Oh man. I can finally have a moment between baking, knitting, drinking, being hungover, working, cleaning, etc. etc. to put up a post. I think I liked the holidays more when all I had to do was wake up on Christmas morning and open a bunch of gifts.
Christmas was absolutely wonderful. I was dreading it because this is the first Christmas I've spent in Seoul since the first in 2006. I missed my family super bad because I just saw them in October and I'm super broke from my trip blah blah. I had to work Christmas Eve and that was rough. There were tears in the bathroom, I'm not gonna lie.
Things took an upward swing after I arrived at my friend Amy's for a big dinner. I was pouring myself rather large glasses of wine and the company was fantastic. I scored an awesome chicken-shaped pot holder during Secret Santa.
The best part was when Matthew, Mary, Mike, Charlene and I tried to go to Midnight Mass. We were all more than a bit tipsy...alright, we were flat out drunk. We hauled ass all the way to Myeongdong (which really isn't that far) and when we got out of the cab, there was a long line. We assumed it was the line to get into the church so we queued. Mary and I started singing Christmas carols in loud and off key voices to pass the time. We finally cottoned on to the fact that we shouldn't be waiting in a line for Mass so we went to investigate. Turns out the line we were in was to look at a Nativity scene and the church was closed to any more worshippers. Ha!
Christmas day itself was more eating, drinking, and receiving Hello Kitty themed presents. My family finally learned how to use Skype but they called at about 4 am, two hours after I got home on Christmas night, and I was still drunk. I don't remember much of our conversation but I did ask where the hell my tauntaun sleeping bag was.
I am spending this week recovering for Christmas and gearing up for New Year's Eve. I just chopped off a bunch of hair and now I look even more like a 10 year old. SIGH.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Monday 21 December 2009
The Nutcracker!
Last night, my friend Maria did the nicest thing ever. She told me and another friend, Jema, that she had a surprise for us and she flipping took us to see the Nutcracker! It was so sweet and unexpected that both Jema and I got all misty and kept giving Maria hugs throughout the show.
When I was a kid, my dad and stepmom took me to see the Nutcracker every year. I'd wear my Christmas dress and we'd go get a nice meal after. It brought back so many nice memories and as soon as I heard the first movement, I got hit with a huge wave of homesickness. Christmas is the hardest time to be away, it doesn't get any easier even though this is my third Christmas away from home.
The rest of my weekend was decidedly less sentimental. I spent my Saturday night drinking wine and playing a wonderful game called "YouTube DJ." Basically, you go around the group and each person picks a song on youtube. You keep going until you a) pass out or b) run out of wine, whichever comes first.
Some of our picks included: Spooky by Dusty Springfield, Love Will Never Do Without You by Janet Jackson, and Dancing in the Streets by David Bowie and Mick Jagger. It's pretty much silly/old songs that get people cheering. It was a great way to spend a freezing cold Saturday night.
Yes...it's so freaking cold in Seoul right now but no damn snow. It's seriously pissing me off but it's not as though we'd have snow days or anything. I need to pray to St. Eulalia of Merida, the patron saint of snow.
Last thing...I went on a downloading spree and got the entire Beatles discography (remastered...OH YEAH!), Dusty Springfield, Fat Freddy's Drop, the Steve Miller Band, and....the best of the bunch...The Bangles' Greatest Hits! "Am I only dreamin' or is this burning an e-ter-nal flaaaaaame?" It's gold.
Saturday 19 December 2009
I Flippin' Love The Beatles
My kiddies have an end of the school year concert coming up at the end of February and I have to teach them an English song to sing. I was listening to Yellow Submarine as I was prepping my work for next week when a lightening bolt struck...All Together Now! It's cute, the lyrics are simple, and who doesn't love the Beatles?
(Sidenote: how much do I love All You Need Is Love? Especially the line "Nowhere you could be but where you're meant to be.")
It's been really fun introducing the kids to the collected works. They love how silly some of the songs sound and how easy it is for them to sing along, like Hello Goodbye. I myself didn't grow up with the Beatles because my parents didn't really like them (they're more Motown/soul kind of people and as I result, I can sing you every Earth, Wind & Fire song from memory). I started listening to them as a result of my friendship with Julia but when I have kids, trust me. They'll be listening to them while in the womb!
I will be videotaping the kiddies singing, stay tuned!
The art classes with the kids are going fairly well. The five year olds are easy-peasy and they love everything we do. They went to town this week. I traced their bodies on butcher paper then they colored in their faces and clothes. I also had paper for them to work with and pastels, etc. and they had a great time. The six year olds have been more of a challenge (they're a challenging class in general) but the last class was great. They did still lifes and then we ate the prop food (bread, fruit) and chatted about the famous still lifes I had printed out for them to see. It actually clicked for some of them, very rewarding.
And on a less "Ooh, aren't I a great teacher" note, I got really drunk off of happy hour beer and came home at 2 am to eat turkey chili and pass out. Ha.
Thursday 17 December 2009
To Do List
I am taking a page out of Jamie's book and writing my "Things To Do Before I Die" list (I refuse to call it that other name!)
1. Climb Mt. Fuji
I am planning to do that this summer so I thought I'd put something I'm going to do soon on the top of the list :)
2. Live for at least a year in each continent (except Antarctica, obviously)
Not sure how realistic this is, especially when (not if, dang it) I meet that special someone and have children but I'd like to try. Well, actually...North America and Asia are out of the way, I plan to move to Europe in 2012...that would only leave Australasia, South American and Africa...hmmm.
3. Run a marathon
Especially one for a good cause
4. Take a major trip with my sisters
Travel is a huge part of my life and I'd love to share that with Gaby and Lexi
5. Have at least 2 babies
6. Visit Norway and El Salvador
I've been Mexico, were Abuelo Fox grew up, several times. Mom's mom grew up in SF and obviously I've been there. Grandpa Thor (mom's dad) is from Bergen, Norway and Abuela Fox is from San Salvador, ES so I'd like to go to those two cities and see where they came from.
7. Visit South Africa, Egypt, Tibet (but only when the Chinese leave), Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Italy, Austria, Germany, Russia, Croatia, and Poland.
Just because I want to see them
8. Write my memoirs, Nicole Fox and the Gentle Art of Living
That's all I can think of at the moment but I've given myself a lot to work with.
Omg! I cannot believe I forgot this one:
9. See Liverpool play live. That's been a dream for years. I swear, the cats are stealing my brain cells while I sleep.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Gee Gee Gee Gee!
Hello.
My name is Nicole Fox and I am a Korean Pop Addict.
Yes, it's true. The clearest symptom of my Stockholm syndrome is my un-ironic, unabashed love for K-Pop. Example 1 Example 2 and Example 3
I don't know how it came to this but it started as a joke between my co-worker Charles and I. Our first summer working together, we got off work at 3 pm and on Fridays (and sometimes Wednesdays...and sometimes Thursdays...etc.) we'd be at the pub by 4. We would harass this one bartender we hated by requested Big Bang's Lies, which was insanely popular at the time. At some point in time, Chas turned to me and said "I actually like this song" and I said "me too!!!" and all our shame was gone.
This summer was the Summer of Sorry Sorry. The Super Junior song blew up big time in Korea. All my preschoolers knew it and could do the dance, you could not avoid it. My friend introduced it to me via youtube and I became totally obsessed with it.
Charles and I are currently all about Girl's Generation. We love both Gee and 소원을 말해봐 (Genie). We can sing along in Korean (much to the amusement of the teachers at our school). It's really really sad/hilarious when we get all liquored up and demand bars play it and then dance around like lunatics.
And that is my confession. Carry on...
Sunday 13 December 2009
Hello Kitty Wishes You a Happy Merry Christmas
My friend had to go to Japan for a visa run and he brought me back this gem. Try not to be too jealous.
Tuesday 8 December 2009
The rest of the damn trip
Ok, I need to freaking get this over with because there's Seoul stuff I want to write about and its getting ridiculous.
San Francisco was so-so. It kinda messed up my travel momentum but it was awesome to see my family for the first time in two years. My sisters are nearly teenagers! My parents are old! It was also nice to get a little American shopping in (mostly toiletries, it must be said) and to see some friends that are still living in the city. The best thing about the trip had to be the awesome boots I got on Castro.
Belize was beautiful, gorgeous, and so much fun. Julia's wedding was incredible. I totally cried all through the vows and nearly spaced out when I was supposed to had her Mitch's ring. Everything was just lovely and Julia looked so beautiful in her dress. It was also great to see her family along with Linda, Nathan, Ursula, and Michelle and Jim. Very very good times though Linda and I were stupid and laid out in the sun between 11 and 3 and each got a wicked sunburn.
Costa Rica was the perfect wrap-up to the trip...relaxing, chill, beautiful. Bess met up with me in San Jose and we bussed over to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. We ate and laid out in the sun and that was about it for 5 glorious days. Our hotel room had an awesome porch and we spent hours reading books and drinking coffee. We spent our last night getting piss-drunk and had to pay for it on our travels back to our respective homes...not fun!
I know that was a rush job but that was the rest of the trip. It was an amazing three months but I don't know that I'd ever be on the road for that length of time again. I can see myself staying more or less in one place for that long, like a volunteer stint, but the constant travel definitely got to me. Which is not to say that I regret this at all. I met amazing people and I was reunited with people who are very dear to me.
It's also made me appreciate my home and how much I love Seoul and my friends here. I also feel more certain than ever, after taking three months away and being so happy to be back, that being a preschool teacher really is my calling.
I am really freakin' proud of myself for avoiding disasters on this trip. I didn't lose anything besides my laundry bag, I had no crises, no drama. I also learned a lot about myself and notions I had about myself. Here are the things (I am such a dork, I wrote them in my journal on my loooooong flight back to Seoul) that I learned on this trip:
1. I am competent.
2. I have oodles of common sense
3. I am funny
4. I need to chill when I can't have control over a situation
5. I should trust people to do their part
6. I am beautiful the way I am
7. I am emotional and that's never going to change and I should stop wishing I wasn't
8. I need God/spirituality in my life
9. I love my friends very very much and carry them with me wherever I go
10. I am pretty damn tough
Thanks for reading through the zany adventures....back to regular Seoul rantings now...
San Francisco was so-so. It kinda messed up my travel momentum but it was awesome to see my family for the first time in two years. My sisters are nearly teenagers! My parents are old! It was also nice to get a little American shopping in (mostly toiletries, it must be said) and to see some friends that are still living in the city. The best thing about the trip had to be the awesome boots I got on Castro.
Belize was beautiful, gorgeous, and so much fun. Julia's wedding was incredible. I totally cried all through the vows and nearly spaced out when I was supposed to had her Mitch's ring. Everything was just lovely and Julia looked so beautiful in her dress. It was also great to see her family along with Linda, Nathan, Ursula, and Michelle and Jim. Very very good times though Linda and I were stupid and laid out in the sun between 11 and 3 and each got a wicked sunburn.
Costa Rica was the perfect wrap-up to the trip...relaxing, chill, beautiful. Bess met up with me in San Jose and we bussed over to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. We ate and laid out in the sun and that was about it for 5 glorious days. Our hotel room had an awesome porch and we spent hours reading books and drinking coffee. We spent our last night getting piss-drunk and had to pay for it on our travels back to our respective homes...not fun!
I know that was a rush job but that was the rest of the trip. It was an amazing three months but I don't know that I'd ever be on the road for that length of time again. I can see myself staying more or less in one place for that long, like a volunteer stint, but the constant travel definitely got to me. Which is not to say that I regret this at all. I met amazing people and I was reunited with people who are very dear to me.
It's also made me appreciate my home and how much I love Seoul and my friends here. I also feel more certain than ever, after taking three months away and being so happy to be back, that being a preschool teacher really is my calling.
I am really freakin' proud of myself for avoiding disasters on this trip. I didn't lose anything besides my laundry bag, I had no crises, no drama. I also learned a lot about myself and notions I had about myself. Here are the things (I am such a dork, I wrote them in my journal on my loooooong flight back to Seoul) that I learned on this trip:
1. I am competent.
2. I have oodles of common sense
3. I am funny
4. I need to chill when I can't have control over a situation
5. I should trust people to do their part
6. I am beautiful the way I am
7. I am emotional and that's never going to change and I should stop wishing I wasn't
8. I need God/spirituality in my life
9. I love my friends very very much and carry them with me wherever I go
10. I am pretty damn tough
Thanks for reading through the zany adventures....back to regular Seoul rantings now...
Monday 7 December 2009
Belgium High Lights
Oh my god, y'all. I am so freaking behind on this, many many apologies...
-Seeing Fifi La Rue
Felicia and I have know each other for ages. We went to high school together and we shared an apartment after I finished university. She is 15 different kinds of fun and just the sort of person you want to visit in a foreign country. It was so incredibly good to see her and hang out and see her life. We had a lot of fun doing nothing in particular and I can't wait to visit her again. Then again, in general I loved everyone I met in Gent. Felicia's boyfriend's parents are the nicest, most generous people I've ever met and I got to spend a lovely Sunday at their home eating a delicious lunch. Felicia's friends are also pretty fun and her boyfriend is on crack, in the good way.
-The Beer
Obviously, I'm not going to visit Belgium and not talk about the beer. It was incredible! I drank quite a variety and they were all excellent quality, even if they weren't to my tastes. The biggest surprise for me was how much I liked the fruit beers. The cherry beer I had was my favorite in general and I had this delicious strawberry beer that tasted like liquid toast with jam. I know that sounds really strange-ee but that's what it made me think of. Felicia's boyfriend is extremely knowledgeable about beers and he gave me a crash course on Belgian brewing methods, I feel very beer-nerdy now.
-The architecture
The buildings in Gent, Brugge, Brussels, and Amsterdam were beautiful. I could not stop taking photos of all the details. I love how they still use all these old buildings because here in Seoul nothing is older than 60 years and even then, they're tearing everything down and building hideous modern stuff. Also, I freaking LOVE canals and there are a ton in the low lands. It made me very very happy.
Belgium was just lovely. It was the first place I didn't have to worry at all about sexual harassment, it was my first time in a home in months, and I got to do laundry for free. I got to sit on a couch and watch TV while eating dry cereal and if you've ever been on the road for a long time, you'll know how amazing that can be. I also got a sassy haircut in Gent and I got to ride a bike all around the city for a day. I have wonderful memories of that week and seriously, I cannot wait to get back there.
Monday 23 November 2009
Turkey Highlights
Turkey was the first stop after India and oh my....I fell in love! I don't know if it was a reaction to getting out of a developing/3rd world nation or what, but everything was so clean and so nice and I experienced quite a bit of culture shock. For example, when I was riding the trolley to my guesthouse, I got freaked out because it was so quiet. Cars weren't honking non-stop. It was a strange moment.
Smitty met up with me in Istanbul and it was surprisingly easy to get her there. All I had to do was say "Wanna go to Turkey in October?" and she was there. We spent the first part of our trip exploring Sultanahmet, going to the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque. They were both beautiful. The Blue Mosque looked like something out of a fairy tale and it was very lush inside. The Aya Sofya was magnificent and so freaking big. I have to admit, I wasn't as overwhelmed as I thought I'd be because after seeing the Taj Mahal....it didn't hold up well in comparison. It takes a while to get the most beautiful building in the world out of your head.
After a few days in Istanbul, we headed down to a town on the southwestern coast called Fethiye. This place was gorgeous! We went on a day tour on a sailboat and I was pretending I was Jackie O. We would stop and get to swim in the water and it was so wonderful and relaxing and just...that is what a proper holiday should be. We also spent time at a Turkish bath getting a lovely soap massage and we loitered on beaches a bit.
We ate our combined body weight in fish while we were in Turkey. There was this fish market in Fethiye where you'd buy a fish and then take it to a restaurant and they'd cook it up for you with potatoes, bread, and salad for about $4. The fish sandwiches on the street only cost about $3 and they were so delicious.
Oh, we also went over to the Asian side of Istanbul with our holiday friend, Kurt. I found my future house on that side and Smitty found a trail of cats. Good times, good times.
Turkey was so wonderful that I'm thinking of moving there after I finish up in Korea. It was one of the most relaxing weeks of my life and I'm so glad I had Smitty with me to enjoy it with. I highly recommend her as a travel companion.
Amendment...
Jeeze, y'all. This jet lag is really kicking my ass, mostly because up until today I had no routine. The Powers That Be at my school decided to make me take an extra week off so as to make sure I am not swine flued. As a result, I sat around my house for a week, bored out of my mind. No, I did not unpack. No, I did not update my blog. I fell asleep at odd hours of the day and went out drinkin' with my friends. D'oh!
Today is my first day back to school and I feel pretty happy about that. I missed my students and I missed my co-workers. Plus I have new Hello Kitty slippers and that adds tons of confidence ;)
I know I'm getting ahead of myself as far as reporting about my trip, but it's so nice to be home and not living out of a pack. I love lying in my own bed with my stupid cats and not having to wear the same 5 outfits over and over and over and over again. I had also missed my idiot flat mate and all my other friends in Seoul. While its sad my big trip is over, it's also lovely to be home.
Today is my first day back to school and I feel pretty happy about that. I missed my students and I missed my co-workers. Plus I have new Hello Kitty slippers and that adds tons of confidence ;)
I know I'm getting ahead of myself as far as reporting about my trip, but it's so nice to be home and not living out of a pack. I love lying in my own bed with my stupid cats and not having to wear the same 5 outfits over and over and over and over again. I had also missed my idiot flat mate and all my other friends in Seoul. While its sad my big trip is over, it's also lovely to be home.
Friday 20 November 2009
Catching Up
Wow, the last half of the trip whipped by! In India, it was easy to slip off and spend an hour or so at the internet cafe because I was by myself. I'll post country highlights starting today and finish up by the end of the weekend. I know all of you are sitting by your computers, waiting for me to post (ha ha) so I'll put some pep in my step.
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Sad Face
I have to leave Mcleod Ganj to go back to Delhi tomorrow...BIG FROWNY FACE.
Seriously, I love this town like a fat kid loves cake. On this trip, I've been ready to leave towns at the appointed time (sometimes earlier!) but right now...I am afraid I'm going to cry when I leave. But you know what? I am coming back here, I know it, and it won't be for just a week. I'm already plotting and planning a 2-6 month stay here after my next contract is up in 2011.
This town has been magical for me. I've taken cooking classes, volunteered at English classes, bought a ton of products made by Tibetan refugees, and finally relaxed after nearly 4 weeks of Indian travel. India is an exhausting country to travel in and I really can't stress enough how relaxing this place is compared to everywhere else I've been this month.
Tomorrow, I head out for Panthankot in the Punjab. I'm going to take a "toy train" there. It's a narrow gauge train with about 20 people to a car and it goes super slow. The route goes through the Kangar Valley and it's supposed to be really lovely. The ride is going to be about 5 hours.
In Panthankot, I am connecting with the overnight train to Delhi and should arrive there about 11 am. I shall then begin the arduous task of uploading my photos from India and Nepal and then posting them. It's going to be a massive pain in the ass but I want to do it then because a) I hate Delhi and I want to hide out in an internet cafe the entire time and b) if I let the pictures build up and add Turkey, etc. into the mix, it'll be unmanageable.
Alright, I'm off to enjoy my last night in the best little mountain in India. SNIFF!
Seriously, I love this town like a fat kid loves cake. On this trip, I've been ready to leave towns at the appointed time (sometimes earlier!) but right now...I am afraid I'm going to cry when I leave. But you know what? I am coming back here, I know it, and it won't be for just a week. I'm already plotting and planning a 2-6 month stay here after my next contract is up in 2011.
This town has been magical for me. I've taken cooking classes, volunteered at English classes, bought a ton of products made by Tibetan refugees, and finally relaxed after nearly 4 weeks of Indian travel. India is an exhausting country to travel in and I really can't stress enough how relaxing this place is compared to everywhere else I've been this month.
Tomorrow, I head out for Panthankot in the Punjab. I'm going to take a "toy train" there. It's a narrow gauge train with about 20 people to a car and it goes super slow. The route goes through the Kangar Valley and it's supposed to be really lovely. The ride is going to be about 5 hours.
In Panthankot, I am connecting with the overnight train to Delhi and should arrive there about 11 am. I shall then begin the arduous task of uploading my photos from India and Nepal and then posting them. It's going to be a massive pain in the ass but I want to do it then because a) I hate Delhi and I want to hide out in an internet cafe the entire time and b) if I let the pictures build up and add Turkey, etc. into the mix, it'll be unmanageable.
Alright, I'm off to enjoy my last night in the best little mountain in India. SNIFF!
Monday 5 October 2009
Indiaaaaaa
Alright, highlights (in chronological order, more or less)
The Taj Mahal
The Taj mother fuckin' Mahal, people. It was so beautiful that my chest hurt. I cried. I could not stop taking photos. It was just breathtaking and nothing prepares you for it. I had to walk through a "gate" and I could see the Taj through the portal and then BAM! There it is, behind a reflecting pool. I went early in the morning so it wasn't too crowded and I spent ages just sitting and gazing at it. Incredible.
Udaipur
Udaipur is in southern Rajasthan and it is so pretty. The fort/palace was built on a lake is it's considered the most picturesque in Rajasthan. The palace inside was beautiful and I wandered around in it for ages before going on a lovely lake cruise. Also, the vibe of the city was nice. While there was still people trying to sell things every two steps, it was not as pushy as other places I've been. Also, I met Mohammad, the sweetest old man ever. We took a picture together and he gave me his address so I can send it to him when I get home.
Jodhpur Fort
Jodhpur itself is nothing special but holy crap, the fort there is THE fort to end all forts, and that's saying something in Rajasthan. First off, the setting couldn't be more dramatic. Jodhpur is pretty much flat and then there's a huge bluff with the fort on top. Lemme see if I can find a picture....ah, here we go:
Inside, it's just as impressive...and huge! I took the (very excellent) audio tour and went through the whole damn thing.
Jaisalmer Fort:
The fort is not only very pretty but it still has people living in it! It's about 80% Brahmin and 20% Rajput and it's an actual vibrant living fort. Very very cool.
Sleeping in the desert:
Words cannot describe the night sky I saw. It was stars horizon to horizon. I felt like I was in a snow globe.
The Golden Temple:
The Golden Temple is more or less in the middle of a pool in a marble courtyard. It's stunning and very spiritual. It's also busy all damn day, every day. Every Sikh tries to make at least one pilgrimage to the Golden Temple and it's filled with all sorts. There's a ritual just to walking in the temple and it works to create this atmosphere of utter respect and reverence. The priests (wrong word but I don't know what they're called) are continuously chanting from their holy book over the speakers and it's so unearthly. I had to wait for ages in line to go into the actual temple but it was totally worth it.
The lowlights include a wildly disappointing visit to Pushkar, sexual harassment from a chai wallah, and an awful 24 hour journey through the Punjab but why dwell? The good has outweighed the bad and I'm having a wonderful time.
The Taj Mahal
The Taj mother fuckin' Mahal, people. It was so beautiful that my chest hurt. I cried. I could not stop taking photos. It was just breathtaking and nothing prepares you for it. I had to walk through a "gate" and I could see the Taj through the portal and then BAM! There it is, behind a reflecting pool. I went early in the morning so it wasn't too crowded and I spent ages just sitting and gazing at it. Incredible.
Udaipur
Udaipur is in southern Rajasthan and it is so pretty. The fort/palace was built on a lake is it's considered the most picturesque in Rajasthan. The palace inside was beautiful and I wandered around in it for ages before going on a lovely lake cruise. Also, the vibe of the city was nice. While there was still people trying to sell things every two steps, it was not as pushy as other places I've been. Also, I met Mohammad, the sweetest old man ever. We took a picture together and he gave me his address so I can send it to him when I get home.
Jodhpur Fort
Jodhpur itself is nothing special but holy crap, the fort there is THE fort to end all forts, and that's saying something in Rajasthan. First off, the setting couldn't be more dramatic. Jodhpur is pretty much flat and then there's a huge bluff with the fort on top. Lemme see if I can find a picture....ah, here we go:
Inside, it's just as impressive...and huge! I took the (very excellent) audio tour and went through the whole damn thing.
Jaisalmer Fort:
The fort is not only very pretty but it still has people living in it! It's about 80% Brahmin and 20% Rajput and it's an actual vibrant living fort. Very very cool.
Sleeping in the desert:
Words cannot describe the night sky I saw. It was stars horizon to horizon. I felt like I was in a snow globe.
The Golden Temple:
The Golden Temple is more or less in the middle of a pool in a marble courtyard. It's stunning and very spiritual. It's also busy all damn day, every day. Every Sikh tries to make at least one pilgrimage to the Golden Temple and it's filled with all sorts. There's a ritual just to walking in the temple and it works to create this atmosphere of utter respect and reverence. The priests (wrong word but I don't know what they're called) are continuously chanting from their holy book over the speakers and it's so unearthly. I had to wait for ages in line to go into the actual temple but it was totally worth it.
The lowlights include a wildly disappointing visit to Pushkar, sexual harassment from a chai wallah, and an awful 24 hour journey through the Punjab but why dwell? The good has outweighed the bad and I'm having a wonderful time.
Sunday 4 October 2009
Sidenote Entry: Mcleod Ganj
Hi all. I know I've not updated since Varanasi and I will, very soon, but I wanted to write about my first impression of Mcleod Ganj before it escapes me.
Mcleod Ganj is the exile home of the Dalai Lama and it's the main community of exiled Tibetans. It has a monastery, temple, stupa, and prayer wheels and it's often called Little Lhasa. The town is absolutely gorgeous, set on a mountain, and has amazing views of the valley below. I'm glad I saved it for last because I would have stayed here the entire four weeks.
But...there's a sadness to the town. It's important not to forget that this is basically a refugee camp. I went to the Tibetan museum this afternoon and it was so sad. Tibetans have had the country stolen from them and for the people who escaped to India, they can never go back.
Now, I was thinking about this in personal terms. My great-grandmother grew up in San Francisco and for Americans, having four generations grow up in the same town (and really, the same neighborhood) is very rare. San Francisco is my home and my family has deep roots, is my point. I can't imagine being exiled from the city, having my children or grandchildren never see the place our family grew from. It would be heartbreaking.
Now put that in to terms for the Tibetans and it makes me so deeply sad for them. It's incomprehensible.
I've always been a supporter of the Free Tibet movement (who remembers me gathering signatures to start a chapter of Students for a Free Tibet in college?) but now that I've seen first hand the results of the invasion....ugh. I don't see myself going to China any time soon.
Mcleod Ganj is the exile home of the Dalai Lama and it's the main community of exiled Tibetans. It has a monastery, temple, stupa, and prayer wheels and it's often called Little Lhasa. The town is absolutely gorgeous, set on a mountain, and has amazing views of the valley below. I'm glad I saved it for last because I would have stayed here the entire four weeks.
But...there's a sadness to the town. It's important not to forget that this is basically a refugee camp. I went to the Tibetan museum this afternoon and it was so sad. Tibetans have had the country stolen from them and for the people who escaped to India, they can never go back.
Now, I was thinking about this in personal terms. My great-grandmother grew up in San Francisco and for Americans, having four generations grow up in the same town (and really, the same neighborhood) is very rare. San Francisco is my home and my family has deep roots, is my point. I can't imagine being exiled from the city, having my children or grandchildren never see the place our family grew from. It would be heartbreaking.
Now put that in to terms for the Tibetans and it makes me so deeply sad for them. It's incomprehensible.
I've always been a supporter of the Free Tibet movement (who remembers me gathering signatures to start a chapter of Students for a Free Tibet in college?) but now that I've seen first hand the results of the invasion....ugh. I don't see myself going to China any time soon.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Varanasi
I'm on my way out of Varanasi this evening and following a 13 hour train ride, I'll be in Agra.
Varanasi has been...well, a bit off to be honest. I had a hellish time getting here from Kathmandu. I had to take an 8 hour ride to a shitty Indian border town, where I hid in my (wildly over-priced) hotel room, watching CSI:New York with Hindi subtitles. Then I had to take a 6 hour train ride to Varanasi only to arrive at 5 am. I got to my hotel and passed out until 11 am.
Now, here's where I did something stupid. I decided to go out right then, instead of waiting a bit to avoid the noon heat. No smart. I went to Sarnath, a town about 5km north where the Buddha preached his first sermon. It was great but I nearly fainted from the heat and had to go back to the hotel to rest for the rest of the day. It was lame.
The next day, I planned much better. I got up at 4:45 and hauled ass to the Ganges so I could get on a boat and see the sunrise. It was absolutely beautiful. People, mostly men, were doing puja in the river. Puja is the Hindu show of devotion, offering something to the gods, ringing a bell to let the gods know the offering is there, saying a mantra, and in this case dunking themselves in the holiest river in India.
I also saw the body burning ghats but I didn't notice any bodies or anything. I wasn't searching too hard, though, so maybe there were.
After checking out some temples, I went back to my hotel to wait out the 11-3 hours when the sun is hottest. I took a nice refreshing nap and headed back to Old Town and saw the Muslim quarters where they make silk products. All by hand, yo! It was pretty cool to see and I bought a gift for my hosts in Ghent.
I went back to the ghats in the evening to see the evening puja ritual. It was ok but not nearly as beautiful or spiritual as the morning. It's hard to appreciate the spirituality of a moment when small children are trying to sell you fans, bindi dye, etc.
Varanasi was nice but I am eager to move on.
Varanasi has been...well, a bit off to be honest. I had a hellish time getting here from Kathmandu. I had to take an 8 hour ride to a shitty Indian border town, where I hid in my (wildly over-priced) hotel room, watching CSI:New York with Hindi subtitles. Then I had to take a 6 hour train ride to Varanasi only to arrive at 5 am. I got to my hotel and passed out until 11 am.
Now, here's where I did something stupid. I decided to go out right then, instead of waiting a bit to avoid the noon heat. No smart. I went to Sarnath, a town about 5km north where the Buddha preached his first sermon. It was great but I nearly fainted from the heat and had to go back to the hotel to rest for the rest of the day. It was lame.
The next day, I planned much better. I got up at 4:45 and hauled ass to the Ganges so I could get on a boat and see the sunrise. It was absolutely beautiful. People, mostly men, were doing puja in the river. Puja is the Hindu show of devotion, offering something to the gods, ringing a bell to let the gods know the offering is there, saying a mantra, and in this case dunking themselves in the holiest river in India.
I also saw the body burning ghats but I didn't notice any bodies or anything. I wasn't searching too hard, though, so maybe there were.
After checking out some temples, I went back to my hotel to wait out the 11-3 hours when the sun is hottest. I took a nice refreshing nap and headed back to Old Town and saw the Muslim quarters where they make silk products. All by hand, yo! It was pretty cool to see and I bought a gift for my hosts in Ghent.
I went back to the ghats in the evening to see the evening puja ritual. It was ok but not nearly as beautiful or spiritual as the morning. It's hard to appreciate the spirituality of a moment when small children are trying to sell you fans, bindi dye, etc.
Varanasi was nice but I am eager to move on.
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Pokhara
I am currently in Pokhara, about 200 km west of Kathmandu. It's absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. I literally gasped when I saw the lake that the city is named for. Just amazing...
The day after I got in, I left for a four day trek to Poon Hill. It had been recommended by several people and I was super excited for it. Ram, my fearless guide, and I took the bus to Naya Pul and began our trek from there. We hiked for about three hours to a tea house and settled there for the night.
The next day was absolute hell. We had to climb about 2,000 (give or take) stone stairs up to Ghorepani. I got sick about 30 minutes in and puked up everything I had eaten for breakfast, but we pressed on. About that time, it started raining and throughout the entire day, it was a steady drizzle of rain and we were soaked pretty early on. We stopped for some delicious potato soup and black tea (and to dry out our raincoats) and at about 3 pm we finally hit Ghorepani and sat in front of the fire, trying to get feeling back in our toes.
This guesthouse was pretty funny, all the rooms had the names of famous athletes on the doors and the owner was very loud and accommodating. I had the most delicious Tibetan bread with jam there. I cannot tell you how lovely the hot bread was, along with a cup of tea, after changing into dry clothes and sitting in front of the fire. It was one of the purest moments of pleasure I've ever had.
The next day, we were supposed to get up at 4 and see the sun rise over the Himalayas but there was a fucking rain storm and no one could see anything. I am trying to be very zen about it but it was a pretty bitter disappointment. Even more so was the fact that we had to start on our way down in this rain storm. Ram made me buy a huge plastic bag, which he then cut head and arm holes into, and I had to wear that the whole way down. Tres chic.
At the same spot I got sick at the day before, I got sick again but this time much worse. I began violently throwing up and my head hurt so bad I thought it was going to burst. I was running a fever and felt all kinds of dizzy but I managed to trek back to our first guest house and made it to the bed there. It was awful but Ram was really nice and he got me Sprite to settle my stomach. He told the owner of the guest house what happened and the owner thought I was haunted by the spirits of the people who died in a landslide at that spot 3 years ago. Huh.
I felt much better the next day and we made an early start back to Pokhara. We were home by about 3 and I spent the rest of the day returning to normal...shower, hair wash, massage, etc. My calves are in so much freaking pain, I can barely walk but it was worth it for the amazing trek. The limited views I saw were still pretty incredible and just doing the trek made me feel like I accomplished something. It was my first ever and wow, was it a mental challenge.
Today is a down day in Pokhara and tomorrow I take the bus back to Kathmandu. I leave the day after for India! Very excited...
The day after I got in, I left for a four day trek to Poon Hill. It had been recommended by several people and I was super excited for it. Ram, my fearless guide, and I took the bus to Naya Pul and began our trek from there. We hiked for about three hours to a tea house and settled there for the night.
The next day was absolute hell. We had to climb about 2,000 (give or take) stone stairs up to Ghorepani. I got sick about 30 minutes in and puked up everything I had eaten for breakfast, but we pressed on. About that time, it started raining and throughout the entire day, it was a steady drizzle of rain and we were soaked pretty early on. We stopped for some delicious potato soup and black tea (and to dry out our raincoats) and at about 3 pm we finally hit Ghorepani and sat in front of the fire, trying to get feeling back in our toes.
This guesthouse was pretty funny, all the rooms had the names of famous athletes on the doors and the owner was very loud and accommodating. I had the most delicious Tibetan bread with jam there. I cannot tell you how lovely the hot bread was, along with a cup of tea, after changing into dry clothes and sitting in front of the fire. It was one of the purest moments of pleasure I've ever had.
The next day, we were supposed to get up at 4 and see the sun rise over the Himalayas but there was a fucking rain storm and no one could see anything. I am trying to be very zen about it but it was a pretty bitter disappointment. Even more so was the fact that we had to start on our way down in this rain storm. Ram made me buy a huge plastic bag, which he then cut head and arm holes into, and I had to wear that the whole way down. Tres chic.
At the same spot I got sick at the day before, I got sick again but this time much worse. I began violently throwing up and my head hurt so bad I thought it was going to burst. I was running a fever and felt all kinds of dizzy but I managed to trek back to our first guest house and made it to the bed there. It was awful but Ram was really nice and he got me Sprite to settle my stomach. He told the owner of the guest house what happened and the owner thought I was haunted by the spirits of the people who died in a landslide at that spot 3 years ago. Huh.
I felt much better the next day and we made an early start back to Pokhara. We were home by about 3 and I spent the rest of the day returning to normal...shower, hair wash, massage, etc. My calves are in so much freaking pain, I can barely walk but it was worth it for the amazing trek. The limited views I saw were still pretty incredible and just doing the trek made me feel like I accomplished something. It was my first ever and wow, was it a mental challenge.
Today is a down day in Pokhara and tomorrow I take the bus back to Kathmandu. I leave the day after for India! Very excited...
Thursday 3 September 2009
Ka-ka-ka-Kathmandu!
Hello, fair readers. I am now in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and it is awesome!
I got in on Monday, after a fairly standard airport experience. Getting a visa was a bit of a pain since it's all done by hand and it took a long time. Soon enough, though, I had it and ventured into the city. I got massively lost trying to find my hostel and sat down on a ledge to re-group when this wonderful Polish man found me and brought me to my guest house.
My guesthouse is called the Kathmandu Garden House and it lives up to its name completely. It's about a 5 minute walk from Thamel, the main tourist area, and that makes all the difference. All the traffic sounds are hushed as soon as you walk onto the guesthouse's street and you can smell the flowers and plants right away. It's such a lovely bit of quietness in the midst of a bustling and loud city, I love it.
I spent my first night recovering from the travel and didn't leave my guesthouse but I did meet two Americans and chatted for a bit with them. The next day, I took a rickshaw to Durbar Square, the famous historical part of Kathmandu with the temples that look like this:
I found a tour guide and he took me around (for a nominal fee, of course) and learned a ton about the 49 temples.
The best part, though, was going to the Kumari house. The Kumari is a living goddess, a manifestation of Durga/Cali. She is picked from a special Newar buddhist caste and she has to fulfill 32 physical requirements, can have no blemishes, must have the right horoscope, and finally has to endure tests like watching 104 animals sacraficed in front of her. If she doesn't freak out, she goes to the Cali temple and has to be locked in a room with hallucinogenic incense and severed animal heads. Again, if she doesn't freak out, that's your girl. She remains the Kumari until she gets her first period then the process starts again.
She comes out to a window of her inner courtyard about once a month and I happened to catch it. I was only with about 6 other people when she was carried to the window. She's four years old and absolutely adorable. She looked out the window, we all bowed and said "Namaste" and then she wandered away. Very interesting experience.
I went back to the hostel after taking a gazillion photos and ran into one of the Americans, Jon. We decided to go back to Durbar Square that evening because we heard there was going to be a big festival. Sadly, we were a couple days off but we did get to see a procession of young men/boys led by an elephant puppet.
Yesterday, I woke up early-ish and Jon and I hauled ass to the monkey temple at the edge of town:
We had to climb a lot of stairs to get to the top but oh, man. Not only is the stupa beautiful and spiritual, but the view of the Kathmandu valley from the top of the hill was stunning. The clouds were just amazing and you could see for ages. The stupa itself, like I said, was pretty incredible too. We spent the evening at Durbar Square again, hoping to see some action but again failing. After, we got accidentally drunk and had to stagger home. Very fun.
I got up at 5:45 this morning to catch the 7:00 am bus to Pokhara, only to be told there were protests on the highway and all buses were canceled. Big time bummer but I'm using this extra day to catching up on journaling/blogging, writing postcards, and laundry.
I got in on Monday, after a fairly standard airport experience. Getting a visa was a bit of a pain since it's all done by hand and it took a long time. Soon enough, though, I had it and ventured into the city. I got massively lost trying to find my hostel and sat down on a ledge to re-group when this wonderful Polish man found me and brought me to my guest house.
My guesthouse is called the Kathmandu Garden House and it lives up to its name completely. It's about a 5 minute walk from Thamel, the main tourist area, and that makes all the difference. All the traffic sounds are hushed as soon as you walk onto the guesthouse's street and you can smell the flowers and plants right away. It's such a lovely bit of quietness in the midst of a bustling and loud city, I love it.
I spent my first night recovering from the travel and didn't leave my guesthouse but I did meet two Americans and chatted for a bit with them. The next day, I took a rickshaw to Durbar Square, the famous historical part of Kathmandu with the temples that look like this:
I found a tour guide and he took me around (for a nominal fee, of course) and learned a ton about the 49 temples.
The best part, though, was going to the Kumari house. The Kumari is a living goddess, a manifestation of Durga/Cali. She is picked from a special Newar buddhist caste and she has to fulfill 32 physical requirements, can have no blemishes, must have the right horoscope, and finally has to endure tests like watching 104 animals sacraficed in front of her. If she doesn't freak out, she goes to the Cali temple and has to be locked in a room with hallucinogenic incense and severed animal heads. Again, if she doesn't freak out, that's your girl. She remains the Kumari until she gets her first period then the process starts again.
She comes out to a window of her inner courtyard about once a month and I happened to catch it. I was only with about 6 other people when she was carried to the window. She's four years old and absolutely adorable. She looked out the window, we all bowed and said "Namaste" and then she wandered away. Very interesting experience.
I went back to the hostel after taking a gazillion photos and ran into one of the Americans, Jon. We decided to go back to Durbar Square that evening because we heard there was going to be a big festival. Sadly, we were a couple days off but we did get to see a procession of young men/boys led by an elephant puppet.
Yesterday, I woke up early-ish and Jon and I hauled ass to the monkey temple at the edge of town:
We had to climb a lot of stairs to get to the top but oh, man. Not only is the stupa beautiful and spiritual, but the view of the Kathmandu valley from the top of the hill was stunning. The clouds were just amazing and you could see for ages. The stupa itself, like I said, was pretty incredible too. We spent the evening at Durbar Square again, hoping to see some action but again failing. After, we got accidentally drunk and had to stagger home. Very fun.
I got up at 5:45 this morning to catch the 7:00 am bus to Pokhara, only to be told there were protests on the highway and all buses were canceled. Big time bummer but I'm using this extra day to catching up on journaling/blogging, writing postcards, and laundry.
Sunday 30 August 2009
Delhi
I'm in a cyber cafe in Delhi right now, exhausted, jet lagged, and totally ready for bed at 6 pm. Oh, dear.
My flight over was rough. The turbulence, combined with my makkoli hangover, resulted in my barfing during a particularly bad patch. A flight attendant was sitting next to me and I was mortified. However, I had my entire middle row to myself and I got to spread out and go to sleep for a large chunk of the flight. Customs was a breeze, found my airport pick up right away and had an uneventful trip to the guest house.
I wandered over to the local gov't tourist board and planned my trip out and I'm excited because I get to go to Dharmasala, which is where the Dalai Llama lives! I wasn't sure I was going to have enough time but I had plenty so assah! Then, because I spent so much money, they gave me a complimentary (read: just had to tip the driver) private tour of Delhi.
I saw sooo much in about 3 hours. I went to the Gate of India, the Jahan mosque, the Red Fort, the Bahaii Temple, the Ghandi House, the Parliament building and the Presidential Residence, and back again. The mosque was the highlight, I was given a tour by a mute dude who would point and pantomime the information he wanted to get across. I climbed up one of the minarets and had an absolutely breathtaking view of the city.
Delhi is very, very different from Mumbai. Mumbai is a city's city and full of this energy that I can't articulate but I felt it the minute I got there. Delhi is much more like a giant village that just kept spreading and spreading. It's a LOT dirtier than Mumbai and much more conservative. I had to buy a couple long skirts today because my shorts, which go down to my knee, and my t-shirt are way too flash. My tour guide informed me that I am showing too much skin. I'm a whore lady!
Any how, I am now kinda bored and wishing I could go to bed and wake up in Kathmandu because, honestly, Delhi is not my kind of city. But I'm going to find a nice little place where I can read and sip chai and chill out.
My flight over was rough. The turbulence, combined with my makkoli hangover, resulted in my barfing during a particularly bad patch. A flight attendant was sitting next to me and I was mortified. However, I had my entire middle row to myself and I got to spread out and go to sleep for a large chunk of the flight. Customs was a breeze, found my airport pick up right away and had an uneventful trip to the guest house.
I wandered over to the local gov't tourist board and planned my trip out and I'm excited because I get to go to Dharmasala, which is where the Dalai Llama lives! I wasn't sure I was going to have enough time but I had plenty so assah! Then, because I spent so much money, they gave me a complimentary (read: just had to tip the driver) private tour of Delhi.
I saw sooo much in about 3 hours. I went to the Gate of India, the Jahan mosque, the Red Fort, the Bahaii Temple, the Ghandi House, the Parliament building and the Presidential Residence, and back again. The mosque was the highlight, I was given a tour by a mute dude who would point and pantomime the information he wanted to get across. I climbed up one of the minarets and had an absolutely breathtaking view of the city.
Delhi is very, very different from Mumbai. Mumbai is a city's city and full of this energy that I can't articulate but I felt it the minute I got there. Delhi is much more like a giant village that just kept spreading and spreading. It's a LOT dirtier than Mumbai and much more conservative. I had to buy a couple long skirts today because my shorts, which go down to my knee, and my t-shirt are way too flash. My tour guide informed me that I am showing too much skin. I'm a whore lady!
Any how, I am now kinda bored and wishing I could go to bed and wake up in Kathmandu because, honestly, Delhi is not my kind of city. But I'm going to find a nice little place where I can read and sip chai and chill out.
Saturday 29 August 2009
Mishap #1
Jesus H. Chrizzle, I just wrote almost an entire post and somehow managed to delete it. GRRRRRR!!!!
The gist was, my first mishap has occured and I haven't even left Korea. As I was waiting for the shuttle to the airport, I discovered my camera wasn't acknowledging battery power. I changed the set a couple times, nothing worked. I went to the airport electronics store but they were no help so I ended up buying a smaller point and shoot so I have a camera for the trip. I'm starting to think I may have jumped the gun but I'd rather scrimp for a bit and spend the $289 to make sure I have a camera than be on this trip and have nothing.
Words cannot express how disappointed I am with my camera. Clearly, not a game day player. I think it let me down so bad because I didn't name it so I've named my snazzy little Canon "GoldMember," since he's gold.
A minor mishap occured last night when I realized Big Blue, my old faithful pack, was too small for the trip. My friend Aviam lent me his bigger pack but damn it, it has a maple leaf with "Canada" on it...!!! The ultimate racist against Canadians is stuck with a maple leaf! Karma sucks.
The gist was, my first mishap has occured and I haven't even left Korea. As I was waiting for the shuttle to the airport, I discovered my camera wasn't acknowledging battery power. I changed the set a couple times, nothing worked. I went to the airport electronics store but they were no help so I ended up buying a smaller point and shoot so I have a camera for the trip. I'm starting to think I may have jumped the gun but I'd rather scrimp for a bit and spend the $289 to make sure I have a camera than be on this trip and have nothing.
Words cannot express how disappointed I am with my camera. Clearly, not a game day player. I think it let me down so bad because I didn't name it so I've named my snazzy little Canon "GoldMember," since he's gold.
A minor mishap occured last night when I realized Big Blue, my old faithful pack, was too small for the trip. My friend Aviam lent me his bigger pack but damn it, it has a maple leaf with "Canada" on it...!!! The ultimate racist against Canadians is stuck with a maple leaf! Karma sucks.
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Little Moments of Happiness...
Right now, I'm wearing my favorite t-shirt ("Obama For Your Mama"), watching/listening to The Daily Show, and sipping an Asahi. Claudie is passed out at the foot of my bed and the fan is keeping me cool. Life is good.
And this is going to sound absolutely insane, but I know I'm going to be a little homesick on my trip. I like my life in Seoul, I love my apartment and my cats, I love my friends and I mostly love my job. I'm not running away or avoiding anything and so of course I'm going to miss it. I'm going to see some amazing places and do some amazing things but I'm going to miss by stupid cats so much.
Monday 27 July 2009
Jisan Valley Was Intense
Well, I survived the Jisan Valley Rock Festival by the skin of my teeth.
Dan and I left Seoul on Friday afternoon as soon as I finished work. On the subway, before we had even left Seoul, Dan whipped out the soju and fruit juice cocktails and we took our first steps along the path of complete debauchery. We would not stray from that path for the entire weekend.
The Friday night headliner act was Weezer and the 14 year old Nicole emerged and was swooning all over Rivers Cuomo, even though he's balding and looking a bit rough around the edges. They played a lot of their old stuff, which was amazing, and some new stuff, which was less amazing. Dan and I reached a point of drunkenness that lead us to sing racist England chants ("There were 10 German bombers in the air....but the RAF from England shot one down!...") and to pee in random places along the way back to our tents. Ah, camping!
On Saturday, we were joined by Ben and Aaron, who brought the soju. Saturday was more about our crazy drunken antics than the music but that was ok. We had a lot of fun. I was covered in neon pink paint and at some point in the afternoon, the boys decided the giant inflated Jaegermeister bottle was their enemy and had to be taken down. I nearly wet my pants laughing when two of them ran at it and rugby tackled it, only to bounce off. When Basement Jaxx came on on Saturday, Dan and I climbed up the towers where the cameras were and saw the whole crowd from a bird's eye view. It was pretty incredible.
Sunday was a bit horrible. We were all deathly hungover and couldn't do anything but lie in the grass and sip at beers. No one really woke up until about 8 pm and then we all realized we were drunk from sipping at beer all day. Jet was pretty good plus they were really good lookin'.
The main event, of course, was Oasis and they were pretty fucking awesome. We had to battle to get good spots and then continued fighting to keep them but it was totally worth is. I absolutely love the song Don't Look Back in Anger and they played it, which made me extremely happy. They were just brilliant. Liam Gallagher said "I don't know where we are or what festival we're at but you're all the bullocks" and really, I feel like that summed up the weekend.
Getting back was a horrific experience that does not need to be described but suffice it to say I was an absolute mess today. I am so happy to be back in my own bed with my fan and the cats. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll start feeling human again....but totally worth it!
Dan and I left Seoul on Friday afternoon as soon as I finished work. On the subway, before we had even left Seoul, Dan whipped out the soju and fruit juice cocktails and we took our first steps along the path of complete debauchery. We would not stray from that path for the entire weekend.
The Friday night headliner act was Weezer and the 14 year old Nicole emerged and was swooning all over Rivers Cuomo, even though he's balding and looking a bit rough around the edges. They played a lot of their old stuff, which was amazing, and some new stuff, which was less amazing. Dan and I reached a point of drunkenness that lead us to sing racist England chants ("There were 10 German bombers in the air....but the RAF from England shot one down!...") and to pee in random places along the way back to our tents. Ah, camping!
On Saturday, we were joined by Ben and Aaron, who brought the soju. Saturday was more about our crazy drunken antics than the music but that was ok. We had a lot of fun. I was covered in neon pink paint and at some point in the afternoon, the boys decided the giant inflated Jaegermeister bottle was their enemy and had to be taken down. I nearly wet my pants laughing when two of them ran at it and rugby tackled it, only to bounce off. When Basement Jaxx came on on Saturday, Dan and I climbed up the towers where the cameras were and saw the whole crowd from a bird's eye view. It was pretty incredible.
Sunday was a bit horrible. We were all deathly hungover and couldn't do anything but lie in the grass and sip at beers. No one really woke up until about 8 pm and then we all realized we were drunk from sipping at beer all day. Jet was pretty good plus they were really good lookin'.
The main event, of course, was Oasis and they were pretty fucking awesome. We had to battle to get good spots and then continued fighting to keep them but it was totally worth is. I absolutely love the song Don't Look Back in Anger and they played it, which made me extremely happy. They were just brilliant. Liam Gallagher said "I don't know where we are or what festival we're at but you're all the bullocks" and really, I feel like that summed up the weekend.
Getting back was a horrific experience that does not need to be described but suffice it to say I was an absolute mess today. I am so happy to be back in my own bed with my fan and the cats. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll start feeling human again....but totally worth it!
Monday 20 July 2009
40 Days, bitches!!
That's right, I am 40 days away from the start of the Big Trip!
Things are finally (...FINALLY!!) starting to come together. I have a substitute, my flat is settled, the cats have babysitters, and I am almost done buying everything I need for the trip.
I've started booking hostels and flights, which is not only tremendously exciting but also makes the trip feel a lot more real. For some reason, reserving my airport pickup from the Delhi airport nearly gave me a heart attack.
I have lots of (cheap) fun planned for my remaining time in Seoul. This weekend is the Jisan Valley music festival. I get to see Weezer and Oasis, along with a bunch of smaller bands. It's my friend Dan's last weekend in Korea so it's going to be a lot of fun and a lot of booze...aigo!
Speaking of leaving, Steve the Aussie has left Korea. Very very sad about this. We had a massive night out and the two of us danced like fools to "Rasputin." That is one of the worst things about living abroad, people are always leaving...but then, people are always arriving, too.
Things are finally (...FINALLY!!) starting to come together. I have a substitute, my flat is settled, the cats have babysitters, and I am almost done buying everything I need for the trip.
I've started booking hostels and flights, which is not only tremendously exciting but also makes the trip feel a lot more real. For some reason, reserving my airport pickup from the Delhi airport nearly gave me a heart attack.
I have lots of (cheap) fun planned for my remaining time in Seoul. This weekend is the Jisan Valley music festival. I get to see Weezer and Oasis, along with a bunch of smaller bands. It's my friend Dan's last weekend in Korea so it's going to be a lot of fun and a lot of booze...aigo!
Speaking of leaving, Steve the Aussie has left Korea. Very very sad about this. We had a massive night out and the two of us danced like fools to "Rasputin." That is one of the worst things about living abroad, people are always leaving...but then, people are always arriving, too.
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Waxing Philosophical After A Birthday
Well, dear readers, I am now 28 years old. I have to say, I've been hearing for years how the late 20s are when you blossom, when you're most comfortable with yourself and blah blah blah. And you know what? It's true.
This year, my birthday present to myself is this: I am going to stop trying to be what I'm not and stop beating myself up for not being that.
It's a little difficult to articulate exactly what I mean by that but the blog is a good example. I am constantly berating myself for not updating more and in a more logical manner but the truth is, sometimes I'm too busy living my life to write about it.
June and July (so far) have been difficult, for many reasons. There are times I felt that everything that could go wrong have and it's been very frustrating. I had a lovely birthday that made me feel like maybe I've turned the corner and I'm going to take that feeling and run with it.
It's no secret I've been listening to Graceland a lot lately and there's a reason beyond the fact that it's a great album. I'll leave you with this:
There is a girl in New York City,
Who calls herself the human trampoline,
And sometimes when I'm falling flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Whoa so this is what she means,
She means we're bouncing into Graceland
This year, my birthday present to myself is this: I am going to stop trying to be what I'm not and stop beating myself up for not being that.
It's a little difficult to articulate exactly what I mean by that but the blog is a good example. I am constantly berating myself for not updating more and in a more logical manner but the truth is, sometimes I'm too busy living my life to write about it.
June and July (so far) have been difficult, for many reasons. There are times I felt that everything that could go wrong have and it's been very frustrating. I had a lovely birthday that made me feel like maybe I've turned the corner and I'm going to take that feeling and run with it.
It's no secret I've been listening to Graceland a lot lately and there's a reason beyond the fact that it's a great album. I'll leave you with this:
There is a girl in New York City,
Who calls herself the human trampoline,
And sometimes when I'm falling flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Whoa so this is what she means,
She means we're bouncing into Graceland
Tuesday 9 June 2009
Things I Love About Korea, Part 1
Looking back on some posts, I feel like I've been a bit Debbie Downer about this fine country I live it and I'd like to rectify that. This is the first in a many-part series about things I love in/about Korea.
On Sunday, my friend Tony and I went to the jjim jil bang because I am convinced jjim jil bangs have special healing powers and I was getting over the last of my bronchitis.
(Side note: jjim jil bangs are like saunas but oh so much more. They've got karaoke rooms, a gym, sleeping rooms, sweating rooms and you hang out in it wearing special pajamas. I LOVE jjim jil bangs and they are, without a doubt, what I will miss most about Korea when I finally leave.)
Towards the end of our night, we were in this oxygen room chilling out and these two little kids came in with their mother. The older boy was about 7 and his brother was probably 3 or so and they were both super adorable. We waved hello to them and made silly faces at the 3 year old and they took that as invitation to come over. 7 year old started showing us his collection of trading cards and Chinese study cards and the 3 year was joking around with cushions and in general, being super cute. We ended up spending about 20 minutes playing with them and it was such a nice time. I adore kids at that age, there's nothing sarcastic or surly about them, they're just happy and sweet.
After, when we were in the taxi back home, Tony and I were talking about how that could never happen in the US or Australia. As soon as the 3 year old started climbing all over us, the mother would have grabbed them away or something but it's so normal to take care of/play with other people's children. I noticed that at my school's sports day. Kids are totally at ease with other adults and parents took care of the kids around them, regardless of who's child they actually were.
I really love that about this country and I told my adult students about Sunday. They said its because of what Koreans call 정. It's pronounced "jeong" and it's difficult to put into English but basically means the friend-love that binds everyone and everything. My student James said he and his pen have 정 because he has used that pen for over a week and now they have a relationship. It's kinda like the opposite of 한, which is the collective sorrow/shame Koreans share because of how many times their country has been invaded/colonized.
So that is one of the things I love about this country, the trust and shared love that they have for one another. Most of the time, us foreigners are excluded from it but when we are included, it's the best.
On Sunday, my friend Tony and I went to the jjim jil bang because I am convinced jjim jil bangs have special healing powers and I was getting over the last of my bronchitis.
(Side note: jjim jil bangs are like saunas but oh so much more. They've got karaoke rooms, a gym, sleeping rooms, sweating rooms and you hang out in it wearing special pajamas. I LOVE jjim jil bangs and they are, without a doubt, what I will miss most about Korea when I finally leave.)
Towards the end of our night, we were in this oxygen room chilling out and these two little kids came in with their mother. The older boy was about 7 and his brother was probably 3 or so and they were both super adorable. We waved hello to them and made silly faces at the 3 year old and they took that as invitation to come over. 7 year old started showing us his collection of trading cards and Chinese study cards and the 3 year was joking around with cushions and in general, being super cute. We ended up spending about 20 minutes playing with them and it was such a nice time. I adore kids at that age, there's nothing sarcastic or surly about them, they're just happy and sweet.
After, when we were in the taxi back home, Tony and I were talking about how that could never happen in the US or Australia. As soon as the 3 year old started climbing all over us, the mother would have grabbed them away or something but it's so normal to take care of/play with other people's children. I noticed that at my school's sports day. Kids are totally at ease with other adults and parents took care of the kids around them, regardless of who's child they actually were.
I really love that about this country and I told my adult students about Sunday. They said its because of what Koreans call 정. It's pronounced "jeong" and it's difficult to put into English but basically means the friend-love that binds everyone and everything. My student James said he and his pen have 정 because he has used that pen for over a week and now they have a relationship. It's kinda like the opposite of 한, which is the collective sorrow/shame Koreans share because of how many times their country has been invaded/colonized.
So that is one of the things I love about this country, the trust and shared love that they have for one another. Most of the time, us foreigners are excluded from it but when we are included, it's the best.
Saturday 6 June 2009
Ode to Boney M
Picture this: Seoul, early 2009. Nicole and Charles are at Studio 80s, drunk and looking to dance. Charles goes to the DJ, shouts something in his ear and comes back, grinning. A few minutes later, Nicole hears the crazy drum beats that she now knows signal the beginning of one of the greatest songs ever recorded, "Rasputin."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvDMlk3kSYg
Seriously, how did I live nearly 28 years without Boney M? Why are they virtually unknown in the States?? I urge all of you out there to get their greatest hits album, you will not be disappointed.
Thursday 4 June 2009
Bronchitis Sucks Balls
Who the hell gets bronchitis in June?!
I thought I was hungover at first. I went to dinner with some friends on Thursday night and ended up having a few glasses of white wine (it was a gorgeous night, I cannot be blamed) and I ended up having no voice on Friday. Didn't help that I had to teach 7 hours then went out to the bar then met up with a friend and stayed up very late only to get up and day booze all damn day on Saturday...it was a fun weekend. Sunday, I felt awful and I couldn't talk. Pretty soon, my breathing was becoming labored and I figured it was just my asthma so I went to the ER with my friend.
Oh, man. This was, without a doubt, one of the worst experiences I've had in this country. The male nurse was the biggest asshole ever who clearly did not like foreigners. He took blood from my wrist without explaining what he was going to do. It HURT!!!! He wiggled the needle while it was inside me and it hit bone. I was yelling in pain (Steve was shushing me....) and I was freaking out after that. I refused to let them do anything else to me and just used the breathing machine. After I was done, they didn't check my breathing again or anything, just told me to go home and come back the next morning to the clinic.
The rest of my experience has been fine but man, was I pissed about the ER visit. My wrist is still bruised and why WHY on earth would a nurse draw blood from there when I have perfectly good veins near my damn elbow? Anyhow, got x-rays done and the diagnosis was bronchitis. I've been taking anti-biotics since Monday and seriously, they made me feel overall worse but my breathing is a ton better. I really hate anti-biotics but I understand that's what you need to do for bronchitis. I get tired so easily so I have to rest a lot and its really frustrating. Work is absolutely exhausting and I've had to leave work early the two days I've worked this week. Sucks balls.
This weekend will be spent doing fun and sober activities. Not sure what those are yet....
I thought I was hungover at first. I went to dinner with some friends on Thursday night and ended up having a few glasses of white wine (it was a gorgeous night, I cannot be blamed) and I ended up having no voice on Friday. Didn't help that I had to teach 7 hours then went out to the bar then met up with a friend and stayed up very late only to get up and day booze all damn day on Saturday...it was a fun weekend. Sunday, I felt awful and I couldn't talk. Pretty soon, my breathing was becoming labored and I figured it was just my asthma so I went to the ER with my friend.
Oh, man. This was, without a doubt, one of the worst experiences I've had in this country. The male nurse was the biggest asshole ever who clearly did not like foreigners. He took blood from my wrist without explaining what he was going to do. It HURT!!!! He wiggled the needle while it was inside me and it hit bone. I was yelling in pain (Steve was shushing me....) and I was freaking out after that. I refused to let them do anything else to me and just used the breathing machine. After I was done, they didn't check my breathing again or anything, just told me to go home and come back the next morning to the clinic.
The rest of my experience has been fine but man, was I pissed about the ER visit. My wrist is still bruised and why WHY on earth would a nurse draw blood from there when I have perfectly good veins near my damn elbow? Anyhow, got x-rays done and the diagnosis was bronchitis. I've been taking anti-biotics since Monday and seriously, they made me feel overall worse but my breathing is a ton better. I really hate anti-biotics but I understand that's what you need to do for bronchitis. I get tired so easily so I have to rest a lot and its really frustrating. Work is absolutely exhausting and I've had to leave work early the two days I've worked this week. Sucks balls.
This weekend will be spent doing fun and sober activities. Not sure what those are yet....
Saturday 23 May 2009
Mulgogi Highting!
That is what I chant to myself when I'm doing my laps at the local pool. Mulgogi is "fish" (literally, water meat. Ha!) and "highting!" is a Korean cheer for sporting events (supposed to be "fighting" but them and their F sounds....)
Anyhow, yes, I am back in the pool after a long hiatus but I need to get in shape for the 8 day trek I want to do in Nepal. I'm three months out (holy crap!!!!!!!) and totally out of shape so here we are. A large reason I stopped going last year were the adjumas hogging up the slow lane and doing shit like just floating while people were trying to do laps. So far so good on that front.
The best benefit of swimming is how damn well I sleep. As some of you know, I've been having sleep problems for the past 7 months (haven't slept through the night in that entire time) and last night, I slept for a solid 6 hours and now I feel AWESOME! Absolutely loving it.
So yes, three months out from the Big Trip! I just bought my flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, the very first plan I've made. I've decided that I'm going to do Nepal first and spend about 2.5 weeks there and 3.5 weeks going through northwestern India. There is so much I want to see, 6 weeks isn't enough! Waaah, and my diamond shoes are too tight! But really, it has been a bit stressful trying to decide what my priorities are and budgeting and blah blah blah. Wish me luck!
Anyhow, yes, I am back in the pool after a long hiatus but I need to get in shape for the 8 day trek I want to do in Nepal. I'm three months out (holy crap!!!!!!!) and totally out of shape so here we are. A large reason I stopped going last year were the adjumas hogging up the slow lane and doing shit like just floating while people were trying to do laps. So far so good on that front.
The best benefit of swimming is how damn well I sleep. As some of you know, I've been having sleep problems for the past 7 months (haven't slept through the night in that entire time) and last night, I slept for a solid 6 hours and now I feel AWESOME! Absolutely loving it.
So yes, three months out from the Big Trip! I just bought my flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, the very first plan I've made. I've decided that I'm going to do Nepal first and spend about 2.5 weeks there and 3.5 weeks going through northwestern India. There is so much I want to see, 6 weeks isn't enough! Waaah, and my diamond shoes are too tight! But really, it has been a bit stressful trying to decide what my priorities are and budgeting and blah blah blah. Wish me luck!
Monday 4 May 2009
Long Weekend....assah!
Read it and weep, suckas. I am in the middle of a three day weekend and it is glorious. It's Children's Day on Tuesday so in exchange for working Saturday, I got Monday off and my stupid flatmate has to work tomorrow and I can't wait to wave him off to work and then go to a bbq. HA!
I've spent the weekend doing pretty much nothing. Yesterday, I went to a park to play kickball and drink Japanese beer. After, I headed off to a bbq and subsequently got drunk enough to agree to norae bang. At some point, I decided that it was going to be a makkoli night and it went rapidly downhill from there.
Today, I've nursed my hangover, made some cookies (they turned out shitty because Joel bough crappy butter), opened a bank account, bought travel speakers, and ate at Taco Taco Chili Fun Time (not real name).
Sports day at the school was fun but exhausting. I was there all damn day and little kids take so much out of you but my school has such a sense of community and the kiddies were so happy to show off for their parents.
I've spent the weekend doing pretty much nothing. Yesterday, I went to a park to play kickball and drink Japanese beer. After, I headed off to a bbq and subsequently got drunk enough to agree to norae bang. At some point, I decided that it was going to be a makkoli night and it went rapidly downhill from there.
Today, I've nursed my hangover, made some cookies (they turned out shitty because Joel bough crappy butter), opened a bank account, bought travel speakers, and ate at Taco Taco Chili Fun Time (not real name).
Sports day at the school was fun but exhausting. I was there all damn day and little kids take so much out of you but my school has such a sense of community and the kiddies were so happy to show off for their parents.
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Everyone will be relieved to read that after my crap Monday, today was much better. I had some great classes where I could see the little minds grasping onto the knowledge I was imparting. Best of all, on my way home I saw the sun setting over the Han River and reflecting off the buildings in Yeouido and it was gorgeous. What made it even better was seeing another person whip out her camera to capture it. Gorgeous sunsets don't come that often in Seoul!
Now there's a delicious banana bread in the oven, the cats are chilling out and not fighting each other, and Led Zeppelin II is playing on the big speakers. Ooooh yeah!
P.S. I don't know what's up with this flurry of blog activity but we're just gonna go with it.
Now there's a delicious banana bread in the oven, the cats are chilling out and not fighting each other, and Led Zeppelin II is playing on the big speakers. Ooooh yeah!
P.S. I don't know what's up with this flurry of blog activity but we're just gonna go with it.
Monday 27 April 2009
I Fought An Adjuma...
...and for the first damn time, the adjuma did NOT win!
Adjumas are older Korean women who are pushy and rude and will not hesitate to cut a bitch on the subway. I have been bullied and bruised by them for over two years now but today I had enough. I had opened my window on the bus because it was stuffy and this woman tried to close it, even though it wasn't even freaking blowing on her. Usually when this happens, I am cowed into submission by their glares but this morning, I said "no!" in Korean and kept it open. She gave me a nasty look and changed seats.
It's a minor victory but my heart soared nonetheless.
It brought up something that has niggled at me for the entire time I've been here. I'll never ever assimilate in Korea, I will always stick out. Even if I live here for 20 years and speak the language perfectly, I'll always stick out and sometimes, it's really freaking exhausting. I hate when locals giggle when I speak Korean, I hate when I ask for a service and I get a blank look and most of all, I HATE HATE HATE when I speak Korean and they look at me blankly because my accent isn't perfect.
On the other hand, it is a very enlightening experience that I think few Caucasians have. I wasn't even aware of how much I took for granted blending in where I lived. When you travel, it's one thing to look different. You're passing through and the whole point of travel is to see new things. When you live in a place, it's frustrating. I've been here for nearly two and a half years and I feel like I shouldn't still have to struggle so much but that's probably what its like for immigrants to the U.S. or other Western countries.
In other news, the weather here is miserable, Ninja has an infection on her tail, and I woke up to a huge pile a cat puke in the living room. Not one of my better Mondays...I'm going to google pictures of places in India to feel better.
Sunday 26 April 2009
The Ninja
When I moved to my new apartment, I agreed to adopt/foster The Ninja. She's pretty awesome (except when she's trying to eat my food or scratch the sofa) but her and Claude are off to a bit of a rocky start. They're not quite BFFs yet but they're getting there.
An Ode to JJ
My lovely friend Jamie (jamiejenson.blogspot.com) recently wrote a little something about our friendship and I'd like to return the favor as I ease myself back into the blogging.
I met Jamie very early in our freshman year at Rosemont. I'm sorry to say that I don't remember how exactly we met and a lot of my first year of college was a blur of homesickness and seasonal depression. Memories of Jamie really start popping up sophomore year of college. Highlights....
Jamie and I were inspired by Snoop Dogg and procured gin, juice, and ice. On our way up to her dorm room, the ice was tinkling against the gin bottle in a very suspicious manner. We were stopped by an R.A. and when questioned, we said we were doing a science project. We then proceeded to get very drunk and Jamie later tried to drink Ellen's contact solution.
Jamie and I took the WORST art history seminar ever. I've blocked the prof's name from my memory but it was on impressionism and it was the longest hour and a half every Tuesday and Thursday. If it weren't for J.Lo, I would have stabbed myself with a pencil to get out of it.
Jamie once found me passed out in the snow outside Heffernan. Kate Senior and Nicole Pascoe left me there after I decided I wanted to make snow angels. My memories are very fuzzy but apparently, Jamie found me while she was with some hotties. I owe my life to her!
During one of our cig breaks, we saw the Villanova cross country team running past us. Jamie wanted to trip one particularly good looking runner and I made a joke about how instead of doing first aid on him, she'd be humping his leg. She then said "Yeah, the EMTs would get here and I'd say 'wait! I'm almost there!'" It was the birth of our catch phrase.
She showed me a rockin' time around Hancock, NY one Easter. We saw Bridget Jones' Diary and cruised the city in her white pimp car. Good times!
Perfect Ten!
I've only seen Jamie once since graduation but that will be amended once I get back to the states. She is one sassy broad and I miss her tons!
I met Jamie very early in our freshman year at Rosemont. I'm sorry to say that I don't remember how exactly we met and a lot of my first year of college was a blur of homesickness and seasonal depression. Memories of Jamie really start popping up sophomore year of college. Highlights....
Jamie and I were inspired by Snoop Dogg and procured gin, juice, and ice. On our way up to her dorm room, the ice was tinkling against the gin bottle in a very suspicious manner. We were stopped by an R.A. and when questioned, we said we were doing a science project. We then proceeded to get very drunk and Jamie later tried to drink Ellen's contact solution.
Jamie and I took the WORST art history seminar ever. I've blocked the prof's name from my memory but it was on impressionism and it was the longest hour and a half every Tuesday and Thursday. If it weren't for J.Lo, I would have stabbed myself with a pencil to get out of it.
Jamie once found me passed out in the snow outside Heffernan. Kate Senior and Nicole Pascoe left me there after I decided I wanted to make snow angels. My memories are very fuzzy but apparently, Jamie found me while she was with some hotties. I owe my life to her!
During one of our cig breaks, we saw the Villanova cross country team running past us. Jamie wanted to trip one particularly good looking runner and I made a joke about how instead of doing first aid on him, she'd be humping his leg. She then said "Yeah, the EMTs would get here and I'd say 'wait! I'm almost there!'" It was the birth of our catch phrase.
She showed me a rockin' time around Hancock, NY one Easter. We saw Bridget Jones' Diary and cruised the city in her white pimp car. Good times!
Perfect Ten!
I've only seen Jamie once since graduation but that will be amended once I get back to the states. She is one sassy broad and I miss her tons!
Sunday 8 March 2009
Moving...bleh
As my dear readers know, I recently signed a new contract with my school, keep me in Seoul for about 16 more months, give or take a month. I decided I needed a change in my living situation if I was going to be here that long and lo and behold, friends of mine were leaving an awesome apartment. I snapped it up and in five days, I move into a apartment that has not only an oven but...hold on to your britches!...a dryer. I have not had dryer-fresh clothes since I was in the States, over a year ago. Oh, it's going to be heavenly.
The only bad part of all this is that I have to pack up two years worth of stuff. I came to Korea with a backpack and a large duffle bag. Now, I have everything you can think of. Kitchen stuff, tons of shoes/clothes/bags, a Rubenesque cat. I haven't moved in over two years (for me, that's a long long time) and I've gotten out of the habit.
One funny thought, though. As I pack things away, I find myself flicking away wall hangings that are no longer there and things like that. This apartment is incredibly familiar to me but when I first came to Seoul, I thought everything was so foreign, so different that I'd never get used to it. Ha.
The only bad part of all this is that I have to pack up two years worth of stuff. I came to Korea with a backpack and a large duffle bag. Now, I have everything you can think of. Kitchen stuff, tons of shoes/clothes/bags, a Rubenesque cat. I haven't moved in over two years (for me, that's a long long time) and I've gotten out of the habit.
One funny thought, though. As I pack things away, I find myself flicking away wall hangings that are no longer there and things like that. This apartment is incredibly familiar to me but when I first came to Seoul, I thought everything was so foreign, so different that I'd never get used to it. Ha.
Monday 2 March 2009
The BIG Trip!
Annyeong, chingus!
I think a lot of you know my big news but here it is in detail. I'm going on a three month round-the-world trip, leaving August 29th! I just bought my ticket last week and now all I have to do is save, save, save so I can shop shop shop.
First stop: Delhi! I will make my way to Nepal/Kathmandu via Agra (Taj Mahal) and Varanasi and I'll do a trek to the Annapurna base camp. I'll head back into India and my main priorities are visiting the states Punjab and Rajahstan. I'd like to go into a couple of the Himalayan states too but I'm not sure I'll have enough time. I'll be in the area for 6 weeks.
Second stop: Turkey! Erin is meeting me in Istanbul and I really couldn't be more excited about that. We haven't planned anything yet but I imagine we'll wander around the city for a few days before exploring more of the country.
Third stop: Holland/Belgium! This stop is to visit Felicia, who just moved to Ghent in January. Shana and Aleli might meet up there, too, for a full FANS reunion. That would be in-cred-ible and I really, really hope it happens.
Fourth stop: San Francisco! For a whirl-wind 8 days, I'll be in the Bay Area and hopefully I'll see as many people/family as possible.
Fifth stop: Belize! Julia's wedding and my ass is a bridesmaid. I can't wait to make an embarrassing (for her) speech.
Sixth stop: Costa Rica! Some friends from Seoul might be there but to be honest, I'd really like to just chill out on the beach for a couple weeks after all this travel.
Anyone who wants to meet up, let me know!
I think a lot of you know my big news but here it is in detail. I'm going on a three month round-the-world trip, leaving August 29th! I just bought my ticket last week and now all I have to do is save, save, save so I can shop shop shop.
First stop: Delhi! I will make my way to Nepal/Kathmandu via Agra (Taj Mahal) and Varanasi and I'll do a trek to the Annapurna base camp. I'll head back into India and my main priorities are visiting the states Punjab and Rajahstan. I'd like to go into a couple of the Himalayan states too but I'm not sure I'll have enough time. I'll be in the area for 6 weeks.
Second stop: Turkey! Erin is meeting me in Istanbul and I really couldn't be more excited about that. We haven't planned anything yet but I imagine we'll wander around the city for a few days before exploring more of the country.
Third stop: Holland/Belgium! This stop is to visit Felicia, who just moved to Ghent in January. Shana and Aleli might meet up there, too, for a full FANS reunion. That would be in-cred-ible and I really, really hope it happens.
Fourth stop: San Francisco! For a whirl-wind 8 days, I'll be in the Bay Area and hopefully I'll see as many people/family as possible.
Fifth stop: Belize! Julia's wedding and my ass is a bridesmaid. I can't wait to make an embarrassing (for her) speech.
Sixth stop: Costa Rica! Some friends from Seoul might be there but to be honest, I'd really like to just chill out on the beach for a couple weeks after all this travel.
Anyone who wants to meet up, let me know!
Friday 23 January 2009
Worst. Blogger. EVER.
I know.
I've been meaning to update but things just kept getting in the way. First, there was India and being gone nearly a month. Then, after that I was spending almost all my free time with the Democrats Abroad and I figured people didn't want to hear "...and then we registered 2 more people!" all the time. I'll try to catch y'all up to speed now.
(I'll have you know that one of my resolutions for 2009 is to be better about this blog.)
Honestly, I can't believe I never wrote about India! It was such an amazing, magical, life-changing trip. It wasn't always great but it was never boring. I flew into Mumbai and ended up meeting a couple of really cool guys that I hung out with for the rest of the time there. After, I took the train down to Goa and bummed around. The one bad thing about the trip was the Goa was being pounded by the monsoons still so I took some advice from other travelers and went in-land to Hampi. I was able to wander around amazing Indo-Islamic and Hindu ruins for nearly a week and it was awesome.
The whole place was just incredible. India is by far the poorest country I've ever been to and it was slightly distressing to see children, especially the young ones that are the same age as my students, begging for food and money. The Mumbai airport was really old and didn't have a lot of the technology that developed countries take for granted, like electronic signs. There's still this spirit in the country, though. I can't explain it but it really effected me.
After I returned from India, I started volunteering for the Democrats Abroad and most of my time was taken up by that. I did a lot of voter registration and helped organize some voting parties. It was a lot of fun, refreshing to get back involved. I met some really cool people and got to spend election night with other Americans.
After the election, there was a lot of just chillin' out, going to shows, taking it easy. For Christmas this year, I met up with Linda Fung and Stefi Miller in Vietnam. A very nice, relaxing vacation was just what I needed to recharge my battery to be back in Seoul. Turns out I'll be here ANOTHER year (crafty contracts, damn it) but I'm at peace with it. Big trip planned for the fall, stay tuned....
I've been meaning to update but things just kept getting in the way. First, there was India and being gone nearly a month. Then, after that I was spending almost all my free time with the Democrats Abroad and I figured people didn't want to hear "...and then we registered 2 more people!" all the time. I'll try to catch y'all up to speed now.
(I'll have you know that one of my resolutions for 2009 is to be better about this blog.)
Honestly, I can't believe I never wrote about India! It was such an amazing, magical, life-changing trip. It wasn't always great but it was never boring. I flew into Mumbai and ended up meeting a couple of really cool guys that I hung out with for the rest of the time there. After, I took the train down to Goa and bummed around. The one bad thing about the trip was the Goa was being pounded by the monsoons still so I took some advice from other travelers and went in-land to Hampi. I was able to wander around amazing Indo-Islamic and Hindu ruins for nearly a week and it was awesome.
The whole place was just incredible. India is by far the poorest country I've ever been to and it was slightly distressing to see children, especially the young ones that are the same age as my students, begging for food and money. The Mumbai airport was really old and didn't have a lot of the technology that developed countries take for granted, like electronic signs. There's still this spirit in the country, though. I can't explain it but it really effected me.
After I returned from India, I started volunteering for the Democrats Abroad and most of my time was taken up by that. I did a lot of voter registration and helped organize some voting parties. It was a lot of fun, refreshing to get back involved. I met some really cool people and got to spend election night with other Americans.
After the election, there was a lot of just chillin' out, going to shows, taking it easy. For Christmas this year, I met up with Linda Fung and Stefi Miller in Vietnam. A very nice, relaxing vacation was just what I needed to recharge my battery to be back in Seoul. Turns out I'll be here ANOTHER year (crafty contracts, damn it) but I'm at peace with it. Big trip planned for the fall, stay tuned....
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