Friday, August 16, 2013

Transitioning

As I write this, I'm sitting in place far different than where I would usually compose my blog posts. Today, instead of a white powdery beach and a vibrant blue ocean constituting my field of view, green, lush deciduous forests, soft grasslands, encompass a gentle lake and fill the scene. It is beautiful. The weather is nothing short of perfect, and this is no exaggeration. Crisp clear air wisps over my skin chilling it slightly. Before I chill too much, the sun warms me up, but never too much. Cordial and fluffy clouds flow through the sky; all of them carry themselves without the threat of rain. This is magnificent.

Returning home has certainly been an experience; one that I've never experienced before. In that sense, it's been fun for many reasons. Social norms here are certainly different than in Fiji and in Thailand. For example, if you were to walk do the street in Fiji and waved, smiled, nodded, raised your eyebrows (that's a popular way of saying yes or “what's up”), at literally anyone, you would receive some form of acknowledgment back. It's just the way it was. Here, it's not the case. I find myself saying “hey” to a lot of strangers on the street (especially on lakeshore path while on a run) and most of the time, I receive no acknowledgement of any kind. What I receive is usually a cold stare straight ahead and usually down towards the ground. Some even go as far as to look at their feet. Some, however, do shoot you back a smile or nod, but it's certainly rare. That's been hard to get used to, actually, as I made it a habit while I was abroad to look passersby in the eye and acknowledge them in some way. It isn't a problem, but it is something that I never noticed before. To be honest, I've taken a liking to the mentality of acknowledging, even celebrating, instead of ignoring those who occupy the space around me, especially when running or hiking. William Allen White, whom I wasn't familiar with before I stumbled across one of his quotes, once said:

“If each man or woman could understand that every other human life is as full of sorrows, or joys, of heartaches and of remorse as his own... how much kinder, how much gentler he would be.”

I'm betting if someone took this to heart, they would gladly acknowledge others around them.

UW-Platteville put together an pamphlet for study abroad returnees and one of the “symptoms” it described was called the “critical eye.” Someone returning from abroad might look critically at the home nation. They may be disturbed by the amount of waste Americans produce, or quality of fast food, for exampke. It's good to be aware of though, because I found myself thinking some of these things. However, just as I may have thought critically about Fijian ways of life, I got used to it. The same story applies here.


It's funny that, no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to explain my experiences with justice. It simply won't happen. At first, it was a bit bothersome, but now I understand. It's not the stories that you'll tell others that define a trip. It's who you spent it with, mostly, but also with what you experienced and how those experiences changed you. Jared, one of Kyle's buddies, just got back from China. Today was the first day that he got the chance to describe to us what China was like for him. He would be asked a question, and, not long after he starting answering, we would be distracted by something else. I really don't think he ever got to fully answer a question of ours. It wasn't that he was boring, but rather because everyone else couldn't connect the dots like he could. There was, and forever will be, a disconnection and there is nothing to be done about it. He was a good sport about it though, it never seemed to bother him.  

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Status Update!

I'd like to apologize for my lack of updates, I really don't have any excuses besides maybe the increase workload I'm experiencing.  It pales in comparison to work back home, so if I can't handle myself here, I'll be in a world of trouble back at Madison.

Recently, I've been partaking on an adventure that tends to begin this time of year for me.  It's the adventure of "How far can I push my dollar?"  It's a bit troubling to think that my last two posts are about money, but, instead of ranting about money, I'd like to let you know about how I'm beating it.  It's nothing too clever, but it's been fun to see how far I can stretch a dollar here.  Food really isn't that expensive, but it's definitely my biggest expenditure. At the onset of the semester, I had the idea of bulking up and getting strong; I stuck with it for quite some time.  My calorie intake was quite high, and I was nearly meeting my protein quota everyday: around 100 grams or so.  I was doing this without protein shakes or bars, I was doing it with A LOT of tuna, eggs, and milk.  Milk goes for about $2 USD per liter here, and I was shredding through about 1.5 of those a day.  A dozen eggs may last around two meals, and a can of tuna was a snack between my three high calorie meals.  It was expensive!  I stuck with that idea for far too long.  I'm still eating well, staying relatively healthy (I'll get to that part later), but I've manged to cut down the cost of food considerably.  First I began to lay off the milk, second I lowered the amount of proteins I bought.  Most of my protein comes from eggs and Chinese sausages; the daily total doesn't come close to 100 grams like it used to, but that's alright.  Thirdly, I had to swap my expensive cereal from Cost-U-Less (about 20 FJD for a 2 kilogram bag) for the 4 FJD Weet-Bix box.  I don't particularly enjoy Weet-Bix because they get mushy instantly!  The trick is, though, to add a bit of milk with each bite instead of soaking the bales (yes the cereal comes in little bales) completely.  The addition of raw sugar makes it enjoyable; "A part of a nutritious breakfast!"  French toast is what's usually for dinner, and it's what's in my stomach at this very moment.  Eight sizable slices worth of cinnamon goodness in my tummy.  I had it a couple of days ago too.  The reason why I've been eating so much of it recently, is the same reason why my buddies have been too: it's super cheap.  A large loaf of fresh wholemeal sliced bread will run you out about 2 FJD, 3 eggs cost about 1.50 FJD, a splash of milk is almost free, and the extra bit of vanilla and cinnamon don't cost too much either.  For less than 5 FJD I was able to stuff myself!  In contrast, the hamburger that I used to make spaghetti was over 5 FJD to begin with.  I have just over 5 FJD to spend until Friday, and I see no particular problem with it.  I have the groceries I need and there are plenty of free things to do.  None of my friends are going on crazy adventures at the moment either, mostly because they're feeling the financial pressure and because we all have things that need to get done.  It's much easier to live/eat this way when everyone else is doing the same!  It's similar to how I felt my first year in Madison.  My high school self would have thought that waking up around seven every morning and hitting homework hard until, at least, eleven at night would really suck, and it did!  However, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, because everyone around me was doing the exact same thing, if not harder yet.   Funny how that works.

In summary, I'm winning the battle against money.

Bacteria on the other hand is kicking my ass!!!  Last week I developed this weird red lump on my thigh and then on my face. It looked and felt like a pimple, but it was quite hard to squeeze anything out.  Anthony would watch and cringe as I attempted to rid of anything that may be hiding in there.  Soon the "pimple" on my thigh turned into a volcano of pus and blood!  It's a bit of an exaggeration, but it was oozing a pretty good amount of bodily lava.  I decided to head to the doctor, because I didn't want that blood and pus party all over my face!  I was prescribed some antibiotics and instructed to return in a couple of days so he could make note of the progress.  The antibiotics worked on my thigh first.  All of the dead bacteria and white blood cells retreated to the lump on my leg; pressured would build and build until the lump couldn't take it anymore.  A marvelous geyser of all things nasty would shoot out of my thigh!!!  It didn't quite go like that.  The pressure was uncomfortable, but it was up to me, and whoever wanted to play with pus, to get it out.  Cassie was quite happy to volunteer her services after I showed Anthony and her how much fun it was to squeeze the nasty pus cocktail out of my leg like squeezing toothpaste out of its tube.  She had a field day releasing the worms of pus from their comfy home in my leg (that's not really an exaggeration, they looked like worms coming out!).  Anthony capture it on film!  After that initial round of pus filled fun, I sanitized and dress my thigh properly; it proceeded to heal. My face however... decided that it wanted in on the action!  I could feel the pressure in my right cheek, and knew that it would soon turn into something similar to my what was on my tight.  I really hoped it didn't match the scale though!  A couple of days ago, while on a hike, Liz, Alden, and Albert had to witness my face ooze its special blend of pus and blood.  I would clear it with what I found closest: leaves and other vegetation.  I couldn't see my own cheek, though, so they'd have to periodically remind me that my face was squirting again.  They are understanding friends, but it was still quite embarrassing.  Later that night I found that band-aids weren't hefty enough to stem the flow, so I had to resort of a full gauze patch.  I must have looked like a dweeb.  Turns out that the two lumps that plagued me were boils: infections caused by Staph bacteria.  They're basically gone now.  Not surprisingly, I'm very happy about it.

On to my left shin!  Several days ago I was in the shower when I noticed an itch on my shin.  I used my sponge to relieve it; the area burst, and more itchy spots formed.  I didn't want to provoke it any more, so I gently washed it and hoped that it would just go away.  Now, on my left shin, sits a beautiful, dark, crusty, itchy, lumpy, oozey, rash the size of my palm.  It's on an imperialistic mission, and it's winning.  Not only is its mainland getting bigger, but it has formed satellites on the side of my leg, behind my knee, and up my thigh.  The ooze is its method of conquest; whatever touches it becomes its new territory.   Today I have been armed by another doctor with stronger antibiotics in the form of pills and creams.  It's a war of attrition now. This sort of antibiotic inhibits the bacteria's ability to eat!   Five days is all it should hopefully take!

Fiji is great! Really it is!  I'm utterly broke and covered in boils and malignant rashes!

But seriously, this is the neat part of this post, I am still having the time of my life here.  I may be broke, and I may be covered in bacteria, but I'm still smiling and still happier than ever.  If there's any testament to how awesome it is here, this should be it.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Thoughts On: Thoughts as I Write This Post.

We shall both discover what this post is about as we progress through it.

Money...  money money money money money.  It empowers you and it limits you.  Everyone can't seem to get enough of it.  Anthony and I were debating about if perfection is, by definition, God and God is, by definition, perfection. It was a long and heated debate, but still very civil, as are all of our debates.  I won't go into details, but one of my arguments struck me because it seemed as if my voice was talking to me.  At one point I said: "There's no such thing as a perfect amount of money."  Shortly after, I thought how weird that is.  We can never ever, no matter how much we try, have the perfect amount of money for ourselves.  You can have ample amounts or money or you can lack it; somewhere in between those two there doesn't exist a line that denotes a perfect amount: no optimum.  How odd.  Calculus tells us that a continuous function from point A to point B has, at most, one minimum and one maximum.  If we're talking about optimizations, something Calculus is very good at finding, we're able to quite easily compute that too.  If we were to represent our amount of money by use of a Cartesian plot, it would appear quite continuous.  There isn't a point, for example, were that "money" function is undefined, so shouldn't we able to compute an optimum amount? A perfect amount?  You might be able to narrow it down to a certain situation for a certain individual.  Say you have $6.02 in your pocket and you want to buy the Angus Burger Deluxe meal at the McDonald's in Marathon Wisconsin.  In that specific situation, you would have the perfect amount of money.  (I feel a bit troubled that I can remember the exact cost of a McDonald's burger but nothing else).  However, you'd be wanting more, because having no money in your pocket is not optimum; not perfect.  What's the perfect amount of money to be in your pockets anyway?   I'm still troubled by this thought, because the reason why greed exists is because there is no optimum; greed is always trying to get as much as it can because it doesn't know when to stop.  There is an optimum in box buiding, for example.  Say you're given a certain amount of wood and you're told to create a box with an optimum/maximum amount of space.  You can do that.  There's no better way of doing it; greed has no place in that situation.  Then again, in everything besides Math it seems that there may not be a perfect amount (if you could quantify it) of anything.  Say you're a marathon runner, and you win!  That's all well and good for you.  You had the best time for that specific race.  You might even have the best marathon time in the world, but you still didn't reach the perfect time, whatever that may be.  Say you're as fast as the speed of light!  Well then you would've completed the race in 0.0014 seconds.  That's pretty damn good, but what if you were faster than light, or would if... you completed the race before you started.  Isn't that better?  Marathon runners are "greedy" in the sense that they want to continue to lower their times; with no perfect time in mind.  Greedy is the wrong word to use here.  Greed's nice cousin goes by several names: determination, focus, motivation.  I would say the latter three are better suited for a marathon runner's description.

I may have gone off on a tangent,so now I'll attempt to elaborate on what started this post: money.  I clearly don't have a perfect amount of money.  I want to scuba dive here, for example, but if I did I wouldn't be able to afford to feed myself!  That doesn't really bother me a whole lot, because snorkeling is fantastic and quite satisfying.  The only reason why I want to get PADI certified is because my friends are: envy.  (I just discovered where I may be going with this post (greed, envy, ...).  Can you tell?)  Anyway, I have plenty of cash to be able to everything else here in Fiji, so I shouldn't be complaining. I'm living as full as I can; I have no regrets.

Someday, hopefully sooner than later, I shall follow my uncle Tim's footsteps by hopping on a motorcycle for over 2 weeks, see some beautiful sights, and sleep under the stars with, maybe, the mesh of a tent separating me from them.  How cool would it be to make it to Alaska in such a fashion!  If I had a dog and/or a girlfriend to join me that would be quite spectacular as well; no complaints there.  Problem is, at the moment anyway, I lack the money. 

I want to change this.  Money is crushing my ambitions and I despise that.  

I've started to learn more about back-end web technologies so I can make myself more relevant to the Freelance Web Development scene.  There is good money there and, best of all, I can do it while I travel.  In fact, I am doing while I travel!  I'm still getting paid from my employer back home to update and maintain websites.  It's a pretty sweet deal, but it's proving not enough.  I am admittedly being greedy because I want more money so I can travel more!  However, my greed does morph in motivation and determination.  It motivates me to learn, work hard (no Sloth for me!), and better myself.  

I unfortunately must be headed to a meeting now.  I'm the secretary for the University of the South Pacific International Student Associate and I have to take minutes.  Can't be late!  Although this is Fiji, and no one is ever on time.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Mount Korobaba

Yesterday I ascended the highest point in Viti Levu (the main island of Fiji) here's how it went.

Around 9:30 am I woke up and prepared myself for the day, filled my rice bowl with Mini Spooners (similar to Mini Wheats) and Devondale Full Cream Milk, and hopped on the internet to see where exactly Mount Korobaba was.  I remembered my friends: Liz, Alden, and Evan saying something about it being near "the" cement factory which I knew to be in Lami.  Google Earth confirmed this for me, and with that I geared up. I threw on my spandex, black running shorts, gray Smiley Invite cutoff, long black socks, hiking boots, and my Budweiser baseball cap.  My rain jacket, swimming shorts, camera , 2 liters of water, a pack of breakfast crackers, can of tuna, Twisties (chicken flavored), 3 small New Zealand Gala Apples, leathermans, fork, and a can opener became the contents of my backpack.  I looked absolutely absurd, but it didn't matter.  I was sure the mountain wouldn't mind.  

I set off, with a skip in my step, down the path leading away from 10th hall, and bumped into Michelle and her Mother, Mary.  We exchanged small talk, and I went on my merry way.  A short while after, I hopped on my first bus (cost: 70 cents) which took me to the bust station in downtown Suva.  It was from there, where the adventure began.  I found myself at the bus station and not having the slightest clue which bus to board.  Lami, I remembered the town next to the Mountain was Lami, so I began looking for a bus that was headed there, and I discovered there were two, but they were absent at the time.  So there I stood, with my short shorts, hiking boots, baseball cap, white skin, and a smile in a crowd of Fijians waiting for the bus.  The first pulled up, but, after asking the driver if his route went passed the cement factory, I discovered it wasn't the bus to take.  The second, however, turned out to be the right one, and for a buck fifty I was able to reach my destination.  "Alright, I'm on my way" I thought to myself as I sat down towards the back of the bus.  My excitement grew when the bus began to pull away from the station and take me towards my destination.  Problem was, I wasn't quite sure were to get off.  I asked the gentleman next to me if he knew where I should get off.  Turned out he was Samoan and hadn't a clue.  I asked the two people in front of me, one woman and one man who didn't know each other, if they could help me out.  The woman was quiet, but the man, a middle aged Indo-Fijian, was happy to give me advice: "200 meters passed Novotel."   I didn't know where Novotel was, so I asked him if he could clue me when to pull the cord to let the bus driver know that I wanted to get off.  He was getting off before my destination, so he couldn't quite help me there.  No matter, I decided to just wait until he got off, and then I'd begin looking for the hotel.  I didn't trust myself, so I headed up to the front and asked the bus driver and his attendant if they could help me get off at the right spot; they were happy to help.  The attendant said "TWO MORE!" and I replied "STOPS?"; he nodded.  

Seven stops later I  was told I was where I need to be, and sure enough to the right of the bus was the cement factory.  A policeman exited the bus, I followed him, and made my way towards the cement factory. It was there that I found myself, yet again, at a loss for where to go next.  I looked around; there was no sign.  There was nothing that let me know that I was in the right spot.  Sure there was a mountain near me, but it wasn't alone, there were many other mountains too.  I wasn't sure which one to climb.  I yelled for the policeman, now several hundred meters away from me, in hopes for his knowledge.  He didn't hear me, and continued to walk away.  I tried asked two gentlemen, who where waiting for a bus, if they had any idea where to go.  One said "that way" and mentioned down the road.  I asked if he knew specifically how to get up.  He shook his head, and suggested that I find a local (he appeared to be a local to me).  Since there were no more locals around I proceed "that way."  "That way" didn't seem to be the right way, so I turned around and headed back towards where I came from.  There were two women standing near the spot where I had approached the two gentlemen earlier.  They were no luck.  I then asked a Chinese man (in English) if he had any idea where the path was.  He responded with "I don't know" after several questions.  It very well could've been all that he knew (of English anyway).  After the Chinese man, whom I found a dozen meters away from the women, I headed back to where the women were because in their place now stood two different Fijian guys. Bracing to be let down, I asked them if they knew the way up the mountain.  The taller one looked at me and said, "Yes, and I'll take you there!"

Away we went! Just like that, I had two Fijian guides who were excited to climb the mountain with me.  The taller one introduced himself as Dan.  Bill was the younger one.  Dan was 26, Bill was 19.  They were looking for work at the dock.  Apparently, every now and then, they help load the fishing boats with ice, but today there wasn't any work for them.  My suspicion of their intentions grew when Dan told me that.  Firstly, why would anyone simply agree to take a total stranger the entire way up a mountain on a whim?  Secondly, since they didn't find work, I thought maybe they intended to make a quick buck off of me.  It wouldn't be hard to overpower me in the woods and take my things.  I was on to them, but I let the scenario play out a bit.  Down the road we proceeded towards a Chinese construction site, making small talk along the way.  I guess it wasn't an issue being in a construction zone, even though there were live wires from welding machines everywhere and cranes hoisting large steel objects over our heads.  We smiled at the Chinese workers as we strolled through, and they smiled right back.  After clearing the site, we approached a dirt road that appeared to make its way up the mountain.  Dan suggested that we take a shortcut instead, and motioned for me to follow him through a small path that didn't quite seam to go the right way.  This added to my suspicion even further, and soon after entering the trail I had to declare what was on my mind to them.  I told them that, where I come from, we are told to be weary of strangers, especially ones that would enthusiastically claim to join you for a multi-hour hike up a mountain.  I also told him that I was told that sometimes some Fijians will take advantage of lone hikers; steal their belongings and make a quick buck.  At this, Dan turned around, looked me in the eye, shook my hand, smiled and assured me that there was no funny business here and that we were simply going to enjoy a long hike together.  On paper, this doesn't seem convincing, but the way he said it and the way he laughed at the idea let me relax a little. I decided to trust them, and proceed forward.  Besides, I was much bigger than Bill, and I had my leathermans (which has a knife) if I really got in trouble.

On our merry way we went!  After I expressed my concerns to them, I found it easy to converse and learned a lot about Dan and his background.  He was quite knowledgeable about the animals we stumbled across, and he knew the area well.  There were two streams that had perfectly clear pools which intersected our path.  Turned out that they were suitable to drink from.  I know this, because I'm living proof (going on 36 hours and still no adverse side effects).  Clay, either soft and squishy or hard and slippery, constituted the path.  On the steepest parts of the ascent, roots became nice footholds.  We made good time, only stopped twice, and, after about an hour and a half, we had reached the summit!  

Several meters below the summit someone had pitched a tent, from tarp, and slapped a bed inside.  It looked sturdy, and appeared to have been there for quite awhile.  The summit itself yielded an absolutely stunning view of Suva and of Fiji.  The cement factory, from where we started, seemed several miles away.  We were able to see the entirety of Suva.  Tappo City, and the port were discernible even at such a far distance.  After admiring the view of Suva, I had a look around the entire island and was shocked to realize that I could nearly see the entire thing!  We could see the entire southern part of the island, we could see nearly all of the eastern side, mountains blocked our view of the western side, but to the north we could see the ocean way in the distance!  At that moment did I realize the small size of Fiji, and I couldn't help but feel slightly claustrophobic.  I come form a land of rolling fields and vast forest; I'm not used to being able to see the entirety of the land that I live on.  It was mind blowing.

We enjoyed the food that I packed, and they shared with me different facts about Fiji.  They pointed out Snake Island, Mosquite Island, Kadavu (from where Dan hails), and a Chinese Vessel making its way out of port.  For several hours, we sat there and talked and marveled the view. Eventually, we decided to make our descent.  

Proving their kindness ever more, they waited with me until the bus came.  I was, and still am, blown away by how nice they were to a complete stranger.  How does one quickly and enthusiastically decide to spend an entire day with someone they don't know?  I had a great time, and all credit goes to Dan and Bill.  They have reminded me, yet again, that I am not fully independent and that I can't do everything alone.  Without them, I would've never found the way up the hill.  Without the kind people on the bus, I would've never known where to get off.  There's a saying: "It's not what you know, it's who you know" and it's usually applied to careers.   I, however, feel that it applies quite well to my experience that day; maybe a bit too literally.  I didn't know anything, but I was lucky enough to know people that did.

Dan on the left, and Bill on the right.  I'll never forget these two, or the wonderful experience they gave me.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Summary of Suva

It's been awhile since I've written a thorough post, and I hope this post will end the drought my blog has been experiencing.

Suva has been treating me absolutely wonderfully.  I'd like to shed some light on this.

I was wondering how heading back into dorm life, after escaping it last semester, would treat me.  There are two downfalls that I can think of.  First, there's no oven here.  Second, the campus and dorms are alcohol free.  For the past couple of months I've grown quite accustomed to ordering a beer with every meal, or grabbing a cold beer, each time I visited a store/shop that sells some, to enjoy later.  Last weekend, some international friends threw a pool party and it was BYOB.  "No big deal," I thought to myself "I'll just go to the nearest store (happened to be MH), buy some, then bring it back and store it in the fridge.  It'll be nice and cold by the time the party starts."  I found some 750 ml Fiji Bitters on sale for 3.62 FJD, bought two (which triggered the woman behind the counter to jokingly ask me if two would be enough, to which I cordially replied that I'd be back if I needed more), finished buying groceries, hopped in a taxi, and headed back to USP.  At the gate, I suddenly remembered that I could not have my beers on campus!  As the taxi passed the gate, I quickly pretended to look for my lost change in the seat and, at the same time, shove my bag of beer out of the guard's sight.  I noticed him suspiciously looking at me, and quickly blurted "Bula!", smiled, and wave.  It was probably the most unconvincing "I'm up to no good" reaction I could have given, but before the guard could act the taxi drove away.  As we "taxied" (nice pun, no?) up the road to 10th hall (where I stay), I asked the driver to take me as close as possible to my dorm.  He happily agreed and dropped me off about 20 meters away from the stairs to my flat.  Trotting down to the stairs proved sketchy as well, because, as the bag waved with the cadence of my stride, the bottles clanged loudly. I managed to get to my room without anyone noticing, which was great.  What wasn't so great, though, was that I couldn't store the beer in the fridge.  My flatmates probably wouldn't care, but if my RA were to stroll through and have a gander at the contents of our fridge, I'd be pinned.  So I opted to store the bottles in my backpack, and then slide it under my bed.  The party wasn't for several hours, so by then they'd be quite warm.  I couldn't have executed buying beer for the party any worse.  All that carrying and sneaking would only account for two warm beers. Turned out to be fine, though, because four of us decided to pool our  money together to make jungle juice for the party. The recipe required beer, cold or not. In fact, if you'd like to try it yourself, here's Anthony To's jungle juice recipe:

12 750ml Fiji Bitters
750ml Vodka
about 2 gallons of Juice (we used pineapple juice)
6 or so packets of juice powder (Kook-Aid for example)
half a watermelon, chopped up
ice

Mix it all in a large tub, and have a great time.

The locals are genuinely nice people.  If you smile at them, they'll send a warm smile back at you every time   I'm not so sure we Americans could say the same thing.  Thailand was just as friendly.  After being absorbed in such friendly atmospheres for the past couple of months, it'll be interesting to see how Americans compare when I return home.

Being a minority has been a new and eye opening experience for me.  I, as well as my international counterparts, stick out quite a lot.  Yesterday I mistakenly went to class an hour early.  Some locals in the same class did the same thing, and, knowing that I was in their class, asked me where lecture was being held.  I, obviously, didn't recognize them as being in my class, so I was a bit shocked when they asked me so surely.  It got me thinking a bit.  I was that white guy at class, and everyone knew it.  There's no hiding in a crowd here; I'll always stick out.  It made me ponder how I was perceived by everyone around campus, and it made me believe that, now more than ever, it is important to act appropriately everywhere you go.  If a local where to act in a peculiar way, he/she could assimilate into the crowd and everyone else would just forget.  If I were to act in a peculiar way, I wouldn't have that luxury; they'd remember and label me.

I've been going to the gym quite a lot recently.  It has been about two weeks now, and my body is slowly growing bigger.  Yesterday was slightly embarrassing for me, because I could only bicep curl 6 kilograms.  I did do four sets: 10 reps each.  Even still, it's a bit humiliating.  Now I'm probably that white and weak guy.  No matter, that's why I'm going to the gym: to change that.  In fact, I'm going to head there now.  Anthony isn't feel well so I'm going to have to go by myself.  No problem, he's taught me most of what I need to know to get a good lift in.  Sometimes I wonder what Mr. Streit (a high school teacher of mine) would think if he saw me lifting.  I had always given him, and the rest of the track staff, such a hard time when it came to lifting, because I had absolutely despised it.

Today is Olivia's, an Australian international student, birthday.  We plan on celebrating at O'Reilly's tonight; should be a good time.  Sunday, on the other hand, will probably prove to be terrible.  I can already feel the hangover starting, and I have yet to have a drink.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Status Update

Hello Everyone!

I have only 10 minutes to write this, because I have class at 2:00 pm. Here's a quick report of what's going on in my life.

First of all, let's point out the things I could go without here.  I can only think of one: heat!  It is so hot and humid here! Right now it's 86 degrees with 70% humidity.  There is no breeze, and standing in the sun is difficult.

That's it!

Everything else is absolutely wonderful.  I've been fortunate enough to make quite a few new friends.  We've shared numerous great times together; there are more to come!  My "dorm" isn't much of one, in fact, it's more like an apartment.  I have my own room.  There is a stove, fridge, microwave, sink, table, couches, and tv in the commons area.  I have access to a free washing machine, and the showers are rain showers.  Not too shabby, and it's less than half the price of where I lived last semester: 120 South Randall Ave.

Classes are going to be easy.  I'm going to have so much time to do whatever I want.  I only have one today: Pacific History.

Suva is said to be the New York of the Pacific.  There are endless things to do here!

Supplies have proven to be a bit pricey, but the food costs about the same here as it does at home.

This weekend there will be hiking!

Life is rough.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Sunset and Sunrise

In order for a new day to begin, one must end. To land in Fiji, I must leave Thailand. Unfortunately, I cannot be in both places at the same time. I knew the day would come, it was no secret to me, but knowing it wouldn't last forever hasn't made it any easier to accept that this trip through Thailand would, at some point, reach its end. Its mortality troubles me, and it is suffocating my ability to write this post.
Before my find my ability to complete this post utterly stifled and before my raw feelings evade me, I want to be sure I bring to light a very special person whom I've mentioned only briefly in a previous post.  Her name is Kitima Maleehom.  She is responsible for single handily stirring a radical change of heart within me.  Like I had noted in a previous post, she had given Anthony and I an excellent deal on a bungalow which was extended another night.  We paid a fraction of what she usually charged, but this first gesture was only the tip of the iceberg however, and I would soon realize the full extent of her genuine and kind nature.  I believe that typed words are truly incapable of describing Kitima; it would be an injustice to try.  The best way to understand what I'm blabbering about is to meet her personally; I wish this for everyone.  In fact, here are the details you'd need to do so.  The name of her resort is Banyan Bay Vila.  Its address: 292 Moo 2, Sriboya, Nueaklong, Krabi 81130.  Her mobile phone: +66 86 102 5248.  The website: http://www.banyanbayvillas.net/.  I may be able to describe properly the experience she bestowed on us verbally, so I'll have to wait to meet you in person to tell you exactly how I feel.  What I can do now, however, is describe the change.  Kitima's personality is shaped to "pay it forward."  Many times during the two short days we spent with her, in the midst of the thousands of thank yous Anthony and I had expressed, she kept reminding us how different the world would be if everyone would adopt the "pay it forward" attitude.  Her degree of "paying it forward," however, was unlike anything I had ever experienced.  Shamefully, I must admit that at the onset of her hospitality, I was a bit apprehensive; I wondered if she was truly genuine.  The proverbial saying "too good to be true" ran through my mind many times during the first couple of hours of our acquaintance.  Soon, though, I realized that she was 100% genuine and had only the purest intentions.  I came to this conclusion (it was further reinforced throughout the duration of our stay) because of her actions. Of which, as stated before, are best expressed verbally.  What she had indirectly helped me realize, in the end, was that I, like most people, approach others with a barrier (that I place) between me and them.  I speculate who they are as a person, what their intentions, and whether or not they are genuine long before it is appropriate. This barrier is has an equally ugly cousin which goes by the name First Impression.  These barriers are grotesquely unfair and limit an infinite amount of opportunities for each and every one of us.  I also use this barrier to give myself the impression that I am completely independent person, and that I can make things happen solely by myself and with little to no help from others.  Because of this barrier, I have (and always have had) troubles accepting help from others in whatever form it may be.  I stumble, for example, to graciously accept the groceries my parents so generously provide me.  There are no insinuations when it comes to parents buying groceries for their children. It is solely their duty they happily recognized and happily accepted when I came into this world: to feed me and help me grow as a person.  My delusion of independence began to secede when I realize that no matter how hard I planned this trip, no matter how much I read, no matter how much time I invested, there was absolutely no way I could have experienced what I experienced during my stay with Kitima solely by my own efforts.  It was her, not me, that deserves all the credit for such a wonderful time.  My independent efforts had nothing to do with it.

The best course of action now, for me, is to keep honing the new found ideas and better myself as a person. I challenge you to join me in letting your guard down a little, and (if comfortable) maybe get rid of it completely, and let life happen.  It worked well for me, and I'm betting it will be the same for you.

I end this post with higher spirits then when I started.  I have written down how I feel, and because of that I can now fully recognize it and return to it whenever I feel I'm misguiding myself.

For me, Thailand's sun is setting and it's nearly dusk.  Its dusk, though, will allow for a new dawn which will give birth to a new Fijian sun soon.

I've only started.

Anthony, Kitima, and I on the deck/sitting area of her wonderful restaurant

Friday, February 1, 2013

Krabi. Reflections on Koh Phi Phi

We did our research on Koh Phi Phi, and we were aware that it may be expensive and that it may not necessarily be the place for backpackers. "How bad could it be?" we thought. We decided to leave beautiful and pleasant Koh Jum for Phi Phi. Soon, after arrival, we learned that it probably was, in fact, one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The water was a bright and vibrant blue. The cliffs were towering, and the jungle was thick and jungly (if that helps at all). However, the beauty was completely overshadowed by the development and the mass amount of tourists: suitcase tourists. Immediately after stepping onto the pier you heard loud electronic music blasting, and a man's voice through a megaphone who made sure you knew that you had to pay 20 baht for the island's "clean up" fee otherwise you were not allowed to enter. There were people everywhere! Tourists were being shouted at by the locals who were trying to fill their guesthouses' rooms or fill spots in their day treks (snorkeling, sightseeing, etc...). Shops, stands, restaurants, bars, and guesthouses (which seemed to be plopped on top of bars) we're crammed into the area between the north and south beaches of Ton Sai. It was crazy, and not the kind of place we were looking for. Sure, with of group of friends and in about 5 years (since we were much younger than the average person there), Phi Phi could provide a great time. If you're into partying everyday on an expensive island, look no further. We had to leave Ton Sai, though, because we couldn't stand it. Long beach was to the east and within an hours walk, so that's where we headed. Enroute were a couple of high points; from them you could see most of Phi Phi. Despite the over development, it was a sight to behold. After making it to Long Beach, we realized everything was really clean and nice, but definitely out of our price range. To confirm this, we stopped by a reception counter and asked how much a room ran for: 4,500 baht. Remember, 30 baht to 1 USD. At that moment we realized we should've believed what we read. Phi Phi really wasn't for us. We did manage, though, to find a "cheap" room in Ton Sai, and we did enjoy great Indian cuisine that night, but we both knew we didn't belong there, so we made plans to head to Krabi the next day.

So here we are in Krabi, and with great satisfaction I can tell you that it is wonderful. The people, locals and tourist, are really nice and down to earth. The food is cheap, and so are the rooms. As I write this, I am sitting in an clean AC room that costs only 600 baht. Sure, it's not as pretty as Phi Phi, but, at the moment anyway, I'd stay in Krabi before Phi Phi 9 times out of 10. Without a motorbike, Krabi could prove to be dull, but we each have one and we've been bumming around everywhere with them. Yesterday we went to Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, which contained a beautiful 11-tiered waterfall. At its very top, we were able to enjoy its crystal clear and refreshing water. That was the destination, but everyone knows the journey is usually better. Indeed it was. It took us about an hour to get there, we missed our turn several times, found ourselves on a dirt trail through private rubber plantation, then soaring next to gigantic cliffs that shot out of the ground. It was (as Jeremy Clarkson would say) proper fun. This is probably why I like Krabi so much. Unlike Phi Phi, where you feel like you're a sheep in a herd, in Krabi you have independence and can create your own adventure. You could find yourself in the wrong place on a motorbike, or realize that someone is hurdling towards you on the wrong side of the road. In summary, Krabi let's you know that you're alive, unlike in Phi Phi where you may find yourself paying big money to saturate yourself with alcohol, whither, and die away in the sun.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Koh Jum Day 3: Kitima

Today we met the nicest lady on the face of this earth. We left this morning to look for a new place to stay, and we thought maybe the north would have something worth looking for, so that's the direction we went. We couldn't have been more right. After some time on the road on our moped, we stumbled across Le Banyan Bungalows. From the road we could see that some of the bungalows were quite sizable and expensive. Out of curiosity we entered and found reception. A very pleasant looking Thai woman was at the desk, she happened to be the owner, and said her name was Kitima. I proceed to ask her if she had any rooms available tonight. She was happy to say that she had 3 available for a short period of time. It seems that her clients stay here for quite some time, along the lines of a month or so. She asked if we would like to see each one, and Anthony and I happily replied yes. Each was amazing, and quite large. By far the resort is the best I've seen in the island. During the tour Anthony and I kept looking at each other because we knew we had been outclassed. Two college kids, wearing swimming trunks and without a shower for two days (I happened to have goggles around my neck like a dork), were touring bungalows that were nothing short of luxurious. We were way over our heads. The price, while fair for an older customer, was way over our budget: started at 2500 baht per night. There are 30 baht to 1 US dollar so, in USD, it would cost us about 83 bucks. Way too much for us. We had stayed in a bungalow last night for 500 and the night before for 800 baht. They were very nice, don't get me wrong, but these Banyan bungalows were on an entirely different level. After the tour had finished we discussed how we would proceed, and then headed to reception to enact our plan. We wanted to make sure we didn't offend her, and, before the tour began, she stated that she was very very very flexible with the price. She had made it clear that we could name any price, but still we felt uneasy. These bungalows were very nice and we weren't quite sure how she would react to our plan. When we met her again, we started by saying the bungalows were incredibly nice, but that they might be out of our price range. She urged us to give her any price at all to work with and specify which one we liked best. We were both were hesitant, but then Anthony proceeded by saying that we had been staying in bungalows for around 800 baht in the past, and that's about where we'd like to stay. "Deal!" she said, "it's yours for 800. Which one would you like?" We were completely taken aback, and I didn't know what to say. We had nabbed a beautiful bungalow with an incredible ocean view for less than a third of the price. Amazing. Her generosity continued when she noticed our squid fishing rigs. She urged us to go fishing with one of the kayaks while her amazing staff readied our bungalow. "If you catch anything, we'll cook it up for you!" We headed straight to the beach, hopped in the kayak, and began fishing. We ended up getting skunked, and after we let her know, she translated a couple of our staff her Thai staff members, who apparently are great at squid fishing, that gave us instructions of how to catch squid. So tonight, we plan on heading back out and catching some. Hopefully fresh squid will be on tonight's menu!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Koh Jum

I'm sitting in our bungalow's restaurant (which we paid 14 dollars each for), the table is on a platform immediately next to the beach. To my left is about 15 meters of perfect sand, then the warmest water I've ever been in meets it. Breaking the sharp horizon created by the sea and sky are several majestic islands in the distance. Their sheer cliff walls and location mean they have yet to be tamed, but they are beautiful. The weather isn't so bad either. It's a perfect 78 degrees, with a gentle sea breeze that creates a perfect soundtrack: rustling of palm trees, and gentle waves crashing on the shore. Listen more tentatively, and you can hear exotic birds chirping, the rustle of a distant fishing boat, and if you listen closely, from time to time, you just might hear a group of monkeys mucking about. Soon I'll be served a delicious breakfast; it might set me back about 3 dollars. Then my day will start, but I'm not sure what I shall do. Maybe I'll sit on a swing and enjoy the beautiful view, enjoy the ocean's warm water, throw a hard bait out and catch a monster, or do nothing at all. Throughout these past years or so of adulthood, I spent each day worrying about something: homework, or work, for example. But as of yesterday, I stopped for a moment and relished the fact that at that moment, and currently still, I literally have absolutely nothing to do or worry about. I thought those days were long gone; I am mistaken. This is one case where I'm happy to admit I am wrong (those of you who know me well know that's not usually the case). As I sit here, reflecting on life in this beautiful land, I'd like to thank everyone who has had any impact on allowing me to be where I am now. A special thanks to my parents, who never cease to support me as best they can. Colin Hanson, for providing ample advice about Thailand which proved to be invaluable. I extend my thank you to anyone at all who has been excited for me, gave me help and advice, and in general has helped make this happen. You'll find yourself amongst a crowd of great people. Thank you.

And to think, I'm not even in Fiji yet. The real adventure is about to begin!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Status Update

Hello from Chiang Mai!

This morning I woke up and checked the date on my watch: 1/23. We were not where we needed to be at this point, I'll elaborate, but only a bit because I am without my laptop and forced to type this post on my iPad. On this 16th we stored our luggage at Bangkok Self Storage, and the plan was to pick it up in exactly one week. Perfect, because the train tickets we had bought would bring us back to Bangkok on the 23rd. For some reason, we were under the understanding that it would leave today: the 23rd. I don't know how this idea came about, but it did. Quickly, after realizing that we may have missed our train, we scrambled through To's backpack, grabbed the tickets, and read the date of departure: 22nd. Wow... We had missed our train back. To laughed hysterically. I wasn't quite as amused by the situation, but it could be worse. We made our way to the train station and bought tickets back to Bangkok. The only issue was that there currently weren't any ac sleeper car spots left, we would have to tough it out in a seat for 14 hours. Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do. In exactly 1 hour and 28 minutes we will be boarding our train, but who knows, we might be understanding incorrectly once again...

Our efforts during these next 15 hours will be rewarded in the south with powdery sand between our toes, and cold beers in our hands.

I shall choose to close by sharing the inspiring words from the little engine that could, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

THAILAND! Bangkok: Day 1-2

We are in Thailand!  We are actually in Thailand... I may need to say it a couple of more times so it sinks in better for me.  We are actu- no I'm just kidding I'll stop that.  Anyway, it has been nearly 48 hours now since we landed in Bangkok, and boy has it been an adventure.

Before I highlight Thailand thus far, let me touch on how the trip over went: long.  Holy cow was it ever a long time.  We woke up to start the trip at 4:30 on Monday, and we hammered on solid until Monday morning (granted there is the part where we hop over the dateline, but still the total trip took quite a lot time).  The flight from Seattle to Beijing was 11 hours alone. It's safe to say that I've had my fill of airplanes for awhile, however, it was totally worth it!

Before the last leg of our journey, from Beijing to Bangkok, we met about six fellow backpackers.  We started to shoot the shit, and began becoming acquainted.  Among them was a Canadian named Kurtis.  We got to talking, and the topic of where we were staying in Bangkok came up.  To and I told Kurtis we had a hotel lined up. Was it ever a relief knowing there'd be a placed for our exhausted selves to rest. Kurtis was exhausted too, but he didn't have anything lined up, so Anthony and I offered him a spot in our room for the night.  He was a bit shocked, but gladly obliged, so that was that. We made a backpacking buddy before we even landed in Bangkok.  Some time later we landed in Bangkok.  I could not believe where I was.  For the past month or so, it always felt unreal to me that I'd be heading to Thailand, and even then, when I first arrived, it still didn't feel real.  The three of us (To, Kurtis, and I) made our way through customs, then baggage pickup, then currency exchange.  The real journey finally began.



Crazy journey to hotel will be inserted here after June 22 2013 or after I
get the chance to tell it in person


We arrived at our hotel, and crashed hard.

The next day the three of us woke up and decided to check out JJ Market. We were all so pumped to see what it had to offer, not only that, but also what Bangkok in general would be like. We stepped out of the hotel in the thick heat (although it is winter here right now. I couldn't imagine what it's like during the summer) and attempted to make our way to the nearest subway station. We ended up trolling through a small neighborhood, one that probably isn't too accustomed to foreigners. Never in my life had I felt so out of place. Between the three of us our vocabulary was rich: sawadee krap. That's literally the only thing we knew how to say; it means Good Day (with the polite "Krap" added to it). Kurtis was hungry, so he ended up ordering food at street vendor/mini restaurant with the smile and point technique. He wasn't sure what he had ordered, but it looked and tasted good. A full plates worth of food, 3 glasses of water, and a side dish for a whopping 35 baht (or so I think. I can't remember exactly). To put things into perspective, 1 US Dollar equals about 29 baht; yes, his entire meal was just over a buck. After Kurtis finished his meal, we attempted to head to the subway station. Eventually we made it, but only after we had made a huge circle. As we walked up the stairs, I noticed a security guard standing next to a metal detector. Our packs were full of metal, so we'd have to take all of our stuff out and then put it all back in again. That couldn't have been more wrong. We walked through the metal detector, it beeped, the guard motioned us to head over his way, he grabbed a flashlight, and quickly peered into each one of our bags, and then sent us on our way in mere seconds. We chuckled at how "thorough" the search was. Kurtis had a sizable pack, full of pockets which were full of many things, but I guess it didn't matter. The guard literally only looked at the main compartment, and sent us on our way. Worked for us! We made our way to JJ Market by subway (which only cost a dollar) and realized that it was quite quiet; maybe a bit too quiet. Sure enough JJ Market, more locally known as the Chatuchak Weekend Market, was only open on weekends... wow we were stupid. We decided to keep walking and check out the area around the market. An Indian gentleman approached us, must have known what we were up to, and let us know that it was indeed closed and that we should checkout JJ Mall instead, so we did just that. Before reaching the mall, we stumbled across a huge pet market. Thousands of fish, hundreds of birds, and even baby squirrels were for sale. You could buy almost any animal you desired; it was amazing. There were too many things to mention in this post. After escaping the "pet market," we found ourselves at the doors of the four story high JJ Mall. There, once again, was an abundance of everything. After leaving JJ Mall, Kurtis decided he could go for a nap, so he parted ways to find himself a hostel and some zzz's. It was now just To and I in Bangkok. Later that evening we found another sidewalk restaurant near the Night Market (which we had got to by using the incredibly fun and charismatic Tuk Tuk). There we had a mixed seafood dish consisting of squid, oysters, shrimp, and some other stuff all over drunken-like noodles, and a savory pork stir fry. To complete the meal we both bought a large bottle of Chang beer (my first legitimate alcohol purchase!). Boy was it the perfect day to wrap of a long, hot day on foot. Oh yeah, and we did visit the Night Market itself. Some of its "inhabitants" provide content too raunchy for this blog. You'll have to inquire about this in person. After all of that, we made it back to the hotel and crashed hard. Just like I'm about to do now. Goodnight from Bangkok!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Quick Thoughts on San Diego, Its Wonderful People, and Ensuing Insanity

San Diego was absolutely wonderful.  It all started with the landing.  The San Diego airport is located within the city, and around it are many tall hills/mountains littered with tall office and apartment buildings.  For a moment, as we proceeded to land, the plane hurdled (what seem to be) only a few feet above the roads and buildings, then suddenly we actually were lower than the buildings themselves!  It was crazy!  Soon after landing Anthony and his buddy Ethan rolled up and picked me up, and then drove me around San Diego for a bit.  We drove near downtown, which was gorgeous, the San Diego Bay, which was huge and harbored a gigantic Aircraft Carrier, and too many other locations to name.  I was still trying to realize where I was, and I couldn't tell you exactly where we went that day.  Eventually, we made it to Anthony's house, and I was introduced to his wonderful parents, grandmother, and brother Kenny.  About an hour after that, his aunt Georgia and uncle Rudy showed up.  All of his family is incredibly nice (and that's an understatement).  Their hospitality and generosity is unlike any I have other experienced; my amazing stay in San Diego is accredited to Anthony and his family.  I cannot thank them enough.  Later that day, Anthony's Father prepared an authentic Chinese dinner.  It was, without any doubt whatsoever, the best Chinese dinner I have ever had.  Wow... delicious.  The sun traded its real estate with the stars, and I had the pleasure to meet more of his friends: Jason, Drama, Tre, Matt, Andrew, and (later in the week) Darin.  There were some monetary issues with their previous cabin trip.  They were short a couple of hundred dollars but, then eventually they were only short 30.  Between the 4 left (who hadn't paid money yet), they couldn't come up with 30 bucks. It was hilarious.  Eventually, the idea of going to Barona (a casino) was entertained.  Maybe they could come up with the extra money by gambling?  It would've been funny to see.  We ended up going to a birthday party of another one of Anthony's friends: Grant.  There I met Ashley, Lauren, Heather, Greg, and Dustin.  Everyone there was incredibly nice; and it lead to a fun and pleasant night.

Day two started with a bit of a bang. We woke up at 9:35 at Grant's apartment.  To had an appointment at 10:00, and we were without transportation. Kenny was able to help us out though. We then went to Dim Sum (where I enjoyed Chicken Legs!), REI, and then back to Anthony's house.  We chilled for awhile, then we actually headed to Barona for their spectacular buffet.  We checked out the casino floor, and I played my first slot machine.  I was up for awhile, but then lost all of my money: 1 whole dollhair.  After returning to the buffet, Jeanie (his sister) and Lewis (her boyfriend) showed up.  It was incredibly nice to meet both of them.  Jeanie is a lot like her brother, and makes the same ridiculous eye twitching derp face; it always gave me a chuckle.

Day three started with a trip, with Jeanie and Lewis, to JalepeƱos where we had the mouth watering, lip smacking, tasty goodness known as the California Burrito.  If you find yourself in Southern California, you must stop and get one of these.  Jesus, was it good.  With full stomachs, we made our way to Mount Soledad.  The view from the top of the mountain was like nothing I've ever seen before.  That may sound cliched, but it couldn't be more true.  I've never seen the ocean before (I've seen the Gulf, but I don't really count that), so the combination of it, the mountains, the city, and the weather was really something to behold.   After Mount Soledad we made our way to La Jolla cove: a glitzy end of San Diego.  It couldn't have been farther from Wisconsin.  It's hard to explain, but if you ever find yourself there, you'd understand.  We parked the Sequoia and made our way to the beach.  At that point the tide was low, so we got to check out some neat life in the rocks on the shore.  Birds, crabs, anemones, and even sea lions!  The sea lions were so chill!  Some just laid their and warmed their pudgy bodies up, others (like the babies) we flopping and swimming around everywhere.  Boy were they fun to watch.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

So It Begins!

My journey has officially begun!

Today I boarded flight Frontier Flight 1631 at 7:55 am (central time); I sat in seat 19A, a window seat, and anxiously awaited take off.  I took out a pack of gum my mother had given me the night before, I heard that it was a good idea to chew gum during take off and landing, and offered a piece to the girl sitting next to me. She polity refused, paused and then asked "Why? Does my breath smell?"  I chuckled, said no, and then started to explain the whole take off, landing thing.  She understood, and laughed too.  We started talking about where each other was headed.  Turns out she was on her way to see her brother in Los Angeles with her parents.  She asked me where I was headed, so I gave her the whole shpeel: Madison to San Diego, San Diego to Bangkok, Bangkok/Phuket to Nadi.  She was taken aback, and was excited for me.  Then I told her that this was my first plane ride!  Her eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped.  I started to laugh at how ridiculous it seemed.  She was even more excited to be part of my first airplane ride.  Suddenly, the plane started to back out of the gate, and trot down the runway.  A grand pause for effect (or seem it seemed) was had, then suddenly the engines roared and blasted the giant heap of metal down the runway.  Getting faster and faster and faster.  The seat was moving underneath in every direction, I look at Julia in disbelief.  "Quite something, isn't it." She said.  I shook my head, and looked back out the window, displayed before me was the City of Madison.  I'd never been that high before (in altitude, I wasn't partaking in any recreational drug usage, just to clarify things).  I was in complete shock at what was happening.  The view was spectacular, the ride was bumpy, and speed was outrageous.  I wondered how something like this flew.  I mean, I understand the physics, but damn... damn, it's cool.  The plane then banked to the right, Julia directed my attention to the opposite side of the plane where you could see Madison clearly.  Was that ever something.  Because the day was clear, I was able to see ground the entire time.  Never once, was I not looking out the window; I was glued to it.  Julia commented on how my neck was going to hurt by the time I finished flying today, but I told her that I had booked a seat on the opposite side of the plane for the second part of my journey.

So now here I am, at the Denver International Airport, writing this post.  My second flight was delayed by 30 minutes.  No big deal.  So now I'm set to arrive in San Diego around 2:00 (Pacific Time).  I'm so excited to see what the mountains look like from up high!  I'm simply excited for everything!  I'm quite fortunate to everything work out thus far.

Oh yes, one more thing.  Kyle and Kammi were gracious enough to give me a ride to the airport at 6:15 in the morning.  I'd like to thank them once again for helping me out.  Kyle, those tacos were delicious.  After we loaded the car, and hopped in, Kammi began playing some music.  The first song happened to be one of my recent favorites.  I felt it appropriate for a day like to today, because it starts slow, and then takes off towards the end and gives you the chills.

Monday, January 7, 2013

The Art of Packing

I have nearly everything packed up!  Yes, I did wait the day before I left to do it; a sharp contrast from one of my fellow "study abroaders."  She packed everything up today as well, but she leaves February 5th!  We definitely don't opperate in the same way.  Kudos to her for being on top of things.  Anyway, I am a packing fiend, as it turns out.  I have a large luggage bag that is stuffed completely and efficiently.  Not only is packed tightly, but after packing it all up and checking its weight, it weighed 45 pounds!  For those of you not yet familiar with standard airline policies, checked bags are to be under 50 pounds or an additional fee is accrued: 75 bucks in my case.  I was quite proud of myself.  I do have a bit of a situation which will prove wonderful in one case, but awkard in the other.  The plan is to check two bags: one luggage bag and my Northface 65 liter backpacking backpack.  I ended up packing the luggage bag so nicely that there wasn't much luggage to put into the Northface.  Three large towels, three wash clothes, and some boxers were all that was needed to be packed yet.  They fit nicely on the bottom of the Northface; I was able (after rolling each item up) to create a layer that filled the bottom of the bag.  I then realized that my Kelty (which I plan on carrying on with me and using in Thailand for the month) fit perfectly inside the Northface, and I thought to myself "how nice would it be to only have to carry around two luggage bags when I arrive at my destination!"  So that's the plan as of now.  When I arrive at my destination, I'll pick up the large luggage bag, and the Northface, stuff the Kelty in the Northface and be on my merry way.  The only issue that bothers me as of now is that when the Northface is without the Kelty, it's packed quite awkwardly.  With everything packed tightly on the bottom and literally nothing else, it's prone to bending and squishing in weird ways.  The possibility of it becoming damaged, I feel, is quite high.  I could spread the contents of the Northface vertically, allowing it to be stacked/stored better.  Each time I plan on putting the Kelty in the Northface, though, I'd have to stuff the contents back to where they were originally.  I think this going to be my approach, and I'll let time help me decide if it's a good one.  Some of you may be wondering why I need such a large pack anyway.  Couldn't I just stuff the extra towels and such in the luggage bag?  Yes and no.  Yes, because if I really crammed them in, I could probably get it to zip shut.  However, I'm betting the luggage in the Northface is over 5 pounds; that would set the large luggage bag over 50 pounds.  Furthermore, I plan on using the Northface in Fiji.  Apparently, there are some 4 day field trips in a remote location of the island, and I feel the Northface would be perfect for that situation.  So if you were looking for a story about packing, well, today is your lucky day.  

I must also mention that tonight marks the last night I sleep in Wisconsin for over 6 months!  Wow, with everything packed and tomorrow being my last day here, I'm finally beginning to realize that this is actually going to happen.  Goodnight Wisconsin!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Countdown to Liftoff: 2 days


The time is almost upon me.  I have only two days until I find myself at the starting line of an epic journey.  By this time next week, I will be in the bustling city Bangkok.  All new people, languages, text, mannerisms, currency, sights, time zone, landscape, food, music; all new everything.  Not only that, but everything up to it will be a new experience. I have never been inside of an airplane before or been farther than 50 miles from the border of the United States.  I only speak English (and a semester's worth of Portuguese).  I've never seen the ocean.  I've never traveled with everything that I'll ever need, for a month, strapped to my back.  I will shit bricks when I land in Thailand, and I am, without doubt, a bit anxious about what's to come, but I couldn't be more excited!  The moment I step onto Thai soil, a long, colorful journey will commence, and with it, the start of a new me.

Now, I must confess. I stole the idea of embedding music to each post from Mr. Kyle McChesney.  He's a real blogging pro; it'd be worth your time to check out his tasteful blog here: http://www.kgmtol.blogspot.com/.  Sunlight, by the Bag Raiders, was bumped the entire ride up in Mr. Eric Miller's Ford Taurus to Summerset.  Its groove marked the beginning of a great time and a great semester.  I felt it appropriate that it marks the of (hopefully) another great time.  This one is for you Eric and Anthony. (Disclaimer: I wouldn't recommend actually watching the video. Just enjoy its sound)