Awaited African Anecdotes

Well, dear reader, I would love to say that I haven't forgotten you, but that'd be a lie. But fear not! You've been remembered, and I have pictures to prove it!
When we last chatted, I was living in Costa Rica, working too much, and not doing anything I deemed blogworthy. But because my parents rock, I was able to visit Casey in the Gambia before her tenure in the Peace Corps ended. I should give my parents credit for their more than generous financial help and my sister credit for her excellent guiding.
The adventure started in San Jose with a canceled flight. Long story short, Spirit Airlines is not my friend. But a wonderful layover in Atlanta helped things. I got to see Dad, Grandfather Lawrence and Grandmother Mary, and CADEL!!! Also, there is this thing called autumn. It's quite pretty, but I wouldn't want to live there. But it was nice to be in Georgia while the leaves were changing, even if only for an afternoon.
I then flew to Frankfurt, Germany, where I had an epic layover and lunch with a wonderful German named Marko. We walked around the city, eventually meeting someone else for coffee. After a bratwurst, I headed back to the airport. Long layovers are starting to look like a good thing.
I had an even longer layover in Belgium, but was asleep for half of it. That being said, somehow I seemed to have escaped any ill effects of jet lag for the whole trip. Not sure how that happened, but cool!
Finally, I took the final flight to Banjul. The first thing we did was load up on a bus, then ride 100 meters to the terminal. Walking? No, that just wouldn't be classy. I then handed over my passport, as I had not yet arranged a visa and didn't even know my address (just the village name would have been enough, but I arrived totally reliant on Casey for these things). Sanyango (one of Casey's host sisters) was also at the airport to meet me, which was a nice surprise. We had ice cream and went to the Peace Corps transit house for two nights, in Kombo.
Kombo was a great experience. I got an unedited opinion of the Peace Corps from its members, including frustrations with administration, medical issues, and each other. Many might have thought that to be discouraging, but I enjoyed it. It gave me a picture of the frustrations that I may be dealing with when I join the Peace Corps, and none of them were much worse than anything I've had do deal with on my own. In other words, I'm pretty excited about this whole Peace Corps thing. But more on that later, because after the transit house, we went to Bakow!
Bakow was the only place where we stayed in a hotel. It looked over the fish market, which was great people watching. It was also a nice place to watch the moon rise and read a little when it was too hot to sleep. We walked down to the crafts market, which involved many people trying to sell things to the "happy couple" (my sister and I). After asking about where the homeless people sleep for the tenth time, Casey finally informed me that there really aren't any. "You just go to a compound and talk for a while. It's a small country, everyone's distantly related. You figure out how you're related, then they give you food and a place to stay." Great country, great people.
Finally, we got serious. And by got serious, I mean got away from paved roads. This stated by going to Brikama and waiting in the car park for several hours. But it was cool, we found a Senegalese place that made a wicked chockery (related to sweetened yogurt, and you put cous in it). Also, he had coffee. And cold water! Finally, our gelly filled and we set off again. Fun fact: as there are no Volkswagen Beetles, the Gambian volunteers have started hitting each other for every donkey they see. If you think it's a donkey but it's a horse, the other person hits you back once. Twice for a cow, thrice for a dog, and if it's actually a chicken they hit you with a stick. There is no rule for mistaking a fence for a donkey. I'm sure I got the details wrong, but you get the idea. Anyway, after a short nap we arrived in Kanjibat!
Kanjibat is where Lindsay Roe lives. It's a Jola village (village, in this case, is four compounds), but they all speak Mandinka. Sometimes. Helpful for Casey. I smiled and nodded a lot. We also saw trees where genies lived, more monkeys, and Yahya Jammeh!!!!!! His motorcade passed by, and he threw cookies! Biscuits in British English (they don't have proper biscuits and gravy in England), biscuit-os in Mandinka (formed by adding an "o" to the end of biscuits, and rhymes with "mosquito"). Reflections on Kanjibat: not having electricity means great stars, showering out of a bucket isn't as bad as I expected, and Lindsay Roe rocks.
After that was a night in Brikama. We stayed at Casey's boyfriend's house, but he was away playing Dungeons and Dragons. I think that's code for fighting crime, but I'm not sure. I also got an invite to an amazing dinner that the volunteers threw together, and saw the President drive by again. This time the threw hats, but the competition was too fierce and I didn't get one. Reflections on Brikama: Steve-0 (Mandinka for Steve?) rocks (also rocks for asking me how to drink coffee, he knows me so well!), PCVs can make amazing things with few resources (foodwise), hyenas are bigger in person (and best left in a cage), and chockery is amazing.
Finally, we went to Casey's village, Kartong (not Car Tongue, but close right?). But that's another post for another day, partly because I've written quite a lot, and partly because I'm technically at work and should probably work. But first, pictures!!!

Sunset from the beach near the transit house.

Fish market!

Sunset from the hotel.

Following Lindsay and Casey around the genie's tree!

The Monkey Park in Kombo. These monkeys were playing.

The Daily Grind

Apparently I haven't posted in about two months. How do I know? Last time I posted was in Turrialba, a few days after I got here, and yesterday marks 2 months in Costa Rica. Apparently, time flies.
As you may have guessed by the title of this post, I've found gainful employment. The bad news first: while it is, in fact, the rainy season, it is also the low season for tourism. This means no rafting jobs. Turrialba was a great place to hang out. I also met some people who seemed interested in hiring me, had there been some work to be done. I then went to Quepos. The rafting companies there said the same thing. The difference was that after getting turned down for a job, I went to the beach. It's not that I didn't like the jungle. I think the beach is just a better place to be unemployed. It makes lying around all day seem more acceptable.
So where did I find this job, you may ask. In fact, I found two. First, I stayed in the infamous Galileo Hostel. You can check out the web site, but the gist is that it's a party hostel. They got really excited to have someone who doesn't drink, because a teetotaler won't get drunk working the night shift. For a short time, this was entertaining and new. I even learned how to pour a beer properly (still a work in progress with the hoppy beer). Then came the second job.
I don't even remember saying it, but I mentioned that I had my TEFL and had been teaching in Asia. One of the local English teachers was drinking at the bar, overheard me, and offered me a job. So I trimmed the beard, bought some closed-toed shoes, and interviewed. My passport photo almost lost me the job, but I quickly explained that I'd been a rafting guide and that looking grizzled was a part of looking professional. I think what saved me was that I wore a tie.
Anyway, against their better judgment, they've hired me as a business English teacher. I teach 18 hours per week, including two one-on-one classes. So, at the moment, I'm teaching four days a week, waking up at 6 for my morning class with Nestor (the accountant who has a special leaf on his key chain). This has pushed me over to the morning shift at the hostel Friday to Sunday. In other words, I wake up at 6 during the week, and around 4 on the weekend. This has led to consistent and profound napping.
Today is pretty normal, as far as the hostel goes. When I started the shift, there were still two people up drinking. The hardest part of waking up today was that the cutest dog in Costa Rica had curled up with me. She started sleeping by my knees, but by the morning had curled up against my side, slowly encroaching and eventually hogging the middle of the bed. After three cups of coffee, I got the cleaning done earlier than usual, so I played some cribbage online. I also watched a disc of Family Guy and a few minutes of Sesame Street in Spanish. I'm about to reheat some leftovers (all I cook anymore is veggies with Asian sauces, served over white rice). I also have some pineapple. I also just chased a hummingbird out of the bar, which is much easier than chasing the chickens back into their pen (which I've already done twice today). It should start raining in the next half hour or so, and it'll rain on and off for the rest of the day. When I finish working I'll nap, then I'll see if anyone wants to venture out of the sanctuary of the hostel and see what the city has to offer.
So, for those who have been wondering: I'm not dead, just busy. The Spanish is improving, and the English school pays for my Friday Spanish classes. I'm still working on my Peace Corps application. The news on that is that they want to send me to Francophone sub-Saharan Africa as a small business advisor. Casey advised me to go ahead and prepare for Cameroon, as it wouldn't be right to send me somewhere that didn't start with C. I just hope I can get through all the dreaded medical forms and get my placement.
I think that's all the news. Stay posted. The next blog may include some interesting travel plans, as I have to renew my visa within the next 29 days. Can you say "Yay, visa runs!"?

Quick Update

¡Hola!

I´m back in the Spanish speaking world, which means I´ve crossed the Pacific again (staying true to the url of the blog) and have changed my blog´s title. How is it? First the bad:

The ¨y¨ sound is a j, like in Argentina. So ¨pollo¨ sounds like ¨po-joe¨. And it´s more expensive. I mean, a large meal is a whole $4 (sometimes $6!).

Okay, the good:

Before I even had a cell phone, I was standing on top of Volcán Irazú. I´ve already eaten at the Central Market in San Jose (seems so clean for a market!), as well as in a few ¨sodas¨, little food shops where they serve great beans and rice. I´ve seen a lot of the country, which involves lots of mountains, jungles, and rain. My host here just outside Turrialba lives on a farm with some jungle, so we´ve seen flowers, insects, birds, and coffee plants. Pictures to come, when I´m not at an internet cafe. And I think I´ve got a job interview tomorrow, so I´ll keep posted on that.

So basically, Costa Rica is exciting and beautiful. I feel pretty comfortable here, and could see myself being here a long time. I´m happy with the choice I´ve made.

Promised Pictures

It's true- I really did go to Angkor Wat. It was one of those "Oh no, I'm leaving the country and haven't seen the most famous thing there" kind of trips, but I did remember to take lots of photos. Also, I made friends with Brandy (see below), mostly because Eric and Mom went back to the hotel fairly early due to illness. So the first day I met her, I spent about 10 hours straight with Brandy. I'm surprised she didn't kill me. And with no further ado....This is a carving of Apsaras.
These are two real Apsaras, Mom and Brandy, posing in Bayon.
This is me in a similar window in the same temple. Whacha thinkin' 'bout? Temples.
This is a little tiny temple called Preah Palilay. It was short walk away, but there was no one there but the centipedes. Also, it was kind of falling down. This photo is taken from the room, looking out what used to be the front door (where there is now a tree growing out of the rocks).
Angkor Wat. A good place to reflect upon the famous silhouette.
Ta Prohm. AKA the Tomb Raider temple. Notice I'm in this photo, to give you a sense of scale. ("Sense of scale" here means "Wow, that tree's huge!")
Brandy hiding. Banteay K'dei?
This spider made my day. And ruined Brandy's.
Not a temple, but the cutest darn kid in Cambodia. Notice the pig tails and the porridge on her face.
Brandy climbing the sketchy, sketchy stairs. I can't believe some of the Chinese tourists climbed these in heels.
Anyway, that's the gist of it. I'll post more photos on Facebook. I can email the link of that album to anyone who hasn't given in to that particular evil.
In other news, I'm in the Denver airport, waiting to fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. I'll probably be there by the time you read this. Next step: trying to find someone to hire me. Also, I think I'm exploring a volcano tomorrow. Life is hard, eh?

Tokyo Thoughts

So here I sit in the Tokyo airport. For eleven hours. Fortunately, they have a free computer lounge. I will be enjoying the functional keyboard for about an hour, then I will switch to my computer and watch Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia until I fall asleep. With any luck, I can sleep enough to convince myself that today is a night.

So, what is to come in my next blog post? I promise pictures! Of temples! I realize I have not posted since Siem Riep, and you need to see that. I will also have pictures of Phnom Penh, and maybe one of my afternoon in Vietnam. If you are really lucky, I add even more to facebook. No promises. Topics of interest to look forward to? Tourist traps, swimming in the Mekong, teaching, why I am excited to be in the States, and why I am excited to leave again. The last of those may approach being political, and I apologize in advance.

Speaking of leaving again, the rumors are true. In a month, I should be living in Costa Rica. The plan is to get a rafting job down there, so if you know anyone, feel free to send me their email. I will be headed that way in late August. What I have realized is that, as much as I love it, I do not really belong to the Asian cultures I have experienced. I love love love the food, and I have greatly enjoyed the people, but it is not the place for me, long term. I just felt so much more at home in South America, and hope that Central America treats me the same way. I am also very excited to properly learn Spanish, as I have forgotten most of what I learned (and all that was slang anyway). Plus, rafting is more fun than teaching.

I should have pictures up in a week or so. Mostly temples, really. Maybe a tuk tuk in the rain. Speaking of rain, a final anecdote: On Thursday, my last full day in Phnom Penh, I got rained on. Hard. Twice. Caught on a bicycle in a downpour both times. Soaked from the knees down and neck up (but fairly dry in between). So yes, I have had the full rainy season experience.

Also, I just found the apostrophe on this keyboard. In case you were wondering about my lack of contractions. Anyway, see you soon!!!

Adorable Anecdote

Two posts in a week? I must be avoiding work!
I was at dinner a few nights ago and saw the cutest damn thing ever. It all started when the biggest grasshopper I have ever seen jumped on our table. Seriously, it must have been close to three inches (7 cm) long. He looked at us. We looked at him. We wondered what one does about the world's biggest grasshopper on an empty table. I think he would have stayed there forever in his uncontested reign, but he decided to hop (as grasshoppers tend to do), landing on the nearest wall.
That's when things got adorable. On the wall, there was a gecko hanging out (as there tends to be on walls in Cambodia). The gecko was perhaps slightly longer, but certainly not larger by volume, than the grasshopper. Even so, the gecko got the look on his face that says, "Dinner is served!" He started crawling toward his perceived prey.
Unfortunately, the grasshopper saw something shiny and promptly got his leg stuck in a speaker. But I really wanted to see how the little gecko planned to eat that grasshopper.
Maybe you just had to be there. Still, coolest gecko ever.
The following is an artist's representation of the gecko involved. Okay, it's a photo I took in Chiang Mai, but I don't have a recent one because geckos don't pose well.

New Semester

I started a new semester.... three weeks ago. Sorry, I meant to post earlier. But my keyboard, mouse, and battery have all essentially died, leaving my laptop with three wires coming from it at all times. The good news is that the combined cost of my new USB keyboard and mouse was $7.50. Better than a $25 repair bill, right? But no more taking the computer to the coffee shop.
The new semester is twice the size of the last one. Instead of teaching ten 1.5 hour periods, I'm teaching 21. Two high school classes, almost thirty kids each. And an 8 am class every weekday. It's been a slight change, but now I've gotten used to it and I'm chugging along. Also, napping a lot. But enough about work.....
The rainy season has officially started. Most days it's only a few minutes of rain, less than an hour. On good days I'm either home or in class when this happens. However, it doesn't seem to be one of those "every day at the same time" rainy seasons. So far I've only been caught once, but I have started carrying around a pair of dry socks in anticipation of the next time I'm 2 blocks from school when the skies open up. A bicycle might not be the best rainy season transport.
We had a screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at a local cinema. My friends and I dressed up, and I think Tim Curry would have been proud. Then we went, still in costume, to the club Heart of Darkness. The fun part was the moto ride to the club. Cambodians don't do costume parties as much as Americans, it turns out.
Aside from that, not much has happened, not much has changed. I've spend the weekends nesting here in Phnom Penh, enjoying not riding buses and knowing where everything is. I think a trip to Siem Riep is in the cards soon. At that point, I might stop being so lazy and put up some photos. No promises. Also, plans are coming together for the trip to the US in early August. Prepare your couches, and check FB for the impending shenanigans. Until then, stay dry, and don't eat the wrong kind of street food!

Expat Expert

After almost four months here, it's easy to forget how different things are. Sure, I know that when I visit the US in August I'm going to have a huge culture shock. But I forget exactly why, until I get those great little reminders.
New expats are great reminders. I've met three in the last week, and my friend Erica and I have been showing them the ropes. For example, after yesterday's Hash (www.p2h3.com), I crossed the street. When I reached the curb, I realized that my new friend Claire was petrified on the opposite curb. I forget how terrifying it is to walk through six or eight lanes of motos. I don't know why, but it's made quite an impression on me.
I've also started trying to bargain in Khmer. It's easier than you'd expect. I'm getting pretty good at the numbers, and everything else can be done with sounds. A whistle at the starting price, then a counter offer, much lower. A groan, then a second counter offer. A long "hmmm," then shake your hands in the way the locals do, which means something like "I don't have," or "I cannot." Finally, start walking away to get their final bid. Number of Khmer words spoken: 7. But I'm getting good enough that it's finally cheaper to cook at home than eating out. And if you speak even a little Khmer, the price does drop a bit because you're not a tourist. Moral of the story: It's only a little about what you say. It's more how you sound and how you look. And if you sound like you understand the language, the price gets lower. Of course, if you look as white as I do, the price will still be high. But that's not changing.
Finally, I'm still a deputy director of something. It's clearly a bad idea, but they continue to mistake my English skills for intelligence. Unfortunately, they've expanded to facebook. It's only a matter of time before my boss finds the wrong photos. Nothing good can come of this.
Basically, nothing interesting has happened since I rode that elephant. I guess we can't have jungle adventures all the time. But when you get down to it, hopping on the back of a stranger's moto, when said stranger doesn't speak English, is always a kind of adventure, I guess. Tune in next week, because you'll never know when I'll eat balut- a duck egg with the fetus developing (it almost happened yesterday).

Mondulkiri Mountain Madness

Yes, unfortunately it seems that I like alliteration in my titles. Sorry.
Last weekend was a holiday weekend (the king's birthday Friday, Buddha's Tuesday), so two of the roommates and I went to Mondulkiri, one of the mountain provinces. We took three other French people, and met half a dozen more, so my French is slowly getting better (whether I like it or not). We did trekking (the guide clearly thought we were more prepared than we were), rode elephants, and spent the night in a Pnong tribal village. I took a ton of pictures, until my camera died the last day. Have a look.
This is what it looks like to wash an elephant. We have Benji, Ranie, and one of the guides. Look at how much it's raining.
You could get under the small waterfall and hang out in the air pocket. It's a great alternative to a shower, and the water was warmer than the rain. These are two of the guides.
This scene is all too common in the area. The people think that the forest is more valuable as farm land, so they're cutting tracts like this one at an alarming rate. It's a shame to see it.
These were our elephants. Mine is the one with the guide on it. His name was Po, and he was 10 years old (and looked about six). But it's okay, his older brother was also guiding us. The brother was 15.
Piggies. Sleeping pile of cuteness.
This was where we stayed Saturday night. The child was adorable, as was the puppy (not pictured). The puppy cried all through dinner because no one was playing with him. Dinner was amazing, and I had 12 of the best hours of sleep ever.
Dinner. Also, our guide, Nat, in the pink shorts. No electricity here, and the water was from the well (or bottles, for drinking). They still had a TV, though, in case they ever fixed the generator.
Baby ducklings. Because this blog needs more cuteness.
When you jump off a waterfall wearing sunglasses, you have to hold your face when you land. When I swam up, one of the French girls was practicing her Khmer with her guide. I heard her say "He is from America," in Khmer. Was it the sunglasses or the camera that gave it away?
Finally, an update on the cooking situation. This was my first yogurt cake. The second was equally successful. The oatmeal cookies (or cookie, really, a big one in the bottom of the rice cooker), weren't as photogenic, but were quite delicious. I'm trying again tonight. I even bought cinnamon.
It was a great weekend. I'd forgotten how much I love just walking through the woods, looking at flowers and spiders, or throwing sticks in a river just to watch them float through the little waves. Also, it's nice not to worry about poison ivy. Ticks aren't a problem either, but leeches can be (even away from the river, they hold onto the grass). And in case you were wondering, Chaco flip-flops do great in the rain, but when it stops they collect mud and become difficult to walk in. I still defend my choice to take them on the trek.

Standing out

Last Friday afternoon was amusing. On the way home, I bought some shelves. Three, to be exact. Attached is a kind of coat rack, which I'll use to hang shirts, my only necktie, and apparently a belt and a hammock. The whole apparatus is about six feet tall, but it's wicker, so it's super light. The moral of the story is this: if you want to stand out in SE Asia, it's not that hard. I start with being white. It comes fairly naturally, but that doesn't really help me stand out in some situations. So I grow a beard. I realize some of you won't be able to pull that off either, but I'll make it easier. Wearing long sleeves, dress pants, and a tie during the hottest month of the year, then riding your bicycle in the hottest part of the day will turn a head or two. Throw in some sunglasses for good measure. Finally, in case there was anyone in your line of sight not yet staring, tie a 6' tall wicker apparatus to the back of your bicycle and ride down one of the busier streets in Phnom Penh. Even your neighbors will stare.
Where was I coming home from, in such a state? I'm glad you asked. I found some poor company who thinks I have a clue what I'm talking about. I went in looking for some freelance work, and the director had some ideas. He's doing these workshops on Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" book, and I said I'd help out. I met him a second time last Friday. There was paperwork involved, and now I'm the deputy director of his company, Top Learning Center. What that does that entail? A speech at the beginning of the workshops, proofreading some emails and such, and "any other duties if needed." So I'm definitely the token white guy. It may be only that, a face for the web site, but it may turn into a monster. Either way, you're reading the blog of a deputy director, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say.
In other news, www.couchsurfing.org pretty much rocks. I just finished hosting for the second time, and it was a blast. You should try it. It leads to sitting at a bar with six other people, all from different countries. On a related note, it's kinda nice to be a native English speaker.
Finally, on the culinary front, the oatmeal cookie turned out great. Palm sugar is a little stronger in taste than brown sugar, but works for oatmeal cookies (or cookie, as it was all made in the bottom of a rice cooker). Also, only make half a batch (1.5 cups/350 ml of oatmeal). Also, apparently you can make a great cake using yogurt. It takes just over 2 hours to cook, but it's worth the wait. Of course, a proper oven might be better.

Food is the mos t interesting thing I do anymore.

It's true. My life would be boring if I didn't eat.
I've been working on the concept of curry. I don't have it down, but I'm getting there. Here's what I've been using:
1. Start the rice in the rice cooker. (If you forget, it's a real pain. Trust me.)
2. In your trusty pestle, combine 4 or 5 red chilies, some peppercorn, one or two cloves of garlic, and maybe a shallot. Theoretically, some tumeric, coriander root, lemon grass, garlic chives, and Thai ginger should be added. But that's a lot of stuff I don't know how to say in Khmer. Also, I can point at garlic a lot more easily than coriander root, mostly because I know exactly what garlic looks like.
3. Pound everything in the pestle until you don't really recognize it. Or until your arm starts hurting. Use your other hand to keep little pieces of chili from splattering into your eye, because that hurts. Trust me.
4. Throw the paste onto a skillet with some coconut milk. Stir fry some veggies in it. Maybe some meat, if you have any. Eggs work too.
5. Serve over rice. If your roommates start eying it, tell them they're welcome to have some- you only used 4 chilies, so it's not that spicy. They should leave it alone.
I've had good success with eggplant, carrots, some lettucey thing I've been buying, bell peppers, and cauliflower. Not all at once.
Earlier tonight, some friends helped me to push the boundaries of fusion cuisine. We combined Japanese and Mexican styles, in what we called the "sushito"- a combination of sushi and burrito. It's a very American concept. The BLT sushito was a hit (that's bacon, lettuce, and tomato, for those who doubted). Next time we're going for the Philly roll: steak and cheese. It'll go downhill from there, I'm sure. These are the same people who cooked chocolate chip cookies (really more of a cookie cake I guess) over a BBQ grill last weekend. Just because it's not conventional doesn't mean it's not amazingly tasty.
Speaking of cookies, the rice cooker experimentations are going well. My roommate Mathilde and I made a wonderful chocolate cake, with good chocolate that she brought back from France. I wish I had pictures. And half an hour ago, I put in some oatmeal cookie dough. At the time of this writing, it needed about fifteen more minutes, maybe longer, but is looking promising. This is, of course, the problem with rice cooker baking: your maximum temperature is barely over 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This means a cake may take up to a week to bake fully. But, in the ovenless land of Asia, this is totally worth it. Also, isn't oatmeal cookie dough the best tasting uncooked thing ever?
In other news, the weather is starting to change. I'm told that April is the hottest month, and the rainy season may be starting. I asked my students, because we're studying weather terms this week. However, we've never studied climate, so getting a straight answer has been difficult. But it's rained 2 of the last 3 days, which hasn't happened since I've been here. I guess I'll know soon enough. In any event, I'm going to put a spare pair of socks in my backpack.
I just checked the cookies again. I think they need another six months.

Songkran in Bangkok

When we last talked, I was staying in Tailek's house, and mentioned something about a water fight. Now I have pictures to prove it.
This is Tailek (with Bee). He's not super happy about people rubbing clay on his face, but he's at that age where the horrible tribulations of daily life reduce you to tears for a minute, but then you find something new and wonderful to play with. Like a fork. (No one would let him play with those for long. He's got a rough life.) Tailek really liked that hose. This was a problem, because the water barrel kept running low, and we needed to throw water on people. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
For myself and many others, the festival began on Tuesday night on Khao San Road. Normally, this is a touristy street, full of bars, Western food, and backpackers. On this particular night, however, several anxious young Thais gathered to start Songkran. Most of the farangs (foreigners) joined in, although a few were only arriving, and (judging by their lack of waterproofing) hadn't gotten the memo that everything was subject to inundation. My fellow couchsurfers and I armed ourselves with water guns and entered the fray.
The cavalry.
Your typical Thai troop.
I love this guy.
Having a camera WILL NOT keep people from shooting you. A waterproof camera is necessary.
I don't know where this girl was getting her water, but she refilled roughly 80x faster than we did. As we were there, helplessly out of water, she demolished us.

For the next three days, I used a ziplock bag to hold my phone and money. We were staying in a Thai neighborhood, so the festivities were in full swing from the morning to dusk. Everyone got involved, from the youngest kids to the grandparents. We threw water, which symbolizes cleaning and renewal. Many also spread clay on people's faces, which I'm told wards off evil spirits. Some choose to take it up a level, adding ice to the water and tiger balm to the clay. The motos, tuk-tuks, and pickup trucks often circle the block. And even at 10 pm, when the streets are mostly quiet, someone may walk up behind you with a bowl of water to dump down your back.
We set up in front of Tailek's house with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. In fact, over half the houses on the street were set up with a barrel, a hose, buckets, and water guns. You couldn't make it to the corner dry. A few places set up snacks, beverages, and stereos. And it stayed like that for three days. And forget driving down Khao San Road. Even if it hadn't been closed to cars, there were so many people shooting (iced) water that driving would have been impossible.
For my money, a pickup's the best way to see Songkran.
Adorable. Don't you want to just sling a few liters at them?
This is why you couldn't pay me to ride a moto during Songkran.
Heavy battle.
Pulling out all the stops.
Water from multiple directions.
Matias, Céline, and Petr, with the older couple from across the street. They also danced together, and I later saw Céline teaching the woman how to use her water gun.
Tuk-tuk wheelie. Yeah, it's THAT kind of party.
Petr and his Thai friend, cutting a rug.
Bangkok's finest, hard at work near Khao San Road.
The nights were filled with amazing food. Bee is a great cook, and she's learning how to bake. Ovens aren't popular in most of Asia, so things like homemade banana bread and cookies are a new and wonderful challenge to Bee. Eating them is not too painful either. As seen above, she can cook almost anything. Our Turkish friend Meltem also cooked an amazing meal one night. My day there, Bee decided she wanted a massage. So she called up some friends, and a little after midnight, they turned the living room into a massage parlor. Two hours, 300 baht. That's ten US dollars. Go ahead. Be jealous.
Unfortunately, every New Year celebration must come to an end. I should know, I've seen three come and go already this year. On Saturday it became safe to walk outside with electronics, and on Sunday I caught the early train to the border. The train was less than two dollars, and the truck to the border crossing was less than a dollar. Then, to get from the border to Phnom Penh, I took my first shared taxi to Battambang. I shared the front seat with someone half the way, but still managed to sleep through most of it. The cost? $10 (300 baht). Then I caught the night bus to PP for $11. The moral of the story? It's easier to leave a country after a major festival than to enter one. Also, overland travel in southeast Asia is inherently challenging.
I'll leave you with a short video, to give you an idea about what it's like to take a moto or tuk-tuk during Songkran. Enjoy!

BKK 1

So I'm taking a break from Songkran to compare Bangkok and Phnom Penh. I can't tell you about Songkran because it's not over, but I'll have some photos and a video for sure. I'll just leave you to debate, which is better, Songkran or Halloween?
I spent the first night at a cheap hostel. Boring, but that's what a 15 hour bus ride will do to you. The next afternoon, I went to Tailek's house.
Tailek is about 15 months old. His mom is Bee, from Thailand, and his dad is Scott, from Utah. They have opened their house up to almost anyone. I think there are about ten couchsurfers here at the moment. I've been out with two lovely Swiss girls, an American working in Geneva, a slew of other Europeans (a Czech, a few Germans, a Brit, and maybe someone else?), and an Israeli girl living in Canada, just to shake things up. Tailek's interesting, and only cries sometimes when I play with him.
It's been a blast. We went out with Bee to explore some of the finer points of Bangkok nightlife (I've been missing that much neon since I left China), and the owner of the coffee shop and Halal restaurant remembers me, as I've been there three days in a row now. Also, his name is James too, and he's spent some time in Cambodia (I get to show off my three Khmer sentences!). We went to Chinatown last night, then to Khao San Road. Something about Sangkran... but that's a whole post unto itself.
I like the city. It's bigger than anywhere I could see myself settling in (six times the size of Phnom Penh), but it's a nice change of pace. It's also much greener. Some of that is the climate, but I'm sure they're also growing and watering more. I've missed Thai food and night markets too. Bee's going to teach me a little about cooking. The CSers are going out every night, and right now I'm going to try to take a nap (which will be hard with the festival raging outside). And there seems to be a water fight somewhere... I'll try to get some pictures.
Happy Buddhist New Year!!!! Don't leave house without a plastic bag!!!

Happy birthday!

Last Thursday, I stumbled across a birthday party, quite by mistake. I went out to eat with some friends, and we realized the restaurant was quite crowded. After some time, they asked us to come inside to sing "Happy Birthday" with them. What do you do when asked such a thing? If your answer was anything less than enthusiastic, we need to talk about your sense of adventure.
So in we went. There were about forty of us, and almost everyone had sparklers. I never figured out whose birthday it was, mostly because at the end of the song the Khmer enjoy silly string. A lot. Sometimes in your face. Fun fact: you know when a can of silly string is almost dead and is half liquid, half sputtering bits? If that hits you square in the eye, it doesn't really hurt. Also, if you go to the store after, the security guard will remind you of the silly string you've left in your hair.
If I'd had my camera, I'd post pictures. These things never happen when you bring your camera. Or maybe they would, if I ever brought mine out. If I had, I'd also have bat picture. There were dozens in the intersection in front of that store. I'll go back this week and snap a few.
Aside from that, I'm just getting ready for the Buddhist New Year. Payday is tomorrow, and then I'll decide where I'll be running off to. Thailand for the water festival? Could be a plan. I'll keep you posted!

Early rains

It's been raining a little here. By a little, I mean for short intervals, but sometimes with great intensity. For the first hard rain, two nights ago, I was finishing a homemade curry. Emily and Erica, my Canadian friends, went to a cooking class with me a few weeks back. It was lackluster, but then I discovered that I have at my disposal a pestle and mortar. So, armed with said class in our distant memories, we descended upon my kitchen. Mostly the girls, as I was almost an hour late. (I was on the other side of the Mekong from the truck that was taking me home. It happens.) It was a huge hit, and the roommates and other friends said it was good and that I made it too spicy. It was a really great night Sunday night.
Monday was the rain I mentioned. I was finishing of the curry, and ate it on the balcony in our hammock, watching the storm. It was a peaceful way to get ready for bed. Today, however, was a different story. The rain hit in the afternoon, fairly hard, as I was biking to work. Have you ever taught a class with wet socks? It leads to a short class.
Then, later tonight, we went out for Erica's birthday. The rain on the way there was light, but I was on the back of a motodup, with a driver who was not happy with me. But the hard rain fell during the dinner (fresh quail and quail eggs). I have a short video where you can hopefully see the wind and how rainy it was.



I'll try to get some more pictures up soon.
Also, I'll try to post more. I've started doing a quiz night (we took first my first week, and last this week). I met an "African Chief" on St. Patrick's Day, and drank a wonderful green mint-lime smoothie. I'm finishing my public speaking class, and starting a culture class (I'm not sure what qualifies me for either, but I've never let a lack of credentials stop me before). I'm sure I'm forgetting some wonderful stuff, but the point is that I'm having an absolute blast. In other words, I'm in the right place for me right now.

Settled In

I've been teaching for two weeks now. It's a lot less exciting than it was two weeks ago, but I am glad to be working again. Also, the money will be nice. I'm teaching 15 hours now, including 6 on Tuesday and 6 on Thursday. I have a thirty minute break. It's quite a day, but it's the same class four times. I'll have the two new classes caught up in a week or two, and then it'll be the same lesson plan.
I've also been battling my computer quite a bit. A shop reinstalled Windows for me for $15, and saved all my files (yay for not losing my pictures!). A few days later a friend installed Linux for me. It was a bad plan, but I'm getting better at it. Don't worry, in a week or two I'll just throw the thing into the open sewer. I apologize in advance for what this will do to my contact with you. Anyway, knock on wood, it seems to be working more smoothly. I'll tell you if I ever get Skype running.
Life is becoming normal. I don't worry about dying on my bike constantly. I'm learning (slowly) who to buy from at the market for the best prices. I'm finding good restaurants, and I got that bank account I mentioned. I still don't speak Khmer, but I'm starting to pick up a few words in French. I've accepted that I'll speak better French than Khmer when I leave here. So maybe I'll move to Morocco. They speak French there, when they're not speaking Arabic. Party in Tangier, anyone? (It's that or Istanbul, I think.)
Speaking of Africa, I do want to mention how excited I am about what's going on in the Arab world right now. I'm a fan of reform, and I hope that the region is a better place when the dust settles.
Okay, I'm going to go experiment with the idea of left-over dumplings. Cross your fingers and hope they're not too soggy!

Part-time Phnom Penh Professional

Yes, it's true! I have a job! It's six whole hours a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30. We can call this part-time job #1, and the job hunt will continue (at an equally leisurely pace) until I have a full-time schedule (and yes, "full-time" is a relative term).
Aside from that, there's nothing much going on. I'm extending my visa today, which means I've almost been her a month. I'm also picking up my ID badge from the university (Pannasastra), and probably opening a bank account. It's giving me that wonderful feeling of residing here, getting settled. I've also been riding a bicycle around. So, in summation, the things that make me feel like I live here and I'm not still traveling: apartment, job, renewed visa, transportation, job, local phone number, friends. Also, the parking guy at Top Banana recognizes me. It's important to have a bar you go to too often, right?
Also, I've discovered hashing. http://www.p2h3.com/ It's basically jogging, with the added bonus of false trails and no shade. Also, after you're supposed to drink beer for various reasons. If you explain that you can't drink beer ("on medication"), they make you chug a strawberry Fanta. It's probably worse. The course was about 10 kilometers (6 miles), but when you factor in getting lost it's about 1-2 km longer. If you're not sleeping well, that should help. Also, you get to ride to the course (usually just outside of town) on the back of a flatbed truck with 20-30 other hashers, Cambodian style. I highly recommend it as part of the Cambodian experience.
Okay, I'm off to run errands, like an adult! Bye!

I just had a peanut butter banana sandwich. Jealous? You should be.
So, I have an apartment now. It's three bedrooms, a dining room, a kitchen, 4 baths (although one has a washing machine in it), and a huge living room which has been divided into two bedrooms. Guess where I sleep? In the living room, in a king size bed, on the other side of the curtain from Ranie. She's French, as are Sophie and Mathilde. Christian has the third bedroom, and he's Haitian and speaks the best English of the four. They're studying here through a French university, and they each have an internship/job working with a local business. They also all speak some Khmer, which is nice. I'll be speaking French and Khmer in no time. Okay, probably not French. Even if I study French for the six months that I live here, their English will still be better. But with a little luck, I'll pick up something, because isn't it great to have an extra language bouncing around in your head?
So, as my roommates have been at school and work, I've been (slowly) searching for a job myself. I'm getting more serious. I own a necktie now. I promise I'll take some pics and put them up soon, because I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. I even remember how to tie it. I should have something concrete on that front in the next week. Hopefully not so soon.
This may beg the question of how long I'll be here in Phnom Penh. Good question. I've promised the roommates six months, barring an inexplicable inability to land a teaching job. Even then, I could probably find something with an NGO. That puts me here through July. After then, I have no idea. I may stay through the end of the year, and I may head west. How far west, you may ask? Man, you ask a lot of difficult questions. No further west than the Gambia, where I plan to spend some time with Casey around next January. So what's in between here and the Gam? Turkey, Morocco, southeastern Europe (Romania maybe?), and India, to name a few. And Egypt, if no one in Iran is hiring. (insert rim shot here.) In other words, don't worry about getting me a birthday present, because I can't tell you what country I'll be in, but it won't be the States. Plans after the trip to the Gambia? I was lectured at length this morning about how "plan" is a four-letter word.
Now that we know each other a little better, I should mention that I miss you. I really do. I'm not avoiding you because I don't like you. There are things that I am avoiding (e.g. everything involved in the popularity of Sarah Palin), but you're not one of them. But that's not my real motivation. And it's not about pure travel and passport stamps and photos of famous places. It's not about the fact that they pay crazy money here for English teachers (by local standards of course). I've been sitting here for half an hour trying to put my finger on it, and I can't. I just know that I have to spend some time abroad now. So we should skype!
Okay, it's dinner time. The food here is great, but I question the cleanliness sometimes. Mostly because I keep eating street food. I still haven't tried any insects, but like chicken feet, it's only a matter of time. And when I do, I'm sure I'll come bragging. With a little luck, I'll get to the point where it's something that I'm not even disgusted by anymore. Like congealed blood: I never order it, but when it came in the soup yesterday I enjoyed it. Times change, I guess.

Back to the grind

Okay, so I did some research, and there are no waves in Cambodia. Windsurfing was a possibility, but I opted for hiking around Rabbit Island instead. It was a good call, except for the mild blister and sunburn. That being said, if you're going to be mildly uncomfortable like that, you should do so in a thatched hut on the beach. Pictures sooner or later.
Kep Beach wasn't bad either. The weather was perfect. You should try it sometime.
So now I'm back in Phnom Penh looking for work and lodging. Finding an apartment is easier, I think, mostly because I don't need a tie for it. Why does the real world require closed toed shoes? Also, business cards are a bad idea. I had 50 of the ugliest, least professional business cards printed up yesterday. Hopefully it'll be enough to land the first job. We'll see. Everyone says it's pretty easy to find teaching jobs here.
Cambodia's quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the world. Transportation is easy if you don't mind hoping on the back of someone's moto for a dollar. I am considering buying a helmet for this, even though I don't have a bike or moto of my own. I paid a dollar for ginger chicken at a street vendor last night. The people are friendly, and the weather is perfect (for now at least). We'll see how I feel in a few weeks, right?
I'll leave you with this picture of Rabbit Island, as a promise of more to come.

The Bod

I've decided to call Cambodia "The Bod" from now on.
I'm writing this from a hostel in Phnom Penh. How did I get here, you may ask? I've been asking myself the same thing.
I finally quit the job in Nanjing. This was really no surprise to anyone, from what I can tell. I won't go into the gory details, but it was time to move on. So I packed up and started moving by backpacking through China. I guess it's not really backpacking if you've got a huge duffel bag full of things you wouldn't really travel with, but whatever. Morgan and Greg are the coolest people ever, and they put up with my (literal) baggage.
The first stop was Shanghai. We thought that going south would lead to warmer climates. While this was technically true, there was still snow on the ground when we arrived. This was a pain, because it had snowed on us in Nanjing for three days. However, our friends Jay and Lindsey were amazing hosts. Also, Jay may have the coolest parents in China. It was nothing less than an epic party.
After Shanghai, we went to Xiamen, which is on the southeast coast. It was less cold, but still demanded a jacket. We stayed in a Hakka Tulou, which was the best sleep I'd had in decades. Wikitravel can tell you the details. http://wikitravel.org/en/Yongding_County After the night in the Tulou, we returned to the Xiamen hostel, with the most useless staff ever. They didn't actually know where the rooms were, which is a pain when you're carrying a stupid 40 lb duffel back. Other highlights included Nanputuo Temple, with some great hiking on the mountain behind it, and Gulangyu Island, where there were no cars (but a single garbage truck). Also on the island was Gary, a huge and adorable golden lab who lived at our hostel.
Finally, we found the airport ("Which airport?" asked the receptionist, despite the fact that there's only one in town) and flew to Hanoi. We arrived after 11, and didn't clear customs until past midnight. The streets were almost deserted, but the most helpful hostel staff ever were waiting up for us. We slept in proper beds, and when we awoke the city had transformed. It looked roughly the same, but there was an endless supply of motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, and bikes (with the occasional car) filling the streets and spilling over to the sidewalks. To cross the street, one must slowly and conspicuously walk into traffic. Said traffic then will see you and pick a side, flying past inches in front or behind you as they see fit. This is also how they drive through an intersection. You'd be amazed at how quickly you adjust to the constant threat of a horrible death by moto.
We spend two nights in Hanoi, meeting the infamous Jeff. Then there was a trade-off, and Morgan and Greg chose to go to Ha Long Bay with Jeff instead of booking it south with me. I don't blame them. Jeff has less (literal) baggage. So, traveling by myself, I flew to Ho Chi Minh City, then caught the bus the next morning to Phnom Penh. This is my first morning here, and I can see myself settling down here for a few months. The traffic isn't as crazy, everything is cheap, and the currency is familiar- dollars are accepted everywhere, and the conversion to riel isn't bad. I'll look around more today and update soon. Almost nothing is blocked on the interwebs here.
A quick update on the food situation: bar-b-qued squid is quite good, but I will never understand why anyone would voluntarily eat chicken feet. There is no meat, and I don't want to chew up whatever that hard part in the middle is (cartilage?) Congealed blood is still an acceptable dish, and just because the waiter in Xiamen said "niu rou" (Chinese for "beef") doesn't necessarily mean it's beef (maybe it was frog? too small to be chicken).
Okay, I have errands to run. I need a phone, an apartment, and a job. In that order. I'm most worried about the apartment. Phones and jobs seem easy to come by here, or at least that's what I've been told. Teaser for next blog: how long will it be before I find a proper beach? It's finally warm enough, and I have a multi-entry visa for 'Nam. But will the fates take me to a beach in Cambodia first? With a little luck, both may happen. What's the Khmer word for "surf lessons"?

Technical difficulties

We're working on some of the technical difficulties. This post is about a week old, but now I'm in Hong Kong where the internet's not censored. So I'll post this today, then an update tomorrow. Hopefully in the interim I'll get it so Dad can update this for me if I email him content.

Greetings, dear readers!

My apologies for being so long in updating. Blame the access difficulties. The good news is that it keeps me from wasting so much time on Facebook.

So, I'm in China. I guess that means that I haven't updated in two months, so I'll try to go in order.

First, I went to Hangzhou to get checked out by my employment agency. They're sketchy and put me up in a pretty dingy apartment, but I only had to stay a single night. The next day, I moved into a dorm in Nanjing.

I've got a double room to myself, with two beds, two desks, and a full bathroom, complete with a Western toilet. The only appliances provided were a TV (currently unplugged) and an electric kettle (my best friend). With the kettle, I can make coffee without getting out of bed. The only thing more luxurious would be someone else making coffee for me.

I share a common room with 2 other American teachers. We have a couch and 2 chairs, which we rarely use. There is a small washing machine and a kitchen area with another kettle and a microwave. The dining hall is about a two minute walk, and there is a small supermarket and a fruit store there too. I try to eat lunch at the teacher's dining hall, which is lunch-line style. This means that I don't have to speak, I can just point to what I want. On the other hand, this means I don't always know what I'm getting until I taste it. On the plus side, there's free fruit.

I'm really enjoying the food. I'm decent with chopsticks now (I've had some practice). The locals love to see me using the chopsticks, and love that I like their cuisine. Between this peer pressure and the desire to try everything, I've sampled several interesting dishes. I'm told that ox tongue is tasty if better prepared, but I didn't enjoy it that much. I enjoyed eel both times. The first weekend I had duck blood soup, and figured out two days ago that the red tofu-looking part was the duck blood. They serve it in a curd, and it tastes kind of like a meaty tofu. Tortoise tastes like a fishy beef, and duck tongue tastes exactly like the dark meat from a turkey (and makes for great photos). And pig's lung tastes exactly like you'd expect. It's meaty at first, with a bitter and lung-ish aftertaste.

I'm teaching about 15 hours a week. Most of my students are female, but I do have an all-boy class. I like it if I have all boys or all girls, because the students are less shy. Even then, they do not like to speak because they're terrified to make a mistake. They're really nice kids though. They've helped me go shopping and taken me around the city. Unfortunately, they don't really understand adventure tourism. So when I tell them I'm an awesome kayaker, they don't really get it. This may be my biggest disappointment.

I've picked up a second job. It's about two weekends a month, six hours Saturday and six hours Sunday. I'm teaching adult beginners who are moving to Canada. They're great. They're motivated, far from shy, and wealthy enough to pay me more than I'm worth. I'm waiting for them to realize that I'm horribly under-qualified for the gig, but they haven't yet.

Nanjing isn't as bad as some places, but most of the locals are pretty surprised to see a white person. Even after two months, random people say “Hello” walking past me on campus. My favorite thing to do is ask them how they are. Some just giggle, and some turn around ten seconds later and yell, “Fine, thank you!” It's not as bad off campus, but I get stared at on the metro and whatnot. The beard also makes me stand out. The guys seem to love it, and the women hate it. That being said, it's too cold to shave. Seriously, it's winter. What did I do wrong? It snowed last night!

Aside from the winter thing, I like it here. I enjoy teaching, although it's strange to be a disciplinarian. I'm connecting with more English speakers outside the school, which is nice. For Christmas, I got to see Morgan and Greg in Qinhuangdao, which was the best thing ever. Greg made me chocolate chip cookies when I got there. They took me out dancing Christmas Eve, then had a party that ended in more dancing Christmas. We also had pancakes and biscuits with gravy (not at the same time). Also, Morgan and Greg are two of my favorite people in the world ever. That Sunday, Morgan took me to the start of the Great Wall. That's one wonder of the world down, six to go.

New Years Eve was less eventful, just barhopping here in Nanjing. The only problem is that the metro shuts down at 11, not to start again until 6 am. So going out for the night involves either a hotel or a late night. The good news is that you can get real coffee at the 24-hour McDonalds, and it's actually pretty good.

I should take a moment to talk about the language. It's impossible. The grammar is simple enough, but the pronunciation is evil. Pure evil. Just find any basic first Chinese lesson, and they'll tell you about the many meanings of “ma,” depending on the pitch you say it. Also, there's the whole lack of an alphabet thing. That doesn't help, as the characters have absolutely no bearing on the phonetics.

I hope everyone had the most wonderful holiday season ever. I know it was hard, getting by without me for the second year in a row. Maybe next year we can be together. Start saving your pennies, and I'll let you know where I'll be, and you can come visit. I can tell you now that it will be warm.