Well I have survived an earthquake, hurricane, faculty strike, two exams, right around 100 hours of class, a hospital visit for bug bites and fever and many delayed subway rides... and I still love it here.
As for school: It's 40 students in one room, professors change so we don't move, either freezing cold or burning hot depending on the day, no windows... it's like jail except we choose to be there and don't want to be dismissed. We had to buy cushions for our seats because our butts and backs hurt so much by the end of the day and several of us suffer from stomach cramps from having to shovel food in and then sit for hours. I know this all sounds terrible, and while it isn't the most exhilarating adventure I have ever embarked on it is definitely fun in an odd and nerdy way. Plus, I add my own kick to it with my small group of girlfriends by making nicknames for everyone in class like the "fashionista" and the "novelist." Anyway...
I'd say the hardest part of being here, besides the non-stop studying and pressure of not failing out, is trying to understand all of the different accents I encounter on a daily basis. I swear english is no one's first language here, which makes listening to professors even more difficult. Let's start with yesterday (Monday) we had 6 hours of class with one professor who sounds like she was born in Portugal, moved to Chile then grew up in India and taught in Russia (not kidding). Professors switched and we had anatomy with a Native New Yorker- who I have the hardest time understanding and had to ask my classmates if there was supposed to be an "R" at the end of some of his words (they laughed since I am the only out-of-stater who obviously struggles with the harsh accent). Today I had 8 hours of cardiology class with a very nice African American man who talks with a more "black-person" accent and extremely fast... I repeatedly have to ask him to repeat himself. Then I finished my day with 3 hours of pathology taught by a WHITE Jamaican man who uses "fuck" every other sentence and manages to say "up the butt" and "poop" during each slide of his powerpoint which makes the entire class giggle like middle schoolers talking about boners.
Tomorrow eight of us are going to the hospital for the first patient-encounters, myself included- as Ms. Gansar (weird). We will be taking patient histories and vital signs while dressed up in our white coats and introducing ourselves as PA students to patients that have already told their stories ten times and do not want to be bothered by any more people. But hey we all learn the hard way not to check ourselves into a teaching hospital.
As for NY living... I have successfully tried 4 cupcake shops, found the best donuts I have ever tried in my life (dangerously close to my apartment) and have yet to eat at the same place twice. If all else fails I will just become a food-blogger.
My roommates are great. One of them is now one of my best friends- our connection is strong and weird. The other girl is very much about herself but we get along just fine. No boys in my life for the first time in a long time, it feels good but can be lonely. Michael and I do have dinner about once a week - nothing romantic going on however. Since there are 8 boys and 32 girls in the program, looks like I'm gonna be single for a few years.
And that is that for now. I miss you all and hope you are staying well because everything I learn makes me feel like you are each extremely sick with something.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
From August 31, 2011
Well I just got home from what was officially one of the proudest but scariest days of my life. Today was my first day of PA school where I sat in a desk in the freezing cold air conditioning and listened to my future professors tell me how difficult my life was about to become with an un-set class schedule that could change at any moment and more than 100 tests in my first year. They made sure to tell us that there are psychiatrists at our beck and call for free specifically for our program.
As we walked up to have our white lab coats presented to us the professor speaking reminded us of what the coats represent: that we are now healers, people that are looked up to and needed.
Then we stood there and took an oath that read:
-I pledge to give my whole effort toward the study and practice of medicine
-I will place the patient's needs before my own
-I will endeavor to relieve suffering
-I will seek new knowledge diligently and will use it only to help others
-I will adapt my behavior and attitudes to those consonant with the practice of medicine.
-I will acknowledge my mistakes and seek to learn from them
-I will respect all my faculty members, fellow students, preceptors and patients as individuals, without regard to gener, race, national origin, sexual orientation or religion
-I will assist other students in meeting their professional obligations; I will accept their help in meeting my own
-I will care for all who are in need, without regard to those issues that divide us
-I will seek to improve my community
-I will maintain my own well-being so that I can help others
-I therefore commit myself to a life that will bring honor to the Physician Assistant profession: a life of service, selflessness, integrity and humility.
Before it all ended our professor stood in front of the room and thanked all the family and friends for "sacrificing us." Since we will not be seeing you all much or in touch as much as usual. She thanked everyone for their support financially and emotionally. There was no promise of our health or life in the end, just simply a "Good luck class of 2013, you will be released in November of 2013 a little bit older, and G-d willing, much wiser."
So I just thought I would share this special day with you all as 38 other students and I signed our lives away. I love and miss you all and please do not take it personally if I don't keep in touch well. And please NO DEATHS, WEDDINGS or BIRTHS for the next few years- I want to be there.
Love you all,
Britt
As we walked up to have our white lab coats presented to us the professor speaking reminded us of what the coats represent: that we are now healers, people that are looked up to and needed.
Then we stood there and took an oath that read:
-I pledge to give my whole effort toward the study and practice of medicine
-I will place the patient's needs before my own
-I will endeavor to relieve suffering
-I will seek new knowledge diligently and will use it only to help others
-I will adapt my behavior and attitudes to those consonant with the practice of medicine.
-I will acknowledge my mistakes and seek to learn from them
-I will respect all my faculty members, fellow students, preceptors and patients as individuals, without regard to gener, race, national origin, sexual orientation or religion
-I will assist other students in meeting their professional obligations; I will accept their help in meeting my own
-I will care for all who are in need, without regard to those issues that divide us
-I will seek to improve my community
-I will maintain my own well-being so that I can help others
-I therefore commit myself to a life that will bring honor to the Physician Assistant profession: a life of service, selflessness, integrity and humility.
Before it all ended our professor stood in front of the room and thanked all the family and friends for "sacrificing us." Since we will not be seeing you all much or in touch as much as usual. She thanked everyone for their support financially and emotionally. There was no promise of our health or life in the end, just simply a "Good luck class of 2013, you will be released in November of 2013 a little bit older, and G-d willing, much wiser."
So I just thought I would share this special day with you all as 38 other students and I signed our lives away. I love and miss you all and please do not take it personally if I don't keep in touch well. And please NO DEATHS, WEDDINGS or BIRTHS for the next few years- I want to be there.
Love you all,
Britt
Friday, July 22, 2011
No one is going to read this, but I need to put it out there.
I’m writing because my horoscope told me to. It told me I have a talent to write but I haven’t been using it and if I don’t put it to work I am going to lose it. I write to feel better. Only depressed people are good writers, maybe that’s why I haven’t been writing, because I have been happy. But that’s a lie. I think I have avoided writing so one day I can forget about this time in my life. Pretend it never happened.
Ive gone through worse, much much worse. But I am still at a low. Less than 25 days from moving to Brooklyn where my life is going to be flipped upside down. Across the world from the only boy I want to be with but secretly I know there is a reason we never worked out. Stuck in Boulder with a boyfriend I cannot stand to kiss, but refuse to get rid of. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
I’m sick of my sisters making the house a mess and not cleaning up or helping out. I’m sick of my parents being worried about money as we all have our boyfriends here constantly using water and eating our food. I’m sick of my dad entering into the stage in his life where he is unhappy at all times. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
So where to now? Upstairs to have spaghetti dinner with my family on Shabbat? To Boulder to try and fix the latest shithole of a relationship I have ruined? Take a sleeping pill and stay in bed for the rest of the night? I need to get out of here. I am not girlfriend material, this is not the first time I have come to this realization in my life, it is just the first time I am actually realizing it is a true statement and I may never be able to marry someone. Get me to New York where I can be buried in schoolwork and helping people with no time to worry about anything else. Get me to Thailand where I can care for people and see the much bigger problems in the world in order to forget about mine. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
Ive gone through worse, much much worse. But I am still at a low. Less than 25 days from moving to Brooklyn where my life is going to be flipped upside down. Across the world from the only boy I want to be with but secretly I know there is a reason we never worked out. Stuck in Boulder with a boyfriend I cannot stand to kiss, but refuse to get rid of. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
I’m sick of my sisters making the house a mess and not cleaning up or helping out. I’m sick of my parents being worried about money as we all have our boyfriends here constantly using water and eating our food. I’m sick of my dad entering into the stage in his life where he is unhappy at all times. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
So where to now? Upstairs to have spaghetti dinner with my family on Shabbat? To Boulder to try and fix the latest shithole of a relationship I have ruined? Take a sleeping pill and stay in bed for the rest of the night? I need to get out of here. I am not girlfriend material, this is not the first time I have come to this realization in my life, it is just the first time I am actually realizing it is a true statement and I may never be able to marry someone. Get me to New York where I can be buried in schoolwork and helping people with no time to worry about anything else. Get me to Thailand where I can care for people and see the much bigger problems in the world in order to forget about mine. I’m writing because my horoscope told me to.
Monday, May 11, 2009
FYI
For those of you who do follow my boring and adventurous lifestyle... my friends and I have started a new blog. Check it out at http://thecitified.com/
We each have our own style of short and fun blogs (travel, shopping, music, going green, etc) We are The Citified!
Please pass this site on to people who enjoy blogs/blogging or anyone really. We are trying to make some money so spread the word about our interesting and fun blog!
We each have our own style of short and fun blogs (travel, shopping, music, going green, etc) We are The Citified!
Please pass this site on to people who enjoy blogs/blogging or anyone really. We are trying to make some money so spread the word about our interesting and fun blog!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sedona
I spent last weekend in a beautiful city called Sedona. It didn't feel like a city at all, it was like a mountain town- more like a combination of Estes Park, Vail and Aspen with the relaxation and views. The air was clean and refreshing and the mountains were redder than any I have seen.
My friends and I went to a few vortexes which were beautiful places and great energy to endure right before finals. We wanted a cleansing process of life before finishing up our Junior year and what better way than to be in the middle of nature and out of reach of any phones, homework or people. We only felt the energy of one of the vortexes and it wasn't very strong. You could definitely tell that the land was not normal because there was this light feeling throughout your body.
One day we spent laying around outside just talking for hours. The silence. The trees. My friends. I was so content with life, I never wanted to leave.
We explored the hippie town, got homemade ice cream, ate fudge, got barbeque and local beer. Drank a little at night and went swimming and hot-tubbing at our condominium. The aura of the area brought an inner-peace to us all.
The next day when we were heading out, we realized we weren't ready to hit back into reality and start studying. So we doddled around town again for a while and then decided to get psychic readings!
Obviously I am a firm believer in horoscopes and the aura of the world, but this reading was actually creepy it was so dead on and inspiring. She called out my love-life, my basically twin-sister and our connection, my schooling and future in medicine, told me I was a shaman, or peace maker, in a Native American tribe in my past life. It was all very detailed and beautiful. Scary and sad at times, but really gave me light on life and a good reminder to do what makes me happy, because sometimes I forget that.
My friends and I went to a few vortexes which were beautiful places and great energy to endure right before finals. We wanted a cleansing process of life before finishing up our Junior year and what better way than to be in the middle of nature and out of reach of any phones, homework or people. We only felt the energy of one of the vortexes and it wasn't very strong. You could definitely tell that the land was not normal because there was this light feeling throughout your body.
One day we spent laying around outside just talking for hours. The silence. The trees. My friends. I was so content with life, I never wanted to leave.
We explored the hippie town, got homemade ice cream, ate fudge, got barbeque and local beer. Drank a little at night and went swimming and hot-tubbing at our condominium. The aura of the area brought an inner-peace to us all.
The next day when we were heading out, we realized we weren't ready to hit back into reality and start studying. So we doddled around town again for a while and then decided to get psychic readings!
Obviously I am a firm believer in horoscopes and the aura of the world, but this reading was actually creepy it was so dead on and inspiring. She called out my love-life, my basically twin-sister and our connection, my schooling and future in medicine, told me I was a shaman, or peace maker, in a Native American tribe in my past life. It was all very detailed and beautiful. Scary and sad at times, but really gave me light on life and a good reminder to do what makes me happy, because sometimes I forget that.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Phoenix Metro-Light Rail Too Dirty?!
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2009-04-23/news/light-rail-operators-are-not-happy-and-when-you-read-this-crap-you-won-t-blame-them/
I'm not one to discourage cleaning, but these light rails are surprisingly clean. This article talks about how unhappy the light rail operators are with the upkeep and security forces of the light rails, now I ride the light rail at least six times a week, and I have to take the public city-bus to get to the light rail and I feel like I'm at the Four Seasons Maui when I get on the light rail after the bus ride. Granted there are newspapers and and maybe a coffee cup or two laying around, but I have yet to see urine, vomit, feces (from any mammal) or blood. I have had my fair share of conversations with some nasty people on those trains too, but they aren't leaving behind their stench, just holding it in the cart until their stop. I have never seen a passed out homeless person on the light rail either. They know better, because there are officers who come on and ask for bus passes and it's not worth the $50-$500 fine or being arrested (jail here must be miserable because I would think that anything would be better than sitting in the 100 degree heat).
I wish I could speak with the operators personally, like I can on the busses because the bus drivers are never very nice. It's like no one really wants to be on the bus anyway so why do you have to take your anger out on that red light? Why can't you respond when I say "Good morning!" I realize there is no such thing as a good morning, but even if you wanted to respond with "No it's not," at least you are responding. My whole life I've been riding busses, I took a school bus in elementary school, a public bus to see my parents after school, now the light rail and something I learned a long time ago is that bus drivers think they rule the world and in the end they definitely do rule your life. If your driver happens to be super friendly one morning, I can guarantee that you are going to have a better day than if they weren't happy and nice to you. If your driver is running five minutes or even three minutes late-your whole day has been put off-thank you long-nailed, tattooed woman whose hair looks better than mine. Sometimes the bus is too full and the driver chooses to either pass right by you or stop just to tell you you can't get on. I've seen the driver go into a daze many times and completely miss the request for a stop! What can they possible be thinking about that hard?
It's scary riding public transportation. I can't tell you how many times the light rail has come to a sudden halt and the operator comes over the speaker to apologize "Sorry there was a pedestrian, sorry a car almost turned right into us" or they just don't apologize because they were probably half asleep and didn't see the light turn yellow. Really the last thing that should be on the operators mind is the homeless man who didn't pay for his ride and smells like a diaper because they aren't the ones who have to sit near them and smell it for thirty minutes back to Tempe. Instead I would appreciate it if they just paid attention and tried to stay awake.
I'm not one to discourage cleaning, but these light rails are surprisingly clean. This article talks about how unhappy the light rail operators are with the upkeep and security forces of the light rails, now I ride the light rail at least six times a week, and I have to take the public city-bus to get to the light rail and I feel like I'm at the Four Seasons Maui when I get on the light rail after the bus ride. Granted there are newspapers and and maybe a coffee cup or two laying around, but I have yet to see urine, vomit, feces (from any mammal) or blood. I have had my fair share of conversations with some nasty people on those trains too, but they aren't leaving behind their stench, just holding it in the cart until their stop. I have never seen a passed out homeless person on the light rail either. They know better, because there are officers who come on and ask for bus passes and it's not worth the $50-$500 fine or being arrested (jail here must be miserable because I would think that anything would be better than sitting in the 100 degree heat).
I wish I could speak with the operators personally, like I can on the busses because the bus drivers are never very nice. It's like no one really wants to be on the bus anyway so why do you have to take your anger out on that red light? Why can't you respond when I say "Good morning!" I realize there is no such thing as a good morning, but even if you wanted to respond with "No it's not," at least you are responding. My whole life I've been riding busses, I took a school bus in elementary school, a public bus to see my parents after school, now the light rail and something I learned a long time ago is that bus drivers think they rule the world and in the end they definitely do rule your life. If your driver happens to be super friendly one morning, I can guarantee that you are going to have a better day than if they weren't happy and nice to you. If your driver is running five minutes or even three minutes late-your whole day has been put off-thank you long-nailed, tattooed woman whose hair looks better than mine. Sometimes the bus is too full and the driver chooses to either pass right by you or stop just to tell you you can't get on. I've seen the driver go into a daze many times and completely miss the request for a stop! What can they possible be thinking about that hard?
It's scary riding public transportation. I can't tell you how many times the light rail has come to a sudden halt and the operator comes over the speaker to apologize "Sorry there was a pedestrian, sorry a car almost turned right into us" or they just don't apologize because they were probably half asleep and didn't see the light turn yellow. Really the last thing that should be on the operators mind is the homeless man who didn't pay for his ride and smells like a diaper because they aren't the ones who have to sit near them and smell it for thirty minutes back to Tempe. Instead I would appreciate it if they just paid attention and tried to stay awake.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Spinning my wheels
Too many thoughts on the brain to go to sleep. Such a range of things too. This weekend was overall pretty worthless I would say. I should have gone to Coachella (music festival in Cali) with some old friends of mine, but I chose not to. Why? Well for one I definitely don't have the money. But, I also thought maybe I would miss out on something here, like hanging out with my friends or a guy that I spend some time with these days. I was WAY wrong. Everyone ended up working all day everyday and I spent most of my time alone, which, as most of us know, I do not enjoy after last semester. So what happened was I went in and out of mood swings as I attempted to do school work and find a place to live for next year. Mostly I would say I was in a bad and annoyed mood. I am sick of missing out on things because I try to plan to be with people. I feel like I am always planning my life around someone and then miss out on things because of it. I need to stop and learn that I should take the chances of losing some money and time spent with people because I never know what might happen when I do.
It sucks because I like people to think of me as a generally happy and life-loving person. But lately I haven't been that way and I don't know why. I have these mood swings of emotions that overwhelm me and ruin everything. I think I am still adjusting to being able to feel emotion. I wonder how long it will take me to understand all the emotions possible... I feel so behind.
One fun thing I did do this weekend was go to this city in Arizona known as "Little Mexico" called Guadalupe. Surprisingly and slightly scarily not far from Tempe lies this ghetto town that even Mexicans can get nervous about entering. I went because I have this list of things to do before I graduate and going and adventuring in Guadalupe is one of them. So my friend Marco and I went to a carnival in Guadalupe and I was the ONLY white person there. Not even white girl, just white person; with my Versace glasses on (because I need contacts since I seem to be going blind) and my thinning hair. Everyone stared and some people tried to talk to me like it was no big deal that I was sitting there waiting for my friend on the Zipper (roller coaster) all by myself. Honestly, I enjoyed being there, I liked to watch how these people interacted with each other, the clothes they wore and how everyone seemed to be related whether it was "oh that's my sister's nephew" or "nope that one's mine!" The best part of the whole night was across the street was a fiesta and what did they have? STREET TACOS! I haven't had them in years (the last time I went to Sayulita) and they were amazing! Just like tacos from the red chair place in Sayulita, all I needed was a crepe and I would have felt like I was there. My friends and I decided to get a few drinks at our favorite bar "Monkey Pants" down the street from our apartment to finish off the night.
So that was my one crazy and fun night, which was actually quite relaxed the whole time. Today was just as lame as the last two and I have to work in the morning but can't sleep because of all these stupid things on my mind. My foot really hurts, I think I did something to it during my run last night, it hurt all day but I went running today anyway.
I am supposed to go to a Formal this Friday but I don't like any of the dresses I have. I really should get a hair cut because my split ends are taking over the few hundred hairs I do still have. Luckily I can paint my own toes and nails! But my brows need a serious hacking at.
Then there is always this one person. This person I enjoy spending time with, but who doesn't have all the time I want to have with. This person does a lot of volunteering and extracurriculars and it takes up most of the time. I'm at a point where I cant decide if I would be happier with or without this person in my life because when I'm not with it I want to be and get annoyed when we cant hang out but when we are together I worry about all the work and sleep this person needs. It used to be so much fun and now I just plan my life around it (as usual) and I hate it. I promised myself after many things that happened last semester that I would never plan my life around someone and wait anymore. I need to do what makes me happy-but how do I figure that out? There are so many risks to find happiness.
Finally there is my family. I miss my family like crazy. Everyday I think about them and it sucks because when I talk to them on the phone you would never guess that I miss them as much as I do. I used to talk to my grandma on IM every night, but we have both been busy with other things lately. My sisters are all over the place and next year they will be even farther, and I wonder what I have sacrificed to be out here in the heat. My parents are always willing to talk and help, but from far away it just isn't the same. And every time someone mentions baseball I can't help but be sad about Graham's games that I am missing.
Tomorrow is 4/20 known for so many different things. National Drug Day, Hitler's birthday, 10th anniversary of Columbine. Some will be mourning, some will be high as a kite and living their lives however they choose-maybe seeing as many people as they can in a day, or going to places they've never been. Of all of the days in the year, this is one that I choose not to smoke on. Never have and probably never will-there is no rhyme or reason to it, just the way things have always been and something I don't ever want to change.
Well, I hope you have all enjoyed my insanity of a brain. I know it might be a lot and absolutely unentertaining. But, that's me. I will try to get some sleep now. I have a big deadline at work tomorrow.
It sucks because I like people to think of me as a generally happy and life-loving person. But lately I haven't been that way and I don't know why. I have these mood swings of emotions that overwhelm me and ruin everything. I think I am still adjusting to being able to feel emotion. I wonder how long it will take me to understand all the emotions possible... I feel so behind.
One fun thing I did do this weekend was go to this city in Arizona known as "Little Mexico" called Guadalupe. Surprisingly and slightly scarily not far from Tempe lies this ghetto town that even Mexicans can get nervous about entering. I went because I have this list of things to do before I graduate and going and adventuring in Guadalupe is one of them. So my friend Marco and I went to a carnival in Guadalupe and I was the ONLY white person there. Not even white girl, just white person; with my Versace glasses on (because I need contacts since I seem to be going blind) and my thinning hair. Everyone stared and some people tried to talk to me like it was no big deal that I was sitting there waiting for my friend on the Zipper (roller coaster) all by myself. Honestly, I enjoyed being there, I liked to watch how these people interacted with each other, the clothes they wore and how everyone seemed to be related whether it was "oh that's my sister's nephew" or "nope that one's mine!" The best part of the whole night was across the street was a fiesta and what did they have? STREET TACOS! I haven't had them in years (the last time I went to Sayulita) and they were amazing! Just like tacos from the red chair place in Sayulita, all I needed was a crepe and I would have felt like I was there. My friends and I decided to get a few drinks at our favorite bar "Monkey Pants" down the street from our apartment to finish off the night.
So that was my one crazy and fun night, which was actually quite relaxed the whole time. Today was just as lame as the last two and I have to work in the morning but can't sleep because of all these stupid things on my mind. My foot really hurts, I think I did something to it during my run last night, it hurt all day but I went running today anyway.
I am supposed to go to a Formal this Friday but I don't like any of the dresses I have. I really should get a hair cut because my split ends are taking over the few hundred hairs I do still have. Luckily I can paint my own toes and nails! But my brows need a serious hacking at.
Then there is always this one person. This person I enjoy spending time with, but who doesn't have all the time I want to have with. This person does a lot of volunteering and extracurriculars and it takes up most of the time. I'm at a point where I cant decide if I would be happier with or without this person in my life because when I'm not with it I want to be and get annoyed when we cant hang out but when we are together I worry about all the work and sleep this person needs. It used to be so much fun and now I just plan my life around it (as usual) and I hate it. I promised myself after many things that happened last semester that I would never plan my life around someone and wait anymore. I need to do what makes me happy-but how do I figure that out? There are so many risks to find happiness.
Finally there is my family. I miss my family like crazy. Everyday I think about them and it sucks because when I talk to them on the phone you would never guess that I miss them as much as I do. I used to talk to my grandma on IM every night, but we have both been busy with other things lately. My sisters are all over the place and next year they will be even farther, and I wonder what I have sacrificed to be out here in the heat. My parents are always willing to talk and help, but from far away it just isn't the same. And every time someone mentions baseball I can't help but be sad about Graham's games that I am missing.
Tomorrow is 4/20 known for so many different things. National Drug Day, Hitler's birthday, 10th anniversary of Columbine. Some will be mourning, some will be high as a kite and living their lives however they choose-maybe seeing as many people as they can in a day, or going to places they've never been. Of all of the days in the year, this is one that I choose not to smoke on. Never have and probably never will-there is no rhyme or reason to it, just the way things have always been and something I don't ever want to change.
Well, I hope you have all enjoyed my insanity of a brain. I know it might be a lot and absolutely unentertaining. But, that's me. I will try to get some sleep now. I have a big deadline at work tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Point of Deletion
When do you finally come to the point of deletion in your life? When it is just time to say goodbye and let it go forever. The point when it's so hard to take anything that you just have to delete it all.
Sometimes things get overwhelming and you cry for no reason, sometimes things are fun and crazy and you cant help but smile.
But when things just don't make sense at all and there is no direction to go, no clear choice to pick, what do you do? Delete it all? Delete one way? Try one way and pray that it works out and hope that if that was the wrong way then maybe the other path is right behind you waiting.
Why can't it be more clear? It seems so simple from the outside: there it is, right in front of you the most perfect thing in the world practically begging you to choose it. Meanwhile all you want is for the other thing to show up out of the blue and make it all better. Is it a matter of you want what you cant have? Or is it truly something else, something deeper-a feeling, a wish, a sign from above.
It consumes my mind, makes my hair fall out. It's a constant cloud over my head, sometimes it clears for a few hours and then suddenly the storm rolls in and all I can think is this must be the point of deletion.
Sometimes things get overwhelming and you cry for no reason, sometimes things are fun and crazy and you cant help but smile.
But when things just don't make sense at all and there is no direction to go, no clear choice to pick, what do you do? Delete it all? Delete one way? Try one way and pray that it works out and hope that if that was the wrong way then maybe the other path is right behind you waiting.
Why can't it be more clear? It seems so simple from the outside: there it is, right in front of you the most perfect thing in the world practically begging you to choose it. Meanwhile all you want is for the other thing to show up out of the blue and make it all better. Is it a matter of you want what you cant have? Or is it truly something else, something deeper-a feeling, a wish, a sign from above.
It consumes my mind, makes my hair fall out. It's a constant cloud over my head, sometimes it clears for a few hours and then suddenly the storm rolls in and all I can think is this must be the point of deletion.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Jason Schechterle -Making Coffee
I was at my internship at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center yesterday and busy at work when my Outlook Express popped up with a message of "Speech with Jason Schechterle 12:00 p.m." I had a lot to do and wasn't going to go, but both my boss and my boss's boss came to make sure I was going to join them. I wasn't sure what to expect because I was not in Arizona when Jason's accident occurred and I was not really in the mood for another sad story.
Our CEO Larry Volkmar introduced the speaker and out from behind the wall comes a very tall man-an obvious burn-victim with a huge smile on his face. He raised his large, damaged hands in thanks and to stop the clapping and began his story. I sat and listened in awe as this man told the horrific story of how everything happened for a reason the night of his accident and every little miracle was so perfectly planned out somehow. He went on about the recovery process (which will probably never end) and his family who stuck with him through it all. It was an unbelievable story, from beginning to end. He was a police officer just trying to help another unit out when he was struck by an epilectic taxi driver and severely burned, blinded and morphed for life-in more ways than just physically.
Obviously anyone who lives through such an experience and can come out and speak about it has something amazing to say and is inspiring, but Jason had more to say than his life was a miracle. After years of piecing together the broken puzzle pieces of that night, Jason sees the accident as him doing his job to save other lives because that cab driver could have hit a mother with her children or anyone else who probably wasn't strong enough to survive such a trauma. He told jokes and shared the amazing experiences he had that scared him shitless, like throwing the first pitch at the D-backs season opener with his disfigured hands and walking the Olympic Torch in front of thousands of people.
He concluded his speech (for lack of a better word because that makes it sound boring and mandatory) with a small story that a woman wrote to him during his recovery. Here is a short version:
What are you carrots, eggs or coffee beans?:
A daughter was complaining to her mom about what a bad day and week she was having and how everything was going wrong and on and on. The mom put three pots of water on the stove to boil one had carrots, one had eggs and one had coffee beans. After her daughter was done with her harangue on life the mom told her to empty the pots into bowls and asked her which are you-the carrots, the eggs, or the coffee beans. The daughter was annoyed with her mom and said she didn't get it, to which her mom responded:
"When the water got hot and hard to tolerate the carrots got soft and flimsy, the eggs hardened inside, but the beans turned their water into coffee, and the hotter it got the stronger the coffee was."
We all sat in silence and Jason said "I've learned that life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react." This hit me. Hit me hard and I never wanted it to stop.
Life is hard, and rocky and sucks sometimes, and Jason knows that everyone has problems and he wasn't telling us that our problems are minute-he was just saying that we decide how to react and what to make of them.
So instead of telling a story of a survivor, Jason was telling a story of life and lessons that come with it. He used his story to back up what he believed and it was an amazing one. We asked if he does inspirational talks for other burn victims or Iraqi soldiers and he hesitated. He said that everyone comes from a different story and past and he can't stand in front of a 24-year-old soldier with missing limbs, who doesn't have a wife and kids yet and is half his age and tell him that it all works out in the end. Everyone's story is unique, and he knows that other victims of terrible traumas would look at him like "you have no idea what it's like to be me, because your life is so different." Jason knows what hurt is, but he knows what strength is too, Jason is making coffee.
90% Reaction.
Our CEO Larry Volkmar introduced the speaker and out from behind the wall comes a very tall man-an obvious burn-victim with a huge smile on his face. He raised his large, damaged hands in thanks and to stop the clapping and began his story. I sat and listened in awe as this man told the horrific story of how everything happened for a reason the night of his accident and every little miracle was so perfectly planned out somehow. He went on about the recovery process (which will probably never end) and his family who stuck with him through it all. It was an unbelievable story, from beginning to end. He was a police officer just trying to help another unit out when he was struck by an epilectic taxi driver and severely burned, blinded and morphed for life-in more ways than just physically.
Obviously anyone who lives through such an experience and can come out and speak about it has something amazing to say and is inspiring, but Jason had more to say than his life was a miracle. After years of piecing together the broken puzzle pieces of that night, Jason sees the accident as him doing his job to save other lives because that cab driver could have hit a mother with her children or anyone else who probably wasn't strong enough to survive such a trauma. He told jokes and shared the amazing experiences he had that scared him shitless, like throwing the first pitch at the D-backs season opener with his disfigured hands and walking the Olympic Torch in front of thousands of people.
He concluded his speech (for lack of a better word because that makes it sound boring and mandatory) with a small story that a woman wrote to him during his recovery. Here is a short version:
What are you carrots, eggs or coffee beans?:
A daughter was complaining to her mom about what a bad day and week she was having and how everything was going wrong and on and on. The mom put three pots of water on the stove to boil one had carrots, one had eggs and one had coffee beans. After her daughter was done with her harangue on life the mom told her to empty the pots into bowls and asked her which are you-the carrots, the eggs, or the coffee beans. The daughter was annoyed with her mom and said she didn't get it, to which her mom responded:
"When the water got hot and hard to tolerate the carrots got soft and flimsy, the eggs hardened inside, but the beans turned their water into coffee, and the hotter it got the stronger the coffee was."
We all sat in silence and Jason said "I've learned that life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react." This hit me. Hit me hard and I never wanted it to stop.
Life is hard, and rocky and sucks sometimes, and Jason knows that everyone has problems and he wasn't telling us that our problems are minute-he was just saying that we decide how to react and what to make of them.
So instead of telling a story of a survivor, Jason was telling a story of life and lessons that come with it. He used his story to back up what he believed and it was an amazing one. We asked if he does inspirational talks for other burn victims or Iraqi soldiers and he hesitated. He said that everyone comes from a different story and past and he can't stand in front of a 24-year-old soldier with missing limbs, who doesn't have a wife and kids yet and is half his age and tell him that it all works out in the end. Everyone's story is unique, and he knows that other victims of terrible traumas would look at him like "you have no idea what it's like to be me, because your life is so different." Jason knows what hurt is, but he knows what strength is too, Jason is making coffee.
90% Reaction.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
"Your problems are controlled"
So I was on the light rail on my way home from a five hour extremely long, tedious and frustrating class and I was in a surprisingly good mood considering the lack of sleep from last night, the large amounts of work I have to do and the day I had just completed. I sat down next to a boy that started conversation as we were waiting for the train to arrive thinking that he and I would carry on our conversation, instead a man who was sitting on the other side of me started conversation about the book that I had taken out (Biology).
I couldn't quite tell if this man was a drug dealer or had truthfully gotten all of these pain killers from a doctor for an accident he was in seven years ago. Either way he was very interesting to talk to. I could tell he was definitely high on medicine, but he had so many interesting things to say to me. He could instantly "read" my personality and tell a lot about me, which for me was very nice because I am usually the one who can read people and they never really understand that. So we had a good connection. He read my hand for my life line and love line, etc and told me stories of his life, asked me questions and made the thirty-minute trip fly by and very enjoyable. He had me laughing and smiling to the point of a foolish school-girl who doesn't know any better when a boy is just playing his game. It wasn't that he was flirting with me, he was just so real with me and I truly appreciated it.
There was one point in our conversation that he said "You have no problems." I just looked at him and said "Well that's just not true, everyone has problems." He quickly corrected himself by saying, "You're right, but your problems are controlled... am I right?" I just looked at him and said "You know what you are right, you are very right. My problems are controlled." After we talked about AC/DC and The Beatles, our mitzvah's and many other random things, my stop came up. I shook David's hand and told him to feel better soon and have a good night. He was so grateful for meeting me and wished that we could have only met earlier because we would have been a great pair.
I walked off the light rail happier than I have felt in weeks. He was so right, my problems are controlled. I have many of them, but I have them under control. I skipped with joy back to my car and picked some flowers for my apartment as well as grabbed a rock off of the train tracks to put in my fountain. I wanted to have something to remember the day that I was so happy I cried.
I couldn't quite tell if this man was a drug dealer or had truthfully gotten all of these pain killers from a doctor for an accident he was in seven years ago. Either way he was very interesting to talk to. I could tell he was definitely high on medicine, but he had so many interesting things to say to me. He could instantly "read" my personality and tell a lot about me, which for me was very nice because I am usually the one who can read people and they never really understand that. So we had a good connection. He read my hand for my life line and love line, etc and told me stories of his life, asked me questions and made the thirty-minute trip fly by and very enjoyable. He had me laughing and smiling to the point of a foolish school-girl who doesn't know any better when a boy is just playing his game. It wasn't that he was flirting with me, he was just so real with me and I truly appreciated it.
There was one point in our conversation that he said "You have no problems." I just looked at him and said "Well that's just not true, everyone has problems." He quickly corrected himself by saying, "You're right, but your problems are controlled... am I right?" I just looked at him and said "You know what you are right, you are very right. My problems are controlled." After we talked about AC/DC and The Beatles, our mitzvah's and many other random things, my stop came up. I shook David's hand and told him to feel better soon and have a good night. He was so grateful for meeting me and wished that we could have only met earlier because we would have been a great pair.
I walked off the light rail happier than I have felt in weeks. He was so right, my problems are controlled. I have many of them, but I have them under control. I skipped with joy back to my car and picked some flowers for my apartment as well as grabbed a rock off of the train tracks to put in my fountain. I wanted to have something to remember the day that I was so happy I cried.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A New Beginning
I haven't posted in almost a year, but I realized that this year I have lost my passion to write because I was forced to write news articles and press releases and boring pieces that did not stimulate my mind. So, I have decided to start blogging again. My whole life I have kept a journal, which I attempt to write in every day but it usually only happens every few days or once a week. I always do a recap of everything that happened though, because I have been blessed with the memory of a dog. Which isn't necessarily bad, because things I already know can excite me again!
I don't think anyone will actually read this blog, but I am going to start writing again anyway, because I do miss writing for fun and as a journalism student I need to continue writing with my own voice and style. So stay tuned...
I don't think anyone will actually read this blog, but I am going to start writing again anyway, because I do miss writing for fun and as a journalism student I need to continue writing with my own voice and style. So stay tuned...
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Costa Rica and home...
May 5, 2008
We left Costa Rica last night, Lindsay and I were so tired we passed out before 9:00 PM. Our two days spent there were filled with beach time, drinking and eating. We did a canopy adventure tour our first day. It was really fun! The zip lines were super long and the guides were funny. It was SO hot and SO humid, but zipping through the air was great! The trees and forestry weren't very green and flourishing, but it was still awesome. Mexican food came at the perfect time and I ate a ton of it. It was the perfect ending to a great semester.
As we got back on the ship and I swiped my card for the last time I had tears in my eyes. We are down to our last few days and I am not ready to leave. I don't think most of us are really. I believe that going home is going to be the biggest culture shock of them all. No one will ever understand all the experiences I went through except for these people I am with. This ship has become my home, a comfort to see at the end of the day. My roommate is a new sister that I never want to leave. We are a big, yet small, and connected community that wont ever be together again.
So I am on my way back and will see you all soon. We will make the trip through the Panama Canal and officially complete our circumnavigation around the world. I can't wait to share my adventures with you in more detail and show the hundreds of pictures that you wont want to see! And, you will all have to fill me in on the world at home that I wont recognize. Until then peace and blessings!
We left Costa Rica last night, Lindsay and I were so tired we passed out before 9:00 PM. Our two days spent there were filled with beach time, drinking and eating. We did a canopy adventure tour our first day. It was really fun! The zip lines were super long and the guides were funny. It was SO hot and SO humid, but zipping through the air was great! The trees and forestry weren't very green and flourishing, but it was still awesome. Mexican food came at the perfect time and I ate a ton of it. It was the perfect ending to a great semester.
As we got back on the ship and I swiped my card for the last time I had tears in my eyes. We are down to our last few days and I am not ready to leave. I don't think most of us are really. I believe that going home is going to be the biggest culture shock of them all. No one will ever understand all the experiences I went through except for these people I am with. This ship has become my home, a comfort to see at the end of the day. My roommate is a new sister that I never want to leave. We are a big, yet small, and connected community that wont ever be together again.
So I am on my way back and will see you all soon. We will make the trip through the Panama Canal and officially complete our circumnavigation around the world. I can't wait to share my adventures with you in more detail and show the hundreds of pictures that you wont want to see! And, you will all have to fill me in on the world at home that I wont recognize. Until then peace and blessings!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Hawaii
April 23, 2008
Today we spent a total of around 15 hours in Honolulu, Hawaii. Basically just a bunker to fill up on gas and food for our ten day trip to Costa Rica. With such limited time I had to choose how I would spend it very wisely...SKYDIVING!!!!
The most unreal high of my life. Yes, I jumped out of a plane over the ocean. I was not really nervous until the plane ride up and up and up. Then I had to be the last to jump. So, I watched four girls go before me and at that point I would have been fine just landing the plane. That wasn't really an option though.
So, my guide Jason (who was harnessed to me) said ready and jumped. The sensation is unexplainable, there are no words to describe it. My stomach didn't jump to my throat at all, it didn't feel like a rollercoaster or anything like that. I fell through clear skies then entered a huge cloud which was cold and wet but so cool feeling. Suddenly the cloud cleared and the beautiful ocean was bright blue below me. A gorgeous view of the island and what has been my home land (ocean) for the past few months. After the one minute free-fall we released the parachute and it was so quite that we could have a full conversation with my friend whose parachute was not far away. Flying in the sky I was talking to my friend-so awesome.
We floated around for a few minutes and took it all in. I didn't wear shoes and I felt so free and happy. I held my video camera and recorded the entire thing. We went in for the landing and when my feet hit the ground I felt amazing. I wish I could describe it better to you all, but my words are doing me no duty.
I had top off the day with a big bang at night, so my friends and I went to Ruth Chris' Steakhouse and had the most amazing filets and desserts ever. I feel extremely sick to my stomach now, but it was definitely worth it. Overall I would say I got my day's worth in Hawaii.
Today we spent a total of around 15 hours in Honolulu, Hawaii. Basically just a bunker to fill up on gas and food for our ten day trip to Costa Rica. With such limited time I had to choose how I would spend it very wisely...SKYDIVING!!!!
The most unreal high of my life. Yes, I jumped out of a plane over the ocean. I was not really nervous until the plane ride up and up and up. Then I had to be the last to jump. So, I watched four girls go before me and at that point I would have been fine just landing the plane. That wasn't really an option though.
So, my guide Jason (who was harnessed to me) said ready and jumped. The sensation is unexplainable, there are no words to describe it. My stomach didn't jump to my throat at all, it didn't feel like a rollercoaster or anything like that. I fell through clear skies then entered a huge cloud which was cold and wet but so cool feeling. Suddenly the cloud cleared and the beautiful ocean was bright blue below me. A gorgeous view of the island and what has been my home land (ocean) for the past few months. After the one minute free-fall we released the parachute and it was so quite that we could have a full conversation with my friend whose parachute was not far away. Flying in the sky I was talking to my friend-so awesome.
We floated around for a few minutes and took it all in. I didn't wear shoes and I felt so free and happy. I held my video camera and recorded the entire thing. We went in for the landing and when my feet hit the ground I felt amazing. I wish I could describe it better to you all, but my words are doing me no duty.
I had top off the day with a big bang at night, so my friends and I went to Ruth Chris' Steakhouse and had the most amazing filets and desserts ever. I feel extremely sick to my stomach now, but it was definitely worth it. Overall I would say I got my day's worth in Hawaii.
Ship Life
My past nine days on the ship... well besides classes, working out and sleeping nothing really exciting goes on. I have been writing a ton of essays and preparing for finals. This might be my worst semester yet-as far as grades go. My fake family onboard had a special dining dinner one night. It consisted of a five course meal and was absolutely delicious! A great change from the regular ship food. There was a big silent and loud auction to raise money for different charities around the world. People donated things they had bought as well as things like a stay in their mountain cabin for a few days. From the loud auction alone we made more than $20,000.
We celebrated national GLBT (Gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gender) day with a great barbecue and ice cream party on the seventh deck. That night the members of GLBT put on a fashion show of all the fun stuff people bought in different ports.
There is a large Jewish community on board so we put together a big Passover Seder for the first night and the kitchen crew makes us special meals for lunch and dinner. It is so nice of them and the seder was so great! We even had Manischevitz! We said a lot of the prayers and definitely sang tons of the songs.
Everyone's sleeping patterns are so out-of-wack because of the time changes we have gone through. Basically no matter how early or late I go to bed, I always wake up at 4:00 AM and cant go back to sleep until my day is done. Sometimes I can take a nap if I am lucky. I've tried everything from Tylenol PM, Nyquil to hot tea-no luck.
The emotions throughout the ship are very odd. People are ready to get home already, but at the same time they don't want to leave. Going back into our real world seems to scare us all quite a bit. Going home might be the biggest culture shock we have to deal with.
We celebrated national GLBT (Gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gender) day with a great barbecue and ice cream party on the seventh deck. That night the members of GLBT put on a fashion show of all the fun stuff people bought in different ports.
There is a large Jewish community on board so we put together a big Passover Seder for the first night and the kitchen crew makes us special meals for lunch and dinner. It is so nice of them and the seder was so great! We even had Manischevitz! We said a lot of the prayers and definitely sang tons of the songs.
Everyone's sleeping patterns are so out-of-wack because of the time changes we have gone through. Basically no matter how early or late I go to bed, I always wake up at 4:00 AM and cant go back to sleep until my day is done. Sometimes I can take a nap if I am lucky. I've tried everything from Tylenol PM, Nyquil to hot tea-no luck.
The emotions throughout the ship are very odd. People are ready to get home already, but at the same time they don't want to leave. Going back into our real world seems to scare us all quite a bit. Going home might be the biggest culture shock we have to deal with.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Japan
If I ever studied abroad again I think Japan would be where I came. I absolutely loved it!
Our ship ported around 6 AM, but the Japanese government is so crazy that we had to have our temperatures taken and go through serious immigration and customs so we didn't get to leave the ship until around 12:30. As soon as we got off of the ship we took a few trains and made our way to Kyoto.
We walked through the Nijo-Jo Castle which is very different compared to all of the European castles I saw this past summer. There was barely any furniture, because they sit on the floor all of the time, so basically we just saw all of the different wall paintings in each room. The best part of the castle were the imperial gardens surrounding it. A few acres of land with beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom! It was so peaceful walking through the zen garden of bonsai trees and beautiful flowers.
Afterward we caught a cab to the Philosopher's Walk where we hiked up the mountain a little bit and enjoyed the bright flowers and silence in the cold weather. It reminded me so much of home on a typical spring day, so much that it actually made me the most homesick I have been this entire semester. The walkway was next to a creek which made it even more serene. We walked until it was dark and no one else was around. All of us were in such good moods and couldn't have been happier, and then we found a sushi restaurant!
It was just a small place in the middle of this small-town feeling city. The owner/head chef was extremely nice and had his wife drive us around the city until we found an ATM that would take our American credit cards (note to anyone going to Japan: 7 Eleven is basically the only place to get cash). After a few stops we figured it all out and went back to the restaurant where we had a traditional Japanese sushi dinner: Shoes off, sit on the ground with feet stretched forward, hot tea to start, sake, then sushi rolls! I have never had such amazing sushi in my life. The miso soup was SO good I haven't stopped talking about it for days. I even tried this small fish that he took out of the fish tank and torched in front of me-freshest sushi I'll ever have. The locals that were eating there loved to watch us try everything and see how we reacted. They bought us some sake and taught us how to put on a kimono! I would have to say this was my top meal all semester. We were sad to say goodbye to our new friends and chefs, but we had to find dessert! So, we walked around the quiet town until we stumbled upon a restaurant that had a dessert menu where I got a banana spring roll with ice cream!
It was late and we still had a one hour train ride back to the ship so we said goodbye to the city of Kobe, which we have all fallen in love with.
The next morning we caught a three hour train to Tokyo and went straight to Disneyland!! Yes, my friends and I spent the day at Tokyo's Disneyland Resort riding roller-coasters with a bunch of Japanese people. It was so much fun and really funny! All of the characters were Americans (odd) and the parades were sung in English-the kids didn't seem to mind though. We stayed until dark and then headed to our hotel (15 minutes away) where we were supposed to meet up with our friends Will and Harrison.
An hour and a half and three trains later we were lost and in a cab which cost us $40 to get to the hotel, where we learned that the guys had already left because apparently they were not allowed to sleep in the same room as us (you must be married-who knew). So our plan to split the hotel room was out and the hotel was nowhere near the city and quite honestly a shit-hole. Not worth the $270. We walked out into the night with our backpacks on and no place to go. Our feet were aching and I needed to use the bathroom so I went into the 24-hour McDonald's which had a bidet with a music player, butt-wash sprayer, heated seat, deodorizer and fake-flusher sound. Unreal-I don't know what other buttons they could come up with. Every toilet I used in Japan was like this, quite a change from the squatters in China, Vietnam and India.
A long story short: it started pouring rain, we caught a train to a place more in the city, walked around until 1:30 AM when we found a nice hotel to stay in for a very reasonable price. We were exhausted and discovered I had lost my rail pass (which was very expensive and could be used for all trains in Japan). So what did I do... took a bath of course. No better way to relieve stress.
After a long sleep we woke up and hit the streets of Tokyo-my first stop: Krispie Kreme!!! Japanese people love their donuts. I waited in a 30 minute line in the cold and received one free, warm, glazed donut and proceeded to buy six others. I shared with my friends but it is safe to say I ate the majority and it didn't take me long.
We spent the day shopping around Tokyo (I got some goodies for my family :)) The city is HUGE... literally you could spend an entire week just covering the different sections of the one city. It is so clean and everyone is so nice, it makes you wonder why places like NYC cant be like that. We shopped till we dropped into our train seats for our 3 hour ride back to the ship. It's amazing how the sight of the ship is so comforting and we see it as our home.
My last day I spent in Kobe. In the morning I walked for a while through a park in the beautiful and warm sunshine. Then I window shopped some more and watched a Japanese parade go through the train station, which seems to be a center point in life in Japan. I had one last delicious sushi dinner, some Hagandaaz Ice Cream and got back on the ship.
One of my friends lost her passport so we had to pack her things and leave her in Japan where she is hoping to get a new passport expedited to her and meet us in Hawaii. Another kid also lost his passport so he had to stay behind as well. However he is a minor and his mom is a teacher on the ship so she stayed with him. It seems to be the trend that at every port everyone gets really drunk before getting back on the ship to leave-unfortunately there was a girl who (rumor has it) is diabetic and had never drank before. She had a little too much and had to be rushed to the hospital from the ship. They packed her bags for her and left her there. Needless to say, it was a very hectic last night in Japan.
Now I am back on the ship and sailing my way to Hawaii. It will take us 9 very long days to get there (we cross the international dateline so we are going to have two April 15's). The end of my journey is in sight and I am not sure I am ready for it to come. I still have a few more stops though, so I will enjoy those and then look to the end.
FUN FACTS:
-Japan has a 99% literacy rate
-100 Yen = $1 US
-Population: 127+ million
-3rd largest economy
-Longest life expectancy in the world
Our ship ported around 6 AM, but the Japanese government is so crazy that we had to have our temperatures taken and go through serious immigration and customs so we didn't get to leave the ship until around 12:30. As soon as we got off of the ship we took a few trains and made our way to Kyoto.
We walked through the Nijo-Jo Castle which is very different compared to all of the European castles I saw this past summer. There was barely any furniture, because they sit on the floor all of the time, so basically we just saw all of the different wall paintings in each room. The best part of the castle were the imperial gardens surrounding it. A few acres of land with beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom! It was so peaceful walking through the zen garden of bonsai trees and beautiful flowers.
Afterward we caught a cab to the Philosopher's Walk where we hiked up the mountain a little bit and enjoyed the bright flowers and silence in the cold weather. It reminded me so much of home on a typical spring day, so much that it actually made me the most homesick I have been this entire semester. The walkway was next to a creek which made it even more serene. We walked until it was dark and no one else was around. All of us were in such good moods and couldn't have been happier, and then we found a sushi restaurant!
It was just a small place in the middle of this small-town feeling city. The owner/head chef was extremely nice and had his wife drive us around the city until we found an ATM that would take our American credit cards (note to anyone going to Japan: 7 Eleven is basically the only place to get cash). After a few stops we figured it all out and went back to the restaurant where we had a traditional Japanese sushi dinner: Shoes off, sit on the ground with feet stretched forward, hot tea to start, sake, then sushi rolls! I have never had such amazing sushi in my life. The miso soup was SO good I haven't stopped talking about it for days. I even tried this small fish that he took out of the fish tank and torched in front of me-freshest sushi I'll ever have. The locals that were eating there loved to watch us try everything and see how we reacted. They bought us some sake and taught us how to put on a kimono! I would have to say this was my top meal all semester. We were sad to say goodbye to our new friends and chefs, but we had to find dessert! So, we walked around the quiet town until we stumbled upon a restaurant that had a dessert menu where I got a banana spring roll with ice cream!
It was late and we still had a one hour train ride back to the ship so we said goodbye to the city of Kobe, which we have all fallen in love with.
The next morning we caught a three hour train to Tokyo and went straight to Disneyland!! Yes, my friends and I spent the day at Tokyo's Disneyland Resort riding roller-coasters with a bunch of Japanese people. It was so much fun and really funny! All of the characters were Americans (odd) and the parades were sung in English-the kids didn't seem to mind though. We stayed until dark and then headed to our hotel (15 minutes away) where we were supposed to meet up with our friends Will and Harrison.
An hour and a half and three trains later we were lost and in a cab which cost us $40 to get to the hotel, where we learned that the guys had already left because apparently they were not allowed to sleep in the same room as us (you must be married-who knew). So our plan to split the hotel room was out and the hotel was nowhere near the city and quite honestly a shit-hole. Not worth the $270. We walked out into the night with our backpacks on and no place to go. Our feet were aching and I needed to use the bathroom so I went into the 24-hour McDonald's which had a bidet with a music player, butt-wash sprayer, heated seat, deodorizer and fake-flusher sound. Unreal-I don't know what other buttons they could come up with. Every toilet I used in Japan was like this, quite a change from the squatters in China, Vietnam and India.
A long story short: it started pouring rain, we caught a train to a place more in the city, walked around until 1:30 AM when we found a nice hotel to stay in for a very reasonable price. We were exhausted and discovered I had lost my rail pass (which was very expensive and could be used for all trains in Japan). So what did I do... took a bath of course. No better way to relieve stress.
After a long sleep we woke up and hit the streets of Tokyo-my first stop: Krispie Kreme!!! Japanese people love their donuts. I waited in a 30 minute line in the cold and received one free, warm, glazed donut and proceeded to buy six others. I shared with my friends but it is safe to say I ate the majority and it didn't take me long.
We spent the day shopping around Tokyo (I got some goodies for my family :)) The city is HUGE... literally you could spend an entire week just covering the different sections of the one city. It is so clean and everyone is so nice, it makes you wonder why places like NYC cant be like that. We shopped till we dropped into our train seats for our 3 hour ride back to the ship. It's amazing how the sight of the ship is so comforting and we see it as our home.
My last day I spent in Kobe. In the morning I walked for a while through a park in the beautiful and warm sunshine. Then I window shopped some more and watched a Japanese parade go through the train station, which seems to be a center point in life in Japan. I had one last delicious sushi dinner, some Hagandaaz Ice Cream and got back on the ship.
One of my friends lost her passport so we had to pack her things and leave her in Japan where she is hoping to get a new passport expedited to her and meet us in Hawaii. Another kid also lost his passport so he had to stay behind as well. However he is a minor and his mom is a teacher on the ship so she stayed with him. It seems to be the trend that at every port everyone gets really drunk before getting back on the ship to leave-unfortunately there was a girl who (rumor has it) is diabetic and had never drank before. She had a little too much and had to be rushed to the hospital from the ship. They packed her bags for her and left her there. Needless to say, it was a very hectic last night in Japan.
Now I am back on the ship and sailing my way to Hawaii. It will take us 9 very long days to get there (we cross the international dateline so we are going to have two April 15's). The end of my journey is in sight and I am not sure I am ready for it to come. I still have a few more stops though, so I will enjoy those and then look to the end.
FUN FACTS:
-Japan has a 99% literacy rate
-100 Yen = $1 US
-Population: 127+ million
-3rd largest economy
-Longest life expectancy in the world
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Hong Kong/China!
We arrived in Hong Kong and were here for about 2 hours (enough time to get to the airport and wait for our flight to Beijing). From what I saw of the city it looked huge and like the technology capital of the world with all of its huge buildings for Samsung, Epson, Phillips, etc..
I got to spend a lot more time in Beijing. The air was much clearer than we were expecting, but that is because they have shut down all of the factories until after the olympics to clear the air. We got to see a bunch of the olympic buildings/arenas and they were pretty cool looking. It will be awesome to watch on television and be able to say I saw them in person! Wait 'till you see the cool designs of them all.
The city was so clean, which is not at all what I was expecting. When you think Beijing (or China with all of its people and huge cities) you picture more of an NYC setting. It wasn't like that at all. It was very clean and there were no homeless people or beggars. A very nice change.
Our first Chinese dinner was a specialty of Peking Duck. I think I tried every part of a duck possible, and it all tasted the same/not very great. Of course there was tons of rice and sweet and sour fish, etc- ugh i ate so much Chinese food I will be happy if I don't have any more for another year at least.
The next day we went to the Great Wall of China! If I never climbed another stair in my life I would still have climbed as many as any average human. It was a lot of stairs, but I loved the clear air and the smell of the trees. And getting to the top was a great feeling (especially because not even half of our group made it all the way up)! The day was sunny and windy-absolutely perfect weather. I still cannot really believe that I hiked the Great Wall (CRAZY!)!
I got to go to an Acrobatics Show one night. It was basically unreal-a lady literally sat on her own head, while holding up four chandelier things. It kinda freaked me out to be honest. Then a little girl came out and did like 50 flips in a row, followed by some men who were just as flexible and strong on top of that. Asians are crazy!
I saw many things in both Beijing and Xian over the past few days. The Summer Palace is a huge park with a lake that you can take boat rides on. We walked around and enjoyed many pagodas and temples. Tiananmen Square is where Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party is buried. It is as big as 9 soccer fields. Thousands of asians visit everyday to see his tomb because they love him so much. There was a Forbidden City which had awesome looking pagodas and buildings, but they were all under construction so we didn't get to go in any of them. We also went to the Temple of Heaven where people pray for good harvest and health. It was beautifully painted and had amazing architectural structure.
Another very large and exciting part of our trip was visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum. A long story short: there was an emperor who wanted to be buried with warriors to protect his soul/ghost so he had his warriors make thousands of stone-scultpures of themselves and their horses and armor to be buried with him. It took them 4 decades to finish it all and buried the emperor. Soon after he died, another emperor took over and ordered his army to go and destroy the tomb. Hundreds of years later a man was building a well and scooped up random pieces of the sculptures (discovering the tomb) and now it is all being excavated. We saw tons of the warriors that have been restored and the sites that are still being dug up.
There are so many people in China, and I know everyone has heard that before, but experiencing it just isn't the same as hearing about it. They have no sense of personal space at all, because they have always grown up and had so many people around them all of the time. It got to be very irritating to be around so many Asians in museums, streets, restaurants, markets-everywhere. They push and shove and cut you off like you are not even there. This was probably my least favorite thing about China as a whole.
Basically, I did a lot in China. I had a calligraphy lesson one day, visited lots of museums and shopped of course. I went to traditional Tang Dynasty Dinner Show with dancing and singing, music and great outfits! I spent my last day in Shanghai where it rained all day; I enjoyed walking around in the cool weather though. The city seems fun and the waterfront is really cool looking with neon lights at night and huge buildings. I had one really bad day that I seriously sprained my ankle (which is swollen and black and blue) and chipped my tooth (two different incidents though). I was also accused of stealing an ice cream cone from a restaurant by a bunch of little Chinese ladies who chased me down, and got stuck at an airport for 5 hours because the pilots went on strike! Oh the joys of traveling.
One month from today and I will be back in the U.S.. I really can't imagine it and don't really want to. Japan is our last big stop, then a few small ones in between there and Miami. I realize my phone calls, postcards and emails have basically seized, however the last month is going to drag on so they will be coming back into play very soon. Hope all is well and don't worry I will eat plenty of sushi for everyone!
Peace and blessings!
FUN FACTS:
-Population: 1.3 billion
-Literacy rate 90.9%
-Language: Mandarin with hundreds of different dialects
-China second best economy (next to US) in 2007
-100 cities in China (each average over 1 million people)
-1 child policy is very much in force
-6,000 people a day die in car accidents
-Government officials drive around in black Audis
-Currency: 7.015 Yuan = $1 US
I got to spend a lot more time in Beijing. The air was much clearer than we were expecting, but that is because they have shut down all of the factories until after the olympics to clear the air. We got to see a bunch of the olympic buildings/arenas and they were pretty cool looking. It will be awesome to watch on television and be able to say I saw them in person! Wait 'till you see the cool designs of them all.
The city was so clean, which is not at all what I was expecting. When you think Beijing (or China with all of its people and huge cities) you picture more of an NYC setting. It wasn't like that at all. It was very clean and there were no homeless people or beggars. A very nice change.
Our first Chinese dinner was a specialty of Peking Duck. I think I tried every part of a duck possible, and it all tasted the same/not very great. Of course there was tons of rice and sweet and sour fish, etc- ugh i ate so much Chinese food I will be happy if I don't have any more for another year at least.
The next day we went to the Great Wall of China! If I never climbed another stair in my life I would still have climbed as many as any average human. It was a lot of stairs, but I loved the clear air and the smell of the trees. And getting to the top was a great feeling (especially because not even half of our group made it all the way up)! The day was sunny and windy-absolutely perfect weather. I still cannot really believe that I hiked the Great Wall (CRAZY!)!
I got to go to an Acrobatics Show one night. It was basically unreal-a lady literally sat on her own head, while holding up four chandelier things. It kinda freaked me out to be honest. Then a little girl came out and did like 50 flips in a row, followed by some men who were just as flexible and strong on top of that. Asians are crazy!
I saw many things in both Beijing and Xian over the past few days. The Summer Palace is a huge park with a lake that you can take boat rides on. We walked around and enjoyed many pagodas and temples. Tiananmen Square is where Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party is buried. It is as big as 9 soccer fields. Thousands of asians visit everyday to see his tomb because they love him so much. There was a Forbidden City which had awesome looking pagodas and buildings, but they were all under construction so we didn't get to go in any of them. We also went to the Temple of Heaven where people pray for good harvest and health. It was beautifully painted and had amazing architectural structure.
Another very large and exciting part of our trip was visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum. A long story short: there was an emperor who wanted to be buried with warriors to protect his soul/ghost so he had his warriors make thousands of stone-scultpures of themselves and their horses and armor to be buried with him. It took them 4 decades to finish it all and buried the emperor. Soon after he died, another emperor took over and ordered his army to go and destroy the tomb. Hundreds of years later a man was building a well and scooped up random pieces of the sculptures (discovering the tomb) and now it is all being excavated. We saw tons of the warriors that have been restored and the sites that are still being dug up.
There are so many people in China, and I know everyone has heard that before, but experiencing it just isn't the same as hearing about it. They have no sense of personal space at all, because they have always grown up and had so many people around them all of the time. It got to be very irritating to be around so many Asians in museums, streets, restaurants, markets-everywhere. They push and shove and cut you off like you are not even there. This was probably my least favorite thing about China as a whole.
Basically, I did a lot in China. I had a calligraphy lesson one day, visited lots of museums and shopped of course. I went to traditional Tang Dynasty Dinner Show with dancing and singing, music and great outfits! I spent my last day in Shanghai where it rained all day; I enjoyed walking around in the cool weather though. The city seems fun and the waterfront is really cool looking with neon lights at night and huge buildings. I had one really bad day that I seriously sprained my ankle (which is swollen and black and blue) and chipped my tooth (two different incidents though). I was also accused of stealing an ice cream cone from a restaurant by a bunch of little Chinese ladies who chased me down, and got stuck at an airport for 5 hours because the pilots went on strike! Oh the joys of traveling.
One month from today and I will be back in the U.S.. I really can't imagine it and don't really want to. Japan is our last big stop, then a few small ones in between there and Miami. I realize my phone calls, postcards and emails have basically seized, however the last month is going to drag on so they will be coming back into play very soon. Hope all is well and don't worry I will eat plenty of sushi for everyone!
Peace and blessings!
FUN FACTS:
-Population: 1.3 billion
-Literacy rate 90.9%
-Language: Mandarin with hundreds of different dialects
-China second best economy (next to US) in 2007
-100 cities in China (each average over 1 million people)
-1 child policy is very much in force
-6,000 people a day die in car accidents
-Government officials drive around in black Audis
-Currency: 7.015 Yuan = $1 US
Monday, March 31, 2008
VIETNAM!
We arrived in Vietnam with overcast skies and 85% humidity! My roommate and I had nothing planned and decided to pack our bags and head out. Our ship is 20 minutes from the city so we took a cab into town and as soon as we stepped out our lives flashed before our eyes because of the oncoming traffic of vespas/mopeds/scooters. Motorbikes overpopulate Vietnam like rickshaws overpopulate India. Dads would drive while one child stood in front of him and mom sat on the back holding the baby-crazy! When you cross the street (we cross with locals as our shields) you just walk like there are not hundreds of motorized bikes about to run you over, and they simply swerve around you. They don't even have stoplights on most streets, driving is like an art here.
So, we spent our day walking around gawking at the thousands of people and shops. Each street is like a different section of a department or grocery store. Baby products all together down one "Nyguen" (just a popular name of a street I observed), food on another street, women's clothing on another, shoes, etc. on and on. SO MUCH STUFF!! We found a silk store and decided to have a few dresses made for super cheap. We brought in designs and they took our measurements and told us to be back in 3 days-after much stress they turned out pretty nice!
After a while we decided that we wanted to get out of Ho Chi Minh City so we walked into a "Vietnam Airways" office and booked flights to Hanoi up north. Around 9:30 pm we flew there and stayed in a cheap hotel where we were picked up the next morning by a tour guide we booked. Her name was "Ha" and she was the sweetest little Vietnamese woman who laughed at us all the time.
Lindsay (my roommate) and I got on a 3 hour bus ride early in the morning with Ha and a bunch of other tourists, we were going to Halang Bay. We were definitely a lot younger than everyone, but became friends with them quite fast. People from all over: Brazilians, Belgians, Australians-they were all a blast!
When we arrived in Halang Bay we moved into our hotel which is called a "Junk Boat." Basically a very small, floating hotel. For the next day and a half we were served meals and taken around the beautiful bay (which was very foggy most of the time but still great). We got to kayak and go to a huge cave somewhere out in the area.
Halang Bay is now being voted upon for the new Wonders of the World, and it was definitely beautiful and serene enough-just a little too polluted. There are villages of people who live in floating houses out in the middle of the bay. The kids are picked up in a boat everyday for school and a grocer comes out daily to sell his goods. I cannot even imagine living like this. It is very interesting and cool, but all of the trash that gets thrown into the water is damaging the scene.
Our time out there was absolutely amazing; between the beauty of the world to the amazing people we met, every second was great. At the end of our bus ride back to Hanoi everyone was being dropped off at their hotels, which Lindsay and I didn't have. So, we just yelled stop when we saw a tourist information place, waved goodbye to everyone while they laughed and gawked at us for being so crazy and jumped off. We bought tickets back to Ho Chi Minh City and hung around Hanoi until our flight, which we made with 10 minutes until takeoff (long story, ask if you want to know later).
The last few days in Vietnam I spent around Ho Chi Minh City. One day Lindsay and I spent as a pampering day getting hot stone massages, facials, manicures and pedicures (all for around $75 US). I visited a local elementary school with over 1600 Vietnamese children. They were the cutest, most excited-to-see-us kids ever! "Hello-what-is-your-name?" Is what they repeated over and over again. Things I was shocked about at the school: how many kids there were, the penmanship of all the children was exactly the same and perfect (something they are trained for years on), and how well some of them could speak in English. The classes were very large with about 40 kids to one classroom, but they all had uniforms and school materials. Oh and one other interesting thing was they had toothbrushes for everyone to use after EVERY meal.
I am sure you are all wondering how I could go to Vietnam and not visit any historical sites, tunnels or anything. Well I did; I went to a Vietnam War Memorial/Museum on my last day and quite honestly I don't know what to say about it. There are two sides to every story, and their side is unbelievable, heartbreaking, stomach-wrenching. This country has had the friendliest people I have met so far around the world and I don't understand why. I really am speechless.
Overall Vietnam was my favorite. I learned so much about the people and the history of my country and their country. The food was amazing (now that I am ten pounds heavier from only this port), people were the most amicable I have ever encountered and the sites were beautiful. What else can you ask for? I can't wait to come back!
FUN FACTS:
-7 Million people live in Ho Chi Minh alone (3.5 ride motorbikes)
-the US dollar is accepted everywhere
-1600 Dong = $1 US
-Viet means people
-Nam means south
-although rice fields cover much of the land their largest export is crude oil
So, we spent our day walking around gawking at the thousands of people and shops. Each street is like a different section of a department or grocery store. Baby products all together down one "Nyguen" (just a popular name of a street I observed), food on another street, women's clothing on another, shoes, etc. on and on. SO MUCH STUFF!! We found a silk store and decided to have a few dresses made for super cheap. We brought in designs and they took our measurements and told us to be back in 3 days-after much stress they turned out pretty nice!
After a while we decided that we wanted to get out of Ho Chi Minh City so we walked into a "Vietnam Airways" office and booked flights to Hanoi up north. Around 9:30 pm we flew there and stayed in a cheap hotel where we were picked up the next morning by a tour guide we booked. Her name was "Ha" and she was the sweetest little Vietnamese woman who laughed at us all the time.
Lindsay (my roommate) and I got on a 3 hour bus ride early in the morning with Ha and a bunch of other tourists, we were going to Halang Bay. We were definitely a lot younger than everyone, but became friends with them quite fast. People from all over: Brazilians, Belgians, Australians-they were all a blast!
When we arrived in Halang Bay we moved into our hotel which is called a "Junk Boat." Basically a very small, floating hotel. For the next day and a half we were served meals and taken around the beautiful bay (which was very foggy most of the time but still great). We got to kayak and go to a huge cave somewhere out in the area.
Halang Bay is now being voted upon for the new Wonders of the World, and it was definitely beautiful and serene enough-just a little too polluted. There are villages of people who live in floating houses out in the middle of the bay. The kids are picked up in a boat everyday for school and a grocer comes out daily to sell his goods. I cannot even imagine living like this. It is very interesting and cool, but all of the trash that gets thrown into the water is damaging the scene.
Our time out there was absolutely amazing; between the beauty of the world to the amazing people we met, every second was great. At the end of our bus ride back to Hanoi everyone was being dropped off at their hotels, which Lindsay and I didn't have. So, we just yelled stop when we saw a tourist information place, waved goodbye to everyone while they laughed and gawked at us for being so crazy and jumped off. We bought tickets back to Ho Chi Minh City and hung around Hanoi until our flight, which we made with 10 minutes until takeoff (long story, ask if you want to know later).
The last few days in Vietnam I spent around Ho Chi Minh City. One day Lindsay and I spent as a pampering day getting hot stone massages, facials, manicures and pedicures (all for around $75 US). I visited a local elementary school with over 1600 Vietnamese children. They were the cutest, most excited-to-see-us kids ever! "Hello-what-is-your-name?" Is what they repeated over and over again. Things I was shocked about at the school: how many kids there were, the penmanship of all the children was exactly the same and perfect (something they are trained for years on), and how well some of them could speak in English. The classes were very large with about 40 kids to one classroom, but they all had uniforms and school materials. Oh and one other interesting thing was they had toothbrushes for everyone to use after EVERY meal.
I am sure you are all wondering how I could go to Vietnam and not visit any historical sites, tunnels or anything. Well I did; I went to a Vietnam War Memorial/Museum on my last day and quite honestly I don't know what to say about it. There are two sides to every story, and their side is unbelievable, heartbreaking, stomach-wrenching. This country has had the friendliest people I have met so far around the world and I don't understand why. I really am speechless.
Overall Vietnam was my favorite. I learned so much about the people and the history of my country and their country. The food was amazing (now that I am ten pounds heavier from only this port), people were the most amicable I have ever encountered and the sites were beautiful. What else can you ask for? I can't wait to come back!
FUN FACTS:
-7 Million people live in Ho Chi Minh alone (3.5 ride motorbikes)
-the US dollar is accepted everywhere
-1600 Dong = $1 US
-Viet means people
-Nam means south
-although rice fields cover much of the land their largest export is crude oil
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Singapore!
March 20, 2008
We woke up and caught a flight to Singapore this morning. Not only was the flight amazing, but the Singapore Airport was unreal! It is the only airport in the world that has a golf course and a pool in it. It also had every designer store in the world and was huge. People actually go there 6 hours ahead of time just to hang out and shop around. Ridiculous.
Our tour bus drove us around with a great guide telling us about all of the buildings and tons of world records that Singapore has (and seems to be obsessed with). Seriously by the end of the trip everything our guide would say we just added "in the world" to it because it fit.
This is the cleanest country I have ever seen. There are a ton of weird laws like you cannot chew gum; therefore gum is not sold in ANY gas station, grocery store- no where. You cannot have food on the trains. No walking on the grass. No littering. If you are caught with or using marijuana or any other drugs you are executed by hanging. Because there are so many laws, everywhere is so clean and you feel so safe, but slightly nervous that at any point you could be doing something illegal. I never thought that I could live in a big city, but if I could afford it I would live here.
This brings up a huge point of how expensive this place is. Alcohol has a 100% tax on it, cars have at least 100 but up to 200% tax, clothes, food, everything is unbelievably overpriced and then have a huge tax on top of it. Even the taxis look to be cheap but as soon as you pull out the money to pay a $3 charge is automatically added.
We took a boat ride around the harbor and got to see more of the city. One stop was at the "Raffles Hotel" where the very first settlers to Singapore landed. It is supposed to be a very nice and expensive hotel but didn't seem like anything special to me. We got tea and chocolate mousse cake which my roommate, who is a chocolate fiend, finished in minutes and I could only eat half of. Then we went to a silver factory where they make money trees!! It was cool to see it be done but too expensive to buy anything. After checking into our hotel we had the night to ourselves so Lindsay and I walked around town to see all of the shops and malls. We ate at a Hokra I think it is called, where there are just tons of different stands of native foods. Then we went out to the clubs.
Now I am not much of a club person but this place was crazy! It was like a big bubbled-in strip of all different types of clubs. Egyptian, Chinese, Fashion- every genre you can think of. There was one called "The Clinic" where you sat in wheelchairs and your drinks came in IV tubes that you drank out of (seriously crazy). We just walked around going from place to place for a while in shock at how different it was. We had heard that Singapore is one of the top 5 countries in the world for nightlife, shopping and fine dining, but this was insane. I cannot imagine what the other places are like.
March 21, 2008
Today we went to Sentosa island by way of a gondola. Everything is so lush and green here. The island was very pretty and we got to see pink dolphins perform tricks. It was very hot and humid so you can imagine my hair. We went to an aquarium where we could pet sharks, stingrays and other sea creatures. A ride around the beautiful city and we were dropped back off at Vivo City Center Mall which is huge and so overwhelming with tons of people (little Asians). We shopped went back to the hotel, napped and went out for a crazy night at the clubs.
The next day we woke up just in time for lunch and went to the airport, we spent the day traveling back to Malaysia and didn't do anything too special. And our last day in Malaysia I spent sick in bed, I don't know why I seem to be getting sick so often but it sucks. It will be a four day trip on the ship on our way to Vietnam!
Singapore Fun Facts:
-currency: the Singapore Dollar 1.3 = $1 US
-boasts Asia's highest standard of living after Japan
-huge fines for many crimes, including not flushing a public toilet
Malaysia Fun Facts:
-Malaysia Currency: 3.16 Ringgits = $1 US
-Muslim is the main religion
-Extreme diversity of Malays, Chinese, Japanese, Islamics
Sorry if I repeated some stuff! LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU SO MUCH. Oh and please don't leave comments on my blog it is too hard to check just email me (brit0073@aol.com)
We woke up and caught a flight to Singapore this morning. Not only was the flight amazing, but the Singapore Airport was unreal! It is the only airport in the world that has a golf course and a pool in it. It also had every designer store in the world and was huge. People actually go there 6 hours ahead of time just to hang out and shop around. Ridiculous.
Our tour bus drove us around with a great guide telling us about all of the buildings and tons of world records that Singapore has (and seems to be obsessed with). Seriously by the end of the trip everything our guide would say we just added "in the world" to it because it fit.
This is the cleanest country I have ever seen. There are a ton of weird laws like you cannot chew gum; therefore gum is not sold in ANY gas station, grocery store- no where. You cannot have food on the trains. No walking on the grass. No littering. If you are caught with or using marijuana or any other drugs you are executed by hanging. Because there are so many laws, everywhere is so clean and you feel so safe, but slightly nervous that at any point you could be doing something illegal. I never thought that I could live in a big city, but if I could afford it I would live here.
This brings up a huge point of how expensive this place is. Alcohol has a 100% tax on it, cars have at least 100 but up to 200% tax, clothes, food, everything is unbelievably overpriced and then have a huge tax on top of it. Even the taxis look to be cheap but as soon as you pull out the money to pay a $3 charge is automatically added.
We took a boat ride around the harbor and got to see more of the city. One stop was at the "Raffles Hotel" where the very first settlers to Singapore landed. It is supposed to be a very nice and expensive hotel but didn't seem like anything special to me. We got tea and chocolate mousse cake which my roommate, who is a chocolate fiend, finished in minutes and I could only eat half of. Then we went to a silver factory where they make money trees!! It was cool to see it be done but too expensive to buy anything. After checking into our hotel we had the night to ourselves so Lindsay and I walked around town to see all of the shops and malls. We ate at a Hokra I think it is called, where there are just tons of different stands of native foods. Then we went out to the clubs.
Now I am not much of a club person but this place was crazy! It was like a big bubbled-in strip of all different types of clubs. Egyptian, Chinese, Fashion- every genre you can think of. There was one called "The Clinic" where you sat in wheelchairs and your drinks came in IV tubes that you drank out of (seriously crazy). We just walked around going from place to place for a while in shock at how different it was. We had heard that Singapore is one of the top 5 countries in the world for nightlife, shopping and fine dining, but this was insane. I cannot imagine what the other places are like.
March 21, 2008
Today we went to Sentosa island by way of a gondola. Everything is so lush and green here. The island was very pretty and we got to see pink dolphins perform tricks. It was very hot and humid so you can imagine my hair. We went to an aquarium where we could pet sharks, stingrays and other sea creatures. A ride around the beautiful city and we were dropped back off at Vivo City Center Mall which is huge and so overwhelming with tons of people (little Asians). We shopped went back to the hotel, napped and went out for a crazy night at the clubs.
The next day we woke up just in time for lunch and went to the airport, we spent the day traveling back to Malaysia and didn't do anything too special. And our last day in Malaysia I spent sick in bed, I don't know why I seem to be getting sick so often but it sucks. It will be a four day trip on the ship on our way to Vietnam!
Singapore Fun Facts:
-currency: the Singapore Dollar 1.3 = $1 US
-boasts Asia's highest standard of living after Japan
-huge fines for many crimes, including not flushing a public toilet
Malaysia Fun Facts:
-Malaysia Currency: 3.16 Ringgits = $1 US
-Muslim is the main religion
-Extreme diversity of Malays, Chinese, Japanese, Islamics
Sorry if I repeated some stuff! LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU SO MUCH. Oh and please don't leave comments on my blog it is too hard to check just email me (brit0073@aol.com)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
PICTURES (finally)!!
Just another day on the ship with my friends (Lindsay H. Caroline Lindsay W. and ME! left to right)
Traveling can be slightly stressful at times...
Just another day in class or Paradise!
My other friend named Lindsay and I in Mauritius!
My roommate Lindsay and I!!
A night on the town in Cape Town, South Africa!
Sea Olympics! We are all in our sea colors!
We just hiked Table Mountain and struggled very much on the way up.
Carnaval (this is from a while ago) ONE CRAZY NIGHT!
Outside of a Sikh temple with the girls!
The Taj Mahal!!! UNREAL!
SAFARI TIME!!! (My friend Lauren and I)
Just to let you know what is to come from my pictures-I took this!
Don't worry I am in a Starbucks in Singapore using the free wifi internet that some Asian man let me use his log in account for!! Now that you can all see that yes I have gained my chubby weight back and I love it!! Not really but traveling the world isn't really the time to diet (I do my best though).
Today we got to Singapore the flight was great, as usual for foreign airlines. We toured around the city and learned that they love to break world records here and basically do what they have to to win! (Like making up a minister job for the prime minister when he got too old so he could get named the longest man to be minister in the world)! They have the world's largest ferris wheel too! We went to this hotel that is super expensive called the Raffle Hotel. It was founded by the first man to come to Singapore which is what makes it special. Other than that it wasn't too exciting. We ate at this large, outdoor food-court type place which was really yummy. Oh and we made a stop at some metal factory that makes these cool "money trees" (so it does grow on them dad)!
Malaysia!
March 19 2008
We arrived this morning in Malaysia, but did not wake up until around 11:00 because it took so long to get the ship cleared and all of the SAS trips got to leave first. This is a very difficult port because we aren't actually anchored to the island (due to construction) so we use our lifeboats (tenders) to leave the ship and get to land. It is a pain.
We got to land and started walking around aimlessly. We haven't really learned much about Malaysia yet so we weren't sure what to do or even what to look for. So we just walked in the humid heat. After beads of sweat started to take over our chipper moods we found sanctuary in a tea house. The woman suggested we get a "fragrance" tea and showed us how to pour everything into the multiple dishes and let the tea steep (very different than just using a tea bag). Excited to be so cultured we took big gulps and nearly spit it out on each other- I thought I had just bit into a lilac bush. It was very potent and absolutely disgusting. We couldn't drink anymore so we went back to the street.
A few more minutes in the heat and we desperately looked for air conditioning, which we found in one of the world's worst museums. There were old typewriters, desks, random pictures from around the city. Some signs were in English, but they weren't very informative. Annoyed we headed back to the ship.
We were a little lost and happened to find a tourist information center. We went inside and plopped into chairs as the men laughed at us. We looked through some pamphlets and asked how long it would take to get places and how much it would cost. One of the men offered to drive us to a chocolate factory and we took him up on it.
The "Chocolate Boutique" it was called- we got to sample every single kind of chocolate and coffee that they had. These coffees were better than any Cafe Au Lait, Kona coffee or Starbucks. The chocolates up there with France, Italy and Swiss chocolates. Don't worry I bought tons mom and dad!! When it got to the point of almost puking we had our new designated driver, Dawood, bring us to a few Buddhist temples.
They were absolutely gorgeous with the most amazing woodwork/carvings I have ever seen all over the place. Lots of Buddah statues and paintings with bright colors and a really cool wishing-well/pond!
Dawood brought us to another chocolate face and a hand-painted cloth place then we went back to the port. We ate dinner on the ship and are calling it a night so we can be refreshed for our flight to Singapore in the morning!
We arrived this morning in Malaysia, but did not wake up until around 11:00 because it took so long to get the ship cleared and all of the SAS trips got to leave first. This is a very difficult port because we aren't actually anchored to the island (due to construction) so we use our lifeboats (tenders) to leave the ship and get to land. It is a pain.
We got to land and started walking around aimlessly. We haven't really learned much about Malaysia yet so we weren't sure what to do or even what to look for. So we just walked in the humid heat. After beads of sweat started to take over our chipper moods we found sanctuary in a tea house. The woman suggested we get a "fragrance" tea and showed us how to pour everything into the multiple dishes and let the tea steep (very different than just using a tea bag). Excited to be so cultured we took big gulps and nearly spit it out on each other- I thought I had just bit into a lilac bush. It was very potent and absolutely disgusting. We couldn't drink anymore so we went back to the street.
A few more minutes in the heat and we desperately looked for air conditioning, which we found in one of the world's worst museums. There were old typewriters, desks, random pictures from around the city. Some signs were in English, but they weren't very informative. Annoyed we headed back to the ship.
We were a little lost and happened to find a tourist information center. We went inside and plopped into chairs as the men laughed at us. We looked through some pamphlets and asked how long it would take to get places and how much it would cost. One of the men offered to drive us to a chocolate factory and we took him up on it.
The "Chocolate Boutique" it was called- we got to sample every single kind of chocolate and coffee that they had. These coffees were better than any Cafe Au Lait, Kona coffee or Starbucks. The chocolates up there with France, Italy and Swiss chocolates. Don't worry I bought tons mom and dad!! When it got to the point of almost puking we had our new designated driver, Dawood, bring us to a few Buddhist temples.
They were absolutely gorgeous with the most amazing woodwork/carvings I have ever seen all over the place. Lots of Buddah statues and paintings with bright colors and a really cool wishing-well/pond!
Dawood brought us to another chocolate face and a hand-painted cloth place then we went back to the port. We ate dinner on the ship and are calling it a night so we can be refreshed for our flight to Singapore in the morning!
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