coming to Japan would just be a break from real life. Now I have found myself more aware of what my real life is and a lot of what I was doing back home now appears unimportant." ~anonymous, The Jet Journal

the JET farewell party

2006-07-17T02:58:00.000-05:00

This was the official last hoorah for the 'Guch JETS of 2005-2006. Sure, half of us will stay in Japan, but the other half are leaving the cozy bubble that is the JET program. To commerate it all, we had a farewell party. We did the usual: all you can eat (the Italian restaurant we went to was DELISH), all you can drink, karaoke, and a lot more.
There were the ZenZen Awards which basically created some categories for a few lucky JETS to win like "Most Turning Japanese," "Last Person Standing at the End of the Night," etc.
There were the Japanese trains that we invaded by playing foot limbo.
There was Tom Smith and his amazing flexibility when he dances.*
There was saying goodbye to my friends. :(

*Tom Smith, the man, the myth, the legend. Just give him a few beers and he'll be all over the dancefloor in seconds. He's notorious for picking up girls, knocking chairs over with their legs and making them show a little more then they want to when he flings them in the air. (^_-) What can I say? Consider it my farewell omiyage (gift) to you.

Yukatas

2006-07-17T01:40:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Lousie, we had a summer kimono party, which marked one of the last times all of the 'Guch JETS would be together before so many of us leave Japan. That could've explained the somewhat surreal aura about that night, or maybe it was just the fact that we were all having dinner at an Italian restaurant that just so happened to be next to a Catholic church--a church that kept ringing it's bells every 20 minutes in Buddhist Japan. Im amazed at how "normal" many things have become to me. The puffy gloves that old ladies wear when they ride their bikes; the sucking through the teeth to express awkwardness; all of the jelly fish products. Yet, the setting of that night did strike Becky I. and I as a little odd, but it's the Japan that we know: bizaare. We had a 2 hour nomihodai (all you can drink) before setting out to the next venue: another nomihodai at an izakaya (a family/drinking retsaurant). Everyone looked so composed and even elegant in the beginning of the night, but you could see everyone's slowly falling apart at this point of the night. Like all good nights, we ended in a karaoke room, singing bad Queen songs.

Ross, obliterated by 10PM, eating someone else's meal. Later got a glass of freezing water poured over his head by El Dibalo.

Nate playing Nintendo in a seperate roms with little kids. He was allegedlly heard trying to convince a 5-year old that he was Mario from the"Super Mario Brothers" game whilst doing a borderline racist Italian impression.

El Diablo passed out under the table.

The Hall of Shame

2006-07-11T07:27:00.000-05:00

My time here is almost up and it seems only appropriate to finally upload my pictures of the fun times I've had in Japan with the other JETS and the Japanese. If I have ever hung out with you, you're more than likely on my website. Some of the pics are innocent, some are embarrassing, some are risque, some are just retarded.

Here's to all the fun, degrading, humilitaing times we've had with each other. We may have gone too far with some of our antics, forcing some to cry themselves to sleep, only to laugh about it the next morning when their dignity has been recovered (somewhat). Hey, but it made a good story, right?!

Danger: This is not for the weak, faint-hearted, conservative, humorless or lazy (there are 150+ pics!). Click at your own risk! ;)

The Hall of Shame: Your life will NEVER be the same.

Here's a preview:

P.S. Don't sue me.

P.S.S. Mami & Papi, don't worry.

The Statue of Blasphemy

2006-07-11T03:20:00.000-05:00

I'm currently in the slooow process of making a new blog/online writing portfolio. One of the themes is about how and why the world perceives Americans the way they do. I'd be your bestest friend in the whole wide world if you could please contribute! Here's an email I sent out to some so far:

I'm writing articles/stories about the stereotypes that the world,
particularly non-American Westerners (Europeans, Canadians, Ozzies, Kiwis, etc.),
have about the U.S. Some are probably quite true. Some are way off,
but the point is to explore why these stereotypes came about and how
much truth there is to them. I'll post them on a new blog as I
finish.

If you have 5 minutes to spare, could you please tell me any
experiences that you've either had with an American or in the States
(if you have ever been) that left you with a bad taste about the
U.S.A. OR something that you think is uniquely American and/or quirky
(it doesn't have to be negative)?

What I'm looking for are detailed quotes of specific examples that can
show why the world laughs at, pities or scoffs at the U.S.A. Think of
it as a research project for me: you give me a topic (your experience
with American culture), I'll do some homework and write about it.

Bad Quote Example:
"I met an American guy who didn't know where the Rocky Mountains are."
This is too general and could just mean that the guy you talked to was
not the brightest Crayon in the box, and not necessarily because of
his culture.

Good Quote Example:
"I had a layover in the Los Angeles International Airport and was
looking for a book about history or politics to read for my next
flight, but all the bookstore had were books on U.S. history and
politics."
This is a very credible since it can't be refuted and most Americans
would never notice something like this if it weren't brought to
his/her attention.

Thanks A LOT as this is really important to me and hopefully to someone
who might read this in the future! Sorry this is SO long!!

Whoa

2006-06-25T16:33:00.000-05:00

Check this article out:

Japanese fan hangs himself for nation`s dismal WC performance

Taipei, June 25: A Japanese man hanged himself in Taiwan today after the Asian Champions failed to secure a single victory in the World Cup, a report said.

The 60-year-old man identified as Yoshio Takanashi was found dead at the home of his Taiwanese wife`s parents in the city of Taichung, the Cable Televisin News Network Ettoday reported.

It said his wife told police that her husband had stopped watching television following Japan`s dismal performance in the competition.

The team failed to secure a victory in Germany, losing to Australia, drawing with Croatia and losing again to champions Brazil

Lauren's here!

2006-06-20T07:56:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my lack of blogging lately. My friend from home, Lauren, is visiting me, so we’ve been spending most our time catching up and what not. We still crack up when we think about how we became friends and how happy we are that we kept in touch. Lauren was my roommate in London 2 years ago when we were studying abroad. She just so happened to do another study abroad program in Tokyo and came all the way to the ‘Guch to visit me. What have we been getting up to? The same antics as usual. Taking day trips, eating lots of good junk food (strawberry Pocky and I’ve got her addicted to my fave Indian restaurant), teasing each other..yaddi-yaddi-yadda.

I think that she’s liking how much more laidback Tokuyama is compared with Tokyo. We went to the beach and watched some Japanese people windsurfing until some Russian guys invited us for a friendly game of volleyball. Random, huh? Another JET in that area, Tammy, took us to a little sandwich joint and later that night, we met up for a beer garden (all you can eat and drink) and karaoke. This is exactly how I remembered Japan to be like when I first got here last summer. Lots of eating and drinking at izakayas and beer gardens, being outdoors, and just being around lots of good people. I love being here in the summer!

Besides lounging around, we watched Japan play Croatia at a restaurant around my place. Just like many other things, most of the Japanese there were FANATICAL about the game. War paint, jerseys, flags, air horns, chanting and all.
It was funny to watch them until the game ended and we all realized that team Japan sort of blew it. No score. No glory. It didn’t end our fun though because we all went outside to the big square and laughed at the drunken guys.

The stereotype is true: Japanese people cannot hold their liquor. 2, maybe 3 drinks tops, and their off their red faces, yelling, grabbing each other and making hilarious fools out of themselves. It’s not uncommon to see nudity at some point, as we did that night. As Lauren put it, there were, “Man-ginas.”

Earthquake!!

2006-06-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

There was an earthquake really early last Monday morning. It felt like a dream and I was annoyed that it woke me up, but it wasn't too big. My apartment is fine and so am I! Read more about it here.

Baby Rice

2006-06-13T07:09:00.000-05:00

Here's the view from one of my schools out in the sticks.

Yamaguchi's answer to the World Cup

2006-06-06T04:31:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was the soccer tournament in Awajishima (an island close to Kobe). About 12 teams from Western Japan came out to compete, and what do u know??? Yamaguchi girls placed 2nd (only to be beat by those biznatchies Osaka..i am a good sport most of the time, but they were such animals on the field)!!! As my luck goes, I sprained my ankle on the very first day, during the very first game on a team that wasn't even mine (i was helping Shimane team by subbing..i guess this is what i get?! hehe). The weekend was highlighted by some good onsen action overlooking the longest suspension bridge in the world (the one connecting Shikouka island to the rest of mainland Japan). The little cute naked girl following me to speak English was a cool bonus too. As usual, we spent Sat. night hanging out, and playing dubious drinking games where some secrets were revealed, some nasty concoctions were drunk, and pool tables were danced on. Even if my ankle puffed out like a hot marshmallow by the end of the weekend, it was well worth it!

P.S. Can you spot "the hairy caterpillar" in the picture?

Kobe Recontracting Conference

2006-06-01T04:21:00.000-05:00

The recontracting conference is for JETS all over Japan to meet in Kobe for 3 days of unrestrained mania and I suppose there's some workshops squeezed in there somewhere. As everyone knows by now, I was lucky enough to go even though I'm not staying on the program for a second year. I quite possibly could be the only person in JET history to pull off such a scheme, but I still stand by my alibi: I was innocently forced! You see, I canceled my 2nd contract a couple of weeks before the conference, leaving my boss, in true Japanese fashion, apprehensive about changing the original plans. He sent me off anyway.

I'm really glad I did because if nothing else, it was the best and probably last chance I will get to see everyone, from my prefecture and all others from Western Japan, at the same place and time. Even better as it was El Diablo and Hannah-channah's birthdays. Good convo, long nights, stolen wheelchairs, indoor fountain swimming, Japanese cheerleaders, over-priced Indian food, missed workshops, bad karaoke, spastic dancing...oh dear.

Why did I quit? Long story short, I cant pay my bills back home and travel at the same time. It's hard for me to justify another year here, in my non-descript town (remember, no trips), while the rest of my life is on a backburner. Especially when they're other things I'd rather be doing than teaching, and other places I want to go to other than Japan. I'll be going home to take care of business ASAP so I can do another adventure like this, but more specific to what I want, while I'm still young, single and crazy. :) Ironically, the conference only made me that much more confident in my decision because a lot of the 'Guch JETS approached (read: interrogated) me about my rationale for leaving.

Sidenote: I found it interesting that not only did some of these people rarely/never talk to me any other time of the year, but also insinuated that I was making a bad decision b/c it's too responsible for someone my age--kinda like, "Don't worry about that, take care of your bills after the 2nd year finishes." To add insult to injury, a rumor spread that I'm going home b/c of my family. FALSE!

I was left having to defend and explain myself for a choice that leaves me quite satisfied and resolved. Yet, there have been a few who have expressed genuine regards in me leaving and not questioning my motives. My sincerest "thanks" to those. To the others, well....

I'm normally a big advocate of not fueling the fire by publishing a scandal on a blog (so my apologies for the emotional diarrhea), but I had to make an exception for this one. I don't want to leave the country misunderstood.

SniffSniff* :)

2006-05-30T06:38:00.000-05:00

After that day in school, we took day trips to a little island called Miyajima, which is one of the most scenic spots in Japan with its floating red gate in the middle of the ocean. We spent the day lazily walking around and eating those little pancakes filled with cheese..mmm. The next day, we we went to Hiroshima for the A-Bomb Dome and museum. It really is true: you can spend a whole day in that museum if the details dont make you leave first. It's super detailed (with saved fingernails and pieces of skin), but obviously really compelling. The next day, I said goodbye to my family and generally spent the morning in disbelief that their trip felt so short. I'm really glad that they got to see what my life is like here b/c it really is hard to put it all into words on the phone, blog, emails, etc. Thanks for coming out!

Home in the 'Guch...

2006-05-30T06:24:00.000-05:00

...and I was already putting my family to work! I took them to Yaji Shogakko, one of my elementery schools, to meet my kids. They went to all my classes, helped me teach them the body parts in english, eat lunch with them and play with them during recess. My principal, who ive always thought was sweeter than anything, made sure that my fam felt at home by showing us shodo (Japanese calligraphy). He also took us to a local shrine that I didnt even know existed and printed out some pictures of us. On our way out, the school's nurse, who i really love, gave us a bag of goodies to take home. Sometime, I cant help but feel guilty for how nice Japanese people are to foreigners. The good thing about the day was that my fam now understands why i dote on my kids the way i do--they are seriously the cutest people on the planet.

Kyoto II: Carrying Buddha

2006-05-30T05:48:00.000-05:00

Since i'm really slacking on the blogging--been feeling especially uninspired lately--i'm going to sort of rush through the rest of the family vacation and let the pics speak for themselves. I finished putting them all on my website, so click here if you're interested.

The rest of Kyoto was just as fun since we happened to stumble upon a festival at one of the most famous temples in Kyoto (the one with all the crimson toriis jam packed on top of a hill). My parents were able to bond with some Japanese people while this old Japanese guy gave my sis and I a free beer. People were dressed in the typical festival fare and were carrying those portable shrines on their backs. By the end of it, some guy who looked like a professional photographer took pics of us.

One of the nights we slept in a temple that had a zen garden in the middle and a huge cemetery outside. Normally the fact would give me the creeps, and at times the wind shaking the tall wooden sticks against each other did give me the creeps. Other wise, it was surprisingly serene. After Kyoto, we went to Kobe for a really short time (like a day and a half) and just walked around the city and went to some sake breweries. At this point, we were exhasuted and were happy to be going to my home in the 'Guch.

A Random Interlude

2006-05-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

The secret's out: I miss Simon Cowell.

Every few months, some JETS in my prefecture publish a crazy magazine called ZenZen. There's usually a literary montage to somebody or something and I happened to be chosen to grace last issue's backcover. It's taken me months to finally get it scanned..sorry for the delay! According to the writers, I look like Simon Cowell's girlfriend. What do you think?

"You know what I take from the back cover of the last ZenZen?
That for people who come from lily-white countries, all Hispanics look the same."
-Paul C.

Pimp my rickshaw

2006-05-22T04:57:00.000-05:00

So maybe it's just a gimmick now, but riding a rickshaw is worth doing at least once to pretend like you're some important geisha or an emperor. The job might be a drag, since these guys have to pull big tourists around in bright sunshine and attempt to make generic English conversations (Where are yuuuuu from?), but our guide was funny enough to joke with my sister about being the poster child for the company on their brochures. He took is through bamboo forests in the outskirts of Kyoto. Once inside, you can find anything from temples to food stands selling octopus to art vendors. We met one particularly cool artist who not only knew some broken English, but also could speak functional Spanish.

Kyoto-Part I

2006-05-22T04:23:00.000-05:00

According to my guidebook, "Kyoto is a perpetual embarrassment of riches."

Word.

Kyoto was our next destination and a first time for all of us. Even though we stayed there the longest out of any other place we went, we didn't come close to doing it justice. Yea, we saw the Golden Temple. We did a rickshaw ride through bamboo forests. Sure we went geisha hunting. We combed the streets of Gion. But, I get the impression, that unless you live there, you could spend your whole life discovering another national treasure here and there. After all, it was Japan's capital for more than 1,000 years.

We were on a mission to spot a geisha power walking in those clunky clogs, but had no luck. Instead, we hung around the river that runs through the middle of town. All along each side is a row of cafes with paper lanterns dotting the pathways. The massive windows are perfectly situated so that the people eating in the restaurants could look to the river and everyone on the streets can see the perfectly synchronized geishas serving them. The rest of the population was either roaming the narrow alleys or sitting on the sand right next to the river, lighting fireworks or having late night picnics. All the while, the Perez family was standing along the bridge, admiring the scene. This is what seems to set Kyoto apart from most other Japanese cities. It's charming. It's a big city and it's personable. It has everything that any other big city offers while staying comfortably livable.

Now I understand why almost all my students tell me Kyoto it's their favorite Japanese city because now it's mine too (tied with Fukouka).

Faster than a bullet

2006-05-18T08:09:00.000-05:00

From Tokyo, we took the bullet train to a little resort area called Hakone that's supposed to have the best views of Mt. Fuji. One of the highlights for my family was just riding the bullet train, which was really impressive for my sister, dad and I, but scared the crap out of my mom!

Too bad it was cloudy in Hakone, so there were no scenic views of Mt. Fuji, but we did manage to walk around in yukatas (summer kimonos) and try the onsens (hot springs). We stayed at a traditional Japanese inn where the owner made us a traditional J. breakfast. Want to write more but am feeling especially lazy. :-/

La familia in Tokyo

2006-05-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

I'm back from my family vacation in Japan and it was so many things: warm, comfortable, stressful, and everything in between. I've got to give my parents credit for doing something as daring as traveling to Asia (growing up, our idea of a "vacation" was driving 5 hours to Miami to visit family), and my sister..well being the world traveler that she is, it was all just so easy for her. There's so much to write about, so bear with me while I sort out all my thoughts throughout the week. I'll try to cover the main stuff.

I think I've taken for granted how comfortable I am living here because I almost forgot how overwhelming and trying it is to come to Japan--and survive. I really was the tour guide in every sense of the word. "Don't lose this ticket...Put on these indoor shoes...stand to the left..don't touch..." At first, it was frustrating, but once I realized how ridiculously strange Japan is for Westerners, I relaxed. I met them in Tokyo and showed them around Shibuya at nighttime, which puts New York's Time Square to shame. Bright, BRIGHT lights that make it easy to mistake it for daytime.

We stayed in a capsule hotel for the first night so my fam could experice the tiny foam mattresses for themselves. It was a good J-experience, but one night was enough. :) I'm going to upload all the pics from our trip onto my website soon.

One thing that I loved about this trip was that I was reminded how cool Japan really is. I hate to admit it, but it's really lost its appeal for me and I got a bit jaded with this country for a while. I stopped noticing things that are clearly everything BUT American. Worst of all, I stopped asking questions. But once my sister was talking about the crazy lights, polite taxi drivers in white gloves, crowded streets, and just overall gaudy decor surrounding downtown Tokyo, I suddenly got nostalgic for my first few weeks here. That curious awe when I first saw those massive crosswalks coming to meet from 5 directions. The innocent novelty of seeing young Japanese in the tackiest, yet endearing outfits. Beer vending machines. 20-story buildings turned into TV screens. Pachinko parlors (gambling) and space-age arcades at every corner. Brainless techno that could only be enjoyed if you were on 20 pills of speed. Tokyo is the epitome of sensory overload. Like everything else though, the first time is always the best.

Salsa & Soy Sauce

2006-04-28T01:35:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you find 4 Cubans in Japan? My family and they're coming to Japan for Golden Week (this weekend)!!! To think that it's been 9 months since I've seen them is mind boggling. We start in Tokyo, then to Mt. Fuji for some onsen action (hot springs), Kyoto for the ultimate "Japanese" experience, Kobe for some of that amaaazing beef, Hiroshima to feel sorry for ourselves, Miyajima to pet those stinky deer, and my place in Yamaguchi to take them to my elementary school. And we're bullet train-ing it all the way baby! Well, I'm off. Be back in 2 weeks... (*^_^*)

Archery Festival

2006-04-24T05:59:00.001-05:00

After camping, we went to an onsen (hot spring) to get so fresh and so clean b/c we were going to a festival in a small town called Tsuwano. People dressed as samurais performed traditional archery on horses.
At the end, there was a taiko (Japanese drums) performance which was really impressive, especially since one of the members was a foreigner. I should write a lot more but am in a lazy mood, so I hope the pics are self-explanatory.

Camping with Shelbyville

2006-04-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

If you like the Simpsons as much as I do, then you probably remember Shelbyville: the neighboring town to Springfield that looked and sounded like Springfield.

The day after Hanami, a big group us from Yamaguchi headed north to go camping with our neighboring prefecture, Shimane.

They were Shelbyville and we were Springfield. They talked like us, acted like us and drank like us. Might I add that there was even an El Diablo in their group? She was Irish, but still "could start a party in a graveyard" just like our own little precious. Together we rocked the casbah out in the middle of the mountains..."roughing it up" although I don't consider heatable toilet seats rough, but whateva. Japan's idea of camping?

A few drinks and tasteless photos later, we managed to eat s'mores, cram 12 of us in a cabin and wake up early next morning, delirious as ever.

I have no idea what's going on here... ;)

"I've got a yosh in my pants!"
-said by everyone

Coming soon: a traditional Japanese archery festival

桜 sakura

2006-04-19T03:07:00.000-05:00

After all the hype, they're finally here: the cherry blossoms (sakura).

They are in bloom for only about 10 days out of the year, just to come swirling down in a pink petal tornado. Back home, I never gave flowers anything more than a passing compliment, but here, I've become a flower connoisseur. Maybe it's the Japanese's infectious enthusiasm for the pretty pink hues. Or maybe I'm delirious with the pollen. But, one thing is for sure, I'm glad they're here and the best way to experience it is with o-hanami. O-hanami is a glorified picnic. People have them at all times of the day and night, bring a grill, loads of raw meat, veggies, and ridiculously large amounts of alcohol.

Good thing Rosie's birthday fell right during this time, so we had a little o-hanami for her. It was so nice to be back in Hagi, one of the best places in Yamaguchi. It's really good to see this bunch, especially b/c I barely saw any of them during the winter.

Sidenote: Dan showed me the handicap toilets in the park--a regular western-style toilet. No handrails for the handicap. No easy access to the handle. Just a regular toilet (not Japanese squat toilets). Yet another Japanese reminder that gaijin are a little disabled.

$*&#@!!!!!

2006-04-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

Starting now, I'm going to learn as many Japanese insults as possible. Why? Today while riding my bike, I got hit by a motorcycle b/c it thought it would be a good idea to not stop, slow down or even look both ways before passing through my lane--the bike lane, which had the right of way. Physically, I'm completely fine (save a sore tailbone) and my good 'ol grandma bike is still miraculously in good shape. What's bruised is my intellect. Out of complete anger, I wanted to tell him to piss off, but the only words that came out of my mouth were in English and Spanish meshed with polite Japanese (not b/c I wanted to be polite, but b/c it's the only thing I've been taught). I have no idea why. Once I realized how pointless it was to even try to yell at him, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness came over me. In the time I've lived here, have I really not learned any bad words in Japanese?* Shocking. The more I think about it, the most insulting thing I know to say is bokke nasu...in English, "You demented eggplant."

My friends, help a sistah out. Do you know any good insults to teach me? Preferably something along the lines of, "You're a dumbass." If so, send them my way. And believe me, such a noble favor wont go unnoticed.

*In my defense, Japanese doesn't really have "bad" words like English does. Instead, it's much more insulting to disagree with someone or simply take the "please" out of a sentence. What comes out is, by American standards, a very watered-down version of an insult. "What you just did was contradictory!" and "If you think I don't know anything, you're wrong!' are good examples.

Update

2006-04-13T06:23:00.000-05:00

I ate raw blowfish and not only did it taste good, but I'm still alive! Evidently, it's supposed to give you a tingling sensation in your back, but I didn't feel anything. Is it just a myth?

I didn't quit

2006-04-13T06:05:00.000-05:00

Since I'm still getting phone calls and emails from friends who fell for my April Fool's joke, here's another post for compensation. Consider it a shining happy people montage. I still like my job, love my students, and get along with my supervisor just fine. Thanks for the concern and sorry to make you feel like a terd. Truce?

My English club under the cherry blossoms.

Although my fave kids of all time, they love to gang up on me at recess..especially the kid with his mouth wide open.

My cute elementary school kids making tofu in cooking class.

Way too early in the morning to be photogenic. Check out the poisonous kerosene heater next to my desk.

Making Kanji (chinese characters) out of the days of the week.

What can I say? They're adorable.

A Traditional Tea Ceremony

2006-04-11T03:04:00.000-05:00

Around the Himeji's castle grounds is a traditional teahouse for a tea ceremony. I’ve really come to like matcha (green tea) a lot, despite its bitterness and i love all the care that goes into serving it. Since it’s spring break for all schools around the country, the people serving me were little school girls in kimonos.

I think that they were shocked to see a foreigner, but they were soooo cute. This girl was the most fascinated because even though the ceremony was suposed to be serious, she kept snekaing a peek at me with a curious little smile. Everytime I whispered, "Thank you", she'd giggle as quietly as she could.

They served me 2 glasses of matcha, a sweet omochi and a plate of azuki (sweet red beans). I still haven’t mastered the art of sitting in seiza position (my legs go numb after 10 minutes), but it was fun trying.

Himeji Castle

2006-04-10T02:38:00.000-05:00

Our last stop was to Himeji, home to Japan's most impressive original castle. Justin and I got bikes from the grandma at our hotel (can u believe that she calculated our bill with an abacus?!?) and cruised around the castle grounds. Along with the typical history like bloody invasions and emperor's extravagant lifestyles, my favorite historical tidbit was how the samurais used to pour boiling animal fat onto intruders from the tiny slanted windows.

Nara

2006-04-05T06:43:00.000-05:00

**I put my pics from Osaka on my website. Click here or on the link on the menu**

As far as Japanese culture is concerned, Nara is a special little place. It’s kind of like bloated Kyoto, brimming with most of Japan’s national treasures, threw up and Nara came about with its own pagodas, temples, the biggest Buddha statue and cute deer prancing around.

I made a day trip out of it, split up from Justin and met up with David, my Irish comrade from our Thailand trip. It was really peaceful walking up the little street where cooks were making omochi (pounded rice filled with sweet red beans).

The most important thing I wanted to see was the big Buddha statue in one of the shrines--the biggest in Japan.

One of the wooden scaffolds holding the shrine up had a little hole and a crowd was hanging around it. There was a good reason for the all the people waiting in line: good luck and blessings to those who can climb through to the other side. Kids were the main ones going through while their parents took pictures of them on the other side.

Being in Nara was perfect--really chill and good to catch up with David (who filled me about serendipity). Plus, the plum blossoms were out, so the park even smelled good. This is a picture of one of the most scenic shrines we’ve seen.

I quit

2006-04-01T02:09:00.000-05:00

I quit my job today.

I couldn't take it anymore. Today, I tried sorting out all the final details about my family coming in May. My supervisor has known they are coming since last November, so all I had to do was fill in the blanks--exact dates, where we'll stay, etc.--to get everything sorted at work. At least that's what i thought. But, guess what he decided to pull on me? He said that there's a mandatory meeting on one of the days when my family and I are supposed to be in Tokyo. So, I told him I'd just use paid holiday. He then goes on about how it's one of the few days of the year that teachers SHOULD NOT take off unless it was an absolute emergency because all these big-wigs from the PTA were coming to evaluate the school (why the hell is my school chosen to do this?). Ok, long story short....he lost his temper in a very Japanese way: sucked through his teeth, tilted his head, mumbled under his breathe...all signaling that what I was asking for was, basically impossible.

You guys, I lost it.

When I realized that there was just no compromising with him, I told him that I wasn't coming to work, whether I had the day off or not. This is where it gets heavy. All of the teachers, at this point, have stopped pretending to look busy and are now starting to talk and dissuade me. One of the teachers, who i don't even know well at all, grabbed me while i tried to walk into the hallway to collect my thoughts. He started walking into me until i backed into the wall--he might as well have just pushed!!!! Seeing how I was cornered, I decided to quit.

So, yea. I'm leaving Japan, and have to move back into my parent's house until I find another job. I have a month until my visa runs out, so I have to be on a plane out of the country within that time. I'm sorry that some of you guys have to find out this way, and i would tell you in person, but I know that I might not see some of you before I leave.

This is the WORST day I've had in Japan!!!! I don't know what to do. If you're reading this, then you're obviously a friend and I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave a comment. Thanks.

Osaka Castle

2006-03-31T23:37:00.000-05:00

Osaka is not a sight for sore eyes during the day. It’s def a place to be seen at night. The exception to this rule is Osaka castle which springs out of the surrounding glass skyscrapers and steel buildings. Although it is not the original version (the original was bombed during WWII), the view from the top is really stunning.

Japanese Fact #56

2006-03-30T22:46:00.000-05:00

Capsule hotels are not coffins.

Thanks to Justin, the travel guru, we stayed in a capsule hotel right in the middle of Osaka’s nightlife. It was my first time staying in one and once I got over the coffin feel of it, it was actually really comfortable. You even get your own radio and mini TV (although it mainly shows really bad Japanese porn).

Osaka

2006-03-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

This spring break, I chose to do the responsible thing and stay in Japan. So, Justin and I took the slow train from my town to Osaka, which was an 8 hour trip, but the view was so beautiful. Lots of rice fields and mountains.

My first impression of Osaka is that it looks like a Japanese Las Vegas. Super flashy, borderline tacky neon-lights everywhere and lots of people out at all hours of the night.

The locals are not your typical Japanese and I found them a little rough around the edges with a little more attitude than normal. My kind of people.

This square is where all the young, striving dancers come out to practice their moves. There’s a big mirror ball in the center and huge mirrors against all the walls. Teeny bopper music in the States looks artistically fresh (that’s a scary thought) compared to the overly fabricated and extra packaged music groups of J-pop. These kids were practicing in groups of 7 or more, danced to super hyper techno and were wearing the usual spastic get-up: neon clothes, orange-highlighted mullet hairstyles, “f*ck me” boots and oversized belts.

"Food" I've Eaten in Asia

2006-03-23T07:52:00.000-05:00

Don't hate.

1.) raw horse
2.) raw pig ears
3.) raw whale
4.) raw chicken (bird flu?)
5.) raw eggs
6.) raw squishy sea urchin
6.) every type of raw seafood you can possibly imagine (too many to list here)
7.) squid on a stick
8.) kimchi (fermented cabbage, smells like a fart, but tastes good and spicy)
9.) natto (fermented soybeans, super stringy, smells and tastes like a fart)
10.) boiled octopus
11.) whale bacon
12.) pickled everything (think of any veggie right now..yup, I've probably had it pickled)
13.) fish eggs of all shapes, colors and sizes
14.) seaweed and spaghetti
15.) fish flakes and pizza
16.) sweet red beans in every dessert form imaginable
17.) quail eggs
18.) grilled buffalo
19.) seaweed salad
20.) This space is reserved for raw blowfish--a local delicacy--which I've been dying to try, or trying then dying..I dunno which will come first. ;)

While I'm all about trying new things, and I haven't regretted anything I've eaten, I had to stop myself from trying dog in Korea (and I won't eat whale again b/c of the obvious environmental implications). I got to draw the line somewhere!

Funeral or Graduation?

2006-03-20T02:08:00.000-05:00

For a minute, I forgot I was here. Things used to turn my head and leave me with a puzzled look on my face about 15 times a day, but now I'd say, it's down to about 5. But, I had a reality check a couple of weeks ago where I was left thinking, "Whoa, I'm in Japan."

I went to our high school graduation and it was the most solemn and intimidating event. Everyone was dressed in all black. With thousands sat in the gym, not a single cough, sneeze, shuffle or sniffle could be heard. It was military style. I couldn't spot one person in this entire crowd who wasn't sitting straight, legs uncrossed, and hands straight out. All this pomp and circumstance made me want to stand up and start screaming to break the silence. Even the fully coordinated bows were sharper than usual with not a single student out of sync.

This made me think of American graduation and any other "formal" ceremony we have. Everyone seems to be cheering and family members sometimes bring foghorns to grab their graduate's attention and be ghetto. Even in weddings, supposedly one of the most intimate and sacred occasions, there's always room for interjecting estranged lovers or senile parents. "Speak now or forever hold your peace..." Could you even imagine something like that happening at any Japanese event?! Even if there was an opportunity for people to speak up, no one would take it unless they wanted to commit social suicide. There would be no more of those jelly green tea sweets on their desks. No invitations to ride their bikes together to "Seven Erreven" (7/11). Shit, you can just forget about getting a good spot next to the poisonous kerosene heater.

All the 3rd graders (these are the seniors; J-high schools only have 3 grades as opposed to U.S. high schools which have 4) went outside to celebrate after the ceremony was over. I must admit that I will miss these kids, even if the boys giggle like girls everytime they say, "Hello!" or "I am sexy man"..and the girls insist on grabbing parts of my body that shouldn't be grabbed.

Press Play

2006-03-17T22:37:00.000-05:00

To all my American friends, especially the ones back home (and to anyone else who's curious),

My sister sent me this video (thanks again Lili) and, after watching it, I have to pass this on to you. It's long, about an hour and a half, but you owe it to yourself to see it. I'm not sure about the validity of it, but it def should make u think. This has nothing to do with being a Republican or Democrat or whatever else you are. There's really nothing more I can say. Please watch it and pass it on. Lemme know watcha think.

If you want to watch it on a bigger screen, go to Google video and type in "Loose Change."

The Late-Night Noodle

2006-03-16T01:39:00.000-05:00

My town, Tokuyama, is no gem. If the picturesque 80's skyline of protruding methane factories don't get your bags packin', then surely the air pollution will. Yet, Tokuyama has one thing that redeems itself: the late-night ramen stands around my apartment. Most of them are manned by one or two people and they are usually crazy. This guy is my favorite. He's also crazy and has no teeth, but he makes the best ramen anyone could ask for at 4 in the morning. Screw an apple--a ramen a day will keep the hangover away. It doesn't hurt either that he's known for giving gaijin free beer and spontaneously putting female gaijin in a headlock (you OK Louise?!?). So, cheers to you, crazy late-night noodle man with no teeth!

P.S. As you can see, I've been blogging a lot lately. With no classes at work, I've had lots of free time on my hands. I've even tried to give my blog another makeover, but there are still lots of glitches. Does anyone know how I can get the menu back up to the top?

Japanese Fact #17

2006-03-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

Even gaijin (foreigners) can be firefighters.

Here's Steph, the artist formerly known as El Diablo, posing as a real firefighter for the day. Her small town chose her to be a volunteer firefighter and pass out certificates of appreciation to little kids in the crowd. I tagged along for emotional support (read: I sat in the audience laughing and teasing her the whole way through. What are friends for?!). But hey, at least we got to ride in the crane of a firetruck.

When, oh when...

2006-03-13T20:24:00.000-05:00

No other nation is as obsessive and naive* about the changing of the seasons as the Japanese. Can you blame them? In a country where climate control** is still a thing of the distant future and with such extremes between the brutal humid summers and bone-numbing winters, fall and spring are more than just welcomed. They are celebrated with parties, drunken old men, countdowns, festivals, drunken old men, charts and more drunken old men. With the spring comes the infamous sakura (cherry trees). All the news channels do full on presentations about the exact timing of when these iconic trees will blossom with graphs and all. The best way I can explain it is like this: I've never lived or been anywhere where my lifestyle was so influenced by the weather. I've got a portable heater that heats one room and layers upon layers of clothes in my own house. As a result, I've turned into a winter hermit. Hate to complain, but this Floridian has had enough. Thankfully, spring is so close that I can almost taste it.

* Any Japanese person will tell you that Japan is the only country with 4 seasons, and some will even go as far to say that, with the rainy season, there are 5. With such conviction, who wants to burst their bubble?

**The dichotomy in this country is astounding. They can invent the fastest, safest train in the world--the bullet train--but they cling onto to basic rudimentary ways to stay comfortable by shunning centralized heating and cooling. Instead, I'm left with a toxic kerosene heater at school in the winter and a paper fan with a picture of (insert cheesy, too cute cartoon character here) in the summer. Inefficient? Absolutely. Typically Japanese? Without a doubt.