Monday, December 17, 2007
Thailand - Ko Mak
This past week I traveled south to Trat province, spending a few nights on Ko Mak (island). I spent my time between the beach and the Internet (finishing arrangements for my new job in Korea).
I spent more on accommodation than usual. As it’s high season now, places are booked and prices are double what they are other times of the year. And I needed a place with Internet access. But still $20 a night for a bungalow on the beach is better than you’d ever get back home, right?
I spent more on accommodation than usual. As it’s high season now, places are booked and prices are double what they are other times of the year. And I needed a place with Internet access. But still $20 a night for a bungalow on the beach is better than you’d ever get back home, right?
I’m at the airport in Vietnam (10-hour layover), about to board my flight to Seoul, South Korea. Tomorrow morning I'll be seeing my new office and apartment, and meeting my new employer and colleagues. Exciting!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Back in Sangklaburi, Thailand
I'm in Thailand. I took the 7 hour bus ride from Bangkok to Sangklaburi. And I'm back at the orphanage in which I volunteered as an English teacher this June. This is a photo I snapped from the bus window--houseboats on the lake. Sangklaburi is in the mountains, near the Myanmar (Burma) border. There are so many refugees here. Conditions in Burma are terrible. People risk a lot escaping to Thailand.
Monday, November 26, 2007
8-day trek in the Himalayas
There were six of us: Elisa (from Italy), Ashton (from Fort Collins), Grady (from Nepal), Krishna (the guide), Rameesh (the porter), and me.For those of you know the area, we trekked in the Lang Tang region, from Dunche, up to Gosaikunda, then back to Kathmandu.
For those of you who don’t know the area, we walked A LOT, a long way, up and down steep surfaces, through a variety of terrain. Though this trek would be considered an easy one, it was plenty challenging for me!
The scenery was gorgeous throughout. The particular point of interest was a group of five pristine lakes near the top of our ascent. Our highest elevation was over 15,000 feet.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
To Asia Again!
Hi everybody!
I'm on my way back to Asia, this time with a slightly different itinerary:
1. Nepal
2. Thailand
3. Seoul, South Korea
4. Beijing, China
In Nepal, I'll visit my friend Grady, and hopefully my friend Jayash's family. In Thailand, I'll revisit the orphanage where I volunteered this summer. In Seoul, South Korea, I'll teach at a new after-school English language program. And in China, I hope to work or volunteer at the Beijing summer Olympics and Paralympics... and improve my Mandarin, and teach English, and visit friends, and learn more about NGOs in China...
So, with these guidelines in mind, let's see how things morph!
I'm on my way back to Asia, this time with a slightly different itinerary:
1. Nepal
2. Thailand
3. Seoul, South Korea
4. Beijing, China
In Nepal, I'll visit my friend Grady, and hopefully my friend Jayash's family. In Thailand, I'll revisit the orphanage where I volunteered this summer. In Seoul, South Korea, I'll teach at a new after-school English language program. And in China, I hope to work or volunteer at the Beijing summer Olympics and Paralympics... and improve my Mandarin, and teach English, and visit friends, and learn more about NGOs in China...
So, with these guidelines in mind, let's see how things morph!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
A Weekend's Festivities
Last weekend was my friend Nadine's birthday. We threw a huge celebration at a beautiful pavilion, on a hill overlooking the river.
Nadine is my housemate, a 9-month volunteer English teacher from Germany. She's an awesome gal, and a good friend. The large and diverse group that gathered to celebrate attests to the community's appreciation of Nadine's terrific personality and dedication to work.
Amongst the locals alone, there were Thai, Burmese, Mon and Karen guests. Then there were international expats, tourists, and volunteers, which included Germans, a Belgian, a Filipino, Australians, Brits, Americans... Needless to say, it was a very multicultural evening.
Power outages, tonight, were a non-issue because we lit the pavilion with tapered candles. Guests brought food and drinks for a buffet spread on woven straw mats. There was music, karaoke, and dancing. And Nadine and I prepared a group-integrating game (because EVERYBODY loves these--note of sarcasm?).
It was a wonderful time!
Time is Winding Down...
This is a picture of the Mon Bridge here in Sangklaburi. It is famous for being Thailand's longest wooden bridge, and connects Thai side with Mon side, across the river.
This past week I've been quite ill. At first I thought it was Dengue Fever (which two other friends have contracted), but finally antibiotics seem to be doing the trick for me. Thank goodness.
I would LOVE IT if I were able to go back and fill in the gaps in my this blog with more on my trip. This may be the closest thing I have to a journal. With a quick look back, I see that there are activities worth remembering not even alluded to, not to mention that I have a total of 2 entries for the whole of my visit to Cambodia.
In less than one week, I'll be back in Colorado. Crazy, how time flies! I'm excited to see my family and friends. I'm not sad about leaving Asia yet, because I expect to return very soon...
I would LOVE IT if I were able to go back and fill in the gaps in my this blog with more on my trip. This may be the closest thing I have to a journal. With a quick look back, I see that there are activities worth remembering not even alluded to, not to mention that I have a total of 2 entries for the whole of my visit to Cambodia.
In less than one week, I'll be back in Colorado. Crazy, how time flies! I'm excited to see my family and friends. I'm not sad about leaving Asia yet, because I expect to return very soon...
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Volunteering in Thailand
I'm currently in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand [near the Myanmar (Burma) border]. This town is home to many refugees from Myanmar, particularly ethinic Mon and Karen peoples.
These three weeks I've been volunteering at Baan Unrak, a community development project that serves the children and mothers in need. The 2 primary functions are the orphanage and the primary school. Other projects include programs such as one that provides various support for mothers, aiming to help them get and maintain employment and not to have to give up their children.
Children here are orphaned by fatal diseases (which are rampant due to conditions in Myanmar), as well as by poverty. Most places will not hire women with children. Some parents simply can not afford to feed their kids. Others resort to selling one child (to child traffickers) in order to afford to feed the rest of the family. And of course, there are cases of children from abusive homes.
The poverty and lack of employment and schooling is a complex problem. Luckily, there seem to be many aid projects here, but of course there are never enough resources. And when you've got someplace that has some resources, it attracts loads of other people desparate to escape the exploitation of a corrupt political system.
Anyway, going back before this Internet cafe closes...
I live in the volunteer house, which is one block away from the primary school. I teach English to kindergardeners and 2nd-graders in the mornings, Monday through Friday. Every afternoon (Sun - Sat), I hang out with the 6 kids who live in a house on the school grounds with the Didi in charge of education. We go swimming in the lake, use the Internet, eat meals together, and stuff. [The other 200 or so kids live some blocks away at the home with the Didi in charge of the orphanage.] These kids live here instead of the home for one reason or another.
There are 4 girls and 2 boys. One girl is 14, and the rest of the crew are 11-year-olds. One of the girls (triplets with the 2 boys) has a physical disability, and she and I spend a lot of time closer together--and man, she could melt the grinch's icy heart in under 5 minutes. These kids are completely capable of entertaining themselves, and staff are around campus all the time, but Didi A prefers that they have frequent direct attention. The kids are fun, can be rowdy, and a pain when they're in naughty moods. The Didis are in Malaysia for 3 weeks for a conference, so we're without the regular check-in's with their top authority figure. Thank goodness they keep each other in check, because I can't understand a word of Thai. I know someone's breaking a rule, if I suddenly hear Didi's name half a dozen times in the midst of a railing in Thai. They're English is pretty good, though it's really 2 of the girls who I'd say are best able to express most things in fragmented sentences.
The websites for Baan Unrak are: http://www.baanunrak.org/ and http://baanunrakprimaryschool.com/
Okay, sawadeekaw for now!
These three weeks I've been volunteering at Baan Unrak, a community development project that serves the children and mothers in need. The 2 primary functions are the orphanage and the primary school. Other projects include programs such as one that provides various support for mothers, aiming to help them get and maintain employment and not to have to give up their children.
Children here are orphaned by fatal diseases (which are rampant due to conditions in Myanmar), as well as by poverty. Most places will not hire women with children. Some parents simply can not afford to feed their kids. Others resort to selling one child (to child traffickers) in order to afford to feed the rest of the family. And of course, there are cases of children from abusive homes.
The poverty and lack of employment and schooling is a complex problem. Luckily, there seem to be many aid projects here, but of course there are never enough resources. And when you've got someplace that has some resources, it attracts loads of other people desparate to escape the exploitation of a corrupt political system.
Anyway, going back before this Internet cafe closes...
I live in the volunteer house, which is one block away from the primary school. I teach English to kindergardeners and 2nd-graders in the mornings, Monday through Friday. Every afternoon (Sun - Sat), I hang out with the 6 kids who live in a house on the school grounds with the Didi in charge of education. We go swimming in the lake, use the Internet, eat meals together, and stuff. [The other 200 or so kids live some blocks away at the home with the Didi in charge of the orphanage.] These kids live here instead of the home for one reason or another.
There are 4 girls and 2 boys. One girl is 14, and the rest of the crew are 11-year-olds. One of the girls (triplets with the 2 boys) has a physical disability, and she and I spend a lot of time closer together--and man, she could melt the grinch's icy heart in under 5 minutes. These kids are completely capable of entertaining themselves, and staff are around campus all the time, but Didi A prefers that they have frequent direct attention. The kids are fun, can be rowdy, and a pain when they're in naughty moods. The Didis are in Malaysia for 3 weeks for a conference, so we're without the regular check-in's with their top authority figure. Thank goodness they keep each other in check, because I can't understand a word of Thai. I know someone's breaking a rule, if I suddenly hear Didi's name half a dozen times in the midst of a railing in Thai. They're English is pretty good, though it's really 2 of the girls who I'd say are best able to express most things in fragmented sentences.
The websites for Baan Unrak are: http://www.baanunrak.org/ and http://baanunrakprimaryschool.com/
Okay, sawadeekaw for now!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Reading Frenzy
i'm in kanchanaburi, thailand now--staying at a place called "jolly frog". took the train from bangkok this afternoon. i hope to see some tigers and elephants and the bridge over the river kwai before going further northwest to sanghklaburi to volunteer.
boy is it raining! rainy season had begun, but so far it'd mainly been at nighttime. it's been great listening to the thunder and rain from the comfort of my cozy (i.e. small) bedroom, curled up with a good book.
i just finished a book called: "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time". it's fantastically written from the perspective of a 15-year-old boy with asperger's syndrome. it's an easy read, and pretty short, and there are illustrations, so it wouldn't be a great candidate for audio listening.
i also read a book called: "first they killed my father" which is a very sad true story about a cambodian family during the 4 years of genocidal rule of the khmer rouge. the author (and narrator) writes from her perspective at the time (ages 5 - 9). it was a good book to read in conjunction with travelling through cambodia. it's been a while since i've actually read and finished a book, and here i've done two in less than 2 weeks!
my other readings the past month have been chapters from my "lonely planet" guidebooks. i've been reading up on histories for each country i'm visiting, and then of course planning what i'll see and do.
boy is it raining! rainy season had begun, but so far it'd mainly been at nighttime. it's been great listening to the thunder and rain from the comfort of my cozy (i.e. small) bedroom, curled up with a good book.
i just finished a book called: "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time". it's fantastically written from the perspective of a 15-year-old boy with asperger's syndrome. it's an easy read, and pretty short, and there are illustrations, so it wouldn't be a great candidate for audio listening.
i also read a book called: "first they killed my father" which is a very sad true story about a cambodian family during the 4 years of genocidal rule of the khmer rouge. the author (and narrator) writes from her perspective at the time (ages 5 - 9). it was a good book to read in conjunction with travelling through cambodia. it's been a while since i've actually read and finished a book, and here i've done two in less than 2 weeks!
my other readings the past month have been chapters from my "lonely planet" guidebooks. i've been reading up on histories for each country i'm visiting, and then of course planning what i'll see and do.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Mm Mmm... Grasshoppers!
I had my first taste of grasshopper on a bus in Cambodia, somewhere between Battambang and the Thai border. Oh what a magical experience it was!
My seat neighbor was a generous woman who shared her snacks with me. The first bag 'o finger foods contained a coral-colored paste rolled up in a leaf. ...Okay, not bad... The second bag contained shiny, purple, blueberry-sized fruit with small pits, which had been prepared somehow with salt. ...Alright, could see how salt-lovers [Rebecca] could keep poppin' these babies... The third bag, was purchased during a short stop in a small town...
In typical fashion, the food vendors were ready and waiting for busloads of potential customers to roll through, holding their products up to the bus windows and pushing hard sales. My seat partner waved over a girl who carried a basket full of insects. A business transaction was made. And as my new friend reached over my lap and out the window to exchange currency for the goods, I prepared myself for the moment of truth. My friend opened this new bag, full of shiny copper-colored grasshoppers, and gestured for me to take one. And so I did. Their bodies were in such perfect condition. I wondered how they killed them without crushing legs or antennas. I suppose that they catch them in wire nets and dip them in the deep fryer. I watched the woman pop a whole bug in her mouth, chew it up and swallow--just like a potato chip. And so, I thought, "What the heck!" and followed suit.
And what do you know? They weren't bad at all! I actually preferred them to the first two bags of snacks. They reminded me of BBQ flavored chips, only with an aftertaste reminiscent of shrimp brains. Needless to say, I ate quite a few. Hee hee!
Hey, you can't knock it 'til you try it!
Friday, May 25, 2007
The Temples of Angkor (I'm in Cambodia!)
Wow! Visited the Temples of Angkor the other day--incredible! My two favorites were Bayon (the one with the faces) & Ta Prohm (the one with the trees taking over). I'll plan on writing more later, but for now will just send a pic.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The English Corner
Friday night I attended The English Corner. Volunteer native-English speakers (usually tourists to Ho Chi Minh City, like me) get the opportunity to meet Vietnamese English language students. And Vietnamese university students get to practice their language skills with fluent English speakers. Great learning opportunity for everyone.
Eight other people and I got a briefing on the evening's agenda. Then we split up, and each received 13 Vietnamese students. Each group sat in a circle, on short plastic stools. The theme of this evening was "History Makers". There was a crossword puzzle of international, historical figures. And then discussion began.
So interesting talking to these students. They were a few years younger than I (ages 20-24), most of them are majoring in things like business marketing or material engineering, or like subjects. Everyone was really motivated to practice both their English speaking and listening skills.
We discussed the nature of history and history-makers. Then we wandered from the subject to talk about other things. I wanted to know about their impressions of Americans. The first two automatic responses were promiscuity and gun violence, in that order.
The first student wondered how two people, just having met, could get intimate in such short amount of time. He wondered if Americans' romantic lives were as they are represented on the news and movie screens. The second student said he thought of America as a frightening place where many people have guns and violent acts are prevalent. (Actually many travellers from other western countries had this same impression.) The whole group was curious to find out if these representations were realities. I tried to assure them that we're not all nympho- or homocidal-maniacs.
For most English-learners in Asia, speaking and listening are much more difficult than reading and writing. This is because they have plenty of tests, but not much opportunity to talk to fluent English-speakers.
The host of The English Corner, SOZO, runs two cafes in Ho Chi Minh City, where they provide employment training, etc. for underprivileged people.
http://sozocentre.com/
Eight other people and I got a briefing on the evening's agenda. Then we split up, and each received 13 Vietnamese students. Each group sat in a circle, on short plastic stools. The theme of this evening was "History Makers". There was a crossword puzzle of international, historical figures. And then discussion began.
So interesting talking to these students. They were a few years younger than I (ages 20-24), most of them are majoring in things like business marketing or material engineering, or like subjects. Everyone was really motivated to practice both their English speaking and listening skills.
We discussed the nature of history and history-makers. Then we wandered from the subject to talk about other things. I wanted to know about their impressions of Americans. The first two automatic responses were promiscuity and gun violence, in that order.
The first student wondered how two people, just having met, could get intimate in such short amount of time. He wondered if Americans' romantic lives were as they are represented on the news and movie screens. The second student said he thought of America as a frightening place where many people have guns and violent acts are prevalent. (Actually many travellers from other western countries had this same impression.) The whole group was curious to find out if these representations were realities. I tried to assure them that we're not all nympho- or homocidal-maniacs.
For most English-learners in Asia, speaking and listening are much more difficult than reading and writing. This is because they have plenty of tests, but not much opportunity to talk to fluent English-speakers.
The host of The English Corner, SOZO, runs two cafes in Ho Chi Minh City, where they provide employment training, etc. for underprivileged people.
http://sozocentre.com/
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Eden in HCMC
Today I visited the Vietnam branch of Eden (the non-profit org I volunteered at in Taipei). One of the projects they have here is employment support for blind masseurs. So after a brief tour, I indulged in a 2 hour massage for $4 after tip. Some of the ladies at this office invited me to go out with them tonight. I don't know the details 'cause my Mandarin's not up to par, but it sounds like fun.
Tomorrow (thurs) I think I'll visit the 15 May School, which works to help street kids.
Tomorrow (thurs) I think I'll visit the 15 May School, which works to help street kids.
Monday, May 14, 2007
NGO Enthusiasm
I'm back in Saigon, and just returned from dinner with my friend Kerry's friend Tom. (he he, just had to say it that way.) Tom started this wonderful thing called The Library Project (see http://www.nomadicmarketing.com/). He opens low-cost libraries in orphanages, and like-places, in China, Vietnam and Cambodia--the average cost of one library is $150!
Anyway, it was great to learn about his experience with non-profit work abroad, especially the difference between the Asian countries. And how to overcome obstacles and maneuver within cultural/political/social/economic/historical contexts--ahh, it's a sociologist's dream.
Tom's day job is contract work, website design. The Library Project is his charity work. Another check mark to add to my mental list.
Okay, I tried to call another contact (one who knows about refugee work in Asia), but Skype fails me tonight. So now that I've spilled my NGO enthusiasm into this blog, it is time to get back to my guesthouse and get some sleep.
Lots of love to you all!
Anyway, it was great to learn about his experience with non-profit work abroad, especially the difference between the Asian countries. And how to overcome obstacles and maneuver within cultural/political/social/economic/historical contexts--ahh, it's a sociologist's dream.
Tom's day job is contract work, website design. The Library Project is his charity work. Another check mark to add to my mental list.
Okay, I tried to call another contact (one who knows about refugee work in Asia), but Skype fails me tonight. So now that I've spilled my NGO enthusiasm into this blog, it is time to get back to my guesthouse and get some sleep.
Lots of love to you all!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Hanoi, Vietnam
Kristina and I arrived in Hanoi on Sunday morning (via cheap-ish flight). We had the day to get oriented and booked ourselves the trip to Halong Bay. After the trip we had another couple of days...
The last two days in Hanoi, Kristina and I spent with two friends from our Halong Bay trip--one from London and the other from Vancouver. We've been staying at a comfortable but inexpensive guesthouse in the Old Quarter.
What we did:
- Explored the Old Quarter district
- Eaten fabulous local specialties
- Saw the last five minutes of a traditional water puppet show
- Visited a few temples and museums
- Discovered all sorts of other interesting daily activities of locals in the area
What we ate:
- Pho (rice noodle soup with beef tendoins)
- Bun (vermicelli noodles with vegetables and fish sauce)
- Eel dish
- Spring rolls
- Fresh pineapple
- Coconut ice cream pops (w/ real coconut!)
- Many dishes unintentionally ordered (most of which were a delightful surprise, but a couple that were less than welcome; for example, soups with beef parts--think rocky mountain oysters)
As of tonight my travelling companions have all left for their next destinations. I will have one more day here, before taking the Reunification Express (train) south, back to Saigon.
Halong Bay
This week Kristina and I did a 2day/1night trip to Halong Bay. This was a fantastic time! The name Ha-long, which means "where the dragon descends into the sea", comes from a myth about a dragon from China who decides to make Vietnam her new home; the 1000s of rock islands were formed when she dove into the sea.
We were picked up early Monday morning for a 3 hour bus ride to the bay. Then we boarded a houseboat, where we were served a terrific lunch. We visited a cave on one of the rock islands--reminded me of Carlsbad Caverns. Later in the afternoon, Kristina and I took in the view from a sea kayak. Swimming was warm. Delicious dinner. Wonderful conversations with fellow travellers under the stars on the roof of the boat.
Halong Bay reminded me so much of Lake Powell. Only with different land masses jutting out of salt water.
Kristina and I shared a cabin that was wonderful in every sense except for smells wafting from the head's holding tank. Luckily, we had a window, a fan, and sheets that smelled like fabric softener. The next morning was spent in the sun, enjoying more talking with new friends. A seafood lunch at the marina before the ride back to Hanoi.
The whole trip was very relaxing and rejuvenating.
We were picked up early Monday morning for a 3 hour bus ride to the bay. Then we boarded a houseboat, where we were served a terrific lunch. We visited a cave on one of the rock islands--reminded me of Carlsbad Caverns. Later in the afternoon, Kristina and I took in the view from a sea kayak. Swimming was warm. Delicious dinner. Wonderful conversations with fellow travellers under the stars on the roof of the boat.
Halong Bay reminded me so much of Lake Powell. Only with different land masses jutting out of salt water.
Kristina and I shared a cabin that was wonderful in every sense except for smells wafting from the head's holding tank. Luckily, we had a window, a fan, and sheets that smelled like fabric softener. The next morning was spent in the sun, enjoying more talking with new friends. A seafood lunch at the marina before the ride back to Hanoi.
The whole trip was very relaxing and rejuvenating.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Hoi An
Hoi-An is a town about mid-way down the coast of Vietnam.
Day 1: Kristina and I wandered around town, checking out the market, the nearby sights and of course the inescapable shopping scene. The streets were lined with shoe shops and bag shops and tailor shops and souvenir shops. There's so much competition and of course these vendors depend on sales to tourists. So they were incredibly aggressive. You all know how much I love saying "no", and especially to small children or little old men. Ai-yo! Such mixed feelings, the complexity of human relationships on this planet... One could write a book about it--or rather a disertation.
Day 2: Kristina and I rented bikes today and rode them to the beach, which was a bit of a distance. (Dad, Chris, you guys would be proud.) This was the first overcast day of my time in Vietnam, but it was still nice to hang out on the sand. Before dinner, I picked up a pair of zip-off pants from the tailor (exciting since couldn't find any that fit in SF before departing), and a jacket too. It was fun riding through town. We had little baskets and bells--which was good 'cause there was so much foot and motorbike traffic (no worries, it was slow traffic).
We've been trying all the local dishes. And we haven't run into anything we haven't liked.
Day 1: Kristina and I wandered around town, checking out the market, the nearby sights and of course the inescapable shopping scene. The streets were lined with shoe shops and bag shops and tailor shops and souvenir shops. There's so much competition and of course these vendors depend on sales to tourists. So they were incredibly aggressive. You all know how much I love saying "no", and especially to small children or little old men. Ai-yo! Such mixed feelings, the complexity of human relationships on this planet... One could write a book about it--or rather a disertation.
Day 2: Kristina and I rented bikes today and rode them to the beach, which was a bit of a distance. (Dad, Chris, you guys would be proud.) This was the first overcast day of my time in Vietnam, but it was still nice to hang out on the sand. Before dinner, I picked up a pair of zip-off pants from the tailor (exciting since couldn't find any that fit in SF before departing), and a jacket too. It was fun riding through town. We had little baskets and bells--which was good 'cause there was so much foot and motorbike traffic (no worries, it was slow traffic).
We've been trying all the local dishes. And we haven't run into anything we haven't liked.
Nha Trang, continued...
Following up with Nha Trang (from the last blog), that spa we went to was awesome. $4 USD and we got to soak in a mud bath, boil in spring water, and sit under a waterfall. And after all this relaxing, we had a fabulous Vietnamese dinner for under $2, before boarding our 12-hour bus ride to Hoi An. This time the air-conditioner worked. :)
Been eating banana/pineapple pancakes almost every morning for breakfast.
Been eating banana/pineapple pancakes almost every morning for breakfast.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
I'm in Vietnam
Tuesday night I arrived in Saigon! I met my friend Kristina at our hotel, and actually saw my friend Kimmy and her boyfriend Jensen for a minute in passing. :)
Kristina and I hopped on a bus early the next morning, for a ten hour ride to Nha Trang--a beach town north of Saigon. We stayed in a nice and inexpensive hotel with a balcony and satalite tv last night. And today we're headed to a spa with mud baths. This is the first morning I've had to sleep in for a few weeks, and it was great. This morning we ate banana pancakes in bed while we watched "50 years with Larry King Live".
It is hot hot hot here! But according to Kristina, Thailand and Cambodia will be far hotter. Dun Duh Dun!
Okay, gotta go find a rickshaw.
Kristina and I hopped on a bus early the next morning, for a ten hour ride to Nha Trang--a beach town north of Saigon. We stayed in a nice and inexpensive hotel with a balcony and satalite tv last night. And today we're headed to a spa with mud baths. This is the first morning I've had to sleep in for a few weeks, and it was great. This morning we ate banana pancakes in bed while we watched "50 years with Larry King Live".
It is hot hot hot here! But according to Kristina, Thailand and Cambodia will be far hotter. Dun Duh Dun!
Okay, gotta go find a rickshaw.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Eden Volunteer - in Taipei
This week I’ve been volunteering at the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. Mornings, I’m at a computer in the Office of International Affairs (photo), where I:
1) Proof-read English translations of marketing materials and forms
2) Research (online) international news and such related to disability issues (many of these websites are in English)
People from the office take me to lunch each day before I hop on the bus for Eden’s Wan-Fang Center. Here, I join a classroom of about 12-14 students with disabilities. These clients are lower-functioning than clients in many other programs. They are in a classroom setting with 2-3 teachers. Their weekly classes include: recognizing Chinese characters, math, singing, exercise, art, library…
Eden’s services for people with disabilities are very similar to The Arc of San Francisco’s services. It’s been interesting learning about them, and they’ve been very interested in hearing about the structure and services at The Arc. Eden is eager to learn and adopt western methods of service providing, etc.
Eden was founded in 1982 to support people with disabilities. But the woman who began it had a passion for helping all marginalized peoples. Thus, in the last decade, Eden has expanded its services to support other vulnerable populations, including foreign spouses and foreign workers.
1) Proof-read English translations of marketing materials and forms
2) Research (online) international news and such related to disability issues (many of these websites are in English)
People from the office take me to lunch each day before I hop on the bus for Eden’s Wan-Fang Center. Here, I join a classroom of about 12-14 students with disabilities. These clients are lower-functioning than clients in many other programs. They are in a classroom setting with 2-3 teachers. Their weekly classes include: recognizing Chinese characters, math, singing, exercise, art, library…
Eden’s services for people with disabilities are very similar to The Arc of San Francisco’s services. It’s been interesting learning about them, and they’ve been very interested in hearing about the structure and services at The Arc. Eden is eager to learn and adopt western methods of service providing, etc.
Eden was founded in 1982 to support people with disabilities. But the woman who began it had a passion for helping all marginalized peoples. Thus, in the last decade, Eden has expanded its services to support other vulnerable populations, including foreign spouses and foreign workers.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Hospital Volunteer
Last week I volunteered at the hospital in Hualien. There were two main areas in which I worked:
1) helping the JPN (basically a nurse’s assistant, I believe) on the surgery recovery ward;
2) joining other volunteers in singing religious songs to patients who opted to be serenaded to
On the surgery ward, I helped:
a) change patients’ bedding, clothing, etc.
b) wash hair, give a sponge (or rather a washcloth) bath
c) transfer patients to stretchers, wheelchairs, or this cool scale contraption
d) “da niao” which means emptying catheter bags and measuring urine
e) filling alcohol and iodine containers
As for the singing… Well, we’ll just say I’d never done so much lip-syncing before in my life. The majority of songs, we sang in Taiwanese—we sang in the choice language of each patient. Even when we sang in Mandarin, I could only read every other character (gotta get back to the books). The rest, I could elaborate on more another time. But I will say that, given the choice between singing gospel in Taiwanese, Mandarin, Hakka, or miscellaneous other aboriginal languages, I CHOOSE HAKKA. Because the lyrics to these songs were written out in the English alphabet, because no other volunteer could speak it either.
I just smiled and moved my lips, as my volunteer friend kept place on the sheet music for me. She knew that I could not speak a word of Taiwanese, but I guess she thought I might eventually be able to sound out the words. Ha ha!
;)
For those who don’t know, characters are learned by memorization. Taiwanese uses the same characters as Mandarin, but assigns them different sounds and meanings. (Okay, you can laugh now!)
1) helping the JPN (basically a nurse’s assistant, I believe) on the surgery recovery ward;
2) joining other volunteers in singing religious songs to patients who opted to be serenaded to
On the surgery ward, I helped:
a) change patients’ bedding, clothing, etc.
b) wash hair, give a sponge (or rather a washcloth) bath
c) transfer patients to stretchers, wheelchairs, or this cool scale contraption
d) “da niao” which means emptying catheter bags and measuring urine
e) filling alcohol and iodine containers
As for the singing… Well, we’ll just say I’d never done so much lip-syncing before in my life. The majority of songs, we sang in Taiwanese—we sang in the choice language of each patient. Even when we sang in Mandarin, I could only read every other character (gotta get back to the books). The rest, I could elaborate on more another time. But I will say that, given the choice between singing gospel in Taiwanese, Mandarin, Hakka, or miscellaneous other aboriginal languages, I CHOOSE HAKKA. Because the lyrics to these songs were written out in the English alphabet, because no other volunteer could speak it either.
I just smiled and moved my lips, as my volunteer friend kept place on the sheet music for me. She knew that I could not speak a word of Taiwanese, but I guess she thought I might eventually be able to sound out the words. Ha ha!
;)
For those who don’t know, characters are learned by memorization. Taiwanese uses the same characters as Mandarin, but assigns them different sounds and meanings. (Okay, you can laugh now!)
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Last Monday (4/16)
April 16, 2007
Early this morning GuMa kindly accompanied me to the train station, and saw me off as I departed for Hualein. It was a 2.5 hour ride. I’ll have to catch the view on my way back to Taipei, because I slept most of the journey. Jet lag must be wearing off because I’m no longer as awake in the mornings as I had been (a short-lived abnormality).
I had a bit of time between my arrival in Hualein and the pick up time for my ride. So I took the opportunity to wander around and find some items I’d been needing. Then I found a café to relax in. Actually, in typical fashion, the café found me.
“Have you eaten? Yes? How about something to drink? No? You like coffee? No? How about tea? Sit down! Sit down here. You want to eat this fruit first?” (pointing to papaya)
Okay, I’d like cold milk tea and that delicious-looking papaya… Oh, you don’t sell the papaya—just for the staff? Okay, no papaya. Just the tea… What’s this? Free sample of doughy snack? Tastes good, thank you… Buy a big one? … Oh okay—that’s 30 cents…
For a moment I feel like a sucker for being reeled in so easily. Then I remember that I was looking for exactly this place—a comfortable, air-conditioned resting place with chilled beverage, and friendly atmosphere. So I sit back and enjoy the moment.
I get to practice my Mandarin too—and they their English. They are very nice, and one of the waiters and I have a long chat in Chinglish. By the end of it, I do get a plate of papaya after all, and another snack, on the house.
Such a pleasant afternoon. The post office lady didn’t charge me for my postcards. And all the store keepers were very patient as I tried to work around my small Mandarin vocabulary to communicate that I was searching for a small dolly because my duffle bag has begun to strain at the seams. (hee hee, sorry Dad!)
Early this morning GuMa kindly accompanied me to the train station, and saw me off as I departed for Hualein. It was a 2.5 hour ride. I’ll have to catch the view on my way back to Taipei, because I slept most of the journey. Jet lag must be wearing off because I’m no longer as awake in the mornings as I had been (a short-lived abnormality).
I had a bit of time between my arrival in Hualein and the pick up time for my ride. So I took the opportunity to wander around and find some items I’d been needing. Then I found a café to relax in. Actually, in typical fashion, the café found me.
“Have you eaten? Yes? How about something to drink? No? You like coffee? No? How about tea? Sit down! Sit down here. You want to eat this fruit first?” (pointing to papaya)
Okay, I’d like cold milk tea and that delicious-looking papaya… Oh, you don’t sell the papaya—just for the staff? Okay, no papaya. Just the tea… What’s this? Free sample of doughy snack? Tastes good, thank you… Buy a big one? … Oh okay—that’s 30 cents…
For a moment I feel like a sucker for being reeled in so easily. Then I remember that I was looking for exactly this place—a comfortable, air-conditioned resting place with chilled beverage, and friendly atmosphere. So I sit back and enjoy the moment.
I get to practice my Mandarin too—and they their English. They are very nice, and one of the waiters and I have a long chat in Chinglish. By the end of it, I do get a plate of papaya after all, and another snack, on the house.
Such a pleasant afternoon. The post office lady didn’t charge me for my postcards. And all the store keepers were very patient as I tried to work around my small Mandarin vocabulary to communicate that I was searching for a small dolly because my duffle bag has begun to strain at the seams. (hee hee, sorry Dad!)
Strange Foods I've Eaten
Strange foods I’ve eaten:
Chicken hearts
Frog eggs (pictured--turned out not to be eggs)
Goat milk cheesecake
Egg yoke mixed with pineapple and orange (juice/smoothie)
Fish skin and rice sticky cake
Other foods I’ve eaten in Taiwan:
Chinese vegetable fajita
Dou jiang (with vinegar), you tiao, jian bing
Huo Guo
Niu Rou Mien
Mussels
Snails
Seedweed
Squid on a stick
Pureed fish in various forms
All kinds of dofu
Papaya milk
Lemon juice w/ jello squares made from something in lemon seeds
Lots of Jen Jiu Nai Cha (pearl milk tea)
Fresh-squeezed orange juice at Starbucks
Chicken hearts
Frog eggs (pictured--turned out not to be eggs)
Goat milk cheesecake
Egg yoke mixed with pineapple and orange (juice/smoothie)
Fish skin and rice sticky cake
Other foods I’ve eaten in Taiwan:
Chinese vegetable fajita
Dou jiang (with vinegar), you tiao, jian bing
Huo Guo
Niu Rou Mien
Mussels
Snails
Seedweed
Squid on a stick
Pureed fish in various forms
All kinds of dofu
Papaya milk
Lemon juice w/ jello squares made from something in lemon seeds
Lots of Jen Jiu Nai Cha (pearl milk tea)
Fresh-squeezed orange juice at Starbucks
Thursday, April 19, 2007
AI YO!
oh man! i typed a bunch the other day, but apparently didn't guess the right button to publish. can't figure out how to turn my blog dashboard into english. all in traditional chinese characters (kim, danny, need some translation). no time to retype now. just quck cehck before host's daughter gets to bed, where their computer is. so more to come later. but know things are well and miss you all
love,
deme
love,
deme
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
technical difficulties
ｄｏｕ ｓｈｉ ｚｈｏｎｇ ｗｅｎ ｄｅ！
”ｉｔ’ｓ ａｌｌ ｉｎ Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ！”
Ｃａｎ’ｔ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ｓｗｉｔｃｈ ｍｙ ｐａｇｅ ｉｎｔｏ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ．Ｉｔ ａｕｔｏｍａｔｉｃａｌｌｙ ｔｕｒｎｓ Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｔｉｍｅ Ｉ ｕｓｅ ａ ｎｅｗ ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ ｉｎ Ｔａｉｗａｎ．
Ｃａｎ’ｔ ｇｅｔ ｍｙ ｌａｐｔｏｐ ｔｏ ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔ， ｓｏ ｉ’ｌｌ ｕｓｅ ｅｄｕｃａｔｅｄ ｇｕｅｓｓｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｄ ｍｙ ｐｕｂｌｉｓｈ／ｅｄｉｔ／ｅｔｃ．ｂｕｔｔｏｎｓ.
ｓｏ．．．
Ｍｏｎｄａｙ Ｉ ａｒｒｉｖｅｄ ｉｎ Ｈｕａｌｉeｎ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｍｙ ｆａｍｉｌｙ ｌｉｖｅｄ ｆｏｒ ３ ｙｅａｒｓ ｗｈｅｎ ｉ ｗａｓ ｙｏｕｎｇ （ａｇｅｓ ３－６）． ｉ ａｍ ｖｏｌｕｎｔｅｅｒｉｎｇ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｓｐｉｔａｌ ｔｈａｔ ｍｙ ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ ｗｏｒｋｅｄ ａｔ． Ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ ｉｓ ｓｏ ｎｉｃｅ ｈｅｒｅ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｗｈｏ’ｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ａｒｏｕｎｄ ２０＋ ｙｅａｒｓ， ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ． Ｔｈｅ ｙｏｕｎｇｅｒ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ， ｍａｉｎｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｎｕｒｓｅｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｅｉｒ ２０’ｓ ａｌｌ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｂｒｏｔｈｅｒ Ｄａｎｎｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｉｓ ｖｉｓｉｔ ａ ｙｅａｒ ａｇｏ． ”Ｗｏｍｅｎ ｘｉａｎｇ Ｄａｎｉｅｌ！” （”Ｗｅ ｍｉｓｓ Ｄａｎｉｅｌ!”）
Ｉ’ｍ ｓｔａｙｉｎｇ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｐａｓｔｏｒ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｓｐｉｔａｌ， ａ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｃｏｏｌ ｌａｄｙ， ｗｈｏ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ｆａｍｉｌｙ （ｍｏｔｈｅｒ， ｆａｔｈｅｒ， ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ， ｓｉｓｔｅｒ， ｎｉｅｃｅ ａｎｄ ｎｅｐｈｅｗ）． Ｔｈｅ ｈｏｕｓｅ ｉｓ ｆｕｌｌ ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅｙ’ｖｅ ｇｉｖｅｎ ｍｅ ａ ｖｅｒｙ ｎｉｃｅ ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄ ｆｅｅｄ ｍｅ ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ ｆｏｏｄ．
ｍｏｒｅ ｔｏ ｃｏｍｅ ｌａｔｅｒ
”ｉｔ’ｓ ａｌｌ ｉｎ Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ！”
Ｃａｎ’ｔ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ｓｗｉｔｃｈ ｍｙ ｐａｇｅ ｉｎｔｏ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ．Ｉｔ ａｕｔｏｍａｔｉｃａｌｌｙ ｔｕｒｎｓ Ｃｈｉｎｅｓｅ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｔｉｍｅ Ｉ ｕｓｅ ａ ｎｅｗ ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ ｉｎ Ｔａｉｗａｎ．
Ｃａｎ’ｔ ｇｅｔ ｍｙ ｌａｐｔｏｐ ｔｏ ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔ， ｓｏ ｉ’ｌｌ ｕｓｅ ｅｄｕｃａｔｅｄ ｇｕｅｓｓｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｄ ｍｙ ｐｕｂｌｉｓｈ／ｅｄｉｔ／ｅｔｃ．ｂｕｔｔｏｎｓ.
ｓｏ．．．
Ｍｏｎｄａｙ Ｉ ａｒｒｉｖｅｄ ｉｎ Ｈｕａｌｉeｎ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｍｙ ｆａｍｉｌｙ ｌｉｖｅｄ ｆｏｒ ３ ｙｅａｒｓ ｗｈｅｎ ｉ ｗａｓ ｙｏｕｎｇ （ａｇｅｓ ３－６）． ｉ ａｍ ｖｏｌｕｎｔｅｅｒｉｎｇ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｓｐｉｔａｌ ｔｈａｔ ｍｙ ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ ｗｏｒｋｅｄ ａｔ． Ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ ｉｓ ｓｏ ｎｉｃｅ ｈｅｒｅ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｗｈｏ’ｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ａｒｏｕｎｄ ２０＋ ｙｅａｒｓ， ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｐａｒｅｎｔｓ． Ｔｈｅ ｙｏｕｎｇｅｒ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ， ｍａｉｎｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｎｕｒｓｅｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｅｉｒ ２０’ｓ ａｌｌ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｂｒｏｔｈｅｒ Ｄａｎｎｙ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｉｓ ｖｉｓｉｔ ａ ｙｅａｒ ａｇｏ． ”Ｗｏｍｅｎ ｘｉａｎｇ Ｄａｎｉｅｌ！” （”Ｗｅ ｍｉｓｓ Ｄａｎｉｅｌ!”）
Ｉ’ｍ ｓｔａｙｉｎｇ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｐａｓｔｏｒ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｓｐｉｔａｌ， ａ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｃｏｏｌ ｌａｄｙ， ｗｈｏ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ｆａｍｉｌｙ （ｍｏｔｈｅｒ， ｆａｔｈｅｒ， ｄａｕｇｈｔｅｒ， ｓｉｓｔｅｒ， ｎｉｅｃｅ ａｎｄ ｎｅｐｈｅｗ）． Ｔｈｅ ｈｏｕｓｅ ｉｓ ｆｕｌｌ ｂｕｔ ｔｈｅｙ’ｖｅ ｇｉｖｅｎ ｍｅ ａ ｖｅｒｙ ｎｉｃｅ ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄ ｆｅｅｄ ｍｅ ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ ｆｏｏｄ．
ｍｏｒｅ ｔｏ ｃｏｍｅ ｌａｔｅｒ
Friday, April 13, 2007
TAIWAN: One Lucky Girl!
Since I've arrived in Taipei, my relatives have been spoiling me to no end. My uncle and aunts have made wonderful arrangements for my visit. I've enjoyed an incredible sashimi meal at a 5-star restaurant and a 2.5 hour full-body massage at a nearby spa... followed by a shampoo and impromptu haircut at another local spot. Two of my cousins have been driving me all over town to eat great food, meet up with people, and see things, including the GuGong museum. Two more cousins have made me feel so at home in their cool apartment. I am so appreciative to all of my family for such an incredible welcome.
I have also received wonderful treatment from another Taipei couple who invited me to tour the headquarters of the organization they work for, which teaches English by way of television, magazine and music productions. Very impressive studios! The next night, these new friends brought me to a concert, to which they had VIP entrance. The performer was an internationally reknown singer from Taiwan--Chin Tsai.
This coming week I will travel south to Hualein where I will volunteer at the hospital where my parents worked when we lived in Taiwan (over 20 years ago). Then the following week I will return to Taipei to volunteer at the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. Eden is a large charity organization founded in 1982 to serve people with disabilities, and has grown to develop programs to help other marginalized groups as well, both here in Taiwan and abroad.
I have also received wonderful treatment from another Taipei couple who invited me to tour the headquarters of the organization they work for, which teaches English by way of television, magazine and music productions. Very impressive studios! The next night, these new friends brought me to a concert, to which they had VIP entrance. The performer was an internationally reknown singer from Taiwan--Chin Tsai.
This coming week I will travel south to Hualein where I will volunteer at the hospital where my parents worked when we lived in Taiwan (over 20 years ago). Then the following week I will return to Taipei to volunteer at the Eden Social Welfare Foundation. Eden is a large charity organization founded in 1982 to serve people with disabilities, and has grown to develop programs to help other marginalized groups as well, both here in Taiwan and abroad.
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