Bed-rest and a 10k: My kind of low-key weekend

So on Friday, I decided to go for a short run around the island near my house after work. The highlight was when I decided to cut through what I thought was an empty baseball field and discovered the ball pit full local homeless men. I sort of jumped when I saw them, but I think we were all in shock as well. They waved, I waved back and I kept going on my merry way (at a faster pace and not looking back until I was past the fields!). The rest of the run was pretty normal, but that definitely threw me.

I was a little worried after the run because my knee was bothering me again. I am sick right now, too, so I took Saturday off (and basically stayed in bed all day), but I am really happy to say that I was completely fine for the Harimacho 10k ‘Road Race’ on Sunday! There was some confusion about where to be and when on Sunday morning (I got up at 6am and proceeded to punch different things into my electronic dictionary to see if it would spit out the kanji for ‘registration’ and I could find it on the schedule!), but everything worked out fine. The race was not huge. The people at the registration booth were definitely expecting me when I arrived, which I think is due to the fact that I was one of three foreigners in the race (Tam & Clayton did the 5k) so they figured I must be one of the names in Katakana (the alphabet for foreign words). There was even more confusion abound when I had to fill out a detailed health form (also in kanji), but I had them read the questions and could pretty much explain through words and limited vocabulary what I needed to. Some nerves sprung up as I watched the high school track athletes and serious runners preparing for my race, and as it turned out, they truly were serious runners (OMG they were fast), but I finished without being tired (unfortunately going faster than the desired pace because everyone else was so speedy).
The race was exciting, but I quite honestly spent most of the rest of the weekend in bed. I have been pretty sick; catching whatever it is that one of my teachers (and probably half of the students have). I went to Kobe for Korean food with Jane, Jen, Rob, Shag and Kelly on Friday, but I tried to ditch early about 5 times. We went to the Hub, an expat bar near the station, for a nightcap before retiring for the night, and I almost gagged with all the smoke. I don't know if it is all the running or the illness (or both!), but my system just wasn't having it and I wasn't a very happy camper. Good company, but too much for my bod.
I rented movies and spent Saturday in bed. I ended up watching Kiki's Delivery Service, an animated movie about a young witch. I have been really into Studio Ghibli lately. Kiki was one of their movies, but it is also the production company that put together The Moving Castle and Spirited Away, which you might have heard of via the Oscars. Anyways, the animation is absolutely superb and the storylines are really fascinating. Most have an ecological theme of some sort, and a lot of them mingle with the supernatural. It's like a very, very modern version of Ferngully, but more PC and for adults, I guess. Anyways, this studio also has an agreement with Disney, so they have gotten some pretty huge (American) stars to do the voice-overs for the English versions. I have been trying to watch the movies in Japanese, with English subtitles, but it is interesting, none-the-less.
I also rented AI: Artificial Intelligence, which I hated through most of the movie, but got through and learned to appreciate once I saw the end. A lot of my students really love the film, so I followed their recommendation, but I can see how it might have been too progressive for people to recognize it as equally valuable as the rest of Speilbergs' pictures.
Anyways, the run was fun, but it was nice to spend most of the weekend - or at least one night - in. I really do feel a bit better and definately more relaxed!

To re-contract or not re-contract; that is NOT the question.

I have read blogs listing friends’ reasons or pro’s and con’s for/against staying longer in another country (particularly Japan), but I am not going to do that. I’ll just say I am staying another year because I like it here, I am happy, and I can’t possibly imagine moving back just yet (um, and I didn’t apply to schools this year so I have to wait anyways).

So, yes, it’s official... I am here until at least 2008!

I have a class in a few minutes so I have to keep this short. I have done this lesson a few times and am prepared with handouts, but I felt it necessary to write (I am so filled with emotion right now!). I just submitted to my supervisor a little piece with a simple, yet monumental message: I am re-contracting. I know this is not a huge surprise to many, and is definitely a life-affecting event, but I know it is the right thing to do and wanted to share:)

Sidenote:
By the way, on the subject of the joy of schools, all of the teachers are crowded around the board near my desk right now. It seems an extraordinarily large number of first-years are out sick with the flu. One of my coworkers had it, and now I am feeling sick. I know working at an elementary school can be dangerous for these things, but I was kind of hoping I would not have to go through this at the high school level. The Japanese are really diligent about being at work through thick and thin, and go to the hospital (not a ‘minute Cinic’ like we do) when they are not feeling well. If you're not sick enough to go to the hospital, you are not sick enough to miss work. They also rarely use all their vacation (sort of a faupaux). Still working on that... definaly not following the cultural norm on the vacation time, though (if I have to pull out the American in me, it might as well be somewhere... I didn't do it in America, but there is no way I'm wasting my travel opportunities here).

Norovirus

So I was just reading the headlines on CNN.com, and look what I found. It seems that hundreds of people on this cruise ship are ill with a form of illness called norovirus. I am not sure if you know what this is, but I am familiar with norovirus. And I think it just taught me a lesson: Just be careful with the seafood you eat!
I hadn't heard of this virus before I got here (potentially because I was formerly landlocked?), but it seems like everyone is getting it. One of the women I sit by at work got it from eating some bad muscles and had to get a series of injections (or something...) at the hospital. Another friend went to dinner with her English department and they all got either food poisoning or norovirus from whatever they ate (what a nightmare!). So anyways, just a tidbit about culture here (or current events?)... and remember to be careful with those muscles!

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/24/cruiseship.outbreak.ap/index.html

What do we really need in life?

A good job? Family? Love? The Beatles once said, "all you need is love" but is that true? Or is it, as John Mayer (*a surprisingly excellent writer in general - check out his blog) put it: all you need is love is a lie, because we had love but we still said goodbye (speaking from yet another personal experience). This has been on my mind a lot lately. I visited one of my first American friends from Japan earlier this week and was a little dis-enheartened when she confided in me that she is debating whether or not she will stay or leave Japan. This woman has a wonderful personal situation (amazing apartment and location for almost nothing, travel stipend for her job, the opportunity to use her advanced Japanese skills), but there is one problem: her job. She has not been satisfied with her experiences here and does not find her 'career' fulfilling or challenging in the right ways. I feel like my situation is the reflection of hers, exactly the opposite in many ways. I have had a lot of personal hurdles to bear since I arrived. I know I have not written about many of them (this is a blog, not a journal; and not all of them are rooted in being here), but I am still so grateful to be here and happy. The first couple weeks I was here (when I had little contact with the outside world and way too much free time), I was not always a happy camper. To be honest, I was ready for the experience, but felt lovesick and lonely (no phone, internet or English speakers), missed home, was still trying to get on my feet here and was pretty much disappointed by my living situation. But in the months since then, things have changed. I have great friends and I love my job. I have opportunities for adventure and travel, and I am constantly learning and challenged on so many different levels.A friend was asking me last week if I consider this period of my life one of the "five careers" you go through. In a way, it is, but I see it as preparation for the bigger career and life plans rather than a career in itself (sort of like a pre-step). I know things can be hard and I will always miss things at home (and hold fond memories of so many people, places and things, even though there is a vast distance between them and I), but I also know I am happy.Anyways, I just wanted to jot down some thoughts. I am not sure what warrants success or happiness, but I think it is a lot like beauty; it is in they eye of the beholder. Maybe you do need a good job, if that is how you measure success. I do think you need family. And love is a basic human necessity. But mostly, you need to do what makes you happy. If my friend goes, for example, I will be sad. I know she is not sure if she should stay, and I guess it is all about what makes her happy, even though it is logical for her to stick around. Such is life…

CRAZY week!

The past week has been a whirlwind. I don't even know where to start... so I guess I'll just break it down by the day.
月　ー　水　（ようび）
Monday I got called into the principal’s office and had an impromptu Q&A about my experiences thus far. Got some forms to fill out and was told I'd have another formal interview on Wednesday with more questions. No sweat and got some flattering complements about my time so far (and some pretty sexist ones from another party present at one point), but - in hindsight - it was a good surprise and positive experience. I think I am doing more than Kocho (the boss man) knew - including teaching some classes alone...which I later realized I maybe should not have mentioned - so I guess checking in once in a while is a good thing. I think it's fair to say that the Kyoto Sensei (Vice Princ.) really runs the daily operations at Japanese schools, but I was not surprised that Kocho has not witnessed more, however.
On Monday I was also informed that a visiting professor from a graduate program of linguistics at Osaka University (a pretty famous uni here) would be observing my 'general' third year class on Tuesday morning. Um, the general class is probably the least structured of all the classes I have. I quickly put together a lesson plan to fit the occasion (vs the normal one we were doing), but my co-teacher adjusted it to a lecture of sorts... which luckily went pretty well (raves from the prof!).
Wednesday was my big 25th. I was recently told this is the last b-day I am ever supposed to have (or the first of many 25s?!), and I did feel like it was a pretty substantial one, but I am comfortable enough in my new number (the panic has eased a bit). I will let you read more about that in my b-day posting, though.
Conference in Kobe (目　－　金）
Thursday and Friday brought with them the mid-year conference. It was quite a site. I would say I haven't seen that many gaijin (foreigners) in one place in a long time, but it's really been about 2 weeks...or since Thailand. It was still a great occasion, though. I had fun catching up with some friends I haven't seen in a while and seeing familiar faces. I actually got a lot out of the workshops, too. The socializing during those evenings also produced some new discoveries about my stomping ground, Kobe, including a free, outdoor, foot onsen (water spa) that I didn't know about (bonus!) and a really great little Korean place near Sannomiya Station. I also finally made it to Star Child’s, the 'famed' burger joint ('twas good as they say and very charming) and had a lot of fun at a Habitat benefit concert my friend hosted at Ryan's Irish Pub on Friday night. I drank a bit much (easy to do when you go to dinner with friends, then happy hour with other friends, then a concert with other friends, etc, etc) but I got to see a few peoples' bands play and really enjoyed 'Funky Punky', the Japanese band that played at Ryans.
Saturday　（土　ようび）
So with all the excitement, I haven't gotten much running in lately. Yes, I have been taking it easy because of the knee, but my impulsive recent partying habits (or committments?) have led to the dawn of laziness (or poor planning). Takiko and I were going to do a long run on Saturday, which I was pumped for since I really need it, but now she has hurt her knee as well, so we ended up walking for a little over 2 hours. She was going to show me her favorite bakery, but we opted instead for the deluxe Harimacho tour. The tour turned out to be the better deal. Wow. We explored one corner to the next. My favorite part was visiting some local shrines and temples, including the Ae Shrine, a series of small, wooden shrines where four Gods live, built in the 16th century. The chat was really nice (Takiko is so kind!) and I really feel like I can better navigate the area after our walk. She also showed me the local public gym (like a nice YMCA - with hot herbal baths!). Now I can do cardio when it rains!
The party (and potentially my last all-nighter...ever)
Saturday night was the big party. We had planned to go to a SE Asian place in Kobe (Elephant Cafe) that my coworker recommended, but Jane and I disovered it had moved to Osaka when we went hunting for the location on Tuesday... so we moved the party there, too! We met everyone outside of Yodabashi Camera in Umeda. Dinner was nice, but there was a lot of miscommunication between us and the cafe staff (when we booked?...I guess), so we ended up paying more than expected for less food and there was some drama about drinks. We were at two different tables and in a pretty secluded part of the restaraunt, which did not translate the cool atmosphere of the place... but did provide some nice privacy for our group. Lena and James - two American friends from Hyogo - surprised us with a huge, delicious birthday cake and I was happy to be in good company. After this dinner, I think this will retire from organizing my own parties and stick to dinners (or let others plan them) from now on...
Anyways, after dinner some people headed home and a few brave souls decided to hang on and brace a full night of dancing fun with us. We were on the fence about whether to do Saze-a (house music, in Umeda), but decided to go to Pure in Shinsaibashi. Pure is not exactly the classiest club in town (it' s like a Lodge or Drink, but worse...), but I like what the DJ plays (great for dancing), they have pool, it's open all night, and it's nomihodai (all-you-can-drink) with pretty much anything once you pay the cover. I danced in the beginning, but then spent most of the night by the pool table talking to friends. The club ended on a sour note when a rude expat yelled at my Japanese friend Rumiko as she was leaving (wasn't provoked - some foreigners can be so embarassing for the rest of us!), so we did a little karaoke and picked up some breakfast before heading home and collapsing into bed.
Once I finally got up on Sunday, I spent most of the evening studying Japanese (was horribly behind in my correspondance course ) and watching movies.
This week should be ok and Tuesday is another birthday dinner with a small group of people from work, but I am ready to tone it down after that.

My First Trembler

I just had my first earthquake. I am not sure how big it was, but it definitely woke me up, which is quite the feat. I remember being jolted awake, and then feeling the bed jerking from side to side, but that is about it. I had some pretty strange dreams last night, however (inspired by The Last Kiss, the Last Movie I wish I would have seen...), so I had assumed it was part of the dream and didn't recall actually waking up until my friend mentioned it this evening. I also just saw an article about the huge quakes ravishing through Indonesia, but the article did not list a time (only level) and we are still pretty far from SE Asia, so I am not sure if there was a connection. All I know is that we are both in the 'circle of fire', which spells potential issues.

I think I have mentioned it before, but I am actually completely frightened by earthquakes. Living in one of the most earthquake prone countries in the world, however, I have tried to educate myself more (via personal research and talking to people about their experiences, taking trips to museums and education centers, and seeing the actual fault line of the great Hanshin earthquake and the park with preserved damage). It's getting better, but I am glad that I was sleeping when the first one happened and hardly remembered it...

The Big (b-) Day has come and gone!

Today has certainly been a peculiar day for a birthday. Or maybe I just feel peculiar because 25 seems older to me. Ok, yes, it’s a quarter of a century and all that (oh, and I get cheaper car insurance!), but it is the mark of maturity as well. I am no longer a child. Young still, yes, but now totally grown up. Just seems substantial to me, in some way...

My friend Jane surprised me with breakfast from the bakery, which was one of the best birthday presents I could have gotten. She carried it around with her all night in Kobe last night and revealed what it was as we were saying goodbyes at the apartment building. I love things you want or could use, but will not buy for yourself; and surprises are the best. Like a song you like that someone took the time to burn for you. Simple and small ones that mean a lot to you (not because they are big and expensive, but because they took a lot of thought) are the BEST.

Things were pretty normal at work. We took a (half minute-long) moment of silence in the morning to remember the victims of the Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 and a lot of people talked about their experiences throughout the day. A few people remembered my birthday, which was sweet, but I told one of the people I was close to as I was leaving and she was so upset I hadn't told anyone sooner. It's hard to say, 'HEY! It's my birthday!!' sometimes, though... especially when you have just honored victims of a horrible tragedy. Seems inapproriate.

I am basically a day ahead so the only birthday wishes I got during my birthday here were essentially the early ones. Kind of funny… I had a meeting and club after work, and then had to run errands, so I got home late and went out to pizza with my friend Kelly and Clam (my collective name for my friends Tam and Clayton). We went to the all-you-can-eat place in Befu. Kelly and I were going to go to Kobe, but we decided to go on her birthday in 2 weeks instead and stay close since it was late. We have a conference tomorrow and the next day, so we need to be up and out tomorrow morning... and Saturday is when the real celebrations are going down.
So, yeah, that was it! I know I have future opportunities to celebrate coming up, so we'll see what I write after Saturday ;)

Marathon Update

I was looking at the calendar today, and the marathon is getting nervously close. Not running in Thailand really put me behind. I tried once, but battling the tourists and tide for beach space or cars and crazy motorbikes for the roads was too hard. I was really sore the first few days back (tried to push it back to a normal level), but found I could still comfortably do about 2 hours. Unfortunately, I did more damage than good by pushing myself, and seem to have messed-up my knee (bringing back an old injury). I think I twisted it back in my soccer days, but it has really been flaring up lately (dangerous when these long runs are important practice). I had to stop running on my way home from Befu last week because I was almost whimpering in pain.
I told Takiko, my running mate, and our coach, her husband (a seasoned marathon runner), and they have been pretty worried about it. If you get injured, it is too difficult to recover. So, as a precaution, I have had to considerably cut down my running schedule, am investing in new shoes (Asics Kiyano’s rock.. but don’t last forever…sniffle), I have been icing the knee, and I had to take two days off (after the vacation!!) to let my muscles rest. I am going to start doing some muscle building exercises our coach showed me, but I am worried about the setback. When you train for a marathon, you do shorter runs during the week and a long run on the weekend. Takiko and I have only done about 2 hours (and I have done about 2 ½ on my own), but we only have about a month before we need to taper-off (stop running so much to preserve energy for the race). We were going to do a 3-hour trip to Akashi and back this weekend with Coach, but with my knee, we did an hour at the track today and are only doing 2 hours next week; and then the long 30k+ is the next weekend.
We should be doing the 30k+ run the following week, as well, but I will be in Hokkaido (with Kristin – yay!), so I’ll have to hit the treadmill (boo) and really only get one really long run with Takiko (and maybe the coach). CRAP.
I am starting to worry that I didn’t plan enough time for training for this thing (and the knee is NOT good), but I am still going to work towards the big day. I am practicing carrying a belt pack now (a hotter version of the one I carried in 7th grade…) and am trying to improve my form more. Surprisingly, the movement class I took at St. Olaf (Susan’s Bauer’s course on Laban movement) has really been an asset, helping me visualize and try to emulate a correct posture. Still not there yet, but closer.
So, it’s been rough, but the knee is ok for now and we’re full steam ahead with T minus one and a half months to go! Keep your fingers crossed!

Pompeii & weekend back

I would like to say I have rediscovered my niche and settled nicely back into the routine, but to be honest, I have pretty much only been relaxing with other foreigners since returning from vacation and haven't made it to work yet. Opening ceremony is tomorrow. I spent most of the weekend watching movies (purchased on the road...ah hem) with friends (the subtitles alone on the copies I got make it entertaining enough!), but today I had a really interesting engagement.

Last spring, Mike and I visited the Natural History Museum in Chicago. Might sound nerdy if you aren't into history, but I assure you, it's worth checking out! Anyways, while we were there, they were showing a temporary exhibit with artifacts from Pompeii, Italy. I was really disappointed when the exhibit was sold out (for the next 2 days), so you can probably understand how surprised and excited I was to learn that the same exhibit had traveled to Japan and was currently showing in Osaka!

If you are not familiar with it, Pompeii is a city in southern Italy that was completely buried in volcanic rock when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in AD79, preserving the ancient ruins in almost perfect condition for nearly two thousand years. While the majority of the area's residents escaped before the eruption (lava flow and sulphuric gas) ravaged through the town, those that did not were frozen for eternity (or until 200 years ago, when they were first excavated) in fearful positions. Today, the casts of these victims, along with the artifacts and technological lessons of the survivors (like surgical tools) are on display. The frescoes and statues of Greek Gods (Hera, Aphrodite, Apollo) immediately caught my attention as they reminded me a lot of those in Greece (makes sense but did not expect the exactness). Moresoe, the jewlery (worn then with simple-looking robes) reminded me of classic peices that could still be worn with style today. There were a lot of snake and leaf designs in gold and silver, and there seemed to be an abundancy of garnets and emerald among the wealthy at the time. Amazing when you consider this is very close to the time of Christ and I swear many of these (400 plus) peices looked extremely similar to the offering I encountered in Thailand last week.

Basically, the exhibit introduces a framework for building a picture of what life at that time was probably like. Looking at the pictures of the modern town of Pompei (with a large, hollow excavated town in the middle), you can see the volcanous mountains in the background. I know this was a 19-hour eruption, but it is crazy to think that everything these people had, even their lives, was literally buried in time. Just like that.

The exhibit has already traveled Europe and North America, so it would not do much good to recommend going to it, but Wikipedia does have some pretty good info on Pompeii if you want to know more (including a cool computer-generated depiction of what the eruption probably looked like): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii

Back in Japan!

Well, I just got back from my first trip to Thailand. The journey back to Japan took a total of 14 hours, including stopovers in Hong Kong and Taipei. We had to take a cab to the airport at 5am, so we actually didn’t go to bed (fearing we wouldn't get up with the alarm, causing us to miss the flight again), so I am still running on energy after a 48 hour stretch. Probably no surprise I am tired then, also considering in the last day and a half we:

1) took a speedboat and bus back to Bangkok,
2) found a hotel in Bangkok at 1am (Banglamphu is so wonderful! - so easy),
3) got some (well-deserved) rest,
4) hit the markets for some hardcore bargaining and last minute gifts,
5) hit the spa for some last minute (or hours) of pampering in Thailand (wow, we have been spoiled) in the form of a mani/pedi, facial and massage,
6) got dinner (missing Thai food already),
7) checked out MBK (another famous shopping center with a million stores and stalls),
8) went to the movies,
9) took in a concert at the Bangkok Hard Rock (which was awesome until the guitarist took his hand off the cords and the music was still playing..hmm),
10) went back to the club we went to the first night (my new favorite club in the world!),
11) made new Thai friends at the club who we chatted with for a while and invited us out (but we couldn't go),
12) braved another crazy tuk tuk driver,

13) danced the night away to the sound of Thai MTV while enjoying the last decent padthai we may get in a while and packed in our hotel room,
14) went to the airport... AND finally... made the long trip home to Japan!

In short, I think I need to hit the hey. As one friend put it (nicely), being back is somewhat surreal. I have been in and left Japan before, but coming back to a place I call 'home' for the first time really changes your perspective on it, no matter what your previous experiences with that place. I feel comfortable here, but I have returned with a new set of goggles to see this world through. The cold weather was the first thing to hit me, but the lack of other foreigners around and the standard somewhat cold reactions of airport and big city crowds were also a surprise after Thailand. I feel like at least have some cultural and lingual building blocks in place here, which is good to realize.

More on that soon, though! To bed!

The Thai Cinema Experience

Going to a movie while on vacation may seem lathargic, but let me assure you, going to the movies in Thailand is truly a cultural experience and potential glimpse into the glitzy world of luxury hidden behind these developing borders.

On our last night in Thailand, my travelmate, Kelly, and I decided to pay a visit to the new Siam Paragon Shopping Center Cinemaplex. The shopping area is famous for mostly upper-end goods (with some mid-market stores like Mango and Zara), but our true intentions were to investigate rumors we had heard about the movie theatre that had recently opened there. We were already at MBK (another large shopping mall near by, mostly filled with small shops and stalls) and ended up following a girl we met on a 10 minute walk as she led us to the more glamorous section of town.

In Thailand, your movie viewing experience is truly tailored to your budget and expectations. They were showing all of the current movie selections in English (which practically made us drool coming from delayed-Japan). Granted, there is a lot of piracy in Thailand (there were even stands selling fake movies outside the theatre), but maybe this is motivation for Thai Cinema to make the experience itself worth the investment. You see, when you choose a movie and time you are given an option of a) normal, b) super, or c) VIP tickets. The normal is your standard movie seat. The super is a small couch with a coffee table. And VIP? For less than the price of a normal movie ticket in Japan (600 Baht per person, about $17), you are given the star treatment. Once we had purchased our tickets, we were escorted to a private entrence to the VIP section of the theatre. Upon entering the glass doors, we were greeted in the lounge, full with massage chairs, a mini-spa (free massage), a full bar resemebling a Chino Latino (Mpls eats) with draperies and vast chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Very posh. One of the waiters (butlers?) escorted us down the hall to our seats. Ok, upon first inspection, the seats resemble airplane seats. Large, cushy, leather recliners with silk blankets and soft pillows, that you can almost lie flat in. There is a complimentary beverage and cookie service, but popcorn cost us (about $2). I believe there is a full bar and menu available during the show, though. The people behind us drank champagne.

And, yes, this is the norm.

Burn Baby, Burn

Ouch!
If it seemed like I was blogging a lot for a little span of time in Thailand, it was probably either because the Blogger website finally worked again (and I went nuts) or because of the horrible sun burn I got the first day on the island (and had to stay out of the sun because of). Kelly has requested that I post here that she was right and I was wrong about the fact that I never burn (ha,ha), but in all honesty, I should have realized the sun is a LOT stronger 10 degrees off the equator than it is on sunny Minnesota summers. While 15spf will cut it at home (sort of), it is not enough when you are swimming in the ocean and sleeping under such strong rays. I basically got charred after just several hours on the beach the first day. The burn was fine for the first day (which was NYE - thank goodness), but then my face, stomach and legs started to blister (YES, big white blisters) and turn into a rash. Not so cute, but the pharmacist hooked me up so it didn’t last very long. I ended up a nice brown color from that first day (still peeling, though), but I have more than learned my lesson (and plan to stick with the 50spf lotion I invested in!). I just hope it's not a bad omen to wake up the first day of the new year with white blisters all over your face. Hmfph.
Paradise, in retrospect
Despite the temporary physical discomfort, the rest of the time on Koh Samui was divine! When I had my little little bike accident (mentioned earlier), I was actually driving with Ian (one of our new British friends). The bike fell on his leg and injured him a bit, but I luckily had an extra leg brace with me (I need them for running - old soccer injury) and the damages turned out to cost only about $4. I was nervous to get back on a bike again, but Kelly and I decided to rent them when we realized we didn't have time to make it to Koh Tao (the diving island near by - incldng whale shark sitings!) and needed something to do.
The first place we drove to was Bo Phut, a port island with a huge golden Buddha. The Buddha was remarkably similar to the large, sitting Buddha on Lantou Island in Hong Kong (the world's largest outdoor, bronze Buddha), but the style was distinctly Thai. It is embarassing to admit, but I will say it again: I don't truly grasp Buddhism in Thailand. It is like a cross between hiduism and Buddhism. So ornate and flashy in some ways, but this could also be a tainted viewpoint caused by the impact of SO MUCH tourism in this country. The Buddah was placed on this huge pavilian lines with tourist shops and a georgous view. We took our time enjoying it.
When we continued the ride, the scenery was breathtaking. Palms to the left, the ocean on the right, taking on a brilliant turuoise color, the type where you can tell where the coral or rocks start and the sand stops by the various textures and directions of the subtle waves and shades of greens and blues. We eagerly peeked between palm trees at the views as we whizzed around the island.
We stopped again about 20k further (the island is only 52k around) for some fresh juice and homemade pretzels on the side of the road. My hands were almost cramped from squeezing the gas for so long, but they were completely relieved when we stopped again shortly thereafter at the next village for probably the best foot massage I will ever have. We wandered around back alleys near another port town, away from the main tourist drag, and found the most professional little massage parlour, where we spoiled with one-hour refelexology massages. We missed the sunset on this part of the island (we are on the south & miss the most striking sunsets), but it was totally worth it.
Goodbye but not forgotten!
We spent the last night hanging out on the beach with our new friends, the Brits, Sam and Ian. Strangely enough, most of the newcomers to the huts (pairs of Americans, Brits, and Aussies) were also wandering around in the wee hours of the night, so our group was pretty big at one point, but it was a peaceful way to end the evening and our time on the island. It will be missed.

BLOG BREACH!!

Woah! I was just scanning through some of my postings (long these days - sorry folks) and discovered a series of things I definately did not write or post. If you read the 'Sawatdee' entry and were confused about the Christ and Jeopardy talk - you are not alone. I have zero clue where it came from, but I am changing my password immediately!

I am not sure what is going on with the format, either (righthand side panel shouldn't be on the bottom), but not sure if this is connected.

I am going to check the rest of the blog, but everything should be ok for now (with the exception of a few spelling errors - limited time on the internet means less proofing, but they will hopefully be fixed soon). The only other explanation I can come up with is that I pasted someone else's info when I copied my blog entry from email (I sometimes do this in case blogger won't save it - faulty internet here again), but that is still strange because my writing was intertwined. Weird.

Sorry folks - no email this week

so we got confirmation from a few more people about the earthquake in taiwan a few days ago (while i was landed there, actually - scary!) that destroyed several of the major internet lines under the ocean. hotmail was one of the big carriers that was affected so it is down in most of south east asia... doesn't work anywhere here! it's annoying, but probably a blessing since i am on vacation and shouldnt be checking email too much anyways.

for all of you out there who have sent me emails (or are expecting one from me), my apologies. I wanted to write or call some people to wish them a Happy New Years, too, but everything is locked away in my Hotmail address book or in my cell back in Japan :P

Asia slowly recovering from outage:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/quake.telecoms.ap/index.html
Asia back online after quakes:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/28/internet.asia.reut/index.html

A New Years on Sunrise Beach (Koh Pan-Ngang)

The NYE party was out of control! Thousands and thousands of people (20,000 was the latest count) on the beach with the mountains and coconut trees surrounding us. it was so beautiful. There were bars lining the beach, with people hanging out of them and dancing (mostly tourists)... probably not dissimilar from Cancun. They made big signs saying 'happy new years 2007' that they put on the beach, soaked in kerosine, and lit on fire at midnight. There were also a lot of fireworks and paper lanterns (with candles inside) floating out to sea. Just taking the boat over wasnt bad at all, and there were a lot of people on the same package so we met some cool folks (some of them also living in Japan). Toward the end of the night, I somehow switched my bucket/drink (with rum, coke, etc - the island specialty) with another (like I had a red one and then suddenly I realized the one I was drinking from was green...scary when you dont know whats in it!!). My friend and I werent feeling great after that (I swear it was the green bucket) so we took the early boat home, getting home and in bed around 5. Despite the end, it was fun. Biggest beach party on earth and a really crazy night...thai style!!

I have friends from Japan celebrating in Bangkok right now, and I have to say i was a little nervous when I read about the bombings in Bangkok last night. I am sure they are ok, but in the wake of Hussein's death, I am honestly not surprised by (even though I abhor) the surge in violence. I know it's NYE, but it was good to hear that a lot of venues in the capital city (literally packed with tourists) cancelled their celebration plans as a precaution. Better to be safe than sorry. No problems here, but still a frightening prospect.

On the topic of New Years in other places, I was also just reading the news about the record crowds in Times Square. If/when I move to Boston I want to go home for Christmas and then go back and do NYE there...its only about an hour away and would be so awesome! On home turf, too :) I know it's another packed arena and a prime location for something to happen... but you can't live your life in fear and it looks like something you should experience at least once.

So anyways, I hope everyone had a safe and very merry New Years eve! Here's to a fabulous 2007 filled with laughter, adventure and growth!!

Khao San Road

If you have ever traveled through Bangkok, you will probably understand the joke (and really get a kick out of this). I just found this t-shirt:

Khao San Road Syndrome
1. I shall wear as big a backpack as possible to bear proud witness of my creed.
2. I shall not leave Khao San Road without a Lonely Plant gyude.
3. I shall wear the traditional international backpacker’s uniform and don at least one piece of local clothing (e.g.conical hat in Vietnam, a krama in Cambodia, etc) to show my ones with Asian people.
4. I shall eat banana pancakes and phat thai on a regular basis, for it is quintessential Asian food.
5. I shall stay in the cheapest guest house. More money for beer.
6. I shall drink the local beer, for I shall always endeavor to be in tune with local culture and because it is cheapest.
7. I shall make pilgrimage to a Full Moon Party on Hat Rin at least once in my life.
8. I shall bargain without mercy and hone my skill to a sharp edge, so that I can proudly proclaim our sacred motto, “I get it for less than the Local.”
9. I shall not leave Khao San Road without having my hair colored, dreadlocked, corn-rolled or shaved off.

Brilliant! So Khoa San Road is basically ‘backpacker alley’, the hub for tourists in bustling Bangkok. And when you go, you’ll know why this is funny… consider this a verbal picture!

New Years day

I can't believe it's the 31st today. Only one year ago I was sitting in a white snowbank in WI and now I am sitting on a white beach. Kelly and I were actually juggling with two ideas for New Years while in Bangkok, and ended up heading south to the islands instead of east. When we arrived on Koh Samui (after a 15 hour trip) we weren't sure it was the best idea after being informed about the stunning beaches on Koh Chang (the alternative) from other travelers. The grusomely rainy weather report was a potential set-back, but so far... it has been STUNNING. The weather reports (and even the monsoon warning) turned out to be completely wrong. Growing up, my family went on 'educational trips' rather than beach vacations, so still feels a little wrong to just lie around on the beach while we are here (our hut is on the sand), but it's been nice to relax for a while. I am currently sporting a lovely dark-pink sunburn from my sunny day on the beach today, but I feel very fulfilled after swimming in a tropical lagoon (with waterfall) after the elephant trek yesterday morning.
Out and About on our island Paradise
We took a short safari with a local company who showed us the lagoon; we also learned how to make Thai curry (the red, not the green or white), get coconuts off a tree (from a monkey, actually - although Kelly is still amazed by how excited I am about this considering she grew with coconut trees) and also learned how to tap rubber trees. And, best yet, we got to ride an elephant. The elephants in Thailand are not as massive as those in India (we saw both breeds today, although they are all huge). They were kind animals, though, and it was fun (albeit a little worrisome going downhill - you practically need a seatbelt - we almost fell off!). The sunburn is starting to be a bit of a problem, but we walked to town (10 minutes down the beach - very nice for jogging actually) and got an aloe-wrap massage to help with the sting. We have been getting massages on a daily basis so far, and the aloe was one of my favorite. I was not as fond of the Thai pressure-point massage as I thought I would be. It's been interesting to take note of some of the techniques they use, though. I almost laughed when they did the toe-snapping 'release of the chi' that Randi taught us at CLV a few years ago, as well as some other moves I have learned to be Thai but have never seen in full use. If i had more time here, I would take the 3-day massage course for licensure... I bet some people I know would find it a plus ;)
Riding in Style
We rented scooters two nights ago and visited some sights around the deceivingly-small island as well. I was definately channeling Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday as I zoomed through palm-spotted highways while the warm breeze swept across my bare shoulders, beneath the round helmet. It was divine! Of course, the fun halted when I crashed the bike the next evening, cracking the break handle, but thankfully noone was hurt and the damages came to around $5. Let's just hope the crashes are out of my system, though, because that is an experience I definately want to relive!!
Night life
Last night we went to a regae club in the big town on the island with the Brits from the next hut over . The cover band at the place was good and it was fun to dance a bit, but I hit the hey way before everyone else (around 1 - they were up until 7!). It was fun, but I am still not used to going out on the island. The sight of all of the old, foreign men with young thai women and all of the prostitutes dancing in front of every bar (some of them looking really young) just makes me a little sick and kind of sad. I think you can choose to ignore it, but it is interesting to see the side of Thailand you hear rumors about. I wish I could do something about it, and it makes me happy to know that at least people like Marylin Carlson Nelson (my old CEO and one of the most amazing women I have ever encountered) are making changes on a higher level in the battle against child trafficing.
The Countdown
We are heading out to the party soon (arranged a round-trip ticket to Koh Pan-Ngang, the next island north for the big party). Hotels are booked on the entire island, so we decided to keep our base and just stay at the party until 3:30 or 5:30 (we have a choice) and take the shuttle home. I am a little nervous about how big these parties are supposed to get, but should be a good night. More soon! Happy New years!

Island hopping...

Or at least hopping down to the islands!

Day 2 in Bangkok
We finally made it out to some of the bigger attractions this morning after breakfast at the hotel. I am sure I will always remember the meal as our first time having banana/pineapple shakes, because we are sure to have many more to come - so delicious! We are staying at a place called the Mango Lagoon, down a side street (or behind a temple complex/Soi Rambutri) in an area of Bangkok called Banglamphu, very close to the touristy Koh San Road. It is close to the Mae Nam Chao Phraya river (with mult water taxi stops), and better yet, an extremely reasonable walking distance from most of the major tourist attractions (the biggest, most beautiful temples and royal palace).
Wat Phra Kaew & the Royal Palace
After carrying extra clothes around during Day 1, it's kind of funny we completely forgot about bringing long sleeves and closed-toes shoes (required for admission to the temples) on the one day we knew we would be visiting Wat Phra Kaew and the Royal Palace. As with Orthodox churches in Greece or mosques in the Middle East, holy places in Thailand (temples) must be respected with appropriate dress: no shorts, open shoes or sleeveless shirts. Luckily, you can usually rent a wrap skirt or work shirt... these places are not worth missing out on for a bit of extra cloth.
Wat Phra Kaew, a large temple in the middle of the city and our first stop, is almost surreal when you see it for the first time. Wat Phra Kaew is famous for the emerald Buddha that sits at the entrance to the main temple area (which is encased in this large golden stand and is incredibly easy to miss if you aren't looking for it). The whole place looks as if it was drizzled in gold. I think I mentioned it before, but the form of Buddhism I have encountered in Thailand so far has been much more ornate (if not flashy) than what I am accustomed to from my time in China and, now, Japan. Even the guardian statues, ferocious-looking part-man, part-joker, part-beast creatures holding up and watching over various buildings were gilded in gold leaf. I guess a lot of the buildings are actually made of glass (mirrors) and then merely coated with gold leaf, but the whole place is still something out of a Versace-esque dream. As is the case with most temples, the walls bordering the interior were sort of hall- or pathways, lined with frescoes depicting scenes of everyday life and stories about the gods. One of the coolest discoveries for me that day was stumbling upon a restoration project of one of these frescoes. Young men were actually painting over the scenes on these ancient walls, updating a river portrait with small touches of paint here and there. It was like history being written... or written over?... in a way, and made me wonder how many times they have painted over these gorgeous scenes, and of those who painted them in the first place. Quite fun.
Kelly and I wandered around and explored the premises for a while. We stopped to get some pictures with the guards (Buckingham style - bad, I know), and visited the armories to see a vast collection of weaponry. It was actually really interesting; you could see the evolution of certain types of defense tools (like pistols and spears) from around the world by going through and comparing peices from the large collection. The King wasn't in, even though he keeps part of the main building as a residence (the recent Coupe probably having something to do with it*) so we finished our sightseeing and went for dinner.

To the Islands we go!
For a mere 500 Baht (around $14) and 14 hours of our time, we were transported from Bangkok to the island of Koh Samui by coach bus and boat that very evening. It was not a bad trip (except for the 1am, very expensive, dinner stop), but for how cheap travel is in this country, I would not recommend doing anything other than VIP. It really isn't that much of a difference in price and taking a new speedboat and nicer bus would have been appreciated for that long of a journey.
We landed at one of the hotels in Lonely Planet on Lamai Beach (on Koh Samui Island), after meeting the owner while we were waiting for a boat. Finding the place def taught us a lesson about trusting the locals; it can be done without fearing fraud. The place is perfect. Ok, so our hut is basically a fan-cooled, A-frame hut on the beach with two matresses inside, but the place is extremely cheap (350B total/ $5 each per night) with an amazing porch restaurant and more private location. Charming.
We have yet to see ay bugs or geckos inside our hut, and the wild(?) dogs laying claim to the territory around our place aren't too mean or mangy (you're gonna get 'em here, so it's best to hope for good ones). Kelly kind of freaked out a bit when she saw the toilets for the first time (Thai style - elevated squatters with no flush; you pour water from a bucket down the drain and throw toilet paper - if you have it - in the trash), but they were actually pretty similar to what I have seen in China and normal for the area (well, country...unless you stay at a resort). Nonetheless, she is making it through the WC situation and we adore the place after a day. To be honest, the resorts here are not that expensive, but it's hard to give up beachfront property at $5 a day (especially since Thailand is not dirt-cheap anymore) at a place we love, feel safe in and can escape the noisy city at night in. Love it and the family that runs the place is super cute! I think this is going to be a good week!


*While the King is currently in exile, the royal presence in this country is amazing. There are pictures and posters everywhere, and basically every other Thai person (or tourist) was wearing one of the yellow polo shirts (representing support for the family). There is also a new music video out with a lot of really famous people (like movie stars and musicians), rocking their support for the family while collectors are probably dazzled by all the pro-King memorabilia (buttons, posters, jewelry, even iPods).